Hi Dianne,
I hear your concern for your daughter, and your frustration as a parent  
not knowing how to help her!  I agree that the laws look good on paper,  
but often there is a disconnect about how various aspects of the law  
are implemented in schools.  Even if schools have adopted "response to  
intervention" models, and "research-based curriculum"  , they often  
have not put forth the money to adequately train teachers to implement  
them.  It is sad, but true!  Right now, you are pouring your financial  
resources into a legal advocate to help you get what you need for your  
daughter.  Unfortunately, unless your advocate has a good chance of  
securing an "out of district placement" in a private school that has  
the appropriate program for your daughter, what is currently being  
offered in school will not likely change.  The school will provide what  
they have to your daughter, but the intensity, duration, and skilled  
teaching that will be needed for her to "close the gap" may not be  
adequate for her progress.

There are a number of things that go into diagnosing a learning  
disability.  What the school district offers in terms of assessment, is  
usually cursory, at best.  I would suggest that you present your case  
to your daughter's pediatrician and ask for a referral for a  
neuro-psychological evaluation through the pediatric department of a  
hospital participating in your HMO   that does such evaluations.   
Sometimes your medical insurance will pay for this with the proper  
referral from your doctor.  With that accomplished ( if it has not  
already been done), you will have a clearer picture of the intervention  
your child requires.

You did not say where in Massachusetts you live, but the Boston area  
has many resources available.  Once a proper diagnosis has been  
secured, I would seek the services of an educational therapist.  Curry  
College in Boston, offers a post graduate certification in Educational  
Therapy, and can be a good resource for you to secure the services of  
such a professional.  In addition to evaluating and providing  
intervention for your child, they can provide advocacy within the  
school system.  Some offer "sliding scale fee structures".

If you visit aetonline.org, ( Association of Educational Therapists)  
you can learn more about what an educational therapist does, and the  
site also has a referral service.  They can give you names of  
professionals practicing in your area.

As far as the legal advocacy, a website called wrightslaw.com, is a  
good source of information for special education law, how to interpret  
test scores, etc. There is much you can learn for yourself on this  
website!

Hope some of this helps you... good luck!

Maureen



On Dec 26, 2006, at 3:39 PM, dianne brakey wrote:


> I have a ten year old that is reading at the first grade level with no  

> progress being made in the school system.The new laws in  

> Massachusetts" The no child left behind Act" Looks so good on paper  

> but there are sooo many loop holes that  the school system just keeps   

> going with out any cares in the world.they could care less if my  

> daughter learns to read. I am now just getting the hang on how this  

> system works. I am also having to  pay big bucks (that I don't have)  

> to have an advocate fight for the right for my daughter to learn to  

> read. Any suggestions would be helpful.

>

>

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