Kick and scream until they listen to you. Schools are notorious for not wanting to classify kids because it looks bad and costs them money. I don't know about other states but in NY if the school suggests that you might want to have your kids tested they are responsible for paying for it. No teacher in NY will ever suggest testing.

On the note of testing, speak to your pediatrician. I did not want to go the neurologist route because of the extensive testing and cost. I found a local pediatrician who also specializes in "special" kids. He was able to do some simple interviews with us and our son. The school provided the teacher Connors survey and this confirmed his diagnosis of add.

But the bottom line is you are your childs advocate -- NOT THE SCHOOL. Good luck and don't stop until you have an answer.

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Mistakes do happen, BUT with my daughter's ADD NOTHING makes it home to me. Once you get through to the right people be sure to inform them that not getting papers home and not getting the parent important information is one of the components you are dealing with with ADD. Give them another form of contact (such as e-mail) so that you can stay involved.

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I was literally at my son's school to schedule the IEP meeting. They set it up and then sent me the paper confirming the date registered mail. I asked why they did this and they told me it was the law to make CERTAIN they invited me to the meeting and had proff of doing so. If your childs school sent a note thru her where was their proff of inviting you?

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Yes, I have just had this happen this year. My daughter is in 3rd grade. Her test grades and assignments were poor. I talked several times with her teacher,who assured me she was doing fine. I know my child and these grades were not the norm for her. I bypassed the teacher. No hope there, she is too optimistic. I talked to her doctor. We decided to change her medication to the long lasting Daytrana patch. WOW!!! Huge difference. If your daughter is on medication start with evaluating it, not the teacher. Doubt you can change her. Good luck..

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My son has moderate add. he forgets everything from school. The teacher said that I should give him medicine. What kind of response is this? How about inplementing non medicinal interventions inside the classroom. I asked the principal for help but she said that the eigth grade teachers are just "old school" and would not be helpfull. They basically told me that he was doing it on purpose and he had to be taught responsibility. They constantly told me that he did not complete assignments, but I found them all in his desk complete at our conference. They would not allow me to have him use a 5 subject notebook instead of the 6 copybooks for each subject. I did not get a set of books until January. If his books are not home he would fail the test the next day. They would take 10-20 pts. off a paper that was handed in the next day because it was not on time even though they did not remind him to turn it in, becasuse he FORGETS. I requested him be assessed for a disability for which he did not have. The psychologist said that he could not be modified based soley on ADD. This is a private school! He failed even though I constantly called for help from the teachers and principal. He will not graduate 8th grade with the class now. It is a big thing to be part of this. Now he will never have this experience. My son feels terrible as do I. Do teaxhers care anymore? Has anyone experienced this too?

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My son is 13 and in the 7th grade. I have repeatedly spoken to one teacher inparticular. My child does not like school and is a behavior problem at school. He does not do his work in class and homework does not make it home even though we have a set of books at home (take away the excuse). He will turn stuff in 3 or 4 weeks late if at all and instead of giving him a 0 she gives him a 50 or a 70. When we look at his grades online of course he is passing and this makes explaining to his doctor and counselor why we are so frustrated and tired. We have to stay on him 24/7. We have asked his teacher to write him up for misbehaving in class and give him a 0 if he chooses not to do the work. He has a way above average IQ no comprehension problem. He has taken advantage of this one teacher who will give him break after break after break. Don't get me wrong grace is wonderful but it is not teaching him accountability or responsibility. We are in counseling for him and us as our marraige is quite strained. He has set his bed on fire, he has written notes at school about killing people, he has cut himself. Yes we have seen a psychiatrist (that was a joke) I am a nurse so all of this is sending up red flags to me. We also have 2 other children. He has been caught in so many lies. I have even taken him to school and confronted him in front of the teacher and he shows NO remorse whatsoever. I do not trust my other children to be alone with him.

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limom said: Kick and scream until they listen to you. Schools are notorious for not wanting to classify kids because it looks bad and costs them money. I don't know about other states but in NY if the school suggests that you might want to have your kids tested they are responsible for paying for it. No teacher in NY will ever suggest testing.

Please know that this is absolutely NOT TRUE. Classifying a student for special education services does not look bad at all for a district and in fact gets them increased funding (not less) from the government. When a school tests a student, it is most often done by a professional already on staff (a school psychologist, diagnostician, etc.), so it doesn't cost them any additional money to do it. I don't know where Limom got this information but please don't take this as truth. And in fact many teachers (even in NY) ask for testing.

If you do want your child evaluated, you simply have to submit a request to the school in writing, and they will give you what's called Prior Written Notice, which explains their decision to test or not. Unless they have documented reasoning for refusing testing, they will do so. They do have the right to refuse if they have appropriate documentation, though.

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