Unfair Testing in Special Needs Children in Public Schools

Gloria - posted on 03/29/2010

All my son wants to be is like every one else. This is just more pressure on him. We live in Arizona. The very last on the list of education in USA!! We were told by the Director of Special Needs that "our" kids were lowering the scores on the whole District. And that was why free tutoring was available to the whole school. That way the Distric would not be putting the blame on "our" kids. She also said that one signature from the State Supertendant would solve all of this, and "our" kids would be exempt. I understand that this will be a Nationwide standard. Unless someone changes the verbage in No Child Left Behind. My son is now supposed to pass these AIMS tests.

Tina - posted on 03/29/2010

My son also has to take the WesTest. He has since 3rd grade. Then, it wasn't so bad, but with 4th, 5th, and now 6th, he struggles on parts of it. He is allowed to take more breaks (which is a BIG help), and is given more time in a less hectic space. I've been trying to get them to let someone be his "secretary" when it comes to the writte part on the computer. This year they are going to do this for him. He isn't a good "test-taker", but it's the best way to see where he is academically, although it's always said that these tests don't prove where he truly is. But, it's at least something to go on. He gets praises and good responses from his teachers, which helps. Don't despair. Try to find ways for him to be able to be with his peers and to be doing the same thing they are doing. Good Luck, I KNOW it's hard to decide.

Tina

Cherish - posted on 03/29/2010

I am in Colorado...
our kids do the CSAP,a very tiny % of kids do CSAP A (which is a VERY modified test,using pictures)

When my son is in 3rd grade he will do CSAP A

Michelle - posted on 03/28/2010

Most school systems have the way to exempt some kids. What the original intent of that clause in NCLB was intended to do was to keep schools from labelling all struggling kids as SpEd and thereby exclude lower scores from testing.
My daughter is regular classroom with an aide. She will be tested and should be as she is academically with the rest of her peers; she'll get modifications in time, movement allowances, etc. but she should be included even if receiving services.

Marianne - posted on 03/28/2010

My childs school automatically exempts my son from doing the testing (NAPLAN). All I have to do is sign a form to say i agree with the exemption. However, this year they failed to send me the form and had actually included him in the testing to be done next term. I kicked up a stink. I agree the testing is totally out of his depth. Thier only allowance was they would give him an extra 1/2 hour to sit the tests which go for 3 days. I am sorry, but my son is NOT going to sit for longer than all the other kids, giving him even more anxiety which will overflow and explode when he gets home.

Result, no test for my son.

And yes, the tests are the exact same as the mainstream kids do. Totally a sham considering half the time our kids are pulled from class to attend SEU while the rest of the class are learning the actual tasks.