The Impact of the Common Core Standards on Special Education El Dorado County Special Education Local Plan Area

The Impact of the Common Core

Standards on Special Education

El Dorado County Special Education Local Plan Area

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El Dorado County Charter SELPA Value Statement

El Dorado County SELPA

Raising Expectations

Every child deserves a high-quality education that will prepare them to compete in the global marketplace. No matter a student’s background, it is the responsibility of our schools to ensure that they are given the chance to succeed. In order to do so, we must set high expectations for all. Many states are using the Common Core State Standards as benchmarks to do just that.

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What Is the Common Core?

A set of internationally-benchmarked K-12 standards in English Language Arts and Mathematics that will provide a clear and consistent framework to prepare our students for college and the workplace.

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Why Do We Need Common Standards?

Low Levels of Rigor• Current standards feature large

amounts of knowledge and recall learning targets

• Under-developing critical thinking abilities

• Disadvantaged in college and the workplace

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Lack of Clarity• “Write for a variety of purposes.”

• “Respond to variety of literary and

informational texts”

• “Competently use money.”

Are these standards clear to teachers, students, and parents?

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Inconsistencies• Different states set different learning targets

• Different districts set different learning targets

• Different classrooms learning different topics

We must expect high achievement from all students in all classrooms.

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Results of Inconsistencies

• States requiring different content

• Cut scores for proficiency vary by state

• Students being taught and assessed at different levels of rigor based on location

• Students who move may be far ahead or far behind

• Large groups of students are disadvantaged in the national and global economies

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Barriers to Collaboration• Educators are not working from the same

blueprints

• Chilling effect on the sharing of best practices

• Curricular materials not applicable to all places

• This creates an insular education community where everyone is doing the same work over and over again

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How are Common Core Standards Better for Educators?

Increased collaboration amongst educators

Everyone working from

the same blueprint

Promote and simplify

sharing best practices

Unity of student

expectations amongst

educators and states

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How are Common Core Standards Better for Students?

Increased complexity of

texts

Focus on foundational

math skills and application in

real-world situations

A return to depth as

opposed to breadth

Increased focus on justifying and

presenting results and methods

Critical reading and writing

infused in all curricular areas

Re-ordering of math content to reflect research-

based path to college and

career readiness

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Common Core Standards Are Based on Depth of Knowledge

(DOK)• Recall and Reproduction

• Recall of fact, information, procedure

Level 1

• Skills and Concepts• Use information, conceptual knowledge,

procedures, two or more steps, etc.

Level 2

• Strategic Thinking• Requires reasoning, developing a plan or

sequence of steps; has complexity; more than one possible answer

Level 3

• Extended Thinking• Requires an investigation; time to think and

process multiple conditions of the problem or task

Level 4

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Depth of KnowledgeWhich Level?

Explain, generalize, or connect ideas, using supporting evidence from the text or from other sources.

Predict a logical outcome based on information in a reading selection.

Identify or describe character, setting, or sequence of events.

Gather, analyze, organize, and interpret information from multiple (print and non-print) sources for the purpose of drafting a reasoned report.

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Domains v. Strands

4 Domains1997 CA Standards

Reading(Includes vocabulary)

Writing

Written and Oral Language Conventions

Listening and Speaking

4 Strands2010 Common Core

Reading

Writing

Language(Includes vocabulary)

Speaking and Listening

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Two Types of Math Standards

Standards for Mathematical Content:• Vary at each grade level• Skills and understandings students will

learn

Standards for Mathematical Practice (SMP)• Identified across all grade levels (K-12)• Processes and proficiencies that students

show when engaged in mathematics

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Eight Standards for Mathematical Practice

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ELA Standards

• The CCR (Career and College Readiness) standards anchor the document and define general, cross-disciplinary literacy expectations that must be met for students to be prepared to enter college and workforce training programs ready to succeed.

• The K–12 grade-specific standards define end-of-year expectations and a cumulative progression designed to enable students to meet college and career readiness expectations no later than the end of high school.

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Sample Standards: Comparison for ELA: 3rd grade reading – Standards

for Literature

1997 California Standard3.3 Determine

what characters are like by what they say or do and by how the

author or illustrator

portrays them.

