Anonymous wrote:The school needs to see the educational impact. Many, many students with an ADHD diagnosis do not have a 504 plan, because their symptoms are controlled through medication or they have learned strategies on their own to compensate. To get a 504 plan, there has to be an educational impact. You can ask for a screening, but without any data, the team is likely to suggest you regroup and meet again in a few months. If I were you, I wouldn't help my child with homework etc.--let them struggle so the impact becomes obvious. I am speaking as a school counselor. 504 plans are for "other health impairments," so, for example, a child who needs to get insulin injections during the school day would have one. However, another child with diabetes who needs no in-school involvement from the nurse etc. would not have a plan. FYI, some kids with ADHD may even have an IEP (individualized educational plan) if the accommodations are not enough. With an IEP, there is a special ed case manager and more direct interventions. Again, the plans are designed to meet the kids' educational needs. A diagnosis is not enough.

I agree. mY child is dx with ADHD but even with medication, is about 2 grade levels behind. that was what got him a 504 plan.

We are in FCPS and you do NOT have to show an educational impact, in the sense that your child has to be failing. You DO have to show that there is an impact on their ability to "access the curriculum". That can mean "failing", but it can also mean needs constant re-direction to stay on task, reminders, social difficulties with students and/or teachers, emotional reactions outside the norm, etc.

A PP is correct in that it is generally easier to get a 504 than an IEP. A 504 just gives accommodations, which are generally of no cost to the school. An IEP means the student needs special education services. That can mean anything from modified curriculum, special placement in a class with spec ed push in services, pull out services with a therapist or teacher, etc. These are generally things that cost money, so schools will have a higher barrier to entry for these services.

A 504 plan in unenforceable. By this I mean, if a teacher wants to ignore any part of the accommodations in your dc's 504, you have no recourse.

This is not true. Schools are required under IDEA to comply with students 504 plans. I have found that a well placed e-mail to a counselor and if necessary the principal can get things remedied. Also, if the principal is not responsive there are higher level resources to appeal to.

But like the counselor above said, I have never found it necessary to be adversarial. I have a middle schooler in the AAP program who has an IEP for ADHD and anxiety. She gets special classroom placement for one subject (a team taught class with a spec ed teacher in the subject she struggles most with organization and social interaction) and a daily resource class with a special ed teacher for direct services. It was actually the school's idea to place her on an IEP. Before this she had a 504. She did have some teachers who were unwilling to follow her accommodations, but I have found the school to be responsive when I brought this to their attention.

My other child also has ADHD, more severe than my other child, but so far is doing OK with informal accommodations. I do plan to ask for a 504 for her this year because these accommodations will need to be in place as homework gets more burdensome in upper grades. Her teacher this year has a long list of accommodations that she provides for her, just because she's wonderful and gets it, but I know that we will not always be so fortunate with teacher placement.

Anonymous wrote:I'm under the impression 504 can be easily obtained. But it doesn't provide much service. IEP is the one schools care about and must provide accommodations. But if your child is at grade level, you can't get an IEP with an ADHD diagnosis. There must be educational impact.

I think you are mistaken. Neither a 504 nor an IEP are easy to get. A 504 gets you accommodations. An IEP gets you accommodations and services. IEPs are legally enforceable. You absolutely can get an IEP or a 504 with an ADHD diagnosis even where the child is at or even above grade level.

Op have you requested that your dc be evaluated for an IEP? See wrightslaw for help if you need. Your school may try to delay things but once you request an evaluation they are under the gun to begin the process and do it all within a mandated amount of time.

A 504 plan in unenforceable. By this I mean, if a teacher wants to ignore any part of the accommodations in your dc's 504, you have no recourse.

It is not true that the child has to be failing academically to obtain an iep. You are doing a disservice to your child if you wait until you fail.

I'm in FCPS and the struggle resonates with me. I couldn't accept the argument that my DS had to fail (which is where he was heading) so we hired a consultant/advocate. I know we should have to, I know that 'failure' is the threshold that must be must....but the reality was that we needed professional assistance. It's horribly expensive but, for us, it's been well worth it.

I'm under the impression 504 can be easily obtained. But it doesn't provide much service. IEP is the one schools care about and must provide accommodations. But if your child is at grade level, you can't get an IEP with an ADHD diagnosis. There must be educational impact.

