Is Special Education Right for Your Child?

Special Education, Is it Right For Your Child?

What about a 504 plan?

Maybe someone has suggested that you have your child evaluated for special education and you are wondering if this is a good idea.  Or maybe you have already had your child evaluated but are questioning whether you made the best decision.  In any case I think most parents struggle with whether being in special education will benefit their child, or not.  I am not an expert, nor do I have all the answers.  But, I will share my thoughts as a parent of two children with special needs and an educator in the public school system and hope to answer some of your questions along the way.

So, what about the label?  Most of my fears were based on what I’d heard others say about “being in special education”. I wondered what other children would think, would they make fun of him, would this hurt his self-esteem and would he have friends.   I also worried that when he was older he would resent us for putting him in special education.  You may share these concerns and unfortunately some of your fears may be realized; however, you must weigh the pros and cons and go from there.

This is a very personal decision and one you must make for your child and your family based on what you know.  Do not let anyone talk you into something, but gather as much information as you can and make the best decision for your family at this time.  I absolutely believe in following your instincts and listening to your inner voice.  You know your child better than anyone and you are their best advocate.  With this in mind you must also realize that your emotions can limit your ability to see things clearly so you need to be open to input from others.  Take the input and weigh it against the person who gives it and what you know about them.  Are they a negative or a positive person, is their input based on personal experience, how well do they know you and/or your child and what do they know about education?  People have very strong feelings on this topic and it is not a decision to be made lightly.

There are several levels of service available to children who qualify for special education.  These vary from district to district and even school to school within a district, and I encourage you to contact your local district/school for specific information.  The (Individual Education Plan) IEP team will decide what level of service is best for your child; remember parents are members of this team. Following is a general description of services that are typically available:   

• If a child can handle grade level work, but needs extra support he may be assigned to a class-within-a-class (CWC), where both a general and a special education teacher work together. Also known as an inclusion class, this class is comprised of general and special education students.
• Your child may work with a special education teacher for a specific subject, such as reading or math, in what is typically called a resource class, and then be in a general (regular) education setting for all other classes.
•  If your child needs special education services for all core subject areas, they may be “self-contained” meaning they will be with a special education teacher for every core class (math, reading/ language arts, science and social studies).

This is not an exhaustive list and is only given to provide an overview of how your child might be served.

There are several factors to consider as you make this decision; your personal priorities, your child’s disability, the school environment and available community support are just a few.  If your child is identified as needing services and you agree to place your child in special education, you can revoke the decision at any time, ending services. I have the advantage of looking at this from the perspective of a parent as well as an educator and believe this will be of benefit to you.  Please keep in mind, what one person sees as an advantage of special education services, another might see as a disadvantage.  You are the expert on your child and will make the best decision.  The following statements are merely food for thought as you consider what is best for your child and family.

• My experience in the classroom is that children can tell when another student is struggling, so many times they have already “labeled” our children in some way, whether it is official or not.
• When a child struggles in school they may be ridiculed by others.  Getting them the support they need can level the playing field and increase their performance.
• When a child has attention issues impulsive and off-task behaviors may become irritating to others. At times children with attention issues miss something the teacher has said and ask questions that were just answered, making them look “stupid”.  Sometimes the extra support may be just what the child needs to be able to stay on task and consequently peer relationships may improve.
• In the early grades children are coming and going between classrooms pretty frequently so it is not usually obvious who is going out for what reason. (reading groups, math groups, nurse, speech, lice check, intervention, counseling, enrichment, bathroom, library, lunch money)
• When children receive support by working with a teacher outside the home room, they will miss some things that happen in their classroom.  No matter how organized the teacher is this will happen and is a valid concern.  It might be an announcement, a funny story, a silly incident or information about a field trip or assignment. Reading the newsletter, checking your child’s folder and establishing relationships with other parents can help.
• Extra support in the classroom, whether in the form of an aid, para-professional or additional teacher, is usually there for anyone who needs extra help.  If handled well it is not obvious that the extra person is there for a specific student.
• If my child does not get the support he needs will he fall further behind in school?
• If my child is assigned to a pull out program will he receive a quality education? 
• Will my child mimic unwanted behaviors from other children in special programs?
• Will my child be better served if she is with peers who do not have disabilities or will it be helpful to her to be with peers who have similar struggles?
• If a child has a learning disability, meaning they are achieving below the level their intelligence should allow, that gap can be narrowed and even closed with the right support in place.  This is not always the case and there are several factors that determine the level of success a student reaches.
• Is my child simply bored and needing more challenge and stimulation?
• Does my child have a behavior problem or is the behavior indicative of a disability?  Keep in mind most children would rather look “bad” than stupid.
• Could my child’s needs be met some other way, whether through a different program or through private services? For instance tutors, therapists or community programs?

Students may be eligible for some accommodations and support without being placed in special education. This is commonly referred to as a “504 Plan” and is part of the Rehabilitation Act under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).  The ADA is a law that prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability and is what brought to our attention the need for wheel chair accessible buildings, parking lots and public restrooms to name a few of the changes that resulted from the passage of this law. For our readers who are too young to remember, before this time, none of those things were required and were very often not available.

The Rehabilitation Act of 1973 is one part of the law and “prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability in programs conducted by Federal agencies and in programs receiving Federal financial assistance…”

Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act states that “no qualified individual with a disability in the United States shall be excluded from, denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any program or activity that receives Federal financial assistance”.  This applies to public schools and is not a program as much as a protection for students.  This protection is to make sure a student gets the accommodations needed to be successful in the classroom. The student must have a disability that creates an educational need for extra support. 

An example might be the student who has sustained an injury and needs extra help temporarily. This could be a broken leg creating the need for extra time to get to and from classes or a broken arm resulting in the need for copies of the teacher’s notes or oral exams rather than written ones. This could also apply to a student newly diagnosed with a condition, who might need support while adjusting, but will eventually adapt and not need modifications in the classroom.

Children dealing with lifelong issues such as diabetes, attention or anxiety issues, epilepsy, etc. may also qualify for a 504 plan.  This is a decision made by the 504 team, of which parents should be a part.

The 504 plan is reviewed annually to see if changes to the plan are needed or to see if the plan is still necessary for the student’s success.

Please contact your local school for more information.  Specific information regarding the Rehabilitation Act and Section 504 was taken from the ADA website at www.ada.gov.

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