Classroom Management Essay

Should Special Education Students be exempt from Graduation Tests?
Anna Weir
AED 200
May 22, 2011
Rosetta M. Peacock

Should Special Ed Students be exempt from Graduation Tests?
When it comes to our educational system, graduation tests are being required in order for the students to receive a high school diploma. By passing this graduation test, the school district is saying that the student has not only learned the material that was taught to them, but they are also able to go on to attain a degree from a higher learning institution or perform given job duties.   Basically, the test is stating, all basic skills and knowledge has been attained by the students who pass this test.   At this time, there has been a question posed as to whether or not special education students should be required to take these tests. Since many of the special education students are attending a general education public school and are mainstreamed, I feel they should take the required graduation test. The only difference should be that the special education students should only be required to take these graduation tests, with accommodations and extra considerations, according to their learning disability and their individual education plans or 504 plans.
When a student enters any school district, it is assumed that the student has the potential to learn the curriculum being taught, without any problems, and that they will be successful throughout their educational career. Unfortunately, there are some students that are not able to complete the required curriculum without additional help, or even a variety of accommodations, for whatever reason. When a student is identified as having trouble, an educational team is put together to assess the student learning potential and abilities. There are a variety of tests administered to the student, observations made of them in the classroom, questions asked of the parents and teachers and then conclusions drawn by the team. Once the student...