Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Parenting and Advocacy Update on DS #2

One thing to keep in mind in PA as you go into this process is the need for PLEP (Present Levels of Educational Placement) that is a part of chapter 16. Be absolutely sure that the school does not try to use grades or PSSAs as justification that the child is at the appropriate level. PLEPs should be some way to find the child's ceiling and verify that the needs of the child are met, and they need to be done every year.

Definitely. One of the things that we did as part of DS's evaluation (that we paid for this summer) is get achievement test results. So if grades become an issue, then we'll point out that this is not consistent with the WIAT test score results.

DW and I have been trying to think about what we'd like to see in the GIEP...

Thanks.

JB

Yeah, our WIAT scores aren't *that* high, but they'll be good talking points for when we have to say "but that's not consistent with our evaluation."

But yes, we are going to try our best to get a true curriculum based assessment. When they did DS's reading evaluation this year, he tested at the reading level of EOY first grade. This didn't make any sense to me at all because the scale went much higher and I was anticipating about a 3rd grade reading level. DW was a little concerned. Then it dawned on me: the teacher most likely just stopped when that score was reached. Sure enough, when we talked about that at conference, that's exactly what they did. I don't really blame them too, too much for that; that wasn't the point of the reading eval. It just would have been nice to know what his reading level was then, AND I would have taken it as the school taking an extra step to see exactly where he is versus just the fact that he meets the standard to go to the advanced readers group.

JB

Sounds like you are on the right track JBDad. Congrats on the successful advocating. Keep up the good work.

Thanks!

JB