Going Local: Virginia
More Words on “Just Words”; When the Student has Dyslexia and the School Chooses a Program that the Publisher of the Program Doesn’t Endorse for Dyslexia
Wilson, the publisher of the program “Just Words” has stated that the program is not for children with Dyslexia, and yet Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) in Virginia (and other school divisions) continues to recommend the program for students who have Dyslexia.
In two previous articles, I shared the article, “When It’s Not Dyslexia”, which appears in Wilson’s “Decoder” Newsletter; a partial IEP transcript, in which a FCPS Dyslexia Resource acknowledges that Wilson does not endorse “Just Words” for students with Dyslexia, and the final decision of a Due Process hearing, in which the hearing officer wrote:
” From the evidence presented at the hearing, I have learned there are several competing methodologies that address learning disabilities associated with dyslexia. But it is clear to this Hearing Officer that JUST WORDS is not one of them.”
If this isn’t enough to convince your school division that “Just Words” isn’t appropriate for your student with Dyslexia, there’s the following, straight from Wilson Reading System Instructor Manual, Steps 1-6.
Language Live, Part Deux; When the Data Collected Doesn’t Belong on IEPs
“I wouldn’t count that”.
~Alicia Kuehn, Curriculum Resource Teacher
Region 1 Point of Contact
Office of Special Education Instruction
Fairfax County Public Schools
This quote refers to data Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) included in IEP Progress reports and in an IEP being developed for the coming year.
Not good.
I share it, and the story behind it (as with the article “If Your Child was Administered the Program Language Live, this Article is for You”), with hope that it will inform other families about data being culled from the program Language Live.
How to Choose a Reading Program that Addresses the Needs of a Student? Clue: Take “Convenience” and “Trust in Colleagues” Off Your List
And let’s imagine that the school division denied that child an evaluation three times between first and sixth grades.
And let’s imagine, too, that the child finally received an IEP and that you went to mediation and that the school division enrolled your child in a year-long reading elective during 7th grade and provided tutoring twice a week, one hour each time, after school, for a chunk of the school year.
And, last—but not least—let’s imagine that you uncovered problems with the implementation of that program
And, let’s imagine that after all this, the school has another program for your child.
What would you do?
FCPS Disabled SEA-STARS’ Function that Tracks Login Information, Record Access, and Changes to Student Data
Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) did just that.
If you have a child who receives special education via (FCPS), you’re likely familiar with “SEA-STARS”, which is the program FCPS is always logging into to access your students’ information.
What you might not know, is that 10 years ago, FCPS disabled the function that tracks login information, record access, and changes to student data.
Worried About Hackers? FCPS has Been Breaching Students’ and Staff’s Privacy for Years
Hackers breaching its system is another breach in a long line of privacy breaches and failures to secure information.
This evening, news outlets reported that the hackers posted private information about students.
And yet . . .
FCPS has been releasing information about students—without their permission—for years.
Dear FCPS: Universal Screeners WILL NOT Identify Students in Need if the Data is Falsified, Misrepresented, or Misunderstood
This headline appears in an internal FCPS report and precedes the following two entries about two Fairview Elementary School students (Fairfax County Public Schools, Virginia).
For Student One:
“Lack of acceptance of dyslexia by teachers”
For Student Two:
“private dyslexia diagnosis; student parentally placed at ”
Silverbrook ES Principal Advises Staff Member: “No Paper/Email Trail”
“I suggest that you do not email your reply to her questions (no paper/email trail)”
This occurred after the parent shared a private evaluation with the school.
The parent went into the meeting thinking she was providing information that would help the school division address her child’s needs, only to learn later that the principal focused on “paper/email” trails and the psychologist had no intention of responding to her.
FCPS Vice Principal Sets IEP Meeting Rules; Full Parental Participation Truncated
Although parents are considered equal IEP team members, in this case, the “rules” were set without their input and included a threat that the meeting would be shut down if the parents violated the rules.
And yet, some of the rules err on the noncompliance side of state and federal regulations.
FCPS IEP Meeting: “Just Words” not Endorsed for Dyslexia, FCPS Dyslexia Training of Teachers Slow, Not “At the Rate that We Need It”
“How are we going to train all these teachers in Fairfax, you know, at the rate that we need it? We need to build that capacity. Some teachers are going to struggle even with Orton Gillingham, because it does require teachers to be very prescriptive and, well diagnostic first and then prescriptive in how they tailor their lessons.”
~Dottie Skrincosky, Fairfax County Dyslexia Resource, Region 5 Point of Contact, Intervention and Accommodation
This is a partial transcript of an IEP meeting that occurred toward the end of the 2019-20 school year.
Months earlier, the parent had stated that the program “Just Words” did not meet the unique needs of her son who was diagnosed with Dyslexia. This is not this parent’s first time at the Fairfax County Public School (FCPS) Dyslexia rodeo. She was joined by two friends who know the rodeo and Dyslexia well, too.
The honesty of Dottie Skrincosky was refreshing, but concerning just the same.
Dear VDOE: Is it Okay for Compliance Specialist to Show Bias Against Parent and Editorialize Complaint Letter of Findings?
These are the words of a Virginia Department of Education Compliance Specialist. They appear in her edits of a State Complaint Letter of Findings.
State Complaints are supposed to be unbiased and investigated in full, with an “independent determination” provided.
However, when the individuals connected to the complaint exhibit very definite opinions about the investigation, unbiased and “independent determination” might as well be thrown out the window.
VDOE Sets Dangerous Precedent; Guidance Includes Get-Out-of-Providing-“Recovery Services” Loophole
The document includes a get-out-of-providing-compensatory education/”recovery services” loophole—and exhibits a questionable interpretation of laws related to students with disabilities.
Yes, Virginia, There Is Dyslexia
Some educators and lawyers say there is no Dyslexia.
My research makes me say, ‘If you see it in your child it’s so.’
Please tell me the truth; is there Dyslexia?
~Virginia Parent
Virginia, the educators and lawyers are wrong. They have been affected by ignorance. They do not believe except they see. They think that nothing can be which is not comprehensible by their little minds.
They see a first grade boy who walks around when it is time to read and assume him to have attention struggles.
They see a ninth grade girl with good grades and assume her to be lazy.
They know not of what they speak, Virginia, for they only believe what they perceive, rather than what is real.