Today we were denied extra educational services for BoyTwo because he is an ELL student and the district believes that his 'delays' are language related.
Please note that the previous post is only one small example of the many things similar that happen each day.
Please note that the previous post is only one small example of the many things similar that happen each day.
Evidently, it is considered a language deficit, not a learning deficit, if one cannot learn his alphabet in one year's time.
Grrrrr.
I have to say though that I'm not surprised. Just frustrated and disappointed. I did just have an idea. I kind of feel as though we're being discriminated against because BoyTwo is from another country. Like they're unwilling to help us because he's from another country speaks two languages and not willing to find out if he really has a learning disability or not. Hmmmm. I may be onto something here. I hate to get mean/nasty/pushy/ornery, but seriously, I think that's what they wait for. I do believe that our principal and his teachers would like to see him get extra help.
I have three of my kids scoring the same on their DIBELS testing (reading testing that is done in our state). My five year old kindergartner (who is testing right where she should be for kindergarten) and my two second graders who are 7 and 8. Is that not a red flag?!
My other frustration is that I don't even know if extra help will even help either of them! Three has been part of the reading intervention program since the beginning of school last year and has yet to improve. BoyTwo had 2.5 hours of private aide time last year (under his ELL title, so yeah, it was good for something:)) during which he received primarily educational help as his language learning has been phenomenal. Every day he was working on the alphabet for 2 hours while at school and he still struggles. Every day. Two hours. Still can't identify all of the alphabet. And what he does miss is inconsistent. siiiiiiiiiiiiigh.
I seek a label because unless it is determined that these kids have some sort of learning disability, they do not qualify for additional help that they desperately and obviously need. We have great teachers who are willing to accommodate us which means they have said we don't have to do all the homework or we only have to have some of the spelling words. While I truly appreciate that they are willing to do what they can for my kids, I do not believe that these types of accommodations will help them to learn. It does not address the real problem which is that they are not learning.
Aside, BoyOne had his second trip to the principal's office in four days and is failing two of his three graded classes. He dared ask to get his learner's permit. hahahahahahaha.
over my dead body.
:)
Oh my gosh. Let me ask around. I can at least tell you how things are done in my state which should include how things are supposed to be done nationally.
ReplyDeleteI think you SHOULD be pushy. Go get 'em, Steph! Trust that Mommy gut and push and scream and be that squeaky wheel until they get him the help he needs. Have you thought about counseling? I'm searching for a counselor for Amelia now. I think she's lonely and struggling emotionally right now, but she can't express herself so she's acting out in class (ie yelling, getting out of her seat, not being able to focus). Sigh. If it's not one thing, it's another I guess.
ReplyDeleteDang it.
ReplyDeleteI sent some stuff to your email. (My apologies if I've sent it before!)
I would demand that the school pay for a neuropsychological evaluation.
ReplyDeleteDon't let them get away with having their own school psychologist do the testing, either- make sure it's a neuro specialist.
I'm no layperson in this area and I agree with your assessment that it's more than an ELL issue. I'm in CT and here we have an office of protection and advocacy when it comes to special ed issues. I'm not sure where you are but hopefully you have one and they can help you.
You may want to also check out www.wrightslaw.com. They're book and info has been invaluable when fighting for evals and services for my autistic son.
Good luck!
Hi,
ReplyDeleteI saw your blog through Wendy's comments. Reading this sounds exactly like my children and what we went through. We did they neuro testing and we'll have to go back in a couple years to compare before they will diagnose if it's language or learning. So it will give you a base line but may not help with getting help at the school. We did genetic testing and our youngest adopted has enough markers to be diagnosed with Fetal Alcohol, but again they want to wait two years and do the testing again to make sure it's not just a language issue. We had the older two children in therapy due to PTSD, which is how we got our oldest adopted an IEP. So the next year we did enough therapy with Ana (she doesn't remember hardly anything compared to her older sister) and were able to get her an IEP also due to neglect and abuse. It was much less expensive then the other two and the school said to test them for any services other than ESL it had to be in their native language the first 2 years they are here (after two years they can be tested in English), so as to not abuse the special ed funds. We are at a charter school and the charter school district of Utah doesn't have any Russian or Ukrainian translators. Because we are not at the school in our district, Davis County School District refused to test them, but I do believe they have access to Russian translators that can test the kids. Not 100% on that, but they were the ones that told me the kids had to be tested first in their own language. Since I'm rambling I will say our 8 yr old, now 11, took two years to learn the alphabet and this year our focus is on blending sounds. But the end of last year she finally began reading on a K/1st grade level with some comprehension. She is on a 1st/2nd grade level this year, but is finally reading sentences. She will still read a word fine on one page and not recognize it on another. But she is finally sounding things out and putting them together. It may just take a lot of time. Our oldest adopted can sound everything out and reads quiet well, but comprehends about 50% as of last year. It throws teachers off, because she can say the words and so they think she knows the meaning of the words... so still a ways to go. Actually we are thrilled that she started reading books in English this year (2nd/3rd grade books, but until 2012 refused to read in English : ) Our middle adopted went from a 2nd grade level to a 5th last year. Something just clicked for him and he took off. We adopted all of them 3 1/2 years ago at the same time, they are siblings. I would say they all needed that first year just to adjust and learn to speak in English before they really started participating in school. Sorry this ended up so long.
I wish you the best, those first two years were long and stressful for me. Its like you said, you just want them to have a chance and all the help they can get! Keep fighting.