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Originally Posted By Graham

Hi Kris, I thought I'd have to explain that IEP comment a little more! So many adopted children need additional assistance at school for a variety of reasons. Many have soft neurological effects of interuterine substance exposure, including nicotine and alcohol. Others have subtle neurochemical imbalances due to trauma or inadequate attachment as a toddler. Some have challenging behaviors, some fear success and try to fail to be safe, and others just didn't have tip top genes and need some extra help to learn in a class setting. Thankfully we have special education as a federal requirement, with small classes, twice the number of aides, extra materials, resource specialists, individual teaching plans, adaptive PE, skilled and dedicated teachers and access that is guaranteed by federal law. As an adoption social worker I often pushed to get children who could qualify set up with IEP's so that they could access the higher quality classrooms that a Learning Handicapped environment provided. With classes of 40+ and tired, disillusioned teachers the regular classrooms can be a grim experience. Not everywhere of course, but certainly where I live. For the record, of my younger kids one is in private school, one is in regular grade school, and one is in regular school with an IEP and resource specialist assistance.
Graham.