Common Core State Standards and Students with Disabilities Elizabeth Jankowski Western Regional Resource Center University of Oregon Introductions.

Common Core State Standards and Students with Disabilities Elizabeth Jankowski Western Regional Resource Center University of Oregon Introductions

About Myself Former Special Education Teacher
Special Education Consultant TA Provider Family Member of Person with a Disability

The Technical Assistance and Dissemination Network (TA&D Network) is a network of approximately 45 Centers (this number fluctuates as old projects end or new ones begin) funded by the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP). These projects provide information and technical assistance to states, schools, educational professionals and families on topics such as autism, deafness, disproportionate representation, dispute resolution, learning disabilities, parenting children with special needs, positive behavior support and transition. The Technical Assistance Coordination Center (TACC) works with the TA&D Network to coordinate and support the work of these projects.

Regional Resource Center Programs
Technical Assistance and Dissemination Projects funded by the U.S. Dept. of Ed Regional Resource Center Programs The Regional Resource Center Program is funded by the federal Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) to assist state education agencies in improving education programs, practices, and policies that affect children and youth with disabilities. Through the RRC Program, the individual RRCs work collaboratively to help states and U.S. jurisdictions identify and address issues both within and across regions, as well as nationally. The WRRC is based under the outreach unit called Technical Assistance and Consulting Services within the College of Education at the University of Oregon. We house the WRRC, National Post School Outcomes Center, and SIGnetwork, which is the State Personnel Development Grants (SPDGs) that are funded by OSEP and used to improve systems of professional development, technical assistance and/or dissemination of knowledge about best practices.

Focus for this Evening:
CCSS – A Review of the Basics CCSS and Students with Disabilities CCSS – Benefits and Challenges for Students with Disabilities Overcoming Challenges Standards-Based IEPs CCSS Assessments Go over agenda. We will end with a Q & A session.

1. CCSS – A Review of the Basics

CCSS – The What A coherent progression of learning expectations in English Language Arts and Mathematics designed to prepare K – 12 students for college and career success. Broadly defined, the CCSS is a coherent progression of what we expect students to learn in English Language Arts and Mathematics in Grades K-12 with the end goal of having all students prepared to enter successfully into a career or college by the time of high school graduation. Final version released in June The Standards were adopted by ODE in October 2010. The standards are designed to ensure that students graduating from high school are prepared to enter credit bearing entry courses in two or four year college programs or enter the workforce. These Common Core standards apply to all students During our time together, we will explore the application of these standards to students with disabilities

CCSS – The Goal The goal of the CCSS is to make sure that all students are well prepared for college, technical education, or the workplace after high school graduation. By emphasizing required achievements, the Standards leave room for teachers, curriculum developers, and states to determine how those goals should be reached and what additional topics should be addressed. Thus, the Standards do not mandate such things as a particular writing process or the full range of metacognitive strategies that students may need to monitor and direct their thinking and learning. Teachers are free to provide students with whatever tools and knowledge their professional judgment and experience identify as most helpful for meeting the goals set out in the Standards.

CCSS – The Goal Labor Force Statistics 2012
Across the U.S., 17.8% of working-age adults with disabilities were employed compared with 63.9% of people without disabilities A large proportion of persons with a disability--about 8 in 10--were not in the labor force in 2012, compared with about 3 in 10 persons with no disability. We want to improve this. Share information from United States Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics.

CCSS – The Who and Where Forty-five states, the District of Columbia, four territories, and the Department of Defense Education Activity have adopted the Common Core State Standards. This includes Oregon.

CCSS – Who Developed the Standards?
The standards were developed through a bipartisan initiative of state leaders led by the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO) and National Governors Association (NGA) with panels of experts in the fields of English language arts (ELA) and mathematics. Currently, committees are working on the creation of core standards in science and social studies. It should be noted that the standards were in development and had momentum even before President Obama took office. The Federal government was not involved in the development of the standards. However, the development was supported by the federal government: • Race to the Top grants made acceptance of the CCSS one of the criteria for awards • U.S. Dept. of Ed. funded the Centers developing assessments aligned to the CCSS

CCSS – The Why Preparation Competition Equity Collaboration
Prepare students with the knowledge and skills they need for postsecondary success. Help ensure our students are globally competitive. Provide consistent expectations for all. Create a foundation to work collaboratively across states and districts, pooling resources and expertise. In order gain a better understanding the standards themselves, it is important to understand why the standards were initially developed. Sue Pimentel, lead writer for the ELA standards states four primary reasons for the development of the CCSS: First, is the term “Preparation.” CCSS are designed to prepare students with the knowledge and skills they need for success after high school. The Standards are specifically designed to link mastery of the CCSS to college- and career readiness. Second, is Competition: The bottom line here is to help ensure our students are globally competitive Third, the CCSS were designed to provide consistent expectations for all – not dependent on a student’s zip code (or disability status) Finally, the CCSS were designed for Collaboration purposes. That is, to create a foundation to work collaboratively across states and districts, pooling resources and expertise (as well as across general education and special education) so that students (and parents and teachers) can better understand what is expected of them.

