School Vent

[RUDisney]

I got a note from the school that my DS needs Title I (remedial) reading. This would not be perplexing except for the fact that he was a solid B+ to an A student in reading until now.

Here's the problem. He transferred schools this year from private to public, not that it makes a difference in this story. The new school tested him and found that he needs help with reading. I come to find out that this is the first standardized test that he's ever taken and it bored him, so he didn't try hard to do well on it. We've had our discussions about that.

Anyway, I'm speaking with the remedial coordinator and she mentions that she doesn't understand why I'm saying he did so well in reading when his permanent record shows that he was a straight C student. She says that if I want to get this corrected, I need to speak with the guidance counselor. I called her and the office said, "if she thinks its worth it to call you back, she will." So far, I guess she hasn't thought me worthy of a call.

So, I work with the president of the school board's wife. He is going to speak with this woman and ask her to call me. If this fails, I'll have to play the Uncle card. Uncle donates practically everything to our town and so the officials and residents are all beholden to him. I don't want to have to play that card.

I just want my DS's records corrected. I understand that he's in 3rd grade and his grades from K - 2 will never be looked at for college admittance, however, I'm worried that they'll keep him out of gifted programs if he and another person are on the fence and they need to make a judgment call based on their past grades.

So, sorry for a long rant. I just needed to vent. Thanks for "listening."

BTW, DD is in both Title I reading and math. I have no issues with her being in these classes. This is the reason that they are at a public school since "no child left behind" means as long as you abide by the district's rules and don't go the private route.

 

[Mskanga]

If your child's record are incorrect , I would have no problem playing the uncle card as you called it and have it corrected, I would fight it.
I personally hate the NCLB act because in many instances , kids that are doing poorly because they just don't give a crap and the parents couldn't care less , are the ones who are holding back the kids that could be excelling because the teachers have to spend way too much time on the ones that don't give a crap. I'm not saying everyone is like that but a good portion of them are.

 

[RUDisney]

I agree with what you are saying and I intend to follow this through until my DS's grades are corrected.

I am worried that my DS will be pigeon-holed as a struggling student by administration instead of being challenged to work to his full potential. If the teacher and school thinks he needs assistance and to go slowly, but what he actually needs is to be pushed and accelerated, this won't help him or his grades.

I can already see with this school that they are educating for their NCLB grades instead of for their academic excellence.

 

[DawnCt1]

I wouldn't look at the situation requiring extra reading help (title one) as a negative thing. I think any extra help that a child can get in school, particularly more individualized help is ALWAYS a good thing. If he truly doesn't need it, then he will be dropped from the program. Every school has a different yard stick to measure a child's progress. You need to use the yard stick that is available to you now. If it makes you feel better to have his grades corrected, then pursue that course. If he is eligible for gifted services where he is now, then that will become apparent and the grades from the previous school will have little impact.

 

[momof2inPA]

RUDisney,

We just got my son's test scores, and I asked why he didn't do quite as well on one reading part as the other parts of the test. He told me that the teacher was only allowed to read it once and he just wasn't listening.

I can understand your son being bored. It's a long test. You know your child best. If you can get his records adjusted through any route, do it.

 

[eeyoreforever]

Originally posted by RUDisney
She says that if I want to get this corrected, I need to speak with the guidance counselor. I called her and the office said, "if she thinks its worth it to call you back, she will." So far, I guess she hasn't thought me worthy of a call.

[/QUOTE


This would really bother me. If I were to call and ask to speak with a guidance counselor and she didn't bother to call back, I would probably be at her office. This is just so rude.

As far as the incorrect grades, I too, would want them corrected. Who wants their child working hard all year, earning good grades and then not have it reflected on their records? Play any card you have to play so they know you mean business.

I can also relate to your child being bored with the test and not doing well on it. Last year my dd did not pass the taks test and they wanted me to put her in summer school. I knew she had the capability of passing as she is an A-B student. I found the test online and made her redo it and she missed something like 2 questions. She just wasn't in the mood for it the day that took it. (And no, I'm not saying this is ok-she had to do reading passages all summer to drill it into her head how important it is to always do your best at school).

Good luck in getting this resolved and let us know what happens.

 

[RitaZ.]

The new school tested him and found that he needs help with reading.

The current school can only go by their own test results, at least that's how it is around here, whether it's a private or public school.

