My son is so upset he failed a Social Studies test because of spelling and it was not written in cursive correctly.He is in resource room for spelling,grammer,writing.This is not his reg. ed teacher but another one they switch for science, and social studies.he is so upset that he is getting sick.He knew all the material but could not read all the questions correctly on his own he does get help from his reg. ed with reading all tests in her classroom.He could not write in cursive but this teacher insisted he try to since he knows most letter formations but this is just single letters but not connected.His spelling is way off all the time.In his IEP he does get extended time and his wrting expectations are lowerd in the reg, ed classroom.He also is soppose to have modifications for all written work.He is soppose to be given a chance to answer any question written wrong verbally per his IEP.This teacher has seen his IEP and has read it I made sure of this at the beginning of the school year.I dont know why she decided not to follow it this time.
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Its his Social Studies teacher and she knows his IEP states spelling and writing is not soppose to be counted against him per his IEP.The school psy put that in the IEP himself and it is undcerlined so the teachers who read it know it.This was on a map of the US and naming the states.Which he worked really hard on and studies a long time .He has no since in direction and to remeber where states are is a real accomplishment for him and spelling and his printing should not have caused him to get a F he is so devastated now I feel he will not try hard like that again.His reg. ed teacher says he works 3 times as hard as the restof the class and works nonstop while in her class to recieve the Cs he does in her class and she does give him modifications and when she teaches Science she does implement all his IEP modifications.
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I would look over the test and see how much was counted off for spelling and/or grammar, how much was technically correct. If he got a passing score adding back in the points for spelling,etc. then go back to the teacher with your copy of the iep and point out that your son passed the test and she needs to change the grade. If she won’t, then talk to the resource teacher(who ever is the case manager) for resolution, if none then talk to the principal. I know it is only one test but what about the next one? I wouldn’t let it sit. Just so you know my add/in son took his math test 3 times for an ultimate score of 92. He had studied with his dad and knew the math inside and out but bombed the second test too, his dad had shown all the work they had done so the the teacher was willing to let him try again. I was amazed that she did this for him. This was recently. He has on his iep retaking of tests and quizzes for grade improvement. Best wishes.
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He only missed 4 out of fifty and they were north and south he had confused.He missed spelled almost every state even our own Ohio.He reverses a lot.I plan on talking to his resource room teacher and let her talk to his socail studies teacher since she re wrote his IEP this year in Oct.
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I am a School Psychologist in MI. The teacher is in violation of the IEP. Since talking to the teachers has not had any effect, I suggest you go to the principal or better, the director of special services that oversees the LD programs. The modifications in the IEP are federally mandated - you could sue if you wanted to be pushy about it. The test should be read to him, he could orally give his answers, print them, take more time. These are all appropriate. You said the teacher ‘choose not to do the modifications’. Well, it is not a choice. Good Luck.
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Hi Gina,
Jane is right, the teacher is violating his IEP, and this is a good example of exactly why these things are mandated in the IEP, and enforceable by law. She is hurting his self-esteem and achievement potential, not just his grade on this particular test, as he probably will not be willing to study as hard next time. I would make it clear to the teacher directly that you will pursue this, on principle, and insist that she change the grade to reflect the accomodations which are mandated in the IEP. Tell her that you have no qualms about going over her head if she won’t be reasonable, and that you are on very firm legal footing here. Teachers have been successfully sued and fined thousands of dollars for such violations, and her teacher’s union will not protect her from such a violation. She needs to know how serious this is, quite apart from being totally unfair and cruel to your son… best of luck to you!
Sharon
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Well I talked to his teacher who did this and she will change his grade to a D only because she said it was more of a spelling grade so students will recogize the different states.I told her if she gives another test like this just dont give it to him.She agreed that it was wrong to do this.When his reg teacher gives science test or math test like this she has my son do something on the computer.He is being taught keyboarding so he can use aalphasmart next year.In the resouce room he does most of his work on the computer at his teachers desk.
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Gina, you mentioned that your son had to find the states on a map as well as label it, it sounded like more than a spelling exercise and he probably deserves more than a D. Go up the chain of responsibility, I wouldn’t settle. Also, if it was ‘just a spelling test’, then he should be able to get credit somehow for what he was able to do on the test, to replace the spelling grade. You said your son put a lot of work on this, he deserves better.
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I saw his teacher today and I told that same thing so did his sp ed teacher.Since he could point out to her which state was which she is giving him a better grade I dont know what yet but I might know tomorrow as it is my day to observe a K class in the school.
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Gina-I am a high school special ed teacher and I am disturbed by this event. Every day I work with students who have low self esteem due to the number of years of frustration in putting in effort and receiving low grades. I hope that you will persue this action for your son. Sharon is correct in her advice to you. This is a legal matter if teachers don’t follow the IEP. Please keep encouraging your son to achieve as much as possible. There are many people who have difficulty with spelling and we are fortunate to have spellcheck available for them. Keep pushing and your son will benefit from that.
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Glad to hear the teacher will change the grade. Hopefully this can also show your son that his efforts were worth it, even if you had to get involved. I know most of the time my 7th grade son hates when I get ‘active’, however, we are still the moms, we gotta do what we gotta do :o) Best wishes.
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My son likes it when I am at school.I cant be in his class though but he says he feels more secure when it is my days to be at his school.Actually his teacher says on these days he is more himself and not acting tight up and she sees him tic on those days too.
request that he retake the test, you might ask that it be administered by the resource teacher, you might also talk to the resource teacher about the accommodations not being implemented from the science teacher. something to request on an iep is to have grades in non lan.arts classes not be based on spelling(or handwriting) if that is an issue to being addressed in resource.