A Guide To Connecting Academic Standards and Individualized Education Programs

1. A Guide To Connecting Academic Standards and Individualized Education Programs Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction (DPI) March 2010

2. Appreciation to the following individuals who assisted in developing these materials: • Nissan Bar-Lev, CESA #7 • Barbara Van Haren, CESA #1 • Kathy Laffin, Independent Consultant • Arlene Wright, Independent Consultant • Mary Derginer, Independent Consultant • Trish Graves, CESA #11 • Eva Kubinski, Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction • Sandra Berndt, Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction Wisconsin DPI - DRAFT - March 2010

3. Appreciation to the following individuals who assisted in developing these materials • The Department of Public Instruction (DPI) in conjunction with Great Lakes West Comprehensive Center at Learning Point Associates • Advisory Work Group • DPI Special Education Team Compliance Workgroup • Special thanks to Laura Vitale, CESA #1 Wisconsin DPI - DRAFT - March 2010

4. A Guide Connecting Academic Standards and IEPs • Introduction • Paradigm Shift: Connecting Academic Standards and the Individualized Education Program (IEP) • Wisconsin Academic Standards • Connecting the Academic Standards during the IEP meeting • Exemplars • Key Terms & References Wisconsin DPI - DRAFT - March 2010

5. Rationale This training presentation and Guide will assist the IEP Team [parents, general and special education teachers, Local Education Agency (LEA) representative, and other IEP team members] to develop a meaningful IEP reflecting Wisconsin Academic Standards to meet students’ unique academic learning needs. Wisconsin DPI - DRAFT - March 2010

6. Scope of the Guide and Training This Guide connects Reading and Mathematics Standards to two parts of the IEP: Present Level of Academic Achievement and Functional Performance Annual Goals IEP teams must also address other disability related needs, special factors, transition, assessment, least restrictive environment, special education and related services (not included in this presentation or the Guide). http://www.dpi.wi.gov/sped/pdf/iepguide.pdf Wisconsin DPI - DRAFT - March 2010

7. What the law says: • The reauthorization of IDEA in 1997 and 2004 brought an emphasis on access to the general curriculum with the requirement to include: • “how the child’s disability affects the child’s involvement and progress in the general curriculum and for preschool children, age appropriate activities.” • The Elementary And Secondary Education Act (ESEA) required that children with disabilities participate in all state and district assessments. Wisconsin DPI - DRAFT - March 2010

8. Assessment* ESEA and IDEA 2004 tied the assessments of students with disabilities to state accountability systems (Ahern, 2006): • Participation of students with disabilities in state and district-wide assessment programs • Documentation in IEP of any individual accommodations in state or district achievement tests • Documentation in IEP of the justification for exclusion from a test and indicate how the student will be assessed with an alternate method. • Reports about participation & performance of students with disabilities. • All students (100%) are included in the state and local accountability system. Wisconsin DPI - DRAFT - March 2010

9. IEPs, Academic Standards and State Assessment State Performance Plan (SPP) Indicator 3: Participation and performance of children with disabilities on statewide assessments. The following data is collected and reported: Percent of districts meeting State Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) objectives for disability subgroup. 9 Wisconsin DPI - DRAFT - March 2010

10. IEPs, Academic Standards and State Assessment • Further data included: • Participation rate for children with IEPs in the Wisconsin Knowledge and Concepts Examination (WKCE), with and without accommodations, and the Wisconsin Alternate Assessment-Students with Disabilities (WAA-SwD). • Proficiency rate for children with IEPs against grade level expectations (assessment frameworks) and alternate achievement standards (extended grade-band standards.) Wisconsin DPI - DRAFT - March 2010

11. Past Practice • Many IEP team discussions centered on identifying a child’s current skills, as well as the next developmental skills. • The developmental skills were frequently unrelated to the academic, behavioral or functional learning expectations for other students of the same grade level. • This resulted in two parallel curricula for students - one in special education and one in regular education. Wisconsin DPI - DRAFT - March 2010

12. The Paradigm Shift • When IEPs are connected to the academic standards, the focal point of the IEP team discussion changes to: • Identifying the academic standards that 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 academic standards. • Determining disability related needs that prevent the student from being proficient on these academic standards. • Developing an Annual Goal to address these needs. Wisconsin DPI - DRAFT - March 2010

