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Parent Experience is Invaluable
In 2019, my family moved from Los Angeles, CA to St. Augustine FL. I chose this small city because the school district is the best in the state. Changing schools in the middle of high school was hard. The improvements were immediate and life-changing. I have learned from years of experience with two children in special education. The best way to help other families is with my parent-to-parent special education tips.
Understanding Assessment Results
Assessment results are one of the most difficult things to understand about special education. There are many ways to present results to caregivers to avoid providing costly services. Caregivers need to understand assessment scores including the Bell Curve. Find a Conversion Table with standard scores and percentile ranks. Bring it with you to every meeting. Refer to it.
Standard Scores
In school, a test is based on 100%. If your child scores 95 this is an A. With educational assessments, this is not the case. The top of the scale is 145. A standard score of 95 is not so great. This converts to a percentile rank of 37.
Out of 100 children, 63 scored higher. If your district does not provide numerical scores in tables, ask for them.
The team might use word descriptors such as “average” or “below average” instead of the numerical scores. They might say that the student is in the “average” range. Ask for the standard score. What the district might not explain, is that the “average” range is wide and the student’s score is at the bottom of the range.
Undisclosed Reading Disability
Mac struggled with reading comprehension. If you can’t understand what you read, every subject including math (directions, word problems) is a struggle. When an Independent Educational Evaluation (IEE) was conducted by an independent psychologist outside the District, the psychologist elaborated on what his “average” reading comprehension score actually meant.
After reviewing years of previous school assessments, the independent psychologist stated that “Average” is a descriptor coined by the test makers and does not reflect actual scores. In the last district triennial IEP, Mac’s reading comprehension was documented as “average.” Mac’s reading comprehension in 10th grade (from the IEE assessment) was at the 4th-grade equivalent. Below sixth-grade is considered functionally illiterate. There is nothing average about being illiterate.
The Fallout
At that moment lightning struck my heart. Mac’s years of struggles and subsequent behavioral issues became crystal clear. I was furious. Mac suffered for years due to an undiagnosed reading disability.
The psychologist called out our District on the record for ignoring the obvious reason for Mac’s years of struggles. She also held the district accountable for not providing numerical scores in their reports.
Independent Educational Evaluation
An Independent Educational Evaluation (IEE) is requested, in writing if the caregiver does not agree with school district assessments. There must be a compelling reason. In our situation, I caught the district cheating.
The team did not disclose that they conducted just one new assessment for their last triennial report. They did not disclose that they based their report on an assessment that UCLA had conducted over a year ago. I caught them cheating. This was a compelling reason.
I found out about their deception by accident. The reason does not need to be as egregious as this to request an IEE but it must be compelling. If the district states that the student has an excellent working memory but they can’t remember basic two-step directions at home this might be compelling.
No Accountability for a Life-Altering Mistake
Despite the results of the IEE, the District refused to acknowledge that Mac had a reading disability for another year. He was seventeen when they finally added the qualifier “specific learning disability” to his IEP. They only focused on his behavior during his entire educational career. The behavior they caused by not addressing his academic struggles appropriately. A child would rather be bad than look stupid.
More Transgressions
The psychologist that conducted the IEE also called out the District for misinterpreting their initial IEP assessment results back in third grade. Mac should have qualified for special education services when he was initially assessed. The team wrote him off. I do believe that their misinterpretation was deliberate and they took advantage of my ignorance.
Mac was born prenatally exposed, he was adopted from foster care, and he is African American. This is the trifecta for a child destined for the school-to-prison pipeline. Although racism might not have played a role in denying services initially, our family faced blatant racism from subsequent IEP teams.
The initial IEP team spun a report full of “averageness”. This assessment report was the only one of Mac’s that included scores. I believed them when they said my son was a solid average student. Just one month after they denied special education services, I received a notice that Mac was below grade level. This was foreshadowing what was to come.
Parents must learn to understand assessment results before the initial meeting. If this is not possible, take someone to the meeting that does understand. Never ever sign an IEP document during the meeting. The team will pressure caregivers to do so. DON”T. Take the document home and review it carefully. Do not take long to respond because the plan cannot be enacted until it is signed. But, signing an inappropriate plan is worse.
Request Data
When I learned about the deceptive practice of providing descriptors without numerical scores in assessment reports, I began insisting on receiving detailed scores in every IEP. In the non-triennial years, the only way to figure out present levels is to assess the student. There are scores shared with the team and the caregivers are part of the team. Ask for them.
After I got wise to the need for receiving the scores, I created a spreadsheet of all Mac’s scores from all sources. It was a lot of work initially but, oh boy, could I see patterns, progression, and regression clearly.
Comparison Tables
I saw so little progression in my daughter’s reading abilities. In order to prepare for her 7th-grade triennial, I requested a table of side-by-side scores from her 4th and 7th-grade assessment scores. Initially, the school psychologist denied my request.
She claimed that the Woodcock-Johnson assessment changed. Instead of using descriptors such as average and below average, they switched to poor and very poor. I suggested that she call Mr. Woodcock and Mr. Johnson and ask for the equivalents (dripping sarcasm here). I reminded her that I didn’t give a hoot about descriptors, I wanted to see standard scores. The Woodcock-Johnson was only one of several assessment tools utilized so her point was moot.
