Errrr!

Today I had to attend a conference with Ashlyn's teacher to discuss what plan of action we wanted for her. They suggested testing her for Gifted and went as far as giving her the 1st Grade Benchmark test that they hope students will score an 80% on at the END of the year...she scored a 79%...as a kindergartner. She said the only reason she didn't score even higher was because they work alot on dictionary skills and Ashlyn doesn't even know what a dictionary is, let alone how to use one...cause she's in kindergarten.

The teacher then brought up skipping a grade, which we're against since she's barely old enough to be in kindergarten. We said to go ahead and test her for Gifted so she could receive services. The teacher then proceeded to tell me the counselor told her kids rarely, if ever, pass at the kindergarten level...Blake did in kindergarten, so I said to go ahead and test her. Then she began to explain because of budget cuts there is no longer a Gifted teacher at the school, which we were aware of because it has affected Blake...these Gifted students are now being serviced in the classroom. Then the real "icing on the cake" was when she told me even if Ashlyn qualified for Gifted services she would not receive any since there is no program in place since there are RARELY kindergarten students who qualify. Errrr!!! So why is there not something in place for the rare occasion that there IS a student who qualifies??? STUPID BUDGET CUTS!!!

Then I brought up her starting the Accelerated Reading Program, that usually isn't started until 1st grade, since students usually can't read until then. She has a 2nd grade reading level, but with new programs put in place they now don't start Accelerated Reader until 2nd grade, so the librarian told her teacher she would have to create a program for Ashlyn if she wanted to participate. However, she did tell me she got "special permission" to start checking out library books next week...I had been wondering why she wasn't bringing any home. The teacher's response-kids don't know how to read yet so the librarian doesn't let them check books out. What about parents reading TO the child...isn't that where reading starts?? And we wonder why the dropout rate is so high in this state and why there are sooo many kids behind grade level. Errrr!