If a kid was in special ed all through school will they have trouble getting into college?

Question

Will college admission officers hold it against them that they were in special ed rather than regular class?
Special ed is usually a watered down curriculum that
passes these LD kids along without mastering their skills.
It does nothing but fails to prepare them for what is expected of them down the road.

Answer 1

actually at a lot of colleges it's easier, because they have special conselors that take the students coming in from high school who have had special ed. classes. That way they have someone to help lead them. There are also classes you can take in college that will help you throughout college. Also, all colleges have tutor programs that help sometimes better than the teachers you have in a class. Just call the college and ask their counseling department, or ask your high school counselor if they know.

Answer 2

Well I disagree with you, maybe some programs are like that but usually kids improve through special ed, and it's not like they were put in there unfairly, the school had some reason to think that they would do better in that type of program rather than in "regular" classes because of some special need, or disability. I don't know the answer to your question, but I'm guessing that the admissions office will take everything into consideration, including the fact that in some or most cases, going to a normal college would be too hard for someone with special needs.

Answer 3

College admissions officers will not hold it against you if you were in special education classes all through school. Every college or university has a Disability Coordinator. This person will be your best friend all through your college years.
As a special educator of severe disabilities, it hurts to hear about watered down curriculum. I teach my students what they need to know when they leave my classroom. We may not focus as much on academics in general, but I focus on the functional applications of these academics. Reading, Writing and Math are not just academics. They are things every person needs to be able to do, even in small amounts, to function when they leave the school setting. Reading signs, newspapers, menus, shopping, laundry, counting money, balancing a checkbook, and so much more is a part of everyday life. Many "LD" students go to college, get degrees, and live fulfilling lives. You should not have any problems getting into college or completing a degree if you apply yourself. My hats off to you. Good luck and don't think you are less because you attended special education classes. It just means you have to work a little harder than those who didn't.

Answer 4

If a school has to water down a class for a special ed kid, that is not doing anything to remediate them. While some districts want to do this because it is easy, it is a harmful disservice to the student.

It is a federal mandate that highschools are prohibited from having on any student's transcript that he or she is taking special education courses.

In order to get accepted into college, do not tell the college until after you were accepted that you have LD. This way you have proven to them that you are otherwise qualified to attend the school. Then in order to get accommodations like extra time on tests and quizzes, you tell them after you receive acceptance notice.

Answer 5

It depends on the college and what the kid scores on standardized tests.

I KNOW that my special ed foster and adopted kids will NEVER get into a good college, but the local community college will certainly accept them. One of my special ed kids is actually mainstreamed now but the teachers are passing him with As and Bs even though he can barely read. He thinks he is going to a good college because of this, it's very sad. :(

However, if the special ed student studies hard and actually learns something and does reasonably well on standardized tests like the SATs (perhaps with extra time allotted to them), then a reasonable college will accept them--obviously not Ivy League, but not bottom-of-the-barrel, either.

Answer 6

A student will not have trouble getting into college depending on the school they are applying to. Most schools look at test scores from the SAT and if you have a high score it is not a problem. If a kid is not a good test taker I suggest a community college or a small Liberal Arts College that can give more personalized attention and a structured program to help you succeed.

Answer 7

If that is your experience with special ed, then your child failed to receive a Free and Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) and you may have legal claims against the public schools for such. You would want to consult with a special education attorney or advocate in your state.

Being disabled or having been a special education student by default cannot prevent your child from entering college. A denial based on past enrollment in special education by itself would be discrimination based on handicapping condition and violates the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (Section 504).

That said, if your child is entering college after having received less of an education than that to which he was due, he's at a clear disadvantage. Most, if not all, public universities and community colleges have a disabled students' program of some kind that provides 504 accommodations and supports, such as tutors, notetakers, assistive technology, etc. You will need to inquire of an admissions counselor or look at the web site of the institutions you are considering. You definitely want to pick a school that has a strong program for students with learning disabilities.

If you child is 16 or older, is still in high school, and is preparing for the day when he will enter college and is on an IEP, then his IEP should include an Individualized Transition Plan (ITP). Transition planning is meant to facilitate the move from the public K-12 setting into a post-secondary situation, whether it's job training, employment, or college. At this age, the ITP is supposed to be the driving force of the IEP.

Usually, there are other agencies that get involved at that point, the most common being your state's Department of Vocational Rehabilitation, which exists to ensure that persons challenged by disability have the supports necessary to become and remain employed. It is the intent of the legislature that people with disabilities be taxpayers rather than tax-dependents to the degree that they are able.

If your child's goal is college, the ITP should describe what will be done to get him there. This presumes, however, that your child is still a high school student and hasn't already exited the public schools.

If your child is already out of school and no referral to Vocational Rehab was ever made when he was in school, look up your local office in the Yellow Pages and set things up with them yourself. You don't need the schools to refer you - it just makes things go more smoothly when they do. Rehab can help cover costs of books and tuition, as well as fund tutors and other services above and beyond what the college is obligated to provide under Section 504.

With all of that in mind, if you have any legal claims against the school district for having denied your child a FAPE and leaving him poorly prepared for adult life, he could be entitled to compensatory education. Compensatory education is academic services provided after the fact to make up for a past denial of a FAPE. It's extra education to teach what should have been taught in the first place. You may have to go to a due process hearing through your State's hearing process, but either through settlement or upon prevailing in hearing you could achieve compensatory services that would provide your child with the academic foundation he needs to succeed in college.

You really should consult with a special education advocate or attorney in your state if you think you may have this kind of a claim. The whole purpose of No Child Left Behind (NCLB) and the changes made to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) in 2004 was to prevent situations such as what you are describing from happening.

Answer 8

If a a developmentally disabled student applies for college, he/she has the same opportunity as a regular ed student. There are liaisons that are provided by the college to help those who need "extra" help. This is required by law, and should be taken full advantage of by those who need these services. I have students who are taking college courses. Of course, some of them are terrified, others have chosen to "audit" their classes to see how their grades are the first semester. It is possible for a special needs student to obtain a degree. I've seen it!

Answer 9

Depends on what the disability is. Some colleges, especially community colleges, have lower ACT/SAT requirements. The university that I attend has services to help students with learning disabilities. I have administered tests to students with motor skill problems and done the writing for them. I have read to a student with a reading disability and some students are allotted more time for tests, etc because of their disability.

Answer 10

There are laws that protect people with disabilities (including learning disabilities). Not all students in special ed are stupid...they just have learning disbailites and most community colleges will accomodate them (although I highly doubt they could get into harvard or any other elite school).