I need to hold my child back in 1st grade (Fairfax County) - please help with next steps!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here: Yes she has an IEP and we plan to stay in FCPS. She is youngest in her class and is developmentally immature compared to other rising 2nd graders AND only reading at DRA level B. Worried about her readiness for 2nd grade even w/ the IEP and extra tutoring that we have in place. The IEP was put in place towards end of 1st so she is only now starting to get some extra help and is SO far behind her classmates.

As the parent of a kid that we gave “the gift of another year of preschool to,”an FCPS elementary teacher, AND a kid who was once held back in FCPS back in the day.... you are not going to get what you want. I still see kids get held back in K, but in the past....10? years I don’t think a kid has been retained in 1st at my school barring VERY extenuating circumstances. I feel for you because I know how it feels to see your kid not thrive as the youngest in the class. I also know that being held back in 1st (due to adhd and dyslexia that was diagnosed later in my school career) gave me a huge complex that took years of therapy as an adult to get to the root of. The emotional toll of holding an early elementary kid back is one reason why it is not done anymore in FCPS. I would focus your energy on getting the best IEP supports you can AND supplementing with private dyslexia tutoring. FCPS IS training some teachers in OG this summer, but it is going to be a far cry from intensive private OG tutoring. Work with building a positive relationship with your child’s teachers next year. Investigate what type of assistive technology is out there to support your child. Connect with the school librarian about audiobook resources. Work with a therapist to figure out how to boost your child’s self esteem. Dyslexia is a marathon, not a sprint.

[Anonymous]

You don't need to hold her back, you need to get her intensive OG-based tutoring.

[Anonymous]

Op - I have a child who was reading at a DRA 4 at the end of first grade and holding her back a year was never a consideration (especially because she was doing great in all other subjects). We started weekly private tutoring that June and between the weekly tutoring that continued throughout the school year, an attentive 2nd grade teacher, and help from the reading specialist at school, she was up to a DRA 22 by the end of second grade. It's not perfect, but she is very slowly catching up. We're continuing tutoring this summer to hopefully get her up to a 28 before she starts third grade, and also considering taking her to a psychologist to get assessed for dyslexia.

[Anonymous]

My child does not have dyslexia, but I was worried at one point because he did not talk at all and couldn't tell if he can read or not. I bought many bob books, phonic CD and let him watch youtube kid songs. That helps to build foundation and I think that also help him to identity and read sight words once he learn how to talk. And, his weekly speech therapist (not reading tutor) works on his reading and comprehension sometime, and that helps too. I am told by his IEP team that his reading level is really high for his age, DRA 16, and he will be attending K this fall. Well, he has other disabilities and other challenges.

[Anonymous]

Op-- I think u have a great argument to repeat 1st grade. DC should be at DRA J Level by the end of 1st grade. It's already mid-July. Your DC could use the next year to struggle thru and get on reading level with the help of tutors and YOU.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My child does not have dyslexia, but I was worried at one point because he did not talk at all and couldn't tell if he can read or not. I bought many bob books, phonic CD and let him watch youtube kid songs. That helps to build foundation and I think that also help him to identity and read sight words once he learn how to talk. And, his weekly speech therapist (not reading tutor) works on his reading and comprehension sometime, and that helps too. I am told by his IEP team that his reading level is really high for his age, DRA 16, and he will be attending K this fall. Well, he has other disabilities and other challenges.

That's great for your kid, but I'm not sure how the experience of an above grade level reader (even with additional challenges) is relevant to the OP.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You don't need to hold her back, you need to get her intensive OG-based tutoring.

This. And there will be someone trained in OG at her school. FCPS is doing a massive training this summer. At least one literacy teacher from every school is getting trained AND a sped teacher.

Do not retain.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Op-- I think u have a great argument to repeat 1st grade. DC should be at DRA J Level by the end of 1st grade. It's already mid-July. Your DC could use the next year to struggle thru and get on reading level with the help of tutors and YOU.

Dyslexia and a low reading level is not a good reason to hold a smart kid behind. It's a good reason to get the child a 3x a week OG tutor and make sure the child's IEP includes intensive OG-based reading remediation in the fall.

OP hasn't said anything about how her child is doing in the other subjects - is your child doing fine in math, social studies, science, and her specials? I bet she is and that is why the principal won't hold her back a grade.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You don't need to hold her back, you need to get her intensive OG-based tutoring.

This. And there will be someone trained in OG at her school. FCPS is doing a massive training this summer. At least one literacy teacher from every school is getting trained AND a sped teacher.

Do not retain.

What training are they doing?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You don't need to hold her back, you need to get her intensive OG-based tutoring.

This. And there will be someone trained in OG at her school. FCPS is doing a massive training this summer. At least one literacy teacher from every school is getting trained AND a sped teacher.

Do not retain.

What training are they doing?

They are doing OG training, but it doesnt seem intensive/enough…we shall see. It is a step in the right direction! I find it hard to believe that one person trained per school will meet the needs of all the kids in a building who need OG.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You don't need to hold her back, you need to get her intensive OG-based tutoring.

This. And there will be someone trained in OG at her school. FCPS is doing a massive training this summer. At least one literacy teacher from every school is getting trained AND a sped teacher.

Do not retain.

What training are they doing?

They are doing OG training, but it doesnt seem intensive/enough…we shall see. It is a step in the right direction! I find it hard to believe that one person trained per school will meet the needs of all the kids in a building who need OG.

No one said it would. And the plan underway is at least two in addition to others that are already trained. Our small elementary will have 3 trained when school starts.
Not perfect, but a big step in the right direction.

[Anonymous]

If she is truly dyslexic- she will never learn to read if you are relying on FCPS.Repeating first grade will just repeat the lack of a reading program, no focus on phonics and guessing what a word is.

-Parent of fifth grader who can't read and currently spending 30K on remediation.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You don't need to hold her back, you need to get her intensive OG-based tutoring.

This. And there will be someone trained in OG at her school. FCPS is doing a massive training this summer. At least one literacy teacher from every school is getting trained AND a sped teacher.

Do not retain.

What training are they doing?

They are doing OG training, but it doesnt seem intensive/enough…we shall see. It is a step in the right direction! I find it hard to believe that one person trained per school will meet the needs of all the kids in a building who need OG.

No one said it would. And the plan underway is at least two in addition to others that are already trained. Our small elementary will have 3 trained when school starts.
Not perfect, but a big step in the right direction.

Which OG training? AOGPE/OGA or IMSE and what level are they being trained to? Will they be doing the supervised practicum? Is there any training like LETRS happening for general education teachers?

I want to be excited but am a bit cynical after having to leave FCPS for a private dyslexia school.

[Anonymous]

Put her in Catholic school in first grade where they teach phonics then supplement with a tutor or buy all about reading program.

[Anonymous]

The other option is homeschool and have her repeat first grade. Then enroll her in Linda mood bell intensive instruction for 2 hours a day for the fall. Work with her all year then enroll her in second grade the following year. So much better to intensively remediate now when she is young. Don’t send her to second grade now!