is this ok to put on AAP appeal letter?

[Anonymous]

Thanks! I wrote our letter (it has to be postmarked by today) and said simply our son has an educational disability and an IEP for Autism, that he's literal, the social aspect of school is mentally and emotionally difficult for him, this affects his ability to focus and affects his grades, that he has a case manager who comes in and helps him with this.
Then I went on to talk about his many strengths. We are also including his WISC (FSIQ 133, VCI 132, PRI 129, WMI 135, PSI 106). I'm not attempting to explain his scores. I was hoping they'll see the discrepancy and connect that with the Autism.
Would you have included anything else?

[Anonymous]

PP,I was the one who said I would help you. I wrote very similar stuff in our letter - I think your child will get in.

Our DS had a very low process score (15%) and scored in 98% and 99% in VCI and PRI. His WM was 90% and the PSI was 15%. The FSIQ was 120. I wasn't going to appeal, initially. However, a poster on this board encouraged me as the FCPS SB is beginning to understand 2E kids - which my DS is. Exceptional in VCI and PRI (want matters, I suppose) and very slow processing. DS is an excellent reader (sometimes slow processing affects reading, not so for DS), but just needs more time to complete tasks. Writing is an issue, though. It can be challenging to get the ideas on paper. Much better orally - in fact, exceptional vocabulary. DS has a 504 in place. I imagine that the 504 will come in handy in 5th grade with respect to the writing SOL and in 6th for the IAAT.

Please post back and let us know if DC is accepted. AS I said, I think your child would get in and is a child who will do well in AAP. GL!

[Anonymous]

Thanks so much for the advice and encouragement! I hope your son gets in too!

[Anonymous]

PP, my DS did get in. He's in 3rd AAP this year. GL!!!!

[Anonymous]

Oops, missed that. Thanks!

[Anonymous]

I am very interested in this thread. I have a 2nd grader who has a medical diagnosis of Autism and ADHD. He is fully mainstreamed with an IEP. His IEP eligibility is two-fold, for both Autism, and OHI (ADHD). DS was identified in Kindergarten for pull outs by the AART at his school. His Naglieri scores were borderline (129 I think), but his CoGat was lower. His AART told me to fill out a parent referral. He was not found eligible. We decided not to appeal. In my initial referral, I very clearly outlined why I felt that his test scores (especially the CogAt which he told me was the most boring test ever, lol) were not a true representation of his skills. His grades are all very good, he is reading well above grade level. Getting a WISC would be a financial stretch (and no, we would not qualify for aid). My biggest fear is that our school seems to have two extremes, the very high performers, and the very low performers. I am extremely curious though, to see how he would perform on the WISC.

Did those who have children with autism who did further testing find that the length of the WISC was too much and your child just checked out?
Did you find testers who are experienced dealing with twice exceptional children? (this is the label our developmental pediatrician mentioned to us)

We have an older son who has been through AAP (with ADHD), and there are parts of it I know my DS would love (more research projects, etc.), but I am unsure of whether with his level of inattention and disorganization he could handle it. (hence our reason to not appeal)

[Anonymous]

OP here. Our son did seem to lose interest in the testing at one point when we had the Neuro Psyc Evaluation done. He started making up silly answers and so the tester stopped recording them or something (this was over a year ago so I don't remember exactly). I think sometimes when things are ridiculously easy, kids will do that. But yes, the ADHD will also contribute to that.