Comments have been intense about Arne Duncan’s plan to hold states accountable for higher test scores for students with disabilities.
Peter Greene said his proposal was really bad. Really bad.
That set off a vigorous debate.
Here is the last word, from Peter Greene, on what Arne should have said (but didn’t).
Diane Ravitch's blog 
Eloquently stated. Hope Arne’s listening.
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Ah, the fantasy of having a political leader saying exactly what you want him to say. If I could have my dream come true, I would have all those who think it is ok to stop measuring the educational outcomes of students with disabilities stop paternalizing these kids. As I said here, http://systemschangeconsulting.wordpress.com/2014/05/07/stop-paternalizing-children-with-disabilities/
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You get your wish. Because “all those who think it is ok to stop measuring the educational outcomes of students with disabilities” is pretty much nobody! Congrats.
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No one said we should stop measuring; there is disagreement about the compounding of tests (more than 5, more than 8, as many as 12?) …. in special education we have utilized an abundance of tests. There is now a new Woodcock Johnson IV coming out that I will attend for training; what some of us are saying is the over -use of tests has set us back 2 generations. That being said, I was involved in the early definitions of Chapter 766 in MASS when we had children in large institutions and Burt Blatt wrote Christmas in Purgatory; I don’t think over these years I would ever have identified the issue or concern as too much paternalization.
The federal agenda (a la Duncan) begins : (a) disrupt the assumptions of the IEP teams (i.e., all the teachers on those teams must be fired); and (b) SIG turn around through four prescriptive models:
• The turnaround model in which the LEA replaces the principal and rehires no more than 50% of the staff.
• The “restart model” in which the LEA converts or closes and reopens a school under a charter school operator, charter management organization
• The “school closure model” — enrolls the students in other schools in the LEA that are higher achieving.
• The “transformation model” in which the LEA replaces the principal… implements a rigorous staff evaluation and development system…..
These are inadequate responses no matter how you define the achievement gap between our superior , accelerated students and the young people we serve in special needs because they have been identified in an IEP . “Rigoritis” is not a cure for all the ills.
And, thanks to Peter for his response.
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as a “systemschangeconsultant” will you be applying to this RFP?
RFP for
Technical Assistance and Dissemination To Improve Services and
Results for Children with Disabilities–Center for Systemic Improvement PLEASE READ THIS IMPORTANT EMAIL AND FEEL FREE TO PASS IT ALONG…
Available:
Due: August 18, 2014
Purpose of Program: The purpose of the Technical Assistance and Dissemination to Improve Service and Result for Children with Disabilities program is to promote academic achievement and to improve results for children with disabilities by providing technical assistance (TA), supporting model demonstration projects, dissemination useful information, and implementing activities that are supported by scientifically based research.
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Thanks for the thought, Jean, but I am not a professional educator and while I have a lot of expertise in systems change, I doubt I could successfully compete for this RFP.
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What Arne should have said is, “I have just come to the realization that I don’t know diddley about education and am therefore resigning immediately.”
I have a dream …
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I’m in my early 40s and have been a special education teacher for 21 years I publicly broke down in tears this morning (horribly embarrassing) when I found out that several of my students passed the NYS Comprehensive English Regents exam. A couple of my seniors have taken this exam now 4 times since last year, attempting to get a passing grade so they could graduate this Friday. They both have language-based learning disabilities, but that is the only way they are similar. One, on the spectrum, struggles mightily with nuances of the English language and reading and writing about abstract concepts can prove daunting for him. The other’s dyslexia and cognitive levels also make reading and writing challenging. They have worked so hard and I am so proud of all of my kids, but especially these two. I got a text later today from one thanking me and that he couldn’t have done it if I hadn’t pushed him so hard (I like to think he meant “encouraged”, but I’ll take it). As hard as my kids work, I don’t think all of them will be able to get through this/these exam(s) at their levels.
Arne Duncan does not have a flaming clue.
