IDEA and NCLB The Connection Elizabeth Burmaster, State Superintendent Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction December 2003

Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction December 2003  Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) has been scheduled for reauthorization since  Presently, both the House and the Senate have developed draft legislation.  It doesn’t look like anything will come to pass in the near future. Currently

Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction December 2003 The Connection No Child Left Behind (NCLB) and Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA) connect in a variety of ways, the most significant of which include: ► Testing ► Accountability and Adequate Yearly Progress ► The impact of NCLB sanctions on schools in relation to students with disabilities ► Highly Qualified Teachers ► Paraprofessionals

Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction December 2003 Testing Students with Disabilities NCLB requires… 95% of enrolled students, including students with disabilities, must participate in state assessments in reading and mathematics. (Currently, grades 4, 8, and 10 and in every grade 3-8, and at least once in grades 9-12). Students with disabilities are a disaggregated subgroup under NCLB and schools and districts are held accountable when they reach a cell size of 50 or more.

Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction December 2003 IDEA requires… Students with disabilities must participate in annual statewide assessments with or without appropriate accommodations or alternate assessments and in the grade level in which they are enrolled. Testing Students with Disabilities

Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction December 2003 Currently, about 2% of Wisconsin students take the Alternate Assessment. Students with disabilities who take Wisconsin’s Alternate Assessment are credited for test participation. Testing Students with Disabilities

Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction December 2003 NCLB Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP):  Test participation  Graduation or attendance  Reading  Math Disaggregated by specific subgroups, including students with disabilities. Accountability and Adequate Yearly Progress

Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction December 2003 Test Participation Other Indicator ReadingMath Breakdown by indicators: Statewide AYP Data (as of 12/1/03) 106 schools missed AYP

Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction December 2003 Test Participation Other Indicator ReadingMath 22 districts missed AYP Statewide AYP Data (as of 12/1/03) Breakdown by indicators:

Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction December 2003 Students with Disabilities 69 schools met cell size Test Participation Statewide AYP Data (as of 12/1/03) 40 met 95% 29 missed AYP

Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction December 2003 Students with Disabilities 5 met 61% 37 made Safe Harbor 5 Missed AYP 47 schools met cell size Reading Statewide AYP Data (as of 12/1/03)

Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction December 2003 Students with Disabilities 12 Met 37% 26 made Safe Harbor 9 Missed AYP 47 schools met cell size Math Statewide AYP Data (as of 12/1/03)

Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction December 2003 IDEA accountability is built around the Individualized Education Program (IEP) IDEA seeks progress for individual child rather than state benchmarks IDEA provides entitlement until age 21 Accountability Disconnect Disconnect

Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction December 2003 Impact on special education delivery models School choice and FAPE Sanctions

Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction December 2003 n all teachers hired after January 8, 2002 and teaching in a program supported by Title I funds be highly qualified and all teachers teaching “core academic subjects” are to be highly qualified by n HOUSSE and PI 34 Highly Qualified Teachers

Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction December 2003 Paraprofessionals All Title I paraprofessionals newly hired after January 8, 2002 must have:  at least 2 years of higher education or an associates degree; or  passed formal state or local tests/assessments designed to demonstrate knowledge and ability in certain subject areas. All Title I paraprofessionals hired before January 8, 2002 must meet the above requirements by the end of the school year. Approximately 50% of paraprofessionals in Wisconsin are special education paraprofessionals.

Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction December 2003 Information on No Child Left Behind in Wisconsin can be found at: Information on Individuals with Disabilities Education Act in Wisconsin can be found at: Resources