Question about testing in classroom

[hrtmom3]

I am looking for some information on testing in the classroom. Are the schools allowed to say no testing in the classroom? I have a friend who has not been having good results implementing a 504 as the school seemed to stall for one reason or another. I believe she did finally get one in pretty close to the end of the year so her daughter could attend 5th grade week school camp. Her daughter goes into the 6th grade next year (Jr. High here). and they are telling her that she must keep her testing, low treatments, etc. in her locker and that she is not allowed to test in the classroom. I did find something saying that the schools do have a right to say, no testing in the classroom. Is that done differently from state to state? I did find out that the next town over allows testing in the classroom. We live in Washington. Can someone direct me in the direction to find this info?

Also, do most do a new 504 each year or do they carry over to the next year, even if at a different school, although in the same district?

[momof3sons]

I don't know the answer to the first part of you question, but as a person who works in a public school, I do know that 504 plans are updated annually. You need to have at least one meeting per year to review elegibility and update modifications. If you go to another school, the 504 travels with you. Although the 504 should travel to the new school with the student's records, I would make sure the new school was aware that there is a 504 in place and give them a copy.

[Ella's mom]

Hi Martha!!

Geesh what a bummer about the girl still being told no to in classroom testing. I would keep at it until we got the go ahead for in classroom testing. We have a green light for this coming fall for in classroom BG checking for Ella. I used statements like this- "I am not comfortable with Ella having to walk to the nurses office to check her BG" and "I am bothered that she won't be allowed to be treated for a low BG while in classroom" The nurse changed her tone to in classroom BG checking then.....not sure if that will be strong enough for this family? Hoping things get set up in place for them:cwds:

[KatieJane'smom]

Our school is the same way, didn't want my DD carrying her supplies with her so I got a "perscription" from the Dr. saying she needed to carry her stuff with her. They wanted her to walk (down several hallways alone) to the nurse's office to test. I just said, "I know that the nurse & principal would prefer her to test in the office but by law, she's allowed to test and treat in the classroom so that's what she'll be doing." Don't ask, just tell them the plan.
Our school used many stalling tactics to avoid 504 placement. I tried being nice, educate them, gave them tons of material about why she qualified, etc.
After a year & a half & three 504 denials (because she is at the top of her class & isn't struggling academically) I have hired a couple of attorneys to take up the fight. They plan to file in Federal court. I'll let you know how that goes. I'm just weary of fighting for every little thing (like going to restroom when she needs to and being on an athletic team, etc.)

[danismom79]

http://www.k12.wa.us/HealthServices/DiabetesCare.aspx

[CC'sMom]

This is one subject that gets my blood boiling. And I've posted about it a lot, so I'll try try to make my short :p. Regardless of having written doctors instructions she was not allowed to test in class. She's going to high school in the fall and I'm trying to get a 504. Everyone is on board except for the nurse that says she can't even carry a fast acting carb with her. When I got upset about this she said she could carry 3 glucose tabs (yeah, thanks). I'm getting tired of fighting too.....

[jendean]

They are allowed to say anythign they want. Then you just go put it in your 504 plan, have the doc sign it, or just get the doc to write a script saying that testing can occurr wherever your child wants it to, or wherever your child is at the time.
:) They cant go against that.

[KitKat]

I am looking for some information on testing in the classroom. Are the schools allowed to say no testing in the classroom? I have a friend who has not been having good results implementing a 504 as the school seemed to stall for one reason or another. I believe she did finally get one in pretty close to the end of the year so her daughter could attend 5th grade week school camp. Her daughter goes into the 6th grade next year (Jr. High here). and they are telling her that she must keep her testing, low treatments, etc. in her locker and that she is not allowed to test in the classroom. I did find something saying that the schools do have a right to say, no testing in the classroom. Is that done differently from state to state? I did find out that the next town over allows testing in the classroom. We live in Washington. Can someone direct me in the direction to find this info?

Also, do most do a new 504 each year or do they carry over to the next year, even if at a different school, although in the same district?

Hi Martha,

I have attached the link to the law in Washington State. I hope this helps.

http://apps.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=28A.210.330

It appears to me your school doesn't know the law.

Good luck,
Kathy
ADA School Advocate

[selketine]

The ADA will send your their school discrimination packet for free by calling 1-800-DIABETES. It has great info - same info and more is on their website.

In a public school a child that age should definitely be allowed to self test and carry supplies in the classroom or anywhere..

[KatieJane'smom]

Our school, including the nurse, could have cared less about all the ADA info. They are bound & determined not to place my DD 504 - hence the attorneys. She's getting a service dog this summer because she gets no help at all from the nurse or anyone else. They are really freaking out about that & scrambling around trying to figure out a way to deny access.

