On January 20, 2007, the Journal Star reported that “Four District 150 schools have entered state-mandated “restructuring” because their disabled students’ most recent test scores didn’t improve enough.” In a recent open thread, frequent District 150 commenter PrairieCelt questioned the instrument used to assess those disabled students:
We’ve all heard Ken Hinton’s excuses for District 150’s poor performance – high poverty rates, the effect of subgroup performance on the district’s overall performance, etc. Based on what the administration said, it was my understanding that the subgroup students received the same test instruments as the non-subgroup students. But, according to Scott Russell (Sup’t. of Morton District 709), “special needs students who took Alternative Assessment exams and who attained the status of meeting/exceeding state standards doubled since last year.†That seems to invalidate the District 150 administration’s assertion about the special needs student subgroup. If the special needs student subgroup take an Alternative Assessment exam, why did Hinton and Chumbley lead us to believe they took the same exam as the students in the general population, and that their poor performance caused the majority of the problems with AYP?
Another commenter who goes by the pseudonym “Hula Monkey” added, “As the parent of a student in district 150’s lovely special ed program, I can tell you that district 150 doesn’t give their students the modified test. We asked about it because it is unfair that our child should be tested out of grade level.”
There is indeed an instrument called the Illinois Alternate Assessment (IAA), and I didn’t remember hearing anything about it in the news. So I e-mailed Bryan Chumbley, the director of research, testing, and assessment for District 150, and asked him if the district uses the IAA and, if not, why not. He promptly responded with this information:
C.J.,
You are correct that students in Illinois with disabilities can participate in either the Illinois Alternate Assessment or the ISAT/PSAE. However, the Illinois State Board of Education has set a limit of 1% of all students tested on the ISAT/PSAE that can participate in the IAA. Currently, there are slightly more than 1% of students who participate in the IAA. Each year we must submit a request for an “Exception to the 1% Cap” for alternate assessment.
Typically, the IAA is used to determine the progress of students with the most severe developmental delays. However, there are always exceptions that must be addressed. In our district there are several students for whom the IAA is used in place of the IAA [sic] for special circumstances (i.e., a student who has lost their vision who is not proficient in Braille takes the IAA because there is no way to make the necessary accommodations for testing on the ISAT/PSAE).
Please let me know if you have further questions.
As you can see, the district confirms that it is using the IAA. But what about Hula Monkey’s assertion that they’re not using it for his/her child? I don’t know Hula Monkey or his/her child’s circumstances; perhaps it has to do with that child’s specific situation. But I can say in general that not all special needs children are eligible to take the IAA. Only children with “significant cognitive disabilities” can take it, and even then, as Mr. Chumbley pointed out, no more than 1% of the student population that can take it without the state granting a special exception.
So let’s get back to PrairieCelt’s original question: “why did Hinton and Chumbley lead us to believe they took the same exam as the students in the general population, and that their poor performance caused the majority of the problems with AYP?” I don’t think D150 administration led us to believe they were taking the same exam. The point of contention is not the testing method used, but the grade level at which it’s scored. Indeed, the same Journal Star article quoted above also said, “Disabled students’ scores are a source of frustration for the schools in restructuring because gains elsewhere don’t matter when it comes to AYP. And disabled kids must be tested at their grade level, not their learning level, which two principals said isn’t fair.”
Even though disabled students are allowed to take the IAA, all that really changes is the method of testing. The ISBE explains it this way: “The IAA isn’t like a standard paper-and-pencil test. Instead it is a portfolio of student work and other materials collected at two points in the school year. The materials can include samples of student work, photos of the student doing work in school or at home and teachers’ summaries of what students have learned.” Despite this alternative method of testing, “The IAA assesses students in the same subjects and at the same grade levels as the Illinois Standards Achievement Test (ISAT) and the Prairie State Achievement Examination (PSAE),” the ISBE states elsewhere.
Now the question I have is, is it fair to say that children being tested at their grade level are not being tested at their “learning level” when the IAA takes into account the students’ Individualized Education Program (IEP)? Wouldn’t the IEP be tied to the child’s “learning level”?
