Criteria for DocumentationIn order to qualify for accommodations, an evaluation with a diagnosis must be submitted. For Upper School, documentation must satisfy the criteria established by the College Board, most standardized testing organizations (ACT, etc.) and most college application policies for students with disabilities. If your child’s evaluation is nearing three years of validity upon entering the Upper School please contact the Learning Specialist as soon as possible so referrals can be made to a qualified evaluator for updating it. Evaluations have to meet both Head-Royce and College Board/ACT requirements.  This is vitally important, so that inadequate or substandard evaluations can be avoided, thus saving time, money and potential heartache.

Documentation must:

1. State the specific disability, as diagnosed. Diagnosis should be made by a person with appropriate professional credentials, should be specific and, when appropriate, should relate the disability to the applicable professional standards (e.g., DSM-IV).

2. Be current. In most cases, the evaluation and diagnostic testing should have taken place within three years of the request for accommodations. For psychiatric disabilities, an annual evaluation update must be within 12 months of the request for accommodations. For visual disabilities, documentation should be within two years, and for physical/medical, an update must be within one year from the time of the request.

3. Provide relevant educational, developmental and medical history.

4. Describe the comprehensive testing and techniques used to arrive at the diagnosis. Include test results with subtest scores (standard or scaled scores) for all tests.

5. Describe the functional limitations. Explain how the disability impacts the student’s daily functioning and ability to participate in the test.

6. Describe the specific accommodations being requested and why the disability qualifies the student for such accommodations.

7. Establish the professional credentials of the evaluator (for example, licensure; certification; area of specialization).

For more information, go to the College Board website

Learning support services in the Lower School (grades K-5) may include:

Working with each grade, K-5 in the classroom and with small groups each week to help teachers differentiate instruction

Assisting teachers in assessing progress on an ongoing basis Providing small group academic support opportunities Providing small group enrichment opportunities Helping identify questions/issues/concerns about academic

progress Working closely with each classroom teacher Working closely with the Lower School counselor Acting as a liaison to the Learning Differences Network (a

wonderful parent support group at Head Royce) Acting as a liaison between school and outside support

professionals Leading team meetings Ensuring that information about students’ learning profiles is

passed from teacher to teacher Providing consultation and support to classroom teachers Being available to parents for consultation and discussion

Learning support services in the Middle School (grades 6-8) may include:

Support and consultation to teachers and staff: consultation about student progress and learning profile classroom observation recommendation of classroom strategies implementation of accommodations access to resources and information about various learning

disabilities

Support and consultation with families: consultation about student concerns, progress and transition

between divisions referrals and timelines for outside support or evaluation assistance with collection of information for medication monitoring team meeting organization interpretation of evaluations setting priorities among evaluation recommendations collaborate with LDN to organize events and field questions

Advocacy, information, and case management support for students: maintaining testing records

acting as liaison between school and outside professionals creating learning profiles and formalizing accommodations provide information, simulations and exploratory discussion about

the range of learning and attention issues for 7th and 8th grade Life Skills class

bring students to US Amazing Minds luncheons connect MS students to US mentors in collaboration with US

learning specialist assist with transition to Head-Royce Upper School and other high

schools implementation and record-keeping of ERB accommodations

Learning support services in the Upper School (grades 9-12) may include:

Case management: keeping up-to-date records on testing, tutoring and intervention

strategies reviewing and interpreting educational assessments developing individual school plans communicate accommodations and teaching strategies to teachers communicate with outside specialists consult with parents Curricular support: classroom, teacher and student observations implementation of accommodations Student support check in with students briefly as needed to discuss accommodations

and progress provide occasional guidance with organizational and study skills assist with self-advocacy skills work closely with School Counselor to ensure emotional health of LD

student. facilitate LD club (Amazing Minds) meetings organize LD mentoring program assist with transition into college file standardized testing applications (College Board and ACT) Teacher and Community education teach LD curriculum provide teacher training/professional development liaison to parent group LDN (Learning Differences Network)

Communication

At the beginning of the school year any pertinent information regarding your child’s learning profile, including your child’s current school learning plan, will be passed along to your child’s new teachers. The Learning Specialist will share a copy of the accommodations plan with you. The Learning Specialist will be checking in with the teachers, you and your child periodically throughout the year to be sure that the transition is going well and all accommodations are being implemented as needed and proving effective.

