Writing an IEP

Date: 02/02/2018 Grade: 11

Re-evaluation: INITIAL Examiner: Linda M. Cylc, MS

Date of Birth: 11/11/2000 School: Delaware High School

Student: Alex Brown Williams Evaluation Date(s): 12/19/2017

Guardian(s): Ms. Kiera Williams

To review recent assessments and evaluation measures to determine:

* whether the child is a child with a disability as defined by the IDEA and state regulations: and

* the educational needs of the child.

SECTION A: REVIEW OF INFORMATION (Complete for ALL disability categories)

(1) Information and Evaluations Provided by Parents:

REASON FOR REFERRAL: Alex was referred for evaluation via the child study process as well as parent request, due to concerns with academic performance and progress.

EVALUATION TECHNIQUES:

Behavior Assessment System for Children – Third Edition Structured Developmental History (BASC-3 SDH)

Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale – Fourth Edition (WAIS-IV)

Wechsler Individual Achievement Test, Third Edition (WIAT-III)

Behavior Assessment System for Children – Third Edition (BASC-3)

Conners 3

Student/Parent Input

Teacher Progress Reports

Classroom Observations

Review of Records

BACKGROUND INFORMATION:

Alex is a seventeen year old, eleventh grade student at Delaware High School. He participates in the CNAP career area. Alex lives at home with his mother, brother (age 23) aunt, and cousin. He sees his biological father about once or twice per month, and his grandparents weekly or more often. Alex’s mother, Ms. Kiera Williams, shared via the BASC-2 Structured Developmental History Form (SDH) that Alex was the product of a full term, healthy pregnancy and delivery. He weighed seven pounds, eight ounces at birth. Ms. Williams did not indicate any areas of developmental delay. As a toddler, Alex suffered from ear infections. Family history is significant for special education and high blood pressure. Alex wears glasses and no past or current health issues were described. He sees a physician for preventative care yearly. Current school nurse report indicates that hearing is within normal limits. Alex’s vision was not screened, as his glasses were broken. He was asked to return after his glasses are fixed. A history of migraines is indicated, and he takes prescription medication (Ibuprofen 800mg) at home. Nurse’s office visits are rare, and immunizations are up to date.

Alex has attended Delaware High School since ninth grade. Prior to that, he attended Charter School for fifth through eighth grades, Elementary School for fourth grade, and Elementary School B for kindergarten.

Ms. Williams shared that Alex enjoys playing football and computers, and he would like to be a police officer when he grows up. He participates in social activities with his family, including sports, meals, attending church, and visiting with relatives. Outside of school, he participates in a drum line.

Alex was referred for evaluation via the school’s child study process. Due to a significant number of missing assignments, failed tests, and failed classes, teachers, parents, and school staff are concerned about his academic progress. Ms. Williams shared that Alex thinks he knows the information and will not ask questions or ask for help. She shared that he struggles in math, and he does not catch on as fast. He is good with hands-on work, and he has to try things himself – he does not learn by ‘looking.’ Ms. Williams is concerned as to where to go from here.

Alex’s mother, Ms. Kiera Williams, attended the child study meeting (11/30/17) and the eligibility meeting. She shared that she saw Alex’s strengths as being funny, caring, and endearing, and that he doesn’t have any ‘real’ problems, and he’s a good kid overall. Ms. Williams shared that Alex helps at home and does housework. Ms. Williams shared that Alex is not a great test taker. He has had a job at the daycare at which she works, and he did well. He is good a hands-on activities, and he is well spoken. Ms. Williams shared that she has been concerned about his academic performance since seventh grade.

(2) Current Classroom-Based and/or State Assessments, and Classroom-Based Observations, including information acquired from the Child’s Response to Scientific, Research-Based Intervention (i.e., “RTI”):

Report Cards

While at Delaware High School, Alex has made up any failed classes by repeating them or taking them during the summer or via adult education. Based on current standing, he has two classes to make up – health and Integrated Math 3.

11th Grade

10th Grade

9th Grade

Standardized Assessments

Discipline Records

To date, Alex has had 24 disciplinary infractions, for inappropriate behavior (9), unauthorized use of cell phone (5), use of profanity (5), disruption of the education process (2), leaving school grounds without permission (1), skipping class (1), and failure to report to detention (1).

