This student is in 12th grade on paper, but has not earned any credits in school for a few years now. This means that they have not passed any classes for a while. They are in special education, and it was time to update their records - so I got to do the testing.
This student did really well with my testing - scoring within Average and above Average ranges (and compared to the scores I normally see - this pretty much makes them look like a genius) So, I talk to the woman who did the academic testing - she, too, had all Average scores and above. So I check their state test scores. Not only did they pass their state exams - they scored quite high. In addition, this student comes from a stable home, with both parents, and has great school attendance.
So, of course, the question is - do they need special education services?
I look up their records in search of all the previous psychological testing that has been done. I didn't find anything in the folder - but that's not uncommon. So, I put in a formal request to our office to give me a copy of the most recent testing on file. About a week later, I get the report in my box.
The last time this student was tested was in Kindergarten. 1996. 13 years ago. Obviously, I'm shocked. For those of you unfamiliar with the way things work in SPED- records should be updated (with current psych testing) every 3 years in order to re-evaluate the student's needs. However, for some reason, this wasn't done. I asked my school about it (I mean, this student has been here for over 3 years now) and they tell me that it took them 3 years to get consent for the testing.
Ok ok. Maybe I can still figure this out. Let's see why they were placed in SPED in the first place - I start reading the 13 year old report (which, by the way, is poorly handwritten on unlined paper). The report, while difficult to read, is well written. The testing was thorough. So what were the scores that placed this child into special education? He scored within the Average or Above Average ranges on EVERYTHING. Cognitive, Academic, Visual-Motor Integration and several other things.
I'm now thinking that perhaps even though this report obviously doesn't support placing the student in SPED, maybe the team decided against the psych's recommendations. It happens. :) But no, I flip to the last page and see that this psychologist recommended him for SPED placement. (bangs head on desk). Why?? Apparently, this 5 year old student had "attention difficulties"
In her defense - the psych stated that this should be a trial year and that the student would need to be reassessed. But, you see, that never happened.
And so, here I am. I have an 18 year old student who is bright and witty and friendly and smart - but who has been coddled by the SPED system for the last 12 years and has never been challenged in the classroom to their level, has never learned to push themselves, has never learned to take responsibility for their actions. And I get to be the one to tell them that they no longer qualify for these special services. 18 years old, no high school credits. It's sink or swim now. Hopefully they'll learn to swim - but statistics would argue otherwise.
How does this happen? I'm not really sure. I feel bad for the kid though. He's been done a huge disservice.
7 comments:
reading this reminds me of what i miss so, so much. not that i ever got where you are :) (no...i was too stupid to do that)
but, this reminds me of how i felt in class. when dielmann would throw up something and i'd think, "oh, i'll never let that happen".
it makes me want to go to law school. and then come back and attack all this. but then again, what good would that do for this kid...who like you said...has fallen. through the cracks.
so incredibly sad. and frustrating. where do you go from here?
omg. as a person who has gone through almost four years of education classes which emphasize the importance of accurate and appropriate assessment your post REALLY bothers me. i can't believe that educators (and the kid's parents!) would allow this poor kid to fall through the cracks like that. it is sad. and it's frustrating. and it's ridiculous. i hope you can help this kid, laura.
law suit...
I'm so thankful that God placed you in this child's path..that you are so attentive and intuitive. You have no idea what doors you are opening and the confidence you might be instilling.
It gives me a glimmer of hope in such an unnecessarily frustrating situation.
Yikes. Crazy! I'll share this one when I talk about assessment in class...as an example of what potential implications for diagnosis can be. Sad.
By the way, Congrats on the number at the top of your blog. Keep up the good work! :-)
Laura - it's things like this that really makes me want a classroom. I'd like to think that somewhere along the line someone tried to make this right ... but if they did where is the documentation? HOW does a child go 13 years and no one notices that this child is above SPED level? What about the parents? I agree with other posters ... this kick starts the desire inside of me to do something about this ... it's just difficult to know what.
I know of some people who have fallen through cracks. I've helped some a bit. They still live in an ache in my heart and I don't talk about them. Now, I know you understand How I feel, Laura.
Granny
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