[blindkid] Smarter Balanced testing (SBAC)

[Richard Holloway]

I cannot speak to this directly, but we’ve had similar accessibility issues in the past with other testing instruments.

There were a variety of responses from “we don’t test blind students” (this regarding certain standardized tests to qualify for the gifted program), to “we’re working on it”, generally followed by a lengthy silence. (I assume they are working too hard to take time to send any updates. They would never assume that ignoring the problem will solve it, right?)

That said, I was surprised to notice how anxious they recently were when other standardized tests came up recently, to have our daughter take them.

The translated version would seem to be that if the tests (or a reasonable substitution) are complicated to come up with, they are anxious to excuse our kids from testing, so long as the only potential beneficiary of the test is the student. (Rather different than when the school wants to showcase the high marks of their highest achieving students.) And if we demand they come up with the tests, they don’t really care if there is a delay such that out kids sit idle during the testing for sighted kids, and then have more pull-out time once the tests arrive for our kids. 

As to being anxious to include our daughter? Well, the really big problem we had a few years back was to demonstrate our daughter was qualified for the gifted program. They didn’t want to have to bother with her being in that program, so they tried for about a year to explain why she wasn’t qualified before they had to concede she was actually **highly** qualified. 4 years later, she remains an honor roll student in the gifted program, generally a straight-A student, a Beta Club member, and so forth.

As to them becoming anxious for testing now? It seems a recent batch of tests were intended to demonstrate how well the school is doing in an area where the tests had no impact whatsoever on the students directly. We got the friendliest phone call ever from an assistant principal. Would we mind if Kendra stayed after school to complete a certain test, and she would be more than happy to personally drive Kendra home when they are through.

Isn’t it interesting how school priorates for self-interest effect what they are willing to do?...


On Apr 21, 2014, at 4:26 PM, Holly Miller <hollym12 at gmail.com> wrote:

> Valerie Yingling at the NFB headquarters is a great contact for this. I know she was very involved in the PARCC assessment situation, I'd imagine she's got her ear to the ground on smarter Balance as well
> 
> Valerie Yingling Paralegal National Federation of the Blind Telephone: 410-659-9314 ext. 2440
> Vyingling at nfb.org
> 
> Holly
>> On Apr 21, 2014, at 4:13 PM, DrV <icdx1111 at gmail.com> wrote:
>> 
>> Dear All,
>> 
>> My son’s high school/district decided to do a ‘pilot test run’ of the new
>> Smarter Balanced testing (SBAC) for 11th graders only this year, as the
>> STAR testing has been phased out. The testing is scheduled for tomorrow.
>> 
>> I just received an email that though a braille version was requested, the
>> materials have not been received & apparently the “accessibility kinks”
>> haven’t been worked out yet.
>> 
>> I have requested elaboration from the district, but haven’t heard back yet.
>> 
>> It would seem like the testing should be accessible.
>> 
>> Can anyone provide some guidance/insights into what to do on a practical
>> level & how this is being addressed on state/national level from other
>> blind students?
>> 
>> Who is addressing the accessibility issues in CA/nationally?
>> 
>> Sincerely,
>> 
>> Eric
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