Local Newspaper today..

[Kjs]

"three Unified middle schools failed to meet minimal standards in special education categories for the No Child Left Behind Act for the 2006-2007 school year."
(There was also one High School)
I am proud of my difficult child, no accomodations on state tests and he scored beyond advanced. anyway, the biggest fight I face/faced with school is the fact that difficult child learns a "different" way, and they are not willing to accept any different way. The following is also a quote from the superintendent.

"Certainly this was not welcome news," he said. "It was disappointing but gives us a chance to analyze how to support (special education) learning. A student with special needs doesn't mean that person can't learn, it means they learn differently, and we have to provide it in a different kind of way." :hammer: This is probably what every parent has been saying!!!

 

[Kjs]

I must add, my difficult child's middle school was not one of the three. I have been repeating these very words for years. Nobody seems to care. The teachers have "their" way, and only their way.
The way they treat Special Education students is horrible. Most are so bright, just learn different. They finally get it? DUH!!

 

[Sheila]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">It was disappointing but gives us a chance to analyze how to support (special education) learning. A student with special needs doesn't mean that person can't learn, it means they learn differently, and we have to provide it in a different kind of way." </div></div>

Pure rhetoric. There's all type of assistance, information, trainings, statistics, etc., available to District from SEAs and the private sector. Not to mention each District's readily available data, e.g., how many students are reaching their annual goals, how many 10th graders do we have reading on a 3rd grade level, etc. They can bring in private professionals to educate themselves and staff, consult, etc.

Kjs, this is not new information for the Superintendent, it's just that most schools/districts haven't been held accountable in the past. And that's just the reason for NCLB -- to measure how well schools are educating children.

When NCLB first went into effect, it was fairly common for the sd to try to get parents to agree to alternative assessment for many Special Education students. That way, there would be less impact on Districts accountability rating. The Feds subsequently lowered the percentage of students that could take the alternative assessments.