3 Year Reevaluation & Can I Ask to Change Math Goals from 7th Grade to Practical Life Skill Goals

[Holly W.]

I have two questions. First, we had the initial 3 year reevaluation IEP meeting. My understanding  is that your child has a legal right to be retested every 3 years but maybe there are details that I have not been able to find documentation on. I requested testing in math & a complete psychological reevaluation. However, the school psychologist said she needed a valid reason why I wanted those tests & then she said she needed to know how that testing would benefit my child. I know these meetings are more like a poker game than an actual meeting to agree on accommodations or tests needed for your child & that the county's priority is saving money. It saves them money if everyone says "We agree she still qualifies for an IEP because she has autism." But that, alone, doesn't help my child best succeed in school or set her up for success & prepare her for the future. For context my daughter is 13 & in 7th grade. She has autism, ADHD, anxiety & panic disorders, sensory processing disorder, adjustment disorder with anxiety & is soon going to change from her diagnosis of low muscle tone to motor dyspraxia I'm 99% positive. She is in 7th grade but in math is testing on a first grade level consistently which leads me to my second question. But first, am I correct about her 3 year reevaluation rights? Legally, do I have to provide a reason why I want the tests & also provide a reason of how it will benefit her? I can understand them asking the questions for context but the school psychologist said she needed them to consider whether or not the tests are actually necessary. I have researched this extensively & haven't been able to find anything to back up what the school psychologist is saying is legally required to retest my child in these areas. Help!

 

Second question...I'm not counting her out but she is never going to be even close to grade level specifically in math. I want her math goals changed from "7h grade math" to learning practical math life skills like telling time, knowing how to use a calendar & be able to understand when "a week from today" or "a month from today" really means. I want her to have(learn)  strong basic math skills that she needs to survive & succeed in this world. I feel like what I'm asking for is very appropriate since she's 13 testing on a 1st grade level. Any advice on how to "convince" the team this is necessary?

[Carolyn Rowlett]

You are absolutely correct that any areas in which the child was found eligible and has an IEP for has a right to have a re-evaluation in those areas every three years.  I would suggest referring the school psychologist to the IDEA and any state guidelines you can find regarding special education processes that address this specific issue.  l would even call your state department of education and speak with someone and add THAT to you email.  I would also copy your director of special education.  The only allowed reason for not conducting a three year re-eval is if BOTH the school district and parent agree.  I they still say "no," ask for a PWN and file a state complaint.

As far as the math goals, again, you are absolutely correct that she should be switched to life skills math.  At a minimum, she should not be attending any gen ed math classes at all, but instead should be spending that time in special education math.  Schools try to argue that students need to stay at least part of the time in the gen ed math class so they are exposed to the skills their peers are learning.  But your daughter is way too far behind to get anything our of a gen ed math class and it would be very frustrating and a complete waste of time.  Other than pointing to her significantly low math level, I'm not sure how else to convince the team.

[JSD24]

Dear School-  The testing that has been done to date does not provide a reason why my child, XX, is in 7th grade but is only capable of doing math on a 1st grade level.  I would like for assessments do be done that provides the reason for her being 6 years behind her classmates in this area. Prior evaluations have identified autism, ADHD, anxiety & panic disorders, sensory processing disorder, adjustment disorder with anxiety & low muscle tone which do not explain this.  (I agree with you about the dyspraxia.  The hallmark of autism is a lack of neural pruning at age 18 months.  The extra connections individuals are left with will leave them with clumsiness, dyspraxia or apraxia which could look like low tone but it's really neurological in nature.)  With knowing the nature of her math disability, we will be better able to have specially designed instruction as part of her IEP.  This will help her attain the ability to have functional math skills.  She needs to work to attain better time awareness as well as budgeting/money management skills.

Please use this email as my permission for XXX School to do the necessary assessments to determine the nature of XX's math issues.

Feel free to copy the above.  Wording things this way show how your child will benefit from additional math assessments.  As far as switching her to a curriculum that doesn't cover any 7th grade math, I'm not sure if that's allowed.  IDEA says that students need to be exposed to grade level skill standards.  She may need to be 'exposed' but I can see advocating for her to be taught a stronger functional foundation in math.  Let the exposure be in small doses that are appropriate to her present level skills.