What if the school won't put my child in gen ed because they are behind grade level?

Parents are often concerned that their children with disabilities are not achieving grade-level curriculum standards. However, children don’t need to be on grade level to be included in general education classrooms. The idea that kids need to “keep up” is just one of the 5 Biggest Myths About Inclusion. What’s more important is that they’re making progress, particularly on IEP goals.

Children with disabilities benefit from a standards-based education tailored to their needs, even if meeting grade-level standards isn’t the primary goal. Children can also focus on other important skills to work on with their peers that aren’t written into the grade-level curriculum, such as socialization and communication.

For more information, see our article What to Do When “Inclusion” Isn’t Working.