Bailey was a cheerful 3rd grader who loved gymnastics, drawing, and making friends. She always had a bright smile, but school was often difficult for her.

During ELA, Bailey struggled to stay focused long enough to finish assignments, and reading was one of her biggest challenges. She frequently loses her place or skip lines without noticing. When she came to unfamiliar words, she would freeze and quietly guess instead of sounding them out.

Every time Mrs. Frizzle asked someone to read aloud, Bailey's stomach twisted into knots. She worried others would laugh if she made a mistake. Because reading took her longer than her classmates, Bailey often rushed through her work without checking it. 

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Mrs. Frizzle, noticed that Bailey was trying very hard, even when things felt frustrating. One afternoon after school, she called Bailey's parents.

I think Bailey is a very smart girl, but I think she may need extra support to help her learn.

Bailey's parent agreed. Homework often took hours because Bailey became distracted or upset while reading. Sometimes she even cried at the kitchen table because she felt like she was "bad at school."

The school explained that Bailey had the right to a Free Appropriate Public Education, which meant she could receive support and services at school to help her succeed. Bailey's parents felt relieved knowing the school wanted to hlep her instead of punishing her for struggling.

F: Free

A: Appropriate

P: Public

E: Education

Soon the school, began an Appropriate Evaluation to better understand how Bailey learned. The school psychologist observed Bailey during class, gave her reading and attention tests, and talked with her parents and teachers. 

After evaluation, the team discovered Bailey had ADHD and a reading disability that made reading and focusing much harder for her than for most students her age. 

ASSESSMENTS

Although Bailey's parents felt nervous hearing the results, they were also thankful to finally understand why school had been so difficult for her.

A meeting was held to create Bailey's Individualized Education Program. They talked about her strengths and they made goals to help improve her reading and focus in class. 

The team decided Bailey would receive extra time on tests, breaks, reduced assignments, prefriential seating, scribe and reader for tests.

RESOLUTION!

Next, the team discussed Bailey’s Least Restrictive Environment. They agreed Bailey should stay in her regular classroom with her classmates for most of the school day. However, she would also spend part of her morning in a smaller reading group where she could get extra support.

At first, Bailey felt nervous about leaving class for reading help.

"Why do you get to leave early?" one student whispered one morning.

Bailey looked down at her shoes and stayed quiet...

When Mrs. Frizzle noticed Bailey seemed upset, she spoke to the clss about how everyone learns differently. 

Some students need glasses to help them see. Soem students need extra help with reading. We all use different tools to learn.