CCSS – The Why Show video (approximately 3 minutes).

CCSS – A Quick Look Show sample pages from actual CCSS Reading and Math pages.

2. CCSS - Application to Students with Disabilities
Let’s take some time now to talk specifically about how the CCSS specifically apply to students with disabilities.

to Results-Driven Accountability
CCSS Coincides with Other Changes in Special Education at the National Level Transition From Compliance Focus to Results-Driven Accountability Before we discuss application of the CCSS to SWD, it is important to note that these new rigorous CC standards in both English Language Arts and Math do coincide with a call for improved results in special education as the focus moves from compliance with IDEA to results-driven accountability at both the federal and state levels. Both have similar goals – that is, better results for SWD.

CCSS - Application to Students with Disabilities
Supports and related services designed to meet students’ unique needs and enable their access to the general education curriculum; (IDEA 34 CFR §300.34, 2004) In the document Application to Students with Disabilities, the following statement is made: “In order for students with disabilities to meet high academic standards and to fully demonstrate their conceptual and procedural knowledge and skills in mathematics, reading, writing, speaking and listening, their instruction must incorporate supports and accommodations, including: standards indicate that instruction for students with disabilities must incorporate supports and accommodations, including: • supports and related services designed to meet students’ unique needs and enable their access to the general education curriculum; CCSS Language

An IEP that includes annual goals aligned with and chosen to facilitate their attainment of grade-level academic standards; • An IEP that includes annual goals aligned with and chosen to facilitate their attainment of grade-level academic standards; CCSS Language

Teachers and specialized instructional support staff who are prepared and qualified to delivery high-quality, evidence-based, individualized instruction and support services. • Teachers and specialized instructional support staff who are prepared and qualified to delivery high-quality, evidence-based, individualized instruction and support services. Additional supports would be provided as needed, including: - instructional strategies based on the principles of Universal Design for Learning (UDL); and - assistive technology devices and services that enable access to the standards. CCSS Language

Additionally: Instructional strategies based on the principles of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) Accommodations, including changes in materials and/or procedures Additional supports would be provided as needed, including: - instructional strategies based on the principles of Universal Design for Learning (UDL); (which we will talk about later) and - assistive technology devices and services that enable access to the standards. CCSS Language

CCSS – Introduction to English Language Arts Standards
“The Standards should also be read as allowing for the widest possible range of students to participate fully from the outset and as permitting appropriate accommodations to ensure maximum participation of students with special education needs.” The other mention of SWD in the CCSS is in the CCSS introduction to English Language Arts Standards. It states (read above) plus. For example, for students with disabilities, reading should allow for the use of Braille, screen-reader technology, or other assistive devices, while writing should include the use of a scribe, computer, or speech-to-text technology. In a similar vein, speaking and listening should be interpreted broadly to include sign language. CCSS Language

3. CCSS – Benefits and Challenges to Students with Disabilities
So, now that we have more broadly discussed the standards and potential shifts in instruction as a result of the new CCSS, let’s focus our attention on the potential benefits and challenges as they relate to students with disabilities.

High Expectations for ALL Students
The vast majority of students identified as eligible for special education are students without significant intellectual impairments. Rather, they are students who, with specially designed instruction, appropriate access, instructional supports and accommodations as required by IDEA, can meet the same standards for college and career readiness as other students. It is the job of each student’s IEP team to ensure that these students progress through school successfully to be ready for college or career. In addition, research has helped us learn that even students with significant intellectual impairments can do more than we previously believed possible. This is exemplified by a short excerpt from a teacher in a principal’s leadership book with a chapter on the value of high expectations: “My first year, the paperwork I inherited was such a mess that it wasn't until the third week of school that I finally had and was able to read all of my students IEPs. When I read Antoine's goals—“Antoine had proven himself to be a helpful, outgoing student”-- I actually cried. A third grader, Antoine was supposed to learn to recognize and identify the letters of the alphabet and the numbers I cried, because I was afraid of the idea that this might actually be an appropriate goal for him. Luckily, however, I didn't change my opinion that the student I was beginning to know just seemed capable of so much more. By the end of the year, Antoine was performing long addition and subtraction with regrouping and reading on a mid-first grade level. The only thing I should have cried about, in retrospect, is that someone actually put in writing those inexcusably-low goals. Lisa Barrett, Bay Area - Partner, The New Teacher Project Benefit

Research on the Influence of Teacher Expectations: Expectations DO Matter
Teachers’ expectations had a significant impact on the educational achievement of the students. Low expectations for certain cohorts of students were a major factor in their poor academic achievement Students from marginalized groups are more susceptible to teachers’ low expectations and this may serve to further widen the achievement gap when such students accept and confirm teachers’ negative expectations There is a very strong research base that suggests that teachers expectations of performance influence actual performance. Look at study conclusions. Study 1: (Entwisle and Alexander (1988) Study 2: (Pellegrini and Blatchford, 2000, p.169) Study 3: (McKown & Weinstein, 2002; Nichols & Good, 2004).