Similar to the Middle School, your child’s Advisor is your first point of contact in the Upper School. Please direct any questions or concerns to him/her first and copy the Learning Specialist on the email. Also, if you choose to have a meeting with your child’s teachers, please contact your child’s Advisor to set up the meeting. These meetings tend to be somewhat challenging to schedule due to the number of teachers involved, and so we thank you for your patience and understanding in this process.

Self Advocacy, Mentorship and LD ClubSelf-awareness and self-advocacy are keys to success in the Upper School. For students with learning differences it is especially important to understand their needs and be able to advocate for appropriate support and accommodations. Self-advocacy skills include:

the ability to communicate with your teachers to acquire information and recruit help in meeting academic goals; and

the ability to effectively communicate, convey, negotiate or assert your own learning needs.

In the beginning of the school year, each student should contact his/her core teachers to explain his/her learning profile and discuss accommodations. Your child may choose from a variety of options for communication purposes, including (but not limited to) an email/letter, a Power Point presentation, a poster, a screencast video, a video/recording of themselves or a drawing. You may request to see examples of some of these from the Learning Specialist, who is also happy to help. In conjunction, your child will be asked to fill out a self-advocacy form to use as a guide, and return it to the Learning Specialist in October. Self-advocacy can be challenging; The Learning Specialist and your child’s team are happy to help make the students feel comfortable with this process.

Many Upper School students with learning differences have mentioned that having an experienced “buddy” or mentor, who can provide support and assistance navigating the waters of high school, has been helpful. To that end, your child is invited to participate in our learning differences mentoring program. Please discuss this at home and, if desired, your child will be matched with a buddy. In addition, our Amazing Minds Student Network (the LD club on campus) would like to welcome your child to our meetings and events throughout the year.

The Amazing Minds Learning Differences Club is another piece in our support structure at school. The club is run by students, with faculty facilitators, and meets every other week. Attendance is not limited to LD students; all students within the community are welcome to attend or join. During the meetings, students have a chance to socialize, eat lunch and share information about technologies and best strategies that assist in performing well in school (often best strategies for LD students are useful strategies for the general student population). Also, students discuss challenges and successes in school, to mentor and support each other, and to help educate the Head-Royce community about learning and learning differences.  

Winter and Summer “Final” ExamsThese cumulative exams mirror the college experience (on a smaller scale) and all students take them at the same time. If your child qualifies for accommodations (as listed on his/her school plan), he/she will take the exams in a separate, quieter classroom and will start slightly earlier in the day. Please check the Upper School bulletin online for specific information on times and locations.

Current Evaluations and Standardized TestingIf your child receives accommodation at HRS for learning disabilities, you may wish to apply for accommodations on the standardized tests offered by the College Board and/or the ACT. Please be sure that your child’s LD evaluation is current (i.e., no more than two years old). If your child’s evaluation is nearing three years of validity please contact the Learning Specialist as soon as possible so plans can be made for updating it by a qualified professional, whom we can recommend. Evaluations have to meet both Head-Royce and College Board/ACT requirements. This is vitally important, so that inadequate or substandard evaluations can be

avoided, thus saving time, money and much heartache (if further testing is required).

With your permission, the Learning Specialist will file an application for accommodations with the College Board sometime during 9th grade. The Learning Specialist will be emailing information pertaining to this process in the fall. College Board accommodations apply to the following standardized tests: PSAT, SAT, SATII (formerly known as achievement tests or subject tests), and Advanced Placement (AP) tests. Generally, the first College Board test will be the PSAT in the fall of 10th grade.Over the past few years, both institutions have become quite strict about approving accommodations, and what accommodations they may approve may be different from the accommodations your child is receiving at school.

