S/O How Hard Do You Think It Is To Get Academic Accommodations?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:From my experience it's difficult and expensive. It takes a lot of time and effort on a parents part. Schools fight you. Once you have them, you don't automatically keep them throughout your school years.

Might there be an occasional wealthy parent and corrupt tester who will work the system? Yes. Same is true in all areas of life.

Please know that those with kids with disabilities would rather their kids not have a label. Kids with disabilities would rather not have a label.

Schools don't fight you if you have a legitimate disability.

Oh how I wish that were true.

[Anonymous]

Agree with a PP- it can be HARD to get accommodations even with a documented disability, recommendations made from the neuropsych, and teacher report. You have to be able to show an educational impact and for 2e kids who are able to hit proficiency by being able to compensate for the disability are often seen as not needing accommodations even as their confidence lowers and they are not learning anything.

The idea that you just walk in with a diagnosis and get accommodations is completely false!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Agree with a PP- it can be HARD to get accommodations even with a documented disability, recommendations made from the neuropsych, and teacher report. You have to be able to show an educational impact and for 2e kids who are able to hit proficiency by being able to compensate for the disability are often seen as not needing accommodations even as their confidence lowers and they are not learning anything.

The idea that you just walk in with a diagnosis and get accommodations is completely false!

Well we did not have to fight at all. If you have to fight, then it not must be legitimate. We have an ADHD diagnosis along with slow processing speed. Never had an issue at all.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Agree with a PP- it can be HARD to get accommodations even with a documented disability, recommendations made from the neuropsych, and teacher report. You have to be able to show an educational impact and for 2e kids who are able to hit proficiency by being able to compensate for the disability are often seen as not needing accommodations even as their confidence lowers and they are not learning anything.

The idea that you just walk in with a diagnosis and get accommodations is completely false!

Well we did not have to fight at all. If you have to fight, then it not must be legitimate. We have an ADHD diagnosis along with slow processing speed. Never had an issue at all.

Are you new to this board? Read through it and you will realize quickly that there are a lot of differences between schools and IEP teams. Just because YOU didn't have to fight for it, does not mean that everyone else's struggles are because their children do not have legitimate concerns...

[Anonymous]

In my experience, it is not that hard to get an IEP with appropriate accommodations. What has been impossible is getting the agreed upon accommodations implemented.

[Anonymous]

I think 504s are relatively easy to obtain. Getting an IEP IME is more difficult. Implementing either is tough but testing accommodations seem to be the simplest.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Agree with a PP- it can be HARD to get accommodations even with a documented disability, recommendations made from the neuropsych, and teacher report. You have to be able to show an educational impact and for 2e kids who are able to hit proficiency by being able to compensate for the disability are often seen as not needing accommodations even as their confidence lowers and they are not learning anything.

The idea that you just walk in with a diagnosis and get accommodations is completely false!

Well we did not have to fight at all. If you have to fight, then it not must be legitimate. We have an ADHD diagnosis along with slow processing speed. Never had an issue at all.

So, if it was easy for you, it is easy for everyone at every school?

[Anonymous]

Studies have show that kids that don't need extra time do not score higher on a test when given extra time. But you should just do it, it's only $3000. It's 2 days of testing. Plus you have to meet with the school. Usually the teacher forgets your child has accommodations or just refuses to implement them because it is a pain. So plan for missing about 10 days of work.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Agree with a PP- it can be HARD to get accommodations even with a documented disability, recommendations made from the neuropsych, and teacher report. You have to be able to show an educational impact and for 2e kids who are able to hit proficiency by being able to compensate for the disability are often seen as not needing accommodations even as their confidence lowers and they are not learning anything.

The idea that you just walk in with a diagnosis and get accommodations is completely false!

Well we did not have to fight at all. If you have to fight, then it not must be legitimate. We have an ADHD diagnosis along with slow processing speed. Never had an issue at all.

I know it is possible to get lucky because after years of fighting on behalf of my child we changed schools and I was stunned that the new counselor took one look at the 504 and said it was not sufficient. Very soon after we had a successful 504 meeting. BUT that's unusual. My younger child's case required the hiring of an advocate, multiple outside evals and a neuropsych's presence to get the ball rolling. And we have friends who had to transfer to private because their child was a very gifted student and the school claimed that her ADHD had no educational impact.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Agree with a PP- it can be HARD to get accommodations even with a documented disability, recommendations made from the neuropsych, and teacher report. You have to be able to show an educational impact and for 2e kids who are able to hit proficiency by being able to compensate for the disability are often seen as not needing accommodations even as their confidence lowers and they are not learning anything.

