I enjoyed learning about the subject matter of this book. Many kids are plaved in special needs classroom without the consultatuon of the parents. I truly agreed with the author in how we are failing our kids by giving them a name that might put them in the wrong catergory.

As a mother of 2 boys one that was labeled ADHD i can undertsand. if it wasnt for my envolvment and advocating for my child he would not be today in the advanced courses he is in today. With managing his symptoms and watching what he eats we have been able to see a wonderful boy flourish. With that being said, the author touches upon so many points where we are failing our kids. Money plays a big part and creates disparity amongts children with dyslexia in higher income vs lower income communitues. How much moneu play a part in your child's development. This is a chronic problem and needs to go through a full reform.

Every parent should get their hands on this book. Regardless of your child's label. This book is full of well researched data and eye opening information that every parent NEEDS TO KNOW. I urge everyone of you to give this book a try and see what we are truly doing to our children with the lack of knowledge.

“Mislabeled as Disabled: The Educational Abuse of Struggling Learners and How WE Can Fight It” is a comprehensive well researched study of the powerful academic, social, cultural, and political forces that shape and influence American Special Education systems and services on a nationwide level. Author Kalman R. Hettleman, an educational activist, has been appointed by the governor and legislature of Maryland to study and make recommendations to improve special education on local, state, and national levels.

Defined by the National Council on Teacher Quality “professional autonomy” is in fact related to fundamental causes that are responsible for special education mismanagement that lead to ineffective delivery of services and poor outcomes that do not adequately educate and serve our students. We can easily see that a quality education is not a top priority in American public schools. The reasons for this start in the administrative branch and then work downward into the classrooms where teachers are given the responsibility to direct and determine classroom instruction with little or no accountability.
The administrative branch can lack the knowledge and skills to implement and enforce educational standards, and provide much needed classroom instruction and training for teachers. The teachers union forms a solid front that protects marginal and poor teachers, problems are seldom dealt with directly –instead they are simply moved or transferred elsewhere.

Hettleman discusses the push for educational excellence on a national level with “No Child Left Behind” enacted by the George W. Bush administration with the assistance of (D) Senator Edward Kennedy. This enforced the issue of accountability and required standard testing for students-- poor preforming schools would be brought to standards or closed. The backlash against NCLB was fierce, and the Obama administration implimented another educational act that lacked the requirements of NCLB.

We must learn whatever we can about the state of American education and our public schools. Our students must compete in the global economy, and our schools must improve and offer the best free public education possible. 3* GOOD. ** With thanks to Radius Book Group via NetGalley for the DDC for the purpose of review.

While I respectfully disagree with some of the author's arguments, I do appreciate them bringing attention to our flawed special education system. There are many children that are misplaced due to behavior issues vs a true disability and this needs to be fixed so that the children that need the resources in those classrooms can receive them.

Book Court - Where I'm the Judge and Jury

CHARGE (What is the author trying to say?): To show how struggling learners are trapped in a flawed educational system and what can be done to remedy the broken system.

FACTS: The author believes the majority of students in special education are not disabled. The truly disabled are very different from struggling learners, though they all get grouped together. The truly disabled make up on 15-20% of all students in special education. They are mislabeled for expediency. Response to Intervention (RTI) is offered as a solution, however it seems economically unfeasible. The author also seems to discount the effects of family dysfunction on educational success or failure. This book contains very detailed descriptions of educational problems and potential solutions. It is not designed for the causal reader – going into much more detail than appears necessary, but falls short of workable solutions. This book is obviously intended for a very particular class of reader – not the general public.

VERDICT (Was the author successful?): Not guilty. I found the solutions to be less effective than the enumeration of the problems.

#MislabledasDisabled #NetGalley

The author should have listened to his friends. I felt attacked and I don't have kids or work with kids. I did not finish because I felt attacked which sucks because I was looking forward to this one.