The Banner

Kristi Maeng felt crushed when Montgomery County Public Schools staff said they wanted to put her son JoJo on an academic trajectory that rarely leads to a diploma — especially because he was just starting elementary school. JoJo, who has Down syndrome, faced challenges in his general education kindergarten classroom. The pacing was too fast and the class too large, making it difficult for him to get the attention he needed. But Maeng worried about the proposed solution: placing him in a program unlikely to prepare him for future education and job opportunities that require high school diplomas. “Why in the world am I making this decision for my 5-year-old?” she said. It felt ludicrous, but she ultimately went with the school’s recommendation.