My daughter is currently in kindergarten she was placed in a general 12-1 with a special ed teacher , i just had a meeting with the teachers including speech for her to have an IEP , they want to put her in special ed next year because she is behind and needs the slow pace help , both me and my mother dont like the whole idea of her being in special ed we dont feel she needs it , but everything her teachers said makes me understand why they feel she should be in it for first grade , my mother is worried that were labeling her and that if we put her in special ed it will be hard to get her out later on because she had problems getting my brother out when he was in school years ago , parents are any of youes going through the same thing ? Or have any of youes had your child in it and then took them out when you felt that there meeting there standards? I just feel putting my daughter in special ed in kindergarten or first grade isnt giving her the chance , and that im putting her in it before giving her the chance … my daughter is smart and knows alot shes just alittle behind with reading shes in a level A when they say she should be in a level C , and she forgets certain things … shes only 5 years old … i did not sign the papers yet for her next year class for 1st grade i just dont no what to do … i know id rather her get the help now then me regretting it later on when shes struggling but i want to make sure that IF i sign the papers and put her in special ed next year if by her next IEP meeting if i feel she dont need to be there can i sign her out? Or will they give me a problem ?
Help a mama out and respond anonymously on our forum. Should I allow my daughter to go in Special Ed classes?
May be easier to allow her to repeat kindergarten
My daughter was in small group for pre k and now has an iep; it’s helped her tremendously! They do a yearly evaluation with me to go over her goals, and where she is. I don’t see in anyway on how it could hurt her she would get one on one help to get caught up and possibly ahead. Each year they will go over if she needs to have it again and you always have the option to opt out. As long as us as parents don’t make the special Ed label a big deal they will never know the difference either at that age they are just looking at it as going to their class.
This is not true at all! You should have your daughters best interest at heart and not be worried about a label! My son has an IEP and he was in the special ed classes… With the extra help he was able to regulate himself a lot better and get back on track … It is never the teacher’s goal to keep them in special ed they want them to be in the mainstream classes with their peers… I assure you once your daughter is caught up and on track she will be back in her mainstream classes and on her rough days she will have the choice as to whether she wants to go to her main class or her special ed class… I don’t understand why you would not want to give her the help that she needs and deserves. it’s nothing to be ashamed of!
If she’s behind some academically, but y’all don’t feel special Ed classes are needed, why not just hold her back a year to catch up?
If the school is recommending it, along with other services, yes. She needs it! It’s not about what you or grandma think about her being labeled. It’s about how your child can be most successful in the classroom setting and in her academics. Forcing her into a class setting she does not belong in and cannot keep up with will only be torturous for her.
Yes it could help her SO much. And if she starts doing better and they believe she don’t need the special Ed classes anymore they can let her go back to normal classes.
Are you kidding me?! They are helping your daughter! Grow up.
Have them add in the iep least restrictive learning environment. That way as she catches up, she can be moved to regular ed classes. Another option, do they have co taught first grade. That way she can get extra support and pull out as needed.
I think one of the biggest issue for kids with an IEP is the stigma. I firmly believe if the school is willing to give the extra help then let them! If by second grade she is excelling than have her tested out. Help never hurts!
My son has been in special ed and I was totally against him having watered down curriculum or being put in a special Ed class they worked with me but getting him classified allowed him to receive support services like having test read to him or leaving to a quieter room while doing test. It allows him to get little breaks he would not get other wise. I was told he wouldn’t make it in regular classes now he is in 7th grade and hardly qualified to stay on an iep and is expected to probably not qualify next recertification. I’m glad I allowed him to receive these little extra things to help him.
Get a tutor for summer and try that first.
It is different this day in age. The IEP will be updated every year with your child’s progress and new updated goals- such as the end result being this course of action is to catch her up to then be able to go back into the mainstream classes. I speak from experience. I have 2 children with current IEPs and one child who previously had an IEP and no longer needs one as the course of action worked and she is now going into 8th grade and is in honors classes. One of my kids that has an IEP still is in 9th grade- all honors classes and is on the high honors list.
