Success in School:
Make the Most of Educational Resources for Your Grandchild
By: The AARP Foundation | Source: AARP.org | Date Posted: June 2008
Not sure if a behavior warrants concern? Use these questions to help you decide:
- Does the child have significant difficulty academically?
- Does he or she display ongoing, or significant behavioral issues?
- Is the child seeming isolated or having difficulty making friends?
- Does he or she function at a different social level than the other children?
- Does he or she demonstrate age-appropriate motor skills?
- Is the child struggling to understand language or lacking in age-appropriate language skills?
Here are some helpful Web sites:
The education system in our nation has changed a lot since you were in school. There are many options and choices for today's students. Start by scheduling an appointment to speak with your grandchild's teacher, advised Nancy Hall, the executive vice president for Imagine Schools, the nation's second-largest charter school provider.
"Good communication between the school and a student's caregiver, whether that is a parent or grandparent, sets the foundation for success," stated Hall. During the meeting with the teacher, ask about resources he or she can provide for your grandchild. Here are a few things to ask about:
Free- and Reduced-Lunch Program: Depending on your income, your grandchild may qualify for free or discounted breakfasts and lunches.
Before- and After-School Programs: Most schools offer fun learning programs and/or supervised care for a fee. Depending on your income, you may qualify for county, state, or federal programs that cover these fees. Ask for contact information for these programs in your area.
Tutoring Assistance: If your grandchild attends a school that has not scored well, the school is required to offer free tutoring services to students. Many other schools also offer this benefit.
Academic or Behavioral Concerns: If you have questions about your grandchild's learning abilities, ask the teacher if he or she is seeing the same issues. Speak to the teacher about whether or not there is a need for special-education services.
For behavioral concerns, ask if there is a counselor available or if the school can refer you to a counselor in the community. There may also be peer-support groups on campus. For more about special education support, see GrandCare News online at www.aarp.org/family/grandparenting/articles/grandchild_school_resources.html.
Language Assistance: According to Hall, every state requires screening to ensure students can speak English well enough to be successful in school. If not, services are available according to state guidelines. In addition, school administrators should be able to talk with a student's parent or caregiver in his or her native language. Ask for someone who can speak your language.
Health Services: Find out whether or not the school has a nurse on site. Also ask about health insurance. Many schools provide information on medical insurance plans for students that cost as little as $5 per month.
Career/College Preparation. For high school students, a guidance counselor should keep track of your grandchild's high school credits, ensuring he or she is prepared for graduation. In addition, secondary school should help students prepare for college and career choices.
"Schools are trusted partners in educating children," concluded Hall. "A strong relationship between the child's home and school ensures that students receive the support necessary to succeed…in school and in life," she added.
Don't be afraid to evaluate your grandchild's school. With charter, magnet, and other specialty schools becoming tuition-free options in many communities, you should expect your grandchild's school to shine.
For Fred Barlam, the Western regional director of special education for Imagine Schools, the nation's second-largest charter school provider, whom to ask depends on the age of the child. "For a child ages birth through three years, the pediatrician is your best resource," Barlam explained. "With this age group, the question about special services should be asked if you notice something outside the normal realm, such as a toddler still not walking or sitting up or significantly late or abnormal language development. If a medical diagnosis is made, the doctor can often refer you to the local county, which usually offers early intervention programs."
For children age three to five, Barlam noted that the local school-district office for the area in which you and your grandchild reside is the best place to begin asking questions. By law, these districts are required to provide informal assessments, formal evaluations, if warranted, and referrals to county, state, or federal programs for special-education services if deemed necessary.
If your question concerns a grandchild age five or older who attends a public school, your question should be directed to your grandchild's pediatrician and/or the child's teacher, then to the school administration. Your question should prompt a series of informal assessments and a collaborative effort in which you and the school evaluate the best way to address the concern.
"Initially, the school will most likely want a team of teachers, possibly special education providers, and school leaders to assess the child's needs," said Barlam. "Rather than immediately suggesting special education services, the team may recommend an approach that involves greater support or specific accommodations to help the child access the curriculum. If after a reasonable timeframe these accommodations are not working, then a formal special-education evaluation may be recommended."
As required by the Federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), written permission from the parent or guardian is necessary to begin the formal special-education evaluation process. After evaluating a child, if the special-education team feels that the student meets federal eligibility requirements for special-education services, an individualized education plan (IEP) will be developed. The IEP will design for the child the educational supports necessary for his or her success. These supports could include a variety of options, such as special instruction, extended time for test–taking, and reduced homework assignments—to name a few.
If the child does not meet the IDEA eligibility requirements for special education and has a medically documented disability, the grandparent should ask about a 504 plan. This plan falls under section 504 of the Federal Rehabilitation Act of 1973. Although a 504 plan is not as thorough as an IEP, it might give the child the supports necessary for school success.
So what happens if the teacher or school is not receptive to your request for an evaluation? According to Barlam, there are other options available to grandparents.
Always start the communication process with the teacher. If the teacher is not receptive, ask for a meeting with the teacher and a member of the school administration. If the school is not receptive to your concerns and questions, contact your state's education department. Every state has a special-education division, and a representative in that department can assist you in addressing your concerns.
Barlam suggested that grandparents become familiar with their state's parental or guardian's due process rights. Sometimes due process comes in the form of procedural safeguards or parents rights, which grandparents can usually find on their state's department of education Web site. There, grandparents can also learn their legal rights under the state's special-education laws. Also, Barlam recommended visiting the Web site www.wrightslaw.com. This site offers comprehensive information to parents or guardians on many aspects of special education.
Asking the right questions and gaining knowledge of the support services available to your grandchild offer long-term benefits. You will answer your own concerns and will better equip your grandchild with the tools he or she needs to achieve academically.
