Posted on 02/10/2007 4:11:56 PM PST by NormsRevenge
WASHINGTON - When Tori Boyles, of Columbia, Mo., takes a test at school, an adult often reads the questions to her because the 9-year-old has learning disabilities that make reading difficult.
That kind of accommodation generally is not allowed for the reading test that public school students take under the federal No Child Left Behind law. Also, skipping the exam is not permitted for Tori, who has spina bifida, a condition often accompanied by learning problems.
"Why isn't there an option to opt out of that?" asks her mother, Becky Boyles. "She just has to stare at this piece of paper. She'll tell you she feels stupid. She feels absolutely stupid."
Boyles and other parents are not the only ones frustrated when children such as Tori take federally mandated tests and do poorly. School administrators feel trapped by the system as well and lagging children risk being blamed for an entire school's failure.
The dilemma is how to fix the problem without abandoning kids with special needs.
Under the federal law, which seeks to get all students reading and doing math on grade level by 2014, schools have to analyze the scores of groups of children. This includes special-education students and foreign-language speakers who are just learning English.
If certain groups of students fail to meet specific goals, entire schools can be labeled as needing improvement. They then might face steps such as having to replace teachers and principals. Critics say that can place enormous pressure on the lagging groups.
"In some instances, it's made them into scapegoats. You hear, 'Well if it wasn't for these children, then we would be OK.' It's criminal to treat them this way," said Carol Kula, who teaches high school students in Muscatine, Iowa, who are learning English as a second language.
The five-year-old federal law is scheduled to be rewritten this year, and the lawmakers in charge say they will try to change the rules for special-education students and recent immigrants. The aim is to inject more common sense into the law while sticking with its promise to leave no child behind.
"I think for both of these groups of students, the law was not well designed. It does not acknowledge (that) by definition these kids are not going to meet the same standards at the same pace as other students," said Michael Petrilli, who wrote a book about the law and helped oversee the first years of the program at the Education Department.
Parents, teachers and state policymakers are among those pushing for more flexibility in the testing of special-education students and immigrants. Advocates for both groups caution against loosening the rules too much.
"What we're hoping is that students with disabilities continue to be part of the accountability system. If they're not, schools are going to make decisions that don't include them," said Katy Neas, a lobbyist for Easter Seals, which helps people with disabilities and special needs.
Delia Pompa, vice president for education at the National Council of La Raza, a Latino advocacy group, said excusing immigrants from tests could slow their learning. She says public schools have a long history of providing less than rigorous course work for students who are learning English.
The No Child Left Behind law requires annual testing in reading and math in third grade through eighth grade and once in high school.
Roughly 10 percent of special-education students — those with the most severe disabilities — take alternative tests under the law. These are easier than the regular exams. But critics say the tests still are too hard for some children and do not reflect lessons typically taught to severely disabled students.
In addition to the 10 percent who get the special test, the Education Department is considering allowing about one-fifth of the rest of the special-education students to take alternative tests. These tests are expected to be harder than the ones given to the first group but easier than the typical tests.
There is a debate about whether that overall total — about 30 percent of special-education students — is the right proportion of students to single out and whether states should be able to set such policies on their own.
Similarly, there is disagreement over how to test students who are learning English as a second language.
The government exempts students enrolled in U.S. schools for less than a year from taking reading tests. After that time, these students have to be tested.
The law says students can take the test in their native language for up to three years. States, however, have been slow to develop tests in other languages.
Critics say children cannot be expected to be proficient in reading until they have mastered English, which generally takes several years.
Students learning English and those with disabilities were an afterthought when the No Child Left Behind law was being written, according to those involved.
"We said if you're going to have an accountability system, it needs to include everybody, and then the drafters said, 'Oh yeah you're right,'" said Neas, the Easter Seals lobbyist. She said she has heard complaints from teachers, who say the law is too rigid, and from parents, who want to know why their disabled children have to take the tests.
Peggy Walker, who teaches sixth-graders with disabilities in Stoughton, Wis., says the law has brought extra attention to the education of special-needs students.
"Everybody at our school is very focused on reducing the number of kids that aren't proficient," Walker said.
Walker said she worries the law further stigmatizes children with disabilities by placing schools on watch lists when those students fail.
