Mom Asks If It’s Right That Her Daughter Has An 'A' In School After Failing Almost Every Test
Are special education and 'IEP' programs supporting students' success?
Ground Picture / Shutterstock.com The U.S. education system is in crisis. Teacher shortages and underfunded schools only scratch the surface of problems that seem to be getting worse instead of better. Generally, the complaints center around big-picture issues involving administrators and state requirements that trickle down to teachers and support staff.
However, in a recent post from Reddit, one student’s parent discussed how inclusion programs in classrooms might be doing students with learning disabilities a disservice that's been ignored for too long.
Despite having “As,” one mom argued that her dyslexic daughter isn’t being set up for long-term success.
A mom wondered if it’s ‘right’ that her dyslexic daughter has an ‘A,’ despite failing almost every test and crying over homework assignments.
“She has turned in every assignment all year, asks/answers questions, and is polite/well-behaved. However, she has an IEP and has never passed a quiz or test on the first try,” the mom wrote. “If you fail, you can make corrections to get back up to 65%, which she has done every time. She has cried during homework most of the year, and I have guided her through the assignments.”
Her diagnosed dyslexia impacts her learning and performance, including a slower reading and writing pace, difficulty comprehending instructions, and general reading comprehension skills. Understandably, timed tests and exams become an issue and the modified classroom provides her with several avenues for support.
“She is smart enough to know she is not prepared for the next year if they don’t hold her hand like this. While I don’t expect her to have an F, nor does she, is it right that she has an A?”
Her daughter’s ‘IEP’ and a specialized classroom help to guide her progress with a learning disability with support that includes retaking tests.
The mom continued, “It’s not even giving her a false sense of security; she knows it’s not deserved based on grading criteria.” In many ways, this parent’s concern is valid. Special education and individualized education programs (“IEPs”) have historically lacked the ability to genuinely prepare their students for post-graduation success.
From miscommunication between instructors and parents to outdated evaluations, many students with ‘IEPs’ often fall through the cracks of the system, going their entire educational careers without the specialized lesson plans required to ensure success.
“Her caring and looking at it this critically is a large step beyond many other peers,” one commenter wrote. “Consider that part of her growth.”
While many under the post supported this mother’s concern, others argued that with the right teachers and professionals, this kind of support (i.e. retaking tests) isn’t a concern.
Many education professionals argue that individualized ‘IEPs’ are integral to overall student progress.
Similar to exceptions like allowing IEP students to retake tests, teachers like Jen — known as @strategicclassroom on TikTok — argue that unique support like allowing late assignments to specific students promotes better progress tracking than universal rules and regulations would.
“So many people ask, ‘What about the students who did it right the first time?’ and my answer is that ‘it’s not about them’,” Jen explained. “Grades are the way to communicate progress in a course between the teacher and the student, and the student’s parents, if they’re under 18.”
This Reddit woman’s daughter’s progress is being tracked uniquely because she’s not learning or growing the same way as her peers in the classroom. Yes, she might struggle with test taking, especially the first time — as many people with learning disabilities report — but she’s acing every test the second time.
For a “typical student,” or rather one without a learning disability, the first time they take a test, they can purely focus on the content without comprehension barriers. Of course, it makes sense for them to have different expectations, instructions, and regulations in the classroom.
Many commenters argued the educational system is inherently flawed, leaving all students underprepared and underdeveloped.
Alongside lacking curriculums and IEP programs that fail to provide struggling students with appropriate resources to grow in the classroom, the educational system at large seems to be undergoing a shift.
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“Based on what you said, she is meeting every expectation using the provided support. That is an A. That said, with an IEP, an A does not necessarily mean mastery of the content,” one commenter explained. "It may be that she has learned to be successful with this level of support, so maybe next year you walk back some supports and teach her to be successful with less support…We are used to seeing children struggle with IEPs because schools are strapped for resources and can’t always give kids what they need.”
Ultimately, teachers and educational staff should support their individual students to the best of their abilities, promoting a healthy classroom that prioritizes learning and “mastery of material” — whether that means holding them accountable in some scenarios while providing “exceptions” and kindness in others.
Of course,, that's not always easy, meaning parents should try to advocate for their children’s specific needs when possible.
Especially in today's educational climate, it takes a village.
Zayda Slabbekoorn is a News & Entertainment Writer at YourTango who focuses on health & wellness, social policy, and human interest stories.