Believe it or not, we are quickly approaching the end of the first quarter of the school year. It won’t be long before Thanksgiving break rolls around, then winter break, and—poof!—half the school year is over.
Students have already submitted work for grades like homework, quizzes, exams, projects, or other academic work. Those early grades can set the tone for the rest of the marking period, semester, or even the year. What can grades tell parents/guardians about their student(s)? And what can parents/guardians do in response?
Low grades can be a symptom of an underlying disability.
A low grade—especially if unexpected—could signal that your student is struggling and needs help. That’s especially true if you excluded the student’s lack of effort as a leading cause for the low grade. There are a host of reasons that your child may be struggling that range from physical impairments (like suffering from poor hearing or eyesight) to intellectual or learning disabilities that impair the student’s ability to learn, understand, or perform in an academic setting. And your child’s struggle might not be limited to school in general but could be focused in one area like math, reading, or speech.
If you are wondering how you are supposed to figure out what is impacting your child, I have good news. Under the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, your child’s school district must not only search for students who might benefit from special-education services, but to conduct initial evaluations of those students (with consent of the student’s parent/guardian). Any parent or guardian may request that the school district conduct an initial evaluation of their child to see if they could benefit from special education or related services.
“Good” grades do not necessarily preclude special education (or related services).
It is a common misconception that a student who has good grades is not in need of special education or related services. See, e.g., G.D. ex rel. G.D. v. Wissahickon Sch. Dist., 832 F. Supp. 2d 455, 466 (E.D. Pa. 2011) (“[A]cademic progress alone cannot serve as the sole ‘litmus test’ for eligibility.” (citing W. Chester Area Sch. Dist. v. Bruce C., 194 F. Supp. 2d 417, 421 (E.D. 2002))); S.H. v. Keystone Central Sch. Dist., ODR No. 25032-20-21, at 25 (Pa. ODR May 13, 2022) (“Districts should rely on grades alone or subjective observations when weighing if a student’s condition substantially limits a student’s educational performance.”). And for students receiving special-education services, courts should not equate grades earned in special-education classes with those earned in mainstream classes. D.S. v. Bayonne Bd. of Educ., 602 F.3d 553 (3d Cir. 2010).
The reason that grades, or any other indicator of academic performance, do not by themselves determine whether a student requires special education (or related services) is because federal law requires that a student’s education include more than academics. I.T. v. 21st Century Cyber Charter Sch., ODR No. 22521-19-20, at 23 n.9 (Pa,. ODR Apr. 2, 2021) (“Hearing officers and courts interpret ‘educational performance’ to go beyond grades.” (citing W.H. Clovis Unified Sch. Dist., 52 IDELR 258 (E.D. Cal. 2009))). Indeed, good grades can sometimes mask a student’s disability and struggles that have not yet caused a dip in their grades.
For example, a child who has an inability to build and maintain interpersonal relationships, exhibits inappropriate behavior or feelings under normal circumstances, has a general or pervasive mood of unhappiness or depression, or tends to develop physical symptoms or fears may be deemed to have a “serious emotional disturbance” warranting special education.
Regardless of your child’s grades, you can have them evaluated for a disability.
Though school districts have the responsibility to evaluate children with suspected disabilities, parents and guardians do not have to wait for the school district. Parents and guardians have the right to request that the district evaluate their child for a disability. The district must grant that request unless the district believes that the child does not have any disability. Because the evaluation process can take weeks, parents and guardians should not delay in making a request for an evaluation. For tips on requesting an evaluation, click here.
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Don’t the school year slip away. If you are concerned about your child’s educational performance—regardless of their grades—request that your school district evaluate your child for a disability. You might just save a lot of time and help give your child the education they need to succeed in school and beyond.
