I'm irritated!
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| Tue, 04-22-2008 - 3:14pm |
Ok, not exactly on topic, but please read your child's IEP carefully before signing.
Warren, ADD-nos, dysgraphia, 10th grade, on an IEP, has to take the high school exit exam. They start in 10th grade so they can retake if necessary. Today was the written portion. A couple of weeks ago he took a practice portion in his English class. He failed (got a "0") because the teacher could not read his writing. (resource teacher claimed not to know about that-- but Warren explained it to her so she probably didn't listen) So I asked him to go to his resource teacher and ask to take it on the computer. He did. Today they refused to let him take it on the computer and he got upset. Went to see his resource teacher and she said, "no it's not on your IEP." She called me to let me know-- I got very upset w/ her. So, I pulled out my copy of the IEP, those accomidations are for regular classroom work and regular testing-- not for the exit exam. GEEEZ! I don't remember even discussing the exit exam last year-- so either they didn't explain it well or they forgot and just cked normal testing for that.
Anyway, he'll probably be taking that again because he writes so poorly that they won't be able to read it. She said sorry about a 100 times-- too late now, he's already taken this portion and the damage is done.
AND, she couldn't tell me why she didn't step in and start to help him when he started failing his English class-- actually didn't even know he'd failed last quarter-- geez.
Betsy

That's ridiculous! There's a difference for "regular testing" and "exit exam testing"??? And I can't believe the damage has been done. They have to make exceptions. I'm sorry you're going through this. I hope you get it worked out. Public school drives me nuts. :{
Cathy
There is a whole host of difference between the exit exams and other high stakes exams and regular tests. We can thank NCLB for a whole LOT of that.
I do know that here there is a completely separate portion for even accommodations on the state tests verses the regular school day accommodations. THEN what they actually ALLOW as modifications is very very limited.
In fact, in California be very careful. Some things that seem like "accommodations" are actually "modifications" and modifications can affect whether they get a regular diploma or certificate of attendance.
Oh and hey, coming from a pretty decent public school special ed teacher, don't jump so fast on blaming the public schools. A lot of the MAJOR crappola comes from legislators that have never set foot in a class since they were students. Most teachers actually teach because they love it. they get burnt out and some are crappy but there are a whole lot of good ones out there too.
Renee
Just a lurker here, but can't they do an IEP Amendment? Sounds like he's being set up to fail. Those teachers, especially SpEd ones are supposed to be his best allies.
~Curly
Thanks! ya know, what Renee says is right, the exit exam (all state testing) is so much different than regular exams, but I know they didn't tell me there was a written portion. I should have researched and learned that for myself. If I had known I wouldn't have let that go. They can let them type it. They just had to have that information 6 wks prior to testing to have it set up by the state. And yes, it is an accommodation that can be made and still receive a regular diploma. I know so much more today than I did yesterday-- I really feel like I failed my son. He's pretty ok w/ it though. I apologized for not doing my job thoroughly and then I told him I yelled at his resource teacher-- that made him feel better. At least he only will have to retake the writing portion next fall-- the rest he should give him no problems.
I have issues w/ this particular resource teacher. She really seems to do a good job w/ kids she sees every single day, but loses track of the itinerate resource students. This semester Warren got bumped from his resource class because his number came up for taking the multi-media class that counts for a computer technologies class he needs to graduate. In our school, you have to take the class when your number comes up in the lottery because they are so overcrowded that you'll not get it and not be able to graduate on time if you don't-- it's the same w/ several other classes as well. So, he's being lost in the shuffle again-- grades when down significantly in everything except biology this semester since he doesn't have a resource class. sigh, the poor kid can't win.
Betsy
That is so scary Betsy! This whole high school thing is a bit overwhelming with special needs kids. Cait is skipping science her first year (she only needs 2) so she can have 2 classes with the special ed teacher. Fortunately she is in band so she can join the marching band and that counts as her PE (after school) so she has another period as well but the next years after scare me.
But that system sounds kind of weird. We have the biggest high school in the area (3500 kids) and they have enough classes for kids to get their requirements in at least. I haven't heard of anything like that lottery here, especially not for required classes.
But it seems pretty common that kids in high school are lost in the shuffle. It already seems like a whole lot more is going to be expected of Cait regarding independence and I am not sure she is quite ready for it.
UGH, kids.
Renee
Renee,
The lottery is a pain. Each kid takes their core classes. They all have to have 4 English/literature credits/4 Math credits/3 social studies credits-- one must be American gov or American history/3 science/ one PE/health etc (I can't remember all of them right now) those core classes there are plenty of classes and openings for all the students. Then there are secondary credits needed to graduate, those are electives w/i a certain catagory of classes. The multimedia/keyboarding/Word and Excel/ etc. are in the computer technologies area (they have to have 1/2 a credit to graduate). These are harder to get into because the class sizes are restricted. The kids rank their choices each year by which electives they'd like to take most, then the administration checks to see what electives fit into the class schedule and who has a higher ranking both w/i their own elective choices and class rank, grade level, etc. and finally they draw names of the students that get in. So, the multimedia class is more fun and less tedious than the keyboarding or Word/Excel class so more kids want that class. The basic keyboarding class usually doesn't have to use the lottery-- but Warren already took that one in 7th grade and hated it-- and got a C so he was not awarded high school credit and has to take another one. (Amelia took in in 7th grade, got a B and already has high school credit and won't have to take one of those in high school). big old pain in the butt!
And that is just one scenario! there are hundreds of those in high school--- way too much for most kids to navigate, our poor kiddos are bound to be lost in the shuffle.
Our high school is about 2600 students in a building built for 1800, 14 yrs ago (it's been added on to and now is at capacity again) and they can't get a referendum passed to build onto it and build another high school in the district tax payers just don't see the need.
Betsy