[SoftballMominVA]

I teach at a public school in VA

The complaints probably refer to students with an IEP, or Individual Education Plans. And yes, this is a real problem.

Some students are not going to read on grade level with their peers. It's not going to happen for about a dozen reasons. Some are born mentally retarded, brain damaged, severely autistic, in addition to those who are learning disabled. Yet, only 5% of the special education population may be exempted.

In my school we have about 50 Learning Disabled kids, but we have 10 kids in the severe population. These kids have IQ's in the 30's and 40's. What magic wand can we wave to teach them to read on grade level? Several are still learning self care--at 6th, 7th and 8th grade.

Is there a problem? You bet. Our school WOULD have passed except for the special education population. We had to exempt too many.

Anyone out there have an answer? I'm open to suggestions. Perhaps their parents should home-school them?

[mlmr]

Do these kids really belong in a regular public school?

[Clara Lou]

The situation at your school sounds so familiar. Are you required to test those students with the very low IQs? We have to test ours, but they take a special test, not the regular mandated state test-- the TAKS.

[luckystarmom]

If you have a child that is on an IEP then they can opt out of testing. If that happens the school is not penalized.

You are correct that some students will never read or write because of disabilities.

I have a daughter with brain damage. So far, she is doing okay in school. She just passed 1st grade. She's great in math, but she needs to improve in reading and writing. She has severe speech problems, and she is reading at about the same level as she speaks. She can't say many multi-syllable words, and I wonder how she will read them if she can't say them.

[Major_Risktaker]

Some are born mentally retarded, brain damaged, severely autistic, in addition to those who are learning disabled.

In my school we have about 50 Learning Disabled kids, but we have 10 kids in the severe population. These kids have IQ's in the 30's and 40's.

_________________

Are you saying mentally retarded children are
learning with normal children?

What year did this social engineering experiment start?

_________________

Main Entry: 1re·tard
Pronunciation: ri-'tärd
Function: verb
Etymology: Middle English, from Middle French or Latin;
Middle French retarder, from Latin retardare, from re- +
tardus slow
transitive senses
1 : to slow up especially by preventing or hindering
advance or accomplishment : IMPEDE
2 : to delay academic progress by failure to promote
intransitive senses : to undergo retardation
synonym see DELAY
- re·tard·er noun

_________________

Talk about slowing down a class.

Many people can't drive cars because of a lack
of education. Look at the retards that causes
problems for everyone else.

Good Luck!!!

[ladylib]

Only if their parents want to home school them. If they don't choose to do so, their kids are entitled to a free public education and it's up to the school to deliver it.

Do you know who is getting hurt by NCLB? Bright students who are being shortchanged because all the money and effort is going to the lower end of the spectrum.