3 Essential Strategies for Special Needs Advocacy
This month in our blog and in our Facebook discussion, EEG is focusing on special needs advocacy. Whether you are brand new to the process or preparing for your annual review, we’ve got some suggestions to help guide the discussion and lay the foundation for a successful meeting.
1. Put it in Writing
If it isn’t written down, it didn’t happen. If you are at the very beginning of the special needs identification process, it’s important to send a letter or email to the school asking them to assess your student for a suspected disability. This starts a legal timeline, whereas a phone conversation will not necessarily yield the same result. For a sample letter requesting an initial evaluation for special education services, click here.
Have you had discussions with your child’s teacher about difficulties in the classroom? Confirm this discussion with an email reviewing the areas you covered.
Was there something that you asked for at the IEP meeting that was denied? Ask that it be documented in writing. (There is a section of the IEP called “prior written notice” especially for this purpose.)
2. Pay Attention to Present Levels of Performance
What are Present Levels of Performance, anyway? These are derived from the baseline data that show your student’s strengths and needs. At an IEP meeting, they are the first part of the discussion, and the part that many parents let go by without comment as they wait to get to the “meat” of the IEP, the goals and accommodations. However, all of the goals, accommodations, and strategies listed in the IEP are derived from the Present Levels of Performance. Therefore, this is really one of the most important discussions to weigh in on. If you feel that a particular data point doesn’t represent an accurate assessment of your student, ask questions. Ask for additional data. Regardless of the disability code, every need identified in the present levels of performance must be addressed with a goal in that area. For more information about understanding Present Levels of Performance, click here.
3. Don’t Discount the Value of a 504 Plan
Sometimes the school team will recommend a 504 Plan rather than an IEP. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing. The primary difference between an IEP and a 504 Plan is that an IEP addresses the need for specialized instruction along with providing accommodations. A 504 Plan provides accommodations only. For many students with ADHD, the primary area of impact from their disability is in the Executive Function or attention realm. While severe Executive Dysfunction may indeed require specialized instruction, oftentimes the student can be appropriately served with accommodations. These can include priority seating in class (which doesn’t mean at the front of the room – priority seating should be in the area where the student learns best); extra time; use of a fidget; flash pass to take breaks; adult support to chunk out assignments or maintain a planner; etc.
Some parents tend to think of a 504 Plan as a sort of consolation prize in the special education arena, but nothing could be farther from the truth. The decision should be based on what level of support is appropriate for the student to succeed. For more on understanding the differences between an IEP or 504 Plan, click here.
Bear in mind that the above strategies are for public schools, or private schools which receive public funding. However, even as a parent of a student in private or parochial school, you still have the right to ask your public school district to evaluate your student. Some private schools will use the plan developed by the public school to form a services plan, or other means of providing accommodations, but they are not always required to. And in some instances, a child in private school may also receive supplementary special education through their local public school. Learn more here.
As always, Essig Education Group is available to support your student’s needs in Executive Function. Our summer classes are now open for registration.