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This comment is outside the purview of this Learning Disability page, but it needs to be noted. For those of you with mentally and physically handicapped children, and who have endured fights with your school district over your child's rights, especially if your child's handicap is severe, remember that school districts are dishonest and duplicitous over programs for your child.
For instance, they pit the parents of mainstreamed and/or mildly handicapped children against those of moderately to severely handicapped children.
In California,and probably elsewhere, districts make it seem that Special Needs Programs take money from the needs and programs of average, gifted, and other mainstreamed children. This is a lie, and is 180 degrees off the truth.
It is the other way around.
The state earmarks money for the Special Needs children, and sends it to the districts based on their Special Needs figures. THEN the districts begin to figure out ways to take money from the Special Needs programs to put into the general fund.
You need to know this, and to speak up when you hear complaints form others about "taking money form the children who do not have these problems." If parents balk at having their child's hours or services cut, the district then begins to bully and manipulate, sometimes suing the parents who do not want to revise their child's I.E.P. Other times parents have to sue the district just to keep their child's services. This is criminal. It is not difficult enough to have a handicapped child, then you have to fight the monopoly of our school system to maintain what you were told in the first place was available for your child.
When in doubt, call your county advocate. That person can tell you your rights. If you have to hire an attorney, ask around to find an attorney who is versed in the law about Special Needs. Ask your county advocate how to contact the department in the state government who is in charge of Special Education. If they receive too many complaints from a particular district they will investigate. Districts keep this very quiet, as they keep quiet about the amount of money they sped suing parents. Districts have even been known to get away with telling their school boards that legal information is not available to to them (the school board/employers.)
If this happens to you, call your country advocate, and seek out other parents in the district and learn what they have suffered. I repeat: Especially if you have a moderately or severely handicapped child, you will need to fight constantly for your child's rights with the districts as they try to put that money into programs with more "flash." Remember, 90% of most money in a district goes to administration, including bloated salaries and retirement accounts.
College Preparation for Students with Diagnosed Learning Disabilities
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Hearing from Students
Comments from students with learning disabilities:
Self assessment for students with special needs: Am I ready for college?
Medication:
As a college-bound student with learning disabilities, what are the differences in my rights in high school and those in college?
Section 504 and Title II protect elementary, secondary and post secondary students from discrimination.
Section 504 requires a free appropriate public education (FAPE) for all elementary and high school students with disabilities. It also directs the district to identify the students' particular needs and to provide education and services necessary to meet those needs.
Remember, your learning disability must be supported by an evaluation done within the last three years.
However, post-secondary schools are not required to provide a free education. Colleges are required to make appropriate academic adjustments as necessary for those with documented disabilities to ensure non-discrimination on this basis.
Are my admissions standards different than students without learning disabilities?
You do have to meet an institution's general standards for admissions. This will involve SATs, ACTs, and any other testing requirements, as well as submission of your high school GPA. Always study the web sites of your target schools.
To see an ideal college program for students with LDs and ADHD, take a look at this site:
Can a school deny me admission because I have learning disabilitiesNo. You do have to meet their basic requirements for admissions, and any school can deny anyone admission, but colleges cannot deny you admission based on your disability.
Are there lowered admissions standards for applicants with learning disabilities?
In most cases, you must first be accepted and enrolled in the school; then you would apply for the special services programs.
Do I have to tell my prospective colleges I have a learning disability?No, you do not have to inform them. However, with acceptance to their programs for students with special learning needs, you have access to an array of services, depending on the level of the programs provided by the school.
These services can include special tutors, note takers, extra time for exams, special classes, oral exams, LD specialists and other services, depending on the college's Learning Disabilities programs.
In addition:
Temple Grandin: Autistic, amazing woman What about grades and test scores from high school?Colleges may make an exception about admission requirements for students who have good GPAs, but low SAT or ACT scores. This is done on an individual case-by-case basis.
For a detailed explanation of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Section 504 as it relates to students at U.S. universities, go to Special laws for special students at U.S. Universities. Also visit this collection of on-line resources for colleges and university faculty who teach college and university students with disabilities: Special information for faculty, students and parents.
In addition, you may be interested in the LD Educational Improvement Act of 2004 A site of interest for students with physical disabilities is this one from the University of California at Berkeley: Access to the Internet for students with special needs The College Process
Review carefully all our pages from the links below, on college applications, admissions, SATs and ACTs.
If you need special help in high school, beyond the resources offered by your local high school, find special, LD qualified tutors to work with you to boost your academeic performance in ways that are beneficial to you.
Then follow our link to the additional information you need to apply to college if you have been diagnosed with learning disabilities.
In your sophomore or junior year you will be thinking about SATs or ACT exams. You will take these your sophomore or junior year, and you can take them in the fall of your senior year. With a diagnosed learning disability you may be able to sign up for an ACT or SAT nonstandard version.
All About the ACTs All about the SATs Graduate Record Exam (GRE) for people with disabilities Google Link to Scholarships for Special Needs Students, croll down page Search Colleges Four-year high school calendar specific to extra college prep steps for students with learning disabilities SEE ALSO: Calendar for ALL high school seniors College Admissions Portfolio Extracurricular Activities in high school Volunteering in high school Are you a high school athlete? Applications Admission Sites for all U.S. Public Colleges and Universities Applications Essays Teacher recommendations
Scholarships for Special-needs students: LD or Physical Handicaps
Assess yourself: Am I ready for college?
Learning disabilities four-year high school calendar for college planning
Campus visits to colleges of interest
Campus interviews Search GOOGLE for more information on Learning Disabilities
Free Textbooks- Save thousands while in college
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