Slide 81:

Now, on his school achievement testing: the year before this child tested at the 2 percentile. This year he tested at the 97^th percentile. I stress that to all of you because it’s not like in one year his brain went from 2 percent to the 97^th percentile. What it says is that if you start the brain working, it evolves and that potential is in this child.

I’ve had parents tell me – in fact one parent recently in the Valley that her child’s school could not explain how her child had gained all the way up to where he should have been in the course of the year. Her child was in special ed obviously. I guess, many times the way schools grade these children from year to year is how much do they not fall further behind. The school district looked at this mother and acted surprised the child had caught up..

Interestingly, the comment from this child’s mother in her last update – she went in for the IEP, and to her amazement received everything she asked for. Again we still had a child who would sometimes get hyper, was still somewhat impulsive, but he’s thinking. His brain is evolving. Now we have to deal with this child appropriately. But he is intelligent. Now, I don’t believe this is a coincidence.

To those of you here as educators I’m pleased that you’re here tonight. This raises a very important point. I have other families – a mother I’ve told you about from Riverside – she used to fight tooth and nail at the IEP to get help for her child. This was over a year ago. Her child tested out normal. The school district gave her everything she wanted to help her child.