This school year in PG County, it is more difficult to obtain a 504 for your child with ADHD, unless s/he is failing across the board and/or there are behavior problems. And depending on the school, the process can be extremely adversarial, especially in the charter schools. From what I have seen, schools will try interventions first and then reconvene if there is not enough data showing educational impact.

There is a lot of incorrect information on here. Perhaps some of the parents (or even special education specialists) have been hoodwinked. Talk with a kick-ass lawyer right away.

Nope. Get a hold of the law. I believe as a parent you can request an assessment at any time. Start pushing for it and threaten to get in touch with a lawyer... and then do it.

Something rediculously low ( in 10th). But child is above grade with interesting subjects, and on the grade level (but has to work very very hard) for "boring subjects".
So question, if regular meeting for Special Education was done, and child does not need it. What is logical next step?
School wants wait and see and not providing any accomodations at all at this point (with 3 pages of recomedations from psychologist). They want to see educational impact.. Parents want at least 504. What is kicker to start 504 rolling? Is there legal ground to force school to provide child, who is on the grade leve, with accomodations?
My understanding that ADHD is like disability. If my child needs to spend 3 times more time to do homework, or fails to follow direction because it is to complicated, and gets lower grade but still on the grade level - that is discrimination to me!

Anonymous wrote:OP here.
So if my child is on grade level with low Cs school will deny accomodations with legal diagnosis?
Child diagnosed with extremely low processing speed, cannot be trust to bring homework and will not write down homework if it is given orally. Needs extra time with big writing in class assignments (very laboros writing.)
Basically if no accomodations are done, there is no opportunity for success. With small accomodations you can get A, B student.
So what options do I have for my child to succed and be productive? None?

What was his processing speed?

504 plan is for reasonable accommodations for a disability that affects a major life area. So, for example, if a child has adhd affecting his ability to pay attention, he could have accommodations for preferential seating. But if his adhd affects his education to the point where he has trouble learning and needs special education, then an IEP is appropriate.

Re. Educational impact and 504 plans... a peanut allergy qualifies a child for a 504 plan. These plans are about equal access, not educational need.

If the child has a disability, a 504 plan should be available to them. There's no educational threshold to meet. Denying a 504 plan to a child with a disability is discrimination. Contact the Office of Civil Rights within the Department of Education, or file a state complaint, or both.

Anonymous wrote:OP - Our MontCo ES was very accommodating with a 504 when we brought in the neuropsych report that showed the 2e profile. We did have to show educational impact - for us it was poor handwriting and incomplete class work. It did not require failure or not meeting academic standards. I'm sorry you have not had a similar experience. Have you done a formal written request for an IEP evaluation? This convenes all the professionals who are in a position to assist,

In MCPS you definitely do have to show an educational impact. But educational impact does not mean failure or not meeting academic standards. Incomplete classwork is an educational impact. Poor handwriting also has the potential to have an educational impact because grades can be effected.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:In FCPS you just need to have a diagnosis. We did an IEP before kindergardten but had a diagnosis on hand for Sensory and Mild ADHD. The process was surprisingly pleasant.

While the process may have been easy, you cannot get an IEP with just a diagnosis. There must be an educational impact.

Agree - read the IEP and with each goal, you'll see a narrative about the educational impact/deficit the goal addresses.

OP - Our MontCo ES was very accommodating with a 504 when we brought in the neuropsych report that showed the 2e profile. We did have to show educational impact - for us it was poor handwriting and incomplete class work. It did not require failure or not meeting academic standards. I'm sorry you have not had a similar experience. Have you done a formal written request for an IEP evaluation? This convenes all the professionals who are in a position to assist,

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:In FCPS you just need to have a diagnosis. We did an IEP before kindergardten but had a diagnosis on hand for Sensory and Mild ADHD. The process was surprisingly pleasant.

While the process may have been easy, you cannot get an IEP with just a diagnosis. There must be an educational impact.

Educational impact is an easier standard to meet if the child is not yet in kindergarten. Thus, IEPs are easier to get in preschool.

Anonymous wrote:In FCPS you just need to have a diagnosis. We did an IEP before kindergardten but had a diagnosis on hand for Sensory and Mild ADHD. The process was surprisingly pleasant.

While the process may have been easy, you cannot get an IEP with just a diagnosis. There must be an educational impact.

Anonymous wrote: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.

Can you request this evaluation if the child is meeting standards (barely)?

In FCPS you just need to have a diagnosis. We did an IEP before kindergardten but had a diagnosis on hand for Sensory and Mild ADHD. The process was surprisingly pleasant.