Baltimore County PSAT discrimination cont.

[Guest guest]

Hi Mike

I called and the paperwork had to be filed by 8/26. I asked if I could file the

paperwork, wait the 7 weeks and then get an exemption for a student who could

not take the test at his home school on the day designated. She said no and

hung up on me.

I am in Baltimore County and to date, the State hasn't even required them to

comply with the law in most of our complaints, let alone take over the system.

Arrghh!

Thanks for the suggestion though...I'm open to any and all. I just wrote the

investigator at the U.S. Dept of Education Office for Civil Rights approx 1

minute ago asking her advice as she's currently investigating numerous

allegations on our part against BCPS. However, a systemic violation is

investigated differently. The sheer casualness with which it is suggested that

our child be excluded from a life important event because of his disability is

incomprehensible to us in this day and age.

-------------- Original message --------------

> Can you file the paperwork yourself? Many kids take the SATs at

> different schools sometimes.

> BTW, the state of MD took over the Baltimore City's special education

> department. So there may be some changes.

> Mike

>

>

> > I am sending a note that I received in the mail today. I called

> the PSAT Princeton Review help line and they did confirm that because

> the school system did not file appropriate paperwork, would

> receive no testing accommodations including, no CART reporter, no fm

> system and/or possibly no hearing aid when he takes the PSAT test.

> When I tried to say this was illegal, the Princeton Review rep hung

> up on me. Further, we are advised by Baltimore County Public Schools

> to NOT have our child take the test. And, to make it further

> discriminatory, they are insisting that we must tell Baltimore County

> Public Schools if we want our child to take the PSAT, otherwise they

> will exclude him. The regular ed kids are automatically included. I

> have a call in to Fox 45 in Baltimore already. Didn't someone here

> have access to a national reporter? This is incomprehensible to me!

> This is a test that is critical for receiving National Merit and

> land Merit Scholarships and is practice for the SAT. So, the

> students that need the most practice are denied access. Makes sense

> right?

> >

> >

> > September 2005

> >

> > Dear Parents/Guardians

> >

> > This year, for the first time, 9th grade students throughout

> Baltimore County Public Schools will have an opportunity to take the

> Preliminary Scholastic Aptitude Test (PSAT), scheduled for October

> 12, 2005. In past years, this test was administered primarily to our

> 10th and 11th grade students.

> >

> > Your child may be eligible for accommodations (small group testing,

> extra time, et.) for the PSAT, and later for the SAT. However, the

> College Board in Princeton, New Jersey - not the public school

> system - makes the determination as to which students are in fact

> eligible for accommodations.

> >

> > The procedure for applying for accommodations usually starts at the

> annual review IEP Team meeting held prior to the first year the

> student takes the test (i.e., at the 9th grade annual review for 10th

> grade testing, and now at the 8th grade annual review for 9th grade

> testing.) Unfortunately, information about this change (9th graders

> taking the PSAT) was not available during the application period for

> the up-coming October 12th PSAT; thus, it is too late for schools to

> apply for accommodations for their 9th graders for this particular

> test. However, there will be other opportunities to take the PSAT -

> for instance, when your child is a 10th grader - giving us ample time

> to apply for accommodations before then.

> >

> > I am suggesting that your child not take the test this October,

> simply because he or she would have to do so in a loarge group with

> the general student body, and without any accommodations. Knowing

> how difficult this test is, my feeling is that we would be setting

> things in motiong for your child to feel defeated, and to develop

> further negative feelings about future PSAT or SAT exams.

> >

> > Whether or not your child participates this October is, of course,

> your choice. If you would like your child to take the Oct. 12th

> PSAT, without any accommodations, please let me know and I'll make

> those arrangements. Otherwise, I'll assume that you would like

> testing to be deferred until next year. (By then, we would have

> applied for any appropriate accommodations.)

> >

> > Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions at...

> >

> > Dwyer

> > Services for Students with Disabilities Testing Coordinator

> >

> >