My general view is that your Child Success Teams are the key element in using progress monitoring data to determine whether intervention is required, what level of intervention is required, and whether the intervention has been effective in improving children's rates of growth.

However, I think this is a question better answered by others at the NCLD. Their article on RTINetwork.org titled "A Model for RTI in Pre-K"  provides an overview of how the core principles of RTI relate to core early childhood beliefs and practices.

Running records can be a useful adjunct to progress monitoring. They serve, primarily, to provide diagnostic information that helps to develop hunches about the kinds of skills that students might need to learn to become better readers. The progress monitoring data are then used to evaluate whether those hunches derived from running records are correct. You might think of running records as helping to decide about instructional "inputs" and CBM progress measurement as the instructional "output." Running records don't actually function as well to show growth in generalized reading proficiency.

I would start at the National Center on Student Progress Monitoring. They have an excellent web site and can direct you to various resources for getting you CBM progress monitoring system up and running. In particular, they have an introductory article "Getting Started: How do I Implement Progress Monitoring in My School," by Kathleen McLane.

In addition, Dr. Lynn Fuchs has an article, Progress Monitoring Within a Multi-Level Prevention System on RTINetwork.org that provides a quick overview of progress monitoring and describes how progress monitoring is used within a multi-level prevention system. A companion piece to this article details validated forms of progress monitoring in both reading and mathematics.

"Read Naturally" has its own progress monitoring system that is based on the Curriculum-based Measurement (CBM) approach. You should be able to use that system to evaluate the success of "Read Naturally."

If you would prefer that your child's growth be measured independently from Read Naturally, I would recommend you ask your child's school to use one of the progress monitoring approaches approved by the National Center on Student Progress Monitoring.

I wish I could answer your question in such a way as to assure you that we know the answer. I don't think we do. RTI provides a great framework for schools to use in organizing to prevent and remediate academic problems. CBM provides a good basis for evaluating whether modifications in instruction are producing better rates of growth. I believe there is fairly good evidence that students most at risk of reading difficulty do best when provided intense, explicit and systematic instruction.

I also believe that for the small percentage of students who do not learn basic skills in reading and writing even with such instruction that the best approach is individually managed instruction (usually tutoring) by a master teacher who is very resourceful in developing alternative, customized programs that meet the needs of individual students. In such an arrangement, the CBM data become an essential tool for that teacher to determine the success of his or her efforts to teach a child.

I like to paraphrase Abraham Lincoln when it comes to infallible instructional programs:

"A program might work with all of the students for a short time, or a program might with some of the students for a long time, but no instructional program is likely to work with all of the students all of the time."

The assumption on which CBM is based is that development of basic skills is the result of the interaction between the type of learning opportunities a child has and the psychological and physical characteristics of the child. If a child has processing problems and those problems can be addressed through instruction, then the child's growth in basic skills should increase.

CBM is designed to show whether students are developing basic skills, not to monitor changes in a student's psychological and physical characteristics. Speculation regarding a student's psychological processing characteristics can provide hunches about how to teach a student. The CBM data should help to determine whether the hunches derived from those speculations have led to developing a more effective instructional program.

I would not recommend using the degree of "acceptance" by school districts as the basis for making your choices. School districts have become involved in using particular approaches to progress monitoring that have very little to do with their technical adequacy as progress measures. I would say, however, that collaboration with a particular public school system is likely to be enhanced if you use the same progress monitoring measures as are used in that school system. That way, collaborative problem-solving around student progress data should be facilitated. I recommend you go to the web site of the National Center on Student Progress monitoring to their summary chart of tools(http://www.studentprogress.org/chart/chart.asp). I encourage you to contact them, as well, to get the help you need to get started.

I'm partial to using growth rates for setting goals for students who have been identified as at risk for academic failure or those already receiving special education. Any other approach tends to result in setting goals that exceed the reach of the teacher and the child. Benchmarks based on norms are appropriate, I think, for the general population of students making adequate progress and for universal screening.

When using growth rates to set goals, one should also incorporated a systematic strategy for revising goals upward should the student's progress rate indicate that a higher goal can be attained. Using the original CBM formative evaluation model involves setting year end goals and a goal line connecting the beginning level of performance with the year end goal. The slope of that line enables identification desired level of performance at any time during the year (weekly, monthly, quarterly, etc.)

If you go to the Web site of the National Center for Student Progress Monitoring  you will find a list of alternative progress monitoring measures under "Tools." Presumably, you can use any of the measures listed there that provide a sufficient number of alternative passages for doing progress monitoring.

Considerable evidence exists that you can use oral reading of passages to monitor growth in reading proficiency beginning in Grade 1. I think isolated word reading might be acceptable as a progress measure in Grade 1, but I would not use other measures for progress monitoring than oral reading of text or isolated words beginning in Grade 1. For me, the data are clear that oral reading of text can be used beginning in Grade 1 and that isolated word reading is not necessary.

