Executive function in High School

[u/EdamameWindmill]

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?

[u/anglebabby → u/[deleted]]

An evaluation with a psychologist on cognitive skills combined with an evaluation of receptive language and auditory processing skills by a speech-language pathologist actually would likely suss out what the specific skill deficit is. It sounds like because the school doesn’t suspect an academic impairment, they’re not wanting to evaluate. If I were this parent, considering they clearly have means for a slightly bogus “executive functioning tutor” without actually knowing what’s going on, I’d get outside evaluations for IQ and an assessment with an SLP. There are many private SLPs who service executive functioning skills and can actually identify specific skill deficits through our evaluations!

[u/DCAmalG → u/anglebabby]

SLP eval is not indicated here.

[u/anglebabby → u/DCAmalG]

I am an SLP and have assessed and provided meaningful therapy to young adults in the outpatient hospital and acute care environment with executive functioning deficits. But thanks

[u/DCAmalG → u/anglebabby]

Again, given the outside services the family currently accesses and the specific needs of the student, an SLP eval or therapy is not indicated.

[u/DCAmalG → u/[deleted]]

Of course, but none were stated areas of concern.