Dept. of Ed no longer wants to assess students with disabilities using alternative assessments.

States currently may count as proficient, scores for up to 2 percent of students using the alternate assessments based on modified academic achievement standards. So up to 2 percent of children in each district may be counted as proficient based on their modified achievement plan (contained in the IEP).

The secretary of education would like to do away with this option. He gives the following reasons. "We have to expect the very best from our students and tell the truth about student performance, to prepare them for college and career," said U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan. "That means no longer allowing the achievement of students with disabilities to be measured by these alternate assessments aligned to modified achievement standards. This prevents these students from reaching their full potential, and prevents our country from benefitting from that potential."

So lets see if I get this straight. All children who were judged by alternative assessments will now be judged based on the state standards. And the reason they are going to be judged by the state standards is so they can now reach their full potential. So I think what he is saying is if we just set the bar higher, our children who have disabilities will miraculously shake off the restraints of the modified curriculum that was holding them back and stand tall next to the new, better state standard.

What nonsense.

Couple of questions though. Won’t this new policy conflict with a child’s right to a Free and Appropriate Public Education? How will an IEP be followed if it allows for a modified achievement plan?