Montgomery county public school dragging feet about re-testing dyslexic son

[Anonymous]

My DS was tested as a third grader, and diagnosed with dyslexia, inattentive ADHD, slow processing speed. He's not been re-tested in the six years since, and every time I raise it, the school system stonewalls. In our last conversation, the special ed coordinator suggested that additional testing isn't necessary since they already have a diagnosis for DS, and that he might even lose his accommodations if he is re-tested.

Has anybody else experienced this? Is there a school official at the central office to whom I can file an appeal or complaint?

[Anonymous]

Have you thought about testing him privately?

[Anonymous]

Does he have an IEP or a 504?

[Anonymous]

By law, the local screening team needs to meet every three years to determine if he should be reevaluated. You have to be invited to those meetings where re-evaluation is discussed. The committe can dertermine that testing is not necessary. You are a part of that decision. Why didn't you say he needs to be re-evaluated the last time folks met?

[Anonymous]

Also to consider is whether you will be seeking accommodations for your DS on the SAT/ACT/AP tests. Recent testing along with a history of using similar accommodations are usually required, which would be an additional reason for you to push for re-testing at this point.

[Anonymous]

I'm in AA County and I was specifically told that they must retest at least every 3 years. My child has an IEP. Yours?

I can't imagine the laws are different by county.

[Anonymous]

OP here. For years I've worked with educational consultants but as you all know, they don't come cheap. At some point I decided I would have to count on the county doing due diligence -- which as I also understood it, was testing every three years.

My DS was on autopilot all through middle school, and they did keep updating his IEP -- tweaking the technology and the accommodations a bit all along the way.

He got the Wilson reading program in elementary, access to an alpha smart, and resource for middle and high school.

Toward the end of middle school last year, his dad, my ex, raised the issue of testing, but I object over the timing -- he was already preparing for a slew of final exams and some standardized tests as well, and I thought it would be distracting and overwhelming.

Now that he's in high school, I feel it's really important that we know to what degree the disabilities that presented themselves in early childhood are still impacting on him. Having that information would prove key in making the decision for example about meds (he's been mostly unmediated over the years); whether or not to keep him in resource class etc. But his high school special ed coordinator -- in a move that really almost sounds like a hostage taking -- is making noises suggesting that he could lose his accommodations if he is re-tested, seemingly making the case that we'd be better off rolling along as is. Her verbatim reply to me via email is that "the county just does not automatically do updated testing unless there is a good reason, and questions that need to be answered."
The IEP team, she added will discuss it at a meeting scheduled for tomorrow "and then decide what the best course of action will be."

But her conversation on the phone with me several weeks ago was very discouraging about the team seeing the necessity for testing, since in their view, very little visibly has change with him to warrant it.

Have others had similar problems? Sounds like 10:02 in AA County has had quite a different experience.

[Anonymous]

MoCo does not test every three years. Every three years, you have to requalify for an IEP. If additional testing is necessary to make the determination, they will do the testing.

OP, your special education coordinator is right that if they retest, it is possible that he will no longer qualify for an IEP. If you are confident that's not possible then you are fine.

[Anonymous]

This sounds like a whole lot of bullying to me. Yeah, there's a risk he may no longer qualify, but how in the world are you to know if what special accomodations and whatever they are doing are of any value then??

I would start considering organizing your own evaluation. Your insurance may cover it. Then you use that on them to demonstrate what you think he needs based on testing. YOU request an IEP meeting and they have to have it and listen to you.

What is this "the IEP will discuss it a meeting tomorrow and decide the best course of action" crap? YOU are part of that team. YOU are entitled to at least 10 days notice of any meeting. And YOU get to interject as a team member and influence any decision on the best course of action.

Get in there OP. Reconnect with your advocate if you must.

