My son finally graduated with a high school diploma, with the A-G requirements. These are 15 specific high school classes that are College Prep classes, to be eligible for a CSU (California State University) or UC (University of California) school. If you read my “journey” blog, you will understand why I shamelessly believe that I have earned the right to consider myself somewhat of an expert on the subject of what parents need to know to get their student through high school. These lessons would apply to all parents whose child has autism or is dealing with mental health issues. Jack has both – a plethora of learning, social and behavior issues from his ASD, ADHD, adoption, in addition to anxiety, mood disorder, Tourettes, OCD and body dysmorphia.
If you have a high school student or one going to high school, I hope these lessons can in some small way, reduce your struggles as you help your child through high school. Tip : do not depend solely on the IEP team or assume they want the best for your child. Ultimately, you are his only advocate.
Lesson Number 1 – know your child’s special education rights.
Be familiar with this very important resource published by Disability Rights California. Look for similar organisations in your state. This is probably the most comprehensive resource you will find, study it, know it like your life depends on it if you want to be an effective advocate for your child. This organisation is the largest disability rights group in the nation. Their website states that they represent, investigate, advocate and litigate to advance the rights of people with disability. They can be reached at 1-800-776-5746 https://www.disabilityrightsca.org/publications/serr-special-education-rights-and-responsibilities
Lesson Number 2 – the IEP team will persuade you to take the lowest level Fundamental classes required to graduate. That would be the most expedient for them. You have the right to dissent.
When my son was failing English because of mental health issues, the IEP team wanted to withdraw him from English 12, a college prep class, and put him in English Fundamentals. They convinced us that it was the right strategy and that these Fundamental classes are also diploma bound classes, though they are not A-G college prep level. In some cases, if the student is willing, that would remove a lot of pressure for both the student and parents. For that reason, we agreed as we just wanted him to graduate. Unfortunately, Jack refused to take the fundamental class as he didn’t believe he was a fundamental level student. His biggest stumbling block to learning was mental health (Look at Lesson #7 below) and his ADHD. But it was the convenient solution for the school. If that happens, you have the right to “dissent” and insist that your child be put back in the CP classes and receive the right accommodations.
Lesson Number 3 – use your off campus credit classes
If your child is failing in his classes, have the IEP team approve for him to take off campus classes. These will be with credentialed private schools approved by the district, or online classes offered by the district. Ideally, have your child take these over summer, to lighten the work load during the school year. Jack learns best in a 1-1/small group environment, and to help him manage his anxiety and workload, he took his World History and AP US History over summer during his Sophomore and Junior Year. The new Integrated Math curriculum was hard for him, and he took two years to complete Integrated Math 3 with a private school. We applied for an additional ten credits for US Government and Economics to be taken off campus.
Lesson Number 4 – Certificate of Completion vs Diploma
The Special Ed Rights and Responsibilities published by Disability Rights California has a whole section explaining this in more detail. In brief, your child has the right to complete his diploma or get services till he is 22, whichever comes first. If he is at risk of failing, and you would like for him to walk with his peers in the graduation ceremony, you should have an IEP meeting to switch his goal to a Certificate of Completion instead of a diploma. He can add a fifth year and continue receiving services to work towards a diploma after. However, this needs to be planned ahead of time as it will require approval from the school district.
Lesson Number 5 – when the general ed teacher doesn’t implement the terms of the IEP
For the first time in eleven years, during his Senior year, we were faced with the daunting task where the general ed teacher refused to honor the accommodations agreed upon, and signed off by the IEP team. Unfortunately, we are still in dispute over his grade, and are still seeking resolution to retroactively correct his grade (after his graduation). It never ever occurred to us that the general ed teacher can arbitrarily veto the decision of the IEP team. Inspite of his extensive documented mental health history and hospitalisations, and having an IEP since first grade, she dismissed his mental health issues because she doesn’t “see” them. We escalated the issue – first with the case manager and program supervisor, and when that failed, took it up with the school principal. It was an exercise in futility, frustration and sleepless nights, and an eye opener for us that the school supported her decision to deny him his rights instead of abiding by the IEP. The lesson we learned was that the teacher’s bias and ignorance about mental health took precedence over a student’s rights. My son’s rights were violated and he was discriminated against because he has an illness that was not “visible” to her. Inspite of all the publicity about teen depression and suicide, a well informed, educated English teacher makes a choice to marginalise and dismiss Jack’s illness. Therein lies the fundamental problem of mental illness which is another topic for discussion.
Lesson Number 6 – explore options for vocational training
In our son’s case, because he started spiralling in his senior year, we had no time to seriously explore different options. In retrospect, he might have benefitted from a vocational track instead which we should have looked at maybe in his Junior year. Sometimes, it might require applying to a different school district if yours like ours, does not offer career/ vocational options.
Lesson Number 7 – insist on the appropriate mental health support
We used to be told by the school that Jack’s mental health struggles at home were our problems as they didn’t manifest themselves in school and didn’t affect his school attendance. He was quiet, meek and wasn’t any trouble in school. His grades were passing because we had tutors work with him four days a week. What that meant was his educational rights became our responsibilities and not the school’s. When his attendance went from almost 100% for 12 years, to missing classes in his Junior and Senior year, and he started failing, the school offered ERMHS (educationally related mental health services) which didn’t solve the problem. Even though his struggles are now affecting attendance and performance, putting him at risk of not graduating, we were not offered the appropriate mental health services to support him. In fact, his body dysmorphia was a result of body shaming by kids in school, which was reported to the Assistant Principal who took zero action to protect him. Around March, we were desperate and hired education advocates who explained that the school should be offering higher level of care, even in-home support, called wrap around services, to help him cope, and get him to school. The school denied him that service and with less than three months left, we had no time to pursue it. Your child has the right to mental health services, if that is preventing him from receiving an appropriate education. These could range from ERMHS (which is the lowest level, and generally insufficient care), or wrap around at home, home hospitalisation, or a therapeutic facility as part of the Free and Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) that he is entitled to.
Read also: The Forty Year Journey
The post What the School Doesn’t Tell You! Lessons Every Mother Must Know to Get your Child through High School appeared first on Raising Autistic Kids.