Re: FCAT exemption question

[Guest guest]

Hi

I understand how you feel. Unfortunately, according to what you have shared, he

must take the FCAT. Significant cognitive disability would be a child with an IQ

under70. Often, the third grade student can not read or write at all and may be

working on pre-primer sight words, to give you an example.

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> I have a ques tio n that I am hoping someone on the list will have an answer

to.  I am trying to get my son to be exempt from taking FCAT.  He is reading

below grade level and is being instructed in a VE class in Middle School for

four out of the five social sciences.  The VE teacher teaches the Sunshine

State Standards but on a lower grade level and at a slower pace and definitely

modifies the curriculum to meet the needs of the students in the class.

>

>

>

> I am continuously told by the IEP committee that he doesn't meet the exemption

criteria for FCAT exemption.  Nor can he be placed on FAA (Florida Alternate

Assessment)

>

>

>

> When  I read the four questions that need to be answered " yes " to qualify for

exemption , I am not sure exactly wha t one of the qu estions really means.  

La st question:  Does the student have a significant cognitive disability? 

Well, what exactly does that mean?  My son is smart, however, like many child

ren with autism, he doe sn't exactly grasp all of the information he reads.  He

needs visuals to understand certain words/terms. He, like many oth er people

with autism, can memorize information and facts, vocabulary words, etc, but

can't really apply them to real life. 

>

>

>

> I don't see the point to taking the FCAT test, especially because he is not r

eading on grade level and will be frustrated reading story after story about

information that he might not be able to relate to. 

>

>

>

> I have called to the Department of Education and they basically couldn't tell

me what the meaning of " significant cognitive disabiltiy " means. Therefore, it's

hard for me to answ er the question. 

>

>

>

> FCAT testing is all of next week and just puts so much stress on my son that

he doesn't need. 

>

>

>

> Any input is greatly appreciated.

>

[Guest guest]

Hi

I understand how you feel. Unfortunately, according to what you have shared, he

must take the FCAT. Significant cognitive disability would be a child with an IQ

under70. Often, the third grade student can not read or write at all and may be

working on pre-primer sight words, to give you an example.

>

>

>

> I have a ques tio n that I am hoping someone on the list will have an answer

to.  I am trying to get my son to be exempt from taking FCAT.  He is reading

below grade level and is being instructed in a VE class in Middle School for

four out of the five social sciences.  The VE teacher teaches the Sunshine

State Standards but on a lower grade level and at a slower pace and definitely

modifies the curriculum to meet the needs of the students in the class.

>

>

>

> I am continuously told by the IEP committee that he doesn't meet the exemption

criteria for FCAT exemption.  Nor can he be placed on FAA (Florida Alternate

Assessment)

>

>

>

> When  I read the four questions that need to be answered " yes " to qualify for

exemption , I am not sure exactly wha t one of the qu estions really means.  

La st question:  Does the student have a significant cognitive disability? 

Well, what exactly does that mean?  My son is smart, however, like many child

ren with autism, he doe sn't exactly grasp all of the information he reads.  He

needs visuals to understand certain words/terms. He, like many oth er people

with autism, can memorize information and facts, vocabulary words, etc, but

can't really apply them to real life. 

>

>

>

> I don't see the point to taking the FCAT test, especially because he is not r

eading on grade level and will be frustrated reading story after story about

information that he might not be able to relate to. 

>

>

>

> I have called to the Department of Education and they basically couldn't tell

me what the meaning of " significant cognitive disabiltiy " means. Therefore, it's

hard for me to answ er the question. 

>

>

>

> FCAT testing is all of next week and just puts so much stress on my son that

he doesn't need. 

>

>

>

> Any input is greatly appreciated.

