State-Defined Alternate Diplomas

Policy 2419 Section 2 FAPE CONSIDERATIONS Replaced modified diploma with State-Defined Alternate Diploma which requires: Instruction in alternate academic achievement standards linked to general standards; Alignment with state requirements for the regular high school diploma; and Be obtained during FAPE period. Students receiving an alternate diploma will be included in the graduation cohort for the year in which they graduate. Incoming ninth grade students should be considered for the alternate diploma. (pp. 9, 117) This slide was also in the 2419 webinar. It says that we are changing the wording from modified diploma to alternate diploma. This slide also gives our state’s criteria for a state defined alternate diploma (read bullets) It’s important to note that this year’s 9th grade cohort (incoming 9th graders) may be considered for the alternate diploma if the criteria is met. On another slide we will be addressing the Alternate Standards and Alternate Diploma Timeline so you will see when everything will go into effect.

Requirement #1 Be Standards Based

Be Standards Based Students should have access to and progress in academic content based on and aligned with grade-level content standards. Students should have access to the same curriculum as their peers without disabilities, one that is “based on/aligned with the State’s academic content standards” for the grade in which a student is enrolled. Access to grade-level content is provided with reduced breadth, depth, and complexity, and mastered in different ways as measured by standards-based alternate assessment. As we began working on the new standards and preparing to bring teachers in to write the standards we have done a lot of reading and research about grade-level content standards as they pertain to students with significant cognitive disabilities. Much time and attention has been given to the writing of alternate standards that are both rigorous and appropriate. Notice the wording of these bullet points “students should have the opportunity”… So, in order for a student to receive an alternate diploma they must have instruction that is based on grade-level content standards for the grade in which they are enrolled (that’s what the first two bullet points say). It’s important to think about the overall curriculum of SWSCD (in addition to content courses, standards based IEPs address functional, social, communication, mobility etc…. skills as well) Being standards based also takes into consideration the range of skills for this population of students. The third bullet speaks to the reduced complexity and breadth of the content, and the various ways to measure these skills on the alternate assessment.

When Education Components Align General Curriculum (state standards) Assessment Instruction This is the expectation.

Instruction Not Aligned to Standards Curriculum: Multiplication Instruction on State alternate IEP skill: assessment: Telling time Combine sets Here is where we have to be careful. When students are removed from general education classes, and receiving instruction in a separate class or a resource room, we have to be sure that the instruction that students are receiving is aligned to grade level content so that this does not happen. Third grade curriculum is multiplication/combining sets, but the student is receiving instruction on telling time. Activity – grade level content standard (7th grade) 4 options with discussion.

Third-grade math standard Aligned IEP Goal Third-grade math standard Skills for IEP: Identify Instruction State alternate Numerals with AAC on creating assessment: device; count with one- and Combine sets to-one correspondence combining sets and create sets of numbers

IEP Includes Life Skills and the General Curriculum 10th grade academic standards IEP Instruction State Alternate Assessment Life skills curriculum What about life skills curriculum? 10th grade social studies alternate standards: Voting, basic laws Paying taxes Citizenship Rural and Urban similarities and differences Landforms and bodies of water Map skills 2 political parties

Be Standards Based Breadth- the number of grade-level content standards that are addressed Depth- the number of objectives considered within any of the content standards Complexity- the requisite skills needed for successful completion of the material covered by the standards.

Meaningful Partial Participation By appropriately including students with the most significant cognitive disabilities through manipulations of breadth, depth, or complexity, at least some subset of grade- level content standards will be within the student’s educational experience So what does this mean?? What does this look like on IEPs and what does this look like in the classroom?? Hybrid Approach to Inclusion- time in separate setting as well as appropriate time in general education. ESSA document page 1 – to raise academic expectations and increase inclusion for students with disabilities

POLICY 2520.16 West Virginia Alternate Academic Achievement Standards So here is the new policy. Policy 2520.16 This is a screen shot of the first page of the policy which was approved by the WV State Board of Education in August. In the proposal section (which I know you can not read), it says that the previous three separate policies Next Generation ELA, math and science alternate standards will all be combined into one policy which again is policy 2520.16 WV Alternate Academic Achievement Standards.