I agree with Dawn. If the results show that your DS needs help, the school will give it to him in the form of a more intensive reading program and I don't see that as a negative thing. Once he takes the next standardized test (sometime this year) and he passes it or scores above a certain percentile, then he will be removed from the special reading class. Again, that's how it's done here.

I understand your concerns about him being "labeled", but if he doesn't get the help that he needs and has a hard time with reading (not being on grade level), then he really will be viewed as a struggling student.

Good luck!

 

[miche61]

RUDisney,
I'm sorry you're feeling so frustrated with this school. We also went from private to public this year for most of the same reasons you have. DD is in 3rd grade and is in ESL (English as a second language), speech and Title I. She wonders why she has to have so many extras. She enjoys the extra attention she gets with each extra, and I do think they all help. If you don't thing your son needs the extra reading help, pursue the issue. However, maybe the teachers are seeing something in your son that you don't. Discuss the issue with your teacher. I know 3rd grade is a little harder than 2nd- it's more like "real" school. There is more reading, reports, some things that require good reading skills.

Good Luck,
Michelle

 

[RUDisney]

Originally posted by RitaZ.
I understand your concerns about him being "labeled", but if he doesn't get the help that he needs and has a hard time with reading (not being on grade level), then he really will be viewed as a struggling student.

DS is a "reader." He started a Goosebumps book on Friday night, last week and finished it on Monday afternoon for the accelerated reader program. He was able to tell us all about the book. This is really why I don't understand the difficulties that they think he's having. Now, OTOH, when he went to the computer lab to take the test to prove he read the book, they didn't have him in the computer yet. UGH! They got him in by Friday so he was able to take the test. I'll find out today how he did on it.

If I had to guess at any problem that he might have, it would be with comprehension since English is his second language. The only thing is, he mastered the language quickly and understands things very well. Again, it just may be boredom.

I'm certainly not going to spite him or myself by not allowing him to take part in the extra reading assistance. I just think it will be interesting to see how this all plays out in the long run.

 

[minniecarousel]

sheesh - Someone at the school "might not" call you back?! what's up with that?

I know that new regulations & testing is different than it was 10-15 years ago, but my younger DS was in remedial reading in second grade & tested GATE the next year. At some point during HS he became a very proficient writer. (it took that long though!) Point being, being in an extra reading class won't hold him back, but I agree that you should see if you could even get him re-tested. Why take up their time if he doesn't need it?

 

[Lachesis00]

Joey took some statewide test a couple weeks ago (new school) and scored a 79%. 79% I wasn't overly impressed{especially considering he is repeating the 7th grade this year} until the school called to tell me how WELL he did. He scored in the top 2%. Kinda scares me if he scored so "high" and to me it isn't that great in my book. YK? Especially since this subject is one of his poorest (math and writing skills). I was hoping to hear they would give him extra help... not that he had one of the highest scores (which isn't THAT high to me).


Good luck getting the record straightened out. We're still waiting for paperwork from his old school (going on 10 weeks, 8 phone calls...).


Over all I hate testing... hate hate hate it. If I had to be in school now days I proably would not pass. I have a severe test anxiety.

 

[BuzznBelle'smom]

I would definitely get his record corrcted, but I agree with the person who said that the school may be seeing something that you're missing. Our DS7 has been reading since age 3. When tested in K, he got 95% at the sixth grade level. Last year, he was in a 1/2 mixed grade class, and he finished the second grade reading (they wouldn't give him any higher than that). Well, here he is, starting second grade, and has the same reading and spelling that he did last year.

Okay, so we go in for an early conference with the teacher to discuss this, and it turns out that he (the teacher) was able to show us how DS did the spelling, but was below average last year, and also that he's not comprehending everything that he reads, so he'll cover the same material, but more in-depth than his classmates, since the reading "system" they use has various levels within the grade. Based on this, we were okay with it--so long as DS isn't going to be bored out of his skull (and believe me, he wouldn't be quiet about it!), we're okay.

Anyway, if it turns out that the remedial reading isn't necessary, I'm sure he'll get "kicked out" fairly quickly. They don't want to waste time and resources. He may love the attention and end up loving books even more. Plus, you really have to check your ego at the door (I mean this in the kindest of ways). When DS was 1, he was in speech and physical therapy, and I spent many hours trying to figure out "where I went wrong". Bottom line, I didn't, but we didn't know that--better to get "unecessary" hep than find out later that you should have asked.