Beginning in Grade 1 and moving beyond, I would recommend using only one of the progress monitoring systems shown on the National Center's Tools Chart. Mixing 2 of the progress monitoring systems will only lead to confusion because it will likely lead to conflicting benchmarks and progress scores inconsistent with the benchmarks. I think it is difficult to use both tools effectively, and I do not recommend it.

I think the biggest challenge for teachers in implementing RTI is how to differentiate instruction when the progress monitoring data indicate that an instructional program is working for some students but not for others. Then, differentiating flexibly so that students can move in and out of different programs compounds the difficulty. The problem is most acute in Tier 1, I think, where general classroom teachers are faced with 25 students and being asked to provide alternative instruction of subsets that might not be homogeneous with regard to their instructional needs. Since Tier 2 & 3 interventions seem to be fairly standard implementations for all students in the Tier, differentiation might be less of a problem.

Information technology can help in tracking and grouping students who are succeeding and who are not and by enabling teachers to monitor who is succeeding and who is not. It might be possible to use technology to aid in grouping and regrouping students in a timely fashion. It should certainly help to prevent the possibility that some students will get lost in the shuffle.

In the end, I think we are still going to be confronted with students for whom are standard interventions have not been successful and who will require customized programs provided by individual teachers.

I'm not sure what you mean when you say "we know it doesn't work for all children." A good General Outcome Measurement system is like a bathroom scale. If it is a good scale it works for anyone who stands on it. If your school is using an approach to measuring growth in basic skills like reading that does not show when children are becoming better readers, then you should seek an alternative progress monitoring system for your school.

I recommend that you go to the web site of the National Center on Student Progress Monitoring for help in identifying approved monitoring systems. Keep in mind that the progress monitoring system will not successfully teach the students. Only the teachers will successfully teach the students. The General Outcome Measurement systems should enable you and the teachers to see whether their instruction is successful.

The best CBM tools for monitoring growth in written expression for young or struggling learners seem to be those based on repeated, short duration (3-5 minute) samples of students writing in response to a story starter. These samples can be scored in a variety of ways to provide an indexes of whether students are growing in writing skills. I would encourage you to contact the University of Minnesota's Research Institute on Progress Monitoring or the National Center on Student Progress Monitoring (http://www.studentprogress.org/) for more detailed information on the status of progress monitoring tools for written expression.

CBM progress monitoring is most helpful, I think, with students who have not yet become proficient in basic skills. While considerable work has been, and is being, done to develop progress monitoring procedures for secondary students they are not as extensively developed. I think it is possible to use reading, written expression and math progress measures for struggling students well into high school. I do not think it is appropriate to use those measures for high school students who have fairly well developed basic skills.

I would encourage you to contact the Research Institute on Progress Monitoring at the University of Minnesota for more information on CBM reading and written expression measures for secondary students. Probably the best summary of the status of CBM progress measures for math can be found in the article by Foegen, Jiban, and Deno (2007) "Progress Monitoring Measures in Mathematics" Journal of Special Education Volume 41 (2) Pp 121-139.

The Research Institute on Progress Monitoring (RIPM) at the University of Minnesota is conducting research to develop progress monitoring procedures for students with significant cognitive disabilities. I encourage you to contact RIPM for a status report on their efforts to develop the CBM approach with that population of students.

In addition, a set of early childhood measures, called Individual Growth and Development Indicators (IGDIs) for screening and progress monitoring of children 3-5 years old has been developed. You can check out those measures at "Get it, Got it, Go" on the web.

Traditionally the measurement of academic progress has focused on describing differences in the levels of achievement between students. One reason for this approach in developing standardized achievement tests was the prevailing view that academic success was primarily the result of ability differences among students. The assumption was that the information produced by these tests was useful primarily in classifying students and placing them in different programs on the basis of their ability.

Over the past 30 years, an alternative approach to measuring student achievement has been developed that focuses less on describing differences between students and more on measuring their progress toward important educational outcomes. These progress monitoring procedures have been developed to describe the growth rates of students as they are learning reading, writing, and math. A primary assumption underlying the development of these progress monitoring procedures is that differences in rates of academic skill growth are affected by instructional differences and are not simply the result of ability differences. Another important characteristic of progress monitoring measures is that they can be used as regularly and as frequently as necessary throughout the school year both to identify students at risk for academic problems and to evaluate the impact of changing a program on a student’s rate of academic growth. This potential for repeated measurement is in marked contrast to typical standardized achievement tests that are intended to be given only once or twice during the school year.

My article on "Ongoing Student Assessments" on RTINetwork.org provides additional information. In addition, the National Center on Student Progress Monitoring is probably the best resource for answering this question. The Research Institute on Progress Monitoring  is also a good resource. You can click on the video where I discuss progress monitoring. Also, Curriculum-Based Measurement: From Skeptic to Advocate, by Jan Hasbrouck, Ph.D., and Candyce Ihnot, M.A., describes on teacher's experiences and provides six case examples to illustrate the benefits of CBM.

I think the general concept of RTI in preschool is workable. I think the technology available for collecting reliable and valid information for making screening and progress monitoring decisions with young children is not as well developed as with children in Grades 1-6. It is also the case that it is generally more difficult to make predictions about the future development of very young children than of older children. I do believe, however, that it is good to attend carefully and be responsive when there are good indicators revealing that children are not developing well during the preschool years. This is the essence of RTI.

