My daughter is attending a Magnet High School and has dual diagnoses of gifted/ADHD. She has a 504 plan in place for her ADHD.
Recently my daughter and I had a 504 meeting with her teachers where it was recommended by both her math and English teachers that she be evaluated for dysgraphia. As I sat in the meeting I felt positive, and thought that wheels were being put in motion to begin the evaluation process. I was assured that some accommodations were going to be put in place to help assist her while we were waiting on the results.
When I heard nothing more and followed up, I was told that no accommodations would be made and that the school system doesn’t provide testing for dysgraphia. Meanwhile, I watched my daughter cry every single time she has to write more than a sentence. I read an email she wrote to her teacher begging for help she didn’t receive.
I tried to find out the contact person for such testing in the school system; however I kept running into dead ends. I knew that specific learning disability testing is available through the parish, and that, due to IDEA, the evaluation is the responsibility of the parish school system. Still I couldn’t get the help I needed for my daughter.
I contacted Families Helping Families in Jefferson Parish and worked with an advocate who taught me the process of how to request an evaluation, that yes; the school system could provide an evaluation (not a diagnosis), where to send my request, and the procedural safeguards the school is supposed to follow.
Once I sent in my letter requesting the evaluation the wheels of motion actually began and my stress level is now suddenly lower.
Thank you Families Helping Families for existing.
Kerry Clemmensen
