evaluation, IQ testing and high school transition

[Guest guest]

Here is what should be an easy exchange between myself and the Resource

Teacher/Case Manager. For 3 years I've tried to get this woman to just

(1) answer a simple question with a simple answer (see " when is the

meeting? Still don't know) and (2) fill out a darn piece of paperwork

correctly. It's not like I want to keep correcting her, but she sent a

full eval plan for approval...academic, speech, IQ,

social/emotional/adaptive, health and SCIA (Special Circumstances

Instructional Aide) with no explanation of which tests they are going to

do, and expects me to just sign it (as they know my feeling about IQ

testing .) And, does anyone here buy into the statement below

about " being able to assess what she is going to be able to accomplish

in high school. " ???

Me thinks these next couple months are going to be even more challenging

than I thought.... the program specialist last year at her Tri basically

said she didn't think should be included with an aide, and

that she should be in a self-contained class with some mainstreaming.

We will look at all options (if they let us in to observe, LOL) but it

sounded like the program specialist has her mind made up as to " what is

best " for .... she has not yet chimed in, and she's one pushing

for IQ testing... will be interesting.....

, mom to (16), (14 DS), and Sammy (12), auntie to

(18)

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Hi ,

I sent home the evaluation plan last week with but haven't

heard back from you or gotten the evaluation form back. Please let me

know if you have any questions.

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Hi Sharon,

Sorry, I've been looking through her previous evaluations to try and

figure out what the plan was, and I do have some questions. First of

all, she had her triennial last year, so is all this testing necessary?

We do not need to qualify for her anything, so it seems like a waste of

time and resources. The Notice of Proposed Action indicates this is her

Triennial; should it not say " Annual Review? "

We have decided that we will decline any IQ testing, as we do not see

the benefit to . She does not need a health assessment

either... if the nurse would like updated information, I'm happy to

provide that, but it seems like a full assessment is unnecessary.

Finally, unless required by law, we will decline the SCIA evaluation; as

we discuss 's placement for next year, and I are open to

considering all options available to , but I don't feel that

another SCIA eval is necessary.

Finally, on the Notice of Proposed Action, it says and IEP meeting

notice is attached and I should sign and return; there was no meeting

notice attached. Can you refresh my memory as to exactly when her IEP

is schedule for?

Thanks,

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Hi ,

The NOPA says both that it will be her triennial and annual review. I

marked the wrong box on it as it should say evaluation not a review yet.

Other than those technicalities our purpose in wanting to have

the IQ testing is as I stated ,and as Betsy said in one of our last

meetings, that we want the information to help accurately assess what

she is going to be able to accomplish in high school. This will help us

to correctly place her in classes for next year and beyond.

Her annual due date is 4/26/2012.

I will forward your response to (Program Specialist/Administrator) and

(School Psychologist.)

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Hi Sharon,

What I understand in general terms that somehow, not the IQ number, but

_some_ parts of _some_ subtests _might_ help develop goals; I don't

recall anything about placement coming from this test. If that is the

case, then we absolutely have no interest in reconsidering, as I do not

believe that IQ is an indicator of success in a particular environment,

nor what she will be able to accomplish in high school... I don't think

there is any evaluation that can make that prediction for or

any other child!

What I've never got in a quantifiable, clear, not-fuzzy way was how

information from the IQ test could help or the team. If

someone can share more than " it will help us to develop goals " than I am

happy to reconsider, but we went through this 4 years ago at her

trienial prior to her middle school transition, and I've never seen

anyone (teacher, specialist, therapist, administrator) refer to anything

from this report, not the year it was done, nor in any subsequent

years. I realize this data is now " old " but perhaps someone could look

back at the last report and tell me what they might have gleaned from

the " subtest data " or whatever else might be used besides the overall IQ

score. Otherwise, as you know, I believe that the overall score will

not be indicative of 's potential, and that it will be " used

against her " in making placement and other decisions.

Thank you for letting me know the due date, but I thought that you had

already scheduled your IEP meetings for the year; do you have a date for

's meeting that I can put onto the calendar?

Thanks,

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No reply from anyone at school...... wonder when I'll hear back :-)