The idea that you just walk in with a diagnosis and get accommodations is completely false!

Well we did not have to fight at all. If you have to fight, then it not must be legitimate. We have an ADHD diagnosis along with slow processing speed. Never had an issue at all.

So, if it was easy for you, it is easy for everyone at every school?

NP. It is easy at our school too. what usually happens is that the school and teachers are the first ones who notice if there is an issue and tell the parents. Everyone I know at our school who has an IEP/504 got one this way. The school does not fight bc they are the ones that start the ball rolling. But we are at a DCI feeder where kids can stay from preschool until they graduate from hs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Agree with a PP- it can be HARD to get accommodations even with a documented disability, recommendations made from the neuropsych, and teacher report. You have to be able to show an educational impact and for 2e kids who are able to hit proficiency by being able to compensate for the disability are often seen as not needing accommodations even as their confidence lowers and they are not learning anything.

The idea that you just walk in with a diagnosis and get accommodations is completely false!

Well we did not have to fight at all. If you have to fight, then it not must be legitimate. We have an ADHD diagnosis along with slow processing speed. Never had an issue at all.

So, if it was easy for you, it is easy for everyone at every school?

NP. It is easy at our school too. what usually happens is that the school and teachers are the first ones who notice if there is an issue and tell the parents. Everyone I know at our school who has an IEP/504 got one this way. The school does not fight bc they are the ones that start the ball rolling. But we are at a DCI feeder where kids can stay from preschool until they graduate from hs.

Also NP. I'm stunned to read the comments that some say it is easy to get an IEP without a fight. Maybe 504s, yes, because the schools can ignore them, But not an IEP in Fairfax County Public Schools. Even with an autism/ADHD/GAD diagnosis, we had to show up with our psychiatrist to interpret the outside testing to get the IEP. The special needs coordinator showed up uninvited, unannounced from the high school and started fighting with the board without even introducing herself. Fortunately, our shrink shot her down. I truly believe her marching orders are to keep as many entering high schoolers from getting IEPs because the FCPS schools don't want to service them. If I hadn't been a lawyer and read up on Wright's law and brought in the psychiatrist I doubt we would have received what DC really needed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Agree with a PP- it can be HARD to get accommodations even with a documented disability, recommendations made from the neuropsych, and teacher report. You have to be able to show an educational impact and for 2e kids who are able to hit proficiency by being able to compensate for the disability are often seen as not needing accommodations even as their confidence lowers and they are not learning anything.

The idea that you just walk in with a diagnosis and get accommodations is completely false!

Well we did not have to fight at all. If you have to fight, then it not must be legitimate. We have an ADHD diagnosis along with slow processing speed. Never had an issue at all.

So, if it was easy for you, it is easy for everyone at every school?

NP. It is easy at our school too. what usually happens is that the school and teachers are the first ones who notice if there is an issue and tell the parents. Everyone I know at our school who has an IEP/504 got one this way. The school does not fight bc they are the ones that start the ball rolling. But we are at a DCI feeder where kids can stay from preschool until they graduate from hs.

Also NP. I'm stunned to read the comments that some say it is easy to get an IEP without a fight. Maybe 504s, yes, because the schools can ignore them, But not an IEP in Fairfax County Public Schools. Even with an autism/ADHD/GAD diagnosis, we had to show up with our psychiatrist to interpret the outside testing to get the IEP. The special needs coordinator showed up uninvited, unannounced from the high school and started fighting with the board without even introducing herself. Fortunately, our shrink shot her down. I truly believe her marching orders are to keep as many entering high schoolers from getting IEPs because the FCPS schools don't want to service them. If I hadn't been a lawyer and read up on Wright's law and brought in the psychiatrist I doubt we would have received what DC really needed.

I'm the pp and we are at a DC charter. Most everyone at our school get their IEP when they first enter usually prek3/prek4 which is probably why it is easy. Also, they always get an IEP under developmental delay whether or not they have a diagnosis (mine did) until K.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Agree with a PP- it can be HARD to get accommodations even with a documented disability, recommendations made from the neuropsych, and teacher report. You have to be able to show an educational impact and for 2e kids who are able to hit proficiency by being able to compensate for the disability are often seen as not needing accommodations even as their confidence lowers and they are not learning anything.

