ARD & test results

[change]

Hi Everyone,

So we have an ARD coming up next Friday. I'm worried because my daughter who was traumatized last November by her brother has just gone totally downhill both academically and behaviorally the last 3 years due to the stress of living with him. She used to be labeled GT in Elementary school but when we switched her to a private school in 5th grade, her grades started slipping and she never recovered from the change in schools. She's back in public school now as of this year. She's on a transfer. Her grades were getting better the first grading period but after she was traumatized, she began to fail. The team of teachers referred her for Special Education. because they really thought something was wrong with her. We just got the results and she didn't qualify. I could have told them that was going to happen. Shockingly her results came back as LOW IQ! My husband and I don't buy that and neither does her therapist nor her psychiatrist. She was just assessed in 5th grade by a different doctor and her IQ was quite normal and even a little above average in a few areas. Overall, she was average. This is alarming. I have read an article that stress can lower a child's IQ and that this can be corrected but I think they should not have subjected my daughter to these kinds of tests under the circumstances. She has had days of walking around in a "fog-like state" etc. since the incident. I'm not going to type it right now. I'm not up to it. Many of you can guess for yourselves what went on. Just think of the worst thing imaginable a brother could do to his sister...violently. The school knows too! How could they test her knowing she's dealing with this??? Also, she's on probation. One more violation of the school rules and her transfer will not be renewed. We are stressed out about this. My husband works there and it's such a comfort to my daughter to have him in the building. She will be totally lost to have to go to a school without one of us around. She is just not in a good place right now to have to deal with that and we cannot financially stay home with her all day (homeschool). We also cannot afford one of those fancy $20,000 a year schools where there are super small groups for these types of kids. they have a couple of really cool schools like that in our large city but we just can't afford them nor do we qualify for for financial aid. We're one of those catch 22 families income-wise. We make decent incomes but we both work, and my husband is in night school and we also have legal fees now because of the incident plus out-of-pocket medical expenses due to our daughter's special needs. Even if we could afford it, I've heard there are waiting lists to get in. Advice?

 

[smallworld]

You might want to re-post this on the Special Education 101 Forum. The moderators Martie and Sheila really know their stuff.

If you don't agree with the testing the SD did, you may by law request an Independent Eduation Evaluation, which is when an outside evaluator chosen by you re-evaluates your daughter at the SD's expense.

And yes, you are correct that anxiety and depression can depress IQ scores.

 

[looking4hope]

OK, based on what you've said your difficult child is eligible for Special Education for emotional disorders. There's a "26.5" designation which fits most of our difficult children; I would try and talk with your local NAMI chapter about this designation. The doctor's reports and medication list alone says she's qualified. Make sure you contest the SD tests; they don't want to make someone Special Education eligible because of the costs. Also, a low IQ child is eligible for Special Education, so the SD is yanking your chain (not uncommon unfortunately).

I am going to warn you that it's an uphill battle. It took me two years, but in the end, the SD had to place my difficult child in the type of school you are looking for AT THEIR EXPENSE. I am a teacher and we live in a different SD than the one I teach, so I was fortunate enough to get a lot of expert advice for free from the Special Education dept at the SD where I teach. Also, we had a great Special Education caseworker as well, who really pushed for what difficult child needed.

I think you will need to speak with some sort of Special Education advocate. There are some free ones, and your local NAMI chapter, hospital or even psychiatrist might be able to direct you to a free or low cost service. Special Education is a mess, but remind the school district that your child has a right to a free education in an appropriate environment. Good luck!

 

[slsh]

I agree both with posting over in sped 101 *and* finding an advocate. Absolutely, depression/PTSD can affect performance on any kind of testing. It sounds like your daughter is extremely fragile right now and SD needs to address this. IEPs are *not* based solely on grades or IQs, but also on emotional issues that are impacting ability to receive education.

I'm curious - it doesn't sound like she's having typical difficult child behavior problems, so what "rule violations" is she getting at school??

My heart goes out to you. I hope you're able to find an advocate who can help you get her the supports in school she obviously needs.

