Public education loves acronyms and that includes the Common Core but nowhere have these truncated codes more revered by school administrators than in the realm of K-12 mental health: ADA, AIM, IP, ESL, EC, FAPE, IDEA, SAP, IDEA, IDEIA, SPED; and snappy little buzzwords like "accommodations," "interventions," and "504." Helpless parents feel intimidated by all this jargon coming at them at SST (Student Support Team) meetings usually held at a large conference table packed with administrators they have never seen before: PhDs, EdDs, Psys, MDs, LSWs, MS MFCCs, ED .JDs, and other assorted child advocates, non-licensed facilitators and SELPA mental health counselors all claiming intimate knowledge and loving concern for your child's social, emotional and/or academic well-being. After the meeting, parents never see these folks again. They are left with the overwhelming frustration that the team has identified a problem that only they, the team can fix. Make no mistake, the IEP or Individual Education Plan is on the fast-track, aligning its shared goals with the national Common Core education plan. Soon, no child will truly be left behind.
A Case Study (Abridged)
School requested SST meeting with parents following classroom incident where student threw tantrum. Case Manager initiated checklists. Consent forms sent to parents. Mother completed and returned. Noted that boy did not speak much until he was four years old. Born with big head. Boy likes math and science. Not athletic. 1 friend. Teacher noted boy's thoughts drift in class. He does not meet benchmarked age-appropriate eye contact. Boy was moved to sit facing her desk but boy now stares at wall. "When boy does speak, the other children don't 'get him,'" teacher adds. His language, although in the superior range, is not age-appropriate. Cognitive and verbal functions appear to be in the normal range. Further testing for non-verbal cognitive skills and executive function range.
Case manager administered Wechsler and Stanford-Binet 5 IQ tests. Clinical interviews and school psychologist's observations completed. Student scored in profoundly gifted range (160-180) in linear cognitive reasoning (mathematics and sciences). Significant lags: linguistic reasoning skills and non-verbal processing skills. Boy is borderline high intensity.
DIAGNOSIS: ASPERGER'S SYNDROME
RECOMMENDATION: IEP
This student qualifies under the AUTISM category of AUTISTIC DISORDER per IDEA. in accordance with the DSM-IV definition of autistic spectrum disorders categories when qualitative impairment in social interaction, as manifested by at least two of the following:
a. marked impairment in the use of multiple nonverbal behaviors such as eye-to-eye gaze, facial expression, body postures, and gestures to regulate social interaction.
b. failure to develop peer relationships appropriate to developmental level
c. a lack of spontaneous seeking to share enjoyment, interests, or achievements with other people (e.g., by a lack of showing, bringing, or pointing out objects of interest)
d. lack of social or emotional reciprocity...
ACTION PLAN
Team invited parents to SST. IEP to be enforced under IDEA and by the Office of Special Education of the U.S. Department of Education. Parents asked why county, state, and federal agencies are involved in child's education.
STATUS
Student assigned to a social skills, empathy, and etiquette class during math and science learning block. He interrupts with repetitive questions like "why is a yard duty" teaching us? Monitoring conduct. May require emergency meeting for IEP reevaluation in 3 months. Potential high risk: CONDUCT DISORDER. Window of prevention from future sociopathic manifestations, 2 years.
CASE TERMINATION
Mr. and Mrs. Einstein did not agree with school findings and have since un-enrolled Albert from the 5th grade.
POINT MADE?
;)
In addition to City on a Hill, Merrill Hope is a contributing writer at Save America Foundation and other online sites following a lot of freelance writing for publications like the Hollywood Reporter and Backstage West. She's married, the mother of a teenager (God help her!), & a dachshund lover. Follow her at Merrill Hope @outoftheboxmom.
This article originally appeared on http://www.saveamericafoundation.com/