Research on the Influence of Teacher Expectations: Expectations DO Matter
The Pygmalian Effect: The greater the expectation placed upon people (children), the better they perform. There is a very strong research base that suggests that teachers expectations of performance influence actual performance. Look at study conclusions. Study 1: (Entwisle and Alexander (1988) Study 2: (Pellegrini and Blatchford, 2000, p.169) Study 3: (McKown & Weinstein, 2002; Nichols & Good, 2004).

Aligns with the “Least Dangerous Assumption”
“Assume that they (students with significant disabilities) are competent and able to learn, because to do otherwise would result in harm such as fewer educational opportunities, inferior literacy instruction, a segregated education, and fewer choices as an adult.” In 1984, Anne Donnellan, a respected researcher in special education, wrote about a concept called “Least Dangerous Assumption.” She stated that, “the criterion of least dangerous assumption holds that in the absence of conclusive data, educational decisions ought to be based on assumptions which, if incorrect, will have the least dangerous effect on the likelihood that students will be able to functional independently as adults.” Furthermore, she concluded “we should assume that poor performance is due to instructional inadequacy rather than to student deficits.” In other words, if a student does not do well, the quality of the instruction should be questioned before the student’s ability to learn. Thus, for Donnellan, the least-dangerous assumption when working with students with significant disabilities is to assume that they are competent and able to learn, because to do otherwise would result in harm such as fewer educational opportunities, inferior literacy instruction, a segregated education, and fewer choices as an adult. Benefit

With clear, well-defined content standards, it is possible to better identify appropriate Universal Design for Learning (UDL) tools and accommodations for students with disabilities, both for instruction and for assessments. With clear and specific, teachable, and measurable coherent standards, teacher capacity to adjust teaching for individual needs can occur without losing the content or performance expectations. Using the concept of universal design (which we will talk about in a little bit), teachers can adjust instruction through tiered planning rather than adjust instruction only through accommodations. Research evidence indicators that when accommodations are used solely as the means of adjusting instruction, teachers either over accommodate or students receive different content than intended by the standards. Benefit

CCSS: Potential Benefits
Parents will have a clear and consistent understanding of what their children are expected to know and be able to do. Discuss some of the resources that are available for parents. (click through examples) National PTA organization Council for Great City Schools Engage NY Benefit

Students with Disabilities will be Better Prepared for Career or College Readiness
“Students with disabilities…must be challenged to excel within the general curriculum and be prepared for success in their post-school lives, including college and/or careers.” There are several statements within the CCSS materials related directly to students with disabilities. One statement is made within the Introduction Statement within the ELA standards: “The Standards should be read as allowing for the widest possible range of students to participate fully from the outset and (click) as permitting appropriate accommodations to ensure maximum participation of students with special education needs. For example, for students with disabilities reading should allow for the use of Braille, screen-reader technology, or other assistive devices, while writing should include the use of a scribe, computer, or speech-to-text technology. In a similar vein, speaking and listening should be interpreted broadly to include sign language. Benefit Source: CCSS ELA Introduction page

“College and Career Readiness” Defining “College and Career Readiness”
The acquisition of the knowledge and skills a student needs to enroll and succeed in credit-bearing, first-year courses at a postsecondary institution (such as a two- or four-year college, trade school, or technical school) without the need for remediation. - ACT and adopted by the CCSS Initiative Defining “College and Career Readiness” This slide is a reminder that there are a number of different definitions of “college and career readiness.” The CCSS adopted the ACT of the term as follows: (read slide then click to dissolve text box) Dr. Dave Conley, Director of the Educational Policy and Improvement Center at the University of Oregon, provides a somewhat broader definition of “college and career ready” with his multipart definition that includes the concepts of key content knowledge, key cognitive strategies, key learning skills and techniques, and key transition knowledge and skills. This may be especially appropriate for students with disabilities. The CCSS may target key content knowledge and even key cognitive strategies, but we should not forget, nor should parents forget when sitting at their child’s IEP development meeting, that other readiness skills (sometimes referred to as the soft skills such as organization, time management, self-advocacy) are just as important, especially for students with disabilities. This should be included on the IEP as appropriate. Caution

We’ve talked about the benefits of the CCSS, now let’s take a look at some of the challenges . . .

CCSS English/Language Arts
K Grade 1 Grade 2 Grade 3 Grade 4 Grade 5 Grade 6 Grade 7 Grade 8 High School Foundational Reading Skills (Appendix A) Reading Literature Reading Informational Text Writing Speaking and Listening Language Challenge The CCSS for English/Language Arts include standards for use in reading and writing, or language arts courses, as well as literacy standards in history/social studies, science, and technical subjects. The standards for English language arts describe expertise that students will need to develop in the areas of reading, writing, speaking and listening, and language. You will notice that all standards extend across all grade levels with the exception of foundational reading skills such as phonological awareness, phonics and fluency. Although the Foundational Skills have standards through grade 5, your child may need work on these skills in higher grades as well and should be included on the IEP as warranted. Specific information about the foundational reading skills can be found within Appendix A of the CCSS materials. Now let’s take a closer look at each of these language arts strands.

