Class #2 Reflection Questions

#7 Identify and briefly explain the six key principles of PL 94-142, the Education for All Handicapped Children Act.

The reason I choose this questions was because after I did the reading and looked through the questions I couldn't remember exactly what the principles where. I remembered reading about them but not exactly what they where. This wasn't something that stuck in my mind right off the bat so i though that look back again and talking about them would help me remember what they where.

• Zero reject- all children with handicaps have the right to public education just as the mainstream students do.
  
• Nondiscriminatory evaluation- each student must be given the opportunity to have an examination fit for them before being placed into a special education classroom.
  
• Individualized education program- (IEP) One must be written for every student in an special education program. It must contain where the student is currently, goals for that school year, how they are to be evaluated and what services that student will receive.
  
• Least restrictive environment- As much as possible student with handicaps should be educated with students who do not.
  
• Due process- a set of legal procedures set to ensure fairness in educational decisions.
  
• Parental participation- parents must be included in the IEP process and have access to the child's educational records.
  

#14 What is the impact of the "No Child Left Behind Act" and "High Stakes Testing" on schools?

The reason for me choosing this question is becuase it is something that i have thought alot about and have a strong opinion about.

I feel that both of these things have caused schools to focus on teaching for the tests rather than often times being able to focus on what is important. I believe that school is not only a place for students to learn the defined school material but also somewhere where thay can learn life long lessons and beacuse teachers are know so focused on jst teaching for the tests this opurtunity is no longer available and i think that is sad. One other thing is that this makes life very difficult for students with exceptional needs. They may not be capable of learning at the level of everyone else but that does not mean that they are not learning.