Among the 6 principles of IDEA, I believe that “providing appropriate evaluation” is the one that affect the most my role as a special educator. My choice is mostly because I have some considerations about the legal requirements established to assess students allocated in special education services.
First of all, the goal of special education is to enable students with disabilities achieve the learning goals that are established for the typically developed students, as stated by the “No child left behind act” (2002). That would only be possible if the teachers fill the gap between the student’s capabilities and the standardized tests expectations. One of the ways to reduce this gap is providing accommodations, which is essential to guarantee equal access to education. If educators disregard the gap between the student’s cognitive capabilities and the exigencies of the high-stake standards, the students will probably be unsuccessful on their tests.
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The CCSS are designed to provide a clear understanding of what students are required to learn, and they are conceived to promote equity, since it can be applied to all students despite their disabilities (Cortiella & Horowitz, 2014). Regardless of the intention of aligning the necessary skills for all students, (Cortiella & Horowitz, 2014), the CCSS does not include essential life skills, and for that, students might not receive appropriate education that will prepare them to their adulthood. Moreover, measuring students’ and teachers’ performance by standardized tests compels educators to prepare students only to succeed the tests, despite the students’ needs and unique