Time was when teachers and school administrators had to concern themselves with the possibility of children cheating on tests. Nowadays it’s the other way around. by Carol A.O. Wolf
“It is easier to build strong children than to repair broken men.” — Frederick Douglass
Discrimination against minorities in education — and the misidentification and disproportionate shunting of minority children into special-education classes — is nothing new. There’s plenty of objective research on the decades-old, still-virulent and vengeful practice to show that it’s contrary to the greater good of society.
Perhaps the worst example of this questionable practice is happening right here in the Richmond Public Schools. The city school system’s jaw-dropping 32-percent graduation rate for children with disabilities and the identification of 20 percent of African-American children as disabled should be considered a critical educational crisis.
School districts and criminal justice systems from Boston to Los Angeles, Detroit to Dallas, and all points in between can attest to the high cost this practice exacts financially and morally. It’s the harsh bigotry of diminished expectations.
In this era of Standards of Learning tests and No Child Left Behind regulations, lawyer John R. Butcher and I recently examined data obtained from the Virginia Department of Education to see how the kids are doing. Our research shows a dramatic surge statewide in the identification of children labeled as disabled and in Virginia’s use of alternative assessments to the SOLs to test these children.
The possible ramifications are serious.
Time was when teachers and school administrators had to concern themselves with the possibility of children cheating on tests. Nowadays it’s the other way around. It’s not difficult to see why many people consider this dramatic increase in overidentification and misidentification of some children as requiring special education as cheating on the tests.
Children deemed in need of special education are eligible to take less-rigorous versions of the SOLs. Of particular concern is the way children from third grade to middle school are being tested feverishly under alternative assessments for children with disabilities, but hardly at all under the high-school versions of the programs.
Under federal pressure, the Richmond schools reduced the number of alternative tests for kids with significant cognitive disabilities by 57 percent in three years. Plainly, most of those children had been misclassified.
Despite Richmond’s improved, but still low, scores for all pupils, the system’s children with disabilities score higher than the state average for kids with disabilities. Yet come graduation only 32 percent of Richmond’s students with disabilities graduate — versus 44 percent statewide.
What makes the situation especially offensive in Richmond is that this discrimination is being doled out primarily by black educators against black children. Consider: Richmond has classified 28 percent of its black male pupils as disabled compared with 22 percent statewide, with the peer jurisdictions of Hampton, Newport News and Norfolk reporting in the 19- to 21-percent range.
The educators on the front line in our community — and most especially the administrators on the 17th floor of City Hall — don’t seem to understand that the minute they slap a special-ed label on a primarily low-income minority youth or throw a child out of school for being disrespectful or defiant — they’re making a direct deposit in the cradle-to-prison pipeline.
Because officials at the Richmond Public Schools and the Virginia Department of Education say they see nothing wrong with what they’re doing, we must make them stop. One way or another, educators must cease and desist hurting children by marginalizing the sometimes difficult ones and criminalizing normal childhood behaviors simply because those educators lack the educational expertise or resources to do their jobs properly.
Common sense ought to prevail. But until Superintendent Yvonne W. Brandon declares no tolerance for staff members who attempt to game the system by grossly misidentifying vast numbers of children as disabled, we’ll continue to lay waste the hopes and dreams of children as well as drive out the good teachers and principals.
Until Brandon chooses to aggressively address excessive suspension rates — policies that punish, rather than show children better ways of becoming positive members of society — we’re going to continue to feed children to the death-dealing influences of street life and to the criminal justice system.
This is a problem that’s languished for years. If anything, the high stakes and sobering statistics in the city and throughout the state should inspire Gov. Tim Kaine and key legislators to ask that the Virginia Department of Education intervene and institute reforms.
When the U.S. Department of Education recently found a disproportionate number of pupils being identified as disabled in 101 Virginia school districts, the state Department of Education merely asked school districts to review their own data. Afterward, with no independent investigation, state officials declared that there wasn’t a problem. Kaine needs to ask why the state didn’t launch its own investigation.
Schools are hurting these children in profound ways. Being mislabeled as disabled affects a child’s sense of self and can create lifelong distrust and anger.
In the short run, such overidentification and misidentification reduces the accuracy that’s supposed to derive from standardized testing. That reduces the possibility that policy makers can reach informed and wise decisions that will help improve public education. If the data are faulty, how can the conclusion be accurate? And, if the schools’ problems are intentionally disguised and distorted, how can we expect to fix them?
Add to this distortion the significant problem that special education costs, on average, 1.6 times more per pupil than regular education. That means the dramatic increase of children labeled with disabilities reduces the amount of money available for the children with bona fide disabilities and for other nondisabled children.
