Do You Know What Remediation Program Is Being Used?

Parents regularly ask us to help investigate why the IEP is not helping to improve their child’s reading or math or other skills. Our first questions are, “What remediation program is being provided to your child and how is it being adminstered?” It is a rare case when the parent knows what program is provided. The truth is that knowing the name of the program and how that program must be implemented according to the research usually makes all the difference.

So, first, we have the parent meet (in person or otherwise) with the teacher/service provider (who provides the IEP service minutes) to find out what program is being used during the IEP service time and ask whether one program is used during that time or whether several reading programs are used and for the names of all the programs being utilized with the child. The parent should be sure to understand what program is used for math and what one is used for reading, and how each is being administered and how long is spent on each program every day and week. If this is a telephone call or in-person conversation, we want the parent to get a clear picture of what happens during their child’s IEP service minutes.

If reading progress is the issue, the parent will want to know how many of the minutes are spent on the reading program. If small group instruction is involved, the parent will also want to find out if other children in the group are at the same reading level, whether they are using the same program, and, if so, whether they are all being taught the same content regardless of their reading level, etc. In addition, the parent should ask whether the program(s) are being administered in a step-by-step fashion, whether a script is followed, whether there are end of level or mastery assessment adminsitered (if so, get copies), and whether just pieces of the various programs are being used as a push in to the class work. You can see why this should be a conversation as an email could be overwhelming to the teacher. If the parent refuses to have the conversation, we suggest a friendly email only asking one or two questions at a time, with additional questions put forth in follow-up emails.

We then research the identified program(s) to determine whether it is designed to remediate reading disabilities, whether there is any supporting research, and what that research says about how the program is supposed to be administered in terms of small groups or on a 1:1 basis, how many sessions per week and minutes per session, and whether a script and end of level or mastery assessments are required. If the program was not designed and researched to remediate reading disabilities (as opposed to reading delays), then the research does not support its use for a student with dyslexia or other reading disability. In this situation, we would have the parent request an IEP meeting and then bring such information to the attention of the IEP team, along with their proof of a lack of appropriate progress with the use of that program. We would also want the parent to discuss with the IEP team whether a research-based program designed to remediate reading disabilities would be more appropriate as well as which program should be considered and why. If an IEP is implemented and the reading program chosen is found to be a failure, it is entirely appropriate for the IEP team to discuss what program will be used instead, especially if the program used was not designed for the student’s reading disability.

On the other hand, if there is research supporting the program’s success with students with the reading disability at issue, we investigate how the program was administered as part of that research and compare it to what was happening during the child’s IEP service minutes. If the program is not being provided to the student in accordance with that research, it is no longer research-based and we are not surprised if the student is not improving. Of course, the parent should request an IEP meeting to discuss this point, making sure to bring their proof that the student is not making appropriate progress. If the research indicates that the program is successful when given on a one-to-one basis, or in a small group with other students at the same level, in a specific step-by-step fashion with step-up assessments, and with a minimum of two times a week for 50 minutes per session, well then the child should also receive it in the very same fashion for progress to be expected. So, the parent would request such compliance at the IEP meeting if the student is not making appropriate reading progress.

Sometimes teachers will use bits of multiple programs, meaning none of them are being used according to the research. Other times, teachers will use one program but not in the step-by-step fashion supported by the research, but rather based upon what is being taught in class. In other instances, there are so many students with different reading levels in the small group that the teacher is not providing appropriate reading lessons for any of the students. We have seen teachers start a good reading program mid-way through the program for certain kids “based on their reading levels”, but usually all of these programs require the student to start at level 1 (and they will just move up quickly for some of the early levels), and so that is another reason why some students don’t make progress as they lack the foundational skills.

There are so many reasons why a student fails to make appropriate reading progress despite having an IEP in place and these are just a few of the things we think about when first investigating such a problem. And, once a parent knows how the program is supposed to be administered and correct it with the IEP team if needed (if the student is already receiving 1:1 lessons you may be able to work it out in a friendly way with the reading teacher), she can find creative ways to ensure it continues to be implemented properly like, for instance, asking for copies of the end of step assessments (which student must pass to move to the next level) or asking for notification each time the child progresses to another level.