Curriculum-based Measurement (CBM) is a specific approach to progress monitoring that was developed at the University of Minnesota Institute for Research on Learning Disabilities from 1977-1983. Progress monitoring is the more general term for all procedures that are designed to describe growth in individual student academic skills.

Some years ago I worked with the special education program in Idaho Falls, ID, to help implement the Curriculum-based Measurement approach to progress monitoring and formative evaluation of student programs.

The person responsible for the gifted and talented program used the procedures with the gifted and talented students and, much to my surprise, found them to be very useful. Having said that, the progress monitoring procedures used in RTI were designed for low achieving rather than high achieving students. RTI is a generalizable approach to building more effective educational programs that could be used with gifted/talented students.

I agree with you. Many of the design features we used in developing the Curriculum-based Measurement (CBM) approach to progress monitoring had to do with the need to make them efficient and easy to use regularly. I specified those design features in the 1985 article "Curriculum-based Measurement (CBM): The emerging alternative." We actually began to develop comparable measures for behavior, but never achieved the same types of progress measures that we were able to create for basic academic skills. I would say the types of measures you are having to use do not serve well as progress measures.

I published an article many years ago on a classroom observation system for behavior that has been modified and used by the Minneapolis Public Schools in their Special Education Program (I think they call it the Deno-R). You might contact them if you are interested. The article reference is as follows: A direct observation approach to measuring classroom behavior. Deno, S. L.,(1980) Exceptional Children, 46(5), 396-399.

That's a good question, Aaron. I wouldn't say there is a "protocol" in the sense that you're using the term. There is quite a bit of research on the technical characteristics of the repeated measurement data at different levels and with different schedules. One important conclusion from that research is that the reliability and validity of using typical CBM progress monitoring procedures is quite high and consistent even when students read passages that are lower or higher than the level at which they are receiving instruction. Thus, it is possible to monitor student progress using passages from the student's grade level even when the student is not reading at that grade level.

Further, having student's read from easy passages seems to produce steeper growth rates and might be more sensitive to intervention effects. In general, the choice of level and frequency of monitoring is based on how the data are going to be used; that is, what decisions will be made and when those decisions will be made. When progress is to be evaluated frequently (weekly, for example) and changes in program to be considered, then weekly progress monitoring seems appropriate. If decisions are going to be made quarterly, then giving multiple measures at the beginning and end of the quarters might be sufficient.

More than 20 years ago, Lynn and Doug Fuchs did a literature review on the achievement outcomes of using progress monitoring data. One of the most important conclusions from their review was that achievement increased when teachers used explicit decision rules to modify their instruction. A related conclusion was that no particular set of decision rules seemed to produce better achievement. Since then a spate of studies on using decision rules has been conducted and the general conclusion remains the same: It is important to use a set of rules to assure that we are being responsive to the students rate of progress, but no particular set of rules is supreme.

One important qualification to that statement is that the decision rules used should include raising progress monitoring goals when the data indicate the student can grow at a rate that is faster than first anticipated. Thus, revising including a provision for revising goals upward (not downward) is an important component of any decision rule system. Having an explicit set of decision rules in place helps to overcome the tendency to view the child's rate of growth as a function of the child's characteristic rather than the instruction being provided. Too often, progress monitoring becomes an inert process where we watch a child's growth but to attempt to find powerful changes in instruction that can make a difference.

A fair amount of research has been done on the reliability and validity of the maze procedure across all grade levels up through 10th Grade. It doesn't need to be used only as a supplement or oral reading. The maze procedure can be used for screening at all grade levels, but it particularly useful in the intermediate grades and above.

We need to keep in mind that the data are being used for screening and that making high stakes decisions involving changing students programs or allocating additional resources requires following up screening with other sources of information, if possible, to assure that the decisions are accurate. This becomes particularly important at the secondary level where basic skills are only part of what is involved in determining a student's academic success.

Administration of progress measures to do universal screening of 400 elementary students is something that can be done fairly efficiently by the classroom teachers. Indeed, the assumption on which progress monitoring is based is that teachers will be involved in administering the progress measures. The logistical question, then, is how often do the measures need to be administered. In general, the frequency of monitoring progress should be related to the degree of difficulty the student is having in learning to read. The more difficulty, the more frequent should be the measurement, and the more often should opportunities to modify programs be created. Students who are making good progress toward achieving year end goals need not be monitored as frequently. Within this framework it should be possible to monitor all 400 students. To aid in the data management and the decision making, web based computer technology is available. You can find those by going to the "tools" on the web site of the National Center for Student Progress Monitoring (www.studentprogress.org). Most of the vendors listed their provide templates and electronic data management systems.

