additional advice on MCPS for LD middle schooler & opinions on private schools

[Anonymous]

Hi all – I posted here a few weeks ago before an initial IEP meeting for an 8th grader diagnosed with SLD in reading/writing through private evaluation. The advice from DCUMers was very helpful.

The meeting didn’t go well and my child’s high test scores in some areas and relatively good grades (despite immense struggling behind the scenes) were used as “proof” that he doesn’t have an issue, despite very low test scores in other areas such as decoding. (The school psychologist actually said at the meeting “decoding doesn’t matter” and the special ed teacher told me that me paying privately for O-G was not a good use of money at this stage.)

While I was somewhat prepared for this lack of knowledge, I do have to admit that I didn't think it would be quite this bad.

Anyway, I have another meeting coming up, and if anyone has any ideas/successes about navigating middle school MCPS with a bright student with LD/dyslexia that isn’t (yet) failing, but needs supports and accommodations, I would be very grateful for your insight.

Alternatively, do people have any feedback on private schools for this situation? McLean? Lab? Siena? They are so shockingly expensive that of course I would greatly prefer to stay in MCPS (which I generally think is good) but since MCPS has been so uninformed from elem school through middle about learning disabilities I wonder if we should at least explore other options for high school.

As always, thanks in advance for your perspective.

[Anonymous]

You will need an advocate, but even then I think it will be tough and you may remain frustrated. Getting specific instruction is hard in any public school setting - but gets exponentially harder in middle and high school.

My advice is to do the math and compare the difference between private school tuition and an experienced reading and writing tutor.

Good luck. It is no fun.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You will need an advocate, but even then I think it will be tough and you may remain frustrated. Getting specific instruction is hard in any public school setting - but gets exponentially harder in middle and high school.

My advice is to do the math and compare the difference between private school tuition and an experienced reading and writing tutor.

Good luck. It is no fun.

I second the advice for an advocate. I spun my wheels for two years until finally deciding to pay for one. And having an advocate was the ONLY reason I was successful for getting an IEP for my similar type son. In fact, that's what the IEP group told me!

But, I have to say I think we will have to go back to using a language tutor for work on decoding, etc. My son is not really getting that much language based help with his pull outs.

[Anonymous]

Same scenario -- MCPS, SLD (dysgraphic, poor phonemic awareness) kid with high scores in some areas, weak in others. I also needed an advocate. A little frustrating, since the advocate said EXACTLY the same things I was saying, but at much greater cost/hour. It is magic. Shows the IEP team that you are serious and you know what you are talking about and are willing to go so far as to file a complaint.

So, we got the IEP. Accommodations, etc. are valuable and worth the trouble we went to.

However, MCPS has exactly ZERO ability to teach kids with SLD, IMO. So, I would advise, spend enough money to get the IEP and as much as you can in the way of accommodations and goals. BUT, preserve the rest of your assets for private tutoring specific to your kid's SLD.

[Anonymous]

OP here. Thank you so much for the advice PPs! Can you all recommend some advocates? I have no idea where to start on that one . . . Also, do I need to tell the school beforehand that I am bringing one? Thank you again!

[Anonymous]

OP - Would it make more sense to get a tutor to work with your son in his areas of weakness, especially on the decoding skills as one-to-one this can probably be remedied fairly quickly? Likewise if he is generally doing well in math, but hits a snag in certain areas, again a tutor might be the answer.

[Anonymous]

Siena and Lab also do summer school programs which would probably be very helpful. ASDEC might be a good source for an outside tutor.

[Anonymous]

MCPS is not uninformed about learning disabilities. They know exactly what they are doing when they deny services-they are saving themselves money and effort.
So yes, time for an advocate. I like Suzie Keith Blattner. Or people from the Weinfeld group. Good luck and don't back down.

[Anonymous]

OP here -- thank you all for the suggestions! He has a couple tutors -- one for OG/spelling (word families, etc.) and math, and one for writing. These tutors (and his persistence) are part of the reason his grades look pretty good. Also, I am very concerned about him taking a foreign language next year at the detriment of the subjects he is strong in. Learning to read in English was a huge struggle, and I absolutely know he will need supports to take a foreign language in HS. If anyone has navigated the foreign language thicket w/ SLD in reading/writing I would absolutely love advice on that. Thank you all so much.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here. Thank you so much for the advice PPs! Can you all recommend some advocates? I have no idea where to start on that one . . . Also, do I need to tell the school beforehand that I am bringing one? Thank you again!

