IEP season 2013 and my son

It's been awhile since I posted and for this I am sorry.  Yet, here we are back in IEP season and I'm now up to my ears in the IEP drama's of both my children.

My youngest is entering Kindergarten this fall and guess what?

You guessed it. 

It looks like he probably has dyslexia also, and he definitely has dysgraphia.  No question. 

So I had him "tested" (and I use that term loosely) by our public school district when he came up with speech issues (an early indicator for dyslexia).  They didn't do much and of course did the usual, "oh, there's nothing wrong with him and he doesn't qualify" baloney that they seem to always try to pull on my family.

Of course he almost completely failed the Brigance test.  Which they also decided they didn't need to nationally norm for us.

So, now we are getting further (and complete) testing with Dr. NameBrand.  The most sought after, long waiting list, published and highly regarded doctor in our area. 

$1500.00 of his $1950.00 fee is being paid for by the school district. 

I see once again the benefit in re-hiring our child advocate! (Incidentally, not that anyone cares but I'm in the process of selling my Pandora bracelet to pay for this, because I'd rather have a child that can read than an overpriced charm bracelet.  We all make choices).

In the meanwhile I'm most angry that our district screened him in Dec and then waited until Feb to run their tests (lost time). 

We know someone in a better (read:has been sued) district that got help for their child immediately after a Dec screening. 

We now have an IEP in place for OT only (since he failed that piece too miserably to be denied although right up until the end they claimed he had to "qualify" in two places to have an IEP).  Guess that was wrong and or misleading and/or unethical or whatever other word you might want to insert.

Do I sound like an angry mommy,  well that is true.

So I have acquaintances who had to take things to DUE PROCESS (big word folks).  I'm going to try to meet with both families to see how this went, how it played out and what it entailed.

On a good day I feel like I'm fighting the world to make it a better place for people with dyslexia for:

Every mother and father who have cried because their bright child wasn't doing well in school. 

For every couple who ever fought, blaming each other for their child's lack of progress in school. 

For every child, who has slumped down in their school seat at some point because they decided that they really were not smart after all. 

I am reminding myself, this is who I am working for, all of these families, all of these children. 

Now a prayer: God please send your blessings here, to these folks, because they are needed now! Amen.