Reply to Unilateral hearing loss: possibilities for K and beyond

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]River is very willing to waive their application deadline for kids with hearing impairment, since serving them is their mission.  Those kids are prioritized for financial aid as well, if that's an issue.  I would contact them immediately.

What did Early Stages decide about an IEP?  It sounds as though he may not qualify. If his academics and language are both strong you'll have trouble proving "educational impact".  In that case you'll be looking at a 504 for accommodations instead, which would be implemented in the school he'd attend if this issue didn't exist.

In my experience, many of the common accommodations for hearing loss are easier to implement in K and the elementary grades than in PK.  For example, preferential seating can be challenging when kids spend most of the day moving to centers (how do you sit "in the front row, or with your good ear towards the teacher, when you're in dramatic play?).  FM systems work better when teachers are talking to kids rather than kids talking to each other.  So, even if he's struggling now, you may find that accommodations work well and he is able to thrive in your IB school.

One other thing you might do is put in a lottery application for schools that have good reputations for accommodating students with 504's.  That would buy you some time to finalize the IEP/504 and meet with your IB school.  If your IB school is responsive you can withdraw your charter enrollment at any time, but otherwise it might give you a back up.  Schools I'd think about:

CM
Bridges
E. L. Haynes
IT
SWS

There are probably a bunch of others that do well with mild issues, those are just the schools with which I have limited experience.[/quote]

Thanks. We'll contact River School --- would have done that if it weren't for the pesky 10 inches of the white stuff! I guess we'll drop the immersion schools on our lottery list for now and move up IT/CM. Although, for K it is likely a very long shot. Early Stages did decide that DS did not qualify for an IEP since expressive/receptive language were strong and his reading/math skills were above their expectations. I suppose with a formal diagnosis, we can get a 504 and maybe qualify for speech, in case he needs it.[/quote]

I'm the PP you just quoted, but I wouldn't assume that immersion is out.  In your shoes, I'd start with an ENT and audiologist to get a good picture of whether his hearing has declined, or this is something you missed earlier on, and whether it's something you anticipate getting worse or something stable.  If it's a stable condition he's had for a while, then I wouldn't assume that immersions is out.  If he managed to learn English with the hearing loss, well enough that he reads above grade level, is "articulate", and scored well on a WPPSI, then he should be able to learn a second language as well (maybe ask about tonal languages, if you've got Yu Ying on your list I have no idea if hearing loss impacts Mandarin differently than English).

In some ways an immersion school would be a great choice for a kid with hearing loss.  There tends to be more adult directed learning, just because they want kids to be hearing language models from the adults, who may be the only fluent speakers in the room.  This would make an FM system work well.[/quote]

I agree.  Don't rule out immersion.  I'm the pp and our child with unilateral hearing loss attends YY.  There are kids there with hearing loss who do very well and the school is very accommodating even without an IEP or 504 as long as you show them the audiologist's report.  Also, you will not have any issues getting an IEP or 504.  (Ask for the IEP.)[/quote]

In order to get an IEP you need to be able to document adverse educational impact.  For a child reading a year or more above grade level, and performing math 3 years above grade level, and scoring well on language testing, that's pretty much impossible.  If this is a new condition (as opposed to a new diagnosis of an existing condition) and progress slows you might get an IEP for an above grade level child, but otherwise that will be very hard.[/quote]

That true but for kids under 6, they are very lenient about what constitutes "adverse educational impact".  Also, they are learning in two languages (and learning another language) and most people would agree that having any amount of hearing loss may have an educational impact in the future that they may not now.

Just my experience but everyone I know with hearing loss had no problems getting an IEP granted this was when they entered the school as 4 yr olds, prek - which at YY is 100% Mandarin, no English.[/quote]

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