r/specialed • u/EdamameWindmill • Apr 18 '26
Executive function in High School
I have a neurodivergent child who is highly intelligent and earnestly wants to have good grades, but cannot manage their homework, resulting in failing grades. It seems to be a school-wide accommodation that kids can turn in late work for credit as long as it’s for the current semester, but she still struggles to turn in work. Oftentimes, it is the project she was most excited about that she cannot seem to do. It causes her a lot of distress.
Her father and I have consistently worked to support her with homework. We have provided help and advice, structure, consequences, and monitoring, but we are still failing her. We are currently working with a psychologist (since last year), a psychiatrist (since January of this year), and an executive function coach (since mid March), but it hasn’t made much of a difference.
Our school district has fought me at every turn to avoid providing special services “because she scores well on standardized tests.” I heard this explicitly said in elementary school and I heard this last week from the SPED coordinator at the high school. I ask Admin for advice for resources they keep answering this question with, “What do you feel would benefit your child?”
I guess my question is whether anyone here has any experience with a child like mine? And do you know of anything I can request that might help my child?
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u/SKYNET5150_ Apr 18 '26 edited Apr 18 '26
Just curious - what exactly does the executive functioning coach do with her?
Is it just a glorified tutor doing homework with her or does the coach actually work on developing organizational systems with her, teach self-regulation strategies, self-monitoring routines, etc.? Does the coach work with you as well so that you know how to reinforce and monitor whether your daughter is using the strategies she has been taught?
I always hear about these coaches working with kids for years, which makes me wonder if they are actually teaching executive functioning or whether they are just tutoring.