The idea that you just walk in with a diagnosis and get accommodations is completely false!

Well we did not have to fight at all. If you have to fight, then it not must be legitimate. We have an ADHD diagnosis along with slow processing speed. Never had an issue at all.

So, if it was easy for you, it is easy for everyone at every school?

NP. It is easy at our school too. what usually happens is that the school and teachers are the first ones who notice if there is an issue and tell the parents. Everyone I know at our school who has an IEP/504 got one this way. The school does not fight bc they are the ones that start the ball rolling. But [b]we are at a DCI feeder where kids can stay from preschool until they graduate from hs.

[/b]




Also NP. I'm stunned to read the comments that some say it is easy to get an IEP without a fight. Maybe 504s, yes, because the schools can ignore them, But not an IEP in Fairfax County Public Schools. Even with an autism/ADHD/GAD diagnosis, we had to show up with our psychiatrist to interpret the outside testing to get the IEP. The special needs coordinator showed up uninvited, unannounced from the high school and started fighting with the board without even introducing herself. Fortunately, our shrink shot her down. I truly believe her marching orders are to keep as many entering high schoolers from getting IEPs because the FCPS schools don't want to service them. If I hadn't been a lawyer and read up on Wright's law and brought in the psychiatrist I doubt we would have received what DC really needed.

I think you are both right given what your experiences have been to date. I have kids entering 6th and 9th and it was much easier to get an IEP for preschool/elementary for the oldest (I was at a DC charter as well). It has been progressively harder to keep services as my son has gotten older. Accommodations for time, small group testing, some technology has been happily provided but anything approaching academic support is a battle.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Agree with a PP- it can be HARD to get accommodations even with a documented disability, recommendations made from the neuropsych, and teacher report. You have to be able to show an educational impact and for 2e kids who are able to hit proficiency by being able to compensate for the disability are often seen as not needing accommodations even as their confidence lowers and they are not learning anything.

The idea that you just walk in with a diagnosis and get accommodations is completely false!

Well we did not have to fight at all. If you have to fight, then it not must be legitimate. We have an ADHD diagnosis along with slow processing speed. Never had an issue at all.

So, if it was easy for you, it is easy for everyone at every school?

NP. It is easy at our school too. what usually happens is that the school and teachers are the first ones who notice if there is an issue and tell the parents. Everyone I know at our school who has an IEP/504 got one this way. The school does not fight bc they are the ones that start the ball rolling. But [b]we are at a DCI feeder where kids can stay from preschool until they graduate from hs.

[/b]




Also NP. I'm stunned to read the comments that some say it is easy to get an IEP without a fight. Maybe 504s, yes, because the schools can ignore them, But not an IEP in Fairfax County Public Schools. Even with an autism/ADHD/GAD diagnosis, we had to show up with our psychiatrist to interpret the outside testing to get the IEP. The special needs coordinator showed up uninvited, unannounced from the high school and started fighting with the board without even introducing herself. Fortunately, our shrink shot her down. I truly believe her marching orders are to keep as many entering high schoolers from getting IEPs because the FCPS schools don't want to service them. If I hadn't been a lawyer and read up on Wright's law and brought in the psychiatrist I doubt we would have received what DC really needed.

I think you are both right given what your experiences have been to date. I have kids entering 6th and 9th and it was much easier to get an IEP for preschool/elementary for the oldest (I was at a DC charter as well). It has been progressively harder to keep services as my son has gotten older. Accommodations for time, small group testing, some technology has been happily provided but anything approaching academic support is a battle.

Interesting and thanks for the forewarning. DS does not needs academic supports but social and behavioral. He gets keyboarding instruction from the OT which would be an academic accommodation. DS has an ASD/ADHD diagnosis from a full neuropsych eval. No LDs. I thought that getting social supports would be the most difficult bc most schools traditionally did not provide or care about social issues but our school has been good about providing them. DS is entering 3rd grade.

[Anonymous]

10:54 again. The one academic support my 8th grader needs involves composition/writing. He struggles with it and it comes up in every class except math/science.

At our last IEP mtg we got time with a resource teacher to function as a writing coach up to 1 hr a week. The idea is he can stop in and work on whatever assignments he has. It was a struggle to get something so fluid in the document and I'm not sure how well it will work. But we are trying.