Weinfeld Education Group

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here. Thank you so much for the advice PPs! Can you all recommend some advocates? I have no idea where to start on that one . . . Also, do I need to tell the school beforehand that I am bringing one? Thank you again!

Weinfeld Education Group

+1 for Rich Weinfeld. He got our son (GT/SLD) an IEP after I had been turned down several times. Yes, tell the school you are bringing an advocate (once you get one).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here -- thank you all for the suggestions! He has a couple tutors -- one for OG/spelling (word families, etc.) and math, and one for writing. These tutors (and his persistence) are part of the reason his grades look pretty good. Also, I am very concerned about him taking a foreign language next year at the detriment of the subjects he is strong in. Learning to read in English was a huge struggle, and I absolutely know he will need supports to take a foreign language in HS. If anyone has navigated the foreign language thicket w/ SLD in reading/writing I would absolutely love advice on that. Thank you all so much.

Some high schools offer sign language (ASL) in high school.

Also, I would consider asking for a 504 plan instead of fighting the IEP team. If you're already going the private tutor path (which, in my experience, gets you better instruction than you get with most Special Education teachers can provide), just get accommodations and supports and skip the fight. That way, you have documentation when you start looking at colleges.

Public schools suck at this game and have seemingly infinite time to have their staff sit around a table and tell you "no."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here -- thank you all for the suggestions! He has a couple tutors -- one for OG/spelling (word families, etc.) and math, and one for writing. These tutors (and his persistence) are part of the reason his grades look pretty good. Also, I am very concerned about him taking a foreign language next year at the detriment of the subjects he is strong in. Learning to read in English was a huge struggle, and I absolutely know he will need supports to take a foreign language in HS. If anyone has navigated the foreign language thicket w/ SLD in reading/writing I would absolutely love advice on that. Thank you all so much.

Some high schools offer sign language (ASL) in high school.

Also, I would consider asking for a 504 plan instead of fighting the IEP team. If you're already going the private tutor path (which, in my experience, gets you better instruction than you get with most Special Education teachers can provide), just get accommodations and supports and skip the fight. That way, you have documentation when you start looking at colleges.

Public schools suck at this game and have seemingly infinite time to have their staff sit around a table and tell you "no."

I would get an advocate and aim for an IEP. A 504 has less teeth. They can have accommodations listed, but they don't have to be measured or really enforced.

OP, I would consider in tandem taking the tours at McLean, Lab, and Siena. All are excellent (and pricy). You may need to have a neuropsych done if you haven't had one in the last 2-3 years. Most of the SN schools require this when you apply. Deadlines are usually in January and admissions decisions in March/April.

You may make enough progress with the advocate that you don't need to resort to private school, but it may make you feel better having a back up. I would definitely think about a tutor during the school year and maybe one of the SN school summer programs b/c kids backslide a lot during the summer break.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here -- thank you all for the suggestions! He has a couple tutors -- one for OG/spelling (word families, etc.) and math, and one for writing. These tutors (and his persistence) are part of the reason his grades look pretty good. Also, I am very concerned about him taking a foreign language next year at the detriment of the subjects he is strong in. Learning to read in English was a huge struggle, and I absolutely know he will need supports to take a foreign language in HS. If anyone has navigated the foreign language thicket w/ SLD in reading/writing I would absolutely love advice on that. Thank you all so much.

Some high schools offer sign language (ASL) in high school.

Also, I would consider asking for a 504 plan instead of fighting the IEP team. If you're already going the private tutor path (which, in my experience, gets you better instruction than you get with most Special Education teachers can provide), just get accommodations and supports and skip the fight. That way, you have documentation when you start looking at colleges.

Public schools suck at this game and have seemingly infinite time to have their staff sit around a table and tell you "no."

Which public high schools offer ASL to meet the language requirement?