[NFBofSC] FW: [NFB-Announce] Blind Students and Advocates Resolve Dispute with College Board over AP Exams

Sat May 30 23:11:34 UTC 2020

This is NOT Randy Shackelford.  His email is Fairforest75 at gmail.com. Please change Your email list 

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> On May 29, 2020, at 10:16 PM, Steve & Shannon Cook via NFBofSC <nfbofsc at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> 
> 
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: NFB-Announce <nfb-announce-bounces at nfbnet.org> On Behalf Of National
> Federation of the Blind via NFB-Announce
> Sent: Friday, May 29, 2020 5:15 PM
> To: nfb-announce at nfbnet.org
> Subject: [NFB-Announce] Blind Students and Advocates Resolve Dispute with
> College Board over AP Exams
> 
> 
> 
>         [1]
> 
> FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 
> 
> BLIND STUDENTS AND ADVOCATES RESOLVE DISPUTE WITH COLLEGE BOARD OVER AP
> EXAMS
> 
> _STUDENTS WILL RECEIVE BRAILLE EXAMS, TACTILE GRAPHICS_
> 
> BALTIMORE, MARYLAND (MAY 29, 2020): Kaleigh Brendle, a blind
> advanced-placement (AP) high school student from New Jersey, and the
> National Federation of the Blind [2] (NFB), the nation's leading advocate
> for the equal education of the blind, have resolved their dispute with the
> College Board [3] over its administration of the advanced placement
> examinations to blind and deaf-blind students during the coronavirus
> pandemic. Ms. Brendle and the NFB filed complaints with the United States
> Department of Education and Department of Justice on behalf of themselves
> and four other named students, as well as the class of all other blind and
> deafblind students. The complaints alleged that the students' rights were
> violated when the College Board instituted a digital-only format for the
> exams because of the pandemic and did not provide hard-copy Braille tests
> and/or hard-copy tactile graphics to students who had requested and been
> granted those accommodations. The complaints have been withdrawn in light of
> today's resolution. 
> 
> Without admitting wrongdoing, the College Board has agreed [4] to allow
> certain students to re-take AP exams using hard-copy tactile graphics
> (including charts, coordinate planes, diagrams, maps, etc.) and to
> administer hard-copy Braille tests to students who were already approved for
> Braille and who request to take or re-take their exams with hard-copy
> Braille. Students will be able to take the Braille tests by September 15,
> 2020. For students who re-take exams with hard-copy tactile graphics or
> hard-copy Braille, any prior answers or test scores will be disregarded.
> The College Board will also provide a letter to affected high school seniors
> explaining the delay in testing and scoring so that these seniors can
> provide that information to institutions of higher education. 
> 
> In a separate letter not related to the complaints, the College Board has
> also agreed to consult with the National Federation of the Blind on
> procedures for administering the SAT and SAT subject tests to blind and
> deafblind students. 
> 
> "My fellow blind and deafblind AP scholars and I never sought confrontation,
> compensation, or publicity. We desired only to receive fair treatment and to
> be provided with the materials we require in order to succeed," said Kaleigh
> Brendle. "We raised our voices on behalf of those who could not, with the
> hope that every student who needed Braille would receive it. We are grateful
> to the College Board for listening to and understanding our concerns and
> working with us to institute change. Now, we can resume preparing for these
> influential exams and shaping our futures as empowered advocates of equality
> and opportunity." 
> 
> "It has been a privilege to work alongside these courageous students who
> raised their voices about the unfair treatment they received during an
> already stressful time," said Mark Riccobono, President of the National
> Federation of the Blind. "This swift and equitable agreement exemplifies the
> power of collective action. We look forward to further cooperation and
> collaboration between the College Board and the organized blind movement to
> improve opportunities for all blind and deafblind scholars." 
> 
> Ms. Brendle and the National Federation of the Blind were represented by
> Sharon Krevor-Weisbaum [5] and Kevin Docherty [6] of Brown Goldstein Levy
> LLP [5]. 
> 
> ### 
> 
> ABOUT THE NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND 
> 
> The National Federation of the Blind (NFB), headquartered in Baltimore, is
> the oldest and largest nationwide organization of blind Americans. Founded
> in 1940, the NFB consists of affiliates, chapters, and divisions in the
> fifty states, Washington DC, and Puerto Rico. The NFB defends the rights of
> blind people of all ages and provides information and support to families
> with blind children, older Americans who are losing vision, and more. We
> believe in the hopes and dreams of blind people and work together to
> transform them into reality. Learn more about our many programs and
> initiatives at www.nfb.org [7]. 
> 
> CONTACT:
> 
> Chris Danielsen
> Director of Public Relations
> National Federation of the Blind
> 410-659-9314, extension 2330
> 410-262-1281 (Cell)
> cdanielsen at nfb.org 
> 
>         [8] 
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> 
>         National Federation of the Blind | 200 E Wells Street |
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