Staircase of “Text Complexity” Much more informational text
Term to Know: Scaffold Reading Staircase of “Text Complexity” Much more informational text Focus on “close reading” One of the largest challenges for students who struggle with language arts skills, particularly reading, is the increase of text complexity that the CCSS will bring. In fact, an entire standard within the CCSS is focused on students’ ability to read complex text over the school years to the point of college and career readiness. This increase in text complexity can be seen very early on. Let’s take a look at a few of the noteworthy aspects of the reading standards. Authors of the CCSS indicate there is a strong emphasis in the standard on increases in text complexity. In brief, the rationale for this change is that while reading demands in college, workforce training programs, and life in general have held steady or increased over the last half century, research indicates K–12 texts have actually declined in sophistication, and relatively little attention has been paid to students’ ability to read complex texts independently. These conditions have left a serious gap between many high school seniors’ reading ability and the reading requirements they will face after graduation. As a result, a “staircase” of increasing complexity of text can be seen throughout the text. Reflecting the fact that students will read primarily expository texts after high school, the standards call for a much greater emphasis on nonfiction. In fact, authors of the CCSS propose that about half the reading in elementary school and 75 percent in high school should be nonfiction. A frequent topic that is noted throughout the talk of CCSS ELA standards is use of the term “close” reading. A “close” reading is a careful and purposeful reading and rereading. It’s an encounter with the text where students really focus on what the author had to say, what the author’s purpose was, what the words mean, and what the structure of the text tells us. Teachers give them questions - text dependent questions that require that students to go back into the text and search for answers. These aren’t simply recall questions (just the facts of the text) but rather questions that allow students to think about the text, and the author’s purpose, the structure, and the flow of the text. This could cause some difficulties for students with reading disabilities without proper support and scaffolding (explain the meaning of scaffolding to parents). Challenges

New Term: Lexiles Here is a concrete example of increases in text complexity. Adoption of the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) represents the first time that explicit complexity levels have been set for grade-level texts. The Common Core State Standards/English Language Arts uses Lexiles as one measure of text complexity. Parents should be aware that many reading materials will no longer have “grade levels” such as 1.5 or 3.0 listed on the materials. Rather, they will have a lexile level. This illustration by Dr. Elfrieda Hebert depicts the change in previous lexile levels associated with grade-level reading with the new CCSS recommended lexile levels. (point out changes) The Lexile Analyzer, a software program specially designed to evaluate reading demand, analyzes the text’s semantic (word frequency) and syntactic (sentence length) characteristics and assigns it a Lexile measure. Over 60,000 Web sites, 115,000 fiction and nonfiction books, and 80 million articles have Lexile measures rather than grade levels, and these numbers continue to grow.

English Language Arts Standards: Literacy in the Content Areas
Understanding texts in each of these subject areas requires a unique set of knowledge and skills History/Social Studies Science Technical Subjects The English Language Arts Standards are not limited to language arts classes. The Standards also include criteria for literacy in several subject areas including history and social studies, science, and technical subjects. Although teaching literacy in the content areas has been recommended in the past, adoption of the CCSS certainly appears to be push in helping these efforts move a step further with the recognition that understanding texts in each of these subject areas requires a unique set of knowledge and skills. As integrating reading and writing instruction may be a new effort for many content area teachers, particularly at the secondary level, special education teachers can play an important role in helping teachers differentiate instruction and provide access to materials for students with disabilities. Parents should be aware of this new standard and ask for assistance from special education teachers. Challenge

Ask about this at the IEP Meeting
“Students who struggle greatly to read texts within (or even below) their text complexity grade band must be given the support needed to enable them to read at a grade-appropriate level of complexity.” - CCSS Standards Appendix A Ask about this at the IEP Meeting An important note to make is that within the CCSS ELA standards in Appendix A, the CCSS materials call for teachers to provide the support needed them to access grade-appropriate text. In order to develop the ability to read complex texts and engage in academic conversations, students with special needs must have access to such texts and conversations, along with support in engaging with them.

