My son goes to an out-of-district school. How did he get there? Long story and many parts are not mine to tell. They’re his.
What I can share is that his current school is a supportive environment. Positive in a life-changing way. The teachers and staff are trained and vested in individual student success. The students have a range of different learning differences but what unites every student in this small program is, unfortunately, school failure.
I do not ask other families for specifics but I do know the program works hard to change the trajectory from negative to positive — both academically and emotionally. There are nods of understanding among parents when we come together as a group.
The speaker at last year’s graduation ceremony was a lovely young alumnus and recent college graduate. She shared a story regarding her experience applying to colleges. More than one admissions team directly told her not to bother going to their program. I believe some even conveyed dismay she was attempting college at all.
She turned away from naysayers and toward other voices.
The people who saw that she had hard-earned self-advocacy skills. Those willing and wanting to share opportunities. Those who knew how to identify a learner and recognized that there is far more than one learning style.
This young woman not only went to college, she went to a very competitive program and graduated — with honors.
Standing there, mature and communicative, she had been given the gift of self-awareness. Despite a bumpy educational start, she had gained the ability to advocate for her own educational needs. Her learning differences didn’t dull her future as they could have under different circumstances; they made her shine. ✨
I am so grateful my child has been experiencing a program where success like this is often a reality.
At the same time, I would not wish our journey on anyone.
When any child goes out of district (OOD), there has often been a gauntlet of layered and individual process navigation that has happened prior. And once a child is placed in a new program, no switch gets flipped and success is a given. It takes work from the family and the student. In my house, the momentum is (thankfully and finally) very much positive vs. negative. It feels and is a very different type of effort. So how did we change the trajectory?
Paperwork.
This is no exaggeration. Paperwork is a major part of the special education process.
Paperwork is essential.
Paperwork can be done with any organizational system that works for you and is within your means.
Over the years, paperwork adds up — quite literally.
Don’t ignore it.
Document. Document. Document.
Create an organized record of it all.
From Emotions to Advocacy provides excellent lawyer-reasoning why (because the authors are, well, lawyers). They also provide tips on how to frame data and use the right tone. Hint: it involved dialing down emotions and dialing up factual data.
If it’s not in writing, it doesn’t exist from a legal standpoint.
If it’s not in writing, it’s harder — if not impossible — to change the negative to positive. Documenting is not only essential to gain access to any type of service (be it OOD placement, push-in or pull-out services, etc.), but it is also an essential part of monitoring progress…Not to mention qualifying for an IEP or 504 in the first place.
If it’s not in writing, that shine might dull permanently.
Put it in writing. Repeat.
Really enjoying your thoughts on navigating this process! I am beginning to think that even with changes in laws to require evidence-based instruction, dyslexic kids are still not getting what they really need in terms of real support. Just wrote a similar essay about the insidious shame that struggling readers experience.