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Saturday, August 11, 2007

No Child Focus of Hearing

By Martin Salazar
Copyright © 2007 Albuquerque Journal; Journal Staff Writer
    Samantha Pasena still remembers the special education student repeatedly banging his head on the table, saying, "I'm stupid; I'm stupid."
    It happened two years ago at Santa Fe Indian School during the second day of tests used to determine school success or failure under the federal No Child Left Behind Act, said Pasena, a recent graduate.
    The student became frustrated as he struggled through the same test that students without learning disabilities were taking.
    Pasena was one of six people who spoke Friday during a U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee field hearing at the Santa Fe Indian School.
    The hearing was called to collect testimony on how to improve the No Child Left Behind Act, particularly for Native Americans, and was chaired by Sen. Jeff Bingaman, D-N.M.
    The speakers included educators and others, and all expressed concerns with the No Child Left Behind Act.
    Pasena talked about how it forces many special education students to take the same test as other students.
    "What was more painful than watching this student's reaction is knowing that a lifetime of inferiority has been lodged into his head as a result of this test," Pasena said.
    Results for how minority groups did in the most recent round of tests have yet to be released. New Mexico's 2006 results showed that Native Americans, African-Americans and English language learners got some of the lowest scores.
    Signed into law in January 2002, the act states that all students must test at their grade level in reading and math by 2014. The law is now up for reauthorization.
    The issue of how to assess special education students and English language learners is a concern throughout the country.
    Students with severe disabilities— for instance a non-verbal elementary student who uses a wheelchair and can answer questions via eye gaze— can be given alternate assessments.
    But no more than 1 percent of a school district's students who pass an alternate assessment can be included in determining whether the district made adequate yearly progress.
    Other special education students take the regular test with accommodations. For example, an assistant might be allowed to write oral responses for them or read directions aloud to them. Still other special education students take the regular test without accommodations.
    Pasena and other witnesses said they respect the intent of the law— ensuring that all children get a good education. But its implementation has had negative impacts, especially for Native Americans.
    Pasena and San Ildefonso Gov. James Mountain said the law forces so much attention on English and math proficiency, that it is affecting native people's efforts to hang onto their own languages and cultures.
    Addressing Bingaman, Mountain acknowledged reading and math were important.
    "But if we leave out our language and our culture ... we're repeating history, and it's had devastating effects," said Mountain, who is also chairman of the Eight Northern Indian Pueblos Council.
    "Once we lose our language, we lose our culture, and basically without being disrespectful, but it's genocide," he added. "It's killing our people."
    Not all schools have cut back on teaching native language and culture.
    Maggie Benally, principal of the Navajo Immersion School in the Window Rock, Ariz., Unified School District, said her school uses cultural- based learning. Kindergarten through second-grade students are immersed in the Diné or Navajo language.
    By learning in two languages, students get higher order thinking skills, she said, noting that her school is meeting AYP.
    State Education Secretary Veronica Garcia said the accountability required by the law is important. But she said federal resources need to be pumped into programs to attract teachers to rural and isolated areas. Money is also needed to establish a program that encourages young people to pursue a career in education, supports them while they're in college and brings them back to their communities as role models.
    Bingaman acknowledged that "inadequate" funding has undermined the efforts of teachers to close the achievement gap between children raised in affluent families and children of poor ones and minorities. He said more money is being pumped in.