"Good communication between the school and a student's caregiver, whether that is a parent or grandparent, sets the foundation for success," stated Hall. During the meeting with the teacher, ask about resources he or she can provide for your grandchild. Here are a few things to ask about:
Free- and Reduced-Lunch Program: Depending on your income, your grandchild may qualify for free or discounted breakfasts and lunches.
Before- and After-School Programs: Most schools offer fun learning programs and/or supervised care for a fee. Depending on your income, you may qualify for county, state, or federal programs that cover these fees. Ask for contact information for these programs in your area.
Tutoring Assistance: If your grandchild attends a school that has not scored well, the school is required to offer free tutoring services to students. Many other schools also offer this benefit.
Academic or Behavioral Concerns: If you have questions about your grandchild's learning abilities, ask the teacher if he or she is seeing the same issues. Speak to the teacher about whether or not there is a need for special-education services.
For behavioral concerns, ask if there is a counselor available or if the school can refer you to a counselor in the community. There may also be peer-support groups on campus. For more about special education support, see GrandCare News online at www.aarp.org/family/grandparenting/articles/grandchild_school_resources.html.
Language Assistance: According to Hall, every state requires screening to ensure students can speak English well enough to be successful in school. If not, services are available according to state guidelines. In addition, school administrators should be able to talk with a student's parent or caregiver in his or her native language. Ask for someone who can speak your language.
Health Services: Find out whether or not the school has a nurse on site. Also ask about health insurance. Many schools provide information on medical insurance plans for students that cost as little as $5 per month.
Career/College Preparation. For high school students, a guidance counselor should keep track of your grandchild's high school credits, ensuring he or she is prepared for graduation. In addition, secondary school should help students prepare for college and career choices.
"Schools are trusted partners in educating children," concluded Hall. "A strong relationship between the child's home and school ensures that students receive the support necessary to succeed…in school and in life," she added.
What to Look For
Don't be afraid to evaluate your grandchild's school. With charter, magnet, and other specialty schools becoming tuition-free options in many communities, you should expect your grandchild's school to shine.
- Does the school make a good first impression? Are the grounds and facilities clean? Do the children, parents, and grandparents look happy? Does the school staff greet you warmly and make you feel welcome?
- Are the classrooms engaging? Beware of "phony" bulletin boards that display lots of artwork done by adults rather than students' masterpieces. Do the classrooms contain lots of books? How are the desks arranged? Students learn better when they are engaged with one another, talking seriously and helping each other. They can't do this sitting in rows staring at the teacher in the front of the room.
- Is the teacher making a personal connection? Does he or she work one-on-one or in small groups? Does the school measure individual student learning gains within a single school year as well as school-wide progress? In high school, is the program custom-designed rather than one-size-fits-all?
For Fred Barlam, the Western regional director of special education for Imagine Schools, the nation's second-largest charter school provider, whom to ask depends on the age of the child. "For a child ages birth through three years, the pediatrician is your best resource," Barlam explained. "With this age group, the question about special services should be asked if you notice something outside the normal realm, such as a toddler still not walking or sitting up or significantly late or abnormal language development. If a medical diagnosis is made, the doctor can often refer you to the local county, which usually offers early intervention programs."
For children age three to five, Barlam noted that the local school-district office for the area in which you and your grandchild reside is the best place to begin asking questions. By law, these districts are required to provide informal assessments, formal evaluations, if warranted, and referrals to county, state, or federal programs for special-education services if deemed necessary.
If your question concerns a grandchild age five or older who attends a public school, your question should be directed to your grandchild's pediatrician and/or the child's teacher, then to the school administration. Your question should prompt a series of informal assessments and a collaborative effort in which you and the school evaluate the best way to address the concern.
"Initially, the school will most likely want a team of teachers, possibly special education providers, and school leaders to assess the child's needs," said Barlam. "Rather than immediately suggesting special education services, the team may recommend an approach that involves greater support or specific accommodations to help the child access the curriculum. If after a reasonable timeframe these accommodations are not working, then a formal special-education evaluation may be recommended."
As required by the Federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), written permission from the parent or guardian is necessary to begin the formal special-education evaluation process. After evaluating a child, if the special-education team feels that the student meets federal eligibility requirements for special-education services, an individualized education plan (IEP) will be developed. The IEP will design for the child the educational supports necessary for his or her success. These supports could include a variety of options, such as special instruction, extended time for test–taking, and reduced homework assignments—to name a few.
If the child does not meet the IDEA eligibility requirements for special education and has a medically documented disability, the grandparent should ask about a 504 plan. This plan falls under section 504 of the Federal Rehabilitation Act of 1973. Although a 504 plan is not as thorough as an IEP, it might give the child the supports necessary for school success.
So what happens if the teacher or school is not receptive to your request for an evaluation? According to Barlam, there are other options available to grandparents.
Always start the communication process with the teacher. If the teacher is not receptive, ask for a meeting with the teacher and a member of the school administration. If the school is not receptive to your concerns and questions, contact your state's education department. Every state has a special-education division, and a representative in that department can assist you in addressing your concerns.
Barlam suggested that grandparents become familiar with their state's parental or guardian's due process rights. Sometimes due process comes in the form of procedural safeguards or parents rights, which grandparents can usually find on their state's department of education Web site. There, grandparents can also learn their legal rights under the state's special-education laws. Also, Barlam recommended visiting the Web site www.wrightslaw.com. This site offers comprehensive information to parents or guardians on many aspects of special education.
Asking the right questions and gaining knowledge of the support services available to your grandchild offer long-term benefits. You will answer your own concerns and will better equip your grandchild with the tools he or she needs to achieve academically.
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