CBM data are not designed to provide extensive diagnostic information. Somewhat like weighing a child or taking its temperature, CBM data tell us when the child is doing well or not. By implication, they tell us when our instruction seems to be helpful. Some general information can be gleaned from administration of the measures that is helpful. For example, students whose scores are very low are probably in need of a decoding emphasis whereas those that are more advanced in the reading performance might benefit from efforts to develop prosody and comprehension. From the outset, CBM progress monitoring was designed not to be wedded to a particular approach to teaching reading so that many alternative approaches could be tried and evaluated to assure the greatest possible success.

Each student is entitled, by law, to the accommodations he or she will require to learn academic content. If a student is not provided with adequate accommodations to help him or her acquire the content, it is an issue that should be taken up with and addressed by that student’s IEP committee. In terms of assessment, accommodations that do not alter the content or otherwise impact the validity of the test are generally permissible. Most states have specific guidelines that address appropriate accommodations or modifications for assessment. They should be available from the school district’s testing coordinator or through the assessment division of the state department of education.  NCLD also offers information on accommodations for instruction and assessment.

For any at-risk student, we recommend developing a set of organized goals and instruction. Setting achievable, short-term goals as well as long-term goals helps students remain interested and motivated while keeping in mind the longer view. Instruction for these students should be well organized and relevant to the students’ goals. Keeping students engaged in school is key… Take a look at NCLD's article about engaging LD students.  See also Dr. Sandra Christiansen’s presentation about engagement.

My, that’s a loaded question! We try not to rely on what we sense in these matters… Having supporting data is preferable! Nonetheless, large-scale studies indicate that the graduation rates for students with disabilities are improving, though I am not aware of studies that directly link this improvement with early identification. Early identification and intervention are certainly critical in addressing academic and behavioral issues. And NICHD research has shown that 75% of children with learning difficulties who, if not identified and provided help by grade 3, will still have poor reading skills at the end of high school.

Both academics and behavior are significant indicators of dropout risk, so logic would suggest that addressing these beginning at an early age would ultimately improve school completion rates. However, it must be remembered that early identification alone does not necessarily equate to improved services or interventions.

There are some predictive variables associated with the probability of dropping out, including performance in reading, math, writing, as well as appropriate pro-social behaviors. In addition, we recognize that there is no single fix or magic bullet that will prevent students from dropping out of school. We would recommend an analysis of those individual factors related to academic performance, post-secondary goals, student preferences and interests. In terms of academic performance, our bottom line answer is always the use of interventions and strategies supported by strong evidence. The NCLD website has a lot of good resources for educators and parents.  Additionally, the Center for Instruction has some good resources on effective strategies for teaching reading, math, writing and other academic content. 

That is an excellent question. Although many adolescents with learning disabilities who struggle with reading require more specific and intensive instruction from reading specialists, all content-area teachers can incorporate into their content-area instruction strategies that help adolescents comprehend texts used in their classrooms. For example, teachers can employ questioning strategies that help students process text and monitor their comprehension. Teachers can also use question-answer instruction to help students construct answers from explicit and implicit information found in the text. Additionally, teachers may use graphic organizers, text structure and other strategies to help students summarize information and develop critical analysis and reasoning skills. Finally, teachers can use direct, explicit and systematic instruction to teach students to use text comprehension strategies. One systematic approach that schools can use to address this concern is to adopt and implement a continuum of literacy instruction, such as the Content Literacy Continuum (CLC). The CLC is a framework for conceptualizing literacy instruction in secondary schools (Lenz, Ehren, and Deshler, 2005). In essence, the framework offers a comprehensive literacy system to address districts’ needs for a research-based, robust content literacy application. It focuses on reducing the achievement gap and reduces dropout rates for struggling adolescent learners.

For more information, I would refer you to the following resources: 

Enhancing Outcomes for Struggling Adolescent Readers.

The Secondary Literacy Instruction and Intervention Guide: Helping School Districts Transform into systems that Produce Life-Changing Results for All Children developed by the Stupski Foundation on behalf of the National Center for Instruction 

What Content Area Teachers should know about Adolescent Literacy (2007): National Institute on Literacy

The first step in getting your son into a general education classroom is to request a meeting with his IEP team for the propose of discussing a change in placement to a less restrictive environment in the general education classroom. We recommend you put this request in writing to document it in the event that procedural safeguard proceedings are instituted at a later date.

At the meeting, be prepared to discuss your son’s strengths and needs as well as how he would benefit from increased time in a general education classroom. Particular emphasis should be placed on positioning your child to complete the core course work necessary to receive a regular-education diploma.

Graduation requirements vary from state to state, as do the diploma/school-completion options offered to students. Your child’s course of study and diploma options should be discussed with his IEP team. If you have not had these discussions, you should do so immediately.

Even if your child is in a program leading to a regular diploma, it is critical to ensure that he or she is actually on track to graduate… Ensure that the student has the appropriate number of academic credits for his or her current grade in school. For example, if a child is in a pathway leading to a regular diploma, but has only 8 or 9 credits by the end of his junior year, the likelihood that he will actually get that diploma—at least on time—is pretty slim. As a parent, you can monitor your child’s academic progress and help ensure that the appropriate strategies and supports are in place to help your child succeed in school.

