My daughter is a senior and she was diagnosed with a learning disability at the end of 2006. Her IEP was written by the school and although most teachers honor it, for some reason we always run into issues with the math teachers. My daughter is really behind in math and reading.
Her IEP says she has extended time for testing but her math teacher will only allow her to finish pages that she has not started. The teacher states that my daughter is not allowed to go back to the other pages. If you have extended time you should be able to utilize the rest of your time taking the test however you like.
It just seems like the teacher is reluctant to honor the IEP. I spoke to the IEP team about the teacher and the response was, “Oh she is an excellent teacher.”
This is really difficult for me to understand. It seems as though there is something completely wrong with this picture.
Dear Chalina:
Teachers do not have the option to selectively implement IEP accommodations, whether they are good teachers or not.
As a first step, you might try to add language to the IEP to clarify exactly how the extended time is supposed to work and that it is supposed to be provided in math, as well as other courses. This would eliminate any potential for ambiguity. You may also consider going to administrators in the school or school district to express your concerns, as the IEP team may not be able to address the issue or feel comfortable doing so.
If those steps are unsuccessful, you also have the options of filing a request for mediation or a due process hearing, filing a compliance complaint with the state department of education, or filing a complaint with the Office for Civil Rights.