English Language Arts Standards: Writing
Self-Regulated Strategies Development 25 years of research Emphasis on argument as a type of writing Research writing as a focus Many years of research in writing instruction have provided useful writing strategies students can be taught to meet these writing challenges head on! In the area of writing, the Standards put particular emphasis on students’ ability to write sound arguments on substantive topics and issues, as this ability is critical to college and career readiness. Interestingly, the Core Standards group cites theorist and critic Neil Postman who calls argument the soul of an education because argument forces a writer to evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of multiple perspectives. When teachers ask students to consider two or more perspectives on a topic or issue, something far beyond surface knowledge is required: that is, students must think critically and deeply, assess the validity of their own thinking, and anticipate counterclaims in opposition to their own assertions. The importance of considering many perspectives on an issue can be seen throughout our society today. The writing standards also acknowledge the ability to plan, revise, edit, and publish, is applicable to many types of writing, and therefore continues to be a important part of the writing standards. One other area of note is that research standards are seen prominently throughout this strand. The reason for this is that, as explained in the CCSS materials, in just about any profession one pursues, a person will do research, think about what is found, make decisions about complex matters, and then explain those decisions—usually in writing. Although at first this may appear to be a daunting task for students with disabilities, in fact many years of research, particularly by Karen Harris and Steve Graham at Arizona State University, have provided writing strategies students can be taught to meet these standards head on. In particular, Self-Regulated Strategies Development are research-based strategies that be taught to students with special education needs who will need support and scaffolding to meet these writing standards. Graham: 15 minutes a day spent teaching writing 25 minutes a day spent writing (research reports, writing to inform, & persuasive writing infrequent) There is little computer use 67% of teachers indicate their college teacher preparation program was inadequate Teachers use research-based practices infrequently Challenge

CCSS Mathematics K Counting/Cardinality
Grade 1 Grade 2 Grade 3 Grade 4 Grade 5 Grade 6 Grade 7 Grade 8 High School Counting/Cardinality Numbers and Operations in Base 10 Numbers and Operations in Base 10 and Fractions Number System Number and Quantity Ratio and Proportional Relationships Operations and Algebraic Thinking Expressions and Equations Algebra Functions Measurement and Data Statistics and Probability Geometry This country’s math curriculum was defined as “a mile wide and an inch deep.” The new CCSS Math Standards are meant to be a response to that issue. As you will note, the 13 domains or areas for mathematical content are organized by grade level for grades K-8. Notice that there are less categories than in the past. What is different is the depth of understanding required in each one of these broad areas. The high school portion of the Standards for Mathematical Content specifies the mathematics all students should study for college and career readiness. As students move from elementary school through high school some of the Standards for Mathematical Content remain the same. What changes is the way these standards look as students engage with and master new and more advanced mathematical ideas. Parents and students may see the integrated nature of these math domains by changes in the way math courses are named. For example, a high school may move towards replacing courses named Algebra, Geometry and Algebra 2 with courses called Integrated Math 1, 2 and 3.

Mathematics The Language of Mathematics
Demonstrating mathematical understanding including creating a viable argument and critiquing the reasoning of others Procedural skill proficiency On the screen you will note several potential challenges for special education students with the CCSS math standards. One is the amount and type of “mathematics language” required in the standards. As an example of language difficulty, here is one of the anchor standards for math: “Mathematically proficient students understand and use stated assumptions, definitions, and previously established results in constructing arguments. They make conjectures and build a logical progression of statements to explore the truth of their conjectures. They are able to analyze situations by breaking them into cases, and can recognize and use counterexamples. They justify their conclusions, communicate them to others, and respond to the arguments of others.” Other potential challenges include the student have procedural skill proficiency, for example with math facts, and the general complexity of math concepts as students move up in grade levels. Challenges

The Real Challenge for Students with Disabilities
CCSS All students leaving high school college and/or career ready Access, Differentiation and EBP Implementation of the CCSS does not in any way guarantee that students completing secondary school are college and career ready. Standards are an important and necessary component of education reform and rigorous accountability systems. They clearly establish the academic goals for students and help teachers know what is expected of them. What will matter is the quality of instruction, curriculum and the environment in which these standards will be implemented. Substantial professional development will need to take place in order for instructional personnel to become familiar with the standards, implement research-based strategies for meeting these standards, and differentiate instruction for all students, particularly students with disabilities. Getting from here to here.

Standards [and assessments] do not guarantee improved results or increased access and instruction It assumes that assessments and accountability promote interventions and improvements in the quality of instruction, which in turn will produce higher performance. Martha Thurlow, Ph.D. Director, NCEO Testimony before the Unites States Senate, 2010 In a hearing on ESEA Reauthorization Standards and Assessments before a U. S. Senate committee, NCEO Director Martha Thurlow made this statement (read). Her point was that standards and assessments can be improved, but that is no guarantee that the outcomes of students with disabilities will be improved unless the quality of interventions and general instruction improves as well.

Overall Major Issues Related to Students with Special Needs
Balancing the increased proficiency standards with the need for individualized instruction Providing means for students to access the text in the general curriculum Professional knowledge/development for general and special education teachers to meet the needs of students with disabilities One area that the IEP team needs to consider – and an area to think about with parents – is the need to balance access and growth in the increased proficiency standards with the need for individualized instruction that is geared specifically towards a student’s needs This will soon be addressed in our discussion of standards-based IEPs. To reiterate, another major issue will be students’ access to text in all classes and content areas due to the increases in text complexity. This also includes engaging in academic conversations based upon this text. Students with special needs will need support and scaffolding from all teachers to make this happen. Finally, another major issue will be the type of professional development teachers receive (a) about the standards, (b) using evidence-based practices to teach the standards, and (c) differentiating instruction and providing means for students to access all instructional materials in order for students with special needs to meet the new CCSS.

