504 or not

[Tryingtohelpbabybrother]

I'm trying to get info for my parents about getting help at school for my little brother. Thank goodness he's an all around good kid, getting decent grades and not to much drama. He's 15 and a sophomore this yr and struggling with his geometry class. He struggled last yr with algebra and the school placed him on a 504 plan due to his ADHD diagnosis, but removed it at the end of the yr because he passed the clad with help. Here we are darn near half way thru the second half of first semester and he's struggling with the geometry. He's gone to the lady at school in charge of the 504 to try to set up help again and was told "nope your just trying to play the system" my parents then called and were told the same thing. Called the principal and told to wait 3-4 weeks to see if he can bring his grade up alone. He's stressed to the hilt with this class cause he just doesn't understand it at and just wants to pass his classes. This is a child who has always loved school and now is to the point because of one class he can't get help in he hates school and homework. My parents and I can't help him at with it cause we have no clue how to do it so we are useless. What else can we do to get him help in one class?

 

[BusynMember]

Get an advocate. They are free. Call the public school department of education in your state and ask for the name and address of your particular advocate. HOWEVER, if your brother doesn't have a diagnosis, he won't get anything. Your mom needs to take him to a private neuropsychologist for a diagnosis. ADHD wouldn't explain why he can do his other work, but not math. Maybe he has dyscalcula.

 

[HMBgal]

First, the fact that they told a hard-working student that he was gaming the system when he went for help blows my mind. And if he has a 504 still in place, then what the school is doing is fairly egregious. And advocate is a grand idea. I was a good student at many things, but chemistry about killed me. Is there any way you guys can hire a tutor?

 

[Tryingtohelpbabybrother]

Our school district sucks big time and always has. We are awaiting a call back from the asst superintendent on Monday to see what else we can do. I don't know why they are having such a problem with helping him this year compared to last is my problem with all of this. Unfortunately hiring a tutor is just not possible my parents live paycheck to paycheck with dad being disabled and my moms job just cut her hours to less than half for the foreseeable future. The school placed him in the 504 last yr because of the issues in math with the ADHD diagnosis, removed the 504 at the end of the yr last yr and told him not a problem to get it back if problems arise this yr. now they are playing games. Sadly they did this to me as I have always struggled with math, help for a bit then drop me on my face to fail which is what they are now doing to him. Thought maybe things had changed in the 17 yrs I've been out of school but guess not. Thanks we will check into an advocate

 

[svengandhi]

Is there a slower class he could switch to or can he get tutoring in school? Our SD will assign a math honors student to tutor for free. Is his difficulty with geometry because he's just not good at math or is there another reason? It sounds like he struggles with math though not necessarily because of ADHD, he just may stink at math. My ADHD son was like that, he was otherwise bright but math was not his thing. I went to a top academic HS (in the whole country) and failed geometry because it just didn't make sense to me. I didn't need a 504, I needed what I ultimately got - a class where the concepts were taught more slowly and there was more repetition. I was in honors English, AP history and slow math. I'm going through this now with my youngest, who is a freshman. He refuses to move to the slower math so I am paying for tutoring and making him go for extra help. He has an IEP and has since pre-school, he is just not a math person, either.

Good luck.

 

[Tryingtohelpbabybrother]

There is a slower geometry class BUT per the school that is for kids on a 504 or IEP since they need more assistance. I think he would do fine in the slower paced class. Just frustrated thanks everyone for letting me vent