Bizarre Recommendation From School?

[Georgiamomma]

One of my easy child's has been easy to handle as a general rule. However, she does have Pervasive Developmental Disorder (PDD)-not otherwise specified, Seizure Disorder, ADHD, selective mutism, an emotional abuse survivor, and Asthma. She is also intellectually delayed. (I guess she really is a difficult child). She has been in a wonderful inclusionary program at a great school. She is in a mainstream class with 14 mainstream kids and 6 high functioning special needs kids. However, lately Deia has begun showing some ADHD behaviour and she is requiring more and more attention at school. She is not aggressive but does not stay focused, tries to leave the class, is becoming defiant and has very low social skills. Intellectually she is more like a 4 year old. The school called a meeting and said that they were unsure if she should stay in this program because she is not functioning high enough and requiring too much attention. The clincher -- because she does have a very low IQ and will not be able to succeed at the high school level, we should take her out of the academic stream and put her in an independent living class. She is only 6. Apparently independent living classes at this age focus on grocery shopping, making change, etc. which is out of the range for any 6 year old. I feel that everyone is giving up on my little girl -- especially since this school and program have always been so good. Another option they have presented is a self-contained Autism class. However, I don't want her in any special needs self-contained class because she needs to have the positive peer modeling from kids her age. Am I being overly sensitive? Anyone have any suggestions about approaching the school or Board or a type of program that might benefit her?

Debbie

 

[Sheila]

I don't find it bizarre, but it does tell me that your daughter is struggling, and perhaps, that your school district is looking for a more economical means of educating her. That in and of itself is not a bad thing. It's when the placement change is based on strictly economical decisions rather than the child's need that many problems arise.

What I'm reading here is that because your daughter is taking too much time, they want to move her somewhere else.

I would recommend that you not accept the independent living curriculum. WAY too early for that attitude in my opinion.

An autism placement may be good a good thing. I don't know; check out any program they have before agreeing to a new placement -- including visiting/observing the classroom.

Schools sometimes forget that an IEP = Individual Education Program and to be delivered in the LRE (Least Restrictive Environment). IEP doesn't mean moving a child from one predesigned curriculum to another. For instance, if your daughter needs a 1:1 para to keep her mainstreamed, that's what you should ask for. Because of the cost of a ligitimate autism placement, I'd think they would be willing to use a 1:1 para.

But beware. A paraprofessional is not just a babysitter. The individual should be appropriately trained to meet the student's needs.

 

[--Eleanor--]

You may want to lobby for a 1-on-1 aide for her in the mainstream class. Also, have you tried any ADHD medications for her?

 

[nvts]

I was thinking the same thing. A para might be able to keep her focused an in the classroom.

Beth

 

[Martie]

Whatever you do, a Lifeskills curriculum is NOT AN APPROPRIATE option for a 6 year old. We do not usually discuss IQs because the differences of the kids on the board are not really meaningful: the vast majority range from low average to high average, and what impedes progress is emotional/behavioral not intellect.

However, you described he as having a VERY LOW IQ, at age 6. functioning at a 4 year old level. Roughly, that would give her an IQ in the mid 60 to mid 70 range. That is not VERY LOW, and anyway, IQs are notoriously unstable in 6 year olds who have multiple issues as she does.For example, did was she able to pay attention during testing? Tested on and off medications can make a HUGE difference for kids with ADHD and sometimes is used as a means of showing the effectiveness of medications.

No matter what, her IEP should reflect her needs, not her IQ and not the programs that your SD chooses to "offer" as package deals. I would go for a 1:1 with proper training to keep her in the LRE. If that does not work, then look at more restrictive options. Special Education is a service not a "place" to send difficult to educate children. However, in one sense you are lucky because as Sheila points out, "autistic classes" are expensive due to staffing ratios, so it is not as though you would be asking for a parapro for a child who would otherwise have an hour of Learning Disability (LD) resource per day (which is inexpensive.)

Martie