Hi
Just wondering who actually can get an individual education plan IEP or sometimes called a TDP?
Is there a criteria or is it up to the individual school to decide?
My son is assessed as 98%ile verbal and reasoning but may have an SLD.
He struggles to achieve at school and is low on confidence, has traits of perfectionism, sensitivity etc. We don't have an ed psych, I don't even think there is one in our area (Hawkes Bay).
We have provided all his assessments to school and tried to advocate for him but it seems to have all been filed away and forgotten.He is basically okay at school but not at all extended for his high thinking ability.
Do the school have to provide anything for him? They don't consider him a problem as he doesn't misbehave in class and his performance is in the normal range.
I just see him getting less confident in his abilities and I feel at a loss to help. We do what we can to extend him at home, try to be positive, and he has a tutor through SPELD once a week.
Usually, the decision is made by school and parents together. Sometimes an RTLB will be involved and help steer the process. Talk about it with your school's GATE co-ordinator. A child who is in the 98th percentile should not be scoring in the normal range for school work - he should be achieving at higher levels in his areas of giftedness and they should be providing him with the learning experiences which will enable this to happen. If he does have an SLD, then there is even more need for an IEP/TDP.
Yes, the school does have to provide for him - it is a requirement under NAG 1 and has been since January 2005.
Hi Sue
Thanks for your thoughts and a bit of validation that I am not completely out of line for considering the need for an IEP. I am not that sure that the school will be at all receptive to me asking for this. I called and asked to see the GATE coordinator about 3 or 4 days ago and haven't had a phone call back yet . I have tried to talk to the school a couple of times, but find it really really hard that they treat me like an overanxious overambitious parent and dismiss all of my concerns. I have all his WJIII assessments plus behavioural optometry report etc etc but the reply is always "he's fine, he's doing well, they're all just developing at this age (he's 7) I honestly can't see the problem". I can't even find out exactly where he sits on his reading/writing/maths/spelling progress but I'm pretty sure it is average at best.
This is causing me a lot of stress and worry as I just want to help my son to see himself as an able learner, an d to achieve to something near his potential. I am not sure what is the best path to take or what helpful suggestions I could make.Maybe I need to try and find a good support person to come with me who knows about GT education?
