My district wants to grade all special ed. students based on state standards. Any student who doesn’t meet that standard can’t earn an A, regardless if they’re working up to their ability. How do others feel about this?
In addition, some teachers would like to have check off boxes on the report card that indicate special services: IEP, Speech, Reading Lab, etc. Any opinions?
Thanks,
Ilene
Re: report cards
It is illegal to put anything on that report card indicating special services as far as I know. Those go in the cum folders which are not at the same level of condidentiality as a special ed. folder. We were told we could not make any indication of special ed. on the report card.
I do not agree with the grading issue mentioned. I think that could be challenged, too.
Janis
report cards
I think report cards confuse more people than they enlighten. Your school’s discussion about them is a good example. What has been the philosophy of your school up till now? What were report cards supposed to convey?
At the least, a letter would need to be sent out to all parents especially spec. ed students’ parents telling them that now report cards are tied in with state standards.
If it were my world to run, I wouldn’t have report cards at all. I’d do written progress reports. Report cards say too little and upset too many people to be useful.
report cards
It is illegal to put any special ed. services on the report card. My district tried to do that, but it was never started because of the legal aspect. I use my own grading system for my students. They get a letter grade for thier report card, but I base it on their ability. I also send home a progress report every five weeks based on the goals on thier IEP. I let parents know if the goal has been met or not and what the students are able to do.
It all depends on what those grades are supposed to convey. What grade levels are we talking about here?
Hmmm…. lots of gifted and disorganized students should do really well by these standards then — who cares whether they got any assignments done if they can pass THE TEST?
If you’re going to be stuck with this, figure out some way of measuring the other objectives for your chlld and give your own grades (and/or discuss this with the teacher). It doesn’t have to show up on the stupid piece of paper that’s the report card. YOu can measure improvement and progress (which is also objective) as well as the more subjective things like effort and attitiude.