Teacher says “Wait and See” how the child does

“Wait and See” can be costly for children who struggle in public school, especially in the primary grades.  Parents report to us that a kindergarten teacher indicated concerns and told the parent to watch the student during first grade.  During the child’s first grade year, the first grade teacher said the child would probably need to be tested and suggested the parent go get “medical” testing done.  Now, the student is in second grade and the parent has completed the “medical” tests yet the school district does not initiate any testing of the student although the student struggles and has handwriting that is illegible.

See how our kids can slip through the cracks?  It’s important that parents know how to work the “system” so that the years don’t slip by.  Parents need to be proactive when the child has special needs.  The “system” works slowly so a parent needs to be one step ahead.

The IEP Center helps parents keep a step ahead.  Visit our site at theiepcenter.com 

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Student to repeat first grade? Need IEP?

I am concerned when a parent tells me the public school wants their child to repeat a grade, especially if the child is a “special ed” student.

Too often, the attitude toward our struggling child at this age is “wait and see”.  I have met too many parents over the years who went along with “wait and see” only to watch the years pass by and have a child much older than his classmates in middle school.

“Wait and see” is often a result of poor programming by the school for our child.  Perhaps assumptions were made about the child, or the child’s disability, by those who plan the child’s education.  Parents need to make sure to bring to the IEP meeting folks who know about the disability of the child so that the school can be brought up-to-date on how our child learns.  This is especially true for children who have invisible disabilities, such as Aspergers, head injuries, etc.

Parents can be proactive and insist on further testing by the school in order to get information about the child’s learning styles and abilities. Parents can also ask to see the data collected by the school that either supports or undermines the school’s contention that the child needs to repeat.

Advocates at theiepcenter.com are available to go to school meetings with parents in MIssouri and Kansas, and available for telephone consults.