Letter to an Administrator
07/26/2006 09:15 p.m.
July 26, 2006
In regards to: Retention of my child

Dear Administrator,

This letter is to inform you of my opposition to the retention of my son. I have notified the school of my opposition and intention to take this to the next higher level and have contacted a 504 advocate.

The basis for my appeal is because I do not feel that my son’s 504 accommodations were not met or were not met consistently by the faculty and staff at his school last year. Despite numerous contact and correspondence on my part throughout the year, requests that my son’s accommodations be re-examined due to continued lack of success, that a BIP be put in place, etc. It was not until May 8th, that there another meeting was held with my child's teachers and the 504 coordinator at his school. At this point it was too late to implement anything that would change his outcome for the year. I feel that if my requests had been acknowledged and things had been dealt with when I first began expressing my concerns and asking what other accommodations, etc. could be implemented; the outcome for my child may have been much different.

As a student with a disability, identified and eligible for 504, there are laws and procedures that must be followed. Instead of making further accommodations, it was suggested that my son be referred to Special Education. When I specifically asked what Special Education could offer my child that 504 could not, my questions were unanswered. I should not have to place my child under a special education classification in order for him to receive the accommodations and supports that he needs to enable him to be successful.

My son has gone through some very difficult things in the past 3 years, including having to be hospitalized for severe depression during the school year last year. I have gone to great lengths and a lot of expense to get him help and treatment outside of school and it has not been until the last 2 months that we have seen consistent improvement in the way he deals with his disability. I feel that my child is being punished due to the affects of his disability and the faculty and staff’s failure to follow through with 504 accommodations that were in place, further recommendations that were made, inconsistency with interventions, lack of communication with me when my son went from an improved status back to a failing status, and not pursuing further accommodations that could have been put in place.


Sincerely,

A parent who refuses to sit idly by any more.


*** names and locations have been ommitted to protect the innocent, and the not so innocent.***