Do what’s best for the child and stop worrying bout what people think!!! People don’t love and take care of her. You do
My son has been behind in reading for years. He goes with a teacher and other kids a couple times a week for help with reading and has come along way. Have your doctor to get a specialist to see if she has a learning disability. My son likes to play dumb sometimes in class. We were just recently told he does have ADHD
I would just hold her back a year and if next year they still recommend it, consider it
Why not just hold her back if shes 5 shes still young and maybe will grasp concepts better at 6
It’s a little wild to me if she’s 5 that they’d suggest special ed rather than holding her back. But the teachers likely know what they’re doing. If it were me, I’d probably opt to repeat kindergarten, get her an outside speech therapist, and a tutor if possible. If not, read to her every night to help her get the hang of it. Then reassess at the end of the year. If you’re unable to give her much help outside of school, (due to financial or time constraints, etc) getting special help in school would likely be her best option. But also if she’s currently 5, I see no harm in repeating kindergarten. That’s very young.
Talk to them about that ask if u can I don’t see why u couldn’t
Does she have an IEP for speech and language only? Or does she have a consultant teacher for reading and/or math? When you say place her in a special Ed classroom- do you mean a regular Ed classroom with consultant teaching services or an actually 7:1:1 classroom? In my opinion, if your child could use extra support, I would take advantage of it! To have a teacher directly work with your child 1:1 to provide additional support and modified work and help your child be successful in the classroom is an invaluable resource. Parents are part of annual review meetings that take place every academic school year in which you review the progress your child is making on their goals, and set new goals. Because a child is classified it doesn’t mean they are classified as needing such services for eternity, just as long as they need them. Personally, I would prefer my child receive all of the help they could possibly get if it was determined they really needed it. I have seen districts where families fight for these services. As the years go on, work becomes increasingly more difficult, build the strong foundation now. Early intervention is key to academic success. If at any point you feel uncomfortable with the process, look to your district’s parent advocate to help you through . Best of luck!
And IEP is a legal document to help your child in her areas of need. In Colorado the kids are retested every 3 years to see if they qualify anymore but you can always ask to have her retested. But it’s a legal document to help your child. My son had an IEP from pre k til 1st grade and he tested out of ESS.
Put her in special ed. SHE needs the help.
Coming from someone who was in special Ed classes almost all throughout school I really don’t understand where you or your mother is coming from. They’re wanting to help your daughter and your trying to control her progress from the sound of it
This is a chance for her to get some extra help (like so, so many kids do) before she gets older and it becomes way harder to intervene. Don’t look at it as “special ed”…it’s just a baby getting some extra attention with things she needs help with. All four of my kids are brilliant, good kids…but they all needed a little extra help in different ways. There’s nothing wrong or shameful about that.
My daughter went into special Ed at an early age. She is now a sophomore HS. Has straight A’s her whole life. It might be the word that scares you as it did to my ex, but let me tell you, they work at your child’s pace.
I’d let her yah could really help
All four of my kids are considered special ed but they just need a little bit of extra help &their goal is to get them out asap… we are thinking my daughter might be ready in another yr. There is nothing wrong with allowing your child to get the extra help they may need
Literally going through this with my 2nd grader, next year I agreed to have him go into a 15:1 IEP. My boy is struggling and even 1:1 at home he isn’t getting it, he has ADHD and anxiety, he is on a low dose that made a huge difference last year but not so much this year, they can “test out” of that IEP any time. Im hoping that if we continue to work on his problem areas even through summer, he’ll understand a bit more when going in to the 3rd grade. I think a smaller class will do wonders for him.
My daughter is in special Ed and it has been the best thing for her. Do it…
I would NOT label her. And I do believe that getting her “out” of that spec ed would be grueling. Perhaps a side tutor or even repeating that grade vs that.
I say this as a special needs parent so I do truly understand the need for special education. I do NOT believe it’s the answer “for a year”!
Just sayin’
She has the best relationship inside and outside of school with her teacher.