We're in ACPS and I've found if I am in direct and daily contact with my kid's teacher, I can help him stay on top of work and TOGETHER (teachers, me and him) can help him succeed. We have a 504 plan but really don't rely on it as my kid's teachers have been willing to support him as needed in the classroom.
As cliché as it sounds, the more he succeeds, the more he wants to succeed, so we've had some small victories this year by using positive reinforcement (ie when he turns in his homework daily for X number days in a row and gets overly praised for remembering, he then ingrains it as a habit (sort of)). I've had to rely on my kid's teachers going above and beyond to help me help him stay on track and for that I am forever grateful (and I let them know how grateful I am). To the OP, I'd recommend going to the teachers and getting their buy in to help your kid. For us anyway, teacher support has been essential. I am terrified how next year will play out when my kid is in middle school. I fear teachers are going to be much more hands off.
I hate that some systems are letting kids fail before acting. We had a few rough years in early elementary school before we figured out what was going on, and the toll it took on my son's self confidence and general attitude toward school was deep and lasting.

*there aren't enough of you.

I know the school counselor said "it doesn't have to be adversarial." I'd sure like my kids to be in that school, instead of the one where the principal has her eye on a promotion and thinks that you don't get promoted in MCPS by "giving" ieps to kids. Unfortunately there are a lot of principals in MCPS who force parents into an adversarial position. MCPS knows that they are the 800 pound gorilla and can do whatever they want, or don't want, for your child. Unclear why some of these people got into education if they get greater joy in being gatekeepers for assistance to children instead of helpers for children. But to school personnel who actually do advocate for the kids to receive the help they need - thank you. Met here aren't enough of you.

Anonymous wrote:We've found having a 2e child in MCPS is difficult. We've heard that they have basically been giving directions to the school teams to deny accommodations to those types of children as long as they are on grade level even though a 2e kid by definition should be performing much better than that.

If you don't want to hire an advocate yet, you may want to have a consultation with a few of them to see what kind of documentation you can collect in the meantime until you're ready to hire someone to help you negotiate the system and get help for your child. Good luck OP!

This is another pp. Yes, I consulted with an advocate who told me it is easier to get 2e accommodations in the eastern part of the county because they see fewer of those kids. In Bethesda, CC, Potomac, it's really hard, depending on the school.

We've found having a 2e child in MCPS is difficult. We've heard that they have basically been giving directions to the school teams to deny accommodations to those types of children as long as they are on grade level even though a 2e kid by definition should be performing much better than that.

If you don't want to hire an advocate yet, you may want to have a consultation with a few of them to see what kind of documentation you can collect in the meantime until you're ready to hire someone to help you negotiate the system and get help for your child. Good luck OP!

OP. You are welcome. Also what helped with my older child is communicating through e-mail with teachers.
Edline is your best friend. I literally camp at Edline. It is updated every night around 8:40p.m. Also teach your child to check Edline every day after school and pay attention to deadlines posted there (not all teachers good with Edline, but at least this strategy solves half of the problems.)

If work is due you will see dates before grades are posted. If due date past, and grade is not there, "grill" your child. Make him/her do work and ask to e-mail it same night. Then ask to turn hard copy in class next day. I literally camp at Edline. It is updated every night around 8:40p.m.

Just word of caution, unless you have it official on 504 or smth. with your ADHD child (and I am not sure it is possible, but was an idea), not all teachers like to get completed homework in the e-mails.

Again make sure to check in send box, that e-mail was send and had CORRECT attachment! We had situations when e-mail never was send, or attachment was wrong...

Anonymous wrote:Then you will need accomodation: extended due dates and opportunity to turn in homework electronically (buy a scanner.)
I would stay next to child and see that homework is turned in. Make sure that e-mail leaves output box. We have been there with child without ADHD.

Oh!!!! Brilliance! His HW is getting lost in planner. Never thought of emailing it in - that must be the missing piece here.

School counselor again. This does not need to be adversarial. Your child also does not need to fail first. Call the counselor to schedule a meeting with all of your students' teachers. Everyone can come up with informal strategies together. They may include preferential seating, checking a plan book, having the child restate directions, having someone help him organize his binder, or putting him in a study hall period. Or any number of other strategies. If those strategies help, that bolsters the argument toward developing a 504 plan. At the same time, help your child at home with study routine and organization. The school won't solve all the issues, plan or no plan. Your child might also need medication or tutoring or a lot of your help at home. Plenty of students still struggle with a 504--it is not a magical transformation. Taking the time to gather research on what accommodations actually help mean you ultimately will have a better 504 for your child. These years are good trial and error times before high school. There is no need to rush toward a plan if you are trying out various strategies in the meantime. I hope that helps.

Anonymous wrote:OP.
Thanks. Now I know what to do. Starting new quarter I am not checking binder and not reminding my child do any homework. I think we will be two grades below by the end of the year! Then I will higher lawyer.

You could hire an advocate now. I'm not in MC, but in FCPS, we were able to get a 504 plan for our ADHD dd without her failing miserably. She was behind in reading, but that was all. Tomorrow, we are meeting to try to get an IEP because the 504 hasn't been enough. They do not have to fail, they just have to have difficulty accessing the curriculum.