November 11, 2019

Dear Principal ,

I am writing to ask for your advice and assistance regarding a fourth grade student who is strug-

gling with her Social Studies and Reading assignments.

In my role as a paraeducator, I have been assisting the Special Education teacher by working one

on one with Angela since the beginning of the school year. Angela is an English Language

Learner and has been been diagnosed with ADHD. This year she is working in mainstream

classes with my assistance, and she has made great strides. She is performing very well in her

Math and Science classes. However, Angela is currently receiving failing grades in both her So-

cial Studies and Reading classes. Her performance in class is strong and her language skills are

good during verbal instruction, but she struggles significantly with her writing skills and is con-

sistently testing below grade level.

Angela has very strong social and interpersonal skills and is very well liked among her class-

mates. She is a very good communicator and is considered a leader in social situations. I believe

Angela would benefit from a strategy that focuses on these skills and allows her to express her-

self and prove her understanding of core concepts in a verbal, rather than written manner. In ad-

dition, Angela struggles with her homework, and her mother has expressed to me that she is un-

able to help, as she feels her English skills are not strong enough to interpret the teacher’s in-
structions. I would ask that Angela be provided with a bilingual homework tutor that can assist

her with these assignments.

As you are aware, the IDEIA Act requires that we provide Angela with all of the tools available

to ensure that she is getting the best education we can provide. I believe that offering her alterna-

tives to written tests will meet this requirement. In addition, providing Angela with bilingual ed-

ucation assistance will not only help her on the road to success, it will also ensure that we are in

compliance with the law as set forth by the case of Lau V Nichols.

I look forward to hearing your thoughts on the matter and would be happy to meet with you and

the Special Education Team to discuss next steps. I hope you have found my suggestions helpful.

Sincerely,

Moira Koskey