Sandy: is it possible to ask the school to lessen the workload of a child? Still assigning work but not necessarily weighing the overall grade as much as trying to complete it and weighing it differently than other fellow students more of a grade for participating rather than the actual assignments completed and being required to hand in less than other students?
You certainly can ask. Their likelihood to oblige will depend on the circumstances.
What specifically is being reduced and how reduced it is? A reduced workload could be considered an accommodation or a modification, depending on how much is reduced. It would be an accommodation if it did not fundamentally alter the standard that the student is working towards.
Schools can provide an accommodation to any student they feel needs it. When it involves a non-disabled student, you’re most likely to see this through a response to intervention system or differentiated instruction.
Does the student have a disability? Schools must provide accommodations to eligible disabled students whose disability necessitates it.
Have they been found eligible for an IEP? A reduced workload would be a modification if it did fundamentally alter the standard for the student. Generally schools will provide such curriculum modifications to students who are eligible for IEPs.