What's been happening with Kaitlyn

So remember two months ago I was very concerned about Kaitlyn's reading. I met with the principal about my concerns. Well, those concerns have never actually gone away. Then last week I got two pieces of mail about Kaitlyn's progress in school. The first was a Literacy Action plan which was performed over a month prior without my knowledge and with a teacher whom I did not know. Then a few days later I got something stating that based on Kaitlyn's reading scores in January she would need to go to a summer reading program. If she did not attend 75% of the classes (basically missed more than 4 days) then she would HAVE to stay back. I also needed to decide if I wanted to sign her up for this by April 9th. But if I didn't and on the May DRA assessment she still scores significantly below the state reading level, then she MAY be kept back. This has been my major concern all along. I DO NOT WANT HER STAYING BACK! Everything else she does just fine in. She will never be the same age as most of the kids in the class because of her April birthday. I'm worried she would get bored doing all the math that she's already way above her peers in and begin to act out. Retention is definitely not in her best interest. And I thought the school agreed with me there.

So after having spoken with my SIL last week who has dealt with dyslexia evaluations for all of her children I decided I need to step up more for Kaitlyn. My SIL has a son who's 9 months older than Kaitlyn and he was evaluated and diagnosed with dyslexia last year when he was in 1st grade. So that says to me that these sorts of learning disabilities can be determined at this age. There really is no reason to wait.

Then I was speaking to another friend of mine who knows a lot about special education laws. She has two sons who are autistic. She has been dealing with the school system for many years and getting her sons the services that are the right fit for them. She has been walking me through what I need to do which has been great.

First of all she told me I needed to write a letter to the principal. This I knew and I had done when I previously met with the principal. I just ended up not handing him the letter at that time because he had me worried that she would not qualify now, but later she might but they wouldn't be able to test for three years. So she told me that the action plan should not have been done without me present and I need to make sure that I make it clear in the letter that I want to be present for all discussions pertaining to Kaitlyn. I also need to request that they test. So here is what I wrote:

Dear Mr. Audette,
I am writing in regards to my daughter Kaitlyn Barnes being required to attend summer school. Also I would like to discuss the reading plan which was made for her without my knowledge or involvement.

If Kaitlyn needs to attend summer school because of her sufficient delay in reading, then I would really like to see an IEP put in place for her. Outlining some goals for her and what exactly the school is going to do for her. To protect her I would like this in writing in a formal IEP. I would like a formal meeting scheduled about her IEP no later than April 9, 2009. And I also strongly feel that some testing should be done on her at this time to assure that she is getting the proper help in reading.

Also an action plan was made for Kaitlyn in February. I just received it in the mail last week and was very disappointed to see that I was not involved in making this plan. I am requesting now that any and all discussions or action plans pertaining to Kaitlyn must be done with me and/or my husband present.

Thank you for your time and consideration in this matter. I hope that we can work together in helping Kaitlyn learn to read. She enjoys school so much and I would hate to see her become discouraged if there was anything we could do to help her.

Sincerely,

Monica Barnes

I handed it to the principal on Monday. Yesterday he came to me and asked if I had some time last night (this is conference week and conferences were occurring from 6-8) to discuss what I had written. So I said I did. He actually had a whole team of people to meet. He was there along with Kaitlyn's teacher, the reading teacher, and the other teacher on the action plan who I didn't know. Turns out I do know her, but I don't think she has really ever worked with Kaitlyn. Anyways, I have put them on the defensive now. They started off by telling me that they do not HAVE to mail me the action plan until right before conferences. Okay, that's fine the timing of it wasn't really the issue. The issue is I want to make sure that this isn't going to be something that is taken away from her and I want to make sure that my daughter is being taught in the best possible way for her. And that could mean that the traditional methods used to treat children who don't have difficulties aren't going to work. They told me that they believe that they are giving her the best possible help they can. Honestly, I feel they are giving her the best possible help at the lowest cost to them. And that's fine, I get that that's their job. They have to keep costs down and what not. But it's my job to advocate for my child and that's exactly what I'm going to do.

They didn't tell me last night that they couldn't test again if the tests don't show anything now for three years. They clearly do believe something definitely could pop up, but they just don't know what. However, Kaitlyn is being pulled out of class now to work with the ST on phonemic awareness so there was something that the ST thought was significant enough to take her out of class. So I need to get her protected with an IEP so if the ST ends up with children on an IEP and no longer has time for Kaitlyn they don't just drop her and say well we did what we could. If the special reading help they are giving her gets too full I don't want that to stop for her. Most importantly I don't want her to become discouraged. She is becoming discouraged. She told me yesterday she hates phonics. How long will it be before she hates all parts of reading and she stops trying? I am always hearing what a hard worker she is. And I know she is. I know she wants to read as well as her peers do, but we need to figure out the correct methods to get her to that point and so far we haven't figured that out.

Now their excuse is if Kaitlyn is labeled special ed then they'll have to stop the reading group she's in now and a special ed teacher will have to come into the classroom to teach her. That's what the law says. Little do they know that I know a little about that law they are talking about. It actually says that whenever possible you have to give special ed services in the classroom so a child is not left out.

So they are telling me normally they would test a child the second half of 2nd grade, but if I want they can test Kaitlyn in September instead. Or if I really want they can do it now and keep what she has already in place. I said I feel like we should do the testing now, but that I needed to speak with my husband first. So I spoke with Joe knowing full well that he would pretty much go with whatever I said. I just wanted the night to mull that meeting over in my mind though to make sure I am doing what's best for Kaitlyn. I know that I am though. I tried to speak to the principal this morning, but he wasn't in his office. So I'll catch him this afternoon to tell him to go ahead and set up that PPT. We want to get the ball rolling with this and not put it off any longer.

I am still being told that it's the principal's choice to keep a child back and he doesn't believe keeping Kaitlyn back is in her best interest. I think I need to get that in writing from him though because I am very adamant about her not staying back. He said even if we don't send her to the summer program she would move forward and he's confident that I will work with her over the summer. I don't know where I am just yet on sending her to this summer reading program. It's hard to make that choice three months in advance. I have two other children to think about as well in this decision. This could mess up summer plans and I definitely do not need Natalie making Kaitlyn feel guilty because she didn't get to do something she wanted to do over the summer because of when Kaitlyn had to go to summer school.