Testing accommodations for students with special needs has become a very controversial topic in some states. Most states do not allow students with special needs to have the oral reading of the reading passages. The state of Georgia has been accused of overusing this accommodation. Now the state is closely monitoring the use of this accommodation. The most recent Georgia Department of Education Accommodations Manual states that this is a conditional accommodation and should be used sparingly. The manual also outlines specific guidelines to use to determine if students qualify for this accommodation, for example, non-readers or students with severe decoding deficits (not students reading below grade level). The reason why the oral reading of the reading passages is conditional and considered non-standard administration is because the test is designed to assess reading comprehension. If the reading passages are read to the student, the test will assess listening comprehension. Many parents, teachers, and administrators are irate over this matter. Parents are angry because during IEP meetings, the team identifies the appropriate assessment/testing accommodations for the student. Many list oral reading of test as an accommodation, but parents do not understand that each state determines which accommodations are allowed on state-wide assessments which override the IEP. The parents argue that the students receive these accommodations for the entire school year, and then when it is time for the test, the students are left to perform without some of their accommodations. Teachers and administrators feel that some accommodations level the playing field for students with special needs, and these students deserve to have any accommodation that they need in order to be successful. Surprisingly, some students have revealed that some accommodations are unnecessary and embarrassing.
Should state approved accommodations override the accommodations that have been identified by the IEP team? Is an IEP really individualized?
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Great blog Emmaundia! I thought reading your blog was very interesting. This was my first time making a blog and I thought this was a good experience. I too am an ESE teacher. In fact, many people may think that accommodations and modifications are the same thing. However, each has its own definition and means two different things. For example, “Accommodations involve many kinds of techniques and support systems. Accommodations help students around limitations related to their disability. Students who are blind may need to use Braille textbooks or books-on-tape. Student on wheelchairs may need a ramp or elevator to move independently in the school building. Students who are deaf or hard-of-hearing may need a sign language interpreter (Florida Developmental Disabilities Council, Inc.). In other words, “accommodations are made to the way students learn and how they are tested.” Modifications differ in that “the expectations of the curriculum may be necessary if your child can’t work on the same grade level as his or her classmates. The IEP team can also use modifications to address any other educational needs of your child.
I am a big believer in "labeling is disabling". I have students in my class who are bright, articulate, yet "diagnosed" and "labeled". When I give them something to do they automatically say things like "but I can't. I'm extended time" or "I can't, I'm A.D.D.". My answer recently to a student that said that was "yes you can, try your best and we'll see how you do when you're done". The student scored 100%. One of only a couple of perfect scores in the class. We are so quick to label, diagnose, and try to "accommodate" nowadays. A lot of our kids can definitely use accommodations. However, the definition of accommodation should mean that we accept their fears and anxiety, we should talk them through it, give them some extra time with us to review after class or after school. I'm obviously only referring to the "minor" disabilities when I say, "A little encouragement can go a long way".
This is a very sensitive topic for me as well. It is important to make sure that all teachers adhere to student's IEP accommodations and modifications. It is so imperative that teachers read the IEP and sign it at the very beginning of the year. They must also make accommodations for testing throughout the school year as well as the standardized tests. We mandate that our teachers provide accommodations for students on every assessment. This may include quizzes, tests, projects and etc... It is not tolerated to let a student with accommodations on thier IEP not recieve for standardized tests. Many systems should put in place to make sure this is adhered to. This may mean that a lead special education teacher or administrator should monitor this process extensively.
According to Essex (2008), the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act of 2004(IDEA) states that children with disabilities ages 3-21 have the right to a free appropriated education in public schools. IDEA 2004 and the special education regulations include specific requirements for individualized educational programs (IEP) of children whose behavior impedes their learning or the learning of other children, including training teachers to use positive behavioral interventions and strategies. According to IDEA 2004 an IEP must meet a minimum specific criterion. An IEP must have a statement detailing the child’s present level of educational performance as well as the annual and short term goals of the instructional objectives. An IEP must have a description of the specific educational services to be provided and a determination of whether or not a child can participate in regular educational programs. An IEP should also have a description of transitional services to be rendered if the child a high school junior or senior in order to ensure that services are provided when the child leaves the regular school environment. The IEP must have a description of services and a timeline for providing those services as well as an explanation of procedures that will be used to determine if instructional objectives have been achieved.
Reference:
Essex, N. (2008). School law and the public schools: A practical guide for educational leaders(4th ed.). Boston: Allyn & Bacon.
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