AP Classes and IEPs
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Anonymous
| Do any of the MCPS HS's offer supported AP courses? I know WJ has the GT/LD program - does it include AP classes? |
Anonymous
| As far as I know, high schools do not offer supported AP classes |
Anonymous
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Our MCPS HS a few courses (always English or Math) are fully supported, with a fully qualified Special Ed teacher co-teaching. Other core classes are supported by a paraeducator. Foreign language (even Spanish 1, which has high numbers of IEP students) and AP classes are never supported.
Paraeducators do not have a teaching degree and they are not required to plan, teach, grade, or know the curriculum in any depth. Their role is to offer basic help and redirection to students in classrooms with high numbers of IEPs and 504s, where due to ADHD and unmet learning needs, classroom management can be an issue. Personally, I wouldn't be too upset if my IEP teen didn't have a paraeducator in their AP class. I'd be looking to the case manager for support through regular check-ins. |
Anonymous
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My kid with an IEP was in the GT/LD program at WJ years ago and had lots of APs on his schedule, but I don't know if they all had paraeducators in there or not. He probably wouldn't have noticed if they had! It didn't matter in his case, because what he needed most were his ADHD meds and extended time. What was helpful for a while was his resource class, so he could finish his work there. It took the place of an elective. He also had a calculator and typing accommodation. The IEP guaranteed him the supervision of a case manager, who never had much to do in his case, since there were no issues.
Ironically the only year he had a teacher who refused to honor his accommodations, it was in his 12th grade year when he had transitioned to a 504, without a case manager. The counselor was useless. I'm not entirely sure what role the para is supposed to play, except to redirect students with behavioral issues, or hand out papers. |
Anonymous
| Most likely the answer is no to support in AP/DE class simply due to lack of staffing. However, you will want to reach out to the person in charge of College Board accommodations so your student can apply for testing accommodations if needed. |
Anonymous
| An IEP is made to support a students ability to access the curriculum. If your kid is in AP classes, they are more than accessing the curriculum. Hence, no support required. |
Anonymous
17:07 again. Yes, that's crucial. The AP exam coordinator did the paperwork vis-a-vis the College Board. I assume they sent the same info that was on the IEP. He had double time on all College Board exams, and the ACT. One year the proctor for one of the AP history exams could not verify his typing accommodation and he refused to give it to him - my dysgraphic DS had to handwrite his answers, which was very stressful, but he still got a good score thanks to the extra time. |
Anonymous
This is absolutely false. |
Anonymous
No it's not. Why do you think schools can get away witn not having co-taught AP classes? |
Anonymous
Not PP you replied to, but it is what is actually practiced, due to prioritization of resources. Most students in academic difficulties will be in grade-level classes. Schools are not going to "waste" a para in an AP class to support one kid, if they can slot them in high school Algebra 1 where there are 15 kids with IEPs or 504s. Which is why schools often group kids with IEPs and 504s together in the same class and add their precious, precious, paraeducator. It's only in situations like the GT/LD program, where there is a higher concentration of kids who need support AND who can access advanced coursework, that some AP classes might have a para. And even then, they can't cover every AP class. Maybe there's one for the entry-level AP US Gov that most kids take in 9th grade, for example. There probably isn't for AP Physics C. |
Anonymous
| In terms of level of support, if you take an AP class, you are taking a college level class with the reasonable options of accommodations one might request in a college setting. There are specific cases for one-on-one support such as interpreter for a deaf student, note taker for a physically disabled student (unable to write) etc. |
Anonymous
That is not the case for our MCPS HS. All co taught classes have a subject matter teacher and a special education teacher, both with teaching degrees. |
Anonymous
This is the PP you quoted. Which subjects have fully co-taught classes at your school? Our MS and HS can't even staff all the inclusion English and Math classes with a special ed teacher. Not to mention science, social studies, or foreign languages. |
Anonymous
| Our school said no, no support in AP classes. |
Anonymous
This is incorrect. An AP class is a high school class. A high school student should be supported in an AP class per their IEP just as they would for any other class in high school. The accommodations on the AP exam itself are governed by the College Board, so the student does have to apply to the CB separately for those. - special ed atty |