[Anonymous]

My child also has dyslexia and adhd. We are currently trying to get her a 504, but the special ed department said that poor handwriting (it's completely illegible) does not qualify her for any special instruction. I don't know why Montgomery County is deemed as such a great system for kids with disabilities. I think it's awful! It's kids like ours who fall through the cracks and they just turn their backs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My child also has dyslexia and adhd. We are currently trying to get her a 504, but the special ed department said that poor handwriting (it's completely illegible) does not qualify her for any special instruction. I don't know why Montgomery County is deemed as such a great system for kids with disabilities. I think it's awful! It's kids like ours who fall through the cracks and they just turn their backs.

Special Instruction = Special Ed Services = You should ask for an IEP.

A 504 plan just gives access to accommodations.

The special ed department is correct that poor handwriting does not qualify for any special instruction, but a diagnosis of dysgraphia, dyslexia, or other health impairment (ADHD) along with an educational impact does. You need to ask for an IEP meeting in writing (send to the Principal) and bring documentations of any professional diagnosis and difficulties your child is having in school.

[Anonymous]

Remember, what you're seeing in your child has to have educational impact.

In addition, be careful about the outside testing thing because schools do not have to acknowledge any of what you have your medical doctor provide.

Best bet is to kill em with kindness because they have something you need. It's terrible to have to fight this fight, I know all about it as well.

[Anonymous]

I thought special education students did have to be reevaluated every three years. Is that not right? My son is completely reevaluated...third time and he's in 4th grade. Dyslexia and ADHD? Don't, these have an impact on your child in the classroom? What is the diagnosis the special ed coordinator is referring to dyslexia?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

My DS was tested as a third grader, and diagnosed with dyslexia, inattentive ADHD, slow processing speed. He's not been re-tested in the six years since, and every time I raise it, the school system stonewalls. In our last conversation, the special ed coordinator suggested that additional testing isn't necessary since they already have a diagnosis for DS, and that he might even lose his accommodations if he is re-tested.

Has anybody else experienced this? Is there a school official at the central office to whom I can file an appeal or complaint?

A reevaluation takes place every 3 years. However, if you and the school team agree on the disability and there is a continued educational impact, then the school does not have to retest.

If you think retesting is necessary to identify a disability not previously detected, you can ask the school team to test and if they say no ask at the meeting on how you file for private testing at public expense. They may back track and do the testing or stonewall some more. If they stonewall, after you get the documents from the meeting, send a letter to the Principal stating sense the IEP team denied your request for further testing that you wish for the school system to pay for private testing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My child also has dyslexia and adhd. We are currently trying to get her a 504, but the special ed department said that poor handwriting (it's completely illegible) does not qualify her for any special instruction. I don't know why Montgomery County is deemed as such a great system for kids with disabilities. I think it's awful! It's kids like ours who fall through the cracks and they just turn their backs.

My child has dysgraphia and has an IEP. You need to show three things to get an IEP -- 1) disorder, 2) adverse impact and 3) need for special instruction. Write a letter to the principal that says that you are concerned about dysgraphia, that you think your child needs special instruction and an IEP. Provide some examples of the poor handwriting and describe how it is impacting the child in class -- how is the child able to "demonstrate understanding" if he/she can not write? is the poor handwriting having adverse impact in other ways, i.e. causing emotional problems like calling oneself stupid, or avoiding activities in the classroom?

Tell me how old your child is and I will try to help you figure out what kind of data you can ask for to help show adverse impact. Also, think beyond just handwriting -- does your child have problems that seem age-inappropriate with oral spoken expression? organizing thoughts on paper? maintaining attention long enough to write a paragraph? grammar? spelling? These can be indicative of other "disorders" like Mixed Expressive/Receptive Language Disorder, Executive Function problems, ADD, problems with phonic knowledge, coordination disorder, etc.

Yes, the MCPS IEP team will dismiss "poor handwriting" as something that's not a problem and may just offer a 504 plan with accommodations for extra time and a computer instead, but if you think more is going on, you can continue to press -- register your objection to the failure to determine IEP eligibility, go to mediation, get outside private testing, etc.