S/O How Hard Do You Think It Is To Get Academic Accommodations?

[Anonymous]

In the Wooten special needs publicity thread there are a lot of folks that seem concerned that there are kids who get extra time and accommodations in order to get a "leg up" on their peers. I'll admit that this is a concern I share. So, how easy do you think it is? Are there specialists who are known for being soft sells, you think? Can money buy a diagnosis?

[Anonymous]

It depends on the provider- some yes, you can buy a diagnosis. I don't get why you'd want to as that label sticks with kids. Other providers are over eager to diagnose and probably happily hand out diagnosis and medication. We have an incorrect diagnosis and it was very easy to get (we do have special needs) and we could easily use it to our advantage but don't want special treatment as our child has to learn to function in the real world.

[Anonymous]

OP here: To be clear, I think we all know that LDs exist. That's not the question. The question is how easy do you think it is to get a kid without an LD accommodations?

[Anonymous]

I think it is probably a little easier than it should be. That wouldn't be a probelm for me EXCEPT that I think overdiagnosis is one of the reasons why the special ed program is so bloated in terms of per student expenditure. I know that is not a popular opinion in this town but when, for example, a district averages more more than double per student cost for one group over another I think the progra needs to be examined.

I don't mind the accomodations necessarily, but all the extra hoops, programs, evaluations, assessmemts, fights, meetings, etc that add so much more to the pricetag are what bothers me.

Resources are not unlimited. I thinks both sides, the districts and the parents, need to to give a little to cut back on the beauracracy so that the funds do not dry up for all the students.

[Anonymous]

I see someone just started a basically identical thread in the private school forum. I promise it wasn't me, but I guess it's in the ether tonight.

[Anonymous]

That is not the concern, OP. What you should be concerned about is the availability of ADHD meds and other prescription drugs in high schools. There is a black market for them, and some parents push doctors to diagnose ADHD so that their children can receive meds to "give them extra focus".

Regarding accommodations such as extra time, schools normally do their own testing, even when presented with a private evaluation. So then it becomes a question of how thorough the school is on testing. I imagine it varies by school, but there are a lot of safeguards and red tape put in place. Usually parents have the opposite problem, when they can't get the school to agree on services for their child!

There are intelligent and capable students who have compensated for their issues throughout their schooling only to fall apart in high school - I was one of them.
But so many are doing this now that the fraud concern is legitimate. I always tell parents who are concerned about their child's development to seek evaluations well before high school, and if need be, have an IEP or 504 plan with corresponding accommodations already in place by middle school.

[Anonymous]

I think it's fairly easy to get an ADHD diagnosis and with that get medication. To get accomodations through an IEP or 504, however, you'll generally need a full testing battery, to the tune of $3000. What's probably unfair is that kids with milder learning issues probably won't get tested if they are from families with fewer resources.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I see someone just started a basically identical thread in the private school forum. I promise it wasn't me, but I guess it's in the ether tonight.

It was me and then I saw this! I think it's the end of year grades that are perking people's interests in academics

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think it's fairly easy to get an ADHD diagnosis and with that get medication. To get accomodations through an IEP or 504, however, you'll generally need a full testing battery, to the tune of $3000. What's probably unfair is that kids with milder learning issues probably won't get tested if they are from families with fewer resources.[/quote]


True. And usually retesting every three years. plus you have to battle the public school district to get that IEP to get your child the accommodations they need. I can't imagine anyone doing it on a lark to get johnny extra time on a test. It's very expensive to raise SN kids, do the testing, the psychs., the psychiatrists, the meds., the tutors, the OT, and then fight the school for an IEP.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:In the Wooten special needs publicity thread there are a lot of folks that seem concerned that there are kids who get extra time and accommodations in order to get a "leg up" on their peers. I'll admit that this is a concern I share. So, how easy do you think it is? Are there specialists who are known for being soft sells, you think? Can money buy a diagnosis?

Based on my experience trying to get and keep the accommodations my DC needs as a result of a profound LD, I would say it would be very difficult without a true need. We are in FCPS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think it's fairly easy to get an ADHD diagnosis and with that get medication. To get accomodations through an IEP or 504, however, you'll generally need a full testing battery, to the tune of $3000. What's probably unfair is that kids with milder learning issues probably won't get tested if they are from families with fewer resources.

Actually it isn't.

[Anonymous]

From my experience it's difficult and expensive. It takes a lot of time and effort on a parents part. Schools fight you. Once you have them, you don't automatically keep them throughout your school years.

Might there be an occasional wealthy parent and corrupt tester who will work the system? Yes. Same is true in all areas of life.

Please know that those with kids with disabilities would rather their kids not have a label. Kids with disabilities would rather not have a label.

[Anonymous]

^^ should clarify the comment about labels. My kids did need the label to get appropriate services but I meant I'd rather them not have a disability at all!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:From my experience it's difficult and expensive. It takes a lot of time and effort on a parents part. Schools fight you. Once you have them, you don't automatically keep them throughout your school years.

Might there be an occasional wealthy parent and corrupt tester who will work the system? Yes. Same is true in all areas of life.

Please know that those with kids with disabilities would rather their kids not have a label. Kids with disabilities would rather not have a label.

Schools don't fight you if you have a legitimate disability.

[Anonymous]

I can't believe this is something you would be concerned about. As a parent of a child with autism, I am annoyed that people would think we want to have these accommodations. We would love not to have a disability and not need these things.

Of all the things to worry about in life, people cheating to get accommodations is not something I have the luxury if time to worry about. We have real problems.