4. CCSS – Overcoming Challenges

How can you help your child overcome these challenges?
Ask school and teachers about Universal Design for Learning Universal Design for Learning Curriculum should from the outset be designed to accommodate all kinds of learners. Let’s take a quick look at some of the strategies that will help special education students overcome the challenges associated with the CCSS. If time, show video on UDL.

This cartoon gets at the heart of UDL. (Read aloud cartoon)
This cartoon gets at the heart of UDL. (Read aloud cartoon). The UDL concept was inspired by the universal design movement in architecture. This movement calls for the design of structures that anticipate the needs of individuals with disabilities and accommodate these needs from the outset. The big lesson from UDL that can be applied to CCSS is that while educators are in the planning phase of providing instruction on the standards, they should be mindful of planning with the concept of universal design and accessibility for all students.

Universal Design for Learning: Guidelines
Provide multiple means of representation Provide multiple means of action and expression Provide multiple means of engagement Universal Design for Learning is an educational approach with three primary principles: Multiple means of representation, means to give diverse learners options for acquiring information and knowledge, Multiple means of action and expression, is defined as providing learners options for demonstrating what they know, Multiple means of engagement, involves utilizing learners' interests, offering appropriate challenges, and increasing motivation. Provide examples of each.

For more information on UDL and Accessible Materials:
aim.cast.org It is wise for parents to have a solid understanding of universal design for learning and how it can be beneficial for their children. Due to time constrains we won’t be able to discuss this topic in depth today. However, there are many materials available from the Center for Applied Special Technology on this topic. (Briefly describe websites).

UDL and Accommodations
Curriculum and assessments designed using the principles of UDL can reduce the need for accommodations. Provision of accommodations is dependent on school personnel Such dependence reduces the likelihood that accommodations will be provided consistently and in accordance with a student’s IEP In addition to UDL, parents and teachers should be selective when determining the accommodations that will best help the student meet CCSS goals. Accommodations (as well as modifications) should be given considerable time and thought based upon a students strengths, challenges, specific situations in specific classes and so on. This should not be the quick 2-minute “box check” at the end of the IEP meeting. A Parent’s Guide to UDL – National Center for Learning Disabilities

Evidence-Based Practices
Term to Know: Evidence-Based Practices How can you help your child overcome these challenges? Ask about the use of Evidence-Based Practices with your child: The quality of access to and instruction of the CCSS comes down to the teacher in the classroom and the system in which he or she teaches. One of the most important questions parents can ask regarding the instruction of their child and CCSS is if the teacher is using evidence-based practices to help their children meet these standards. As previously mentioned, we have solid research on the types of instructional strategies that tend to work well for students with disabilities. Teachers should be using these research-based interventions. Parents should not be afraid to visit classrooms where their children are being taught. If the students are in the regular classroom, they should see the teacher using a number of scaffolding techniques to support their child. Within the special education classroom, teachers should be observed using direct instruction techniques with significant modeling, guided practice, and feedback. The idea is that an increase in instructional intensity should be seen in order to get more “bang for your buck” within the allotted instructional time period.

How can you help your child overcome these challenges?
Ask how the special education teacher and regular education teachers are collaborating around the needs of your child in regard to the CCSS. One of the most important questions parents can ask regarding the instruction of their child and CCSS is if the teacher is using evidence-based practices to help their children meet these standards. As previously mentioned, we have solid research on the types of instructional strategies that tend to work well for students with disabilities. Teachers should be using these research-based interventions. Parents should not be afraid to visit classrooms where their children are being taught. If the students are in the regular classroom, they should see the teacher using a number of scaffolding techniques to support their child. Within the special education classroom, teachers should be observed using direct instruction techniques with significant modeling, guided practice, and feedback. The idea is that an increase in instructional intensity should be seen in order to get more “bang for your buck” within the allotted instructional time period. Interestingly, The Council of the Great City Schools located in Washington DC, the only national organization exclusively representing the needs of urban public schools, recommends that school districts develop a 3-to-5 year professional development plan to deliver high-quality and ongoing training to enhance the skills needed by principals and teachers to successfully implement a universally-designed, multi-tiered system to help attain mastery of the CCSS.

5. CCSS – Standards-Based IEPs
An IEP that is framed by the state standards and contains annual goals aligned with, and chosen to facilitate the student’s achievement of, state grade-level academic standards. Explain the definition of Standards-Based IEP and its relationship to the CCSS.