Common Core Standard

3. Describe characters in a story (e.g. their

traits, motivations, or feelings) and

explain how their actions contribute to the sequence

of events

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Sample Standards Comparison for ELA: 7th grade reading

1997 California Standard3.4 Identify and

analyze recurring themes across works ( e.g. the

value of bravery, loyalty, and

friendship; the effects of

loneliness).

Common Core Standard2. Determine a

theme or central idea of a text and

analyze its development over the course of the text; provide an

objective summary of the

text.

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Students with Disabilities: Current Practices

• Many IEP team discussions center on identifying a child’s current skills as well as the next developmental skills

• The developmental skills are often not related to the academic, behavior or functional learning expectation for other students of the same grade level

• This results in two parallel curricula for the child - one in special education and one in regular education

• End result is a parallel curricula for the child: one in special education and one in general education

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The Paradigm Shift

Changing the focal point of the IEP

• Identifying the standards 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 the standards

• Developing annual goals to address these needs

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The Common Core and Students with Disabilities

Special Educators need to be involved in developing curriculum and benchmarks.

• Special Educators should attend general education professional development

• General Education colleagues should receive professional development on:• Curricular adaptations• Universal design for learning • Grade level materials

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El Dorado County Charter SELPA

Five Key Elements to Support Students with Disabilities

Ownership High Expectations

Intervention Systems

Inclusion and/or

Collaborative Teaching

Organization and

Professional Development

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Where Is Special Education Going?


Moving away from Compliance

Results-Driven

Accountability

Moving away from

Compliant-only IEP

IEP that can produce Results

General Education

Special Education

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Common Core State Standards specify K-12 expectations for college and career readiness

All students leave high

school college and career

ready


The Challenge for Students with

DisabilitiesHow do we get from here? To here?

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Knowing Our Areas of Expertise

Standards are the “What”Standards are the overall goal we want our students

achieve

Curriculum is the “How”Curriculum is the individual teaching methodology

used in the classroom

General educators are content experts.Special educators are experts at

adapting the curriculum.

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• Removes or minimizes barriers to educational access for all students

•Meets the needs of the greatest number of students, sometimes making adaptations for individuals unnecessary

• Takes into account individual learning differences

Universal Design for Learning (UDL)From the California Accommodations Guide (draft) 2010


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The UDL framework is grounded in 3 principles:

• Multiple means of representation – using a variety of methods to present information, provide a range of means to support

• Multiple means of action and expression – providing learners with alternative ways to act skillfully and demonstrate what they know

• Multiple means of engagement – tapping into learners’ interests by offering choices of content and tools; motivating learners by offering adjustable levels of challenge


Universal Design for Learning

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How Can Students Benefit from UDL?

Emphasis on flexible

curriculum

Variety of instructional

practices, materials, and

learning activities

All students benefit from the

multifaceted ways content is

presented, including options for demonstrating what they know

UDL helps educators meet the challenge of

serving those with special needs while enhancing

learning for all

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Use a variety of materials Provide cognitive supports Teach to a variety of learning styles

Provide flexible opportunities

(Rose & Meyer, 2002):


How Can Educators Incorporate UDL?

Curricular Adaptations

Curricular adaptations are changes permissible in educational environments which allow the student equal opportunity to obtain access, results, benefits, and levels of achievement. These adaptations consist of both accommodations and modifications

. (Diana Browning Wright, Teaching & Learning 2003)El Dorado County Charter SELPA

Adaptations Accommodations Modifications

Do fundamentally alter or lower expectations or

standards in instructional level,

content orperformance criteria.

Changes are made to provide student meaningful and

productive learning experiences based on individual needs and

abilities.

Grading is different.

Do not fundamentally alter or lower expectations or

standards in instructional level, content or

performance criteria.

Changes are made in order to

provide equalaccess to learning

and equal opportunity to

demonstrate what is known.

Grading is the same.


Nine Types of AdaptationsQuantity* Time* Level of Support*

Input*

Alternate Goals

Difficulty

Participation*

Output*

Substitute Curriculum

Adapt the way instruction is delivered to the learner.

