Last year my son attended transitional first grade in our home state of Oklahoma.To clarify, transitional first is a class between kindergarten and first grade. It is for children that are not considered mature enough to go on to first grade. In my opinion our school uses it to even out class size. Year before last almost 1/2 of the kindergarteners were put into this transitional class. My question is transitional first a federal program. I have copies of the teachers salary contracts (open records in Oklahoma) and it shows the transitional teacher as paid with federal money. The reason I am asking is that last year the transitional teacher was out for maternity leave and she was not replaced with a substitute for nine weeks. A certified substitute teacher was hired after I complained to the OK State Board of Education. My son's class was being taught by a teachers aid. Not only that but she also tested him and conducted two of our parent/teacher confrences. I was wondering if this would have violated federal guidelines for this program.

I would appreciate any information that you may be able to offer. There are several of us parents who have to watch to make sure the kids are getting the very basics of an education out of this school.

Thank you, Tina Reeves

-- Tina Reeves (setsailok@aol.com), October 25, 2000