A.I.S, or Academic Intervention Services, is meant to help students who do not perform on the state assessment test. Many schools "cover" their state requirements for this through class during the day or after school. My school has both. Whenever I pass by the after school program, I wonder what is actually being done in there! The kids seem to just be chatting with the instructors. The regular ed teachers weren't even asked if we wanted the after school job. I would have gladly taken it, and thus been able to help MY kids directly.
The during-the-day AIS classes are a bit more formal. However, I noticed some troubling things happening. A friend of mine told me that one of the PARENTS of her students wanted her kid removed from AIS. The student needs the remediation, but the parent just doesn't want him in the class. As a result, my friend now has a student on her roster who does not receive the extra help he needs. Who is getting graded here? The teacher with no say or the parent who pulled him out?!
On a different occasion an AIS teacher, who is nearing retirement, enlightened a parent at a meeting that she could pull her son out of AIS if she complained to the guidance office. I was appalled. There is NO way this student of mine is going to be pulled out...not with grades the way they are now!