Many educators say entire schools should not be labeled as failing in those circumstances and should only have to provide extra attention to lagging students.
Rep. Dale Kildee (news, bio, voting record), who is in charge of the House subcommittee with jurisdiction over the education law, argues against making a hasty change.
"I think we're very cautious in changing that, so we don't have them lose sight of the fact that they have to serve those kids well," said Kildee, D-Mich.
The education subcommittee's top Republican, Delaware Rep. Mike Castle, recently said the law needs to be improved for special-education students and new immigrants. But he stopped short of spelling out what he wants to do.
California Democrat George Miller (news, bio, voting record), who chairs the full education committee, also said these two areas must be reviewed.
One proposal expected to be considered would give schools credit if their students, including those with disabilities or those who are learning English, make strides but fall short of a specific goal.
"If every student moves forward, isn't that the key? Some will move faster than others because of many elements in their lives," said Brenda Dietrich, a school superintendent in the Topeka, Kan., area. She oversees a district where a school failed to meet the law's progress goal because of the scores of special-education students.
For Becky Boyles, who has adopted six children, including Tori, the idea of giving schools credit for progress makes sense. She likened it to the way she runs her home.
"Everybody's expected to help out, but Tori who uses crutches can't really get her dishes to the dishwasher," she said. "Tori can get the soap in the dish washer and get the table wiped off. She's still helping, but I'm not making her do things that she absolutely cannot do."
Tori Boyles, right, wheels herself to class Oct. 3, 2006, at Mill Creek Elementary school in Columbia, Mo. When Boyles takes a test at school, an adult often reads the questions to her because the nine-year-old, who has spina bifida, has learning disabilities that make reading difficult. Such accommodation generally is not allowed for the reading test public school students take under the federal No Child Left Behind law - nor is skipping the exam. (AP Photo/L.G. Patterson)
What where you just saying about Kevin being stuck in EASL?
Think the school was kooking the books?
A couple of our schools are in trouble because of the "recent Immigrant" population scores. The government says that students whose first language is other than language must be able to read, write, and comprehend English--I believe within 3 years of enrolling in public schools. Some kids are bright enough to be able to do that. A significant number are simply unable to pick up a second language that quickly. Doesn't matter, though--the federal government says that they must. Unfortunately, the government does send schools a magic wand to accompany the mandate.
If a kid comes into this country literate in their own language, they should be able to catch up to English pretty well in 3 years. But the overwhelming majority come here illiterate in their native language with no sound-symbol knowledge. They cannot learn English in 3 years - not well enough to be tested at grade level.
Something needs to be done to make the testing reasonable.
What part of 'No Child' don't they understand? Jeez, 2014 is seven years off, and they're already lowering the bar.
We have a 13 year-old student who arrived from Mexico with no education whatsoever. No matter--we're responsible for getting him up to speed in 3 years. It's ridiculous. Grrrr.
You think fewer immigrants are coming across the border in the next 7 years? This is a problem that is not going away, but getting much worse.
Then dump the program. Stratifying is no better than tracking, and we didn't need federal money to do it.
"As a wealthy nation we should try to help folks be happy'
Tell me you didn't mean to say that.
That is what the General Assembly is going to vote on. The question is "Is the money that VA gets from NCLB worth the hassle of conforming to the testing standards?" From what I've been told, the amount of $$ from the Feds is pretty low and there is a chance the General Assembly will vote us out of it, but we'll see I reckon.
You are really cruel. Perhaps institutionalizing them will make you feel better?
Until the congress has the backbone to change this law, what you or I think doesn't much matter. Only the law does. And trust me, there are lawyers out there that can drain every drop of milk out of that tired ol' pig called the Federal Government.
Folks seem to get so overwrought regarding this debate.
"Mainstreaming" is the educational equivalent of socialism in my humble opinion.
Everyone suffers, these were not the ideas of the legislature in the beginning.
We are all different, and each of our substream of students deserves the best, therefore kids should be able to compete upon a basis that challenges them. Try challenging them.. the genetic sense of competition is in all of us despite our differences.
JMHO. as a Mom
Dear Bob,
Be careful what you post. Someone might think that you're a dirty old man with a one-track mind, particularly since your post has nothing to do with this thread.
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