Brandon, the majority of the members of the Richmond School Board and state education officials refuse to even acknowledge there is a problem that needs to be corrected. Let us hope the governor and key legislators will act on behalf of our children. S
Sunday, August 09, 2009 9:13:07 AM by We Need a NEW School Board
Mr. Muzik
Are you now a spokesman for the system or are you speaking for your school? Or are you speaking as an individual? DO you live in Richmond? How many poor Black children attend Mary Munford? How many accredited schools are there in the 8th District? How many RETARDED white boys are there at your school? Is it true that in Richmond white kids are considered autistic and black kids are retarded? That's what I hear in the 8th District. The 9th District Representative only cared about sending her children to FOX. Now she just sucks up to the administration.
"The read-aloud accommodation on the statewide reading assessments is allowed only for students with a visual impairment, including blindness, and those students with a specific disability that severely limits or prevents them from decoding text at any level of difficulty as determined by a diagnostic tool or instrument that was administered by a certified authority. Students with disabilities who are simply having difficulty reading text and/or are reading below grade-level are not allowed the read-aloud accommodation on the statewide reading assessments."
This is exactly what is stated in the Super's memo. The read-aloud accommodation IS allowed on the reading test. Schools are using the loophole and declaring that students, due to their disability, cannot decode text at any level. It is being used excessively, beyond what is stated in the memo. I even gave my school the memo, and told them that my girls do not qualify since they can decode (read orally) text at the 3rd grade level in 3rd grade but that comprehension is their difficulty. Clearly, the Super's memo states that the read-aloud is only for students who do not have trouble with comprehension.
What you listed on page 15 is from the Super's memo of October 2006, which was only 6 months prior to April, 2007.
Taxpayers need to learn what this is all about. Half of all students with disabilities have SLD, specific learning disabilities. So VDOE came up with an accommodation that would enable, right off the bat, half of the students with disabilities to pass the reading test. Kids with SLD typically do not have trouble with comprehension. This accommodation essentially lets schools off the hook for teaching students with SLD how to read! Parents report to me that their child (who cannot read) gets A's and B's and C's on their report cards and passes the SOL tests, but cannot read at all. Teachers give good grades to pacify parents so they don't ask questions and think their child is doing fine in school.
This article is talking about unethical cheating going on in districts, and there is plenty going on in Chesterfield. I pointed out all the different ways the district plays games to enable poor (quality and socioeconomic) schools to make AYP. This harms students who are not really being taught anything. Instruction doesn't need to improve as long as there is a backdoor to make AYP.
Sunday, August 09, 2009 7:35:53 AM by Ex-sped RPS
That's from 2006 and is out of date. Here is the current interpretation (last updated 4/07): http://www.doe.virginia.gov/VDOE/Assessment/SWDparticipation.pdf
Which says on the bottom of page 15:
The read-aloud accommodation on the statewide reading assessments is allowed only for students with a visual impairment, including blindness, and those students with a specific disability that severely limits or prevents them from decoding text at any level of difficulty as determined by a diagnostic tool or instrument that was administered by a certified authority. Students with disabilities who are simply having difficulty reading text and/or are reading below grade-level are not allowed the read-aloud accommodation on the statewide reading assessments.
The read-aloud accommodation on mathematics, science, and history/social science, and writing assessments is allowed for students with disabilities as specified in the IEP or 504 Plan. (note that it does not include "reading")
If you do a google on "read-aloud accommodation virginia", there are lots of items pertaining to this accommodation. It seems that when Cannaday was state Superintendent, it was decided that Virginia's SOL reading test primarily assesses comprehension, so therefore decoding, fluency, vocabulary were all erased from the definition of reading, in clear noncomplicance of NCLB.
I talked to a teacher at another (failing) school in Chesterfield, who admitted that it is overused at her school.
And yes, I am very aware that many bad things are going on at my school. This is why they want me to go away.
Saturday, August 08, 2009 8:54:53 PM by Ex-sped RPS
Read aloud is not an accepted accommodation in any reading test, you've got your info wrong (or very bad things are going on at your school).
Living Nightmare Survivor, I know exactly what you went through. I have read many, many teacher stories about what happens to ethical teachers. I am cheering you on. You are so right, I cannot fathom why teachers remain silent in the mafia organization that is mascerading as the public school system. You could not pay me a million dollars what teachers are doing for a pathetically little paycheck.
I am a parent and I have been speaking out! My payback for doing so was retaliation against my children. It goes on until today. My child with a disability was verbally abused and neglected and made to FAIL this past year. WHY? Because of my advocacy on behalf of students with disabilities and my systems change advocacy and my whistle blowing. Now I know not to sign my name. I thought we had free speech in this country, but NOT in the public school system. It is a fascist organization where retaliation, intimidation tactics, bullying, even terror attacks rule the day.
