Mia is a preschooler who has Turner syndrome, a chromosomal disorder that affects development. Her mother, Nikaury, called AFC’s Helpline when Mia’s full-day public preschool program told her that 3-year-old Mia would have to be picked up three hours early every day due to her challenging behavior. AFC quickly intervened to ensure that Mia would not be illegally excluded from preschool.
With our help, Mia obtained new evaluations and a more supportive, structured placement. AFC successfully advocated for additional services and an integrated classroom setting, where Mia would be with children with and without disabilities and have the support of teachers with specialized training. We then worked with Nikaury to secure a spot in just such a preschool program, where Mia started last September, and we are happy to report that she has had a great year! Now that she is in an appropriate program that can meet her needs, Mia loves preschool, has made enormous progress, and is no longer getting in trouble. We recently assisted Nikaury with the kindergarten admissions process, and Mia is now preparing to transition to an integrated class in her zoned elementary school this fall.