(3) Observations and Recommendations by Teacher(s) and Related Services Provider(s):

TEACHER OBSERVATIONS:

Eleventh Grade Math Teacher Input/Observations: Alex demonstrates good behavior, and he is an overall nice kid. He has OK basic math skills, but he does not always give his best effort. Alex receives the accommodation of using an index card on his tests. He struggles getting started on the warmup in the beginning of class. He does not ask questions, and he needs step by step instructions. His attendance is good, and he is prepared for class, and organization, behavior, and leadership qualities are average. His participation, self-advocacy, showing interest in the course, level of effort and motivation are fair. Class work completion, test scores, and homework completion are poor. When he is ‘on,’ he does well. He demonstrates good communication. He says he does the work, but he often does not understand it. At times he curses under his breath, gets frustrated, and shuts down. Attention to task is also poor, along with meeting deadlines and motivation to succeed. He struggles with consistency and finishing work. Alex loves to talk instead of work. Even sitting next to him, he will not focus. He talks, plays with music, texts, daydreams. He will not finish work, and he has no ‘full’ grades. He would likely benefit from one on one help.

Eleventh Grade Career Teacher Input/Observations: Alex has been doing better – he is not as defiant. He is good with working with hardware, but he does not love the logical part of things. I would like him to co-op – I think he would do well. He has great goals for himself. Alex is very motivated when content interests him. When he wants to, he does great. He has excellent attendance and good problem solving skills. He demonstrates average test scores, independent work, group work, organization, and critical thinking skills. Alex demonstrates a lack of focus and concentration due to internet distractions and a lack of prioritization of important tasks. He has a tendency to distract others when he is not on task. Participation, preparation for class, self-advocacy, behavior, leadership, and interest in the course is fair. Level of effort and motivation to succeed is poor. Preferential seating in the front of the room with a good table partner

Eleventh Grade US History Teacher Input/Observations: Alex comes to class faithfully. He is also well-behaved and has a good attitude in class. He is respectful, but he falls asleep in class. Unfortunately, Alex is not very organized. He is not disrespectfully defiant, but defiant in the case that he just does not do what is asked. He has neglected to turn in the majority of class assignments and homework assignments. I’d like to consider moving Alex to the front of the classroom. If possible, I’d also like to surround him with other students who hold him accountable with classwork and homework.

Classroom Observation: Alex was observed in his ELA class and his CNAP class. In ELA, he came into the classroom with headphones on and while speaking to friends. He sat down appropriately and looked at the teacher and at the board while he was explaining the Schoology assignment. Alex’s seat was in the front of the classroom. After about 5 minutes, while the teacher was talking, Alex put his head down on the desk. After a few minutes, as the class started working on an assignment, Alex got his paper out, and was looking through the assignment with his pen in hand, writing on his paper appropriately.

In CNAP, Alex was working on an assignment on his computer. Alex was seated in the front of the classroom. The teacher shared with the examiner that he was working on a past-due assignment. He had his phone right next to him, and he scrolled through periodically. His behavior was appropriate and he was observed to be on task.

Testing Observations/Student Interview: Alex met with the examiner during two sessions in December 2017. He appeared comfortable with the testing environment and was polite and pleasant throughout all assessments. Alex engaged easily with the examiner. He was respectful and well spoken. He shared with the examiner that he wanted to play football but did not because of his grades. He shared that he feels like he is always catch up, and that school goes at too quick of a pace for him to move forward with anything. He shared that he is frequently overwhelmed, and that he shuts down and needs breaks because of that. Alex said that whenever it is time to take a test, he ‘draws a blank.’ He said that chunking information and breaking down tasks is helpful. Alex was cooperative during his testing, and actively engaged in testing activities. Alex worked efficiently throughout all testing activities. He shared that he wants to be a state trooper. He was observed tapping his foot throughout the assessment. Alex asked clarifying questions as necessary. The following testing results are thought to be an accurate representation of Alex’s capabilities and performance in the classroom.

(4) Other Information About the Child’s Physical Condition, Social or Cultural Background, and Adaptive Behavior, including Aptitude and Achievement test scores (as applicable):

WAIS

Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Fourth Edition (WAIS-IV) Alex was administered the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Fourth Edition (WAIS-IV) on December 19, 2017 during one testing session.  The WAIS-IV is an individually administered test that measures a student’s intellectual functioning.  This test is designed to assess the intelligence of students, ages sixteen to ninety years of age.  There are ten core subtests, and the scores from these subtests are combined into a Full Scale IQ, which is one way to view overall thinking and reasoning skills.  In addition to the Full Scale IQ, the WAIS-IV measures four domains of intellectual functioning, which are reported as composite (Index) scores.