College BoardIn the school’s experience, students most likely to receive accommodations from the College Board have the following characteristics:

The documentation for their learning disabilities is recent; testing and diagnosis have taken place within the last three years.

They have received accommodations at Head-Royce for documented learning disabilities for at least four months prior to making applications to the College Board.

Their diagnostic reports clearly demonstrate the “functional limitations” of their learning disabilities as specified by the College Board, and documentation of their learning disabilities includes results from the specific tests most frequently required by the College Board (see specific requirements below).

They do NOT request the use of a computer for the essay portion of any standardized tests.

See the College Board website for further information. As a side note, many of our students have had a terrific experience taking tests with accommodations at the Lamorinda schools, particularly Miramonte. Because of this, I would suggest making one of them your test center of choice. They seem to be very organized in general and specifically for students with accommodations.

ACTOccasionally, LD students opt to take the ACT in lieu of or in addition to the SAT. This decision should be made in consultation with the College Counseling office. The ACT is a more curriculum-based exam, and students would typically take it towards the end of their junior or early in their senior grade year. The ACT is administered by a different organization than the SAT and requires a separate application process. For more information, please refer to their website.**Please let the Learning Specialist know as early as possible about any standardized test (ACT, SAT, AP, SATII) your child may be taking so that an application is filed in a timely manner on your child’s behalf.  

Note: The College Board and ACT each have their own stringent requirements and may or may not grant accommodations, independent of the accommodations Head-Royce School may be able to provide. It is essential for your child to use the school-approved accommodations for which he/she qualifies; failure to do so may jeopardize eligibility for accommodations for standardized testing.  

K-12 Standardized Testing Timeline

3rd-5th grade — ERBs in fall 6th-8th grade — ERBs in spring 9th grade — AP Computer Science (with department approval only),

typically in May 10th grade — PSAT in October; 1 or 2 SAT II tests in June when

appropriate; AP exams when appropriate. 11th grade — PSAT in October; practice ACT in March; SAT, ACT,

SAT II, AP exams in late spring or summer when appropriate. 12th grade: SAT, SAT II, or ACT in fall; AP in spring.

Preparing for Upper School

As you know, previewing content and practicing skills is always helpful for students with learning challenges. I encourage you and your child to familiarize yourselves with 9th grade literature, textbooks and other materials over the summer. These are listed online in the “course catalog” of the Upper School. For organizational and study skills prep courses or content-based summer school classes, feel free to contact the Learning Specialist.

Frequently Asked Questions

We often receive questions about available support services at the school and wanted to share the following information. Please know it is always our goal to build a collaborative partnership between the school and family in order to assist students in developing the skills they need to succeed at Head-Royce. As you work to support your individual child, you may wish to have more information about specific academic challenges and learning disabilities.

Below please find information regarding student learning support services in the Middle and Upper Schools at Head-Royce.

What is a learning disability?It is important to recognize that every student learns differently and has a variety of learning strengths and weaknesses. A learning disability, on the other hand, is a diagnosed neurological disorder. A learning disability is diagnosed by a qualified professional and is based on discrepancies between academic and cognitive scores gathered from a battery of tests. It is important to understand that a learning disability is not linked to innate intelligence.

I am concerned about my child’s academic challenges. What do I do?If you are concerned that your child is experiencing significant academic difficulties or that he/she may have a learning disability, please contact your child’s Advisor or Grade-Level Dean first. The Advisor or Dean works closely with the Learning Specialist, who will identify the student’s difficulty based, in part, on teacher comments and classroom observations and make referrals for evaluations or other appropriate recommendations.   

