Diagnosis and IEP's

📣💔 I've been summoned countless times to IEP meetings 📑📚 after a parent has bravely disclosed a medical diagnosis 🩺📋 for their child. The heartbreak sets in when the team – or truly, the other side of the table – denies their child any services. 😔
There are typically two complications at work. 🔄
Firstly, simply having a disability ❌ doesn't automatically pave the way for individualized services. 🔍🧩 Secondly, schools often seem obliged to dismiss the diagnosis from the medical professional 👩‍⚕️👨‍⚕️ or claim that the child doesn't meet the criteria for services. 🏫🚫
#IEPMeetings #DisabilityServices #SchoolSupport 🎒🎓

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🎯 First step: Diagnosis! 🩺 Yet, your child needs more than that to access the curriculum. According to the Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA), a child qualifies only if they fall into one of the listed disability categories and require special education and related services.📚🌐
Categories include:

• #Autism 🧩
• #Blindness 👁️‍🗨️
• #Deafness 👂❌
• Emotional Disturbance 😞🌩️
• Hearing Impairment 👂⬇️
• Intellectual Disability 💡🔄
• Multiple Disabilities 🧩🧩
• Orthopedic Impairment 🦴🔧
• Other Health Impaired 🌡️🚫
• Specific Learning Disability 📖❌
• Speech or Language Impairment 🗣️🔇
• Traumatic Brain Injury 🧠💥
• Visual Impairment 👁️⬇️

Remember📍, especially with disabilities like #dyslexia that require specialized services, the school district may attempt to qualify your child under a category that lets them off the hook in a legal scenario.🏦⚖️
📌 *Side note: IEPs should be strength-based documents, focusing on what your child CAN do, not can't. 🏋️‍♀️💪
To qualify your child for special ed services, the team needs to identify: 1️⃣ The medical diagnosis; 2️⃣ The applicable disability categories in IDEA; 3️⃣ How the child struggles to access the curriculum.
Before your meeting, arm yourself with documentation showing your child's struggle for progress. 📈🔍
School may evaluate your child using methods like:

• Report card grades 📝✅
• Assessments in the suspected areas of disability 📋📏
• Statewide achievement tests 📚✔️
• Samples of school or homework 📘🖍️

Sadly, you must become an expert in not only your child's disability, but laws, services, programs, etc. Everything to ensure your child gets the support they need to access the curriculum alongside their neurotypical peers. 💡🔗
#DisabilityAwareness #InclusionMatters #SpecialEducation 💖🙌​

What happens when the school refutes the doctor’s diagnosis?

You won't believe the number of times I've attended an IEP meeting where a teacher or admin has rejected a given diagnosis. 😲🙅‍♀️ For instance, I was once present at a meeting where a teacher cheerfully dismissed a dyslexia diagnosis from a dedicated doctor. This expert had not only devoted his life to studying reading difficulties but was also a founding member of our state's pioneer dyslexia clinic at a renowned hospital. I was utterly flabbergasted! 🤯💔
If the school opts for this path, it's crucial to ensure you have written documentation. 📝🔐 Post-meeting, utilize your notes or those from your trusted backup note-taker (always bring one—be it a spouse, friend, mom, aunt) and craft a letter pointing out who dismissed the diagnosis and their reasoning. #GetItInWriting 📨🔎
Don't forget to ask for prior written notice. Essentially, you're requesting their written response detailing their diagnostic decision-making process. You might just find that they change their tune and become open to discussing qualification for your child. 🔄🏷️
#IEPMeetings #DyslexiaAwareness #EducationAdvocacy 🌈💪🍎

In this journey of advocating for your child's education, remember that you are not alone. 🌈💪 From the countless IEP meetings to the nerve-racking moments of standing up to educators who might dismiss a diagnosis—every step is crucial, and every victory is worth celebrating. 🎉📚
Continue to question, learn, and most importantly, persist. Your dedication will open doors to the support and accommodations your child needs to thrive. Together, we can create a more inclusive and understanding education system. 🎓🏫💡
Remember, knowledge is power. 📖💡 Let's keep sharing, raising awareness, and making a difference one step at a time. 🙌💖 #EducationAdvocacy #InclusionMatters #ParentPower #LearningDifferences 🎈✨🌎
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Let's continue to transform the narrative around learning difficulties and build a future where every child is given the chance to shine. Because in the end, every child is a star, and the sky is big enough for them all. 🌟🌌💫

So, keep advocating, and let's build a brighter future together! 🔮🔭🌞 #ShineOn #EducationForAll 🚀💖📚