I applaud Wolf’s boldness in exposing this abuse of the accountability system in RPS, and I applaud Style Weekly for consistently being champions for children with disabilities and for all minority children.
RPS does not have a monopoly on gaming the system in order to make AYP under NCLB. Chesterfield County also seems to devote much time and energy devising creative ways to make the numbers come out right. I only wish as much time and energy were spent in improving classroom instruction. I also find it humorous that we rarely read of students cheating these days, when we know this problem is widespread. Ironically, the core values in CCPS are Respect, Honesty, Responsibility, and Accountability. Since students learn best when teachers and school staff (adults) model these values, it would seem our students in CCPS are going to have to learn these core values in spite of adult behavior in school.
In Chesterfield, students who do not have a disability are given an IEP (Individualized Education Plan) if they have a minor speech articulation issue, even just a lisp. These students, of course, are bright students who make honor roll or straight A’s. IDEA, special education law, covers students who have a disability which negatively impacts academic achievement. A school even tried to give a Speech / Language Impairment label to an Hispanic student who is “quiet”. This student’s SOL scores would have fallen into 3 subgroups. That is, if the parent had signed, which thankfully was not the case. Having met so many typically-developing (non-disabled) students in Chesterfield this summer who have IEPs has made me realize that every student in CCPS is a candidate for an IEP.
…Except those who are failing several subjects, and not learning to read, write, or do math. Schools resist labeling these kids and giving them an IEP. Obviously, they fear their SOL scores will bring down the disaggregated scores of the disability subgroup.
And why are all the gifted programs situated in potentially failing schools?
And what’s up with the use of the read-aloud accommodation on the reading SOL test? Students listen to an audio recording of the reading selection. If the student passes the reading SOL test with this read-aloud accommodation, is he/she declared to be reading on grade level? When these students graduate from high school and go to apply for jobs, will their prospective employers provide them with the “read-aloud accommodation” to help them fill out the job application?
It also came to my attention this year that some teachers were not aware that all students must be assessed under NCLB. In fact, a parent told me that she was asked to “waive” her child out of SOL testing. How many students in CCPS in grades 3 through 8 did not take SOLs or an alternate?
Maybe it is time for Virginia to bow out of NCLB since it is causing lawlessness in some school districts and even More Children Left Behind than ever before!
Muzik, you are simply towing the educRAT$ mantra, hoping if you state it enough times, taxpayers will start to believe it. You commented on the way it SHOULD be; we have discovered the way it really IS ==> unlawful and unethical! That's what this article is all about. And I know for a fact that you recently rejected a student with a disability from your school because you want your SOL scores to remain high at Mary Mumford! You stated to the parent: "We don't want your child here."
We are watching.
Teachers, join NAPTA and speak out! We know you are being abused! We will support you! Save our schools!
Name Withheld By Request
“Good people do not need laws to tell them to act responsibly, while bad people will find a way around the laws.” - Plato
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