The Impact of the Common Core Standards on Special Education

1. The Impact of the Common Core Standards on Special Education El Dorado County Special Education Local Plan Area

2. Raising Expectations El Dorado County Charter SELPA Value Statement Every child deserves a high-quality education that will prepare them to compete in the global marketplace.  No matter a student’s background, it is the responsibility of our schools to ensure that they are given the chance to succeed.  In order to do so, we must set high expectations for all.  Many states are using the Common Core State Standards as benchmarks to do just that. El Dorado County SELPA

3. What Is the Common Core? El Dorado County Charter SELPA Value Statement A set of internationally-benchmarked K-12 standards in English Language Arts and Mathematics that will provide a clear and consistent framework to prepare our students for college and the workplace. El Dorado County SELPA

4. Why Do We Need Common Standards? El Dorado County Charter SELPA Value Statement Low Levels of Rigor • Current standards feature large amounts of knowledge and recall learning targets • Under-developing critical thinking abilities • Disadvantaged in college and the workplace El Dorado County SELPA

5. Why Do We Need Common Standards? El Dorado County Charter SELPA Value Statement Lack of Clarity • “Write for a variety of purposes.” • “Respond to variety of literary and informational texts” • “Competently use money.” Are these standards clear to teachers, students, and parents? El Dorado County SELPA

6. Why Do We Need Common Standards? El Dorado County Charter SELPA Value Statement Inconsistencies • Different states set different learning targets • Different districts set different learning targets • Different classrooms learning different topics We must expect high achievement from all students in all classrooms. El Dorado County SELPA

7. Results of Inconsistencies El Dorado County Charter SELPA Value Statement • States requiring different content • Cut scores for proficiency vary by state • Students being taught and assessed at different levels of rigor based on location • Students who move may be far ahead or far behind • Large groups of students are disadvantaged in the national and global economies El Dorado County SELPA

8. Why Do We Need Common Standards? El Dorado County Charter SELPA Value Statement Barriers to Collaboration • Educators are not working from the same blueprints • Chilling effect on the sharing of best practices • Curricular materials not applicable to all places • This creates an insular education community where everyone is doing the same work over and over again El Dorado County SELPA

9. How are Common Core Standards Better for Educators? El Dorado County Charter SELPA Value Statement El Dorado County SELPA

10. How are Common Core Standards Better for Students? El Dorado County Charter SELPA Value Statement El Dorado County SELPA

11. Common Core Standards Are Based on Depth of Knowledge (DOK) El Dorado County Charter SELPA Value Statement El Dorado County SELPA

12. Depth of KnowledgeWhich Level? El Dorado County Charter SELPA Value Statement El Dorado County SELPA

13. Domains v. Strands El Dorado County Charter SELPA Value Statement El Dorado County SELPA

14. Two Types of Math Standards El Dorado County Charter SELPA Value Statement Standards for Mathematical Content: • Vary at each grade level • Skills and understandings students will learn Standards for Mathematical Practice (SMP) • Identified across all grade levels (K-12) • Processes and proficiencies that students show when engaged in mathematics El Dorado County SELPA

15. Eight Standards for Mathematical Practice El Dorado County Charter SELPA Value Statement El Dorado County SELPA

16. ELA Standards El Dorado County Charter SELPA Value Statement • The CCR (Career and College Readiness) standards anchor the document and define general, cross-disciplinary literacy expectations that must be met for students to be prepared to enter college and workforce training programs ready to succeed. • The K–12 grade-specific standards define end-of-year expectations and a cumulative progression designed to enable students to meet college and career readiness expectations no later than the end of high school. El Dorado County SELPA

17. Sample Standards: Comparison for ELA: 3rd grade reading – Standards for Literature El Dorado County Charter SELPA Value Statement El Dorado County SELPA

18. Sample Standards Comparison for ELA: 7th grade reading El Dorado County Charter SELPA Value Statement El Dorado County SELPA

19. Students with Disabilities: Current Practices El Dorado County Charter SELPA Value Statement • Many IEP team discussions center on identifying a child’s current skills as well as the next developmental skills • The developmental skills are often not related to the academic, behavior or functional learning expectation for other students of the same grade level • This results in two parallel curricula for the child - one in special education and one in regular education • End result is a parallel curricula for the child: one in special education and one in general education El Dorado County SELPA

20. The Paradigm Shift El Dorado County Charter SELPA Value Statement Changing the focal point of the IEP • Identifying the standards ALL students at a specific grade or age level should “know and be able to do.” • Assessing where the student is functioning with regard to the above standards • Determining disability related needs that prevent the student from being proficient on the standards • Developing annual goals to address these needs El Dorado County SELPA

21. The Common Core and Students with Disabilities El Dorado County Charter SELPA Value Statement Special Educators need to be involved in developing curriculum and benchmarks. • Special Educators should attend general education professional development • General Education colleagues should receive professional development on: • Curricular adaptations • Universal design for learning • Grade level materials El Dorado County SELPA

22. El Dorado County Charter SELPA Value Statement Five Key Elements to Support Students with Disabilities El Dorado County Charter SELPA

