Can you ask that a child be exempt from homework?

[Anonymous]

I'd do what another PP does--not mind at all about what kind of grade my DD got in spelling. Teach her your own program at home and don't practice the teacher's spelling list. Tell your daughter it's fine with you if she fails all the tests. You can also tell the teacher your daughter will no longer be prepping for the tests, so she can be prepared for the sharp drop in grades. Nothing really is held against you in fourth grade, especially spelling so stop worrying about it.

As for the math, who would even notice if your daughter wasn't using the designated website but another one? I'd do that in a flash if I thought it would help my children learn better.

[Anonymous]

To answer your question, yes. I did it. My DD with ADHD in 5th was making good grades (and was actually being treated for her ADHD) but home work was a freaking nightmare. I told the teacher, look, this is a nightmare and I'm not ruining every afternoon to get this work done when she's making good grades. Lo and behold! The teacher agreed. Stop treating the teacher as an enemy. And get your kid some treatment.

[Anonymous]

In a good W cluster elementary and you may be surprised to hear that it's very common for parents to write to the teacher and let them know their child will not be doing the homework.

As far as I know they don't provide any excuses or explanations but tell the teacher their child will be doing something else like reading for 20 minutes or whatever other learning activity is helpful, convenient and more fun.

[Anonymous]

Perhaps you should home school?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:To answer your question, yes. I did it. My DD with ADHD in 5th was making good grades (and was actually being treated for her ADHD) but home work was a freaking nightmare. I told the teacher, look, this is a nightmare and I'm not ruining every afternoon to get this work done when she's making good grades. Lo and behold! The teacher agreed. Stop treating the teacher as an enemy. And get your kid some treatment.

The teacher can check the IXL website to see if the kids have been on it and she marks them down if they haven't used it.

[Anonymous]

You can ask but I wouldn't. She should do the work and not be so concerned about grades. She'll learn even if the scores don't reflect all the learning.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Perhaps you should home school?

+1

[Anonymous]

On the question of telling the school your child will not be completing all the the homework (different from OPs Q), we have done this a number of times throughout ES. Arlington publishes clear guidelines on minutes of homework per day (like 10 minutes in 1st grade, 20 minutes in 2nd grade etc). I don't track it super closely but occasionally DD or DS would have an assignment that they really weren't getting and was taking way longer than the guideline so I'd just tell them to stop and write a note to the teacher that he/she spent X minutes working on this and needs further help from the teacher. I figure the point of homework is to make sure the child can do the thing they learned in class independently. If they can't, the teacher needs to know that and provide further instruction.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:On the question of telling the school your child will not be completing all the the homework (different from OPs Q), we have done this a number of times throughout ES. Arlington publishes clear guidelines on minutes of homework per day (like 10 minutes in 1st grade, 20 minutes in 2nd grade etc). I don't track it super closely but occasionally DD or DS would have an assignment that they really weren't getting and was taking way longer than the guideline so I'd just tell them to stop and write a note to the teacher that he/she spent X minutes working on this and needs further help from the teacher. I figure the point of homework is to make sure the child can do the thing they learned in class independently. If they can't, the teacher needs to know that and provide further instruction.

This is our approach. The teacher usually indicates how long the homework should take. If it takes longer, we stop. The teacher needs to know that his/her expectations are off, or that the kids aren't learning something s/he thinks s/he's taught, etc. Or even that the assignment is poorly worded or thought-out.

[Anonymous]

I recently went through a training pogram for parents at a natiinally ranked children's hospital. Their recommendation is that homework is limited for kids with ADHD, particularly in the early grades, to 30 minutes a night or less. What doesn't get done doesn't get done. You work with tge teacher to determine what is the highest priority and start there.

And I agree on the spelling words issue. Mine is in first and the word groups make no sense. If they were grouped in a way that reinforced certain phoenetic sound groups it would make learning both vocabulary, reading and spelling easier.

[Anonymous]

I agree that OP forces way too much time spent on HW/"reinforcement" each night for a 4th grader, especially a 4th grader with ADHD.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have a 4th grader with learning differences and a 504 plan, and I definitely pick and chose what we work on outside of school. The teachers don't care about the 504 and have no interest in accommodating us with alternative or less homework (or even accommodating in the classroom), so I just figure it out myself and blow them off when they send home notes about homework not getting done. I could care less what they think since they care less about how my DC learns.

A 504 plan will never get you alternative or less homework anywhere - you absolutely need an IEP for that.

