Honor's Classes

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Is it typical for an aspie to be recommended for honor's classes in school? Will this have any effect on the IEP? Can agreeing with the recommendation have a negative impact on an IEP review? A year or two down the road - I don't want E to be found ineligible for an IEP because of this. Any thoughts on this would be appreciated!

Lynn

no experience with that here.....2 of my kids have been/are in gifted and talented programming, though, and it hasn't effected services that they receive in a negative way

At my school, I had to be taken off IEP and receive no accommodations before they would let me participate in the gifted program.

I probably would ask a child advocate in your area about this one. I had a friend in high school who had to give up IEP to attend regular classes (not even honors classes). Her parents had to push to get special accomodations for her when it came time to take standardized testing. She was dyslexic.

Older daughter, suspected to have Asperger's, who is in college now went through the G&T program in elementary and middle schools. She took honors classes in certain areas in high school.

The programs were beneficial to her.

She had contact with good teachers, other kids working at her ability level, and that is where most of her friendships came from.

My aspie son is in the G&T program in elementary school. It is something he really looks forward to. I think he's doing ok there, but the current teacher is not as supportive as my daughter's was. My son is content, and that is the most important part.

Other older daughter, NT, took honors classes in High School. She didn't always do as well, but finally started making the effort and did well in her senior year.

I suspect that kids, as individuals, may or may not want the G&T stuff, or the honors stuff. It can bring some more complications with it.

Got nothing to lose by trying?

oops..non-parent here again...
The GT classes helped me out immensely...I did so poorly in "regular" classes...mostly due to the distractions of constantly being teased...not understanding the teachers because the classes were so big and distracting..and so-on...
I also did poorly in honors classes...I was placed there due to my standardised test scores in jr-high...had been recomended for "Vangaurd" or GT classes in elementary school but there was no room....Honors classes were better, but still too conventional for me.

As my "best friend" at the time (Who actually helped me get into the GT classes) pointed out, GT is basicly Special ED for smart kids....at least where I went to school...

Thanks for all the input.

It's one class that E was recommended for, language arts. I agree that it will put her with like-minded students - and less distraction by peers who don't want to learn.
We discussed the work load, and she doesn't seem to mind that she will be required to do more work. My fear is not having the IEP to support her in other areas.

The school let my bf skip 6th grade and if I'm not mistaken he was diagnosed in 5th

I (not diagnosed) was sent back to third grade after switching schools and havng a nervous breakdown. This was after they had placed me in special advanced programs at my old school...but we moved a few days later.
My new school did have a Vangaurd program, but it didn't transfer over...ironic that I was singled out for advanced classes and then sent back a year....

is there a way you can check with the school system about the possibel loss of the iep?

Ster - I talked to her counselor yesterday (phone call initiated by another issue )
She said she would check with some of the SpEd teachers - she didn't think it would be an issue - the class is only one - and it's clear that she needs a lot of help with math and organization even though her language skills are above grade level.

On a side note, I never heard of Vangard - is this in the states?

never heard of vangard either.......sounds like the iep will be ok....

It's not that unusual probably. In fact my grades went UP when I went into honors classes, even ones that I struggled in due to a learning disability.

I am no attorney or education specialist, but it seems illegal to require an IEP or accommodations be dropped to go to advanced classes. A school is always required to provide necessary accommodations due to a disability, I don't think the law says "except for honors classes"

My oldest son is diagnosed with Asperger's and he is in the International Baccalaureate program in his high school. It is an honors program but is unique in that it is known as "world school". http://www.ibo.org/diploma/

He also has an IEP and it was questioned with regards to the IB program and its guidelines. It was decided that his accomodations didn't change the material or courses, they only changed the "manner" in which he learns and allows him to deal with the environment differently. He is still coded as "gifted" and with Asperger's and has his IEP while being able to work the IB program.

Technically, most honors programs are designed for children like ours. The good ones recognize that all children learn differently and will nurture and accomodate those differences.

I wish you and your daughter all the best.