Reply to MCPS -- Twice Exceptional / 2E vs. Home School

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[quote=Anonymous]My son, who is now a college sophomore, benefited immensely from the GT/LD program at North Bethesda middle school and Walter Johnson high school. I had considered homeschooling before putting him in our inbounds middle and high school, which worked out great for our other kid, so not dinging them, but they weren't the right fit for this kid.

First, there are no "2E classes" anywhere in MCPS. But there are co-taught advanced classes that 2E kids with IEPs or 504s can enroll in, and receive additional support that their IEPs or 504s entitle them to. Co-taught means that there is a permanent paraeducator assigned to that class, along with the teacher, and the para walks about and supports any child who needs it, with priority given to the kids identified as needing services and accommodations.

Very few high school classes are co-taught, whether in the GT/LD program or elsewhere. High schools are giant buildings with 2-3 thousand students and it would be impossible for every advanced class to have a para. But at the middle school level, especially in the ones housing a GT/LD program, it is possible for a lot of classes to have a paraeducator.

However my child did not benefit because the classes were co-taught, he didn't need that kind of support. What the GT/LD program really offers is the experience and compassionate understanding of case managers and teachers who have seen multiple cohorts of 2E kids over the years, and who have a feel for what they need, and what they can and cannot do. It's the mere fact that there is a concentration of 2E kids in those schools, and has been for years, that makes the staff more experienced and able to serve them. I can't tell you the relief I felt during my son's 6th grade parent-teacher conference, when I tried to explain his very low processing speed to his math teacher, and he looked at me and said: "But math ability is separate from speed. Your son understands the math perfectly well. It's OK if he takes more time." When he had just come out of an elementary with teachers that did math speed drills and made him feel like garbage when he could never get through half of the questions... and this exchange set the tone for nearly all of his classes in both middle and high schools. One exception in 12th grade: he had an awful experience with an AP Calc BC math teacher who was super old school and didn't understand special needs. I hope he retired - he was the only teacher that year who taught AP Calc BC and my son couldn't avoid him.

I believe there are two GT/LD programs, one for upcounty and one for downcounty. We're in downcounty. My son had a wonderful 3 years at North Bethesda middle school. The case managers (who are assigned to kids with IEPs) were all very supportive, and one was absolutely incredible. He had a dedicated resource class, full of 2E kids. That's where he was able to receive study and organizational help, finish tests and assignments, and ask more questions.

His stint at Walter Johnson wasn't as great, but that's because it was during the pandemic. Walter Johnson is an EXCELLENT school, one of the best in MCPS. It has a huge number of courses you can take (not all high schools have as many), including a ton of AP courses and post-APs. The GT/LD program isn't as robust in high school, due to the sheer size of the school. A lot of his advanced classes were not co-taught, but his case managers were just as kind and supportive as in middle school. He made progress and ended up ditching the resource class and IEP, and was given a 504.

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