My grandson has been receiving Special Education services under Developmentally Delayed guidelines in this his Kindergarten year.  He has made tremendous progress socially, emotionally, and cognitively due to the early interventions he has received through the assessments and applications of needed services provided by the Special Education Department.  If the federal government has determined that a child may have "developmentally delayed" challenges up to age 9, why is it that Virginia's school students will not be given that same consideration beyond age 5?

As my grandson will be turning 6 years old and will be entering first grade in the fall, he will have tremendous academic challenges, as well as social and emotional challenges, with no support.  He has been denied Special Education services because of the reevaluation process that Virginia has proposed.  First and second grades are the most demanding, critical, and formative years for early student success.  Why would Virginia's public schools not take into consideration the "developmental delays" that may challenge this early success, and not be willing to provide services beyond age 5? 

I am speaking as a grandmother whose grandson has just been denied services for his first-grade year, but I am also a public school teacher and see the many needs of our students, that require interventions during the early grades where the rigourous Standards of Learning must be mastered and the groundword is being laid for lifetime academic success.  Chidren who were assessed as being "developmentally delayed" may still have the social and emotional issues that have to be dealt with, alongside academic learning.  These issues don't magically disappear at age 6.  They go beyond the Kindergarten year, and the Virginia Public School students should have the same considerations for Special Education services under the "developmentally delayed" guidelines, as other students will have under the Federal guidelines.  Virginia is a leader in public education and should not be taking a step backward in the vision of  "no child left behind," especially when this vision begins with the promise of support and services from teachers in the elementary grades.