 

[RUDisney]

Originally posted by BuzznBelle'smom
Plus, you really have to check your ego at the door (I mean this in the kindest of ways). When DS was 1, he was in speech and physical therapy, and I spent many hours trying to figure out "where I went wrong". Bottom line, I didn't, but we didn't know that--better to get "unecessary" hep than find out later that you should have asked.

No offense taken. I agree with what you're saying and I'm not trying to get him out of what he needs. It is just very frustrating to ask questions and be told that they don't know. They also have been very quick to point out that I made a mistake by sending the kids to private school because the public school standards are so much higher.

If that is the case, I find it hard to believe that more public school children who take the tests to get into the college preparatory school don't make it in, but the private school kids do. Hmm.

I keep telling myself to "check my ego" and when I know I can't, I defer to DH so he can take care of things. He's not as hot-headed as I am. All I want is answers to my questions. Even an, "I don't know right now, but we'll know more after he's been in the program for a while," is better than a straight, "I don't know."

 

[Pin Wizard]

I'm wondering if it could be a difference in the grading systems between the private school and the public. My DS's new school views an 82 as a "C" whereas his previous school viewed it as a "B". I say get rid of the letter grades and strictly go by numbers!

 

[eeyore kelly]

My DD was put into title 1 for a total of three weeks. The teacher assessed her as not needing it and pulled her from the class after a conference with the teacher. With "extra help programs" I find this is the norm to pull kids out who didn't need the help after all.

 

[Nancy]

My oldest went to a private school and when she went to HS they would not put her in the honors math program because the public schools program is much more advanced. I could not beleive that a private school would be behind a public one...but guess what, Amanda failed math her freshman yr. It was way too hard for her compared to what she got in private school. The grading system is also much tougher in the public school then in the private school. My other 2 kids went to public schools (Oldest went private to go to school with her best friend, DH said ok, not me)

Now I would be very upset that the school wasn't calling me back...I'd be down there also. In our district even if you go to a private school the district will pay for remedial help...my nephew has had a tutor coming to the house all summer, plus he gets after school help provided by the district and he goes to a private school.

 

[Pin Wizard]

Originally posted by Nancy
My oldest went to a private school and when she went to HS they would not put her in the honors math program because the public schools program is much more advanced. I could not beleive that a private school would be behind a public one...but guess what, Amanda failed math her freshman yr. It was way too hard for her compared to what she got in private school. The grading system is also much tougher in the public school then in the private school.

I can see that. DS was in a parochial school in FL, now a parochial school in VA. What a difference! I'm amazed. The math in FL was way too easy. Even their books were geared to kids...cute pictures, lots of color used. Then when he was in school here for the last quarter of the year last year, culture shock! LOL! A "real" math book! Saxon Math without pictures and color. Can only be a step in the right direction in my opinion. I wonder what books the public school system here uses.

 

[RUDisney]

Funny you should mention the math books. When I told DS's teacher that we were going to WDW this month, she told me that she'd prefer to give him the work to make up when we return instead of sending homework with him. I told her that I was sure that he could comprehend the work with me instructing him on it. She explained that the math book is very advanced and she'd prefer to work on catching up later.

I said to her, "with all due respect, we're talking about third grade math. I have an MBA. I think I can comprehend the concepts well enough to teach them to him." She still insisted on the followup method. So, next week, we'll bring his math workbook in to my office so we can photocopy the next 10-20 lessons (pages), or so, so he won't have to catch up so much.

DD's teacher was excited about all that she would learn without even realizing that she was learning at WDW and said to remind her to send homework for her before we leave.

I think that's the difference between a first year teacher (DS's) and one who has experience.

 

[Mskanga]

You know? I thought all schools around here were at par , last year we got a wake up call though when one of the charter schools closed down almost overnight. Some of those students were relocated to another charter school , and some of them relocated to the public school. The ones in the public school, 95% of them were way behind and struggled just to get caught up with the rest of the kids.
Fortunately that school is no longer open, the directors stole money and didn't pay the teachers for three months, they are sitting in jail now.
My oldest is in sixth grade this year too and her math is so freaking complicated and different from when I went to school that I feel I have to go back to school myself just to be able to understand it, LOL.

 

[RUDisney]

I remember the school to which you're referring. I knew the administrators were cooking the books, but I didn't know the education was sub-par. Too bad for those kids. They sure didn't asked to be cheated and scammed.