· Verbal Comprehension Index measures verbal concept formation, verbal reasoning, and knowledge acquired from one’s environment. 

· Perceptual Reasoning Index is a measure of perceptual and fluid reasoning, spatial processing, and visual-motor integration.

· Working Memory Index provides a measure of the student’s ability to temporally maintain information in memory, perform some operation or manipulation, and produce a result.  Working memory involves attention, concentration, mental control and reasoning.

· Processing Speed Index provides a measure of the student’s ability to quickly and correctly scan, sequence, or discriminate simple visual information.  Processing speed subtests also measure short-term visual memory, attention, and visual-motor coordination.

Scores are presented as standard scores, which have a mean (average) of 100 and a standard deviation of 15.  There are several descriptive categories of intellectual functioning which reflect the range of scores into which a student’s score falls.  For example, the Average range is from 90-109.  Percentile ranks are also provided, which indicate how a student’s scores compare to other students of the same age.  For example, a percentile rank of 50 means that out of 100 students, the student scored higher than about 50 others.  The following results were obtained on this administration of the WAIS-IV:

*The Average range for Standard Scores is 90-109.

 *The Average range for scaled scores is 8-12.

Alex received a FSIQ score of 88, which placed his skills in the upper limits of the Low Average range.  If he were to be tested again, there is a 95% chance that his score would fall between 84 and 92.  Alex’s score placed him at the 21st percentile.

Verbal Comprehension Index (VCI) Alex received a VCI score of 91, which placed his skills at the 27th percentile and within the Average range.  This is an indication that his overall verbal skills are commensurate with that of the majority of his same-age peers.  Verbal Comprehension ability is related to the capacity to organize knowledge, verbalize, and use the wide range of experiences that he has, to make connections between content learned in school and his own personal experiences. Alex’s subtest scores for the VCI ranged between slightly below average to average. The Vocabulary subtest required Alex to define common vocabulary terms and describe objects or concepts (i.e., “What is a glove?”).   He had some difficulty with this task, and as the words increased in difficulty, Alex often responded with ‘I don’t know’ or he answered incorrectly. The Similarities subtest required Alex to utilize associate reasoning skills to compare similar objects/concepts (i.e., “How are carrots and broccoli alike?).  He performed adequately on this task, and on the Information subtest.  On the Information task, he was asked a number of questions comprised of “common knowledge” academic information.  His answers indicate that he is able to acquire general knowledge of a variety of concepts through his experiences and verbal instruction.  Overall, Alex's Verbal Comprehension skills are considered to be Average for peers his age, and he has the ability to generally explain things well verbally.

Perceptual Reasoning Index (PRI) Alex received a score of 94 on the PRI, which placed his skills at the 34th percentile and within the Average range of scores.  Perceptual Reasoning is related to visual images, combining disconnected, vague, or partially hidden information into meaningful wholes (part-to-whole), using a map, maintaining organization within a desk or room, and copying information from a distance. Alex’s scores on all tasks were within the Average range. On the Block Design subtest, Alex was asked to use colored blocks to make the geometric pattern from a visual stimulus.   On the Visual Puzzles task, Alex was asked to determine three pieces out of a group that created the figure presented to him (i.e. identify the pieces of the puzzle).  On the Matrix Reasoning task, he was asked to choose a design from a group of choices that fit within the missing box of a pattern.   Overall, Alex's Perceptual Reasoning skills fell within the Average range and are similar to that of his same-age peers.  

Working Memory Index (WMI) Alex received a WMI score of 83, which placed his skills at the 13th percentile and within the Low Average range of scores.  A score of 83 indicates that Alex’s Working Memory skills are weaker than same-age peers.  Alex had difficulty on one of the WMI tasks –Arithmetic. On the Digit Span subtest, he was asked to repeat strings of digits forwards, backwards, and in the correct numerical sequence. Alex adequately remembered the numbers and repeated them correctly. On the Arithmetic subtest, Alex was asked to solve simple word problems read aloud by the examiner as a way to measure his ability to remember and mentally manipulate information. He had difficulty correctly solving these prompts. Alex’s working memory skills are a weakness for him, as he performed lower than the majority of his same-age peers on this task. He demonstrated some difficulty manipulating, recalling, and mentally organizing data.  