Who does the testing and where do I go?Testing for learning disabilities is done by outside professionals. After the student support team has concluded that the student may have a learning disability the Learning Specialist will make referrals to an outside specialist. We usually provide at least three choices of professionals with which the school has a solid working relationship. Evaluations have to meet both Head-Royce and College Board/ACT requirements. This is vitally important, so that inadequate or substandard evaluations can be avoided, thus saving time, money and much heartache (if further testing is required).

We have done the testing and my child has been diagnosed with a learning disability. What’s next?1)  Please provide appropriate documentation, including all test results and

scores, of your child’s learning disability. Please see guidelines for documentation above. A copy of the documentation is kept in a confidential file in the Learning Specialist’s office. The scores/ information are used to provide effective support for your child, and to help determine eligibility for accommodations.  This information is not part of the student’s cumulative folder and is not shared with other schools or with colleges.

2)  We attempt to review any newly submitted documentation in a timely fashion. However, please allow up to four weeks before expecting a response to ensure thoughtful consideration and effective coordination to meet the student’s needs.

3)  The Learning Specialist and the Division Head review the evaluation. The Division Head approves appropriate and reasonable accommodations if the documentation supports them.

4)    The Learning Specialist summarizes findings (strengths, weaknesses, diagnosis, helpful strategies and school-approved accommodations) and shares such information with the student’s teachers, advisor and Grade-Level Dean verbally and in writing. This information is updated frequently and is passed on to the student’s new teachers at the beginning of each school year. The Learning Specialists in each division work closely together to ensure a smooth transition for students moving from the Lower School into the Middle School if such documentation exists prior to entering Middle School.

5)  Self-advocacy is a vital piece in the continued success for students with learning differences at Head-Royce. Students are strongly encouraged to contact their teachers on a regular basis to discuss their learning profile and accommodations. Members of the student’s support team, as well as student mentors, are available to assist in this process. Please see the self-advocacy section under Upper School above.

We think we should have a meeting to discuss the findings of the testing and/or our concerns with the teachers. What should we do?In addition to the teachers and the Learning Specialist communicating about the student’s learning needs, a meeting with all teachers, the Division Head and outside professionals (or any combination thereof) is often a good idea. To request such a meeting, please contact your child’s Advisor or Grade-Level Dean who will make the appropriate arrangements.

How is the role of the Learning Specialist different in the Middle/Upper Schools from the Lower School?Students in the Middle and Upper Schools are expected to become good self-advocates: to speak to their teachers about their learning profile and to ask for help when needed. The role of the Learning Specialist is to support the student in this endeavor and to work with his or her teachers to be sure the student’s accommodations are effective. From time to time the Learning Specialist may contact the student to check in. In order to receive accommodations in the Middle and Upper Schools, learning disabilities must be clearly documented following the guidelines of the school’s learning disabilities policy. Please refer to the Learning Differences Policy online or contact the Learning Specialist for specific requirements. My child is entering the Upper School and needs to apply to the College Board/ACT for accommodations. What do I do?Please refer to “Current Evaluations and Standardized Testing” in the Upper School section.

My child qualifies for a foreign language waiver. Whom do I contact?The school may grant foreign language waivers on a case-by-case basis and usually involves the Division Head, the Assistant Head of School and the Learning Specialist. Typically, Upper School students with a language waiver opt to take a course in American Sign Language (ASL) at either Berkeley City College or Diablo Valley College. Usually, one semester of ASL equals one year of foreign language. At present, UC requirements are two semesters of ASL. Alternatively, there are some colleges that do not require a foreign language at all. It is vitally important that language course requirements are confirmed by the College Counseling office.

Is Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder handled differently than learning differences at Head-Royce? If your child has been diagnosed with AD/HD and accommodations are needed, please submit a letter from a certified medical professional stating the diagnosis and explaining recommended treatment and needs. Additionally, the school will ask for a complete learning disabilities evaluation demonstrating functional limitations, which is the effect AD/HD has on academics. An AD/HD diagnosis alone is NOT sufficient to receive accommodations at Head-Royce, nor does it satisfy College Board or ACT documentation requirements.