23. Where Is Special Education Going? General Education Special Education El Dorado County SELPA

24. The Challenge for Students with Disabilities El Dorado County Charter SELPA Value Statement To here? How do we get from here? El Dorado County SELPA

25. Knowing Our Areas of Expertise El Dorado County Charter SELPA Value Statement Standards are the “What” Standards are the overall goal we want our students achieve Curriculum is the “How” Curriculum is the individual teaching methodology used in the classroom General educators are content experts. Special educators are experts at adapting the curriculum. El Dorado County SELPA

26. Universal Design for Learning (UDL) From the California Accommodations Guide (draft) 2010 • Removes or minimizes barriers to educational access for all students • Meets the needs of the greatest number of students, sometimes making adaptations for individuals unnecessary • Takes into account individual learning differences El Dorado County SELPA

27. El Dorado County Charter SELPA Value Statement Universal Design for Learning The UDL framework is grounded in 3 principles: • Multiple means of representation – using a variety of methods to present information, provide a range of means to support • Multiple means of action and expression – providing learners with alternative ways to act skillfully and demonstrate what they know • Multiple means of engagement – tapping into learners’ interests by offering choices of content and tools; motivating learners by offering adjustable levels of challenge El Dorado County SELPA

28. How Can Students Benefit from UDL? El Dorado County Charter SELPA Value Statement El Dorado County SELPA

29. How Can Educators Incorporate UDL? El Dorado County Charter SELPA Value Statement • Use a variety of materials • Provide cognitive supports • Teach to a variety of learning styles • Provide flexible opportunities • (Rose & Meyer, 2002): El Dorado County SELPA

30. Curricular Adaptations Curricular adaptations are changes permissible in educational environments which allow the student equal opportunity to obtain access, results, benefits, and levels of achievement. These adaptations consist of both accommodations and modifications . (Diana Browning Wright, Teaching & Learning 2003) El Dorado County Charter SELPA

31. Adaptations Do fundamentally alter or lower expectations or standards in instructional level, content or performance criteria. Do not fundamentally alter or lower expectations or standards in instructional level, content or performance criteria. Accommodations Modifications Changes are made in order to provide equal access to learning and equal opportunity to demonstrate what is known. Changes are made to provide student meaningful and productive learning experiences based on individual needs and abilities. Grading is different. Grading is the same. El Dorado County Charter SELPA

32. Nine Types of Adaptations Quantity* Time* Level of Support* Adapt the number of items that the learner is expected to learn or complete. For example: Reduce the number of social studies terms a learner must learn at any one time. Add more activities or worksheets. Adapt the time allotted and allowed for learning, task completion, or testing. For example: Individualize a timeline for completing a task; pace learning differently (increase or decrease) for some learners. Increase the amount of personal assistance to keep the student on task or to reinforce or prompt use of specific skills. Enhance adult-student relationships; use physical space and environmental structure. For example: Assign peer buddies, teaching assistants, peer tutors, or cross age tutors. Input* Output* Difficulty Adapt the way instruction is delivered to the learner. For example: Use different visual aids, enlarge text, plan more concrete examples, provide hands-on activities, place students in cooperative groups, pre-teach key concepts or terms before the lesson Adapt the skill level, problem type, or the rules on how the learner may approach the work. For example: Allow the use of a calculator to figure math problems; simplify task directions; change rules to accommodate learner needs. Adapt how the student can respond to instruction. For example: Instead of answering questions in writing, allow a verbal response, use a communication book for some students, allow students to show knowledge with hands on materials. Participation* Alternate Goals Substitute Curriculum Adapt the extent to which a learner is actively involved in the task. For example: A student who has difficulty presenting in front of a class could be given the option of presenting to just the teacher. Adapt the goals or outcome expectations while using the same materials. When routinely utilized, this is only for students with moderate to severe disabilities. For example: In social studies, expect a student to be able to locate the colors of the states on a map, while other students learn to locate each state and name each capital. Provide different instruction and materials to meet a learner’s individual goals. When routinely utilized, this is only for students with moderate to severe disabilities. For example: During a math test, a student is working on an eye-hand coordination activity.

33. Math Video As you watch the video, think about: What Standards for Mathematical practice do you observe Challenges for students with disabilities Adaptations that might allow students with disabilities to better access the lesson Advantages for students with disabilities El Dorado County Charter SELPA

34. Eight Standards for Mathematical Practice El Dorado County Charter SELPA Value Statement El Dorado County SELPA

35. Working Towards Grade-level Standards Determine which areas of need will have the greatest impact on the student’s ability to access grade level standards. • What levels of understanding are expected at the next grade level standards as compared to the current? • Which standards are still barriers to the student’s progress toward age-appropriate grade-level standards? El Dorado County Charter SELPA

36. “Trellis” or “Scaffold” Grade Level Standards Trellising or scaffolding refers to a process designed to support students who are functioning below grade-level standards. • This process cannot be accomplished without comprehensive assessment. • Consider the student’s current grade-level standard first. If that standard is too high based on assessment, then trellis or scaffold down one grade level. El Dorado County Charter SELPA

