1. Presented by Special Education Secondary Programs Fall 2008
Using the General Information Bulletin to Enhance Special Education Services
Presented by Special Education Secondary Programs
Fall 2008

2. Overview: Special Education Highlights
Curriculum Information
Scheduling: Transition Planning
Monitoring, Recording & Reporting Student Progress
Graduation & Implementation of SB 673
Academic Achievement Record
Utilizing the Course Options Strands
Decisions that impact student’s academic future

3. English/Language Arts: Reading
Students in the 7th, 8th or 9th grade must take Reading if they score below 2200 on the TAKS
Students eligible for Special Education services may be placed as determined by the ARD
Page 10 (Handout)

4. Middle/High School Special Education Program
Access to the general education curriculum is a primary consideration
Continuum of services: 3 levels of support
External
In-class
Specialized
Page 17 (Handout)

5. Special Education Services
Transfer students
Program Offerings and Graduation Plan Selection
Transition Planning
Scheduling Recommendations
Pages (Handout)

6. Monitoring, Recording & Reporting Student Progress
Admission
Grading for Special Education Students
Promotion/Retention
Request to Graduate on a Minimum Plan
Graduation & SB 673
Pages 55-75

7. Minimum Standards for the Academic Achievement Record
Official & permanent record, actual courses taken
Seals of Completion
Course Numbers & Titles
Use of Special Explanation Codes
Pages (Handout)

8. Appendix: Course Options: High School

10. Course Options: Middle School

12. Impact of Assessment Options
All Students: All students in Grades 3-8 and 10 must be tested and all results must be included in the AYP calculation. Assessments evaluated for AYP are:
• Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS) in Reading/English Language Arts and Mathematics;
• Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills-Modified (TAKS-M) in Reading/English Language Arts and Mathematics for students receiving special education services who meet participation requirements for TAKS-M and for whom TAKS is not appropriate;
• Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills-Alternate (TAKS-Alt) in Reading/English Language Arts and Mathematics for students with significant cognitive disabilities who meet the participation requirements;
• Texas English Language Proficiency Assessment System (TELPAS) Reading for recent immigrant limited English proficient (LEP) students who were exempted in Reading/English Language Arts by the Language Proficiency Assessment Committee (LPAC);
• Linguistically Accommodated Testing (LAT) of the TAKS and TAKS-M Reading/English Language Arts and Mathematics assessments for recent immigrant LEP students who were exempted by the LPAC.
Comparison of 2007 and 2008 AYP Systems
The following changes to specific components of the AYP system will be incorporated in Section III provides more details on the following areas:
• Due to the administration of alternate assessments TAKS-Modified (TAKS-M) and TAKS-Alternate (TAKS-Alt), a new federal cap process is used for 2008 AYP requiring:
• A 1% cap on TAKS-Alt student passing results
• A 2% cap on TAKS-M student passing results
• Statewide limits of 3% for both TAKS-Alt and TAKS-M student passing results that may require recapture (or exclusion of students from the cap) in order to maintain those limits.

13. AYP Performance Standards
The AYP definition is based on expectations for growth in student achievement. The standards must increase over time until they reach 100% in For the first six years, the standards were held constant for two years at a time, with increases occurring at the end of the second year. The first increase took place in The second increase occurred Exhibit 10 shows the standards for to NOTE: beginning the standards increase annually. Standards are rounded to the nearest whole percent.

14. For More Information Contact:
Corey Golomb
Tanya Browne
Gerard Cortez