First, let’s give some context about the factors leading to dropout. There are two classes of factors that contribute to students dropping out of school: “pull factors” and “push factors.” As the names suggest, pull factors are external to the school environment. They are factors that make being out of school more attractive or more imperative than being in school. Having to work to support a family, having to care for a family member who is ill or infirmed, and the lure of “easy money” from the illegal drug trade are a few examples of pull factors. Push factors, on the other hand, originate within the school and “encourage” students to drop out. Examples of push factors are behavioral or academic problems that make it difficult for a student to succeed in school, hostile school/district policies or procedures, a poor school climate, and teachers or administrators who either make it unpleasant for the student to stay in school or encourage the student to leave.

Because some special education students do not achieve at the same rate as their disabled peers, they can cause a school not to make AYP. To potentially answer your question, while it is neither legal nor desirable, some districts, in their desire to meet AYP, want to get low-achieving special education students out of the way and out of their calculations.

Raising the bar by increasing academic requirements for graduation is not uncommon in states and school districts across the country. When this happens, it must be remembered that students—particularly students with disabilities—will need additional scaffolding to help them meet these new requirements. Making graduation requirements more stringent in absence of these additional supports is not the answer to improving individual academic success or education in general. It merely penalizes students—particularly students with disabilities.

Here’s one potential option that districts may consider if their credit-accrual requirements for graduation exceed those of the state. If a student with disabilities meets the state’s credit requirements for graduation with a regular diploma, it would seem reasonable that the child should be eligible to receive a regular diploma. If the child surpassed the state requirements and met the district’s more stringent requirements, he or she could be awarded a regular diploma with distinction to recognize his or her achievement above state requirements.

We applaud your desire to ensure your son’s success! I encourage you to revisit the issue with the school Student Support Team to get his 504 plan reinstated, particularly in that you were not present during the meeting in which the plan was terminated. See NCLD's resources on 504 plans.

You got some good advice from the educational consultant. Early planning is always a good idea, as is the setting of intermediate and long-term goals. Research identifies that participation in extracurricular activities increases a student’s sense of belonging at school, thus increasing the likelihood that he or she will continue participating in school through graduation. We would encourage the audience to look at the presentation Dr. Sandra Christiensen’s delivered as a webinar for NDPC-SD in January 2008. That presentation is posted on our Web site.

This is a question you need to address with your son’s IEP team. Request the IEP team to have your son’s general education teachers incorporate these strategies for you son. Work collaboratively with other professionals to provide your son with additional help. The use of audio taping, guided notes and peer support may help him complete assignments and take tests. Technology and peer assisted learning instruction could might also be helpful.

Finally, refer to the following resources that help students get ready for reading, activate understanding during reading and summarize and reflect on the information in texts.

 Deshler, D., Hock, M., & Catts, H. (2006). Enhancing Outcomes for Struggling Adolescent Readers.

 The Secondary Literacy Instruction and Intervention Guide: Helping School Districts Transform into systems that Produce Life-Changing Results for All Children developed by the Stupski Foundation on behalf of the National Center for Instruction. 

What Content Area Teachers should know about Adolescent Literacy (2007): National Institute on Literacy

Congress, in its implementation of NCLB as related to graduation requirements, imposed a period of four years as the standard length of a high-school education. The adoption of this four-year period is in keeping with tradition in this country. In reality, however, many students—with or without disabilities—require a fifth year to complete their studies. This is becoming increasingly the case as states and districts raise their graduation requirements. Four years is not a magic number… It is our belief that neither students nor schools/districts should be penalized for students taking a fifth year of high school.

Our experience in schools has shown that some students become discouraged when they realize they will not be able to complete the required number of credits and pass required standardized test within the four-year period. Many of them become disengaged and opt for dropping out.

While many advances have been made in the use of technology within our schools, many schools are far from truly leveraging the potential of technology as an instructional tool. As such, the integration of digital tools into instruction is often sporadic. The good news is that there are several national efforts working to enhance capacity for the use of technology.  For example, U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) has funded three major technical assistance centers with emphasis on strengthening technology as an efficient instructional tool. Additional resources and information are:

NIMAS -- Which provides planning evaluation, and technical assistance to improve the delivery of accessible materials to students and teachers as well as to disseminate information and resources about the benefits and availability of accessible digital materials.

CAST -- Teaching Every Student (TES) is a rich multimedia resource for teachers where they can learn about Universal Design for Learning (UDL). UDL is a framework for creating flexible goals, methods, materials, and assessments that meet the needs of diverse learners. Using TES, teachers get practical guidance in how to apply UDL in the classroom as well as a rich understanding of its theoretical and research basis.

CITEd  -- Provides practical and convenient resources for using technology in everyday tasks.

Work on helping them see the relevance of school for the long term. Also, make sure that they have the academic skills they will need in high school—without a basic academic foundation, they will struggle with high school content, perhaps becoming disengaged and ultimately dropping out. While your school may not have a study skills curriculum per se, many of the study skills can be embedded within the context of your every-day instruction. With regards to teaching appropriate social behaviors, your school may want to consider implementing school-wide Positive Behavior Supports. PBS helps youth learn the appropriate pro-social behaviors. If your school is not using Positive Behavior Support (PBS), it may be something to consider.

