This question requires a big and multifaceted answer, so hang with me.
The easy stuff:
The school would probably be thrilled to move a kid from an IEP to a 504. Yes, they'll lose a little bit of funding, but it removes nearly all responsibility for your child's success from their shoulders.
SpEd DOES count in their numbers.
Dual Enrollment is an argument that has never been challenged or ruled on. Please read the link here (
http://www.txedrights.net/tag/dual-enrollment/). It's possible...
The hard stuff:
I am THRILLED that your kid has an IEP in Texas for dyslexia. It's nearly impossible to get because they prefer to push off on 504. You're sitting on an unicorn that should be used to its full advantages!
A couple of notes on that...
1> GREAT job that the grades have improved. That's awesome for self esteem and shows something is working! But remember, grades are subjective. Grades are not the only goal of an IEP. And when a child starts to perform well for the first time it is NOT the time to yank the rug out from under them.
2> (Remember, I hate STAAR...) The fact that your child has NEVER passed a STAAR tells me that you have a solid argument to to keep your child ON an IEP. While we argue that they are NOT appropriate grade level standards, the school argues that it IS. It is THEIR measuring stick for success. Your child is NOT succeeding in their eyes if they aren't passing STAAR. This tells me that your child either has severe testing anxiety or is still in need of remediation (probably both). While still opting out of STAAR, you can argue that it is NOT the time to remove the supports.
3> It is 100% INAPPROPRIATE for the IEP to focus exclusively on STAAR. The goals should be based on data from diagnostic testing. And since your student has dyslexia, the processes used should be in accordance with the Texas Dyslexia Handbook (
https://tea.texas.gov/sites/default/fil ... 1_2018.pdf). The large majority of programs used in SpEd for reading intervention are NOT good programs.
4> You need to know that one of the big reasons SpEd parents opt out is that the passages on the STAAR cannot be read to the child. Even if it's in their accommodations for classroom and regular testing. TEA wont allow it. EVER.
5> A child should NOT be removed from an IEP until new diagnostic testing has been completed and ALL areas have been FULLY remediated. For a dyslexic kid this would include tests like the GORT, PAL2, CTOPP2, WJ4, TWS, etc that show that phonemic awareness, reading (speed, accuracy, fluency, comprehension), spelling (orthographic knowledge, encoding), and writing are all at normal ranges and the child is performing at grade level with peers.
Stuff you didn't ask:
When a student is on an IEP the ARD makes the decisions for promotion, retention, and graduation. That means they (YOU are an ARD team member) have powers to bypass the process all gen ed kids (including 504) must follow. The ARD can waive the need to retest in 5th and 8th grade. The ARD can waive the requirement to pass EOCs in high school. The 504 team CANNOT do these things.
In order for the ARD to waive the requirements, the student will need to 'attempt' it once. An active refusal counts as an attempt.
My Opinion:
I would request new data to see where your child is actually at. I would revamp the IEP to meet those specific needs. I would remove ALL STAAR prep from it. I would keep the IEP as long as possible, until ALL areas are remediated fully. I would teach my child to actively opt out. Best path would be on makeup days, either on computer (advance to end and hit submit) or on paper (student writes refuse and parent ensures that student goes back to class). I would then request the ARD meet (according to LAW
https://tea.texas.gov/sites/default/fil ... tagged.pdf PAGE 23-26) and waive additional AI & retakes in order to promote based on IEP goal progress and grades.