What about psychological disorders?In rare instances, Head-Royce MAY grant accommodations if a student has a psychological disorder. The School’s guidelines are in line with

College Board requirements. You must submit documentation of the initial evaluation in which the psychiatric disorder was diagnosed. If the diagnosis is more than 12 months old, a psychiatric update, completed within the last 12 months, is required. The update should describe the current impact of the student’s disorder as it affects the student’s ability to perform at school and the present course of treatment.  In addition we require that the student make periodic appointments with the school’s Counselor.

Can I request certain teachers/courses for my child?We are very careful in placing your child with teachers whose teaching style would be good matches with your child’s learning style. The Learning Specialist may make recommendations. If you have additional requests, please contact Linda Hoopes in the Middle School and Crystal Land in the Upper School. The school may not be able to accommodate more than one teacher/course request per student.

Is there support for parents?  The Learning Differences Parent Network (LDN), a Parents Association-sponsored committee, is a supportive forum for parents to discuss topics and share personal experiences regarding learning and attention differences. The LDN holds several meetings throughout the year, and the steering committee members are available year-long to speak with parents individually. You can find contact information for this group here.

Programs/ResourcesFor a list of outside specialists, including Evaluators (Psychologist, Neuropsychologist, Developmental Pediatricians), Educational Therapy, Speech & Language, Organizational Coaches, Test Prep, Social Skills, Audiologists and Vision Therapy please contact one of the Learning Specialists. Other helpful resources are listed below:

Learning ProcessesLinda Mood Bell www.lindamoodbell.com

LanguageWilsonwww.wilsonlanguage.comGreat Leapswww.greatleaps.com  

Auditory processingFast Forward  www.scilearn.com

MathMaking Math RealDavid Berg 510-527-0720

Recorded Books www.RecordedBooks.com www.learningally.org www.talkingbooks.org 1-877-926-0500  (textbooks on tape) www.braincog.com www.smartkidssoftware.com www.wattpad.com

Websites www.ldonline.org www.schwablearning.org www.allkindsofminds.org www.dyslexia-ncbida.org , 650-328-7667 (international dyslexia

association, Northern California Branch) http://www.ldonline.org/ www.healthtouch.com

www.audiology.org (American Academy of Audiology) www.asha.org (American Speech-Language-Hearing Association) www.parentseducationnetwork.org (Parent Education Network, 415-

751-2237)   www.braincog.com www.ld.org www.getreadytoread.org www.ncld.org (National Center for Learning Disabilities) www.eastbaylda.org (East Bay Learning Disabilities Association) www.kidshealth.org

Books Keeping a Head in School, Mel Levine The Mind That’s Mine, Mel Levine The Myth of Laziness, Mel Levine Maybe You Know My Kid, A Parents’ Guide, Mary Fowler Taking Charge of ADHD, The Complete Authoritative Guide for

Parents, Russell Barkley ADHD & Me, Blake Taylor Overcoming Dyslexia, Sally Shaywitz Straight Talk About Reading, Susan Hall and Louisa Cook Moats

Technology http://www.techpotential.net/attoolbox Apps for Kids with LD: www.commonsensemedia.org/guide/special-

needs The best apps in education:

http://www.teachthought.com/apps-2/the-55-best-best-free-education-apps-for-ipad/

text-to-speech: Dragon Naturally Speaking, Voice Dream Reader, Mac voice recognition http://www.techpotential.net/attoolbox

Don Johnston Assistive Technology http://www.donjohnston.com/ Live-scribe pen http://www.livescribe.com/en-us/

FilmsThe Big Picture: Rethinking DyslexiaEnnis’ GiftMisunderstood MindsI Can’t Do This But I Can Do ThatThe D Word: Understanding Dyslexia