How well does your child's school know his/her needs?

[Anonymous]

My son is having a really tough time in middle school. He has ADHD with a 504 Plan but keeps tripping up over tasks such as paying attention, task completion, and organization of materials. I have had many teacher emails, meetings, and team meetings but the school staff (teachers, counselor, principal) doesn't seem to understand or get that these issues are the heart of his disability. It's not enough to give him an assignment book and assume he will fill it in. His 504 gives him preferential seating but they interpret that as being in the front row and ignore who they sit him next to. When I question his seating placement, the answer is "What do you want me to do? Put him in a corner by himself." Now he is receiving detention for not paying attention in class as if punishment will cure his ADHD.

Is this the best we can expect from a public school system? Punishment in lieu of educational services for teaching coping skills for his disability? How is this type of treatment a best teaching practice?

Is your school doing a good job understanding your child's disability and meeting his/her needs?

[Anonymous]

We are in MCPS, middle school. DS has severe ADHD, and has every possible accommodation possible and they are open to adding even more accommodations if he needs it.

Sounds like your DS needs and IEP not a 504. Has he had a private evaluation?

[Anonymous]

Preferential seating should be the appropriate placement for the child, for the vast majority it is the front row. If that is different, you need to stipulate that in the 504. My DC has preferential seating and somedays that means being near an electrical plug so he can plug in his laptop. It is clearly spelled out in his accommodations page in his IEP and in the PLOP.


When they come up with an issue at a meeting, ask "How have you solved this type of problem in a previous student?"

The three "C's are helpful, I am curious, I am concerned, I am confused.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My son is having a really tough time in middle school. He has ADHD with a 504 Plan but keeps tripping up over tasks such as paying attention, task completion, and organization of materials. I have had many teacher emails, meetings, and team meetings but the school staff (teachers, counselor, principal) doesn't seem to understand or get that these issues are the heart of his disability. It's not enough to give him an assignment book and assume he will fill it in. His 504 gives him preferential seating but they interpret that as being in the front row and ignore who they sit him next to. When I question his seating placement, the answer is "What do you want me to do? Put him in a corner by himself." Now he is receiving detention for not paying attention in class as if punishment will cure his ADHD.

Is this the best we can expect from a public school system? Punishment in lieu of educational services for teaching coping skills for his disability? How is this type of treatment a best teaching practice?

Is your school doing a good job understanding your child's disability and meeting his/her needs?

IME a 504 plan won't get your child any instruction in how to best use the accommodations.

We were in a similar boat and felt we didn't want to spend months fighting with the school and watch our child fail/get more frustrated about school. So we hired a child psychologist who works with ADHD kids to teach her how to organize herself/manage her schoolwork. They developed checklists that made sense to the child, the psychologist did a few school visits to see what was going on in class, and we also asked her to work with the child on some longer range project assignments (break down into smaller tasks etc). None of it was rocket science but in our situation it worked better to have someone other than mom and dad do this.

Should your school be able and willing to do this kind of support -- probably. But we were tired of fighting and the only diagnosis we had from private testing was ADHD -- so 504 only, no IEP once we hit middle school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My son is having a really tough time in middle school. He has ADHD with a 504 Plan but keeps tripping up over tasks such as paying attention, task completion, and organization of materials. I have had many teacher emails, meetings, and team meetings but the school staff (teachers, counselor, principal) doesn't seem to understand or get that these issues are the heart of his disability. It's not enough to give him an assignment book and assume he will fill it in. His 504 gives him preferential seating but they interpret that as being in the front row and ignore who they sit him next to. When I question his seating placement, the answer is "What do you want me to do? Put him in a corner by himself." Now he is receiving detention for not paying attention in class as if punishment will cure his ADHD.

Is this the best we can expect from a public school system? Punishment in lieu of educational services for teaching coping skills for his disability? How is this type of treatment a best teaching practice?

Is your school doing a good job understanding your child's disability and meeting his/her needs?

IME a 504 plan won't get your child any instruction in how to best use the accommodations.

We were in a similar boat and felt we didn't want to spend months fighting with the school and watch our child fail/get more frustrated about school. So we hired a child psychologist who works with ADHD kids to teach her how to organize herself/manage her schoolwork. They developed checklists that made sense to the child, the psychologist did a few school visits to see what was going on in class, and we also asked her to work with the child on some longer range project assignments (break down into smaller tasks etc). None of it was rocket science but in our situation it worked better to have someone other than mom and dad do this.

Should your school be able and willing to do this kind of support -- probably. But we were tired of fighting and the only diagnosis we had from private testing was ADHD -- so 504 only, no IEP once we hit middle school.

OP here -

Thank you for the suggestion. How often were your child's visits to the psychologist and were you able to get non-school hour appointments? Missing school is difficult for my child (getting and making up the work) but seeing a professional might be worth a try.

We have pushed MCPS for years for an IEP. However, my son was able to skate by with passing grades in elementary school and frankly there just was more built in support at that level. Now that demands have increased in Middle School, there is a lot more he has to juggle and he is less able to cope. Still I seem to get resistance and ignorant comments from the school which I don't understand. They could give him a million accommodations or they could teach him skills so he has greater independence. In the long run, an IEP would be more effective in addressing his issues and once those skills are learned, he would be less problematic for the school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My son is having a really tough time in middle school. He has ADHD with a 504 Plan but keeps tripping up over tasks such as paying attention, task completion, and organization of materials. I have had many teacher emails, meetings, and team meetings but the school staff (teachers, counselor, principal) doesn't seem to understand or get that these issues are the heart of his disability. It's not enough to give him an assignment book and assume he will fill it in. His 504 gives him preferential seating but they interpret that as being in the front row and ignore who they sit him next to. When I question his seating placement, the answer is "What do you want me to do? Put him in a corner by himself." Now he is receiving detention for not paying attention in class as if punishment will cure his ADHD.