Maybe there is an undiagnosed issue like dyslexia even eye sight issues can cause reading problems. Ask about having her tested for learning disabilities including dyslexia. Also ask about sumner school or hold her back.
I have a daughter on an IEP. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with it. Every child learns differently & there’s absolutely nothing wrong with making sure your child is provided the tools, tricks & tips to excel and learn in a way that’ll allow her to retain and excel.
Honestly I was afraid of labels too, but at the end of the day my daughter does much better in her small group than in a classroom where she can’t keep up. I had to get over myself because of this ridiculous stigma that comes with children who are in special ed.
Schools don’t suggest these things unless it’s what’s best for your child, which at the end of the day should be everyone’s goal. Honestly if someone thinks my child is z, y or z because she’s in a class that teaches in her best manner they can go pound sand & frankly aren’t someone I want in my life anyway. You shouldn’t want people who stigmatize your child in your daughters life either.
Adjustments will be made to her plan each year and she may not need services at some point. But if she does long term, that’s okay! It’s what’s best for her - not peoples opinions.
She’s 5! Hold her back to do kindergarten again. Most professionals are against “labeling” until 8. Most issues with younger kids are just that, they are little. They hold very little attention span too. My sons school tried to get him labeled as autistic bc he didn’t fit what they wanted. His docs said NO! Get a tutor or hold her back.
I’ll tell you early intervention is the key to success . Once she meets her IEP goals they will drop her . But if she isn’t meeting them they’ll keep her .
Keep her in it… she needs the extra time to figure things out. If it’s not in her learning plan she could get left behind.
If she needs the extra help why deny her?
If the school already has her an IEP you had to of signed for them to test her…you knew she was behind if they talked to you about all that, so what changed? Special ed is not a bad thing and dont look at it that way. This way she can get the help she needs before she gets too much older.
Id try it for the next year. And she isn’t going to know it’s not like you may remember from your education they are separated at times an addition aid may sit in class. If it doesn’t improve the situation they u can switch her back
Having her held back is not good. That will hurt her in later years when she identifies with kids her age. Some kids don’t want to go to school because of the age difference. Maybe just let the school help her in special Ed.
Why make your child struggle so you can feel better? If she needs the slower pace, put her in it. Why not do what is best for her?
Let her get the help she needs. You don’t want her to struggle.
If you refuse they can actually report you to CWS for denying your child proper educational help.
As a parent of a little girl with speech and language issues this post kind of irritates me. I understand you’re upset about possible labeling and such but your CHILD NEEDS HELP. My daughter got placed with special education because she needed the extra help. Not every child can learn in a regular classroom. Our jobs as parents are to make sure our kids have what they need and if not give them the tools to succeed. Special education even just temporarily could be the tools she needs to succeed.
Earlier the intervention the better for her, if they fall behind in 3rd grade it’s hard to catch up. Take the help it will help her.
Ms. Rachel (songs for littles) on YouTube is SO beneficial with speech and helping kids learn and progress with cognitive skills in general. Highly recommend her! You can read other parent’s testimonials of how it has helped their child.
Sounds like you need to stop listening to your mom. There is absolutely nothing wrong with a child being in a special ed class… and it’s a flat out lie that once your child is in the class you can’t take them out!! I was in a special ed class when i was a child for a year or two and I will forever be thankful for that time! My mom had 5 of us kids and I was the youngest she worked and everything else and did not have the "time " to read to me, do spelling or anything else to do with learning if it weren’t for those classes… I would’ve struggled 1000s times more than I did and I truly wish I could’ve stayed in those classes till I graduated highschool. It’s not labeling anyone and that frame of thinking needs to get left in the 1990s… it’s a form of extra help to make sure your child excels and you should be very thankful your child gets that extra help. So yes… put her in the class and… no, don’t listen to your mom’s old way of thinking, cause it’s ridiculous!