For example:Use different visual aids, enlarge text, plan more concrete examples, provide hands-on activities, place students in cooperative groups, pre-teach key concepts or terms before the lesson

Adapt the number of items that the learner is expected to learn or complete.

For example:Reduce the number of social studies terms a learner must learn at any one time. Add more activities or worksheets.

Adapt the time allotted and allowed for learning, task completion, or testing.

For example:Individualize a timeline for completing a task; pace learning differently (increase or decrease) for some learners.

Increase the amount of personal assistance to keep the student on task or to reinforce or prompt use of specific skills. Enhance adult-student relationships; use physical space and environmental structure.

For example:Assign peer buddies, teaching assistants, peer tutors, or cross age tutors.

Adapt the skill level, problem type, or the rules on how the learner may approach the work.

For example:Allow the use of a calculator to figure math problems; simplify task directions; change rules to accommodate learner needs.

Adapt how the student can respond to instruction.

For example:Instead of answering questions in writing, allow a verbal response, use a communication book for some students, allow students to show knowledge with hands on materials.

Adapt the extent to which a learner is actively involved in the task.

For example:A student who has difficulty presenting in front of a class could be given the option of presenting to just the teacher.

Adapt the goals or outcome expectations while using the same materials. When routinely utilized, this is only for students with moderate to severe disabilities.

For example:In social studies, expect a student to be able to locate the colors of the states on a map, while other students learn to locate each state and name each capital.

Provide different instruction and materials to meet a learner’s individual goals. When routinely utilized, this is only for students with moderate to severe disabilities.

For example:During a math test, a student is working on an eye-hand coordination activity.

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As you watch the video, think about:• What Standards for Mathematical

practice do you observe• Challenges for students with disabilities• Adaptations that might allow students

with disabilities to better access the lesson

• Advantages for students with disabilities


Math Video

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Eight Standards for Mathematical Practice

Make sense of problems and persevere in solving them.

Reason abstractly and quantitatively.

Construct viable arguments and critique the reasoning of

others.

Model with mathematics.

Use appropriate tools strategically.

Attend to precision.

Look for and make use of structure.

Look for and express regularity in repeated

reasoning.

Working Towards Grade-level Standards

Determine which areas of need will have the greatest impact on the student’s ability to access grade level standards.

What levels of understanding are expected at the next grade level standards as compared to the current?

Which standards are still barriers to the student’s progress toward age-appropriate grade-level standards?


“Trellis” or “Scaffold” Grade Level Standards

Trellising or scaffolding refers to a process designed to support students who are functioning below grade-level standards. This process cannot be accomplished

without comprehensive assessment.Consider the student’s current grade-level

standard first. If that standard is too high based on assessment, then trellis or scaffold down one grade level.


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Tools for Scaffolding Common Core Math Standards

• Corestandards.org/math – Standards by Domain

• http://myboe.org/portal/default/Content/Viewer/Content?action=2&scId=306589&sciId=10352- Interactive Standards Chart

• http://ime.math.arizona.edu/progressions/ - University of Arizona progression documents


http://ime.math.arizona.edu/progressions/

http://ime.math.arizona.edu/progressions/

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Tools for Scaffolding Common Core ELA Standards

Standards themselves are scaffolded:

Reading Standards for Informational Text: Key Ideas and Details

Grade 5: Quote accurately from a text when explaining what the text says explicitly ad when drawing inferences from the text.

Grade 4: Refer to details and examples in a text when explaining what the text says explicitly and when drawing inferences from the text.

Grade 3: Ask and answer questions to demonstrate understanding of a text, referring explicitly to the text as the basis for the answers.

Grade 2: Ask and answer questions such as who, what, where, when, why, and how to demonstrate understanding of key details in a text.

Grade 1: Ask and answer questions about key details in a text.

Kindergarten: With prompting, ask and answer questions about key details in a text. El Dorado County Charter SELPA

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What About Students with Moderate to Severe Disabilities?

Resources are being developed that will support teachers and IEP teams to design and implement

instruction that addresses content and skill expectations aligned to

the CCSS, as well as to help prepare these students for

postsecondary life.

