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Today I received the results of my teenage daughter’s achievement test from the public school. If you have been reading for the past few weeks then you already know about the IQ test results. If not, here is the link to read about my surprise at her new IQ despite having FAS. My daughter has been at homeschool with me for the past four years. I removed her from public school for several reasons. I felt they were not trying to challenge her; she was stealing, forging my name, and cheating as well. Previously my adopted daughter qualified for special education services because of a cognitive impairment. At public school, she was receiving speech therapy, occupational therapy, and went to a special education room for math, reading, and language. Now I am wondering if I did her a disservice. Today the school psychiatrist told me that my daughter doesn’t qualify for any LD services other than reading comprehension and spelling.
Imagine my surprise when the school psychiatrist said that my daughter is scoring grade appropriate in math and language. We were considering sending her back to public high school for job training. This is something the schools offer for children with learning disabilities and low IQs. The schools even provide the transportation. Based on my daughter’s achievement scores, she would not qualify for this type of job training. According to the school psychiatrist, my adopted daughter with FAS is way too smart for that program.
This homeschool year my daughter, who is 14, was working at the fourth grade level. Most of her work was on the computer this year using software called Switched on School House from Alpha Omega. I set up the program to give her two chances at each answer before marking them wrong. She still failed three of her courses. She is retaking the exact same three courses that she failed, now, over summer school. Currently, she has one “C” and two “Ds.” That is after I removed all of the exams. She was failing the classes again so I changed the grading system. She only completes the assignments and the quizzes, now.
I expressed my surprise and concern to the psychiatrist. There is no way she could pass regular ninth grade education classes at the high school. She indicated that an aid to assist with reading might be put into the IEP. What I foresee is helping her do homework every night after school for four hours as I did with a previous foster child.
Don’t get me wrong, I am happy that the years I spent tutoring her one on one for hours each day have paid off. However, with her inconsistencies from the FAS I don’t see how she could hold a regular job. It seems I have tutored her out of qualifying for any type of assistance.
Photo Credit: 2008 Julia Fuller.
I’m probably not telling you something new, but you are entitled to have your daughter re-evaluated by an independent psychologist if you disagree with the assessment. The school may or may not have to pay for the re-evaluation.
I have a step-daughter who seems about as functional as you describe your daughter to be, and she at least received extra help with math and reading; they even waived her history requirement.
If it were me, I would probably go for the re-evaluation, or at least let the school know you are thinking about it. What proof do they have that she is scoring at grade-level? Do they cite specific tests that they have given her, such as the Woodcock-Johnson?
Also, I know that my daughter was helped by the Department of Developmental Disabilities. My husband did not look into this when she was high-school aged; I did this when I married him, at which time she was 23. She is now working part-time as a courtesy clerk at a grocery store, and getting SSI as well. Hopefully you will have long-term success like we did!
Blessings…