Letters
Policy confuses special ed families
Differing views of parent involvement
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Letters to the Editors
Policy confuses special ed families
To the editors:
Readers should be aware of a District policy change that dramatically affects students with disabilities.
The Philadelphia Right to Education Task Force has learned that the School District’s Office of Specialized Services, in conjunction with the Office of Assessment, has decided that for the 2006-07 school year, the TerraNova assessment can be taken no more than two grade levels below a student’s “grade level.”
This appears to be a total reversal of the previous policy that allowed teams developing IEPs (Individualized Education Programs) to make a determination that students with disabilities take the assessment at “instructional level” (the grade level they are taught at). Countless IEPs have this accommodation indicated in the document, but this new policy serves to reverse the decisions of the IEP teams.
We are concerned that families were not notified in advance of these changes, and that there appears to be confusion among some educators as well. The result is that some students have now taken the TerraNova on a higher grade level than indicated on their IEPs. When results are reported to families, it will be confusing because it will most likely show a regression from the last assessment and lead some parents to believe that their child is not doing well in school.
Although this information needs further examination, we believe that this action is in violation of the rights of students with disabilities and that it modifies existing IEPs without having a full IEP team convened to review the change for each individual child. In addition, we believe this policy does not provide students with disabilities with their legal right to the accommodations that would ensure them equal access to districtwide assessments.
We are in discussion with both offices to determine the best course of action for next school year and to understand the rationale behind the policy change. However, we urge families to contact us at 215-400-5151 or e-mail info@philadelphialtf.org to review individual situations. We also encourage parents to check with their child’s teacher to determine exactly how their child was tested.
June Bey
Cathy Roccia-Meier
Bey and Roccia-Meier are legislative chairperson & chairperson of the Philadelphia Right to Education Task Force, respectively
Differing views of parent involvement
To the editors:
I thank the Notebook for focusing on parental involvement in its Winter 2006-07 issue.
Through my work as director of the Pennsylvania Governor’s Institute for Parental Involvement and now at the School District, I have learned that parental involvement means different things to different people.
For the busy, working, single parent, involvement may mean providing a good breakfast and seeing that children get to school on time. On the other hand, school teachers and administrators may think that parental involvement is measured by the number of times a parent or caregiver is seen at school. Communication is the key to understanding the different viewpoints.
Educators must be mindful that there are several barriers to getting and keeping parents engaged in their child’s academic success. Today, our schools have children from more diverse families, cultures, and experiences than ever before. Most parents, regardless of their background, want the best for their children. Schools must understand their role in making parents feel welcomed and valued.
Some parents are overwhelmed by life’s challenges and may need assistance from the school. The parent may need the school to contact them with encouraging news about the child’s progress. The parent may need the school to make referrals for resources in the community. The parent may need and appreciate a place to sit down, have a cup of coffee, and interact with other adults.
Parents need to have meaningful, positive relationships with schools for productive partnerships to develop. Families are the schools’ “customers,” and where needed, opportunities for professional development must be offered to educators and staff to help them become more customer-friendly.
Families and schools play an important role in raising students’ self-esteem, reducing truancy, and disproving the stereotype that inner-city students cannot and/or will not become academic achievers. When our schools hire staff who are willing to raise the level of expectation for all students, develop constructive relationships with families and communities, and begin to think “outside of the box” for solutions, our students, our families, our schools, and our communities will benefit.
Quibila A. Divine
qadivine@phila.k12.pa.us
Divine is assistant director of family engagement for the School District of Philadelphia.