There are many factors for each child, individually, in reaching this decision. We decided to forge ahead because of Nash's peer friends, who he has been with since K, and know and love him (well, most of the time anyway). You can always put your educational needs in the IEP, where they belong anyway. So that being said, here is yet another reason to not hold back... from the IEP_guide yahoo group. The suggestion could be due to NCLB school requirements.


--- In IEP_guide@yahoogroups.com, "S. L. Crum, Ph.D." <able2learn@...>
wrote:

In that case, you can keep your child in Pre-K. But, I would think
very carefully about that before choosing that course of action. It is
usually not a good idea to retain a child early in their educational
career. This is because we are finding nationwide, that many special
needs children are being retained in 2nd grade, in hope that they will
past the 3rd grade NCLB tests for their state. Then, the fail the NCLB
tests and are retained in third grade. That puts them two years behind
age cohorts. The same thing happens in 7th grade when parents are told
to give them "the gift of an extra year to prepare", and then when
they fail the 8th grade NCLB tests they are now FOUR years behind age
cohorts. Add one year of pre-school retention or kindergarten, and
many children are FIVE years behind age cohorts. So, we have children
who are 16 or 17 in middle school! This is not only socially
inappropriate for them. It is socially inappropriate for the non
disabled children. More significanly, the data are clear -- unless
the parents of these children obtain guardianship before the child
turns 16, in many states the child can drop out of school at age 16
without parental consent. The abysmal graduation rates nationwide
show that this is happening at an alarming rate. While districts
report graduation rates in the 80 and 90 percent, they are more often
in the 50 and 60 percent range. That is because most school districts
calculate their graduation rate on the number of 10th or 11th graders
who make it through the system. But, many of our disabled children are
dropping out before they ever reach that level. So, consider
carefully whether your child could go to kindergarten and still
receive a good education. I know it is easy to focus on the here and
now, but, you need to use a mental telescope to look into the future
and project what you think might happen to your child if you do repeat
Pre-K, and if you don't.

Good luck with this difficult decision.

S. L. Crum, B.S., M.S., Ph.D.Special Needs Coachretired, Licensed
Psychologistretired, Nationally Certified School
PsychologistAble2Learn2880 Zankar Road, Suite 203San Jose, CA
95134Voice & Fax: 863-471-0281Email: Able2Learn@...:
Able2learn.clubspaces.comSpecial Needs Newsleter Sign UPSecure Live
Chat with the Author


Jan and Nash 7!
http://mauzysmusings.blogspot.com




click here to go to Gifts

I am sorry,but I disagree wholeheartedly. For many youngsters with DS, it makes an awful lot of sense to keep them out in a preschool setting an extra year to "front load" the system and help address delays across all of the various domains of learning. This option is especially important to consider if a child is benefitting from a blended program of special education classes and regular preschool settings. And even more important if you know the school district will be one to push "lock step-age appropriate" moving along with a class. Also, if there is no flexibility in a preK and/or K setting to do another year there is a great teacher and support situation is found.

Now as to taking grade level tests and then being retained because one does not pass a grade level test. Well, in most cases a student with DS will not have the cognitive abilities to do grade level work, especially as the student progresses beyond the third grade. The student, while in an inclusive learning setting, should be having work modified and working to meet the goals of his/her IEP, especially in the core skills areas of reading, writing and math skills. **If he/she is not doing this but simply being educated on the grade level curriculum with modifications and everyone knows he/she does not have the reading, math or comprehension skills well then, it is a farce, but a real "feel good" experience for the parent I guess.

Students with any significant disability, which DS certainly is, should have the opportunity to be in an inclusive educational setting, but the IEP goals should preempt the idiocy of NCLB learning goals that "All children will doXXXXXX on grade level." because as educational research and performance has shown there is a bell curve of learning outcomes and the general population - that is until the Bush "Flat Line" of 100% achievement was enacted to the law of the educational land 8 years ago!!
If a child is not within a certain range of below grade level achievement on reading achievement, it makes no sense at all to be taking state grade level assessments. The NAEP - National Association of Educational Progress - exact name escapes me right now has comprehensive data showing that even the lowest quartile (25%) of regular education students without a disability label make slower progress in acquiring skills as they move through grades, and **that a student will not be able to understand instruction on a reading level say two grade level above present comprehension.

So, think clearly and realistically about what you want a child to gain from public education. No one should become frustrated and feel that they are an unsuccessful learner because one is asked to take assessment tests that are way beyond one's cognitive ability and basic reading, writing or math skills. Off grade-level testing of sequential skills acquisition for many students would make much more sense and still hold teachers accountable for the progress of students with DS and other significant disabilities in their curriculum and instructional program.