The only way to know if there is progression or regression is to compare current and previous scores. Districts don’t want parents to do this because it can lay bare the district failings. The only way to determine if the student is successfully progressing on goals and the team is using appropriate strategies is to compare current and previous scores.
As Good as it Gets
Once I won that round, the table was shocking. It showed minimal progress and an overwhelming amount of regression. Miss Bee’s reading comprehension didn’t budge. She was stuck at kindergarten level for over three years. During the previous annual IEP, when I questioned the lack of comprehension progress, a team member stated that Miss Bee’s reading was likely as good as it was going to get. My child was 11 and they were trying to write her off.
I did not accept that my child could not continue to learn. The lack of progress was on them and the horrible segregated classroom. The teacher was lovely however, she was not a reading specialist. The reading specialist was right across the hall. With the cold hard evidence of their failings in hand, I insisted that Miss Bee attend the reading lab. As soon as ID is identified, districts appear to stop trying to help the student progress. They expect parents to accept de minimis. Even if the resources are available (such as the lab), they don’t want to “waste it”.
By the end of 8th grade, Miss Bee’s comprehension reached 3rd-grade level. A three-grade jump in less than two school years DESPITE her intellectual disability. During her year and a half in Florida and despite the pandemic lockdown, Miss Bee graduated with an improved to 5th-grade comprehension level. Imagine what general education students can achieve with the right resources.
Verify Everything
If a student is in a segregated classroom, caregivers need to verify that their child participates in ALL grade-level and school-wide activities. Don’t take the staff’s word for it. Review the school calendar weekly and follow up with the teacher about participation in all upcoming activities (schoolwide and grade level). If the student is verbal, ask them about the event.
Make friends with general education parents in the student’s grade level. If the general education students are going on a field trip your child is too. Ask in writing what accommodations will be made for the special education students to attend. Districts cannot deny access to field trips. Have your email address added to the general education parent email lists. It is the principal’s responsibility to include all students.
If caregivers learn that their student is missing out on special events or field trips, document the missed event in an email to the principal. Request an IEP meeting to address the oversights.
More Special Events Tips
Activities posted on the website generate permission slips/flyers in the backpack. If the student’s backpack is empty, follow up. Drop by the school unannounced and have lunch with your child (if possible based on Covid policies). Be sure that your student has the choice to sit with their general education peers during lunch. Drive-by or walk past the playground during PE and recess. Make sure the special education students are participating and not sitting on the sidelines. This is also an opportunity to observe that there is appropriate supervision.
When all classes have the opportunity to work in the school garden, all means all. The special education classrooms have time or the students are included with their same-grade peers. Special education classrooms are to spend equal time in the computer lab as a group or included with their same-grade peers. The goes for equal time in the library. If all third-grade students learn how to play the recorder, this includes students in the segregated classrooms.
Special education parents must have equal opportunities to celebrate all school milestone events. Every email, notice, flyer, etc must be equally distributed to ALL caregivers in every class.
Be Proactive
From the first day of kindergarten through high school graduation, ALL students are included in every event. The yearbook must have equal representation. Art shows, science fairs, plays, presentations, pep rallies, after-school clubs, proms, dances, and volunteer opportunities are to be available and encouraged for all students. Staff is obliged to make accommodations to include all students. There are no exceptions.
If all incoming 9th-graders receive lockers, this includes the students in segregated classrooms. Dances and proms are inclusive events. There is no cutting the event short due to chaperone schedules.
If the high school provides alternative sporting events competition with other local schools then everything is the same. Transportation is provided for all teams. Team Prime Time in Los Angeles is a model inclusive program that affords the opportunity for special ed students to compete with the assistance of their general ed peers.
Parent-to-Parent
Special education families need to help each other to ensure inclusion. Pass information on to the next class’s families. If the school recognizes that there are two classes of third graders, that number two must include the segregated classrooms. It is more likely that there are three classes, not two. School and district planning must equally include segregated classrooms.
This means PTA’s, PTO’s, Booster Clubs, Site Councils, etc include ALL classrooms in their planning and budgeting. Segregated classrooms are lonely and isolating places for students and parents. Representation on all parent committees and programs ensures representation and inclusion.
Recess
Recess is crucial for all children. There is NO justifiable reason to take it away or make a student earn it. Recess is not a catch-up time for incomplete homework or classwork. Losing recess is not an acceptable punishment for behaviors due to a disability.
Every child needs recess especially the wiggly students. If a student is missing recess for any reason, insist on a “recess every day” accommodation in the IEP. Random drive-bys during recess will help caregivers determine if their student is participating.
Involvement is Key
Caregivers raising children with disabilities is hard work. Caregivers must be involved and observant. They must call out all acts of exclusion. Sticking together as a united group with other special education families ensures success. Parent-to-Parent special education tips assist with your journey.
Please check out my posts:
How Restraints and Seclusion Hurt My Child
What Special Education Parents Need to Know
Great Resource: Wrightslaw.com
