Mom had read the Symptoms of Dyslexia, done a Free Dyslexia Test, and was convinced her daughter had Dyslexia.
The school said they did not Test
for Dyslexia. They said Jennifer had all the Dyslexia Symptoms, but
that the parents would have to go outside to get a diagnosis of
Dyslexia. What they failed to tell the parents was even if they came
back with a diagnosis of Dyslexia, the school district and the state
did not recognize Dyslexia as a qualifying condition for Special
Education.
The parents had gone to a psychologist, and had come back with a diagnosis of Dyslexia, a Learning Disability and ADHD.
The psychologist told mom and dad
the learning disability was not severe enough for their daughter to
qualify for special education -- but the ADHD was.
They took the report to the school
-- the school psychologist offered the parents a 504 Plan, which
provides accommodations, but does not provide either programs or
financial support.
The parents went to the Learning Disabilities Association and found an advocate to help.
The advocate explained to the
school that the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) was
changed in 1997 to allow students to qualify for Special Education if
the ADHD significantly impacted their child's academic performance and
rhw student would benefit from Special Education Services.
The advocate was well informed -- having been trained by Wright's Law team -- she knew the student's rights.
The school psychologist explained
again that their district did not give IEPs (Individual Education
Plans) for ADHD, but the advocate explained the law.
The psychologist did agree that:
- The student had ADHD
- The ADHD significantly impacted the child's academic performance
- The student would benefit from Special Education Services
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The challenges did not end there.
The school district had initiated a Departmentalization Effort -- where
the 4th grader would have three teachers. Two of the three teachers
followed the accommodations, but the 3rd teacher balked, claiming the
Jennifer was almost 10 years old and should be able to copy off the
board.
The advocate helped again. An
interim IEP meeting was called, the third teacher realized this was a
contractual obligation, and she met her requirements.
These types of meetings are tough, and an advocate who knows the law certainly helps.
Mira Halpert, M.Ed., is the
Director and Developer of the 3D Learner Program (R). Mark Halpert is
the Executive Director of the 3D Learner Foundation and President of
the Learning Disabilities Association of Florida. As parents of two
children with Dyslexia, a Learning Disabilities, the Halperts are
committed to helping Parents Make The Difference. They can be reached at the 3D Learner Center at 561-361-7495