MAKING THE GRADE:

Are You Satisfied with Your Child's Education?
(Have We Mentioned Deaf Education Reform)

High stakes testing..standardized scores..grading schools.assessing student performance. The buzz words in today's educational climate are focusing on how we can assess student performance, what should the consequences of "failure" be, and how we can improve performance in today's educational system. While this article does not address all the complex issues and discussions regarding the best way to assess a child's performance, it will look at the statistics as presented by the present system of assessment.

In Colorado, there are currently two different standardized measures that we as parents can look at to determine the present achievement levels of our children who are Deaf/Hard of Hearing: the CSAP and the CIPP (Colorado Individual Performance Profile)

The CSAP

for Deaf/hh Students in Colorado in comparison with state totals of all kids. (See table below) While these glaring statistics do not reflect the entire picture of student performance, it should still be looked upon as an important source of information. The reality of the lack of achievement for our students who are deaf/hh must be faced. As Cheryl Johnson, the state consultant at the Colorado Department of Education says, "The CSAP should be administered to all deaf/hh students who are in the test groups. However, we also realize that language limitations affect some of these students' abilities to meaningfully participate in the assessment. None the less, our goal must be for all students to have well-developed language abilities and thinking skills so that they can access the curriculum of the regular classroom to achieve the standard set forth and assessed through the CSAP."

Below are selected results of the 99/00 CSAP Scores

The CIPP

The CIPP provides interesting demographic information and service delivery information about students who are deaf/hh. Statewide Information such as the types of hearing loss, types of amplification, types of assistive listening devices used, primary languages, modes of communication, service delivery, and teacher perception of services. The following represents a few statistics from the CIPP.

Our Kids can do Better

The movement in Colorado to reform Deaf Education services for students focuses on a communication rich learning environment, so that the potential of each individual student can be realized. We as parents must be accountable for standing up, and working with the system to ensure a better future for students in Colorado. Every moment, every day, that we do not surround our children in an environment that is accessible to language and communication, we cannot even hope to provide an excellent (let's throw away the word "adequate") education for these kids. This includes our responsibilities at home to provide a meaningful, communication rich environment Below are just a few examples of what a language rich environment should look like.

Colorado Families for Hands and Voices is dedicated to working together with the teachers, parents, administrators, and others who will stand up and fight for a higher standard of achievement for our children. It was Margaret Mead who said, "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it's the only thing that ever has."

For more information on CSAP and CIPP results, please contact Hands & Voices at parentadvocate@handsandvoices.org

Language Rich Environment