Is this the best we can expect from a public school system? Punishment in lieu of educational services for teaching coping skills for his disability? How is this type of treatment a best teaching practice?

Is your school doing a good job understanding your child's disability and meeting his/her needs?

IME a 504 plan won't get your child any instruction in how to best use the accommodations.

We were in a similar boat and felt we didn't want to spend months fighting with the school and watch our child fail/get more frustrated about school. So we hired a child psychologist who works with ADHD kids to teach her how to organize herself/manage her schoolwork. They developed checklists that made sense to the child, the psychologist did a few school visits to see what was going on in class, and we also asked her to work with the child on some longer range project assignments (break down into smaller tasks etc). None of it was rocket science but in our situation it worked better to have someone other than mom and dad do this.

Should your school be able and willing to do this kind of support -- probably. But we were tired of fighting and the only diagnosis we had from private testing was ADHD -- so 504 only, no IEP once we hit middle school.

OP here -

Thank you for the suggestion. How often were your child's visits to the psychologist and were you able to get non-school hour appointments? Missing school is difficult for my child (getting and making up the work) but seeing a professional might be worth a try.

We have pushed MCPS for years for an IEP. However, my son was able to skate by with passing grades in elementary school and frankly there just was more built in support at that level. Now that demands have increased in Middle School, there is a lot more he has to juggle and he is less able to cope. Still I seem to get resistance and ignorant comments from the school which I don't understand. They could give him a million accommodations or they could teach him skills so he has greater independence. In the long run, an IEP would be more effective in addressing his issues and once those skills are learned, he would be less problematic for the school.

Initially twice a month - then went to monthly checkins. They started meeting in the summer (mid July) and at first it was a lot of talking about what was challenging and working on solutions. There was 'homework' assigned ... which of course was part of the plan.

A side goal of this was self-advocacy and ownership for the kid. We also brought in things like managing chores at home, medication, breakfast/lunch prep. Basically all executive function tasks.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We are in MCPS, middle school. DS has severe ADHD, and has every possible accommodation possible and they are open to adding even more accommodations if he needs it.

Also in MCPS and am having the same experience.

They could give him a million accommodations or they could teach him skills so he has greater independence. In the long run, an IEP would be more effective in addressing his issues and once those skills are learned, he would be less problematic for the school.

Before we hit MS, I was really concerned about the skills he would need to be successful. A lot of his goals during the last two years of ES involved this sort of thing, so my son was ready for MS. For example, he develops his own checklists and has been able to organize his own binder and backpack - his systems wouldn't work for me, but they do for him. So, I think you are on the right track when you talk about needing to teach the skills he needs for independence. But that isn't something you get with a 504 - this takes staff time, so you need an IEP. Or, you need to figure out how to work with him at home or, as someone else suggested, get a private psychologist to help.

Another thing that might help is getting your son in supported classes where the class size is small and the classes are co-taught.

[Anonymous]

OP - if you haven't done it within the last three years I would recommend doing thorough new NT testing. Then, based upon those findings, if warranted, ask for an IEP. I can't speak for Mont. Co. but a 504 in FCPS is ignored. You really need an IEP. And you need a cadre of experts (tester, psychologist or psychiatrist, teachers, lawyer if absolutely necessary, tutors, etc.) to go to that meeting to argue your case. If that doesn't work, I would consider switching to a SN school (if you can afford it) that specifically addresses ADHD kids.

[Anonymous]

And while you're doing updated testing, I'd start having your child work with the child psychologist like PP did. Starting this summer to have your child learn to develop the skills, get used to them, practice them and then start using them Aug/Sept with a new year would be great!

Yes, we could argue that the schools should do this. But if they aren't, I'd go ahead and do it for your child now. Getting an IEP, even if the new testing shows he needs it, will take months to do and in the mean time he'd be learning all sorts of useful things from the child. psych.

PP can you post the name of your child psychologist who works with ADHD students? And the email or website?

Because even if that person doesn't work in OP's state/area, simply calling that person for a recommendation in her state/town/area would go a long way. Or she could call PP's person and ask what she should be looking for, what experience, training, education, etc. Not sure all child psych's work with ADHD children in this way. Honestly, professionals will often help you because it only takes a few minutes of their time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:And while you're doing updated testing, I'd start having your child work with the child psychologist like PP did. Starting this summer to have your child learn to develop the skills, get used to them, practice them and then start using them Aug/Sept with a new year would be great!

Yes, we could argue that the schools should do this. But if they aren't, I'd go ahead and do it for your child now. Getting an IEP, even if the new testing shows he needs it, will take months to do and in the mean time he'd be learning all sorts of useful things from the child. psych.

PP can you post the name of your child psychologist who works with ADHD students? And the email or website?

Because even if that person doesn't work in OP's state/area, simply calling that person for a recommendation in her state/town/area would go a long way. Or she could call PP's person and ask what she should be looking for, what experience, training, education, etc. Not sure all child psych's work with ADHD children in this way. Honestly, professionals will often help you because it only takes a few minutes of their time.

Yes! Please share! Thank you!!