Processing Speed Index (PSI) Alex received a Processing Speed Index score of 92 which fell within the Average range and at the 21st percentile.   The Processing Speed Index (PSI) is composed of the Coding and Symbol Search subtests, which both require adequate fine-motor skills to complete the task in the given time for successful performance.  During the Coding subtest, where Alex was asked to correctly write symbols that correspond with a specific number without making mistakes, he earned a subtest score in the Average range. On the Symbol Search subtest, Alex worked intently to determine whether a specific shape was present in a group of several different shapes, and he received a score that was within the Average range.   Alex’s processing speed skills are similar to that of the majority of his same-age peers.

Wechsler Individual Achievement Test – Third Edition (WIAT-III)

Alex was administered select subtests of the Wechsler Individual Achievement Test-Third Edition (WIAT-III) on December 19, 2017. The WIAT-III is a measure of a student’s academic achievement. It consists of sixteen subtests used to evaluate listening, speaking, reading, writing, and mathematics skills. Scores are presented as standard scores, which have an average of 100 and a standard deviation of 15. There are several descriptive categories of academic functioning which reflect the range of scores into which a student’s score falls. For example, the Average range is from 85-115. Percentile ranks are also provided, which indicate how a child’s scores compare to other students of the same age. For example, a percentile rank of 50 means that out of 100 students, the child scored higher than about 50 others.

Basic Reading, Reading Comprehension & Fluency and Total Reading Subtests

For the Reading Comprehension subtest, Alex was asked to read short passages to himself, and he was then asked questions, which he answered verbally. Questions are both factual and interpretive in nature. Alex demonstrated an ability to understand what he read that was in the lower limits of the average range, and exhibited reading comprehension skills similar to that of the majority of his peers.

The Basic Reading Composite consists of the Word Reading and Pseudoword Decoding subtests. On those subtests, students are asked to read lists of words out loud, thus demonstrating phonics and decoding skills. Alex had some difficulty accurately reading the words, as he scored in the upper limits of the Below Average range on both tasks.

Mathematics Subtests

The Mathematics Composite uses two subtests to measure math achievement: Math Problem Solving (assesses mathematical reasoning) and Numerical Operations (assesses written calculations). Overall, Alex performed in the Below Average range with a composite score of 80. Alex was able to adequately complete math problems requiring problem solving skills. He had difficulty completing math calculation problems in isolation, and his math skills in this area, and in the Mathematics Composite overall, were measured to be weaker than that of his same age peers.

Written Expression Subtests

The Essay Composition subtest required Alex to write a short essay based on a prompt. Alex included descriptions, elaborations, and details to his essay at a level that was similar to of the majority of his peers, and scored within the average range.

SOCIAL/EMOTIONAL/BEHAVIORAL ASSESSMENT

Behavior Assessment System for Children, Third Edition (BASC-3)

The Behavior Assessment System for Children, Third Edition (BASC-3) was completed by Alex’s math teacher, Mrs. Welsh. The BASC-3 is designed to facilitate the diagnosis and classification of emotional and behavioral disorders of children. It comprises detailed rating scales with various questions designed to provide information about a child across a range of behavior-related social and emotional factors. This measure is helpful in accurately assessing disorders in children as it provides some objectivity by comparing each rater’s response with a normative set for a child’s age level. This allows for atypical behaviors and areas of concern to be distinguished from what has been found to be within the range of normal or average behavior, based on the child’s gender and age. Each response to a statement is given a score, and these scores are added up to give a total score for the scale. These scaled scores tell about the child’s patterns of thoughts and feelings. In general, scaled scores have an average of 50, so that scores from 41 to 59 are within the Average range. On adaptive scales, low scores (10-40) indicate potential areas of concern whereas on clinical scales, high scores (60+), indicate potential areas of concern. Areas where a student’s score consistently falls in the At-Risk range should be monitored as they represent behaviors that are potentially problematic. When a student’s score falls in the Clinically Significant range, there may be a need for immediate intervention. The following is a description of the individual scales for the teacher and parent scales:

Clinical Scales: Areas that focus on disruptive behaviors or internal problems.

