Homeschooling ADHD son next year

United States
May 22, 2007 8:19am CST
I have a 12 year old son who is severely ADHD/ADD. He really isn't all that hyper but he has such a minimal attention span because he cannot take any of the normal medications due to other health related issues. He failed fifth grade last year and I am really affraid he is not going to pass this year either (still 10 days of school left). I fought for 4 years to have him evaluated for special services and, they finally did it last fall but, our school board turned him down for the services because he has such a high IQ. Anyone that deals with ADHD children knows that the majority of them do have high IQs but, when it comes to ADHD, IQs have no play in the matter. I have always met with his teachers before the first day of class. There are just a few things (modifications) I have ever asked for. I ask for (and have always received) a full set of text books for at home so that when he doesn't think to bring his books home to do his homework, I am prepared. I ask the teachers to sign his assignment notebook each day so that I know all of his daily homework assignments are listed and I know what he has to do. I ask for a weekly (Friday) note to let me know how he did throughout the week, what concerns they have about his classroom behavior and so on (this was also for his counselor. The only real work I asked from the teachers was to provide me with a detailed description of any major project/report requirements (i.e: due date, specific types of material he needs to research, does he needf to provide them with a rough draft, etc..., anything that would have to be broken down into several small work sessions in order for my son to complete) I went and bought him a vinyl folder with eight pockets and, I labeled a pocket for each of his classes. This was for any and all paperwork that was to go to school and come home from school (homework, notes, graded tests/assignments, permission slips, etc...). I also bought him a small dry erase board and, I glued magnets to the back so he could hang it inside of his locker door so he could write himself reminder notes if need be. The only other thing I asked was that he be made to clean out his locker on Fridays and put all of the loose papers in his backpack to be brought home. Well, this is what my year has been like, yet again. I haven't received a single Friday "note"; his wipe-off board was sent back home the same day I sent it to school with him with a note attached to it saying "this will cause too much of a disturbance in class" (although his locker isn't even in his classroom); I haven't seen his vinyl folder since before Christmas vacation, I haven't seen his assignment notebook since sometime in January, he has come home on more than three occasions with a report or project due the next day; and, I every report card and progress report has continuously gone down-hill. Before anyone says anything, I have been to the school on a daily basis trying to get help; my son is in counseling; I have gone through all of the channels to try to get him help. All I want is what my son "should be" entitled to under the Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act. So, I have decided that enough is enough! I watched my son go from straight As to failing two years in a row because the teachers have no tolerance for children with special needs while in a regular classroom. My son is not mentally impaired nor does he require special education classes so, I have decided to homeschool him next year and see if I can get him back on track to success. What I would like to know, from other parents who have gone through what I have/am going through is, do you think I am doing the right thing by my son?
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