Dissidents are discarded! That's why the best teachers are leaving. If you are ethical, they do not want you because you will try to right wrongs. You are a fly bothering the educRAT$ who only care about power and money.
Teachers, you can brainlessly follow orders without questioning, but at what point will you draw the line and say no more? What will you refuse to do no matter what?
In our school, a teacher and an aide reported abuse and neglect, and they were threatened with the loss of their job. WHAT? They signed a contract that they would not criticize another teacher. Teachers are legally mandated to report abuse and neglect. To not do so is AGAINST THE LAW. But these teachers were threatened if they didn't keep quiet.
This is the sick world of government monopoly schools.
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 ion. 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.
White Chalk Crime - www.whitechalkcrime.com NAPTA - www.endteacherabuse.info
Teachers, join NAPTA and speak out! We know you are being abused! We will support you! Save our schools!
Thursday, August 06, 2009 11:29:15 AM by Anonymous
Oh, this gets me! First...I am in total agreement and was JUST thinking about the new administration on Capital Hill and how it is seemingly attacking teachers. Does Obama realize that by firing teachers whose students do not meet NCLB testing standards, and whose schools do not meet AYP and therefore not accredited, that he will be alienating himself from the black community because...most schools who are not accredited are in low income, inner city neighborhoods. When you are not accredited, you don't recieve gov't funds...which is completely counter-productive because these are the schools that need funding! Yes...we would be remiss if we believed that this only happened to black children. Hanover County practices overidentification and absolutely "criminalizes normal childhood behavior" as standard operating procedure.
Teachers hands are tied if they want to keep their job. It is frustrating when teachers recieve blame for things such as this because they are to do what they are told or else. Even if they are not fired, their lives are made to be living nightmares because they chose to speak up against questionable practices against children. I don't know where the parents are??? What are they thinking and why don't THEY speak up, they haven't a job to lose, and these are their children.
I am a former teacher...I left the profession because of things like this and the utter lack of support from administration, the school board and many colleagues who talk a good game but when it comes right down to it, lack the courage of their conviction and cower in a corner just to keep a job they can no longer stand. In my opinion, I'd rather have no job and have my integrity in tact than to draw a paycheck from a place that has no interest in helping or even understanding children...and where I had to strip myself of my value system upon crossing the threshold each day. It was like taking blood money. Teachers spend so much time defending their strategies and wasting time on worthless agendas proposed by the higher ups that there is barely any time left to do the job we love...teach.
~Living nightmare survivor
Wednesday, July 29, 2009 4:11:03 PM by Greg Muzik
I am not sure people realize the process schools must go through for a child to receive special education services. It is an intensive evaluation, and a team that always includes the parents, makes the decision. Students don't receive special education services unless they are failing in school, and there is evidence of a variety of interventions before a referral is made. Special education services are designed to help children achieve and gain access to the regular curriculum, not label them. As for the alternative testing, I don't understand why anyone thinks a child taking a 40 question multiple choice test (SOL) to determine if they have mastered 3 years of instruction is somehow better than the extensive, year long collection of student work samples that is used to document achievement as a part of the VAAP or VGLA. This is an extremely difficult and time consuming process, and it would be far easier just to have all the kids take a the 40 question test. If we really wanted a better system, we would be using portfolio assessment for all students, not just those in the alternative assessment program. We use multiple-choice tests are cheap and easy to administer, not because they are the best way to measure achievement.
Tuesday, July 28, 2009 10:01:50 PM by Th. Jefferson
Where are the voices of outrage among the strong Black men in the Richmond area over this child abuse?
Friday, July 24, 2009 10:41:13 PM by Chesterfield Mom who knows the score
Wolf and Butcher need to show that this is happening to white kids, too. Butcher's data proves it. People need to look at it! It is happening in Chesterfield and in Henrico, but as long as people think it is just happening to black kids, it will keep happening. Parents and teachers need to speak out about this! It is happening to all of our children.
Thursday, July 23, 2009 2:05:46 PM by RPS Special Ed Teacher
Thank you, Carol Wolf, for having the courage to speak out on this! Sadly, very few people dare to fight for those who cannot fight for themselves. RPS continues to fail these kids and at last someone has spoken out. I hope those who know you are right will help make this better.
Thursday, July 23, 2009 9:33:43 AM by Anonymous
This is worse than Jim Crow! RPS administrators and VDOE care more about school scores than they do about the kids. Utterly sickening.