· Hyperactivity: The tendency to be overly active, rush through work or activities, and act without thinking.

· Aggression: The tendency to act in a physically or verbally hostile manner that is threatening to others.

· Conduct Problems: The tendency to engage in rule-breaking behavior.

· Anxiety: The tendency to be nervous, fearful, or worried about real or imagined problems.

· Depression: Excessive feelings of unhappiness, sadness, or stress.

· Somatization: The tendency to be overly sensitive or to complain about relatively minor physical problems or discomfort.

· Atypicality: The tendency to behave in ways that are immature or considered odd.

· Withdrawal: The tendency to evade others to avoid social contact.

· Attention Problems: The tendency to be easily distracted and unable to concentrate for an extended period of time.

· Learning Problems: The presence of academic difficulties particularly in understanding or completing schoolwork.

Adaptive Scales: Areas that focus on positive psychological features and skills.

· Adaptability: The ability to adapt readily to changes in the environment.

· Social Skills: The skills necessary for interacting successfully with peers and adults.

· Leadership: The skills associated with accomplishing academic, community, or social goals. Decision making, creativity, and getting others to work together effectively.

· Activities of Daily Living: The skills associated with conducting oneself in a safe manner, performing simple daily tasks and organizing responsibilities.

· Functional Communication: The ability to communicate basic thoughts, knowledge, ideas and feelings in a way others can understand. Seeking out/finding information on own.

· Study Skills: The skills conducive to strong academic performance, including organizational skills and good study habits.

Content Scales

· Anger Control: Irritability, self-control when faced with adversity.

· Bullying: Tendency to be disruptive, intrusive and/or threatening toward others.

· Developmental Social Disorders: Social skills and ability to effectively communicate.

· Emotional Self-Control: How easily one becomes upset, frustrated, and/or angered.

· Executive Functioning: Ability to control and maintain behavior and mood.

· Negative Emotionality: Reaction to changes in everyday activities or routines.

· Resiliency: Ability to overcome stress and adversity.

The teacher and parent BASC-3 results for Alex are as follows:

*At-Risk **Clinically Significant

^Additional Executive Functioning Information in narrative

Teacher ratings for Alex identified several areas of clinically significant concern. Mrs. Welsh’ ratings indicated that Alex engages in a high number of behaviors that are adversely affecting other children in the classroom, and he is often restless and overactive. He also is reported to display a high number of aggressive behaviors in class, and he has significant difficulty maintaining necessary levels of attention at school. His teacher reports that he has significant difficulty comprehending schoolwork in a variety of academic areas, and he has difficulty adapting to changing situations and recovering from difficult situations. Mrs. Welsh shared that Alex demonstrates weak study skills, and is poorly organized, and he has a tendency to become irritable quickly and react negatively to everyday activities. Mrs. Welsh expressed concern for Alex’s executive functioning, as three areas were extremely elevated (Overall Executive Functioning Index, Problem Solving Index, Attentional Control Index) and the other two areas were elevated (Behavioral Control Index, Emotional control Index). Mrs. Welsh reported that Alex often approaches tasks in a haphazard fashion, has difficulty with planning and is typically disorganized. She shared that Alex is often distracted, has trouble following directions, and is unable to focus attention on any single task for an extended period of time. Alex sometimes has difficulty maintaining his self-control, and may display outbursts or sudden/frequent mood changes.

At home, Ms. Williams observed some areas of at-risk concern. She reported that Alex has difficulty maintaining necessary levels of attention at school, disrupting academic performance and functioning in other areas. Ms. Williams reports that Alex has difficult adapting to changing situations, and that he takes longer to recover from difficult situations than most others his age. Alex’s mother also shared that he has difficulty performing simple daily tasks in a safe and efficient manner, and that he has difficulty overcoming stress and adversity.