504 = accommodations (seating, breaks, assistive technology)

IEP = individualized or specialized instruction or modified curriculum

What about a reduction in work? could that be covered under a 504 or does that fall under an IEP?

IEP - especially for middle school and beyond.

Some teachers will collaborate informally - even with or without a 504 or IEP - but you can't count on it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Op, when you say she doesn't qualify for anything because her grades are good, are you just assuming that or have you actually requested and received an iep evaluation and she has been found not qualifying?

I really think you'll both be better off if you stop worrying about what will and won't count for her grades and start figuring out how to get her the help she will need to be successful without all sorts of alternate plans and hoops and programs

Last year her gifted teacher (yes, she is in gifted, her test scores were 98%, go figure) requested an eligibility meeting at the school. It was never put on the schedule. When I asked the principal, he said they weren't going to schedule the meeting because her grades are too high. I should also mention, she reads above grade level (on her own, not through any help on my part) so I really don't think she would qualify for an individualized instructional program, however her spelling is horrid.

You should be requesting the screening meeting with the local screening committee. Once you submit the form, they are required to hold the meeting within X number of days. At the meeting, they will decide if they are going to pursue evaluations or accommodations, but they can not fail to have the meeting. These are the rules in FCPS and also in Montgomery County.

When there is reason to suspect that a student has a disability and is in need of special
education and related services, a referral should be made to the local screening
committee. Referrals can be made in written, electronic or oral form by parents or staff,
the Virginia Department of Education, any other state agency or other individuals
regarding children who are residents of the locality or who attend a private school within
Fairfax County. Each FCPS school should have a designated staff member responsible
for receiving referrals to the local screening committee.

The local screening committee must meet within 10 days of receipt of the referral.
Parents must be provided Notice of Local Screening Committee Meeting (SS/SE-83)
early enough to ensure that they will have an opportunity to participate and in the
parents’ native language or primary mode of communication, unless it is clearly not
feasible to do so. Should the parents be unavailable to attend within the 10 day
6
timeline, the local screening committee must convene, make a determination regarding
evaluation for special education, and provide parents documentation of the decision.

http://www.fcps.edu/dss/seps/dueprocess-eligibility/procedures.pdf

[Anonymous]

OP, you said that you cannot afford the full neuropsych. Can you at least get her screened for LD's and/or ADHD? Our ADHD screening was partially covered by insurance. Also, if you go to Children's hospital, I believe the neuropsych testing there is covered by insurance. You should identify your dd's learning differences. Please do this so you know what specific issues your dd has.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Op, when you say she doesn't qualify for anything because her grades are good, are you just assuming that or have you actually requested and received an iep evaluation and she has been found not qualifying?

I really think you'll both be better off if you stop worrying about what will and won't count for her grades and start figuring out how to get her the help she will need to be successful without all sorts of alternate plans and hoops and programs

Last year her gifted teacher (yes, she is in gifted, her test scores were 98%, go figure) requested an eligibility meeting at the school. It was never put on the schedule. When I asked the principal, he said they weren't going to schedule the meeting because her grades are too high. I should also mention, she reads above grade level (on her own, not through any help on my part) so I really don't think she would qualify for an individualized instructional program, however her spelling is horrid.

You should be requesting the screening meeting with the local screening committee. Once you submit the form, they are required to hold the meeting within X number of days. At the meeting, they will decide if they are going to pursue evaluations or accommodations, but they can not fail to have the meeting. These are the rules in FCPS and also in Montgomery County.

When there is reason to suspect that a student has a disability and is in need of special
education and related services, a referral should be made to the local screening
committee. Referrals can be made in written, electronic or oral form by parents or staff,
the Virginia Department of Education, any other state agency or other individuals
regarding children who are residents of the locality or who attend a private school within
Fairfax County. Each FCPS school should have a designated staff member responsible
for receiving referrals to the local screening committee.

The local screening committee must meet within 10 days of receipt of the referral.
Parents must be provided Notice of Local Screening Committee Meeting (SS/SE-83)
early enough to ensure that they will have an opportunity to participate and in the
parents’ native language or primary mode of communication, unless it is clearly not
feasible to do so. Should the parents be unavailable to attend within the 10 day
6
timeline, the local screening committee must convene, make a determination regarding
evaluation for special education, and provide parents documentation of the decision.

http://www.fcps.edu/dss/seps/dueprocess-eligibility/procedures.pdf

Yes this is correct. You MUST ask the principal in writing. Or nothing will happen.