What a step backwards for those with disabilities!

It seems the problem you are trying to solve is a very poorly run
and misguided application of current special education laws. Your
solution takes those with disabilties and puts them back eons.

We know all students with disabilities will not achieve grade
level standards, many can with APPROPRIATE teaching. The largest
group of disabled students are those with average to above average
IQs, but these students fair terribly because of a variety of
reasons.

Fact of the matter is, and I'm sure I will be blasted here is that
a vast majority of special education teachers really don't know
how to teach the students and make it up as they go along. Couple
that with few schools knowing what the laws really mean and
administrators trying twist the laws into the way they want to run
the schools.

The last thing the kids need are lower standards so that those
that have a chance of succeding automatically get put in the box
with lower standards. I've seen kids that read years below grade
level and write even worse ace courses like Chemsitry, Physics,
etc when the information is delivered in a manner appropriate for
the student and the student is able to respond using methods that
work for the student.

There is an I in IEP for a reason. The reason things aren't
working is that everyone except for the parent in most cases is
turning a blind eye to the I.

On 7/27/10, Mom to Three wrote:
>
> Hi Tina,
>
> My point is that without a standard set of the skills that could
> be taught for a student with a disability who is not able to do
> grade level work even with say two years in kindergarten on
> readiness, it would seem to be important to have a listing of
> skills to be presented. This could then be viewed by anyone
> interested in a child's education at any time - a brand new
> teacher, a parent, an advocate so that if the curriculum of a
> self-contained classroom or a resource, mainstream or inclusive
> setting just did not seem to be fitting what a student needed,
> folks could assess to see where a student was really at.
> Students with autism, moderate intellectual disabilities and
> severe learning disabilities can learn core skills, but it may
> take them much longer to do so.
>
> A sequential "Skills curriculum" would ensure that no one could
> make a quick decision that a student can't learn to read or do
> math so let's "just expose them to the general curriculum" and
> move them along. If in an inclusion or mainstream class and
> skills not being learned, it would be a reason for smaller group
> or one-on-one and/or for the use of research based intervention
> materials which a school division just may not want to invest in.
> While the skills may not be on grade level, materials that
> "look" more appropriate can be used - just consider how one
> teaches non-native adults in GED classes.
>
> I know enough to know that if a student is reading two grade
> levels or more, then he/she will not be able to comprehend and
> process grade level material often times even in related
> subjects. But inclusion in those subjects for general knowledge
> increase and greatly modified work is one thing, but you need the
> building blocks to learn to read, write and do math.
>

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