What does high school look like for your mildly CI child?

[Anonymous]

If your child has a mild cognitive impairment, what does their day look like?

I just checked out the school they want to send my child to, and it's glorified babysitting. In middle school, my child has had a mix of gen ed classes with para support and center-based classrooms.

Most of my Facebook friends with LD and CI kids are having similar issues in districts all over the country. What's an appropriate program for these kids?

[Anonymous]

Mom - Has your child been identified with an Intellectual Disability or a Developmental Disability? There is a very important distinction because in the future as an adult if your DC is going to need what are called Adult Service Supports in order to live as independently as possible, maintain a job etc., then you need to have testing in hand which clearly identifies your child as having an ID or not with an onset date before age 18. Or if DC is identified as having a DD, then it must clearly be stated and the onset date must be noted as before age 22. [b]Even if your DC is testing in terms of the psychological a few points above what might qualify for future direct service support along with perhaps a high score on adaptive behaviors, you still want to be sure that you have this documentation in hand now or as soon as possible. Why ?? As an insurance policy in case future testing shows more of a decline in IQ and possibly much more in the adaptive skills area to enable him to qualify and if he just may need such services as an adult once school ends.

Now for high school, I think you should continue to think of the blend that has been in place for your child in middle school and make the strong point that he has benefited from this approach.

1- I would keep the smaller classroom setting for direct core instruction in reading and language arts, especially if he is at least two years below grade level as you want him to make progress baaed upon his developmental skills base and learn to read and write as well as possible. For math, I would definitely include computation goals using a calculator accurately.

2- I would have him go to at least one regular high school academic class with support and possibly in the early years of 9th/10th grade in social studies and a science class. See if there is the option of any sections of these disciplines which are co-taught or team taught with a regular ed and a special ed teacher.

3- I would have him do all of the usual electives. If he has a special interest or friends in say the band - maybe he could get credit for helping to be in a supportive role as band manager or to try a simple instrument.

4- I would encourage him to see what school activities he might try - again if there is a sport he really enjoys which he might be able to do such as track or swimming, then encourage him to try out. Or if there is a sport he may have some peers going to play such as basketball or football, see if he might be in team management.

High school should afford him the same opportunities as any other student, BUT in my opinion a key question is do you think he will have the ability pursue a regular high school diploma or not? You probably know this by his skill levels in reading and math at this point, but if on the borderline, then I would go for it with accommodations in school and with tutoring outside. By the end of the first semester of sophomore year, I would also say it is time reassess and see if following a vocational sequence with support might be the key to future opportunities once high school ends, especially if he is not likely to want to stay in school longer than his peers. (This is often more true for students with mild, but still challenging, disabilities than those with more moderate, severe or multiple.)

If you can reach out to even one family with a teen with a similar functioning skill level to find out what the various pathways are and the strongest program to continue to learn core skills, it will be valuable information. What I would not do is focus just on "academic inclusion" way above DC's understanding with no concrete connection to life once public education ends for four year just to have him feel good with his peers. Start out broad expectations, but then as time and performance occur, be ready to make more targeted decisions. This is basically the information I am preparing in several documents for high school students with special needs in transition in our area from the perspective of a parent of a young adult who did not get a regular high school diploma.

[Anonymous]

Thanks for that, PP. My child actually has a severe language and learning disability. His verbal and nonverbal scores are almost 25 points apart.

[Anonymous]

OP - Then if your son's IQ score places him definitely above an ID score what you would be looking at perhaps getting some specific information on would be the Developmental Disability criteria for services. If in Virginia one web site on that is Moms in Motion. With this information then I would:

- Definitely see that he continue the math sequence that he is on at an appropriate level of either SC-LD or team-taught class OR if neither of these options are offered or meet his needs then a regular 0th grade math class with the support/accommodations he needs.
- With the delay in Language Arts, then if you have found an approach to reading works well, I would definitely request this continue to be used such as Wilson or SRA Reading Mastery. ****What you need to demand is that he does have a special education teacher with mastery in the area of language arts if he is in a self-contained class for this subject area. Or if he will gain knowledge in terms of reading by "listening" then he should have access to books-on-tape and all testing should be verbal. - however that would be listed in an IEP.
- DS should also still be receiving speech therapy or have access to assistive technology to assist him in language acquisition and in learning to say use voice activated computer or keyboarding if writing is hard for him.
- If his receptive knowledge is better than spoken, then you should especially "push in" for an inclusive class setting to be with peers and to continue to learn grade level social studies and/or science.
- I think you may well need an advocate to get the services you need since he may well be able to do the high school math sequence at least to a point, but sound like he will need a much more specialized approach to language arts all the way through.
- Keep in mind exploring what his skills and interests are outside of school as well as in school.

