Students are placed in Academic Reading based on a single test -- the Fall MAP reading test. The placement assumes that the score is accurate and that the student is in need of some reading help to prepare for the rigors of high school.
If you feel the test was inaccurate, there's a simple way to show that -- just forward a past MAP testing report that you received at home. If your student is in the public school system, then there will be a large number of historical results on the MAP report. If your student is not in the public school system, I'd also be glad to review other standardized testing reports, like the Iowa Basic Skills test or a PSAT test. In summary, all I need to see is that the Fall MAP score was not an accurate representation of the student's reading skills. Usually, that just involves sending me a photo or PDF of a past MAP report.
If you're curious about what Academic Reading is, here's the note that I send out to parents who inquire about the curriculum.
Academic Reading is a class that
students take in addition to English 1. Students
work daily on reading and writing skills.
The teacher works both on academic skills (summary, paraphrase,
vocabulary, main idea, answering academic questions from across the curriculum)
and on student attitude and interest in reading (daily reading from
self-selected books and regular teacher conferences). A normal day would involve reading time, a
writing focus, and core skills building.
We believe that writing and reading go hand-in-hand. On Fridays, students begin the day with a
logic-puzzle, which helps develop executive functioning skills, grit,
persistence, and inferential skills.
If students
demonstrate enough growth by December, we move them out of the class and into
another elective or a study hall.
Don't hesitate in calling if you have any questions.
