Re:TEKS and IEP goals

[Guest guest]

Kim,

This is a very complex issue, and one that has changed

significantly over just the past few years (2 or 3) due to NCLB (No Child Left

Behind). Before NCLB, districts had much more leeway to write individualized

goals and objectives based on the student’s FIE and strengths and needs.

For some kids, they worked on TEKS goals with accommodations and modifications.

For other kids, they worked on completely individualized IEP goals and

objectives that mirrored their needs such as functional reading and functional

math and/or self-help skills.

But, because of the introduction of NCLB, now all districts

in the country MUST base all IEP’s on the TEKS goals and objectives for

the grade level the student is in, regardless of whether or not the goals are

ridiculously out of reach or not or whether they will even benefit the student.

All IEP’s have to be based on TEKS. But, not all districts and not all

states are as “up to date” and “in compliance” with

NCLB as others.

As is typical with most federal mandates, this “all or

nothing” type attitude toward special needs students doesn’t meet

the real needs of most of them. Because now ALL but 3% of special education

students in Texas MUST take the TAKS test (whether it is TAKS, TAKS-Alt, or

TAKS-Mod), they must be tested. So, the only kids who don’t have to meet

TEKS goals for their grade level and then take the TAKS test over them are

generally only the most severely impacted students in the state (usually those

who are medically fragile, have severe to profound mental retardation, etc.).

Everybody else has to take TAKS. There is no more SDAA. There is no more LDAA.

However, because of the lack of training provided by TEA,

many districts simply don’t understand how this is all supposed to work

(very similar to the RTI issue some others have asked about).

Some districts are just keeping on like they have always

done things. Some are trying to meet the letter of the law, and are finding

that it doesn’t work out very well for their students. It is a real catch

22 and no one is happy.

This probably doesn’t answer your question at all,

other than to say “it depends”. Yes, they are SUPPOSED to base all

goals and objectives on grade level TEKS, regardless of where the child tests

according to NCLB. But, IDEA says that goals and objectives are supposed to be

individualized, specific, measurable, and based on the FIE testing. This is in

exact opposition to NCLB.

So, who knows? Each district seems to be interpreting it all

in a different way, depending on which governmental entity and law they are

most afraid of violating. Lately, it seems to be NCLB because there are

actually funding sanctions that are really being used for violations.

nna

P.S. All I have to say is EE-II-EE-II –OOO…think

there are enough acronyms in this message to totally confuse any conversation

on the matter?