Dear ED Inquiry,

I have a daughter that has been struggling with the state subject area exams given in high school in our state Indiana. She has taken one particular subject area test 3 times. She also has a learning disability and was supposed to get extra help and time but she did not receive that accommodation. She missed the test by 12 points and now will need to take it again in order to graduate with her sister next year. Any suggestions on what we can do. She would really like to walk through the commencement with her twin, but is afraid she may not be able. We have a very frustrated mother, child and father.

Thank you,
Irritated in Indiana

 

Irritated in Indiana,

First and foremost, I would question the powers that be as to why your daughter did not receive her accommodations. I hope things such as extra time and a small testing environment at the very least are allowed on your state standardized tests. If she was not allowed accommodations as specified in her Individual Education Plan, please find out why and who was responsible for this!

OK, I will climb off my soapbox now. I did some online research and found information from the Indiana Department of Education that specifies 3 ways an Indiana student can satisfy the graduation requirements for ECA’s (taken verbatim from http://www.doe.in.gov/assessment/meeting-assessment-requirement-graduationwaiver-process).

The assessment requirement for graduation can be met in three ways:

1. Pass the English 10 and Algebra I End of Course Assessments (ECAs).

2. Fulfill the requirements of the GQE Evidence-based waiver:

• Take the ECAs in each subject area in which you did not achieve a passing score at least one time every school year after the school year in which you first took the ECA.
• Complete any extra help sessions offered each year by the school to prepare for the ECA retests.
• Maintain a school attendance rate of 95 percent or better over the course of your high school experience (excused absences are not counted against your attendance rate).
• Have at least a “C” average, over the course of your high school career, in the courses required for graduation.
• Satisfy any other state and local graduation requirements.
• Get a written recommendation from the teacher(s) in the subject area(s) not passed, as well as one from the school principal, and show proof that the academic standards have been met, whether through other tests or classroom work.

3. Fulfill the requirements of the GQE Work-readiness waiver:

• Take the ECAs in each subject area in which you did not achieve a passing score at least one time every school year after the school year in which you first took the ECA.
• Complete any extra help sessions offered each year by the school to prepare for the ECA retests.
• Maintain a school attendance rate of 95 percent or better over the course of your high school experience (excused absences are not counted against your attendance rate).
• Have at least a “C” average, over the course of your high school career, in the courses required for graduation.
• Satisfy any other state and local graduation requirements.
• Complete the course and credit requirements for a general diploma, including the career academic sequence; a workforce readiness assessment; and, at least one industry certification that appears on the state board’s approved industry certification list, which must be updated annually with recommendations from the department of workforce development established by IC 22-4.1-2-1.

School or district personnel should be able to assist your daughter with these alternative processes.

Keep us posted!

-ED Inquiry

Have an inquiry? Submit it now!