Last year after receiving the test scores from my son's NYS ELA and Math assessments, I was taken aback by the result. Many parents want their children to do well in school. We don't want to see our children struggle and certainly not perform below par or fail. However, when test scores don't appear to reflect the current level of performance, it sends up flags in a parent's mind.
My son scored much higher in the math exam compared to how he was responding to his homework assignments. It was so uneven it was glaring. I looked at the results and knowing my son, how he gets frustrated and melts down when the going gets tough, I thought, something isn't right.
I'm teaching my son to learn to advocate for himself. He's only 10 but it's not too early to begin. Aren was very agreeable to do these video's. This is a bit of a story but I want to first share my son's testimony with you. The video's are telling but I will share more on the events later on that have led up to the videos. Providing testimony is very important and especially so when dealing with corrupt systems. The worst offenders are those that cheat children. Below is my son's testimony on his participation in the NYS exams:
One of the reasons I decided to do the videos is that I reported my suspicions of test tampering to the NYS Education Department in Albany, NY. I wrote to Chancellor Tisch about my concern in January of this year. I was compelled for a number of reasons.
It was September and I was attending a meeting with the teachers at the new school my son was being enrolled in. At this point, I had no immediate concern. It was in the course of conversation, I casually asked when parents generally receive state exam test scores. The teachers seemed puzzled and stated I should've received the scores in August. I contacted the principal in my school district inquiring about the scores but didn't get a response. A couple of days later I sent another email to the principal this time copying the superintendent on it. Finally, I get a response from the superintendent that the scores would be forthcoming. It was disconcerting that I had to actually go after the scores when previously with my daughter it had never been an issue. It was suspect that it was an issue with my son given the history of challenges in this district getting a FAPE for him.
Aren 3rd Grade NYS Exam Scores Aren Classwk Homewk Samples Feb_April 2011
After receiving the scores, I asked my son if anyone helped or assisted him during the exams. His first response was defensive "it was hard". He seemed upset and frustrated. I asked him again if anyone helped him and he said the special education teacher and assistant helped him with the answers. I felt upset in fact, down right angry about what my son was sharing with me. All I thought about was how they were only interested in themselves and not my son. You see, I was going through a very difficult time with the district. Not only was I being put through the wringer but so was my son. During the spring my son had bed wetting accidents. He was showing regressive behavior. He was coming home from school upset. I got every impression they were hammering him to perform. They were doing all they could to deny my son a FAPE.
We initiated due process that was settled during that time frame. Things started to fall into place after the settlement and my writing to Dr. John B King, Commissioner of Education in Albany, NY. I had to explain to Dr. King all the grief I was enduring trying to get my son's needs met. Regardless of substantiated diagnosis, the district was refusing to appropriately accept it and the recommendations to help meet his educational needs. It was only after I went through due process and contacting Dr. King that I was finally able to have my son moved to an appropriate placement for him. In the interim of all of that going on, the district continued rebuffing my advocacy and were trying to prove my son didn't have particular needs as it related to his diagnosis by directly assisting him with the state exams!
When you look over my son's homework and compare it to his test performance, it doesn't add up. My son doesn't miraculously improve during the test period. It's not possible with his low threshold for frustration and high distract ability. How could I not think that the district deliberately held back the scores. It was too late to use the scoring as an argument my son didn't need accommodations. Too much had taken place between winning the due process and contacting NYS Education Department. They probably thought I would forget about it. The district continues to under estimate my tenacity. They keep mistakenly think that I'm not in it for the long haul. They probably think that once I'm appeased, like a good sigh of relief, I'll back off feeling satisfied. I'm in it until my son graduates from high school. I do not hide from this fact. I make it very plain with my ongoing advocacy efforts for both of my children.
Fast forward to present day. When I contacted Chancellor Tisch, I received a reply where she seemed very concerned about my suspicions. Chancellor Tisch, immediately followed up by forwarding my concern to the Dutchess County BOCES superintendent, Dr. Pennoyer. Dr. Pennoyer was instructed by the Chancellor to investigate the allegations of test tampering and instructed to present the findings by May 1st. I waited for follow through on the investigation and by May the first, I didn't receive any word on it. I sent a letter to Mr. Pennoyer asking about the status of the investigation in which case, I received a curt reply that the investigation had been concluded and sent to Steven Katz in Albany. That I needed to therefore contact Mr. Katz for the findings! I waited for a couple of weeks thinking any day I would receive something from Mr. Katz. I did not. I decided to write to Governor Cuomo about my concerns. I get a response from the Governor's office advising me if I wish, to contact Katie Compos, Assistant Secretary of Education, Office of the Governor. Of course, I contacted Ms. Compos who then told me she doesn't handle complaints and that a special investigation unit has been established for complaints such as my own. Ms. Compos suggested, if I wish, to contact Tina Sciocchetti who handles these sort of concerns. I then contact Ms. Sciocchetti who advises me that Steven Katz has received my complaint and therefore will be getting back to me. I wait and I wait. I write back to Ms. Campos that my concern has landed on the desk of 6 different people and so far, I've not received any information about the "investigation". And, by the way, did I mention that in the course of these six months and 6 people later, not one person contacted me to ask for additonal information or speak directly with my son. My son, as you can clearly see is not mute. He can communicate and communicate quite well.
Finally, just the other day, I receive a letter from the office of Steven Katz of the NYS Education Department informing me the investigation did not find evidence substantiating the allegations of misconduct in the administration of testing! The investigation... I can't help to wonder exactly what was involved in the investigation. What comes to mind is a scenario where the investigator, asking teachers in question "did you assist the student in question during the administration of the NYS exams?" Response: "No!" Investigation concludes there is no proof to support the complaint - case closed!
Truly, this is exactly how the events unfolded. I have every piece of documentation as is my habit. Soon, I'm going to need a file cabinet just to house all of the documents I keep on record for my son's advocacy.
I want to conclude this post by stating, I have every belief that my complaint was swept under the rug. I have no confidence that a real and actual investigation took place. We have problems at every level in our education system with no real checks and balances. There are no independent agencies so those doing the "investigating" is the same department investigating itself! It is unacceptable. However, my Partners in Policymaking (PIP) training has given me the necessary tools to keep putting pressure on our legislatures and administrators until we can exact positive changes in our systems. This is what I will keep doing.
"Law and order exist for the purpose of establishing justice and when they fail in this purpose they become the dangerously structured dams that block the flow of social progress." ~ Martin Luther King, Jr.