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Special Educator in NY: a small thank you from your friendly neighborhood KrazyTA.
“Not all of us can do great things. But we can do small things with great love.” [Mother Teresa]
😎
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KrazyTA — Thanks for the quote; I had never heard that…. one of my favorite professors Lou Rubin would say “fix 100 little things.” and that is helpful advice for a parent or a teacher … so your quote fit right int. and Thanks to Special Educator NY because our grandchildren need more people like you!
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Certainly, failure and dropout rates among the IEP population is a concern. I wonder, however, if this initiative will truly address the issues of under-performance. It is not clear whether this signals that the U.S. Department of Education seeks to break with the minimalist standard of Rowley (public education is a floor, not a ceiling)- though one can always hope that Secretary Duncan hopes for a higher standard. My other concern is that the needs of intellectually gifted students with disabilities will remain unmet; they will have no problem meeting reading and math standards, but will remain vexed by time management and organizational skills.
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Bonne: you raise some very thoughtful points.
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It doesn’t matter what Arne says; it matters not what any of THEM say. They are robomatronic. They spit lies, that they know are lies, wrapped in rhetoric, wrapped in teacher bashing, wrapped in saving the children, ad nauseam.
They don’t believe what they say, they just hope that they are able to dupe the public into believing it, and they 1%ers love it. They are MASTERFUL at empty vile poisonous rhetoric since that advances their cause. Their pockets are deep, and their narcissism vast. Nothing written here or anywhere else is going to stop the machine that is ed reform.
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Please read, sign and circulate this petition: Arne Duncan Must Go!
Here is the link to the people’s petition to rid the nation of this one man disaster:
http://www.petition2congress.com/15679/arne-duncan-must-go/
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Please disregard this petition; see below.
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I signed it and sent the letters. I don’t think anything will change but it’s worth a try.
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Thank you. Duncan’s statements regarding special needs students will trigger some very emotional reactions. Political pressure is our best bet to rid the nation’s schools of this one-man wrecking crew.
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Please read, sign, and circulate the amended petition. For some reason the first one I posted was cut short. Thank you.
Here is the link to the people’s petition to rid the nation’s public school system from this one man disaster:
http://www.petition2congress.com/15685/dump-arne-duncan/
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thanks for this Peter: I used it to complain to Governor Patrick about M. Chester (and his conflict of interest with Pearson/PARCC)
quote: “The state of Massachusetts should not be providing moral support for Arne Duncan’s failed policies.
he calls M. Chester when he wants to draw on Governor Patrick’s support I guess because they are democrats?
quote: “And that’s not even the stupidest thing.
Kevin Huffman, education boss of Tennessee (a lawyer with a Teach for America stint as his education background), also chimed in to explain why disabled students do poorly, and how to fix it. He said most lag behind because they’re not expected to succeed if they’re given more demanding schoolwork and because they’re seldom tested.”
Mitchell Chester is not a special ed expert. He is also busy flying back and forth to London to safe Arne Duncan’s failed testing policies with Pearson/PARCC$$$$$$$
paying for the trips to London.
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The IEP is the law! Anything to override it especially with test scores isn’t only unethical, it is illegal
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I got one of those “I Need You” emails from Barack Obama today. I had a few choice thoughts but he wasn’t asking what we needed out here and I know it’s no use replying to those sorts of mass mailings.
But I did get another email from Dem HQ with a priorities survey:
☞ http://dccc.org/2014-Priorities-Survey
So I answered that, rube that I am. Here is what I wrote in response to the question, “Are there other priority issues you’d like to add?”
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I got one of those “I need you” emails, too. I didn’t open it. I have started deleting them all. I guess I should check to see if they have a survey where I get to tell them why they are not getting my money.
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Clicking that link will bring up a copy of the survey you can fill out.
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Thanks for pointing the link out. Sometimes I need flashing lights to see what is in front of my face.
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They’re agnostics on labor protections.