IEPs and the CCSS Standards-based IEPs have been required for more than 10 years. CCSS is expected to accelerate this movement. The real issue is how to meld special education’s promise of individualized instruction with the common standards that all students should strive to meet. The standards-based IEP movement got reinforced from the federal government after the 1997 reauthorization of IDEA. This was the first time access to the general curriculum was a mandated goal for students with disabilities. NCLB, passed in 2001, and reauthorization of IDEA in 2004 reinforced the idea that children with disabilities should be exposed to the general education curriculum to the greatest extent possible. Now, adoption of the CCSS is expected to accelerate this movement. There has been much discussion around tying IEPs to the Common Core A standards-based IEP includes goals that relate to and promote learning of the CCSS. A standards-based IEP does not try to include a goal for every state standard in every content area This would result in a very long document! Instead, it provides goals for the strategies students need to develop in order to learn the general curriculum content The seeming quandary is how to bring together special education’s commitment of individualized instruction with the goal of students acquiring the common standards. There are differences of opinion in the academic community around this issue.

IEP Shift – Traditional Practice
Assess the Student Determine Needs and PLAAFP Develop Annual Goals Creating a standards-based IEP will require a paradigm shift in the way IEPs have been traditionally developed. Discuss traditional development as shown on the screen. Modified from Bar-Lev & Van Haren, UW Oshkosh Planting the Seeds of Inclusion Conference

IEP Shift – IEP/CCSS Practice
Identify Standards for ALL students at student’s grade level. Assess where student is functioning with regard to standards. Determine disability-related needs that prevent success. Develop annual goals to meet these needs. A new way of thinking about standards-based IEP’s is seen on this slide. (Discuss each step and as well as major differences from the previous cycle). Modified from Bar-Lev & Van Haren, UW Oshkosh Planting the Seeds of Inclusion Conference

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

IEPs and the Common Core
Standards-based IEPs are not intended to cover every possible educational goal for a student or eliminate any functional training students may require The team picks the “biggies” – powerful enough to cover a range of skills. Goals should be individualized relative to a student’s specific strengths and needs as demonstrated by student data Reiterate the fact that standards-based IEPs are not intended to cover all possible CCSS goals. The team should focus on goals that have the potential to cover a wide range of skills that the student needs to develop. (click) Dr. Diane Browder, Special Education Professor at the University of North Caroline at Charlotte, is one expert who has been working on connecting instruction for special education students to the CCSS and developing standards-based IEPs – particularly for students with moderate and severe disabilities. She has created a number of resources on this topic. Her article, Solving the Common Core Equation: Teaching Mathematics CCSS to Students With Moderate and Severe Disabilities provides an excellent real-life example of how this can be done that both teachers and parents may find interesting and useful. This article appeared in the January/February 2013 edition of Teaching Exceptional Children.

Powell, Fuchs, & Fuchs, 2013 One Example of Alignment for IEP Goals
3.NBT: Use place value understanding and properties of operations to perform multi-digit arithmetic 3.NBT: Multiply 1-digit whole numbers by multiples of 10 3.NBT: Fluently add and subtract within 1000 3.OA: Multiply and divide within 100 2.Work with equal groups to understand multiplication 1.NBT & 2.NBT: Use place value to add and subtract 2.OA: Represent and solve problems using addition and subtraction 3.NBT: Use place value to round whole numbers to nearest 10 or 100 Climbing a mountain as an analogy for establishing proficiency with foundational skills for a specific CC Standard. Show how an IEP team could go about picking appropriate goals relative to a CCSS Standard. 1.OA & 2.OA: Add and subtract within 20 1.NBT & 2.NBT: Understand place value 1.NBT: Extend the counting sequence Powell, Fuchs, & Fuchs, 2013

6. CCSS – Assessments CCSS-Aligned Assessments
PARCC (Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers) Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium Now let’s talk briefly about assessments that are aligned with the CCSS. • Two Comprehensive Assessment Consortia: the Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC) and the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium (Smarter Balanced); Oregon belongs to the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium.

Problem Solving & Data Analysis Communicating Reasoning
English Language Arts Mathematics # Subject Area 1 Reading Concepts & Procedures 2 Writing Problem Solving & Data Analysis 3 Speaking/Listening Communicating Reasoning 4 Research Total Composite The Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium (Smarter Balanced) is a state-led consortium working to develop next-generation assessments that accurately measure student progress toward college- and career-readiness. The consortium currently has 26 members and covers Region 6 states. Smarter Balanced states it aligns directly with CCSS and is guided by the belief that a high-quality assessment system can provide tools for teachers and schools to improve instruction and help students succeed regardless of disability, language or subgroup. Smarter-Balanced ensures coverage of the full range of ELA/literacy and mathematics standards and breadth of achievement levels by combining a variety of item types (e.g., selected-response, constructed response, and technology-enhanced) and performance tasks, which require application of knowledge and skills.

Uses Computer-Adaptive Testing
Typical Testing Approach Curriculum Adaptive Testing Describe how Computer-Adaptive Testing is different from traditional methods of testing. Start

Reading Language Arts Let’s take a quick look at some sample test items from the Smarter-Balanced test. There are practice tests available on the SB website if you would like to see more test items. These are at the third grade level. We’ll talk about possible accommodations in just a couple of minutes. Some items will look like a typical multiple choice question as seen on the screen.

