It has come to my attention that NYSED is failing a population of its students. Students with learning disabilities have had their safety net pulled out from under them without a realistic solution. The previous option of passing RCT’s (Regents Competency Tests) to attain a local diploma is no longer available.  They are being expected to “pass” regents exams that are written without taking their individual disabilities into account, by people that get paid to write exams and know nothing about them.

NYS currently provides three graduation options for children with learning disabilities: passing 5 regents with a score no lower than a 55; the 4+1 option, which requires passing 4 regents with a 65 and one with a 45; or, the CDOS, which is merely a credential that says they attended school for 13 years but will not enable them to attend a vocational school or community college, join the military, or even get a job! Plans are underway for STEM pathways and other possible options, however, for the class of 2015 these were not complete and it is doubtful these plans will be available for the class of 2016.

Thousands of children are being left behind by this new policy of NYS’s. The goal was “college and career” ready with no real idea of how to get this population there.  For many years, children with learning disabilities were the recipient of differentiated but accessible curriculum models. We have now become cookie cutter and the expectation is the same for all children. There are 15,000 children per grade cohort that will be subjected to this reformed pathway.  Already across the state, children are failing these standard Regents exams.  They are left with few options. One option is to stay in school and extend their high school career beyond four years, even though they have successfully completed the course work, just so they can retake a standard test as many times as necessary until they pass it. Unfortunately, due to the nature of their learning difference they cannot demonstrate their proficiency through high stakes tests and pass the tests required to get a diploma. Further, this places an economic burden on our school districts (another unfunded mandate?).

According to a 2012 memo from the Education Department to the Board of Regents, 32,696 students with disabilities entered high school in 2006, with only 46% graduated by 2010. Of those, 15 % relied on the RCT’s for their local diploma. What will now happen to that 15%? This means only 31% of students with learning disabilities will graduate and that 15% that could have become productive, contributing members of society will now either drop out or get meaningless CDOS certificates.  What will the societal impact be as these young adults cannot get a job, join the military, or attend vocational school?  What will the Board of Regents do to secure the futures of children with learning disabilities?

It is urgent the local diploma option be revisited and that children that struggle to learn daily, not be further penalized by a system that does not treat them equitably.  Alternate assessments must be available as an option, as the nature of their learning disabilities inherently puts them at a disadvantage on traditional standard assessments which are at odds with their learning disabilities, regardless of accommodations. These tests assess their disability or test-taking ability, as all students do not read, write, or learn in the same manner, which is the assumption that underlies the construction of the Regents exams. Having students take these exams multiple times, in the hopes of passing, ignores the permanent nature of learning disabilities and incorrectly assumes they will be able to correct mistakes on subsequent testing that are a direct result of their learning differences.  In conclusion, the current diploma options are not sufficient.  I strongly suggest that the local diploma tied to RCT's be reinstated as a stop gap measure until a realistic solution be developed that acknowledges the very diverse ways children that are differently abled learn.

CALL THEM ON IT. DO IT TODAY. Sign this petition but also write a letter to the Board of Regents, the NYS School Chancellor and our Governor. Insist that a 'free appropriate public education"  AND DIPLOMA, be accessible to ALL of NYS's children.