Thread: Special Education rant

Yes they graduate with the same diploma. Nothing you can do about that.

Yes you can fail a sped kid. In AZ you have to prove their failing was not do to their personal difficulties and that you modified the assignments according to the IEP. Since this follows IDEA protocals then I assume it is like this everywhere.

The admin may not like it, and the sped teachers will hate you for it but as long as you cover your donkey well with documentation of parent contact and contact with the sped teacher you should be good to go.

It is tough.

I looked on-line at the Tennessee Department of Education website.

Buried in a 36 page document entitled: "Rules of the State Board of Education, Chapter 0520-01-03, Minimum Requirements for the Approval of Public Schools" is information about special education diplomas.

[url]http://state.tn.us/sos/rules/0520/0520-01/0520-01-03.pdf[/url]

On page 18,under 0520-1-3-.06 under item 1, subsection a, paragraph 3, it says, "The special education diploma will be awarded to students who have satisfactorily completed an individualized instructional program, and who have satisfactory records of attendance and conduct, but have not met competency test or gateway examination standards."

I hope this answers your question. Your special education teacher appears to be correct. 0520-1-3-.06 specifically refers to an "individualized instructional program."

The challenge as I see it, will be tailoring instruction for this student that is challenging but not too challenging given the student's limitations.

Best wishes,

David

I struggle with the issue of special education students making the honor roll when all their classes have been modified to meet their needs. Often, these students simply refuse to do the work, don't complete homework, do not study for the tests and then receive a modified version that is tailored to their ability (?) that allows them to earn A's and B's.

Personally, I think we have confused the issue. The idea of providing a free and appropriate education to all shouldn't mean modifying the curriculum to allow all students to earn the A. I'm all for accomodations for those with genuine disabilities to gain access to an education, but I have a really difficult time with the idea that if you test a kid and there is a significant descrepancy (generally two year behind) between ability and performance he gets classified as a student with a specific learning disability. Sometimes, this is accurate, but I suspect that more often that not, the descrepancy has been caused by lack of attending class, completing class tasks and homeowrk or studying for tests. My point is... if you choose to do nothing and you learn nothing, that doesn't mean you have a learning disabilty. Yet, many have been afforded the opportunity to get by without applying any effort and simply being tagged as LD.

but many children ( as my son) are severely handicap and even though their work is not the same as their age level. It is nice if they met thier goals they can get teachers honor roll and such. I can guarantee you my son works hard to meet his goals them some students that are on the honor roll. Sometimes small things are very hard for special needs children and may seen easy to YOU. Or may seem to YOU they are not trying but that is not always the case .

Now i do understand what you are saying about children that CAN do the work but refuses to. But I just wanted to point out thats not always the case for all children. the special needs children need to be rewarded as well as the "normal" children

Wow.....I thought I wrote your rant. Trina, there are a large population of LD students who are not as profoundly affected as your child- I doubt any reasonable person would begrudge a blind autistic kid an A, if he earned it. In my state we do have a "certificate of completion" for those who are unable to meet the minimum standards for a diploma.

Kingster, I would say this to you: you are not obligated to pass anyone who doesn't earn it. If you modify their assignments to their disability and they still fail because of their lack of effort, they still fail.

Originally Posted by ettennan

...Sometimes, this is accurate, but I suspect that more often that not, the descrepancy has been caused by lack of attending class, completing class tasks and homeowrk or studying for tests. My point is... if you choose to do nothing and you learn nothing, that doesn't mean you have a learning disabilty. Yet, many have been afforded the opportunity to get by without applying any effort and simply being tagged as LD.

Yes, yes, yes! Here is another person that feels the angst to which I refer. I am all for making students successful - but students should have minimal contractual obligations [like showing up, trying, etc.].

I am still trying to wrap my head around the utility of a SPED diploma as referenced by someone else.

Modern education baffles me...

The Kingster

Originally Posted by David Chin

[url]http://state.tn.us/sos/rules/0520/0520-01/0520-01-03.pdf[/url]

On page 18,under 0520-1-3-.06 under item 1, subsection a, paragraph 3, it says, "The special education diploma will be awarded to students who have satisfactorily completed an individualized instructional program, and who have satisfactory records of attendance and conduct, but have not met competency test or gateway examination standards."

I hope this answers your question.

Yes, thank you for the research. I don't like it...especially the part about "...but have not met competency test or gateway examination standards." I suspect that most employers would evaluate a SPED diploma appropriately...so maybe my rant is pointless.

It just feels like an ethical breach to me.

Thanks,
Steven King, MBA

Originally Posted by trina

but many children ( as my son) are severely handicap and even though their work is not the same as their age level. It is nice if they met thier goals they can get teachers honor roll and such. I can guarantee you my son works hard to meet his goals them some students that are on the honor roll. Sometimes small things are very hard for special needs children and may seen easy to YOU. Or may seem to YOU they are not trying but that is not always the case .

That is precisely the case in most instances. "Hard" = "I don't know" = "I refuse to try". This type of student is what I'm talking about...not the student who is busting their bootie to meet the standard. I will work with that student...I always will. It is the student who refuse to attempt - does not show up, etc. that still gets credited with the class that chaps my hide.[/quote]

Now i do understand what you are saying about children that CAN do the work but refuses to. But I just wanted to point out thats not always the case for all children. the special needs children need to be rewarded as well as the "normal" children

It's really not about being "normal" - as if any of us would meet the criteria...it's more at what should constitute "rewardable" behavior/performance. I say again, if a child is striving...work with him - if he's not, then he deserves to fail.

The Kingster

Originally Posted by JohnBoy

Wow.....I thought I wrote your rant. ...In my state we do have a "certificate of completion" for those who are unable to meet the minimum standards for a diploma.

Maybe something like that exists in TN...I'll have to check it out.

Kingster, I would say this to you: you are not obligated to pass anyone who doesn't earn it. If you modify their assignments to their disability and they still fail because of their lack of effort, they still fail.

Cool. I appreciate that. I know the SPED teacher here [read: doesn't want to do his/her job but still sounds off the loudest at the faculty meeting...] won't enjoy it. But, verily I say to all of you...if you fail...you fail.

Thanks! And no, I don't take myself too seriously...

Steven King, MBA