Special Education evaluation for middle schooler who has 504 plan already

[Boy Mama]

My son is in 6th grade and has several qualifying diagnoses (Autism, Health (ADHD), Specific Learning Disability (Dysgraphia), and Anxiety). He has been succeeding with a very extensive 504 plan, but things have recently taken a turn for the worst. He is currently unable to write essays at school both for a graded essay and for MCAS (state standardized testing). Further, he became distressed working on an ELA assignment where he had to come up with 8-10 quotes showing character development. The teacher changed it to 1-2 for him due to the amount of distress he was displaying. Additionally, he also wrote that he is stupid on a math test because he didn't understand what was being asked in the bonus question on the exam. His teacher reprinted the question and re-worded it. He got the question correct and got a perfect score on the test.

We just put in a request for an academic evaluation in writing and OT evaluations because of the dysgraphia diagnosis and the recent struggles with writing. They are also doing two observations as part of this evaluation: one by the OT and one by the special education teacher. He had a psychoed evaluation done last year as well as an outside neuropsych, but he was doing better mentally. Teachers keep saying we need to add accommodations to his 504, but it seems like he'd really benefit from writing support. Right now, they want to add the ability to dictate his writing as an accommodation.

His grades are good and they say he's making effective progress, but how can a 6th grader who doesn't write their own essay or have the work reduced 80% be making effective progress? Again, they are willing to update the 504 with new accommodations. We have a meeting in a couple of weeks, but I feel like he really needs pull out ELA support (or at least push-in support) in addition to the meetings with the adjustment counselor which are in his current 504 plan. Wouldn't you say that this warrants an IEP? How do I convince school that he's not making effective progress when they are giving him grades indicating that he is at grade level?

[Lisa Lightner]

YES—what you’re describing absolutely could warrant an IEP. You're not just being protective or overly cautious—you're seeing real, documented barriers to access, despite the school handing out “good grades” like they prove everything is fine. (Spoiler: they don’t.)

“Effective Progress” ≠ “Good Grades”

Schools love to lean on grades to show a student is “doing fine.” But under IDEA, “effective progress” means progress appropriate for the student, considering their unique needs—not just whether they’re pulling an A on a worksheet with 80% of it reduced or dictated to someone else.

You said it yourself:

"How can a 6th grader who doesn’t write their own essay or have the work reduced 80% be making effective progress?"

Exactly. He’s accessing the curriculum through intense modification and scaffolding—which is fine! But that’s the definition of needing specially designed instruction (aka, an IEP).

Dictation ≠ Writing Instruction

Adding dictation as a 504 accommodation isn’t a fix—it’s a band-aid. Yes, it helps with access, but it doesn’t address the underlying skill deficit in written expression. Kids with dysgraphia and executive functioning issues like ADHD often need explicit, specialized instruction in:

• Organizing ideas

• Developing paragraphs

• Mechanics and syntax

• Planning, drafting, and revising

That's instructional support, not just an access tool. And that’s where pull-out or push-in ELA support through an IEP comes in.

When a student is writing “I am stupid” on tests, shutting down during writing tasks, and visibly distressed during classwork, that’s not just a mental health issue, it’s a symptom of a mismatch between what he’s being asked to do and what his current supports can actually address.

Yes, he has access to the adjustment counselor through his 504, but that doesn’t resolve the instructional mismatch and the writing-based performance anxiety. These need to be addressed together, not siloed off.

What to Bring to the Meeting

1. Data + Documentation
   Bring copies of the assignments that were reduced, the math test with the “I’m stupid” note, and any communications showing how much support he’s needing just to get through assignments.

2. Highlight Skill Deficits, Not Grades
   Say: “We’re not seeing independent skills. We’re seeing workarounds. That’s not the same as progress.”

3. Use IDEA Language
   “My child requires specially designed instruction in written expression to make meaningful progress in the general education curriculum. Accommodations alone are no longer sufficient.”

4. Ask for SDI Goals
   Even if they push for just a 504 revision, ask: “What’s the school’s plan for directly teaching writing? How will that be tracked and measured?

Bottom line: this is exactly the kind of situation IDEA was written for. A child who’s smart, but struggling because they’re being patched through instead of taught in the way they need. You're absolutely right to push for an IEP, and you’ve already laid the groundwork beautifully with your eval requests.

 

[Boy Mama]

Thank you so much. DDS (Department of Developmental Services) is going to help us and review the evaluations. Our case manager is also coming to the meeting. She cannot serve as an advocate, but she said that we could get a consultation with an intern advocate with the Federation for Children with Special Needs as well as have her in the meeting and then DDS would contribute funds towards an advocate.

I plan on putting together all of the emails that have gone between myself and the school to show his challenges. It's all documented in writing with the exception of the quote incident. That information came from my son and the teacher has not confirmed nor denied it. 

 

I apologize for any typos. I can't see everything that I am typing through the ads. 

 

Thank you for this forum and for your reply!