Part 6
By following these steps and maintaining open communication with healthcare providers and school personnel, parents can effectively support their child's well-being and academic success despite mental health issue leading to school refusal.
This is what parents can do to help their child with school refusal due to an adjustment disorder:
The importance of a cross-trained advocate and clinician willing to dialog with the school cannot be emphasized enough. Advocates encourage clinicians to engage in dialogue with schools thus enhancing the coordination of care and support for the student with an adjustment disorder experiencing school refusal. This collaborative approach ensures that the child's needs are addressed holistically, both in terms of mental health treatment and educational support.
Documentation plays a crucial role in supporting children with adjustment disorders experiencing school refusal. It serves as a tangible record of the child's condition, treatment plan, and interactions with healthcare providers, school personnel, and other stakeholders. Without proper documentation, important details may be overlooked or forgotten, leading to gaps in understanding and support for the child.
Parents must tell their healthcare provider:
(That last bullet is the RN in me coming out – we can’t make excuses for lack of care in an ICU – it is life or death. Accessing one’s education is no less important! Let’s get real about how important this is. You can be nice and professional but you do not have to tolerate sub-standard care! )
To School District’s Special Education Director (of Director of Pupil Service)
Date [Date of Submission]
Subject: Request for Full and Individual Evaluation for [Student's Name]
[Student's Name], DOB: [Birth Date]
Attending [Name of School] in the [Grade Level Number] Grade
From [Your Name] [Your Relationship to the Student]
[Your Phone Number]
[Your Email Address]
I am writing to formally request a comprehensive educational and psychological evaluation for my child, [Student's Name], in accordance with the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act) and the our state educational Code.
Bilinqual or ELL
Our primary language at home is [Language], and we will require a qualified interpreter for all discussions regarding [Student's Name]'s eligibility, evaluation interpretation, and services.
I have observed that my child is facing challenges that hinder their ability to fully access and benefit from their educational experience.
Specifically:
This evaluation is crucial to identify my child’s educational needs comprehensively.
My child currently has the following diagnoses and is treated by [Doctor’s Name]
I have attached documentation from [Current Providers] outlining specific recommendations, particularly
Currently we are offering the following support to our child
[Homework ]
[Studying ]
[Behavioral]
Currently the school is offering the following supports to our child outside of a 504 or IEP.
[Bullet Point 1]
[Bullet Point 2]
[Bullet Point 3]
[Note if they are working or not]
Based on my observations, I believe the following supports are necessary:
[Include any from above. ]
[Bullet Point 1]
[Bullet Point 2]
[Bullet Point 3]
[If your child already has a diagnosis, an accommodation, or recommendations add]:
Please call a 504 meeting to address the above while I wait the 2 plus months to get an IEP Eligibility determination and possible IEP.
As a parent, I play an essential role in the development of [Student's Name]'s Individualized Education Program (IEP). I request to formally meet with each evaluator prior to testing to provide additional context and history about my child beyond the traditional input forms.
Additionally, I expect to receive copies of the written reports generated by each evaluator before the team meeting for me to be able to participate as an equal team member. If this is not to happen, please inform me in writing.
Please note that my written consent is required for the administration of any tests, and I am prepared to provide this upon receipt of the necessary Permission to Evaluate forms.
Thank you for your attention to this matter and your assistance in ensuring that my child receives the appropriate support and services so that they can access their education.
Sincerely,
[Your Name]
[Your Relationship to the Student]
[Your Phone Number]
[Your Email Address]
CC: Principal of Student’s School Name
Primary Teacher Name
[Names and Titles of Other Recipients of Copies]
We need you to be part of the conversation that shapes a brighter future for all students. The following lays out the article "REDEFINING TRUANCY PREVENTION AND FAILURE" by DR. MARIE LEWIS, PHD, BCEA
1. BREAKING THE CYCLE OF TRUANCY
A HIDDEN EPIDEMIC
ARE TRUANCY INTERVENTIONS NEGLECT?
PREVALENCE AND IMPACT
HEADS IN THE SAND
Coming UP IN The Next Blog
2. THOSE NOT DOING THEIR JOBS
HISTORY OF TRUANCY LAWS
SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGISTS
SCHOOL SOCIAL WORKERS
EMPOWERING PARENTS
CROSS-TRAINING SPECIAL EDUCATION ADVOCATES
3. DEFINING TRUANCY VS SCHOOL AVERSION / SCOLIONOPHOBIA
SYSTEMIC CHAOS
DIFFERENTIAL DIAGNOSIS CRITERIA FOR SCHOOL REFUSAL AND TRUANCY
DEFINING TRUANCY
TRUANCY RISK FACTORS
DEFINING SCHOOL AVERSION
SCHOOL REFUSAL RISK FACTORS
4. TRUANCY INTERVENTIONS
A COMPREHENSIVE MODEL OF INEFFECTIVENESS
RESEARCH BASED INTERVENTIONS
INAPPROPRIATE USE OF TOOLS
ASSESSMENT TOOLS
SECONDARY INTERVENTIONS
TERTIARY PREVENTION INTERVENTIONS
MULTILEVEL INTERVENTION
5. PREVENTION of SCHOOL REFUSAL AND TRUANCY
IMPLEMENTATION ISUES AND ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGE NEEDED
PREVENTION IMPLEMENTATION PREPARATION
NAVIGATING SPECIAL EDUCATION ADVOCACY AND TRUANCY ADVOCACY
FACING THE UNCOMFORTABLE TRUTH
BUILDING A FUTURE OF EQUITY MEANS DISMANTLING BARRIERS
6. WHAT SHOULD A PARENT DO WHEN SCHOOL REFUSAL OR TRUANCY RAISES ITS UGLY HEAD?
NSEAI's online courses efficiently lead parents and professionals to an expert level of education advocacy in just 12 days of on-demand courses that you can do at your convenience.
LEARN TO DEVELOP A CHILD FOCUSED IEP CORRECTLY FROM THE START
WE TEACH HOW TO GO FROM
LEGALLY SUFFICIENT TO HIGHLY EFFECTIVE IEPs
AUTHOR
Marie Lewis is an author, consultant, and national speaker on best practices in education advocacy. She is a parent of 3 children and a Disability Case Manager, Board Certified Education Advocate, and Behavior Specialist Consultant. She has assisted in the development of thousands of IEPs nationally and consults on developing appropriately individualized IEPs that are outcome-based vs legally sufficient. She brings a great depth of expertise, practical experience, and compassion to her work as well as expert insight, vision, and systemic thinking. She is passionate and funny and she always inspires and informs.
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