An individualized education program (IEP) acknowledges the challenges of a student with special needs to help them access support in a public school. Parents who secure IEPs for their children can ask for various forms of support, ranging from therapy to testing accommodations.
As children enter middle school and high school, the demands placed on them by educators tend to increase substantially. They may eventually face a staggering workload with regular homework demands. Despite proposed reform efforts to limit homework for students, many teens and preteens spend hours every week on homework. Students with special needs may find their homework especially challenging to complete.
Can parents whose children struggle to keep up with daily coursework and complicated projects ask for homework reduction accommodations in an IEP?
Reducing workloads is a common accommodation
Teachers can potentially adjust their grading system to accommodate students who may struggle to do work as quickly as their peers. They can allow a certain number of missed assignments without reducing the student’s overall grade, so long as they demonstrate mastery of the subject matter taught.
Numerous different medical challenges could impact a student’s ability to complete homework quickly and consistently. Asking a teacher to limit homework and to adjust their grading practices accordingly can allow those who struggle with time management, attention challenges or even physical disabilities that affect their capacity to sit or write to complete their schooling without receiving a failing grade or other academic setbacks.
Parents may need to explore different ways in which the school can assist a student with special needs as they try to achieve the same academic goals as their peers. Working with an attorney familiar with special education laws and IEP accommodations can be invaluable for parents of children with special needs for this and a host of other reasons.