Dianne,

The suggestions given to you are on target. I'd also suggest that you 
contact the nearest university with a teacher education program. Most 
offer reading clinics every semester as a means of training teachers 
seeking reading certification in the methods noted by Maureen.

Changing schools is probably not an option, and unless your school 
failed to make Adequate Yearly Progress, there may not be appropriate 
opportunities for supplemental services. Massachusetts has a strong 
Parent Information Resource Center (PIRC) operating out of Boston. 
Please contact www.pplace.org or 1135 Tremont Street, Suite 420
Boston, MA 02120
toll free in MA at 877-471-0980

They have many resources to help parents negotiate NCLB and free 
materials about reading that you can use at home.

Continue to read aloud to your daughter, including her homework and ask 
her to rephrase/retell what she remembers. Also spend time sharing 
favorite selections of children's literature. I am a big fan of Between 
The Lions, a PBS show aimed at first grade reading skills. The humor is 
fun and the content helps develop essential word recognition skills.

Best of luck,

Jeri Levesque, Ed.D.
Evaluator, Missouri PIRC

-----Original Message-----
From: mcarro at lmi.net
To: learningdisabilities at nifl.gov
Sent: Wed, 27 Dec 2006 6:27 PM
Subject: [LearningDisabilities 813] Re: dyslexia

   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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