K student with visual memory issues -

[Anonymous]

My K is one of the older students in the classroom as he is born in October.

He has been slow to identify his letters and we have not been too concerned as we understand that there is a continuum of "within expectations". We had a parent teacher conference this morning and I requested that he is tested for a learning disability as this is now impacting his ability to engage in the class and he is below expectations. The teacher commented that given where we are in the school year, he probably would not be tested until the fall.

I sent an email to the school coordinator requesting testing - they set up a meeting to discuss the process 3 weeks from now. It is my understanding within DC that once you request an evaluation, it needs to be completed in 120 calendar days.

My questions to the broader DCUM community:
1. What are your experiences with schools getting everything done within the 120 window?
2. What happens if they are not done within 120 days?
3. What happens when the 120 days goes over the summer - I assume the clock does not stop since the OSSE policy states calendar days.

I was a little frustrated that the teachers are recommending private summer tutoring - but commitment to getting tested for a learning disability is something that can wait. (OK - vent part over)

[Anonymous]

It sounds like you're in DC? A new law changed the time to 90 days from 120 days. These are calendar days, not school days, so the clock does not stop over the summer. There is no reason you should have to wait 3 weeks for the initial meeting. You want the testing done now so that support is in place when school begins. Put everything in writing and be sure to ask for a meeting to determine IEP eligibility -- don't let them string out the process with referrals to RTI or student support teams.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It sounds like you're in DC? A new law changed the time to 90 days from 120 days. These are calendar days, not school days, so the clock does not stop over the summer. There is no reason you should have to wait 3 weeks for the initial meeting. You want the testing done now so that support is in place when school begins. Put everything in writing and be sure to ask for a meeting to determine IEP eligibility -- don't let them string out the process with referrals to RTI or student support teams.

Thanks - this is my concern that they are going to push it out. In the email that I sent today I asked for testing to determine if he has a learning disability.

What is RTI? I am not familiar with that term.

[Anonymous]

Forward your email to the principal and ask for the meeting to be held sooner.

Keep the coordinator on as a cc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It sounds like you're in DC? A new law changed the time to 90 days from 120 days. These are calendar days, not school days, so the clock does not stop over the summer. There is no reason you should have to wait 3 weeks for the initial meeting. You want the testing done now so that support is in place when school begins. Put everything in writing and be sure to ask for a meeting to determine IEP eligibility -- don't let them string out the process with referrals to RTI or student support teams.

Thanks - this is my concern that they are going to push it out. In the email that I sent today I asked for testing to determine if he has a learning disability.

What is RTI? I am not familiar with that term.

RTI is response to intervention. The way they pretend to be doing something, while still avoiding granting an actual IEP.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It sounds like you're in DC? A new law changed the time to 90 days from 120 days. These are calendar days, not school days, so the clock does not stop over the summer. There is no reason you should have to wait 3 weeks for the initial meeting. You want the testing done now so that support is in place when school begins. Put everything in writing and be sure to ask for a meeting to determine IEP eligibility -- don't let them string out the process with referrals to RTI or student support teams.

Thanks - this is my concern that they are going to push it out. In the email that I sent today I asked for testing to determine if he has a learning disability.

What is RTI? I am not familiar with that term.

RTI is response to intervention. The way they pretend to be doing something, while still avoiding granting an actual IEP.

RTI has been shown to be worse than ineffective for kids with dyslexia.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It sounds like you're in DC? A new law changed the time to 90 days from 120 days. These are calendar days, not school days, so the clock does not stop over the summer. There is no reason you should have to wait 3 weeks for the initial meeting. You want the testing done now so that support is in place when school begins. Put everything in writing and be sure to ask for a meeting to determine IEP eligibility -- don't let them string out the process with referrals to RTI or student support teams.

Thanks - this is my concern that they are going to push it out. In the email that I sent today I asked for testing to determine if he has a learning disability.

What is RTI? I am not familiar with that term.

RTI is response to intervention. The way they pretend to be doing something, while still avoiding granting an actual IEP.

RTI has been shown to be worse than ineffective for kids with dyslexia.

Well, the OP doesn't actually know that her kid has dyslexia. Slow to recognize letters sounds particularly vague and being an older kid in the class will have nothing to do with it. FWIW, OP, my very dyslexic kid could recognize all letters by 3 but couldn't connect the sounds to the letters.
Here's a list of other things to look for: https://www.understood.org/en/learning-attention-issues/child-learning-disabilities/dyslexia/understanding-dyslexia

[Anonymous]

OP. is he not recognizing the letters themselves or the sounds? I would pursue private testing. Have you ruled out eyesight issues?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It sounds like you're in DC? A new law changed the time to 90 days from 120 days. These are calendar days, not school days, so the clock does not stop over the summer. There is no reason you should have to wait 3 weeks for the initial meeting. You want the testing done now so that support is in place when school begins. Put everything in writing and be sure to ask for a meeting to determine IEP eligibility -- don't let them string out the process with referrals to RTI or student support teams.

Thanks - this is my concern that they are going to push it out. In the email that I sent today I asked for testing to determine if he has a learning disability.

