Reply to FYI on MCPS middle school magnet appeal with child with IEP

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]I see that pp's post would be reassuring to the op, but many of the rest of us may find it discouraging. I don't understand why a child who scores significantly below the median on all sections of the exam should be admitted. What exactly is the difference between a child with learning disabilities who scores below the mean and a child who simply scores below the mean? Wouldn't every child probably benefit from being at the magnet? I'm not saying GT/LD status does not exist, but with extra time and a lower score required for admission, many of the 5th graders I know could get into and succeed at a magnet. How would any of their parents know if they have a learning disability or not if they aren't willing or able to pay for private testing?[/quote]

It's median not mean that is referenced in the admissions letter.  By mathematical definition of median, 50% score above the median and 50% score below.  So, the admissions letter states the median score for admitted students, and, by definition, 50% of admitted students score above that and 50% of admitted students score below that in each of the three test sections.  So, there are many students who are admitted to the MS magnet with scores in one or more of the three categories that are below the median -- some may be LD, most are not.  It's mathematically impossible to say that all admitted students scored above the median of admitted students.

Also, any parent who suspects their child has a learning disability which adversely impacts education and necessitates specialized instruction has a right to ask for an IEP.  As part of the IEP process, a child should be provided with a free assessment.  If you visit the SN board, you will see that this is not as easy as it seems, but, at least for SN kids, private testing is not supposed to be necessary.  In practice, I agree that SN needs go unidentified frequently, which is a problem, but that is not a reason to refuse to serve SN kids in programs for which they are qualified.

As for your if my kid had extra time, he'd be able to get in too contention -- well, it's like saying that the kid with a broken writing hand shouldn't get extra-time to write his essay, because if my kid also had extra time he'd be able to write an even better essay.  Well, your kid doesn't have a broken arm and so doesn't have the difficulties that impede performance like the kid with the broken arm does.  Brain differences are just as physical as the broken arm.

As for "lower scores required for admission," that is something that is widely assumed, but we have no data on that.  It may be that admitted LD kids have score profiles that are similar to non-LD kids, or at least not significantly different.  As to the larger question is whether the selected test is an accurate predictor of all those who could succeed in the magnet programs -- I think not.  If you are suggesting that the test unfairly screens out a lot of kids who could benefit from a magnet, I certainly agree that there are more kids who could be successful in these magnets than we are identifying.  As a corollary, I also don't think that small differences in the number of correct questions is can validly differentiate one student as more or less deserving of a magnet seat than another.

But, I don't think all kids would benefit from the magnets.  In my experience, with other non-LD children who have gone thru HGCs and magnet, no, not every child benefits from a magnet.  For example, our LD child can benefit from one of the MS magnets, but it would be a detriment to send DC to the other MS magnet; therefore we only decided to apply to one.  The work load is heavier than the regular educational program and the underlying skills necessary for success are of a different level.  For example, if you are a 5th grader reading at a 5th grade level and were you to be placed at the Eastern Magnet, you would struggle to read and understand "The Good Earth" in sixth grade.  [/quote]

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