My oldest son is D150 special ed. One of his problems is he cannot hold a pencil to write. During his last IEP, he was to get a 1 on 1 assistant so he could take his tests orally. All other work is to be witten so he can eventually write all his work. The D150 has continually said there is no money for a 1 on 1 for my son this year. So I ask you in what way is it fair to test my child with the ISAT? It would take him several hours to complete one test. His teacher agrees that is is not fair to test most of the kids in her class with this test, but the schools hands are tied. This is a state board of education issue.
C.J. – thanks for looking into this question. After reading your article, I researched the ISBE website and found some material with guidelines:
http://www.isbe.state.il.us/spec-ed/pdfs/waiver_guidance.pdf
Brad – if the IEP states your child has to have a one-on-one attendant, the district must provide one. They receive separate monies for special education and there is no reason they can’t comply with the requirements of the IEP. If you pursue this through Due Process, they will likely be legally compelled to fulfill the requirements of his IEP.
As someone who has had to jump through the hoops to get any services, I feel Brad’s pain. They promise services “as soon as they hire someone” and low and behold no one gets hired and your child is even further behind than they were.
D150 has “tried” to provide my son with an assistant. This year he has had three. Two of the three turned out to be unqualified, and the third “helping” with answers too much. They keep saying we will get another assistant, but to date he has had only about six weeks of the one on one services.
Brad: What is your son’s regular classroom teacher doing about this? Is he/she too busy to devote an hour out of his/her life to administer this test her/himself? Teachers are supposed to be professionals (that’s what they claim, anyway), which sometimes means they put in hours after quitting time.
Yes, I know teachers officially saints and are NOT to be spoken of in anything less that glowing terms, so I eagerly await the hate mail.
Brad,
contact the Regional Superintendent’s office if you have not gotten what you need from Dist. 150. If it is written into the IEP they have to provide it. During the IEP process there also should have been a determination specifically re: the ISATS either to take or not and any special accomidations noted regarding those tests specifically. Hopefully you have a readable copy, not the pink or yellow versions which are unreadable without CSI technology.
Billy,
you are opening up yourself to hate mail. ISATs are not just an 1 hour test, they test for several days. I believe that the teacher in question has provided extra assistance during lunch/prep time, etc. This is not the case of a lazy teacher or a crappy one, but a lack of resources which are no longer a priority for the District. As taxpayers into the district we need to demand accountability for those resources and question where our money is being spent. Two budgets essentially never get cut, Education and DCFS, yet there is never enough resources. Why? Follow the trail of dollars and all questions will be answered.
As class sizes increase and our school district’s funding is spent on things like jeeps (remember that one a few years back) and such necessities vs. being spent in the classrooms, then there is not funding. One on one aids have been cut back. Programs have been eliminated. Programs reported to meet children’s needs simply are not.
Children’s needs aren’t being met, but Hinton does have several highly paid wing men and that’s what really matters and the district has hundred’s of thousands of dollars of property it just purchased on the bluff, apparantly another necessity.
Remember these issues when voting in April, if you live in the SEcond District for the School board (not to be confused with the second city council district) you have an obligation to vote for two qualified individuals to fill slots on the School board.
Brad – when they told you the SEAPs were “unqualified” did you happen to ask why they were unqualified? SEAPs are some of the most cost-effective positions the district staffs. First of all, they are considered “subs” because if the child is not in school, leaves the district, etc. the SEAP is not called in to work. Second, they are paid just slightly more than minimum wage, and third the position does not qualify for benefits.
The only “qualifications” are a high-school education, ability to pass a criminal background check and employment physical, and the desire to work.
I found the “unqualified” comment to be very strange.
Paul Wilkinson is correct, contact Brookhart’s office if the district refuses to provide the services detailed in the IEP. Mimi McDonald used to help parents of special ed students who were experiencing problems with the district – she provided a “quasi-advocate” function based on her past experience. She could certainly advise you on the best action to take.
Paul – in your post you mentioned that a part of the IEP process is the determination whether or not the child will take the ISAT and if the child does, will accommodations be provided. So are you saying there is an option (probably with the proviso that certain criteria are met) whether or not the special ed student has to take the ISAT?
My understanding is that certain students are not required to take the ISATS. I work with children in foster care and attend a lot of IEP’s in several school districts. I am not sure what the exact criteria are for them to be opted out, but have had discussions during IEP’s about whether the student should take the ISAT’s, be opted out, or what, if any, accomidations are being made.