I’m a teacher and see this often. Just because she will have an IEP doesn’t mean she will be excluded or different. She is just legally bound to receive the extra help in education. A lot of people associate SPED with being “slow,” but students who are gifted are also considered special education with IEPs. As a parent, I would want to do what I could to help my child be successful. Don’t let the label hold you back!
Absolutely!! Both of my boys have an IEP for speach its helped immensely! My oldest is in 1st grade and my youngest in kindergarten!
Absolutely do it! I was skeptical and didn’t like the idea either but my daughter started at the same age and now she’s in 3rd grade and just graduated out of speech therapy in her IEP. It can always be changed and you have a yearly meeting where you and all the teachers sit and decide what you’re comfortable with and what works for everyone.
I been on an IEP my whole life. I was in regular classes unless i was failing a subject half the school year then the other half of the year i was special ed classes for that subject that i failed. I believe being on an IEP will help especially when you feel rushed learning something in a regular class. I rather learn something slowly than learn something very fast & not completely understand what i was learning.
Don’t allow your old way of thinking hold HER back. What I mean by that is the stigma that USED to surround special education isn’t the same. If they can get her back on track before she reaches a benchmark grade, then why not? Times have changed. Put your egos to the side and get her the help she needs.
My child had an iep/504 in kindergarten. Whatever my child needs, especially for school,she gets. She even gets therapy. Not assisting your child is a failure of proper parenting. Its not a label. People just learn differently and some need more help than others. Nothing more or less.
My son has an iep. He was diagnosed with a cognitive learning disability. He is in 1st grade and he really needs help. He doesn’t fully know the alphabet yet no matter how much we practice with him he still doesn’t seem to understand and remember. He is in a normal class with all his friends. He gets pulled 3 times a week during down time in class to help him with what he needs so he’s not missing out on anything in his class.
My son has mirror image dyslexia found out in 1st grade held back did special ed help now he valdetorian graduation, speech problems cux it cleared up sorta, they eventually stop speech therapy when realized he has accent like me cuz I moved area when pregnant but he spent summers my mom and etc so they realized its accent
Your mom is 100% correct. It is very hard to get your child out of Special Education. Do an IEP plan for her. Make sure they follow it to a T.
Our case is a little different but may be an option for you, my granddaughter is struggling with letter sounds but otherwise a very smart child, my daughter had a meeting with her teacher who suggested having her repeat kindergarten and after discussing it with the teacher she called me for my opinion and I feel its best to get her the extra help now then later on when she is really struggling so that is what we all have agreed to
My kids was that same class it helps them alot
My child is in special Ed because she is developmentally delayed but in the years she has been in there there have been several students who transitioned to normal classes after they were able to catch up.
I was in special ed most of my school career by my junior yr of H.S I was in 3 Main stream classes with an extra help teacher if needed if you dont put her in she will only struggle more and get more behind and then what…your not labeling her she just might have a comprehensive issue that’s why I was in special ed you have to think of the long term effects and how much better shell thrive if she gets the help she needs the teacher wouldn’t have recommended it if they didn’t think she needed it
My son started 2nd grade in special education at the beginning of the year. By the halfway point, they were able to move him to a general education 1st grade classroom and he is thriving. Listen to the educators. Most of them really are just doing/trying to do what will ultimately be successful for your child.
Im a teacher and parent of a child who has an IEP. I understand the feelings from a mama’s heart. I also understand the way the system works. Put your child in special ed. ESPECIALLY this early! If she starts her schooling behind I promise you she will NOT catch up later. Special Ed isnt the same as it was when we were in school. Then, students were put in a room all day with special ed teachers. Now they spend the majority of their day in a regular ed classroom and are pulled out only for the areas they need help in. They are able to ‘test out’ or you are able to pull them out later. Please think of your child’s future and allow the special ed placement.
Lots of kids need extra help, getting that help early is way better than forcing them to struggle and making them hate going to school. Help her now so in later years she is a strong reader and has greater success instead of waiting until there is no denying the problem and she is struggling to keep up in later grades. You should be celebrating that the school wants to give your child the best start possible, so many kids don’t get the extra help they need early and school and learning can become a place they hate to be.