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Instructional Resource Guide

Provides quick reference and guidance for teachers regarding evidence-based prompting and instructional strategies to be used to teach students with significant disabilities

• Serves as a companion document to the MASSIs (Math Activities with Scripted Systematic Instruction) and LASSIs (Language Arts Scripted Systematic Instruction)

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Common Content Connectors (CCCs)

• Identify the most salient grade-level, core academic content in ELA and mathematics found in both the CCSS;

• Illustrate the necessary knowledge and skills in order to reach the learning targets within the CCSS;

• Focus on the core content, knowledge and skills needed at each grade to promote success at the next; and

• Identify priorities in each content area to guide the instruction for students in this population and for the alternate assessment.

Common Core State Standards

MACC.8.G.A.1-4(Math Common Core, 8th grade Geometry standards 1-4)

Understand that a two-dimensional figure is similar to another if the second can be obtained from the first by a sequence of rotations, reflections, translations, and dilations; given two similar two dimensional figures, describe a sequence that exhibits the similarity between them.

Recognize congruent and similar figures.

Describe the changes in surface area, area, and volume when the figure is changed in some way (e.g., scale drawings).

Compare area and volume of similar figures.

Core Content Connectors

(CCC)

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Element Cards

• Help educators target instruction in multiple settings by promoting teacher understanding of and student movement towards the Common Core State Standards Contain one (or more) CCCs from a specific Instructional Family;

• Include the related Progress Indicator from the Learning Progressions Framework (LPF);

• Provide essential understandings that include challenging and attainable content that is measureable and observable for use in instruction and in assessment;

• Provide suggested instructional strategies to teach the specific concepts and skills of the CCC; and

• Provide suggested supports and scaffolds for students to be able to demonstrate what they know and can do.


Element Cards Nomenclature used to identify the CCC and statement of the grade-

specific CCC

CCSS Topic

Specific skills and concepts related to

the Learning Targets in the LPF

The Common Core Standard to which the CCC is based Concepts and skills

essential to entering the

content described in the CCC at grade level.

Suggested evidenced-based

strategies supporting

instruction are varying levels of

challenge

Suggested tools and materials to

promote understanding of and engagement with the concepts

Necessary to engage

successfully with the content

identified in the CCC

Representational-based learning of

concepts and skills using symbols

Big ideas and related

instructional concepts denoting

a curricular emphasis


• Provides guidance for teaching the CCSS to students with the most significant cognitive disabilities;

• Provides examples for differentiating instruction for a wide range of students in multiple grade levels; and

• Delineates the necessary skills and knowledge students need to acquire/mastery the content.

Curriculum Resource Guide


Curriculum Resource Guide

Offers examples of how the content is taught in general education, ideas for real life use, examples of universal design for learning, and ways to promote college and career readiness.

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How Do We Know It’s Working?

Elements of Smarter Balanced Assessment:

• Computer-based

• Computer-adaptive testing (CAT)

• Researched-based

• Access by Design (consideration of accessibility needs during item and task development)


El Dorado County SELPA48

Conceptual Model

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Smarter Balanced Assessment

Digital Accessibility:

• Design and development of items ensuring access for all students (items presented in different forms: Braille, print, auditory)

• Changes in presentation (font, magnification, color contrasts)

• Array of options for student responses (standard mouse, alternative mouse, switch, eye gaze device, etc)


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An Alternate Assessment is Being DevelopedBroad dissemination will occur in 2015The assessment will be linked to clear learning

outcomes and defensible assessment resultsThe assessment will complement the Common Core

State AssessmentsThe assessment will be appropriate for

approximately 1% of students


How Do We Assess Our Students with Significant

Cognitive Disabilities?

The National Center and State Collaborative (NCSC) is developing alternate assessments based on alternate achievement standards

(AA‐AAS) to develop a multi‐state comprehensive assessment system for students with significant cognitive disabilities. California is a

member of this. http://www.ncscpartners.org/about

http://www.ncscpartners.org/about



Conclusion


All of us do not have equal talent, but all of us should have an equal opportunity

to develop our talent.

-John F. Kennedy

Documents

The Impact of the Common Core Standards on Special Education El Dorado County Special Education Local Plan Area