What is RTI? I am not familiar with that term.

RTI is response to intervention. The way they pretend to be doing something, while still avoiding granting an actual IEP.

RTI has been shown to be worse than ineffective for kids with dyslexia.

Well, the OP doesn't actually know that her kid has dyslexia. Slow to recognize letters sounds particularly vague and being an older kid in the class will have nothing to do with it. FWIW, OP, my very dyslexic kid could recognize all letters by 3 but couldn't connect the sounds to the letters.
Here's a list of other things to look for: https://www.understood.org/en/learning-attention-issues/child-learning-disabilities/dyslexia/understanding-dyslexia

Yes ... I think the important piece here is the OP doesn't know what her DC's difficulty is. Going to RTI as an intermediary step is going to delay identification of the problem and is not going to address the problem if it is dyslexia.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP. is he not recognizing the letters themselves or the sounds? I would pursue private testing. Have you ruled out eyesight issues?

Thanks for providing some ideas. We did Pediatric Optometric Evaluation (note - I know there are different opinions on this on DCUM). Our Dr said - go get an OT evaluation as he thought is was more motor planning.
Went and had private OT evaluation - do not have report yet.

With regard to visual memory here are 2 examples of how it will show:
1. There are classmates in his class of 20 students who he can not recall their names. It is across gender and ethnicity that this happens.
2. For letters / sounds if you showed him an F and asked him what letter it was, he would look at the alphabet list and start at A and look through until he came to F. Since it has a fox with it, he will respond Fox, make the "f" sound, and say "F".

[Anonymous]

Have you done a speech eval? These could also be receptive language issues.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My K is one of the older students in the classroom as he is born in October.

He has been slow to identify his letters and we have not been too concerned as we understand that there is a continuum of "within expectations". We had a parent teacher conference this morning and I requested that he is tested for a learning disability as this is now impacting his ability to engage in the class and he is below expectations. The teacher commented that given where we are in the school year, he probably would not be tested until the fall.

I sent an email to the school coordinator requesting testing - they set up a meeting to discuss the process 3 weeks from now. It is my understanding within DC that once you request an evaluation, it needs to be completed in 120 calendar days.

My questions to the broader DCUM community:
1. What are your experiences with schools getting everything done within the 120 window?
2. What happens if they are not done within 120 days?
3. What happens when the 120 days goes over the summer - I assume the clock does not stop since the OSSE policy states calendar days.

I was a little frustrated that the teachers are recommending private summer tutoring - but commitment to getting tested for a learning disability is something that can wait. (OK - vent part over)

I'm glad you've requested testing. I'm in a similar boat except my older K'er has an older brother who is dyslexic and DH is dyslexic. I've kind of been dragging my feet with starting the referral and testing process since DS has been "within expectations" and just the general stress of having 3 kids, at least 2 with special needs. I don't have answers to your questions, but this is a good prompt for me to just get off my butt and send that email. My experience with DS1 was that teachers will usually just delay, so I take everything they say with a grain of salt now.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Well, the OP doesn't actually know that her kid has dyslexia. Slow to recognize letters sounds particularly vague and being an older kid in the class will have nothing to do with it. FWIW, OP, my very dyslexic kid could recognize all letters by 3 but couldn't connect the sounds to the letters.
Here's a list of other things to look for: https://www.understood.org/en/learning-attention-issues/child-learning-disabilities/dyslexia/understanding-dyslexia

Thanks for sharing this link

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Have you done a speech eval? These could also be receptive language issues.

this is our next appointment

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My K is one of the older students in the classroom as he is born in October.

He has been slow to identify his letters and we have not been too concerned as we understand that there is a continuum of "within expectations". We had a parent teacher conference this morning and I requested that he is tested for a learning disability as this is now impacting his ability to engage in the class and he is below expectations. The teacher commented that given where we are in the school year, he probably would not be tested until the fall.

I sent an email to the school coordinator requesting testing - they set up a meeting to discuss the process 3 weeks from now. It is my understanding within DC that once you request an evaluation, it needs to be completed in 120 calendar days.

My questions to the broader DCUM community:
1. What are your experiences with schools getting everything done within the 120 window?
2. What happens if they are not done within 120 days?
3. What happens when the 120 days goes over the summer - I assume the clock does not stop since the OSSE policy states calendar days.

I was a little frustrated that the teachers are recommending private summer tutoring - but commitment to getting tested for a learning disability is something that can wait. (OK - vent part over)

I'm glad you've requested testing. I'm in a similar boat except my older K'er has an older brother who is dyslexic and DH is dyslexic. I've kind of been dragging my feet with starting the referral and testing process since DS has been "within expectations" and just the general stress of having 3 kids, at least 2 with special needs. I don't have answers to your questions, but this is a good prompt for me to just get off my butt and send that email. My experience with DS1 was that teachers will usually just delay, so I take everything they say with a grain of salt now.

I have been dragging my feet as well - my older child has an IEP and the process was painful. I absolutely dread having conversations with the school services coordinator.