1. Course of Study Spring 2016

2. Course of Study o What Related Rules, Regulations, Legislation o Why Graduation rates for students with IEPs MDE/OSE – 2020 Federal Youth Transition Plan Compliance Office of Civil Rights o How Course of Study ‘Package’ Oakland Schools – Personal Curriculum

3. IDEA & Transition The purposes of IDEA include ensuring that all children with disabilities have available to them a free appropriate public education (FAPE) that emphasizes special education and related services designed to meet their unique needs and prepare them for further education/training employment and independent living. [34 CFR 300.1(a)] [20 U.S.C. 1400(d)(1)(A)]

4. The What: IDEA

5. MI Administrative Rules for Special Education (MARSE)

6. The IEP MDE IEP Model Form

7. Course of Study MMC Diploma Personal Curriculum EDP/CTE Adult Transition Transition Connections Non- Diploma/ Certificate Career Readiness Campus – Vocational (future?) Modified /alternative curriculum Postsecondary Ed/College Long- term Supports

8. Course of Study leading to… Non-diploma Certificate of…. IEP based instruction Limited or no gen ed Alternate Curriculum High School Diploma CTE, PC, Alt Ed… MMC State & Local Grad Requirements

9. References

10. Scenarios Credit deficient Needs more work based/less academics Extended high school, have tried 5 th, 6 th year… Push for HS diploma, fear graduation- change Alternate assessment must be on certificate Decisions made by IEP teams at elementary, middle, high school levels Behavior or eligibility driven Attendance, lack work completion, at risk… Just give them a certificate…get out of high school

11. Why MDE/OSE o Michigan Transition Redesign based on the 2020 Federal Youth Transition Plan: An Interagency Strategy (see 2020 Summary) o If only districts, transition coordinators…were more familiar with Personal Curriculum more students with IEPs would graduate

12. Why District in Kent Co. o Laurie VanderPloeg- 2015 MI TOPS webinar, MAASE Summer Institute Office of Civil Rights (OCR) complaint o Did not consider the available options before moving to non- diploma/certificate Investigation o Varying descriptions of the process o No written policy or district practice for course of study decisions o Lack of evidence options were considered (Personal Curriculum/PC) Corrective Action o Development of policy/procedure/process o Review of students with IEP who did not graduate with diploma Determine if PC/options would have increased likelihood Offer of compensatory education

13. Why Kent & Office of Civil Rights Districts must afford students with disabilities an equal opportunity to participate in diploma track and to graduate with a district diploma o Does not equate to per se right to a diploma o Does require an “individualized consideration as to whether students with disabilities would benefit from a personal curriculum before determining whether they would be placed on a certificate ‘track ’

14. Kent Response Cert of Completion/Diploma Committee o IEP team over selection of course of study leading to certificate of completion o Correlated with underrepresentation of students with IEP graduating with regular high school diploma Personal Curriculum Committee o Charged with examining the underutilization of Personal Curriculum for students with a disability/IEP June 2014

15. Oakland County Graduation Students with IEP 2013-2014 District Highest Rate 89.66% District Lowest Rate 29.33% Oakland County Average 60ish% Can changes in how we look at Course of Study improve graduation rates for students with an IEP?

16. Table Talk What % of students with IEPs would we expect to be on a certificate track?

17. Table Talk If all students are general education students first, is it the role of the IEP to change the course of study from the general curriculum/MMC in high school from the opportunity to earn a diploma to a non-diploma certificate?

18. Table Talk Do you have a process in your district for making course of study decisions removing a student with an IEP from general curriculum and the opportunity to earn a high school diploma? What information do you consider? Is the process documented, in writing, in your procedure guide, and known by all staffs?

19. How Course of Study How Course of Study Recognize Course of Study (COS) decisions require planning & preparation o IEP team decisions along the way can impact COS Parents/students need to know early-on graduation with regular high school diploma requires documented proficiency/mastery with MMC requirements with or without Personal Curriculum Awareness of options o Personal Curriculum o Career Technical Education Exchanges o Extended Course of Study (5 th – 6 th year to meet requirements) o On-line/virtual o Modified Curriculum – Non-diploma/Certificate

20. Course of Study ‘Package’

21. How & When? Personal Curriculum Personal Curriculum resources have been added Course of Study will be added here Fall 2016 …

22. How- Considerations

23. How Review Team Suggestions Specific Tools Professional Learning

24. Contact Us Cathy Schmidt, Special Education Consultant Oakland Schools Cathy.schmidt@oakland.k12.mi.us or (248)-209-2504 Cathy.schmidt@oakland.k12.mi.us Sandy Turner, Assistant Special Education Director Rochester Schools sturner@rochester.k12.mi.us or (248) 726-3058 sturner@rochester.k12.mi.us