 

[change]

Thank you everyone. This was good advice. I spoke with the Special Education. person myself at the school yesterday via telephone (off the record I think) and she was supportive and gave me some good advice. She advised us to go for the OHI label for my daughter to get her some "protection" for now since she is in danger of retention because of her math grade and upcoming TAKS test. Hopefully it works. She agrees and doesn't feel retention is in her best interest emotionally and can't believe how well she's been coping academically considering the circumstances. In reality, her grades are only passing in the other subjects because some of her teachers have given her lots of extensions, etc. but she says there's nothing wrong with that considering she scored average on Stanford across the board except for one part of math. I just hope it holds up with the administrators. Her behavior violations have been 2 things that the school considers grounds for probation. The first one was an incident where she slapped another girl across the face with a paperback book. They are friends though and it was girl drama. The other was far more serious. She was disruptive in class and when the teacher asked her to leave to another classm she stood defiant and then called her a "stupid b____". That's the one they consider a Level 3 offense and wrote down as reason for probation. She did apologize later but it was too late. She has a lot of anger towards her abuser (brother) and has not learned how to release it appropriately. The Special Education. teacher understood this when I explained all to her but not everyone will be so willing to deal with it. It's tough. I'm so tired of re-telling the story too. I totally have to "brace myself" everytime so that I can tell it as "clinically" as possible so that I don't break down. I just want to move on from this. I'm sick of it.

Did I tell y'all yet that the arresting officer that night was the husband of a co-worker? I keep getting invited to things with my clique of work friends lately and I've been having to ask them if she and he are going to be there when I've been able to "pretend" a nd not talk about for a long time now here. It's awful. They don't understand how traumatizing it is for me to see him again. I NEVER want to see him again.

 

[dirobb]

I know this is so heatbreaking for you, difficult child and the family.
in houston there is The childrens assessment center. With your police report you should be able to get help. They not only treat you daughter they treat the family. I am not sure where in TX you are and thought I'd let you know. I can pm you the web address if you would like, just let me know.

 

[Sheila]

If I were you, I'd request an IEE. It's at no cost to the parents.

There are some IEE threads in the Sp Ed Archives.

If you need additional info, please feel free to visit us in the Sp Ed forum. It tends to be difficult to weaver a wave through the school systems alone.

 

[change]

Thanks. I will visit the Special Forum. I just have so many questions. My specialty is Science. We're lucky that we actually work in the public school system and the Special Education. person has been nice to us both at my school and at my husband's but it's still difficult to navigate as far as administrators because my daughter has always been on a transfer and you know how schools in Texas are about their accountability ratings. We're under so much pressure here. Dirob, I tried to pm you but it didn't work. Maybe I don't have enough posts yet? I'm familiar with that center. They've only contacted us twice and it was to try to get her in a "group therapy" DURING school hours. We had no way to get her there since we work. It was an intern who contacted us and she was abrupt when I told her we couldn't do it. I have no idea how to "work" that place. Another time it was to get me into a "group therapy" for women who have charges against them for abuse or neglect!!! I said "I don't think so". It was another intern and she didn't make me feel very comfortable.

 

[totoro]

You know what, I just wanted to let you know how impressed I am by what huge advocates you and husband are for your Daughter.
It sounds like you are dealing with this, and holding it together, despite what sounds like a horrible tragedy.
You are an inspiration to all of us. It must be beyond difficult...
I hope your Daughter finds some peace.

 

[change]

I just came back from the ARD. They are were all supportive except the administrator and the school nurse. School nurse stated that she should have her behavior under control no matter what happened to her and that things like calling her teacher a name are not acceptable. I couldn't believe it. Then the principal nodded her head in agreement and stated that she was on probation and her transfer was up for possibly not being renewed. I was appalled. The others said nothing but then her literacy teacher who was representing the cluster DID state how she dealt with her and that she was manageable and was a very bright child, etc. but I don't know if it was enough. After administrator left, the teacher spoke up again and stated that if the cluster (group of 7th grade teachers) who teach her would just come together and decide on how to best handle her to ensure her success, all would be well. (Basically pick and choose their battles with her.) It was discussed that she has she has a great deal of control issues. A different nurse (from region) discussed that of course she did after all taht had happened to her since she was so deeply betrayed by a loved one. We have to reconvene for another ARD (that's why administrator left the room) because the doctor they were going to get to sign-off on OHI label said she did not qualify and now they are going to ask daughter's psychiatrist to sign-off on it. They might go for ED label instead. Does not look good at all though for her getting to stay at this school next year.