My daughter is in Special education kids and has an IEP. How do I transition her out?

Question

My daughter will be going to the 6th grade when school starts next week. In the third grade they noticed she was struggling in math and reading. On recommendation of the school she was tested by a pediatrician. They determined that she was of normal intelligence but has Attention Deficit Disorder. I believe she may have dyslexia and I'm going to get her tested by a psychologist as soon as possible. The special ed teachers have worked with her and her reading is now up to grade level. Unfortunately her math skills are still on a 3rd or 4th grade level. I want her to receive a normal diploma, not a certificate of completion that is often given to special education students. I have tried tutoring her at home but it takes 1-2 hours a night of math tutoring and that doesn't include her regularly assigned homework. My help doesn't seem like it's enough for her and I can not afford a tutor. Does anyone have any suggestions or sucess stories on how they managed to get their learning disabled child on the same level as their peers?

Answer 1

Well, I'm still a kid myself but I have had lots of problems withh maths but recently I've made a few recherses and I found out I might have aritmetics dylexia. My problemas with maths started in grade 4th with divisions I couldn't make them right, specially because I always made them on the black board and I got nervous. In grade 5, I had lots of problems, but again because I got really nervous becuase of my maths teacher, I faked diseases just to not attend school. In grade 6, my maths level increased so much!  I just had behond average maths marks. In 7th grade, my maths started to decrese, I had really, really bad marks in that year but mostly because of my professor and my lack of attetion, I think I might also have Attention Deficit Disorder never been tested but a person who knows about it told me. In 8th grade, the same thing but, in grade 9th I had another behond average mark in one test but I came back to bad marks, not as terrible as 7th and 8th grade. In grade 10th the awfull grades came again, unless for the last test when I started to have a tutor, I had a behond average mark again, the third best grade of my class. But this year, year 11th I got really really bad in maths I had to give up, but I reliazed that I couldn't do the simple things, I got confused with low numbers.

You see, I always feelt so bad when in maths, I didn't feel confortable with it so I just choose changing for something without maths, but she's still in grade 6th and she has to do maths right? And thigns there might me a little diferent from the place I am.

Have you tryed some maths games? I mean it might be fun and she will be increasing her maths skills =S Maybe a maths puzzles book for kids would help? You'd help her with it after homework.

Answer 2

Is your daughter going to be in a special day class simply because she is low in math?  I would consider an RSP setting if she is not already in one.  I would also not take her out of special ed if she continues to qualify for services; she will only fall more and more behind.  Keep up the extra help, especially with math, somtimes age can play a role in understand the concepts.  As you say, hours of tutoring have not helped, what do you think would happen without services?  Also, that is the way it is, it takes hard work to succeed.  Do not give up!!

Yes, you must pass the high school exit exam.  It should be noted on her IEP if she is on track for a diploma or a certif.  The best place for her to get the help she needs is in the sp ed setting.  I teach the skills necessary for my students to pass the California High School Exit Exam, as do many other gen ed classes.  It may take them time to do this, a few years, but my students to manage to pass with work; it's an RSP setting.  Stay on top of it once she gets in high school where the test is given, she must pass both language arts and math.  You have been warned.

Answer 3

DO NOT TAKE HER OUT ! special ed helps out so much. My roomate was taken out of her classes in elementary school and now that she is 28 her math skills are still at a very very low level, we are talking elementary school level that it has been difficult for her to pass her math classes at the community college to transfer. So if you keep her in it will help her out more in the long run. Don't worry about her certification it doesnt count against you for college, actually in college they provide any extra help you would need. I hope this helps.  

Answer 4

The level that is right for your child is what is right for her - not everyone else.  The range of math skills in all kids is pretty wide.  We all have preferences or strengths.  As she gets older she will learn or be taught how to compensate for any deficits she has - I would ask for reduced assignments in math right now so that she can focus not on quantity but quality of work.

Any tutoring needs to be not just drill but using her preferred learning style to allow her to retain and use the learned skill.

Answer 5

She probably won't receive a special ed. diploma with what you described.  It doesn't sound like she is in a special education classroom for most of the day?

A certificate of completion is for those students who do not complete the regular high school requirements because of failures or non-enrollment.  Non-enrollment is typically for those students with mental retardation.  You need to discuss the opportunities for your daughter but take it with a grain of salt for now.  Middle school teachers often make mistakes (been there done that myself!) because alot of your training is through word-of-mouth.  High school options can also change greatly in between now and her eighth grade year.  Keep working out it and then try to get to the bottom of everything, even if it means you have to go the county director.  

As far as paperwork goes, see if you a transition plan in her IEP.  If it's not there now, it has to be there before she turns 14 by federal law.  That papers specifically states which diploma she will earn.

Answer 6

A certificate of completion is not given to special education students.  It is given to all students that do not pass the high school exit exam.  Having her stay in special education for math is probably her best chance at learning the skills she needs to pass the exit exam and get a diploma.

Answer 7

I'm not sure of the legalities, but I have heard it both ways, that a child in special ed is suppose to get a diploma like everyone else, and also that these kids only get a 'certificate of completion' which means nothing.

I have heard MANY sad stories in which parents THOUGHT their special ed child was going to get a diploma and didn't. The school did not tell the parent one time that this would happen. Makes me livid.

Here's a message board where the people can really help you with this-

http://www.millermom.proboards107.com/in...