Texas Parents' Educational Rights Forum

My son is in 8th grade and his annual ARD is coming up next week. I have been working with his case worker on some items prior to the meeting. Although I haven’t expressed the exact verbiage I want listed regarding the STAAR (I have that thanks to this board), she knows It’s coming. My question is where on the IEP should the verbiage be listed?

Below is what she emailed me. Maybe I’m wrong, but it sounds more like a request from me than something they plan to implement as part of his IEP:

“Regarding the testing accommodation, I have made a note of your request in the section titled "Information Considered" under his STAAR reporting data that you will allow him one attempt at the STAAR tests but do not want him to take the second administration of tests if he isn't successful. We will also make notes of your request in the deliberations portion of the ARD during the meeting, so it can be officially noted in two different locations”

I will get her the exact verbiage I want included, but are the two sections she referenced the right place on the IEP?

Thanks!

My son is on an IEP...SPED for ADHD and Dyslexia, dysgraphia. He was in 5th grade last year. During last year's ARD meeting a few weeks before STAAR I brought up this topic at our meeting. The district Psychologist said....please tell your son not to worry about the STAAR. We are looking for progress throughout the year, not a 1-day test(yes we all know it is an assessment) and he will be promoted to the 6th grade. The assistant principal also confirmed this.

The verbiage they placed into the IEP was basically as you mention in your post...and was a request by the parents.

The district stood behind their word and my son was promoted into the 6th grade. No loss of elective or other repercussions. No, he did not have to take additional STAAR or go to summer school. I did request in the ARD if the school felt they had to implement AI that it would be additional Dyslexia instruction in which they agreed.

Remember that when a child is in SPED/IEP...the goal is overall progress not regression and these are measured by your IEP goals....not STAAR. This was key in my opinion.

What you’re looking for may best be found in the TEA SSI Manual. In the 19/20 version on page 25 it references TEC 28.0211. After a student has taken it once and failed, the ARD must meet prior to AI and the second assessment opportunity. At this point, if the committee agrees that the student has made sufficient progress in measurable academic goals in the students IEP, they can promote and additional STAAR retakes are not required.

So you’re looking for something in the IEP that states that the student will be promoted based on IEP goal progress, not STAAR.

What's the verbiage for high school/EOCs? They have to fail it once, then have an ARD and put something like 'course mastery is determined by grades and not STAAR' in the IEP so the student can graduate? Or is there a way to put it in the IEP one time to cover all EOCs? This is for a freshman (not my kid). Mom is practically hyperventilating. Her education advocate has NO IDEA how to get around STAAR!

Never mind! I found it in the What About High School article. (I KNEW I'd seen it before!!)