I am in the process of writing my state officials here in the state of NH. I am encouraging everyone to do the same. Please keep it simple and give a brief story on their struggles that surround qualifying for an IEP. I am asking for a full-scale investigation as to why these tests in the Special Education screening process are flawed in so many ways. They are basically designed, administered and scored so that children like my son will pass them. Again, keep it as simple as possible.
Please everyone!!
Been there. Done that. I’ve jumped hoops for these teachers. No more. I am sick and tired of them telling me that he’s fine when he’s failing everything, bombing the NECAPs, etc. They can’t even be bothered working with him period. I cannot even tell you what they expect me to do. The list is too long. What is their responsibility in all of this? Sending him to study hall and letting him sit up front. Let’s it.
Hi dawn:
Like many other people, I peruse this site as well as Schwab etc., so I’m responding here. Based on all your posts on the various LD forums, it is obvious you are quite upset and want the world to notice. I think it’s great that you want to take action but don’t think you’ll get anywhere with your approach. Legislators are not going to listen to claims that testing is flawed without some kind of data. The fact is the tests do work for many people, and legislators also have to consider the teacher’s side. Teachers are often slammed on some of these sites, and I think that is a shame. Teachers are not God. They cannot make a child magically have ability in an area where they do not. Though I think methods like the discrepancy models are flawed at times, it makes sense that the schools would see the need to help children who have an obvious gap between ability and achievement. My daughter has a high IQ and can compensate in many ways. However, the math portion of the achievement test she took was NOT easy for her to pass by any means. She has a large discrepancy. I think her testing may have missed some weaknesses in language, but the testing absolutely worked in the area of math. Plus I think a different type of test may measure her language difficulties, but I don’t see a need yet to fight for that since things are working for her. Her school is helping her, but still I don’t expect the school to turn my dd into an great math student in particular. That is just not where her talent lies. I think parents need to be realistic as well. My dd is strong in the arts. That is her gift. Other areas may just need to be survived, so to speak. Sure I think we should do everything we can to help our kids, and we should question. Sure the testing sometimes does not accurately diagnosis kids with complex LD’s. However, I also think we should not always be pointing fingers and instead at times accept our children as they are and try to work cooperatively with our children’s teachers. Teachers are human too, and it’s natural that they will not want to work with parents who are always accusatory.