13. Assess the Student Develop Annual Goals Determine Needs and Present Level of Academic Achievement and Functional Performance Past Traditional Practice Wisconsin DPI - DRAFT - March 2010

14. Assess Student Develop Annual Goals Determine Needs Determine Present Level of Academic Achievement and Functional Performance Related To Academic Standards Discuss Academic Standards Paradigm Shift: Connecting IEPs to Academic Standards Wisconsin DPI - DRAFT - March 2010

15. Benefits of Connecting IEPs to Academic Standards Wisconsin DPI - DRAFT - March 2010 Connecting IEPs to the Wisconsin academic standards, to a school district’s local benchmarks, or to the Assessment Frameworks provides students with disabilities the “opportunity to learn” the general curriculum.

16. Outcomes of Connecting IEPs to Academic Standards • Special education teachers have eliminated separate curriculums. As a result, students with disabilities are achieving at higher levels. • Parents are enthusiastic that IEP goals’ language is more recognizable and less clinical. • General education teachers can see the link between what they do and the needs of students with disabilities. • Academic standards provide a common language among ALL educators. • There are higher expectations for students with disabilities. Wisconsin DPI - DRAFT - March 2010

17. What are the Wisconsin Standards for ALL children, birth to age 21? Wisconsin Model Early Learning Standards (WMELS): age level expectations for birth through entrance to 1st grade) Wisconsin Model Academic Standards (WMAS): Grades 4, 8, and 12 District Standards/Benchmarks Assessment Frameworks: Grades 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 10 Extended Grade Band Standards: Grades 3-4, 5-6, 7-8, and 10 Wisconsin DPI - DRAFT - March 2010

18. Continuum of Wisconsin Academic Standards Birth to 1st Gr. (WMELS) Pre K to 12th Gr. (WMAS) Pre K to 1st Gr. Wisconsin DPI - DRAFT - March 2010

19. Wisconsin Model Early Learning Standards (WMELS) Wisconsin DPI - DRAFT - March 2010 Developmental Domains: • Health and Physical Development • Social and Emotional Development • Language Development and Communication • Approaches to Learning • Cognition and General Knowledge

20. Wisconsin Model Early Learning Standards (WMELS) Developmental Domain: Discrete area of the child’s development. Sub Domain: A further division of a developmental domain. Performance Standards: Represent the specific information, skills, or both that a child should know and be able to do. Developmental Continuum: A predictable but not rigid sequence of accomplishments which describes progressive levels of performance. “Sample” Behaviors: Includes “samples” of what children might do and “samples” of what adults might do to assist a child. http://dpi.wi.gov/fscp/pdf/ec-wmels-bk.pdf Wisconsin DPI - DRAFT - March 2010

21. Wisconsin Model Early Learning Standards (WMELS): Mathematics Example Domain: Cognition and General Knowledge Sub-domain: B. Mathematical Thinking Performance Standard: B.EL.2.Understands number operations and relationships. Developmental Continuum: Recognizes that a set of objects remains the same amount if physically rearranged. “Sample” Behavior of children: Child counts 3 blocks in a vertical line and 3 blocks in a horizontal line and recognizes that each row contains 3 blocks. “Sample” Strategy for Adults: Place 5 pennies in a bowl, 5 pennies spread out in a row, and 5 pennies close together on a table. As the child to “point to which one has more pennies.” Wisconsin DPI - DRAFT - March 2010

22. WI Model Academic Standards (WMAS)& Assessment Frameworks • The Wisconsin Model Academic Standards provide grade level expectations at the end of grades 4, 8, and 12. DPI website: http://dpi.wi.gov/standards/ • Wisconsin Assessment Frameworks (Gr. 3-8, 10) • Wisconsin Extended Grade Band Standards (Gr. 3-8, 10) • WMAS and Grade Level Expectations-District Benchmarks Wisconsin DPI - DRAFT - March 2010

23. What Do WI Assessment Frameworks look like? The Reading and Mathematics Frameworks are organized into 3 levels: • Objective: A group of cognitively related skills. □ Subskill: A group of related knowledge and skills. - Descriptor: Examples of specific knowledge and skills. Reading Framework: http://dpi.wi.gov/oea/pdf/read_framework.pdf Math Framework: http://dpi.wi.gov/oea/pdf/math_framework.pdf Wisconsin DPI - DRAFT - March 2010

