Story of Justice: Johanna Gets the Help She Needs
Background
Johanna* is an eighth-grade student with Language Impairment and ADHD. When her mother sought assistance from ELRP, Johanna had an IEP based only on her ADHD. Despite having an IEP, Johanna was struggling in school and receiving D’s and F’s. While the school district had identified Johanna as having an Other Health Impairment (OHI) due to her ADHD, they failed to also properly identify her Language Impairment.
Assistance
Johanna’s mother reached out to Legal Aid Service of Broward County (LAS) for help. LAS attorneys met with the child’s IEP team and requested a re-evaluation to determine whether she had a Language Impairment. The team agreed to perform the Re-evaluation. They also agreed to provide counseling to address Johanna’s self-esteem and emotional issues; these issues were not being addressed by the school district until our involvement.
Why It Matters
The results of the re-evaluation confirmed the child had a Language Impairment and needed language therapy immediately.
Due to LAS’s advocacy, the school district agreed to provide one-on-one language therapy to Johanna three times a week.
The school district also began providing Johanna with Specialized Instruction services twice weekly to address her academic deficits. Since Legal Aid’s involvement, the school has been monitoring Johanna’s academic progress closely. Her grades have improved significantly, and her mother reports that Johanna is happier and no longer suffers from low self-esteem!
*Names and images have been changed to protect the privacy of our clients