Some students with ADD/ADHD have unnoticed learning disabilities that public schools have overlooked or not recognized. These students may be lumped into programs with other students who are “at risk”. The “at risk” programs often focus on the requirement of appropriate behavior, attendance and work completion. This is where our student with underlying learning disabilities goes through the motions to keep from getting in trouble yet gets passing grades since work is being “completed”. The work, however, may not be grade level work, or, may be work that the student has already learned in earlier grades.
If a student has unnoticed learning disabilities a parent can request that the student be evaluated by the public school for “eligibility for special education under IDEA and 504″. Other private educational consultants can provide private testing as well.

Seminars for Parents on child advocacy will be held in metro Kansas City during the current school year on some Saturday mornings. Topics relate to public school education of students with special needs and their IEPs, 504 plans, student rights, mediation and child complaints.
Visit TheIEPCenter.com for information.

Parents of children with learning disabilities in the Kansas City area now have a place to go to get assistance when struggling with the public school system.

The IEP Center.com has advocates for parents to consult regarding children’s schooling concerns in Missouri and Kansas.  The team of advocates are parent’s with expertise in dealing with special education issues.

Parents can have their child’s “Individualized Eduation Plan” (IEP) reviewed by an advocate at the IEP Center. The IEP Center will be conducting monthly seminars on topics related to parents’ advocating for their children in the schools.

There will be supplemental materials and merchandise available for purchase at the seminars.

The IEP Center.com is located southeast of the metro.  Click the mapquest link below for  a map.   Kansas City metro phone 816-680-0070; outside the metro    Toll free 877-447-6246

http://www.mapquest.com/mq/3-mky7T2m7

Mediation is now offered, free of charge, by the state when a parent requests it and the parent and district both agree to mediate.

A list of “mediators” is provided for the district and parent to agree upon a selection. During this process a couple weeks passed since the district was slow…hmmm.
Then the selected mediator’s schedule caused another delay of a couple weeks.

The mediation lasted over three hours but much of that time was spent in our own “caucus” room deciding how to proceed.

The parent was well prepared and had diagrams/comparisons illustrating what the child needed and what the district was offering prior to mediation.

The mediator was skilled at framing the issues. The district seemed to have great respect for her and the process. The outcome in this instance was favorable for the student. The parents avoided due process.

I would consider assisting parents in this school district again with mediation.

It had been almost six years since a teen had been evaluated by the public school district.  During this time, the teen was passed though from grade to grade with passing marks; however the grades were not representative of progress toward the student’s goals…they were progress toward participation in class. 

This student was a victim of Congress allowing the removal of a required three-year evalution (that used to be in place).  Congress removed this requirement during the last reauthorization of the IDEA law partly to save school district’s money (yes, testing is expensive).  But at what cost?   Imagine the dismay when a parent learns that for almost six years nobody at the school is sure where the student is performing in relation to the goals on the IEP.  And, when the goals are not written to be measureable, how can progress really be made? 

This is an example of the importance of a parent to review the IEP goals of their child on a regular basis.  In Missouri, about half of this school year is over.  Is your child making progress?  How can you be sure?  Check to see how much increase in grade level they have made since August on academics…ask the OT for work samples…ask questions.  You don’t have to wait for the “annual” IEP meeting to learn these things.  Ask for a “parent-teacher” conference. 

Special Education in Missouri is about your child making progress…with your monitoring.

Parents who are frustrated by IEP meetings where nothing is accomplished can pursue approaches other than “due process”.  “Due Process” is a lengthy process and is emotionally draining, and often puts a child’s education on hold while “lawyers” wrangle. 

If your child’s needs, which are listed in the IEP, are not being addressed by the public school, then a parent might want to consider filing a “child complaint” with Topeka.  A “child complaint” is where a parent presents allegations of how the school district is not following the IEP…and the state department of education follow-up by doing some fact-finding then making a decision of whether the district is “in compliance” or not.  

It is important to have accurate record-keeping so that if/when a parent files a “child complaint”, the documents exist to support an allegation.

I am not a lawyer and this is not legal advice***I am not an attorney and am not licensed to practice law in Missouri or any other state.  Nothing in these communications should be considered to be legal advice.     www.theiepcenter.com

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