24. English/Language Arts Standard& Assessment Framework: Example: DPI Content Standard A: Reading/Literature DPI Performance Standard:A.4.1 Use effective reading strategies to achieve their purposes in reading. Assessment Framework: Objective 1:  Determine the meaning of words and phrases in context. Sub-skill 1.2: Use knowledge of word structure to determine the meaning of words and phrases Descriptor: Use knowledge of root words to determine the meaning of a word. Classroom Activity: Suffixes and meanings Wisconsin DPI - DRAFT - March 2010

25. Mathematics Standard & Assessment Framework: Example: DPI Content Standard B: Number Operations and Relationships DPI Performance Standard: B.4.6 Add and subtract fractions with like denominators. Assessment Framework: Objective 1:  Number Operations and Relationships Sub-skill 1.2:  Computation Descriptors: Add and subtract fractions with like denominators. Classroom Activity: Add and subtract fractions with like denominators Wisconsin DPI - DRAFT - March 2010

26. Wisconsin Extended Grade Band Standards (EGBS) Developed by Wisconsin educators For students with significant cognitive disabilities Reflect the “essence” of Wisconsin’s Model Academic Standards and the Assessment Frameworks Are the foundation of the WAA-SwD http://www.dpi.state.wi.us/sped/pdf/waa-extstd-full.pdf Wisconsin DPI - DRAFT - March 2010

27. WMAS WISCONSIN EXTENDED GRADE BAND STANDARDS WISCONSIN ASSESSMENT FRAMEWORKS “ESSENCE” WKCE WAA-SwD Wisconsin DPI - DRAFT - March 2010

28. WMAS & Grade Level Expectations 28 Wisconsin DPI - DRAFT - March 2010 • Since Wisconsin does not identify academic standards at every grade level: • Many Wisconsin school districts have identified local benchmarks. • DPI has developed the Assessment Frameworks (based on the academic standards) to provide WKCE assessed grade level objectives. • Local curriculum should include, but not be limited to, the Assessment Frameworks grade level objectives.

29. District Benchmarks District benchmarks are aligned with Wisconsin Model Academic Standards. Does your district have its own benchmarks? If so, the IEP team should consider the district grade level benchmarks in the development of the IEP. 29 Wisconsin DPI - DRAFT - March 2010

30. “Conducting an IEP Meeting Connected with Academic Standards” Wisconsin DPI - DRAFT - March 2010

31. What is the Difference between Academic Standards and Curriculum? Academic standards are statements about: - what students should know and be able to do (content), and - how they will show that they have met the academic standard (performance). Classroom curriculum is devised by districts to prepare students to meet academic standards and benchmarks using activities, lessons, and educational materials as well as instructional techniques at each grade level.   - Curriculum specifies the details for the plan of instruction to reach the academic standards. - Curriculum links what is being taught (academic standards) to how it is measured (assessment). 31 Wisconsin DPI - DRAFT - March 2010

32. Preparing for the IEP Meeting All members bring a piece of the puzzle to the table Everyone attending is prepared to discuss: - grade level learning expectations for all students based on the academic standards - the impact of the student’s disability on grade level learning expectations - the student’s strengths and disability related needs. Wisconsin DPI - DRAFT - March 2010

33. IEP Team Members: Parents and/or Students Parents and/or students share the student’s strengths and concerns related to academic achievement and functional performance. Wisconsin DPI - DRAFT - March 2010

34. IEP Team Members: General Educator Share information about what all students know and are able to do at the current grade level related to the standards and local benchmarks related to the student’s strengths and disability related needs. Wisconsin DPI - DRAFT - March 2010

35. IEP Team Members: Special Educator Using data, discuss the impact of the student’s disability on grade or age level expectations and current level of performance. Wisconsin DPI - DRAFT - March 2010

36. IEP Team Members:LEA Representative Is qualified to provide or supervise the provision of specially designed instruction to meet the needs of children with disabilities Is knowledgeable about the general education curriculum Is knowledgeable about the availability of resources of the LEA Wisconsin DPI - DRAFT - March 2010

