If only perseverance were enough.

The number of Sacramento State students in Learning Skills classes has grown steadily over the last six years, and among them are students with learning disabilities.

The majority of students enrolled in Learning Skills are freshmen who have not scored high enough on the Entry Level Math test to begin math requirements for their major.

These students have one year to complete a learning skill. This is in accordance with Executive Order 665, a Chancellor’s Office mandate implemented in fall 1998, which requires students who have not passed the class in two semesters to take it in summer school.

A failure of the course in summer school results in disenrollment and a recommendation to attend a community college.

Exceptions are made, however, for students with learning disabilities. For example, learning disabled students struggling in math are given three semesters to complete the Learning Skills 8 program — a three class program taught at a slower pace. Once the series is completed, most students are ready to take the math course required for their major.

Kelly Nance, a junior majoring in social work, is in the Learning Skills 8 program. Nance spends four hours a day on her math studies and works with a tutor five days a week in addition to the time she spends in class.

“I have to make this class my priority because it has put me behind for a year and a half,” Nance said. “I am determined to get my degree and I am trusting that my hard work will be recognized and eventually pay off.”

Nance is also 60 percent disabled in her hands and arms, which makes schoolwork even harder, she said.

A student who has not passed a Learning Skills class in the allotted time can petition to Larry Glasmire, director of special programs and enrollment analysis, to retake it.

However, this is not the case for disabled students in the Learning Skills 8 series, Glasmire said.

“Students do not get a second chance to take any of the classes. If they do not pass the first class of the series they can petition to take it over and in some cases I will allow an extra semester,” Glasmire said. “But if a student still does not pass the class, it is very rare that they would be given another chance. Usually it would be recommended that they return to a junior college.”

In the three years since he has held the position, Glasmire said no student has challenged his decision.

Junior criminal justice major Jordan Low thinks this is unfair and a highly discriminatory practice. Low is enrolled in Learning Skills 8 and petitioned last semester to retake the first class in the series.

“I’m not having trouble in this class because I’m a slacker or because I party too much,” Low said. “I’m being punished because I have a learning disability.”

Low received a letter in January stating that his petition to retake was granted, but if he does not pass the class this spring, he will be disenrolled.Low is considering obtaining legal aid.

According to the Americans with Disabilities Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, universities are required to “provide reasonable accommodations to (a) student’s known disability in order to afford him/her an equal opportunity to participate in the institution’s programs, activities and services.”

Reasonable accommodations may include substitution of specific courses required for completion of degree requirements.

Kathleen Cronin, a learning disabilities specialist at Sac State, said that the Learning Skills 8 program is considered a substitution for the B4 general education category.

“A student can look into tutorials or other aides, but there are really no other waivers we can offer,” Cronin said.

Low said he feels that the Learning Skills 8 classes are not an appropriate accommodation to learning disabled students.

“The class is not specialized. We race through the chapters like any other math class would,” Low said. “The only difference is the smaller class size. This class has been holding me back for a long time and I think a lot of it has to do with the way it is taught.”

Instructors who teach classes for learning disabled students are required to be credentialed at the high school level, take preparatory classes for college algebra and geometry and need a master’s degree or equivalent experience, Cronin said.

“It is also very helpful, but not required, to have a background in working with learning disabilities,” Cronin added.

Kindra Samuelson, the Math Coordinator for Services to Students with Disabilities and a graduate student at Sac State, is the instructor for Learning Skills 8. She received her Bachelor degree in math at Sac State and is a credentialed teacher, but has not yet completed her master’s degree. Samuelson was not available for comment.

Robby Ching, director of the Learning Skills department, said that funding for the Learning Skills classes comes out of the general fund designated by the state. He said funding is based on enrollment and most of the budget is used for hiring teachers.

Although Low and other students in the Learning Skills 8 class are unsatisfied with the university’s efforts to accommodate them, there have been very few complaints about the Learning Skills Department overall.Peter Lau, director of equal opportunity and affirmative action, handles complaints of this nature.

“I can count the number of complaints against the Learning Skills Department from the past two years on one hand,” Lau said. “That doesn’t mean there aren’t complaints; it could mean that they just don’t get to my level.”

When a student files a complaint to Lau, his procedure includes an investigation in which he talks to relevant parties, such as the professors and Services to Students with Disabilities to determine whether accommodations arranged by counselors are being administered.

“My job is to make the instructors and different departments see that we have a legal obligation to meet special accommodations set up for students with disabilities,” Lau said.

According to the Americans with Disabilities Act, these legal obligations make it possible to insure that a student’s achievement rather than the disability is being measured.

For students like Low, that may still not be enough.

“I’m too old to be starting over. If I don’t pass this class and get kicked out I’ll have to focus on other things and gracefully bow out.”