Standardized Tests and this horrible system of people that are too busy to care

So, I guess it all started a few months ago when my son had to take his FCAT. FCAT is a pretty standardized test and fairly simple in Florida so I wasn’t too worried. That is, until I learned that the school didn’t have the right accommodations set up for him for this simple exam (even though they knew months ahead of time these accommodations were not only good for the student but required by his IEP plan. After all, I sent him to this school for their AICE program (a program that awards him the AICE diploma if successful) This AICE diploma could get my son very far in school and we think it will based on his knowledge. However, the testing is far from acceptable and from what I can see, will not be fixed without some major fixes from the district. Please keep this in mind when looking for high schools for your children. This program for my son has always been the indisputable program for kids that want to be engineers. However, if your child happens to have a visual impairment, you may want to reconsider.

As described above, they did not have his requirements ready for his FCAT or for his Pre-AICE Biology end of class (EOC) exam. So, he had to sit out during an exam and then miss classes so he could make up this exam. After complaints to the school, I thought someone might actually listen. Surprise! They didn’t. The next class exam was a SUPER important exam that actually equaled college credit if passed (the AP human geography exam). Well, he didn’t even get to take it and was sequestered to an entirely different part of the school where he did nothing all afternoon. He will have to take time out of future classes to make up for the inadequacies of the system yet again.  As I see it, he’s missing exams, and then missing classes so he can make up exams. This is all so we can wait while the school district realizes that they are actually breaking laws while they put kids like mine at a disadvantage to the rest of the kids. Do I have a reason to go to court? Absolutely! Will I? Not sure yet. They need to do right by my son first. The school seems to be doing the best they can. This school literally has the regular teachers, guidance counselors, vision teachers, and testing coordinators. After speaking with them today, they clearly do not communicate with each other. So the FCAT instructor who had issues with my son’s exam did not forewarn the next testing coordinator. It’s really just crazy.

Something's got to change.