Baffled by Case Managers Advice (California laws?)

[mykids]

My son told me that his case manager advised him to challenge school to get diploma now and then he can continue on to community college now instead of waiting 2 years to graduate high school. He then told him to make sure I understood that this advise was coming from a “neighbor” and not as a teacher.

I’m trying not to over react because I want my son to still come to me with things. I’m really not happy with this advise and not sure of what to think of it and not sure what to do if anything.

Any thoughts?

[healthy11]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but you live in CA, and your son will be entering his Junior year of H.S. (11th grade). Is he age 18 yet? I wonder what prompted the case manager to mention anything to your son about challenging the school to get his diploma now. Do you think your son might have said something like, "I'm sick of this school and wish I was out of here and in college already?"

I don't live in CA, but I know there's the CASHEE, an "exit requirement exam," for students to get a diploma. According to www.cde.ca.gov/ta/tg/hs/ some students with disabilities don't have to take it, but I'm not sure whether that means all students with IEPs, or some other criteria? Did your son already take the CASHEE in grade 10, and if so, has he passed all the sections of it?

FYI, my son started to take community college classes while he was still in high school. From what I can tell, your son might also be able to enroll in community college classes now. secure.californiacolleges.edu/college_planning/california_community_colleges/Admission_Requirements/enrollment_while_in_high_school.aspx

[mykids]

Yes in Ca, starting 11th grade. Not 18 until towards end of next year. They were working on his schedule and I think both frustrated that he can not get classes he wants and needs, like spanish 3 so that he does not have to take a foreign language in college. There is a good possibility my son made a comment about wishing to be done with high school. He has always and still does voice the desire to not have to go to school. He commented to me that this would be what he always wanted, to get out of school and get a job. He thinks he can just get a good job out of high school and sounds like he now is not sure about going to college because he does not know what he wants to do.

He passed the CASHEE, barely, but he passed. Yes students with IEP’s can still get a diploma if they do not pass CASHEE.

Is challenging school the same as getting a GED? or is it an actual diploma saying you graduated from a specific high school?

[healthy11]

I modified the title of your post, to try and get some people from CA to comment. Unfortunately, the rules for getting a regular diploma as well as getting a GED are different in every state. (And there's a case in the San Francisco Unified School District where they want to differ from the rest of CA: news.yahoo.com/video/phasing-states-high-school-exit-022540739.html )

Where I live, there is no formal high school exit exam, but there are state requirements that students must take a certain number of classes (They are listed at www.isbe.net/news/pdf/grad_require.pdf and include a minimum of 3 years of math, which have to include algebra and geometry content.) Those specific requirements, especially for math, often make it harder for students with disabilities to graduate with a regular diploma, so instead they can get a "certificate of completion." (Note: that's not the same as a GED.) In my state, unless a student had already passed a lot of advanced coursework, it would be nearly impossible for a student to graduate with a full diploma after only 2 years.

For GED requirements in California, see www.cde.ca.gov/ta/tg/gd/gedfaq.asp

As far as your son not being able to get into Spanish 3, I'm really surprised it's only offered at a time of day when he can't take the class. Could the counselor move more of his other classes around, so the Spanish does fit into his schedule?

[kewpie]

I think the CAHSEE and the GED would carry similar weight but I can't be sure. I believe completing one of the two would allow your son to take a class at a CC. The best way is to check the website of the CC for entrance requirements.

I am baffled by the advice given by the school. I agree with Healthy about the scheduling. It would definitely be worth a meeting to follow up with the staff who apparently said such a thing. There is always the possibility that your son may have mis-interpreted the message or only hear what he wanted to hear.

Email or call the staff and say you are confused by what your son said and were trying to figure out what they really meant. You may need to call an IEP meeting if such a statement was accurate.

[mykids]

I have confirmed that they are not offering Spanish 3 at all because they do not have a teacher. I’m waiting to hear back as to what our options are. Also waiting to hear back from teacher to discuss his advice to challenge school.