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Special Ed 101
How to measure progress and other IEP topics
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<blockquote data-quote="pepperidge" data-source="post: 156833" data-attributes="member: 2322"><p>Martie,</p><p></p><p>thanks. We will certainly get the homework piece addressed. They have been quite willing to modify. What I am fighting is the tendency on their part to say, oh sure, no homework, when in fact in some cases the homework (as in math) I think provides the practice my kids need to be successful. The tendency on their part is to want to modify too much. Cheaper to lower the bar than to provide services to meet it. To be fair, though, for the last two years we all agreed to major modifications for my oldest, who like your son, was having a major case of school refusual. The goal was just to get him to school. But we have gotten him a ways beyond that now, and can focus more on achievement, though I know if we push too hard things could go south again perhaps.</p><p></p><p>Interesting advice on what you say about curriculum assessment. So basically where kids are getting chapter tests in math say, we should write a goal that difficult child gets at least a C on all chapter tests. Then if he doesn't, we want more aides in class (which they will already be providing to a small group of kids including him in class), 1:1 help in study hall with math homework). My son is in a slower paced math class that has both 7 and 8 grade in it, but it is not exactly self-paced, so we need to determine what their goal is for him by the end of the year, and what are the benchmark curriculum assessments along the way, I guess. </p><p></p><p>in Language arts, for my youngest (the one with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS)), he has problems with reading comprehension, particularly making inferences etc from what he has read. The Special Education teacher tells me he is easily distracted, which is true, he responds to any external stimulus--but I think it is more than that. She says his reading is ok if he can read in very short chunks with much redirection. Hence I think she is arguing that he doesn't need a lot of help. I think the problem goes beyond that, though. And in any event, I am not sure that the tests or work they do in class provides a direct or clear enough measure of whether they are doing anything to improve his reading comprehension skills. Here I guess I am not sure what the best measure is. </p><p></p><p>And in writing, they have a pretty rigorous approach to grading writing samples based what is used on state assessment tests, so I suppose they could grade writing samples based on that approach. Perhaps what we should ask for is that they do a graded writing assessment every six weeks or so to see if there is any progress.</p><p></p><p>A big issue underneath all this is that in middle school they are willing to grade my kids less rigorously (grade on work completed, grade relative to what they think kids are capable of). While it would not do my kids much good to see a constant parade of "f"s, I end up with no idea of what level they are really producing at, and what kind of progress they are making. </p><p>I am thinking at this point that it would be far better to deal with the real grades so we can see what is going on, rather than the "soft" grades. how have others addressed this issue?</p><p></p><p>I am worried, because in high school, to avoid a modified diploma, we have to avoid modified grading. Accommodations yes, modifications no. </p><p></p><p>So how frequently would you suggest that we ask for standardized achievement testing? Once a year, as a sort check on the curriculum assessments?</p><p></p><p>Anyway, thanks again so much for your input. I have learned so much from you all.</p><p></p><p>P.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="pepperidge, post: 156833, member: 2322"] Martie, thanks. We will certainly get the homework piece addressed. They have been quite willing to modify. What I am fighting is the tendency on their part to say, oh sure, no homework, when in fact in some cases the homework (as in math) I think provides the practice my kids need to be successful. The tendency on their part is to want to modify too much. Cheaper to lower the bar than to provide services to meet it. To be fair, though, for the last two years we all agreed to major modifications for my oldest, who like your son, was having a major case of school refusual. The goal was just to get him to school. But we have gotten him a ways beyond that now, and can focus more on achievement, though I know if we push too hard things could go south again perhaps. Interesting advice on what you say about curriculum assessment. So basically where kids are getting chapter tests in math say, we should write a goal that difficult child gets at least a C on all chapter tests. Then if he doesn't, we want more aides in class (which they will already be providing to a small group of kids including him in class), 1:1 help in study hall with math homework). My son is in a slower paced math class that has both 7 and 8 grade in it, but it is not exactly self-paced, so we need to determine what their goal is for him by the end of the year, and what are the benchmark curriculum assessments along the way, I guess. in Language arts, for my youngest (the one with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS)), he has problems with reading comprehension, particularly making inferences etc from what he has read. The Special Education teacher tells me he is easily distracted, which is true, he responds to any external stimulus--but I think it is more than that. She says his reading is ok if he can read in very short chunks with much redirection. Hence I think she is arguing that he doesn't need a lot of help. I think the problem goes beyond that, though. And in any event, I am not sure that the tests or work they do in class provides a direct or clear enough measure of whether they are doing anything to improve his reading comprehension skills. Here I guess I am not sure what the best measure is. And in writing, they have a pretty rigorous approach to grading writing samples based what is used on state assessment tests, so I suppose they could grade writing samples based on that approach. Perhaps what we should ask for is that they do a graded writing assessment every six weeks or so to see if there is any progress. A big issue underneath all this is that in middle school they are willing to grade my kids less rigorously (grade on work completed, grade relative to what they think kids are capable of). While it would not do my kids much good to see a constant parade of "f"s, I end up with no idea of what level they are really producing at, and what kind of progress they are making. I am thinking at this point that it would be far better to deal with the real grades so we can see what is going on, rather than the "soft" grades. how have others addressed this issue? I am worried, because in high school, to avoid a modified diploma, we have to avoid modified grading. Accommodations yes, modifications no. So how frequently would you suggest that we ask for standardized achievement testing? Once a year, as a sort check on the curriculum assessments? Anyway, thanks again so much for your input. I have learned so much from you all. P. [/QUOTE]
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