Best Practice Document Social Studies (Ready now) PE/Health the Arts (music, art) (Coming later) These are “best practice” alternate standards for all grade levels for SS, PE/Health and the Arts (music and art only). These are not state approved alternate standards since we are not required to write standards for these subjects

Alternate Standards, Assessment and Diploma Timeline Year 2017-2018 2018-2019 2019-2020 2020-2021 Alternate Standards Current Next Gen Standards   9th grade cohort (New Standards) Policy 2520.16 Alternate Academic Achievement Standards Alternate Assessment Current Alternate Summative Assessment (DLM) New Alternate Summative Assessment Diploma Type Modified Diploma Alternate Diploma

Requirement #2 Be Aligned with State Requirements for Regular Diploma The same kinds of requirements that exist for a regular diploma must exist for the State-defined alternate diploma. The number of required courses/credits in required content areas should be aligned across diploma options. However, the criteria for passing the course could be different.

Student Schedule Example Student schedules should reflect the appropriate grade level courses for students to obtain grade level alternate credits. Student IEP goals should also reflect grade level standards with priority emphasis on critical skills appropriate to meet individual student strengths/interests and needs. IEP Service Page and Placement Page should include course titles that reflect GEE subject areas English 9 Math 1 Earth Science World Studies PE/Health Art Locally Developed Community Ready Concentration Electives You want to make sure that students who are taking the alternate assessment that are expected to graduate with an alternate diploma have class schedules and transcripts that mirror the same course titles as general education students. These updates should be made to in coming 9th graders schedules and IEP right away. New course codes have been developed for all credit bearing courses.

Standards-Based IEPs Promote goals for the strategies students need to develop to learn the general curriculum content. When given a graphic organizer, Bobby will identify key details in a story… (doesn’t matter the content area) 8 out of 10 times. Goals help focus priorities within the general curriculum for students who take the alternate assessment. When presented with a detail (picture of character or setting) from the text and a distractor that is not-text related, Maria will select the detail with 50% accuracy.

Course Codes All 9th grade students that are currently on Alternate Assessment, being instructed on the alternate standards, need to have their schedules updates with the new course codes ASAP.  The course codes have been developed and can be found on the WVEIS website under the Support Tab (Course Code Change Document 2017-2018). District WVEIS personnel and/or school counselors have been making the changes to student’s schedules.  It is a district decision about particular digits within the course codes (WVEIS course codes are 4 digit numbers), districts/schools add the remaining digits. 

Current Middle School Example from WV District 76110J- Social Skills 76100J- Daily Living Skills 31080J- Work Skills 48100J- Reading Support 68070- Health (related arts) 59117- Library Skills (related arts) Here is an example of a middle school schedule (alternate standards student) with course codes. As you see there really is nothing based on grade level here. NCEO document ESSA criteria # 2 for an alternate diploma- diploma requirements must be aligned with state requirements for a general diploma (which include credit bearing courses).

Better Middle School Example ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS 8 Alternate Standards 4008_ J or K MATH 8 Alternate Standards 3008_ J or K SCIENCE 8 Alternate Standards 6008_ J or K WV STUDIES 8 Alternate Standards 7008_ J or K ART Alternate Standards 7946_ J or K PHYS ED 8 Alternate Standards 6608_ J or K DAILY LIVING SKILLS 7610_ J or K The _ in the 5th digit is decided by LEA (probably a 0) The 6th digit is determined by Special Education Category which is found on the course code document in WVEIS

WVEIS Special Education Categories

Requirement #3 Be Obtained During FAPE Period The alternate diploma must be obtained within the time period for which the state ensures the availability of FAPE which in WV is 21 And of course for WV this is age 21.