Will she be eligible for Special Ed...

Hi,

I am a new user in this forum.

My daughter is 9 years old and is in 3rd grade now.
We have observed she has problems with learning since her Kindergarten. We had her Psychological evaluation done. Doctor suggested for special education as her IQ is 67% when she was 4 yrs and 73% when she was 6 yrs (The evaluation was done 2 times, once when she was 4yrs & 6yrs). I observed the following disabilities in her from her childhood….

Learning disability
1. Difficulty reading, writing, spelling, reasoning, recalling and/or organizing information if left to figure things out by themselves
2. Speaking
3. Doing math
4. Poor visual-motor coordination
5. Difficulty copying accurately from a model
6. Difficulty in following multiple instructions
7.Spoken language: delays, disorders, and deviations in listening and speaking.
Written language: difficulties with reading, writing and spelling.
Arithmetic: difficulty in performing arithmetic operations or in understanding basic concepts.
Reasoning: difficulty in organizing and integrating thoughts.
Memory: difficulty in remembering information and instructions.

Speech disability
1. Difficulty pronouncing all the words.
2. Difficulty in talking.
3. Condition in which the flow of speech is interrupted by abnormal stoppages, repetitions (st-st-stuttering), or prolonging sounds and syllables
4. Dysphagia/oral feeding disorders, including difficulties with eating and swallowing.

Occupational disability
Hands 1. Difficulty holding Pencil while writing with hands.
2. Difficulty in holding things with hands.
3. Difficulty Buttoning, Zipping, Tieing with hands.
4. Difficulty while eating with hands.
5. Difficulty doing routines with hands in daily life.
6. Difficulty hanging on bars while playing.

Legs 1. Difficulty walking
2. Difficulty in running
3. Difficulty walking without falling down.

We recently relocated from a country where we don’t use English frequently as we use our mother tongue but her past education was in English. My daughter is slowly learning to talk English now. We had her Behavioral health evaluation to address academic difficulties done once again last month by a psychologist in Childrens hospital in U.S.

His rating scales are as below:

Hyperactivity - With normal limits(T<60)
Aggression - With normal limits(T<60)
Conduct problems - With normal limits(T<60)
Anxiety - With normal limits(T<60)
Depression - With normal limits(T<60)
Somatization - With normal limits(T<60)
Atypicality - With normal limits(T<60)
Withdrawal - At-Risk(T=60-69)
Attention problems - At-Risk(T=60-69)

Adaptability - At-Risk(T=31-40)
Social skills - At-Risk(T=60-69)
Leadership - Clinically significant(T=30)
ADLs - At-Risk(T=60-69)
Functional communication Clinically significant(T=30)

Child mental state examination:

Her native language is not English and she has limited English skills. Consequently it was not possible to conduct a brief interview with her in English. She was cooperative throughout the session and mood was euthymic. Her attention was adequate and her motor activity level was appropriate to age. The WRAT-4 scores were as follows: Word reading SS=74, 4th percentile, Spelling SS=71, 3rd percentile, Math computation SS=55 <1st percentile. She printed her name and copied several simple geometric designs but had considerable difficulty copying several designs that would typically be within the ability level of a 9-year old child.

This screening strongly suggested a need for a comprehensive evaluation of her academic skills and an immediate need for instruction that is individualized using bilingual instructional principles with academic work at her current levels of performance (approx. 1st grade). Current skills appear to be well below her current 3rd grade placement.

I approached the school recently for having her special education as she was receiving in her previous country. The principal along with the school psychologist and special education teacher had a discussion with me and observing her behavioral performance in school agreed for an evaluation next week. They also told me they are not sure whether she is going to eligible or not. I would like her to be eligible for it as it will help her in academics even though at home I spend couple of hours with her everyday on her studies.

Can you please let me know whether she would be eligible for Special education (based on her Learning, Speech and occupational disabilities) or not based on the above information I have provided you. Pls.