Trust me when I say this listen to the teachers I had teachers tell me that my son shouldn’t start kindergarten in
and I’ll tell you what he could do everything and more that a kindergartener could do except for he wasn’t mature enough and as I look back I wish I would listen to them Let her go now into the special classes so it won’t be a big deal
Get her the help she needs now. She can transition out later. Don’t let your mother scare you into not helping her. No child left behind. And she’s being left behind. Let her catch up to her peers. Trust when and if she’s ready education wise. The teachers will transition her out. Get her help before she’s too far behind and simply gets pushed along for the sake of a teacher not wanting to do anything.
As an elementary school teacher and a parent, I’m going to recommend that you do whatever the teachers and professionals who work with her suggest. I know it is hard as a parent, but if you don’t allow her to get the extra help she needs now, the small gaps she has now will only continue to grow. Early intervention is key to closing those gaps!
The younger they are when they get help, the more effective the help is.
Just my two cents. I’ve seen kids move in and out of special ed in my district 
I’m my opinion, more help is better than struggling.
Sounds to me like you already have your mind made up and it doesn’t matter what’s best for your child. Only matters what’s best for YOUR ego as a parent and what everyone else thinks about your parenting ability. Sad.
The earlier you start the intervention, the better it is for your child. Putting her in special Ed will not be a bad thing. Just cater to her needs and don’t worry about academics. Regular classroom does dot cater to all children, and does not define your child academically. She needs to learn at her pace, and that’s totally okay. Give her the support she needs 
Yes absolutely if the teachers think it would be best go for it.
I day no to special Ed classes. She can be in IEP and suppose to get extra help
Wait and see how she does.nxt year
Ever year you have to approve the IEP. If you don’t like what is put in there next year you don’t have to sign it. Let her get the help she needs.
Do it to help your daughter, don’t let your mom scare you. My don had an IEP through jr and sr high. His grades went from failing to a’s and b’s.
Just by reading this, your mom needs to back off. With all due respect,and a step mother to a child on an IEP, theyre helpful to have for the child to achieve their best potential in learning. Even if that means a little extra help
This isnt back in the day where there was a stigma of being slow if in special classes. Your mom needs to catch up with the current times.
Sounds like your mom is worried about your kids (amnd families) social status than the child’s welfare. Being too worried about being judged for getting special help.
Your mom needs to peddle her nonsense somewhere else
If she needs the extra help put her in she will only be labelled if you label her my sons got autism I got him help early and he’s in mainstream school keeping up with his other classmates he goes to a mainstream high school and I have made sure he gets extra help he needs and I’m sure he will keep up there I’m glad I got him the help early it makes such a difference.
Take it from someone who needed extra help as a child but never received it, do your daught the favor of seeing and accepting her need, her strengths and weaknesses and allow her to learn at a pace that she can absorb the information. Don’t let her struggle. It kills your self-esteem especially later in life.
My son has had a IEP since 1st grade and has always been in regular classes he just had to have extra time in reading and other accommodations like head phones talk to text and extended testing times. He is doing great now I’m 10th grade with all A’s. I would ask if there are any other things that can be done but if special classes is what will be best then by all means do it
Putting her in an environment where she only struggles may turn her off forever to school. Consider giving her this time to shore up her skills and then re-evaluate as needed. There is no one way to do education.
Our county has changed the guidelines with age for kindergarten. Children must be 5 before July 1st to enter Kindergarten, they realized that children under this age was more likely to fall behind/need additional time to reach goals. If your daughter is only 5 and entering first grade, maybe she just needs more time to mature and be able to focus better and a second year of kindergarten would benefit her. By no means am I saying that in a mean way. We start our children at age 6, and I’ve seen the benefits of starting school later.
Special Ed means so many different things now. It can mean any child that needs any kind of therapy. My middle child will most likely be in it.
I would listen to the teachers. They just want to give your child all the help they need to succeed.
