Republican Senators created a bill last September that
stated students with serious mental challenges could take special achievement
tests. The students would also have special
academic regulations. The bill doesn’t
give a number as to how many students can be eligible for the exam.
These tests concern activists. They say that allowing a large number of
students to take the test could be harmful to a student’s academic
performance. Several physically/mentally
challenged organizations wrote a letter to the Senators asking them to
reconsider the current No Child Left Behind Law. Under present guidelines, a small number of
students are eligible for testing.
“If large numbers or possibly all students with disabilities
are given alternate or modified assessments, we will effectively — and under
the proposed language — legally create a separate education system for students
with disabilities,” the disability groups, including The Arc, Easter Seals and
the Council for Exceptional Children, wrote in a joint letter.
Some activists state that the No Child Left Behind Law isn’t
practical because students in modified education have various mental challenges. It is uncertain this bill will gain much
attention in Congress. Other bipartisan
bills are expected to receive precedence.
Testing controversy: http://www.disabilityscoop.com/2011/10/11/plan-sped-worries/14209/
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