A place for teachers and other providers of special education services to support each other, share information, and discuss topics, including assessment.
Should special education students participate in standardized testing?
We differentiate instruction, teach the students at their proximal level of learning, and accept a variety of ways of demonstrating learning in our classrooms, but our students have to take standardized one-way-of-assessing tests.
Is this fair? And if not, is it ethical? And if not, what do we do about it?
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K-3 mild to moderate is
K-3 mild to moderate is different when you are talking about testing. I teach severely disabled children and testing a child who cant remember his birthday on his grade level curriculum is ridiculous.
I agree that it is unfair to
I agree that it is unfair to give special needs students grade level tests when they are functioning far below their peers. We are being pressured into getting "x" amount of students to pass, since we did not meet our AYP for our "subgroup" in years past. My students DO make progress according to their IEP's, however, sometimes it seems like I'm expected to perform miracles.
It's wonderful that your
It's wonderful that your students are being successful passing the 3rd grade state tests! (Wendy) It would be interesting to see if those same students will pass the 7th grade tests when they are 7th graders- when the discrepancy between age and functioning levels are more distinct.
Self-Contained Special Day class, grades 3-5
I like hearing different perspectives to find solutions. We have two alternative state tests in CA. One is a very functional but standards-based, and the other is similar to the state test, but there are less words on the page, more pictures, and 3 choices for answers instead of 4. However, neither of these address students who fall in the middle ground. When a 4th grader reads at a 1st grade level, and yet takes a test that he can't even read, I don't feel that this shows what he can do.
I read district tests to the students(except the reading portion of the reading test)and even though we may have covered some of the information and they understood it in class, they still choose the wrong answers! This is very frustrating. I feel as though we are wasting valuable instructional time. I am still trying to figure out what to do with the students who don't take the district tests and are distracting to the ones who do. There are no easy answers.
Concerned Tutor
Although I am not a special education teacher, rather a college student and k-12 tutor, I would really much like to share my view on this issue.
As a student who comes from a high school that was on academic probation my senior year and after multiple threats will now be run by the state, I find it very unfair that there is one version of the test, expected to be taken by every student. Although there were many factors involved in the low scores on the standarized tests, I feel that special education students being expected to take the same test played a role in it as well.
I know there is probably more to it than what I am aware, but my solution is this; why not construct a second standardized test, one that is structured around the material learned by special education students? This is probably easier said than done, by why does it have to be?
I realize I may be out of line commenting on this issue, but as a concerned student, I felt the need to speak my peace.
By basic definition of
By basic definition of Special Education (student can't generalize) standarized testing is wrong because every standarized test I've ever seen asks the student to generalize information. I guess we are lucky in LA we have LAA1 and LAA2 for special education if a student has failed the LEAP (our standarized test) three times and is below grade level in two subjects they qualify for taking the LAA testing. With the LAA2 tests theys tudents can still earn a high school diploma as long as they earn the carnegie units. The LAA tests are also used to show progress in the subjects that the student is deficient in. Therefore holding the teachers accountable for teaching the students at their own rate. So far this has worked out to be a better assessment of the special education students. The LAA1 is for the severe or profound students and is based on functional skills students who take this test get a certificate of achievement instead of a diploma.
Testing
It is not fair for them to take the test at grade level if they are not at grade level. They should take the test at their reading level or math level. I am working with my school district superindentent to fix this problem in my state.
AMEN to that! I totally
AMEN to that! I totally agree!
Yes, definately at their
Yes, definately at their reading level.
Ok i am going to put it this way on your comment... I am a father of a six year old son, who has autism. You made the comment that it starts with 3 year olds... I am not a teacher just a dad who likes to see what people think about our kids. It does not start at three it starts when you know your children and can see. (so to say) If it was not for people like you and your fellow teachers, AND MANY OTHERS. my son would not be where he is today, so thank you... just don't forget it is not easy. Thanks for listening.