Despite being severely dyslexic, my oldest son had to take the state’s mandated PSSA testing in March and April.  His accommodations per his IEP allow him to have parts of the test read to him, but the state, in all of it’s infinite, ahem, wisdom, decides every year which specific parts are okay to be read aloud.  For example, he can have the question type description read to him, but not the actual question in some sections.  So, he knows that he must “Choose the answer that is the most appropriate”, but he can’t have the question read.  For math.  Because in math he should be penalized because he can’t read on grade level.  That makes…sense.  Or not.

Anyway, he got the test results back last week and when we talked with the school before he had even taken the tests, it was suggested that we not show him the results, because they knew and we knew that the scores were not a reflection of his ability, but rather a reflection of his disability.

But I got tears in my eyes and I showed him anyway.

Why?

Because he was a freakin’ rock star on that test!  The scale was Below Basic, Basic, Proficient, and Advanced.  In Reading, he obviously scored Below Basic – duh, that was a given.  But in Math he scored Proficient and in Science?  In Science, that kid scored Advanced!  What’s so amazing about that is that despite his disability he kicked a**!

It was great validation for him to see that he is incredibly smart and that his brain’s reading issues have nothing to do with his intelligence.  N.O.T.H.I.N.G.

So proud of him for trying so hard on the test (which he said was easy – and boring) and for his persistence and dedication to improving his reading.  GREAT JOB, Super A!  Love you, kiddo!