They’ve commissioned a Harvard study on the “value added” of a middle class. If they find we’re adding any value they’ll get back to you.
Doesn’t look good so far.
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Chiara, that VAM score is in ala Chetty; One oligarch donor is more valuable than a million of us. Even if we outvote them, the political critters can reap a life time job of wealth. Just think, how many of them go in to Congress as less than millionaires and leave the same way? Middle class? We are not valuable enough for them.
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I’m wondering if the lowest one percent of students and their teachers will have a waiver from the new requirements. It’s difficult to teach and learn when custodial care takes so much time. Then there are grave health issues and even some conditions where students waste away mentally and physically. If one doesn’t feel well aren’t we being bullies if we harp on learning? Sure parents can opt out of testing for their child but then all of that impacts other things down the line. Plus there is the problem that there aren’t materials for all the subjects that match the tests. I end up making most of my materials and communication boards for nonverbal students so even though they might be doing well in class the test could make it look like they are failures because by definition students on this level aren’t good at generalizing. My students, for the most part, do not have the pre skills to independently work on even the most simplified grade level work. It takes them many, many repetitions before learning something. With IQs and functioning of babies or very young children often times school work no matter how it is presented doesn’t interest students, sometimes causing behavior challenges. Yes, do evaluate me and my students but please do it in context. People aren’t widgets.
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Deb, what makes what is being done to your students any more acceptable to those who score at the 10% level? We can’t start playing their game. The testing is not improving anyone’s educational experience. My special ed students understood that their low scores were considered a label of failure. I found out at the end of the year that one of my students (a senior) had been misplaced (as were most of my students for one reason or another) and should have been receiving ELL services. In the two years we were together, we developed a strong relationship, and a nonreader (surprise, surprise since she didn’t speak much English) was reading 1-2 grade books and participating meaningfully in class discussions and assignments. She still couldn’t show her growth on the online assessment because she hadn’t reached a level where she was really eligible for the program. So many of my students weren’t technically eligible for my class, but I took them. Was that noted in my evaluation? No! I was criticized because too many students did not make enough progress!
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Dear 2old2teach, (I love it cuz I’m an old dog too.). How rewarding and frustrating. All your hard work counts to the quality of life for that child for sure but doesn’t count a fig towards your official evaluation. I know the feeling. After eight years I finally got through to a student of mine. It did’t count for my evaluation either. Good news is that the child is continuing to participate in class but needs a lot of processing time. I’m starting to invite politicians and business people to my center school to see what my students are really like. I think they must envision an image of a special needs actor they may have seen on television.
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thanks for reminding me of two students.
Maya is in high school and has high scores on general intelligence and then the scores on processing speed bring her down; she is able to verbalize that to her teachers…. in her own words… so that they understand. Giving her the confidence from third grade on has been substantial from all of the faculty, counselors, and teachers.
I am also reminded of Justin whose parents took him to Children’s Hospital in 5th grade for fear of ADHD. The diagnosis, he was not ADHD he had math anxiety. I imagine there will be scores of children that now have this issue: anxiety built in from the horrid overuse of tests .
Good news is that the child is continuing to participate in class but needs a lot of processing time. I’m starting to invite politicians and business people to my center school to see what my students are really like. I think they must envision an image of a special needs actor they may have seen on television.
jeanhaverhill@aol.com
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A study from the Mood Disorders clinic of Boston Children’s Psychiatry Department pinpoints what we see in our students as follows: there are students who “experience a markedly increased rate of poor performance on the standards based achievement tests despite their competence on measures such as ” (a) working memory and (b) processing speed .
The Children’s Hospital authors (Waber, et al) state “it is plausible that children whose scores were low on MCAS in the 4th grade experienced greater frustration as a consequence in the 5th grade” and they go on to recommend “child centered factors [are necessary] to complement current focus on curricula content.”
the two students I mentioned as cases are older (Maya senior in High school, Justin in the Coast Guard). We need more allies such as the psychiatry department at Boston Childrens Hospital.
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