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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
10.0pt'>TO: All District and ESD Special
Education Directors<font color=red><span style='color:red'><o:p></o:p></span></font></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
10.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
10.0pt'>The message below is <font color=black><span style='color:black'>being sent
to you</span></font> on behalf of:<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
10.0pt'> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
10.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
10.0pt'>Nancy Latini, PhD<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
10.0pt'>Assistant Superintendent<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
10.0pt'>Student Learning & Partnerships<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
10.0pt'>______________________________________________ <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 color=black face=Arial><span style='font-size:
12.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black'>May 15, 2009<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>RE: Oregonian Article<font
color=red><span style='color:red'><o:p></o:p></span></font></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>The issue of the modified diploma has caused some concern
after the article was published in the <u>Oregonian</u> last week. The
letter below is being sent to the <u>Oregonian</u> to clarify the issue. It was
written by Peter FitzGerald who served on the Modified Diploma Task Force and
currently works for the <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:PlaceType w:st="on">University</st1:PlaceType>
of <st1:PlaceName w:st="on">Oregon</st1:PlaceName></st1:place> as a Technical
Assistance Specialist with the Youth Transition Program. I thought you would
appreciate his comments. Thanks for all of the good work you are doing
and have a great weekend. Nancy Latini<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 color=blue face=Arial><span style='font-size:
12.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:blue'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:
12.0pt;margin-left:.5in'><font size=3 face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>To the editor:<br>
<br>
Betsy Hammond's May 10, 2009 article: "Schools Inflate Graduation
Rates" did very little to paint a clear picture of a very complex issue
largely due to the many inaccuracies in the article.<br>
<br>
Her first mistake was to write that "Modified Diplomas are intended for
students with severe disabilities..." which could not be farther from the
truth. Although it may be true that students with disabilities earn a Modified
Diploma because they are unable to meet the academic and performance standards
of the "Oregon Diploma" (aka the "regular diploma" or
"standard diploma"), to target <b><u><span style='font-weight:bold'>one
</span></u></b>group of students for the Modified Diploma would be
discriminatory.<br>
<br>
The truth is that the Modified Diploma was intended for any and <b><u><span
style='font-weight:bold'>ALL </span></u></b>students who, because of
circumstances, could not meet the standards set by the State Board of Education
for the Oregon Diploma. This could, and probably will, include any number of
students. In fact, if the Modified Diploma was solely intended for disabled
students and when awarded the Modified Diploma the result was the
identification of that student as disabled or a special education student, the
district awarding the diploma would be violating the Family Education Rights
and Privacy Act (FERPA) which protects the confidentiality rights of that
student.<br>
<br>
Ms. Hammond's next misdirection came when she states that students who earn
Modified Diplomas take mainly non-academic classes, aren't eligible for Federal
Financial Aid in College and are accepted into the Military. First, the Air
Force is the only military institution that requires a standard high school
diploma for acceptance into that branch of service. All other branches rely on
the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB) to determine entry.
Similarly, Federal Financial Aid applications simply ask if a student has a
high school diploma. The Modified Diploma IS a diploma and Financial Aid awards
are determined by the "ability to benefit" test usually determined by
testing scores in the Scholastic Aptitude Testing process (SAT) or by Placement
Testing at Community Colleges (e.g. the COMPASS or ASSET testing process).
While it is true that classes that are in the Adult Basic Education or
"Remedial" level are not eligible for Financial Aid, the determining
factor is not whether or not the student received a Modified Diploma. The
determining factor is whether or not the student can do entry level college
coursework. In addition, there is nothing "non-academic" in the 24
credit expectation set forth by the Modified Diploma law.<br>
<br>
Only in the last couple of paragraphs (unfortunately, the "die of
misdirection had already been cast") does Ms. Hammond more accurately
describe who <b><u><span style='font-weight:bold'>does </span></u></b>and who <u>does
not get</u> a Modified Diploma, as the law intended. The fact is that because
there is now ONE Modified Diploma, a level of best practice expectation (i.e.
high quality remediation, appropriately targeted supports, etc.) could be the
result for the kind of instruction students who aren't meeting the standards
might receive. The new Modified Diploma serves students all over the State of
Oregon well and moves away from the past "gimmee diploma" handed out
to students who received little remediation and simply occupied a high school
seat until their "time was up" or they had exhausted all the P.E.
classes the High School had to offer and had dropped out in frustration. <br>
<br>
No doubt school districts have a lot of work ahead to review and align
instructional practices so that every opportunity is afforded ALL students to
earn an Oregon Diploma. Once it is determined that this is not possible or
appropriate though, high quality education should still be the goal, and as the
student earns their 24 credits for their Modified Diploma, appropriate planning
efforts made to match that preparation with the student's next environment of
work, education/training, and independent living.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-indent:.5in'><font size=3 face=Arial><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial'>Peter FitzGerald<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><b><font size=3 color=red face=Arial><span style='font-size:
12.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:red;font-weight:bold'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>If you have any difficulty viewing this document, please
contact Laura Allran at <a href="mailto:laura.allran@state.or.us">laura.allran@state.or.us</a>
or (503)947-5674.<font color=red><span style='color:red'><o:p></o:p></span></font></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>Messages to and from this e-mail address may be made
available to the public under <st1:State w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Oregon</st1:place></st1:State>
law.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>===========End of Message============<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
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