Different school districts employ different methods for helping students meet graduation requirements. Some of these methods include case management, counseling and/or the employment of graduation coaches; however, for a youth with an IEP, his or her academic and other related services needs should always be guided by his or her IEP team. The IEP team, which includes the parent and the student, should serve to plan and deliver the appropriate programs, interventions and services required to assist the student in meeting graduation requirements. These should include reviewing present levels of performance; determining strengths, needs and program gaps; and identifying and arranging the delivery of specially designed instruction that will address those specific academic needs. An IEP team serving in this capacity meets the tenet and requirement of the law in planning for necessary accommodations and modifications so that the youth can progress in the general education curriculum. With input from the parents and preferably the student, this group should be responsible for determining an appropriate program of study as well as identifying supports that will help the student successfully complete school and acquire the tools he or she will need to succeed afterward.

There is a lot of discussion ongoing in the research and education communities about this issue. Research indicates that many students with disabilities, given appropriate supports and instruction, can acquire high school content and pass end-of-course and exit exams. Determining the appropriate pace and structure of instruction will be an individual call. The IEP team should be intimately involved in this process for each child. Every child who is identified eligible for special education in this country is entitled to a free and appropriate public education that will enable him or her to engage in post-secondary education, employment or independent living. If you believe that your child is not receiving the appropriate supports, you should discuss the issue with his IEP team. Further, if you believe that the district is engaging in discriminatory practices, you have the option to exercise your dispute resolution options under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).  Under a 504 Plan, you would contact the Office of Civil Rights.

The parents, student and IEP team need to develop an appropriate transition plan that will allow that student to acquire the skills and knowledge that he or she will need to succeed in life after high school. This plan should include preparation for employment and independent living as well as academic instruction. Other issues include interagency agreements, community supports and programs, and interface with rehabilitation services. NCLD has information on transition planning.

While we are not in a position to assess quality of online credit recovery programs, many schools are beginning to use these programs as an alternative for many students. It is currently unknown the extent to which students with LD are participating in these programs or the outcomes achieved.

A good starting point would be our website at the National Dropout Prevention Center for Students with Disabilities. NDPC-SD provides technical assistance to help states build capacity to design/select and implement effective, evidence-based interventions and programs to address dropout among students with disabilities. Our site has resources for state departments of education and schools/districts as well as for parents and students. The site has information about a variety of programs and interventions as well as summaries of research about school completion for youth with disabilities. You might want to subscribe to our quarterly newsletter, Big IDEAs. Another site with information about school completion for students with disabilities is the National Transition and Technical Assistance Center’s (NSTTAC) website. This center is focused on helping states build capacity in the area of secondary transition. It contains a wealth of information about transition-related issues for students with disabilities.

Two parent stories to share. First, a dad described a constant battle with his daughter, age 12, because her room was a complete disaster, she forgot to take what she needed to and from school (homework, shoes for practice, lunch etc) and lost many things. This was made even worse because he is an extremely neat and organized person and simply can’t understand her. After escalating frustration threatened to shut down communication he began to talk with her about these issues. It took many months but they came to a new starting place. She explained that her room, while appearing to be an explosion of stuff, was the one place where she could actually find things. She said in her mind it was fine and asked that he leave her room alone. “Think of my floor as a closet.” They agreed. Next, natural consequences were agreed upon. When she forgot homework, lunch, band instrument or sports clothes he would be no longer race home from work on a frantic search and then deliver the item(s) to school. Rough stuff. After several weeks of tears (hers) and frustration (theirs) they began to develop solutions such as notes for the doors to her room, the garage, the car and for her backpack. No music, no text messaging and the car stayed parked in the driveway until she agreed she had everything she needed. The focus was on absolute necessities which meant dad had to let a lot of his items go. Start with a short list and begin to impose natural consequences.

Second, a mom saw her 12 year old son entering middle school with the opportunity (and consequences) for forgotten and lost items heightened. She describes two years of very frustrating times, but recently has declared success. How did they do it? She says she made the case for the benefits of taking responsibility for his ‘stuff.’ She also made him begin to advocate for himself. If he needed something such as copies of class notes, he would have to make a plan to go the teacher and ask for them. When he brought them home, used them with her to prepare for a test, and achieved a great result he began to see the logical thread leading from his behavior to a feel good outcome. She had to identify every need, coach him on the required behavior and follow-up, which was extremely frustrating for a long time. But, she credits her son for recognizing how much better he feels having gained more control and alleviated the constant battles. He is experiencing tangible benefits from his changed behavior. Focus on the specific behavior, let him experience the natural consequences and benefits, and believe it will improve. You and your son can craft solutions that work for him and when they do, celebrate each success. Doing so at his age will begin to prepare him for middle school, high school and beyond where these life skills are essential. When we are in the midst of these frustrating challenges it is very difficult to see any light at the end of the tunnel. Fortunately, experience shows, kids (like all of us) can learn how to accommodate for their weaknesses.