>

[Guest guest]

Right this second I can't answer your question but I will look into it. I can however give you a way to postpone his FCAT's a few weeks to buy you a little more time to figure this out. Take him about 30 minutes late the next two weeks. Once the students have begun testing he cannot enter the testing late and he will have to take the tests on make up days which are usually a few weeks later. What grade is your son in? As long as he is not in the 3rd or 10th grade I do not think he has to pass the FCAT to move on to the next grade. Schools just need like 90%participation on the FCAT so there are always a select few students who don't show up for the FCAT's and miss the make-ups. The school will not freak out as long as they have already met their 90% participation I cold be wrong about the 90% # but I am not far off if I am).

FCAT exemption question

I have a question that I am hoping someone on the list will have an answer to. I am trying to get my son to be exempt from taking FCAT. He is reading below grade level and is being instructed in a VE class in Middle School for four out of the five social sciences. The VE teacher teaches the Sunshine State Standards but on a lower grade level and at a slower pace and definitely modifies the curriculum to meet the needs of the students in the class.

I am continuously told by the IEP committee that he doesn't meet the exemption criteria for FCAT exemption. Nor can he be placed on FAA (Florida Alternate Assessment)

When I read the four questions that need to be answered "yes" to qualify for exemption, I am not sure exactly what one of the questions really means. Last question: Does the student have a significant cognitive disability? Well, what exactly does that mean? My son is smart, however, like many children with autism, he doesn't exactly grasp all of the information he reads. He needs visuals to understand certain words/terms. He, like many other people with autism, can memorize information and facts, vocabulary words, etc, but can't really apply them to real life.

I don't see the point to taking the FCAT test, especially because he is not reading on grade level and will be frustrated reading story after story about information that he might not be able to relate to.

I have called to the Department of Education and they basically couldn't tell me what the meaning of "significant cognitive disabiltiy" means. Therefore, it's hard for me to answer the question.

FCAT testing is all of next week and just puts so much stress on my son that he doesn't need.

Any input is greatly appreciated.

[Guest guest]

Hi,

The state does not define significant cognitive disability in quantitative

terms. However, in order to meet the criteria for an intellectual disability a

student's IQ must be below 70. I would use that as a guide to say maybe an IQ of

65 or lower might qualify for the Alternate Assessment. It is important to

remember that a student who takes the Alternate Assessment would not qualify for

a standard diploma. Is that what you want? You should consider all of the

allowable accommodations (there are plenty) a student with a disability is

entitled to before making the decision to have him exempted from the FCAT.

Sent from Jillian Francis-

>

>

>

> I have a ques tio n that I am hoping someone on the list will have an answer

to.  I am trying to get my son to be exempt from taking FCAT.  He is reading

below grade level and is being instructed in a VE class in Middle School for

four out of the five social sciences.  The VE teacher teaches the Sunshine

State Standards but on a lower grade level and at a slower pace and definitely

modifies the curriculum to meet the needs of the students in the class.

>

>

>

> I am continuously told by the IEP committee that he doesn't meet the exemption

criteria for FCAT exemption.  Nor can he be placed on FAA (Florida Alternate

Assessment)

>

>

>

> When  I read the four questions that need to be answered " yes " to qualify for

exemption , I am not sure exactly wha t one of the qu estions really means.  

La st question:  Does the student have a significant cognitive disability? 

Well, what exactly does that mean?  My son is smart, however, like many child

ren with autism, he doe sn't exactly grasp all of the information he reads.  He

needs visuals to understand certain words/terms. He, like many oth er people

with autism, can memorize information and facts, vocabulary words, etc, but

can't really apply them to real life. 

>

>

>

> I don't see the point to taking the FCAT test, especially because he is not r

eading on grade level and will be frustrated reading story after story about

information that he might not be able to relate to. 

>

>

>

> I have called to the Department of Education and they basically couldn't tell

me what the meaning of " significant cognitive disabiltiy " means. Therefore, it's

hard for me to answ er the question. 

>

>

>

> FCAT testing is all of next week and just puts so much stress on my son that

he doesn't need. 

>

>

>

> Any input is greatly appreciated.

>