Collaboration in Education | CalSTAT Technical Assistance and Training

 

 

 

Technical Assistance and Training

CalSTAT Techincal Assitance and Training

Closing the Achievement Gap for Students with Individualized Education Programs (IEP)

"The following four core (common) messages represent essential components addressing access to the general education curriculum for students with Individualized Education Programs (IEP). These tenants or principles focus particularly on access to the grade-level California content standards." These core messages are supported by research, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act 2004 (IDEA) and No Child Left Behind (NCLB).

Core Message #1.  Access to the General Education Curriculum

All students have access to the general education curriculum to allow them the opportunity to learn content-based grade-level standards that can increase their academic achievement.

Access to the general education curriculum for students with IEPs means they

  • Have individualized strength-based culturally appropriate goals
  • Engage in learning the content and skills that define the general education curriculum. This refers to the same curriculum that is taught to students without disabilities.
  • Receive access and achieve educational outcomes based on high standards, and have equal educational opportunities as their same age peers.
  • Demonstrate academic growth on statewide assessments that are directly linked to California content standards.
  • Receive equal opportunity to participate in non-academic and extracurricular activities.

Core Message #2.  Participation and Progress in the General Education Curriculum

All students will participate and make progress in the general education curriculum, as appropriate, in order to increase their academic achievement.

Participation and progress in the general education curriculum as determined by the IEP team means students with IEPs

  • Receive appropriate educational services by the school staff that support student learners regardless of abilities or challenges.
  • Receive instruction that is based on school personnel’s high expectations that allows the students to reach the same academic achievement as non-disabled age-peers.
  • Receive ongoing and documented monitoring of progress toward meeting the IEP goals.
  • Participate in state and district wide assessments with or without accommodations and/or modifications, as specified in the IEP.

Core Message #3.  Accommodations and Modifications

All students with IEPs will be provided appropriate accommodations and modifications that allow access to the general education curriculum which means they:

  • Receive accommodations as determined by the IEP team that reflect changes in the way a student accesses learning without changing the actual standards a student is working toward.
  • Receive modifications as determined by the IEP team that will reflect changes in the way a student accesses learning which changes the actual standards a student is working toward.
  • Receive accommodations and modifications in instruction and assessments based on individual student need and documented in the IEP

Core Message #4.  Supports and Services

All students with IEPs will have access to IEP identified supports and services that allow access to the general education curriculum which means they

  • Participate in the Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) educated with non-disabled children in general education settings to the maximum extent appropriate.
  • Participate in instruction with appropriate supplementary aids, services and supports as designated on the IEP.
  • Participate with school personnel who have been trained in specific supports and strategies that have been identified on the IEP.

 

Core Messages Reference-Websites

 

Websites

  • California Content Standards
    http://www.cde.ca.gov/be/st/ss/index.asp
    Content standards were designed to encourage the highest achievement of every student.
  • California Curriculum Frameworks & Instructional Materials
    http://www.cde.ca.gov/ci/cr/cf/index.asp
    Curriculum frameworks provide guidance for implementing the content standards adopted by the State Board of Education.
  • Closing the Achievement Gap (CTAG) Web site
    http://www.cde.ca.gov/eo/in/ag/
    Information aimed at closing California's achievement gap that exists between students who are white and students of color, as well as with English learners, students in poverty, and students with disabilities.
  • Essential Program Components (EPC)
    http://www.cde.ca.gov/ta/lp/vl/essentialcomp.asp
    The nine essential program components support academic student achievement in English/reading/language arts and mathematics as measured through grade-span Academic Program Surveys (APS). The EPCs are designed to meet the needs of all students through State Board of Education (SBE)-adopted and standards-aligned instructional materials including interventions, appropriate instructional time and pacing schedules, professional development for teachers and administrators, assignment of fully credentialed highly qualified teachers, use of data obtained from a student achievement monitoring system, instructional support, teacher collaboration, and fiscal support.
  • Instructional Materials in California: An Overview of Standards, Curriculum Frameworks, Instructional Materials Adoptions, and Funding http://www.cde.ca.gov/ci/cr/cf/documents/instmatoverview.pdf
    A brief introduction to standards, curriculum frameworks, instructional materials adoption, and funding.
  • IRIS Center
    http://iris.peabody.vanderbilt.edu/index.html
    The IRIS Center is a national center that aims to provide high-quality resources for college and university faculty and professional development providers about students with disabilities. IRIS seeks to obtain this goal by providing free, online, interactive training enhancements that translate research about the education of students with disabilities into practice.
  • Predicting Success, Preventing Failure: An Investigation of the California High School Exit Exam
    http://www.ppic.org/content/pubs/report/R_608AZR.pdf
    Through funding provided by a private organization, this report looks at various elements of the CAHSEE.
  • Public Policy Institute of California (CAHSEE)
    www.ppic.org
    The Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC) is a private nonprofit organization dedicated to informing and improving public policy in California through independent, objective, nonpartisan research.
  • Standards-Based Instruction: Could it Happen in Special Education? A WestED Web cast
    http://www.schoolsmovingup.net/cs/wested/view/e/1968
    This archived web cast presentation, explains how special educators can implement standards-focused instruction and how appropriately written IEPs can support the attainment of grade-level standard skills. Silvia DeRuvo, Special Education Resources Development Specialist for Center for Prevention and Early Intervention at WestEd, presents information on how teachers can "unpack the standards" to drive instruction that will meet standards-based IEP goals.
  • Strategic Teaching and Learning: Standards-Based Instruction to Promote Content Literacy in Grades Four Through Twelve, (2000)
    http://www.cde.ca.gov/sp/cs/re/csrescdeapr04.asp
    Provides teachers with a variety of research-based, instructional strategies to address their student’s content literacy needs These strategies can help student by providing them with the scaffolding they need to bridge the gap that too often exists between students’reading ability and the difficulty of the test.
  • Taking Center Stage: A Commitment to Standards-Based Education for California's Middle Grades Students, (2001)
    http://www.cde.ca.gov/ci/gs/mg/tcs.asp
    Designed to help California's educators successfully implement standards-based education for middle grades students. It provides clear recommendations on how schools can align standards, assessment, accountability, and curriculum to ensure that all students meet grade-level content standards.
  • What Does it Mean to Improve Access to the General Education Curriculum?
    http://www.k8accesscenter.org/training_resources/FrameworkFinal.asp
    The Access Center staff has developed a framework for access to the general education curriculum. This site will provide information regarding the framework.
  • Universal Design for Learning http://www.k8accesscenter.org/training_resources/terminology.asp
    The Access Center provides a definition of universal access. This site provides information about universal access.

Last updated: 06/09/2010