Danielle:
A planner is the single most important organizational tool I ever had. The parent’s organization provided planners to every student beginning in middle school. I committed to using it and it was key to my success. Sometimes being disorganized can feed on itself and make you feel defeated before you start. The process of writing the information, checking it throughout the day and at night before I went to bed gave me control and confidence. Give it a try!

If your daughter has been evaluated in the last couple of years, a new evaluation may not be necessary. It would be very beneficial to ask for a comprehensive transition plan from the school district. This meeting, which hopefully your daughter will attend, should also include the high school college counselor. This meeting will articulate a specific plan of exactly what your daughter will need in terms of accommodations. It should also provide insights into her strengths which are very important as she transitions into college.

Accommodations in college are not managed in the same way as grades 1-12. You should seek a college which will provide a culture of understanding and commitment to the environment your daughter will need to be successful. If she needs technology, dependent on what it is exactly, you may find solutions in computer software or online college support. Specific needs should be addressed to the college when you visit. Plan to meet personally with the disability support services. You and your daughter will get a good sense of what is available and the receptivity to make accommodations. Finding the right college environment is very much about each individual. Being able to identify what your daughter needs through her transition plan and your experiences with the school district (what worked and didn’t work) should provide you with a vision of where she will thrive academically.

For us,college was a fresh start and we tried to leave the baggage of twelve years behind. There were new educational challenges (and some same old ones) in college. But there was also so much personal freedom in terms of being in a new place, with new people that it gave both of us renewed energy that carried us through even the most frustrating times. We wish that for you.

We hear this a lot! It is difficult to like something that is so hard to do. When learning is difficult, frustrating and a source of constant anxiety it is understandable why a child wants to avoid it. You are focusing on the right skills because being organized as he enters middle and high school is essential. Moving between several classes a day and having more teachers is very difficult. Middle school years were the worst for us. The combination of transition from elementary and the developmental age is very tough before you add the LD challenges. Some suggestions we have: Ask for a meeting with his fifth grade team and the middle school team. This will open communication about what he needs and it will give you visibility demonstrating the active role you intend to take. Get a planner and begin using it now. The planner will include his daily homework, test and future assignments. There should be organizational goals in his IEP which will require his homework to be checked each day before he comes home. In addition, assignments and tests need to be on his calendar to avoid too many things being due at the same time. Once the calendar is done for the current school session you can ask for a meeting with the team to even out the schedule. Involve your son in the organizational plan. What success can he think of that is an example of being organized? What made it work? Was it because it was something he wanted to do? Was it accomplished because he wanted to earn a special privilege? Finding solutions within his personal operating style is the best way to leverage his skills. Celebrate every victory! Break the organizational skills into small parts and recognize him when he is successful. Give it time. As frustrating as this can be for us as parents it simply pales in comparison to the turmoil inside our children. Give him and your family time to learn and master organizational skills. It will take years, but it happens.

Danielle:
I have to admit that I have forgotten (thankfully) or wasn’t aware (thankfully again) of a lot of the frustrations and anguish of middle school. But, what I haven’t forgotten is my mom telling me that we would get through the worst teachers and the toughest times. I liked that sometimes she was even madder than I was. I liked that she allowed me to be frustrated, angry and tired of the struggle. Being different is the last thing we want, particularly in middle school and high school. It is tough to hang on to your self. But, ultimately that is the most important thing. Feeling good about who you are as a person will allow you to beat any challenge…..and our challenges are huge. Finding something your son loves to do can allow him to build success and is clear proof to him and to you that he can be organized and build a plan for higher and higher achievement. If you son loves a sport, activity (musical instrument, art, bike riding, snow boarding) or animals leverage this. Having something you love to do is a haven from school and a source of great satisfaction. I love horses………maybe your son will love drums…………whatever he loves nurture it.

You are so right, it is very, very tough and in many ways is a very personal, private struggle. Right off the top of my head: Find time for yourself. Put time in your calendar, just like you do for any other appointment, to do something you enjoy. Take a yoga or Pilates class. Walk with friends. Join a book club. Go to a movie. I hear all of the reasons that won’t work. Let me say from experience that all of the problems and challenges you are dealing with will still be there after you take an hour a day for yourself. End the madness: Set a time, I know it can’t be in stone, where the day (night) ends regarding all things LD.  It can consume your life and there is no time for you, your child and your family to re-energize for tomorrow. Believe No One: That is our way of saying BELIEVE in your experiences and in the power of your love for your child. You can do this. Block out the negatives. We have heard it all……never happen, can’t happen, won’t happen. This is your child, your life and you can do this!

Danielle:
Every now and then we used to get in the car on a Saturday morning and drive away. No plan and no stress. We would drive until we found a little town we liked. We’d wander around antique and flea markets. Then we’d find a bed and breakfast with no TV and no phone. It was an adventure and one my sister and I sometimes complained about. What about our friends? We would surely miss something important. But that all ended when we left our zip code. Do something fun. Go to a ball game. Love the team. Fight over where to eat or what movie to see. Leave school and work behind. Laugh, cry and fall asleep in the car on the way home.

