Activist Warns Against Slow Assessments

Melody Musgrove is in charge of the Department of Education’s Office of Special Education Programs, and knows about schools stalling modified education assessments.  She feels this type of action is unwarranted.  Federal education representatives are cautioning schools cross country not to practice this when it comes to obtaining services for children who require modified education.

Musgrove wrote a letter to state education representatives a few months ago.  In the letter, she states she knows that some schools are stalling the assessments because of a process known as “response to intervention.”  This process is the justification used to stall the assessments for children who could qualify for modified education.

Response to intervention happens when schools want better academic success from children who are experiencing difficulty.  The process focuses on using suitable interventions for the child.  These interventions are carefully supervised.

Some activists say response to learning is beneficial especially in identifying children with learning challenges, however Musgrove doesn’t agree.  She documented in her letter that knowledge can be used in response to intervention to decide if a child has a physical/mental challenge.  She feels that this information shouldn’t be used to stall an assessment especially if the child’s support system wants one completed.

Conflicting techniques: http://www.disabilityscoop.com/2011/02/01/schools-warned-sped-evals/12148/