Our child has an IEP and a special education curriculum… She has for years… It’s the best thing we ever did and it doesn’t take away from her at all… In fact, it builds her up and makes her better/stronger … I would 100% suggest this if it’s needed. They will take her off of the program if she reaches an appropriate level. Also - I saw in other posts where they talk about approving it every year - this is completely true. You have to have a meeting with your IEP team to approve any changes in curriculum and your IEP plan for the next year.
Absolutely listen to the school if you trust them.
Some schools do things differently but the goal should put your child’s interest first
Otherwise get her evaluated privately and make your decision then… but the younger you address this the better for all.
Sign her up do not worry about anything but giving your child all the help she needs to succeed
Read with her at home. Teach her the vowel sounds and blends. Make it fun. Spec Ed is nothing shameful. It will give her the support she needs to catch up.
You can remove your child at any time. But as someone who has 2 kids with IEPs, early intervention is key and why not give your kids the best supports you can to help them in school?
Go ahead and do it now. She will be reevaluated at age 9 and likely removed from special Ed then. Waiting will only make her more behind
My son was put in at 2nd grade & taken out at 6th! If the child dose not need the help anymore they will take them out… So your brother was probably not ready that’s why! You need to do what’s best for your daughter & the teachers are not going to say she needs the help for no reason!
As a parent and former IEP aid let her get the help she needs now. Better to start her young the older she is the harder will be to catch up. No one labels your child this isn’t 30 years ago. By getting her the help now Also doesnt mean she will need it forever .
Request that she not be in the class for the whole day, maybe just in there during the reading and math portions of the school day. If she needs help and they are offering it to her then take it! I workednin SPED and Gen Ed and you have no idea how hard it is to actually get a child in SPED. They are providing early intervention and If it’s at the Kinder level, sorry to say, but your daughter NEEDS it! Also, stop using the word “labeling” because coming from someone in SPED, that word is not existent in our line of work. We are providing a service to help your child learn how to be successful in an educational setting. It’s only hard to get out of services if the child actually needs the services in order to be successful. If you and the teachers see that she is improving, you can request a meeting to exit services. Your brother may have NEEDED the services which is why it was hard for your mom. I say DO IT and give your daughter the chance to Thrive. Good Luck mama!!
Do what needs to be done in order for your child to get the best education she can get. I wouldn’t worry about a label or her getting out. If she needs the slower pace and smaller class size, do it.
I don’t think there is such a stigma with needing help anymore. Give her the help she needs if they are offering. My daughter needed help and they did nothing even when I begged. She ended up repeating fourth grade. Kids are not cruel about such things anymore because it has finally become normal to help those that need the help. At least from what I’ve seen.
It’s not about labels. It’s about giving them tools for success. Don’t let your own bias and fear keep her from getting what she needs. I worked in SPED and the goal is to I terrace to Gen Ed od at all possible.
As a mom who has kids in special Ed classes. I honestly think it’s a great idea. Your child gers the help they need to achieve their goals without having other kids getting in the way
Every label opens new doors
If she is behind her peers now she will only be more behind later. I get your hesitation, however also feel you need to let go of your fears and labeling. Support classes have more time to focus on her learning and the goals of her IEP. If she is reading at 2 levels behind please help her, and ask if your school has a reading specialist. If you wait and she falls farther behind your only rergret will be that you didn’t do it sooner. If the problems correct the school will take the necessary steps to remove/transition her out of support. Some students only have support in certain subjects.
put her in private summer school over the summer and see if she catches up- that may be the deciding factor. They can move to special ed a month or two in if necessary.
my granddaughter was placed in a group like this , it helped her . she could have gotten out of it but stayed in it until she graduated highschool . went on to college , joined the military and is doimg very well . . i dont think of it as a hurtful thing . but a help up . but dont forget the school district gets more money for these kids than others
It’s easier to get her the help now than have her struggle another year
If you prefer her continuing to fall behind and struggling then I guess ignore the schools advice… but early intervention is key in her overcoming many of these issues. By even 3rd grade it will be too late if she doesn’t get the help she needs now.