There is so much involved with these conferences. They are constructed to meet the school's responsibilities under the law. We are representing our child. It is destined to be an enormous struggle especially for parents. We have to come up a steep learning curve about the IEP process. The IEP is complex and all important. Personally I believe there are situations where a parent alone simply can't effectively address this complex process especially when there are concerns that the child is not getting their educational needs met.

I would suggest following an unsatisfactory meeting that you write a detailed list of what you think needs to be addressed. Then ask for another meeting and distribute the list. If IEP modifications are needed ask for recommendations from the conference participants. If the conference participants do not support modifications, explain what is not working. Ask for a reasonable timeframe for improvement and a follow-up meeting to validate (or not). Do what you can to build a bridge because you are all in this together.

Many districts now have advocacy resources to support the child and parents in the IEP meetings and case conferences. Take advantage of this resource. If it is not available where you live, consider hiring a learning consultant to support you and the process. I do understand the various sides of this highly charged situation. I feel empathy for the difficult role of teachers and administrators. But ultimately we are fighting for our child's education and emotional well being. Allow yourself to be frustrated and angry. Make a revised plan. Get additional resources. Then get back in the ring.

Your son has the number one most important thing he needs to succeed....the desire. There are many resources available to support his goal. NCLD has a terrific section devoted to Living with LD which details adult resources. There are links to sites which provide technology for learning. Alternative solutions can be developed to allow him to learn the technical skills through his learning strengths. There are organizations that offer structured programs to support young adults who want to pursue job skills.

Learning disabilities don't go away. Sometimes as adults they do prevent people from achieving certain goals. For example, reading ability or standardized testing challenges may be barriers to certain career choices. Fortunately, there are resources available to support your son to pursue a technical career.

There are companies and people who embrace differences. Your son's desire to achieve his goals will make him a great addition wherever he goes.

My thought….Trust your gut! I do not have personal experience with neuropsych testing, but if you find the testing is detrimental to your daughter's goals and inconsistent then you should use your best judgment.

Colleges offer various learning environments. Research them, visit and then choose the best fit for your daughter. There are many colleges available with true commitment to students with disabilities. Once there, it is up to her whether to self identify and to advocate for herself. You and your daughter should decide what resources she may need.

If you have a trusted professional who has been working with your daughter you may want to include them in the college selection and transition process.

Even though the teacher is inexperienced, she is well-meaning and will most likely welcome the opportunity to collaborate with you. Ask for a meeting to go over the IEP. Ask what resources she has to assist in the classroom. Let her know that you want to be involved and informed. Be available for field trips and be a room parent. Building a relationship with your child’s teacher is a win-win!

Talk with your son, share your concerns and determine if his performance is being negatively impacted. If it is then ask for a meeting with all IEP participants. Sooner is better than later. Give the resource representative a heads-up that you want a meeting to review classroom accommodations. Hopefully in that group setting the chemistry teacher will hear and understand the importance of these accommodations for your son.

A few suggestions: First, ask for advance copies of relevant information that the IEP chairperson has gathered for the IEP meeting. Explain that you feel this will allow you to be more informed prior to the meeting. Second, ask that teachers keep you advised through weekly progress reports. This will cut down on some surprises during the meeting. Third, make a list of what you want to accomplish in the meeting. As the meeting approaches the half way point let the members know that you are going to need adequate time to share your thoughts and hear their feedback. If that doesn't happen let them know that the IEP meeting will need to be reconvened.

At that meeting you would like to be first on the agenda. My experience has been that there is so much to cover in these meetings and it is so difficult to get everyone there that once the meeting begins there is simply not enough time. Often an issue arises, as you point out, and focus is lost. Don't hesitate to ask for another IEP meeting and be clear that you are not signing off on the plan until you are comfortable with it.

No doubt most parents share your frustration and fatigue. Yes, there are successes and there are times when it is easier. But, the reality for most parents and our kids is that it is a constant battle. Another reality is that your willingness to do battle and to find the strength to meet each day with hope is what will bring the very best outcome for your children.

The spirit of a child is about hope. They believe in us. By taking good care of yourself, taking one day at a time, letting the negatives go (as best you can), and staying the course your children will thrive. When I felt overwhelmed I let myself be upset and then be done with it. I wanted to let Danielle know that in spite of how rough it could be we would survive and still be us. Often times it isn’t fair and it isn’t right, but it is our reality. Letting stuff go is the only way I know to find the energy to battle on.

A very difficult and painful situation. Do not hesitate to make the school aware of your concerns. I would suggest you talk with the counselor about what is going on. The counselor in our elementary school used to do a great group called the Lunch Bunch. She included a diverse group and they would bring their lunches and eat in her office. She was able to create discussion and open minds through role playing. She also developed a buddy system where kids were put together in teams. Sometimes it was to welcome a new kid but often she was working to build understanding of individual differences.

I believe that self-esteem is something we must nurture and protect at all costs. Get to know her friends. Volunteer at school to see the interactions. Being a room parent is a very enlightening experience. Keep the communication channels open.