DCPS IEP and NVLD? Recs for educational testing for NVLD?

[Anonymous]

Does DCPS recognize NVLD as a basis for an IEP? My 9YO has a 50-point gap between his verbal and nonverbal IQ scores, as tested by DCPS, but because both are normal and above, they will not qualify him for any services or accommodations. We did not specifically talk about NVLD in his IEP meeting, but after doing some reading about that kind of score discrepancy, am now thinking we should do our own private testing. He has clear fine/gross motor delays and has had years of OT but he doesn't test low enough to continue to qualify for school-based services (and we're fine with that).

If we go down the road of private testing, any recommendations for someone good (in DC, preferably) to identify NVLD? Any recommendations on helpful accommodations to request for a kid with very highly gifted verbal IQ but low normal visual/spatial IQ? Is this better addressed as a 504 than IEP?

Thanks for your advice!

[Anonymous]

For neuropsych eval, I recommend Dr. Black from Stixrud.

For an educational consultant, Janet Price from the Weinfeld group.

You will not be able to get an IEP or 504 with an NVLD diagnosis but many people think NVLD and Asperger's/ASD describes pretty much the same thing. The people I mention above should be able to tease out which diagnosis better describes your child.

Not to throw a wretch into the equation but some people with Asperger's/NVLD have very high visual/spatial IQ. My kid with AS has a highly gifted verbal IQ but he always scores even higher on the visual/spatial IQ. Diagnosis is not dependent on IQ scores/subscores.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Does DCPS recognize NVLD as a basis for an IEP? My 9YO has a 50-point gap between his verbal and nonverbal IQ scores, as tested by DCPS, but because both are normal and above, they will not qualify him for any services or accommodations. We did not specifically talk about NVLD in his IEP meeting, but after doing some reading about that kind of score discrepancy, am now thinking we should do our own private testing. He has clear fine/gross motor delays and has had years of OT but he doesn't test low enough to continue to qualify for school-based services (and we're fine with that).

If we go down the road of private testing, any recommendations for someone good (in DC, preferably) to identify NVLD? Any recommendations on helpful accommodations to request for a kid with very highly gifted verbal IQ but low normal visual/spatial IQ? Is this better addressed as a 504 than IEP?

Thanks for your advice!

Services and accommodations are not contingent on IQ scores either but the diagnosis. Kids with high IQs can have an IEP if they have a disability recognized under IDEA.

[Anonymous]

The key question would be: in what way is the LD interfering with his learning?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The key question would be: in what way is the LD interfering with his learning?

Exactly. The only thing the fifty point gap between his very high verbal and low normal visual/spatial IQ indicates is that the kid is not that good at math. Not an indication of a learning disability.

[Anonymous]

Well, his evaluations show that much of his reading comp/vocabulary skills test at a high school + level but on last year's DC-CAS he was barely proficient. Same on his PIAs -- classroom work demonstrates mastery of the material but his standardized tests are always way, way below what his teachers expect to see.

I'm less concerned about labeling this as a learning disability now, but I feel like middle school will be a train wreck for this kid.

This reads VERY much like my kid, and the testing we've done so far bears this out, but I'm just not sure DCPS would even recognize this as a learning disability, let alone provide meaningful accommodations:
http://www.nldontario.org/articles/PuzzlingParadox.html

[Anonymous]

OP, what you cited does sound like educational impact, given this is the school's standarized testing and his performance is not up to his abilities. If you do neuropsych and educational testing and the psychologist concludes your son has a disability, the psychologist will include a list of suggested services and acommodations at the end of the report. We went to GMU (but for a different LD diagnosis). We had an appointment within two weeks and cost was reasonable.

In our case, our gifted DD with very high verbal abiliities but awful spelling and general disorganization was tested, and they teased out a visual processing issue. The visual processing problem wasn't immediately apparent in the IQ testing or educational testing; they had to administer a few additional targeted tests to get to the cause. Once we understood the cause and received some meaningful suggestions for services/accomodations, things became a lot easier. She ended up qualifying for a 504 for acommodations, and we have done outside tutoring and skills pracdtice at home.