Question - does he have friends or does language skills make this hard for him too?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

OP - Then if your son's IQ score places him definitely above an ID score what you would be looking at perhaps getting some specific information on would be the Developmental Disability criteria for services. If in Virginia one web site on that is Moms in Motion. With this information then I would:

- Definitely see that he continue the math sequence that he is on at an appropriate level of either SC-LD or team-taught class OR if neither of these options are offered or meet his needs then a regular 0th grade math class with the support/accommodations he needs.
- With the delay in Language Arts, then if you have found an approach to reading works well, I would definitely request this continue to be used such as Wilson or SRA Reading Mastery. ****What you need to demand is that he does have a special education teacher with mastery in the area of language arts if he is in a self-contained class for this subject area. Or if he will gain knowledge in terms of reading by "listening" then he should have access to books-on-tape and all testing should be verbal. - however that would be listed in an IEP.
- DS should also still be receiving speech therapy or have access to assistive technology to assist him in language acquisition and in learning to say use voice activated computer or keyboarding if writing is hard for him.
- If his receptive knowledge is better than spoken, then you should especially "push in" for an inclusive class setting to be with peers and to continue to learn grade level social studies and/or science.
- I think you may well need an advocate to get the services you need since he may well be able to do the high school math sequence at least to a point, but sound like he will need a much more specialized approach to language arts all the way through.
- Keep in mind exploring what his skills and interests are outside of school as well as in school.

Question - does he have friends or does language skills make this hard for him too?

His receptive skills are the main problem, holding everything back, including social.

He was one best friend, a girl.

[Anonymous]

He HAS one best friend, a girl. ^^

[Anonymous]

OP - I think the key for you is to do some detailed research to find out what kinds of programs your area high school offers both in terms of class size, content of the curriculum, teaching approach (SC sped ed only, co-teaching reg and spec ed or only reg ed), any opportunity to do a self-paced, computer based course, vocational sequence options with possible internships, mentoring and/or community placements. The more you know about what is even possible, the better you will be able to craft an IEP for your son.

Does this mean that he is unable to process or retain what is presented verbally through teacher instruction in a regular classroom? Does he not process also the back and forth in classroom conversations as well as social situations with peers? If these challenges due to his disability are holding him back in all learning situations, then you do want to think of the classroom setting where he first of all has the best chance to continue to learn core skills of reading, writing and math. Secondly, you might consider the general education class or classes that would enable him to continue to increase his general knowledge.

I would certainly keep him working with a tutor who could continue to support him in learning and reenforce what is presented in the classroom in ways that may help him to retain the information. Would he seem to gain skills if he uses a computer based program? I say this because now or in the future if he is able to master information in a more self-paced, repetitive manner, there is the future option of a GED if the high school diploma is beyond his reach.

As a parent, I would also look for opportunities in the summer where he could do things which are hands-on as in some volunteer work to gain some confidence and "soft skills" which will increase his options in the work world. At age 14 you could look to see if he could volunteer at the SPCA, the local library or a food bank. It will be important for you to learn the vocational sequences which are available at the high school because this may be a pathway that will give him the widest choice in options after high school.

In his case if you could look into a church youth group for him to participate in outside of school this might be one avenue to be with peers who will get to know him and include him in like-minded activities. At the high school see what volunteer groups there are such as Key Club or other interest groups. Does he have an aptitude or interest in sports?
I can understand your quandary as he seems to straddle two worlds, and you do want to find ways to continue to maximize his strengths, while at the same time addressing his challenges. It is also very true that in a self-contained classroom, there may not be the same rigorous curriculum as the regular ed classrooms. Again, for a few students I could see where at least exposure in high school and modified work with maturation could lead in time to demonstrating knowledge of the material in a GED at a future time. And for that reason, it would be important to "push in" to the regular ed classes rather than just accept a less academic program. Great that he has the one close friend as many do not.