I thought that the problem was that I couldn’t explain eligibility in a way that it made sense because I was an intern. I didn’t understand it well enough. In reality, the eligibility definition didn’t make sense, and I would be facing versions of this dilemma throughout my career.
The teacher was so angry.
A student had been referred for an assessment who was performing significantly below grade level in all academic areas. Testing placed his academic levels between the 5th and 10th percentiles. Intellectual testing placed his cognitive ability at about the same level. The state in which I worked required psychologists to use a computer program to determine if the student had a discrepancy – the state’s only requirement for a learning disability. I entered the test results in every way possible – Full-Scale IQ, Performance IQ, Verbal IQ, and Abbreviated IQ. I used age and grade based results for academic scores. I could not get the computer program to designate the student as having a learning disability.
Teacher: So why doesn’t he qualify?
Me: The program says he doesn’t have a discrepancy.
Teacher: He can’t do any of the work.
Me: I know. But he is not low enough to be categorized as having an intellectual disability and his academic scores aren’t discrepant from his IQ.
Teacher: He is lower than the girl that qualified last month.
Me: I know. Her IQ was higher so she had a discrepancy and therefore has a “learning disability.”
Teacher: This makes no sense. He needs help with everything. EVERYTHING!
Me: I know, but he is performing at his level. I’m sorry.
Teacher: This is wrong!
I felt horrible but I didn’t know what to do. Why didn’t the teacher understand? I had tried every way I could to get that discrepancy. I didn’t know what else to do. My hands were tied. Why didn’t she get it? What more could I say?
My resource teacher (not an intern) was not ready to give up and suggested a different approach. She pointed out that if the student scored the same on the speech and language tests as our tests, he could qualify that way.
Legal?
Ethical?
Best for the child?
You decide.
I am at peace with our decision.
When I was student teaching – general ed history – a student moved in in the middle of the semester from out of state. She had an IEP at her old school, but it hadn’t transferred to this school. Her mom kept postponing the IEP meeting due to her own health issues. The student was failing test after test, retake after retake. So I finally sat down with her and verbally read the test while moving my finger along each word and then helped her think out loud what the right answer was. I didn’t just give her the answer, but she definitely wasn’t going to get it on her own. I have no idea if what I did was against the rules, but she needed some leniency and help while we waited for her official IEP. I’ve never told anyone I did that until now.
I love this. I imagine that the student and her mother were so grateful for your compassion.