What is the Individual Education Program (IEP) Team required to do if a student with a disability is
failing a grade or course?
The IEP Team is required to convene in order to review, and if necessary, to revise a student’s IEP whenever a student is failing a subject(s) or class(es) to address any lack of expected progress in the general curriculum. This allows parents and students to be informed of any difficulties the student may be experiencing in the general education classroom and/or special education program. New or additional interventions or strategies may be implemented to improve student performance. Special Education services, including accommodations and related services, may need to be reviewed by the IEP team.
Do federal or state laws provide guidance on how to grade students with special needs?
Federal and state special education regulations are largely silent on the topic of assigning a grade. Charlotte Mecklenburg Schools has a Board of Education policy that addresses grading of all students. This policy outlines appropriate grading policies and grading scales for schools. IEP teams must provide accommodations or modifications on the student’s IEP. Although students with disabilities may require accommodations and modifications to their grades, IEP Teams cannot provide an accommodation or modification that is in violation of Board policy (i.e., using a different grading scale or using a different type of grade). Teachers should maintain written documentation to support grades earned for all students.
What role should a student’s score(s) on the EOG/EOC assessment(s) play in their final grade?
Report cards represent an opportunity to evaluate students across three areas: the work they produce, the process through which they complete their work, and the effort they put into their assignments. Standardized testing generally measures the amount of course or academic content retained or produced and so it is in many ways incomplete. It is quite likely that the student is learning more than is measured solely by the EOG/EOC assessment(s). The report card provides a place to communicate this fact to parents and students.
Is there anything wrong with grading all the students in a class the same way?
Students with disabilities are entitled to special accommodations and modifications due to their special needs. A “one size fits all” answer is inappropriate for grading just as it is for educational placement decisions or decisions about instructional approaches. Students with disabilities should not only be assessed in relation to their grade level peers; they should also be assessed based on progress while taking into account special needs related to their disability. Examples of this may include basing part of a grade that the student earns on:
● student use of strategies to complete work
● grades earned on assignments for which appropriate accommodations and modifications are provided
● progress on IEP goals, including measures of improvement
When students with disabilities are in a co-taught class, who is responsible for assigning their grades? Who is accountable for their performance on high stakes tests?
The general education teacher is the teacher of record for the entire class. Both teachers share responsibility for all the students in their co-taught class and should collaborate on all areas of instruction.
How do teachers document on the Powerschool Report Card that a student’s work is modified?
Report cards should have no indication that a child is receiving special education services. Teachers should use the IEP progress report to document academic and behavior specific information, which may include work sample and/or data collection attachments that inform a parent of student progress. Teachers should maintain ongoing communication with the family regarding strengths and needs of the student.