[KitKat]

You need to contact the ADA 1-800-Diabetes. They CAN NOT deny you a 504, legally. Here is the link to Texas law http://www.diabetes.org/uedocuments/HB984.final.pdf

When you call the 1-800-DIABETES number they will put you in contact with your trained ADA school advocate in your state.

Good luck

[khoward1017]

I am just so sorry that you all have to go through all of this. Before my son started school I read all the message boards and knew that I needed to get a 504 ready and bring to school. I talked to school during his registration and they said we will have a meeting a few weeks before school starts. Okay..fine. No one called. I called and no one ever answered the phone. At meet your teacher day I was talking to his teacher and asked her when Logan meeting would be held since school started in 2 days ad she didn't even know Logan had diabetes. She had never had a child in class with diabetes. I was very nervous at this point. Talked to administration and they said that I need to go to middle school and set up meeting with another lady. She wasn't in. Called her and left v/m. No return call. Called her the next morning and she told me that he could just start school and us have the meeting later on. I aked her if she was crazy. My son's teacher didn't know how to help him check his blood or what good number or bad number were and she wanted me to let my 5 year old go on to school. I was so terrifed. I started calling different districts and checking on open enrollment. She finally fit me in for a 504 plan but told me she could only give me 30 minutes of her time. I went in there prepared to battle! I got there 20 minutes before she even showed up and talked to the teacher, nurse, and principcal. I told them about her and they kept apologizing. They promised me that she would not be involved at all....except for signing the 504. But since I came into the meeting so mad....I didn't met anyting slip. The nurse even added a few pages of things that had been problems with some of her students before. She is wonderful! She will not let Logan leave the classroom without an adult walking him unless his blood sugar is within range. I feel so lucky to be in this district.

So keep trying. I would look into other district or whatever it took to feel comfortable..

[frizzyrazzy]

this is what Washington state law says - with or without a 504:
http://apps.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=28A.210&full=true#28A.210.330
This is all you need. Print it, bring it to them. End of story.
RCW 28A.210.330


(iv) The provision for students to perform blood glucose tests, administer insulin, treat hypoglycemia and hyperglycemia, and have easy access to necessary supplies and equipment to perform monitoring and treatment functions as specified in the individual health plan. The policies shall include the option for students to carry on their persons the necessary supplies and equipment and the option to perform monitoring and treatment functions anywhere on school grounds including the students' classrooms, and at school-sponsored events;

[hrtmom3]

this is what Washington state law says - with or without a 504:
http://apps.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=28A.210&full=true#28A.210.330
This is all you need. Print it, bring it to them. End of story.
RCW 28A.210.330


(iv) The provision for students to perform blood glucose tests, administer insulin, treat hypoglycemia and hyperglycemia, and have easy access to necessary supplies and equipment to perform monitoring and treatment functions as specified in the individual health plan. The policies shall include the option for students to carry on their persons the necessary supplies and equipment and the option to perform monitoring and treatment functions anywhere on school grounds including the students' classrooms, and at school-sponsored events;

Thanks, that's just what I needed. Every thing I was looking at was saying the first part of that paragraph about easy access, but couldn't find the later part that said option to perform anywhere on school grounds. Thanks again, I will copy and pass this on to her.

[KatieJane'smom]

You need to contact the ADA 1-800-Diabetes. They CAN NOT deny you a 504, legally. Here is the link to Texas law http://www.diabetes.org/uedocuments/HB984.final.pdf

When you call the 1-800-DIABETES number they will put you in contact with your trained ADA school advocate in your state.

Good luck

Thank you so much! I actually had made a copy of this after the first time they denied 504. I highlighted parts, etc. along with lots of other stuff from ADA. I asked numerous, numerous times for the names of the people that my DD could go to who were the "other diabetic trained personnel" besides the nurse according to HB 984. I never got an answer - just that there were some other trained staff - which, of course, there were not.

I did call ADA & they did advocate for me in that area and forced the school to train some people (coaches, band directors) since they were breaking the law - my DD was not the only diabetic at that school, she was just the newest - they had, apparently, been breaking the law ever since it came into effect in the 90's.

The ADA did not, however, help with the 504 denials. We have had 3 in the past year & a half since diagnosis. The school districts theory is that my DD has a disability but not one that "substantially affects a major life activity" and that her "insulin is a mitigating factor" and fixes her blood sugar so Ta - Da! Problem solved.

