Should ESE (slow) children have to take an annual test to pass?
@girlgonefishing (2174)
United States
October 25, 2007 11:23am CST
My son's are ESE students and we live in Florida. They have to take the FCAT every year. Although the FCAT doesn't determine if they pass or not because they are ESE, the still get penalized if they flunk it. They have to take FCAT courses instead of electives the following year. My sons are slow and will always be slow!! They should be taking electives like shop, home economics, construction, etc. so that they can learn life skills. I can't wait for them to get done with school so that I can send them to a trade school or something. (Read my adoption story on the website posted on my profile if you are interested in their story.)
1 response
@karendva (118)
• United States
26 Oct 07
You said the 4 letter F bomb! Just a brief overview of myself -- i live in FL, i am a speech language therapist and i work in the school system.
The FCAT -- it is a great test but as a parent and as someone who sees the effects it has on children whether they are ESE or not .. i dont think it should be the end all be all but it should be a tool used to determine a child's strengths and weaknesses. Make sure on your child's IEP that they have all of the accomodations needed so they have the opportunity to have extended time, the use of a calculator and have prompts and directions read aloud.
Are your children in mainstream classes? I am assuming they are if they are taking remedial classes. These classes can be very beneficial if they are done right. I do agree that electives shouldn't be taken away, but unfortunately that is the way of the FCAT.
My best advice I can give is make sure you have accomodations and modifications for them not only for the FCAT but for thier classes as well.
1 person likes this
@girlgonefishing (2174)
• United States
26 Oct 07
Belive me. I go to every single IEP meeting and I bring an advocate. As a matter of fact, I went to an IEP meeting for my youngest son today. They wanted to decrease his minutes he gets with the IEP teacher and I had to fight it. Yes, my youngest is in regular classes and has an IEP teacher visit him and help him on occasion. The middle school child actually only attends ESE classes. Even though he only attends ESE, he is still subject to the FCAT and the classes he has to take if he doesn't pass. He will never pass since he is mildly mentally retarted. Therefore, no shop classes, no construction classes. Just math, math and english, english. We tutor him every single night until 8:30 and then he showers and goes to bed. I hate this life for him. He is 16 and needs to learn other things too. My husband is actually building a porch on the weekends and my sons and I are helping him as a family project so that the boys can learn. Not all fathers have that talent so, other boys are being left out.
@karendva (118)
• United States
27 Oct 07
That is great that you and your husband do that. My husband owns a cabinet installation business and he takes our 15 yr old with him during the summer and occassionally during the school year but not to often. Unfortunately, most schools in FL don't have shop class anymore. It is sad because not everyone student is college bound and most will do work with their hands. Maybe after FCAT is done in February your son can have an elective. Keep up the good work and good luck!