The BASC-3 Adolescent Self-Report (SRP) is a 189 item questionnaire in which the student responds to statements that reflect how he/she feels about school, personal relationships, and emotional/behavioral symptoms. The BASC-3 is designed to facilitate the diagnosis and classification of emotional and behavioral disorders of children. It comprises detailed rating scales with various questions designed to provide information about a child across a range of behavior-related social and emotional factors. This measure is helpful in accurately assessing disorders in children as it provides some objectivity by comparing student responses with a normative set for a child’s age level. This allows for atypical behaviors and areas of concern to be distinguished from what has been found to be within the range of normal or average behavior, based on the child’s gender and age. Each response to a statement is given a score, and these scores are added up to give a total score for the scale. These scaled scores tell about the child’s patterns of thoughts and feelings. In general, scaled scores have an average of 50, so that scores from 41 to 59 are within the Average range. On adaptive scales, low scores (10-40) indicate potential areas of concern whereas on clinical scales, high scores (60+), indicate potential areas of concern. Areas where a student’s score consistently falls in the At-Risk range should be monitored as they represent behaviors that are potentially problematic. When a student’s score falls in the Clinically Significant range, there may be a need for immediate intervention.

The following is a description of the individual scales for the self-report scales:

Clinical Scales: Areas that focus on disruptive behaviors or internal problems.

· Attitude to School: Feelings of alienation, hostility, and dissatisfaction regarding school.

· Attitude to Teachers: Feelings of resentment and dislike of teachers; beliefs that teachers are unfair, uncaring, or overly demanding.

· Sensation Seeking: The tendency to take risks and to seek excitement.

· Atypicality: The tendency toward bizarre thoughts and behaviors considered odd.

· Locus of Control: The belief that rewards and punishments are controlled by external events or people.

· Social Stress: Feelings of stress and tension in personal relationships; a feeling of being excluded from social activities.

· Anxiety: The tendency to be nervous, fearful, or worried; the tendency to be overwhelmed by problems.

· Depression: Excessive feelings of unhappiness, sadness, or dejection; a belief that nothing goes right .

· Sense of Inadequacy: Perceptions of being unsuccessful in school, unable to achieve one’s goals, and generally inadequate.

· Somatization: The tendency to be overly sensitive or to complain about relatively minor physical problems or discomfort.

· Attention Problems: The tendency to be easily distracted and unable to concentrate for an extended period of time.

· Hyperactivity: The tendency to be overly active, rush through work or activities, and act without thinking.

Adaptive Scales: Areas that focus on positive psychological features and skills.

· Relations with Parents: A positive regard towards parents and a feeling of being esteemed by them.

· Interpersonal Relations: The perception of having good social relationships and friendships with peers.

· Self-Esteem: Feelings of self-esteem, self-respect, and self-acceptance.

· Self-Reliance: Confidence in one’s ability to solve problems; a belief in one’s personal dependability and decisiveness.

The results of the BASC-3 Self-Report are below:

*At-Risk **Clinically Significant

Alex’s ratings for himself indicated some areas of at-risk concern. Alex reported that, at times, he considers teachers to be unfair, uncaring, and/or overly demanding. He reported that he is sometimes dissatisfied with his ability to perform a variety of tasks even when putting forth substantial effort, and that he experiences test-related anxiety before and during testing sessions.

Conners, 3rd Edition – Short Form (Conners 3 – Short Form)

Alex’s History teacher, his mother, Ms. Williams, and Alex completed the Conners 3 – Short Form. The Conners 3 is an assessment of behavioral functioning for individuals between the ages of six and eighteen. It looks particularly at ADHD and problems associated with ADHD, such as emotional regulation, executive functioning, and oppositional behaviors. This information can contribute to consideration for an ADHD diagnosis. T-Scores of 60 and above are considered to be higher than average. T-Scores of 70 and higher may indicate significant problems in those areas. The following is a description of common characteristics high scorers may have for each scale:

Content Scales

-Inattention: Poor concentration/attention, careless mistakes, easily distracted, give up easily, be bored, avoid schoolwork.

-Hyperactivity/Impulsivity: High activity level, restless, impulsive, difficulty being quiet, interrupt others, easily excited.

-Learning Problems: Struggles with reading, spelling, and/or math, difficulty remembering concepts.

-Defiance/Aggression: Argumentative, defy adult requests, poor control of anger, lose temper, physically/verbally aggressive, violent or destructive tendencies, bully others, manipulative, cruel, legal issues

-Executive Functioning: Difficulty starting or finishing projects, complete projects at the last minute, poor planning, prioritizing, or organizational skills.

-Learning Problems/Executive Functioning Total: Academic struggles, difficulty learning and/or remember concepts, need extra instruction, executive deficits.

-Peer Relations: Difficulty with friendships, poor social skills, limited social skills, unaccepted by group.