Reading Language Arts Other items will ask students to provide short answers which will be typed onto the screen.

Mathematics Math items at a third grade level. Application of math skills is a current theme as shown with this item.

Mathematics Built in supports such as seen here are options for students. A teacher can program these supports onto the master computer for all or individual students.

Performance Tasks Performance tasks measure a student’s ability to integrate knowledge and skills across multiple standards—a key component of college and career readiness. Performance tasks will be used to better measure capacities such as depth of understanding, research skills, and complex analysis. Show Lemonade Stand example.

Every special educator in the state should become familiar with the Usability, Accessibility, and Accommodations Guidelines document developed by the Smarter Balanced member states in order to guide the selection and administration of universal tools, designated supports, and accommodations for each special education student. It would be helpful for parents to become familiar with these guidelines as well. This can be easily downloaded from the SM website.

Key Point: A state can only make available to students the universal tools, designated supports, and accommodations that are included in the Smarter Balanced Guidelines. Every special educator in the state should become familiar with the Usability, Accessibility, and Accommodations Guidelines document developed by the Smarter Balanced member states in order to guide the selection and administration of universal tools, designated supports, and accommodations for each special education student.

Language from Smarter-Balanced
States may issue temporary approvals for individual unique student accommodations. State leads will evaluate formal requests for unique accommodations and determine whether or not the request poses a “threat” to the measurement of the construct. State will send documentation of the approval to the Consortium. Every special educator in the state should become familiar with the Usability, Accessibility, and Accommodations Guidelines document developed by the Smarter Balanced member states in order to guide the selection and administration of universal tools, designated supports, and accommodations for each special education student.

Universal Tools Language from Smarter-Balanced Embedded Breaks, Calculator, Digital Notepad, English Dictionary, English Glossary, Expandable Passages, Global Notes, Highlighter, Keyboard Navigation, Mark for Review, Math Tools, Spell Check, Strikethrough, Writing Tools, Zoom Designated Supports Embedded Color Contrast, Masking, Text-to-speech, Translated Test Directions, Translations (Glossary), Translations (Stacked), Turn off Any Universal Tools Accommodations Embedded American Sign Language, Braille, Closed Captioning, Text-to-Speech Non-embedded Bilingual Dictionary, Color Contrast, Color Overlay, Magnification, Read Aloud, Scribe, Separate Setting, Translation (Glossary) This will take a lot of work training students to use these tools. Universal tools are access features of the assessment that are either provided as digitally-delivered components of the test administration system or separate from it. Universal tools are available to all students based on student preference and selection. Designated supports for the Smarter Balanced assessments are those features that are available for use by any student for whom the need has been indicated by an educator (or team of educators with parent/guardian and student). Designated supports need to be identified prior to assessment administration. Embedded and non-embedded supports must be entered into the Test Information Distribution Engine. Any non-embedded designated supports must be acquired prior to testing. Accommodations are changes in procedures or materials that increase equitable access during the Smarter Balanced assessments. Assessment accommodations generate valid assessment results for students who need them; they allow these students to show what they know and can do. SmarterBalanced states have identified digitally-embedded and non-embedded accommodations for students for whom there is documentation of the need for the accommodations on an Individualized Education Program (IEP) or 504 accommodation plan. Non-embedded Breaks, English Dictionary, Scratch Paper, Thesaurus Non-embedded Abacus, Alternate Response Options, Calculator, Multiplication Table, Print on Demand, Read Aloud, Scribe, Speech-to-text

Note that . . . “A student’s parent/guardian should know about the availability of specific accommodations through a parent/guardian report. This would ensure that parents/guardians are aware of the conditions under which their child participated in the assessment.”

CCSS and Alternate Assessments
Dynamic Learning Maps Alternate Assessment National Center and State Collaborative Partnership There are two consortia building alternate assessments aligned with the CCSS. These include Dynamic Learning Maps and the National Center and State Collaborative (NCSC). Oregon is current aligned with the NCSC. ODE is currently working on decisions around the alternate assessment.

Other Potential Questions for Parents to Ask IEP Team Members at the School Level
Have all of your staff members had the opportunity to become knowledgeable about the CCSS? Has your staff received professional development on Universal Design for Learning? Does the staff have time for collaboration around UDL and how to plan access for my child (planning access during lesson design rather than relying simply on accommodations and modifications after the fact)? What type of technology would be beneficial for my child accessing the CCSS? As time permit, discuss other ways parents can be involved with helping their children work successfully with the CCSS. Other potential questions parents should be asking members of the IEP team are on the screen. Solicit questions as time permits.

Questions? Q & A session for the last 20 minutes.

Thank You. Elizabeth Jankowski, M.S. Ed. Western Regional Resource Center University of Oregon

Common Core State Standards and Students with Disabilities Elizabeth Jankowski Western Regional Resource Center University of Oregon Introductions.

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Common Core State Standards and Students with Disabilities Elizabeth Jankowski Western Regional Resource Center University of Oregon Introductions.

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