High Functioning Autism and AP courses

[stealth2]

Does the school have a parent portal (most do these days) that is kept pretty up-to-date wrt assignments and when they're due/turned in/graded? If so, you should be checking it on a regular basis, letting your daughter know that there will be consequences (and what they will be) if she doesn't hand in assignments when due. If not, I'd advise meeting with her, her guidance counselor and the relevant teachers to develop a strategy. BTDT. My kiddo had a planner where every assignment was tracked by myself & the teacher, from writing down the assignment to handing it in. (Our portal was not kept well updated...)

 

[t74]

Been there; done that.

I have a now 40 yo with many of the problems OP describes in addition to health and mental health issues. In order to complete his college degree (which required numerous short enrollments over an extended period of time) he did a research project based on his experiences. I'd like to share some resources he found helpful.

National Alliance on Mental Health
https://www.nami.org/

National Institute of Mental Health
https://www.nimh.nih.gov

Association on Higher Education and Disability
https://www.ahead.org

Mayo Clinic
https://www.mayoclinic.org/

DO-IT
https://www.Washington.edu/doit/

He had an IEP in HS with a gifted IQ; it took 12 years of public and private school for him to be far enough behind to qualify. A significant learning disability was not detected until he was in 8th grade when he was in a university based tutoring program for K-12 students having school problems. In his case, he has an auditory processing disability; he hears but does not remember what he has heard. He needs information to be provided visually. A neuro-psyc exam needs to be discussed with PCP and other current health/educational services providers. Also discuss a sleep study; in my child's case, many of his physical health problems can be traced to a serious sleep disorder not diagnosed until he was an adult.

College was even worse than his HS experiences. A college degree is required for him to work in the area of his greatest talents and interests. Be aware of requirements to qualify for disability accommodations at the post secondary level. Remember that the goal is to have a self sufficient adult. Mine is still a work in progress. The goal is simply to pass the next milestone along the way not ace the exam.

Also be aware that serious mental health issues frequently appear in late adolescence. After having dealt with a suicidal teen/20 something, I'd be concerned that the academic problems are indications of more serious disabilities that may not become obvious for years.

 

[FlyingRon]

Your child is only guaranteed an appropriate education. Perhaps your child should not be in (so many) AP classes...

WRONG. A disabled student is entitled to the LEAST RESTRICTIVE environment commensurate with the student's disabilities. To outright say they will not support her in an AP situation is IN DIRECT VIOLATION OF FEDERAL LAW (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act or IDEA). I've had a daughter in the AP/Honors/Gifted and Talented and a son in special ed and on a 504 plan. My wife has her masters in Special Ed.

I can tell you as a parent the first thing I would do is demand a sit down with the administration and counselors. I stood in the director of counsellings office waiting for him to return from a meeting to get my daughter's schedule changed. If that doesn't work, there are attorneys that specialize in educational issues such as this.