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This is the first of two articles discussing an increase in "questionable" cases of qualifying for the "learning disabled" label. Maybe some social good can come from the fact that more rich, white kids are manipulating the system. Apparently it's becoming fashionable... >This article from The Chronicle of Higher Education >(http://chronicle.com) was forwarded to you from: [log in to unmask] > > > > Monday, December 4, 2000 > > > > California Study Finds Racial Disparities in Granting of Extra > Time on SAT > > By COURTNEY LEATHERMAN > > > > White students at private high schools in California are more > likely than other students to receive extra time to take the > SAT because of supposed learning disabilities, a state audit > has found. > > Two federal laws, the Individuals with Disabilities Education > Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, state > that disabled students should not be discriminated against and > should get the assistance they need to take the SAT. One way > to comply with the law is to grant additional time for > test-taking. > > But on Thursday the state auditor released a study that found > that "wide demographic disparities existed between those 1999 > graduating seniors who received extra time on the SAT and > those who did not." While "some students may not be getting > the assistance they need," the auditor's report said, "some > undeserving students may be receiving extra time on > standardized tests." > > The auditors noted that across the country, very few students > are granted extra time to take the test. In 1999, fewer than 2 > percent of the 1.2-million graduating seniors who took the > test received extra time; in California, the proportion was > less than 1.2 per cent, the audit said. Those overall > percentages seemed so low to the auditors that they wondered > whether some students who really needed extra time weren't > getting it. > > At the same time, the audit found that in six of seven wealthy > school districts, including Beverly Hills, Encinitas, and Palo > Alto, auditors found "questionable" cases where students had > been given extra time on the test. > > While the audit criticized specific school districts, it also > took the College Board to task, saying that the organization > that administers the SAT gives "vague instructions" on its > form. The "weaknesses in its own approval process may have > allowed some undeserving students to receive extra time on the > SAT. As a result, these students may have had an unfair > advantage over other student taking college admissions tests." > > The audit recommended that certain school districts revise > their policies to make sure they apply disability laws only to > students who are covered -- those "whose impairment > substantially limits a major life activity." The audit urged > other school districts to better document the decision to > grant time extensions, and it urged all districts to better > evaluate whether more students truly are disabled and need > special accommodations. > > >_________________________________________________________________ > >Chronicle subscribers can read this article on the Web at this address: >http://chronicle.com/daily/2000/12/2000120405n.htm > >If you would like to have complete access to The Chronicle's Web >site, a special subscription offer can be found at: > > http://chronicle.com/4free > >Use the code D00CM when ordering. > >_________________________________________________________________ > >You may visit The Chronicle as follows: > > * via the World-Wide Web, at http://chronicle.com > * via telnet at chronicle.com > >_________________________________________________________________ >Copyright 2000 by The Chronicle of Higher Education Elaine Gerber, Ph.D. Senior Research Associate, Policy Research and Program Evaluation American Foundation for the Blind phone: (212) 502-7644 ____________________________________________________ Archives for the Disability-Research Discussion List are now located at www.jiscmail.ac.uk/lists/disability-research.html