[Positiveone]

I hope someone could be of help here, because the Superintendent isn't! My question is, does a parent have a choice in holding their child back in school? To make a long story short my son is in first grade, he is 6 now, will be 7 later this year. The majority of his class have been 7 for a while, so he's a year younger. My son was in special education classes from pre-school to 1st grade, at the beginning of 1st grade the school told us that he would do 1st grade twice, which is what we wanted and were happy with. But now that school is over they the school teacher and Principal said we have to send him t 2nd since he passed! But the thing is he barely passed! WE had to send him to tutors year round.

Anyway, the story is long. So can a parent keep their child back? What can we do when the school said NO he's is going into 2nd!! Could we Charter school him and enter him into 1st again? We have like a week to do this, and we are getting nowhere with the Superintendent, teacher or Principal! Who else can i complain too??

Help please!!!

[photobuff42]

The short answer is that he should go on to second grade. Typically when a teacher or parent has concerns and thinks that the student is not learning the grade level standards they start that process in November. The retention decision is made between the principal, teacher and parent. If a student already has one retention a second is usually not consider, special education referral is triggered. Since your son is already in special education that part is already done. Did he meet his IEP goals?

When you say superintendent, are you referring to Dr. Rulffes or the area superintendent? If you appealed to Rulffes, you should back up and appeal to the assistant superintendent in the area your child's school is in--that is if you still want to appeal. I don't think a charter school would put him back.

[Positiveone]

Yes we did start that process in November. We kept our own notes of that date. But in Nov, his teacher clearly said we will discuss this come May 2009. So we didnt feel there was a reason to hound the school all year long. But now the teacher and principal are saying " Well you should have said something earlier"! Now thats whats driving us crazy! How could they say we didnt complain earlier when they were the ones that told us to wait until May 2009? Their answer is , we do not remember you mentioning that. So now they are saying " No Biggie" we can just hold him back in 2nd.

We tried to contact Walt Rulffes, he had somebody from his staff call us, she totally agreed with us on the phone, but ended by saying since he passed, its up to the Principal.

Now yes he passed, but thats after countless hours of being tutored! Thousands spent on Slyvan learning center and struggle he did. Sylvan even says leave him back because of his age.

So are you saying to call back Walt Rulffes and complain some more? I just dont get how a parent has no choice/say in this.

Thanks

Originally Posted by photobuff42

The short answer is that he should go on to second grade. Typically when a teacher or parent has concerns and thinks that the student is not learning the grade level standards they start that process in November. The retention decision is made between the principal, teacher and parent. If a student already has one retention a second is usually not consider, special education referral is triggered. Since your son is already in special education that part is already done. Did he meet his IEP goals?

When you say superintendent, are you referring to Dr. Rulffes or the area superintendent? If you appealed to Rulffes, you should back up and appeal to the assistant superintendent in the area your child's school is in--that is if you still want to appeal. I don't think a charter school would put him back.

[photobuff42]

No, go back to your region's assistant superintendent who supervises the principal at that school. It's better to follow the chain of command.

[lvkewlkid]

maybe talk with a board trustee or attend a school board meeting?

[Positiveone]

Thanks! I'll try that. Basically i was lied too in November and now its all school politics. I know my son better then anyone, i sit with him for 3 hours a day working with him, and they are trying to tell me I have no say in holding him back this year.

Originally Posted by photobuff42

No, go back to your region's assistant superintendent who supervises the principal at that school. It's better to follow the chain of command.

[5kingsinvegas]

I teach for CCSD and honestly it is up to the principal at the school. If the principal is unwilling to hold a child back the higher ups will usually support the decision.

[Positiveone]

I just e-mailed you, please respond. Or if anybody else can help, please do! So a parent who was told his child could be left back and now is told NO, as no legs to stand on in a debate with the Principal? Whats the negative on leaving my son back when he struggled, was tutored to no end, had to quit sports, and his so young compared to his classmates? My son is only 6, while his classmates have been 7 for some time now.

So nomatter what we do, theres no way of leaving him back? So much for a parents choice! Real nice that i was promised something in Sept and now get a NO!!

Any advice would help!

Originally Posted by 5kingsinvegas

I teach for CCSD and honestly it is up to the principal at the school. If the principal is unwilling to hold a child back the higher ups will usually support the decision.

[Soundman123]

Why didn't you just have him do another year of pre-school or 2 years of kindergarten? Why are we just now deciding he's too young?

My suggestion is to enroll him in an alternative school. I switched to an alternative high school because regular high school just wasn't working out for me. I graduated and went on to get a college degree.

Do what you've got to do, but don't ignore the problem.

[Positiveone]

We the parents, felt he was too young from the start. But we followed the Clark County schools advice and put him into the grades they suggested for his age. In 2 years of pre-school he was in special ed classes, he struggled but the school system said lets test him in Kindergarten and take it from there, that we did. Again he lagged a bit behind his classmates but passed the scores the system required, so at that time we asked Clark County to repeat him due to his struggles and age, the school system said lets enter him into 1st grade, and have him repeat 1st twice! So we were told in Sept, Oct & Nov of 2008 that our son would be repeated when the year ends, and they told us to be sure to come in and discuss this again in June of 09, which just passed. So June comes around and the teacher & Principal say to us, ah lets push him into 2nd and maybe repeat 2nd! We said, NO WAY! At grade 2, he will be too attached to friends and we know our son better then anyone. The Principal then tell us, well if you were that concerned you should have stopped by my office every few months to talk about holding him back! When we heard that we were like, What?? You the Principal & teacher said come back to discuss this in June, why should we have come back before that, she had no answer, all she said was he will be put in 2nd!!!

But I cant get a straight answer from anybody, is since we are the parent, a tax payer dont we have a say in holding our own son back a year??

Or what if we put him in a year of Private? Do private schools follow the Clark County rules as the public schools do?

I'm angry & let down by the clark county school district!!

Originally Posted by Soundman123

Why didn't you just have him do another year of pre-school or 2 years of kindergarten? Why are we just now deciding he's too young?

My suggestion is to enroll him in an alternative school. I switched to an alternative high school because regular high school just wasn't working out for me. I graduated and went on to get a college degree.

Do what you've got to do, but don't ignore the problem.