I'm just so, so tired of trying to educate them, take time off work to meet with them, and argue every single little issue like where to test and how many times she can go to the restroom and oh, here's the funniest point so far - "What if she brought her diabetic alert service dog to school and it alerted ANOTHER diabetic that their blood sugar was too low?" And that would be a bad thing, how??? I'm so sorry, my service dog just kept you from having a siezure, my apologies!

[ScottB]

I remember a post some time ago where someone had a serious 504 issue with the school their child was attending and it centered around testing in the classroom, the school simply refused and the mother was at her wits end fighting them to comply. It turned out the reason the school refused was because of miscommunication and they assumed the mother wanted their child to be allowed to test in the classroom every day on a regular basis as in before and after meals. The mother made it clear that she was only concerned about her child being able to test in class when her child sensed her BG going low which in her case was something that did not happened very often nor did it happen on a regular basis. Once that point was made clear and knowing how serious a low BG could be, that's when the school agreed.

I guess the key word here is "if" but if your friends daughter is able to sense a low BG on her own and if she doesn't go low on a daily basis and this is made clear to the school, maybe the school will reconsider especially if they are aware of how serious a low BG can be and the importance of detecting and treating it promptly.

[TerpSteph]

I feel fortunate that we were able to get a 504 in place for our son rather easily. The process started when we contacted the College Board reps about accomodations for the SAT within days of Matt being diagnosed. (Without approved accomodations, he would not be allowed to check his BG, have water or a snack without losing testing time.) We had our doctor write a script stating he needed to carry his meter, insulin/insulin injecting equipment and fast-acting carbs at all times and he should be given additional time for exams, if necessary, to treat either hypoglycemia or hyperglycemia. His HS counselor put together a 504 meeting within a day.

One of the requirements we had to meet was to show that his learning could be affected by D. We went in armed with our copy of the Pink Panter book where we highlighted the section that describes the effects of hypoglycemia. That did the trick. They agreed to testing in the classroom when we argued that was unfair to Matt because it may be dangerous for him to leave if he was low and he would miss instruction every time he had to leave for testing/snacking. (He was on NPH/Reg at the time.) It probably helped that he is older and the school had five Type 1 D kids this year, so they are used to the demands of diabetes. They did ask him to stop at the nurse's office to test before lunch right after his diagnosis and he complied with that. The nurse's office is near the cafeteria and HS students have a little more freedom to move about the building than younger kids, so it wasn't much of an imposition for him.

I wish your friend good luck in getting things resolved for her daughter.

[selketine]

It turned out the reason the school refused was because of miscommunication and they assumed the mother wanted their child to be allowed to test in the classroom every day on a regular basis as in before and after meals. The mother made it clear that she was only concerned about her child being able to test in class when her child sensed her BG going low which in her case was something that did not happened very often nor did it happen on a regular basis. Once that point was made clear and knowing how serious a low BG could be, that's when the school agreed.


That might work for that kid but I would personally feel uncomfortable that an older kid (like middle school/high school) was unable to test in the classroom at regular times plus when they didn't feel right. I would think the school (teachers or administration, etc) is going to be watching and judging and the child might not feel comfortable going with their feelings if the tests seem too often. ("you just tested yourself an hour ago - you should not be doing it again").

If the kid is in elementary school I think there is more need for supervision.

Another parent (maybe on another board - I can't remember if she posted here) had a big problem too with her high school kid - and this was TX. They were denied a 504 and appealed and went to mediation. The mediator decided against the family. I never understood that case but I know the mom was exhausted with her efforts with those folks in her Texas school district.

[deafmack]

I am looking for some information on testing in the classroom. Are the schools allowed to say no testing in the classroom? I have a friend who has not been having good results implementing a 504 as the school seemed to stall for one reason or another. I believe she did finally get one in pretty close to the end of the year so her daughter could attend 5th grade week school camp. Her daughter goes into the 6th grade next year (Jr. High here). and they are telling her that she must keep her testing, low treatments, etc. in her locker and that she is not allowed to test in the classroom. I did find something saying that the schools do have a right to say, no testing in the classroom. Is that done differently from state to state? I did find out that the next town over allows testing in the classroom. We live in Washington. Can someone direct me in the direction to find this info?

Also, do most do a new 504 each year or do they carry over to the next year, even if at a different school, although in the same district?

Here is the Washington State Law.. The school is breaking State Law. Of course I do not know if your friend lives in Washington but I am assuming she does.
http://apps.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=28A.210.330

I gave a copy of the law to another mother who was having the same fight and she was able to get things turned around. Under the Diabetes Care Law in Washington all students with Diabetes are allowed to have and carry their diabetes supplies with them at all times and to test and treat at any time on school grounds. There is more but the school district is dead wrong.
Hope this helps. You can pm if you want.