Testing accommodations and ADD/ADHD...

<p>The IEP tri-ennial re-evaluation has to be done every 3 years. IF the IEP team is in agreement, then testing can be waived. From my experience, if the school expects to find no new information, they may (ours did) want to waive testing. It’s expensive and time-consuming. At one previous year when I asked for additional testing, I was told by the principal, “Well, you should be aware she may “test-out” of services”. These are the tactics they often employ. Although I knew in my head she wouldn’t lose services, battle-weary spec ed parents learn early to pick their battles, and even then end up in lots of wars they shouldn’t need to be fighting.</p>

<p>If there’s any way possible, I’m a big advocate for independent testing. On 3 different testing windows, the school psych had spent a couple of hours with her, written a short report in complete legal-ese, and loved to talk completely “over our heads”. The independent psych spent parts of 3 days with her, gathered complete background info, wrote a 15 page report full of strengths, weaknesses, ways to remediate and accommodate. He also found something no one had mentioned in 12 years of spec ed. That condition is now medicated and the results have changed her life.</p>

<p>jym626, We just want time and a half. Son was classified before he ever went to school and has always had an IEP with time and a half and a lot of other accommodations. </p>

<p>The CB wants testing within 5 years. Had the school filled out the paperwork when he was a freshman (the head of special ed refused and I should have gotten on her case about it), it would have been within the 5 years. It is my fault it is now 5.5 years although the guidance counselor did tell me he would fill out the forms.</p>

<p>srystress, I did not agree to waive the triennial. The school district insists that a re-evaluation does not necessarily require retesting even of achievement tests. (I would understand not giving a new IQ but they go much further than that.)</p>

<p>I am pretty sure that it was my son’s SpEd caseworker said the three years. So, that may well be inconsistent with what TCB says. I apologize if I got it wrong. [IIRC, it was junior year in HS and ShawSon has since had a senior year, a gap year and is now a freshman]. But, it may still make sense from a logical standpoint.</p>

<p>I think that she wanted to make sure that a) the IEP was fully approved because TCB would look at IEP; and b) we had current testing in place for the colleges. So, in our case, it may have been to make sure the colleges and IEP were in place and not TCB. If the IEP requires (waivable testing) every three years, that may be the reason for the testing.</p>

<p>2collegewego
Time and a half shouldn’t be too hard to get , especially if he’s had and used it for a very long time. You could <em>try</em> calling CB to see if theyd accept an old psych, but to be honest, if its that old, you should probably get it updated and then have it for his college years a well. Good luck! As someone else mentioned, trying for longer, eg 100% extended time (double time) or more is hard, and its tough on the kids as well.</p>

<p>2collegewego -</p>

<p>I think I’d pull the trigger so to speak and send a request certified, registered receipt and see how it goes, it starts the clock running. The worst thing they’ll do is say no; you can choose not to pursue it if that happens, but they just might say yes, because they are not following the letter of the law, which you can point out in the request. Is your son a junior?</p>

<p>Haven’t read all the posts
fwiw
Our school required CURRENT testing–very extensive–from a liscenced psychologist specializing in ed issues…and with that lengthy report…submitted the request to College Board.
I think a physician’s diagnosis is not going to be nearly enough and if its not current…no way. IEPs go out of date–both of our dc have them (gifted) but the second child is dual diagnosed with porcessing delays and slight ADD. If we were to take them back to public school (out of private) I believe even the public requires current testing…we just submitted al of this paperwork ourselves. ADD is a difficult diagnosis and questioned in the medical community as wellas the educational community. Good luck</p>