The Conners 3 results for Alex are as follows:

^ High Average *Elevated **Very Elevated #Low score as compared to same-age peers

Teacher and parent Conners 3 ratings indicated several areas of elevation for Alex. Inattention was Very Elevated at home and at school. Concern was also noted with Executive Function at home and at school. Parent and self-ratings additionally indicated High Average concern with Learning Problems. Based on these ratings, overall, Alex is demonstrating several behaviors that are similar to students who have ADHD.

(5) Other:

SUMMARY:

Alex is an eleventh grade student at Delaware High School who was referred for evaluation due to concerns with his academic performance. Alex has failed several classes, and has made them up by retaking during the school year, doing summer school, or other alternative options. Teachers share that Alex is motivated with content that interests him, he is generally respectful and has a good attitude, and he demonstrates good behavior. He is respectful and well spoken, but can get overwhelmed at times. Teachers further share that Alex struggles getting started with assignments and does not complete much work. He is often distracted and can distract others. He does not often ask questions, and needs step by step instructions. The current evaluation indicates that Alex’s cognitive abilities are within the Low Average range, overall, with a relative weakness in working memory (WAIS-IV FSIQ 88; WMI 83). Verbal comprehension, perceptual reasoning, and processing speed were within the average range (VCI 91; PRI 94; PSI 92). Academic assessment indicated average to upper limits of the below average scores in reading (WIAT-III Reading Comprehension 86; Word Reading 84; Pseudoword Decoding 83), average math problem solving scores (Math Problem Solving 90), and below average scores in numerical operations (Numerical Operations 72). Writing skills were measured to be within the average range (Essay Composition 99). Parent and teacher scales indicated that Alex has significant difficulty sustaining appropriate levels of attention in class and staying on task, adapting to changing environments, and overcoming challenges. Self-ratings indicated frustration with teachers, a sense of inadequacy, and test anxiety.

The following recommendations should be considered by the IEP team:

· Alex’s family is encouraged to share the results of this report with his doctor. Despite evidence of a learning disability in math calculation, Alex is demonstrating several behaviors that may be consistent with a diagnosis of ADHD.

· Alex will likely benefit from support in the following areas:

· Math Calculation

· Help Alex determine strategies to solve complex math problems

· Review and re-teaching of information as needed

· Allow for additional opportunities for practice

· Allow Alex to use student-created notes and/or a formula card on assignments and assessments

· Allow to use graphic organizers as needed

· Reading Comprehension

· Support Alex with learning and utilizing reading strategies that will help with understanding the text (i.e. highlighters, margin notes, summaries, paraphrasing)

· Allow Alex to read the comprehension questions first, and then the text, so he has an idea of what information he is looking for

· Have Alex summarize a text in his own words, and help him correct any misunderstandings

· Allow Alex to use graphic organizers and other outlines to help support him in understanding texts

· Executive Functioning

· Chunking information and breaking things down

· Helping Alex getting started on/initiating tasks

· Allow Alex to take a break if overwhelmed

· Reminders and support for assignment completion and submission

· Help Alex prepare for tests, and help him to develop study skills and appropriate, effective test preparation strategies

· Redirect as necessary

· Preferential seating in close proximity to the teacher and away from distractions

· Pair Alex with positive peers when doing group work

SECTION B: LEARNING DISABILITY (Complete for LD category only)

SECTION C: ELIGIBILITY DETERMINATION (complete for ALL disability categories)

IMPORTANT NOTE:

A child shall not be determined to be a child with a disability if the determinant factor for that determination is: (1) lack of appropriate instruction in reading, including the essential components of reading instruction (as defined in § 1208(3) of the ESEA); or (2) lack of appropriate instruction in math; or (3) limited English proficiency.

X Based upon review of the data, the team determines ___ALEX BROWN-WILLIAMS_

(Name of Child)

MEETS the eligibility criteria to receive special education and related services in the following

disability category(ies):

Autism

Orthopedic Impairment

Deaf/Blind

Other Health Impairment

Developmental Delay

Preschool Speech Delay

Emotional Disability

Speech and/or Language Impairment

Hearing Impairment

Traumatic Brain Injury

X

Learning Disability

Visual Impairment

Intellectual Disability (check one)

Mild Intellectual Disability

Moderate Intellectual Disability

Severe Intellectual Disability

Based upon review of the data, the team determines ________________________________