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The letter is a serious, substantive critique. Major points 1) Eskelsen Garcia had the opportunity to steer the organization toward equity and access for students with disabilities but failed to do so...1/7 https://twitter.com/rklein90/status/1337184123832688640
2) Opposing statewide assessments, citing their harm on students with disabilities...ironically, assessments are the only comparable indicator available to the public demonstrating how all students with disabilities are
performing compared to their grade level peers...
performing compared to their grade level peers...
3) Opposing the 1% cap on the use of alternate assessments in the ESSA. Research shows that the vast majority of students with disabilities can and should be achieving at grade level content standards.
4)Opposing the elimination of the “2%” assessment. In practice, this assessment (and the instructional practices that accompanied it) was used to lower expectations
for students with disabilities and many states assessed more than 2% of their students using this
test.
for students with disabilities and many states assessed more than 2% of their students using this
test.
5) Opposing efforts to eliminate seclusion and reduce physical restraint in schools. Restraint and seclusion are dangerous practices that continue to cause children trauma, injury, and death.
"As the leader of NEA, Eskelsen Garcia had the opportunity to steer the organization toward equity and access for students with disabilities but failed to do so." We have serious concerns about placing someone with such values at the helm of the U.S. Department of Education."