37. Other IEP Team Members An individual who can interpret the instructional implications of evaluation results, who may already be a member of the team At the discretion of the parent or agency other individuals who have knowledge or expertise regarding the child, including related services personnel 34 CFR 300.321 (5-6) Wisconsin DPI - DRAFT - March 2010

38. During the IEP Team Meeting Identify strengths related to the student’s disability and parent concerns Identify and prioritize areas of needs related to the student’s disability. Discuss what all students should know and be able to do (Academic Standards). Identify what the student needs to learn to achieve age/grade level expectations in academic standards, benchmarks, assessment frameworks. Step 1: Present Level of Academic Achievement and Functional Performance A B C D Step 2: Develop measurable annual goals Develop annual goals , benchmarks and measures of progress if required. A Wisconsin DPI - DRAFT - March 2010

39. Step 1: Develop the Present Level of Academic Achievement and Functional Performance (I-4) A. Student’s Strengths Parent Concerns What are the student’s strengths? What are the parents’ concern? Wisconsin DPI - DRAFT - March 2010

40. Step 1: Develop the Present Level of Academic Achievement and Functional Performance (I-4) B. Student’s Needs and Present Level Information fromprevious IEPs and assessment data. Current skills in relation to grade level benchmarks. Barriers to desired progress. Supports needed. Prioritize essential components necessary to meet grade or age level academic standards. Realistic expectations on attainment. Wisconsin DPI - DRAFT - March 2010

41. Step 1: Develop the Present Level of Academic Achievement and Functional Performance (I-4) What Students must know and do. Grade orage level academic standards/grade level benchmarks, expectations. C. Academic Standards Benchmarks Wisconsin DPI - DRAFT - March 2010

42. Which Academic Standards should be discussed as part of the IEP? The IEP team should discuss the grade-level academic standards in relation to the student’s disability related needs. IEPs need to be “individualized” and address priorities for students with disabilities. From: Michael Hock’s “Standards, Assessment, & IEPs”, 2000. 42 Wisconsin DPI - DRAFT - March 2010

43. Step 1: Develop the Present Level of Academic Achievement and Functional Performance (I-4) D. Identify what the student needs to learn Compare what the student needs to learn to achieve age/grade level expectations with their present level of performance. Wisconsin DPI - DRAFT - March 2010

44. Baseline Data: Present Level of Performance For areas of disability related need: • Current assessment data on grade level academic standards and benchmarks • Statewide and district assessment results • Curriculum based measurements/classroom assessments • Student work samples • Data from previous year’s IEP goals Wisconsin DPI - DRAFT - March 2010

45. Step 2: Develop Measurable Annual Goals (I-6) A. Develop annual goals and measures of progress Expectations in annual IEP cycle. A Goal for each area of need. Goals connected to grade or age level academic standards/benchmarks. State level of attainment and progress will be measured. Wisconsin DPI - DRAFT - March 2010

46. Writing Goals that are Connected to Academic Standards • Reflect age appropriate activities. • State what the student can reasonably accomplish in one year or the duration of the IEP. • Enhance the student’s ability to function more independently and be successful in the general curriculum. • Identify the big items the student must learn linked to formative and summative assessment. • Prioritize the student’s needs for a successful, meaningful adult life (what will the student need to know in 10 years). Wisconsin DPI - DRAFT - March 2010

47. Remember: Annual Goal ≠ Academic Standard 47 Wisconsin DPI - DRAFT - March 2010

48. EXEMPLARSUsing Academic Standards to develop IEPs Aasssss

49. Activity:Connecting Academic Standards to the IEP • Work in groups of 3 • Choose one of the 3 students described in the following slides and read the exemplar provided. Wisconsin DPI - DRAFT - March 2010

50. Activity Annie – age 4; attending K4 Strengths: listens to books, points to pictures and sounds in her environment, plays with other children and toys. Prioritized needs: Early Literacy/Reading: rhyming Math: counting and grouping objects Academic Standards/benchmarks: Early Literacy/Reading: Phonological Awareness. Math: Understanding counting, number operations and relationships. What Annie needs to learn: - Hear and identify rhyming words and beginning sounds - Know the relationship between numbers and counting, grouping and regrouping sets. Wisconsin DPI - DRAFT - March 2010