The problem is that any informal help assists in getting the grades that end up denying services.
We were denied by the high school for a kid with a large gap between potential and performance, ADHD and some other issues. She also finished tests last, sometimes hours later!
Good news is that after a private evaluation after high school, colleges have all given her accommodations and support.
One thing I always tried to do: start meetings with the school with a joke, and tell them that our lawyer had a wonderful suggestion, said with a smile as if I was just being helpful. It really worked!
We got a 504 but it wasn’t a panacea. It was necessary for us to educate each new teacher about the 504; the school never even informed them it was in place. Some teachers did all they could to accommodate the kid and others essentially ignored the 504. It was a battle we never won.
On the subject of medication, I was reluctant but my husband said, “It’s a pill. If you don’t like what it does to him, don’t give him another one.” It did help him get through high school. He no longer chooses to take it.
Our kids attended a private school and never had formal 504 accommodations but with a strong letter from their treating md and a little support from the college counselor at the HS were able to get accommodations in taking the SAT and for college.
They needed a quiet room and the ability to drink water during the exam as well as the ability to lie down between sections of the exam.
They missed a lot of HS due o chronic health issues but did a lot better in college since they had a lot more control of their schedule and could build in rest periods and start their day a lot later (past noon).
Good luck to all who are advocating for their kids. I wish it were less challenging than it was and is.
So we hired an attorney (I call her “pitbull”) to appeal the denial. We had another 504 meeting yesterday this time with our attorney, the principal, 4 teachers, the school psychologist, the 504 coordinator and they finally agreed to give my son 504 accommodations!
While I’m thankful we ultimately prevailed, it is extremely disappointing that we had to go through all of this extra time and money to get a pretty straight forward accommodation for a kid with demonstrated disabilities (ADHD, slow processing, executive function, and anxiety). I just feel very fortunate that we could afford an attorney, but most families can’t and would have had a more difficult time than we did. What a broken system for approving 504 plans.
So glad it worked out. I know three different families that had to resort to bringing in an attorney to have their children’s needs met. Yes, it’s unfortunate, but it appears these days it’s what it takes…
I would imagine you have actually avoided a lot of stress and misery by hiring an attorney at this point in time. So many of us have struggled for years before finally taking that step