37. Tools for Scaffolding Common Core Math Standards • Corestandards.org/math – Standards by Domain • http://myboe.org/portal/default/Content/Viewer/Content?action=2&scId=306589&sciId=10352- Interactive Standards Chart • http://ime.math.arizona.edu/progressions/ - University of Arizona progression documents El Dorado County Charter SELPA

38. Tools for Scaffolding Common Core ELA Standards Standards themselves are scaffolded: Reading Standards for Informational Text: Key Ideas and Details Grade 5: Quote accurately from a text when explaining what the text says explicitly ad when drawing inferences from the text. Grade 4: Refer to details and examples in a text when explaining what the text says explicitly and when drawing inferences from the text. Grade 3: Ask and answer questions to demonstrate understanding of a text, referring explicitly to the text as the basis for the answers. Grade 2: Ask and answer questions such as who, what, where, when, why, and how to demonstrate understanding of key details in a text. Grade 1: Ask and answer questions about key details in a text. Kindergarten: With prompting, ask and answer questions about key details in a text. El Dorado County Charter SELPA

39. What About Students with Moderate to Severe Disabilities? El Dorado County Charter SELPA Value Statement Resources are being developed that will support teachers and IEP teams to design and implement instruction that addresses content and skill expectations aligned to the CCSS, as well as to help prepare these students for postsecondary life. El Dorado County SELPA

40. Instructional Resource Guide El Dorado County Charter SELPA Value Statement Provides quick reference and guidance for teachers regarding evidence-based prompting and instructional strategies to be used to teach students with significant disabilities • Serves as a companion document to the MASSIs (Math Activities with Scripted Systematic Instruction) and LASSIs (Language Arts Scripted Systematic Instruction) El Dorado County SELPA

41. Common Content Connectors (CCCs) El Dorado County Charter SELPA Value Statement • Identify the most salient grade-level, core academic content in ELA and mathematics found in both the CCSS; • Illustrate the necessary knowledge and skills in order to reach the learning targets within the CCSS; • Focus on the core content, knowledge and skills needed at each grade to promote success at the next; and • Identify priorities in each content area to guide the instruction for students in this population and for the alternate assessment. El Dorado County SELPA

42. Common Core State Standards Core Content Connectors (CCC) El Dorado County SELPA

43. Element Cards • Help educators target instruction in multiple settings by promoting teacher understanding of and student movement towards the Common Core State Standards Contain one (or more) CCCs from a specific Instructional Family; • Include the related Progress Indicator from the Learning Progressions Framework (LPF); • Provide essential understandings that include challenging and attainable content that is measureable and observable for use in instruction and in assessment; • Provide suggested instructional strategies to teach the specific concepts and skills of the CCC; and • Provide suggested supports and scaffolds for students to be able to demonstrate what they know and can do. El Dorado County Charter SELPA

44. Element Cards Nomenclature used to identify the CCC and statement of the grade-specific CCC CCSS Topic Specific skills and concepts related to the Learning Targets in the LPF Big ideas and related instructional concepts denoting a curricular emphasis The Common Core Standard to which the CCC is based • Concepts and skills essential to entering the content described in the CCC at grade level. Representational-based learning of concepts and skills using symbols Necessary to engage successfully with the content identified in the CCC Suggested evidenced-based strategies supporting instruction are varying levels of challenge Suggested tools and materials to promote understanding of and engagement with the concepts El Dorado County Charter SELPA

45. Curriculum Resource Guide • Provides guidance for teaching the CCSS to students with the most significant cognitive disabilities; • Provides examples for differentiating instruction for a wide range of students in multiple grade levels; and • Delineates the necessary skills and knowledge students need to acquire/mastery the content. El Dorado County Charter SELPA

46. Curriculum Resource Guide Offers examples of how the content is taught in general education, ideas for real life use, examples of universal design for learning, and ways to promote college and career readiness. El Dorado County Charter SELPA

47. How Do We Know It’s Working? Elements of Smarter Balanced Assessment: • Computer-based • Computer-adaptive testing (CAT) • Researched-based • Access by Design (consideration of accessibility needs during item and task development) El Dorado County SELPA

48. Conceptual Model El Dorado County SELPA

49. Smarter Balanced Assessment Digital Accessibility: • Design and development of items ensuring access for all students (items presented in different forms: Braille, print, auditory) • Changes in presentation (font, magnification, color contrasts) • Array of options for student responses (standard mouse, alternative mouse, switch, eye gaze device, etc) El Dorado County SELPA

50. El Dorado County Charter SELPA Value Statement How Do We Assess Our Students with Significant Cognitive Disabilities? An Alternate Assessment is Being Developed • Broad dissemination will occur in 2015 • The assessment will be linked to clear learning outcomes and defensible assessment results • The assessment will complement the Common Core State Assessments • The assessment will be appropriate for approximately 1% of students • The National Center and State Collaborative (NCSC) is developing alternate assessments based on alternate achievement standards (AA‐AAS) to develop a multi‐state comprehensive assessment system for students with significant cognitive disabilities. California is a member of this. http://www.ncscpartners.org/about El Dorado County Charter SELPA