Writing Standards- Based IEPs

Ground Rules Be courteous. Take care of your needs. Questions on sticky notes Please do not write on colored paper. (You will get these later.) Choose the following at your table: Recorder Reporter

Standards-Based IEPs Day 1 Overview of Standards-Based IEPs Student Profile Summary Determining Needs Day 2 Standards Present Level of Performance Impact Statement Day 3 Measurable Annual Goals Objectives Evaluation Progress Putting it all together

What is the purpose of an IEP? To reduce barriers created by the student’s disability Physical Disability Hearing Impairment Specific Learning Disability Intellectual Disability

The I in IEP

IEP Development: a GPS  You…  Know where you want to go  Enter data about where you are  Create a map  Adjust to opportunities/barriers  Arrive and choose a new long-term goal

Assumptions Good IEPs are  Reasonably calculated to result in educational benefit  Connected to state standards as a fundamental component to educational benefit

Assumptions Good IEPs are  Dependent upon knowledge of curriculum/effective practice  Not an isolated event  Consistent with regulations

Why Standards Based IEP’s?

Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) Added accountability by requiring demonstrated progress on state standards Required all students to be assessed on enrolled grade level content standards All includes students with disabilities All includes students taking alternate assessments

How ESEA and IDEA Align Successful educational outcomes for all students Statewide assessment accountability for all students Consequences for not assessing all students Access to the general curriculum is essential to closing the achievement gap and achieving AYP goals

What does IDEA say? With a partner, read and discuss the section of the regulations that will be given to you. How would you explain this information to parents? Why is this information important to teachers? What type of student data do you need in order to address this part of the regulations? Be prepared to share with the group.

Specially designed instruction- adapting, as appropriate to the needs of an eligible child…the content methodology or delivery of instruction to-  address the unique needs of the child that result from the child’s disability; and  To ensure access of the child to the general curriculum so that the child can meet the educational standards within the jurisdiction of the public agency that apply to all children. 34 CFR (b)(3)(i); 34 CFR (b) (3) (ii) Arkansas Regulations 2.72

Present Level of Academic Achievement and Functional Performance “…must include a statement of present levels of academic and functional performance…how the child’s disability affects the child’s involvement and progress in the general education curriculum… 34 CFR (a)(1)(i)(A) Arkansas Regulations

Measurable Annual Goals A statement of measurable annual goals… to meet the child's needs… to enable the child to be involved in and make progress in the general education curriculum. 34 CFR (a)(2)(i)(A) Arkansas Regulations

Standards Drive Curriculum  Provide instructional accountability  Drive general education content instruction  Support instruction in the least restrictive environment  Define the expectations of all students  Create a structure for linking the IEP to the general curriculum

Connecting IEPs to Standards… Does not mean –  Writing goals that restate the standards  Using the academic standards alone to determine goals  Assuming that every student will work only on grade level content

Connecting IEPs to Standards… Does mean –  Referring to standards to determine expectations at grade level  Using the standards as a guide to determine what is important for the student to learn or be able to do  Conducting an analysis to determine gap between grade expectations and current skills/knowledge

General Steps: 1. Consider the grade-level content standards  Discuss expected knowledge and skills  Examine benchmarks since standards are end-of- year expectations  Consider prerequisite knowledge and skills 2. Examine student data to determine where student is in relation to grade-level standards  Compare expectations with student’s current instructional level  Gap Analysis

General Steps: 1. Consider the grade-level content standards 2. Examine student data to determine where student is in relation to grade-level standards

Ready means never if we continuously focus on the lowest-level skills. Margaret McLaughlin, 2009

What do you know about Student Profile Summary Present Level of Performance Impact Statement Annual Measurable Goals

What do we need for IEP development? Parental Participation and Concerns Student Profile Summary Standard Present Level of Performance (Strengths, Needs, and Data Sources) Impact Statement Measurable Annual Goal

Parental Participation Share at your table ways that you ensure parents are active participants in the IEP process.

Parental Participation and Concerns Parents are key committee members for identifying Student strengths Growth Progress on goals Successes at home Challenges at home

Student Profile Paints a verbal picture of the students academically, functionally, socially, behaviorally. Student Profile Paints a verbal picture of the students academically, functionally, socially, behaviorally. Standard Area of need for the student Standard Area of need for the student Present Level of Performance The areas of strengths & needs pertaining to the identified standard Present Level of Performance The areas of strengths & needs pertaining to the identified standard Impact Statement How the stated needs keep the student from reaching the standard selected Impact Statement How the stated needs keep the student from reaching the standard selected Annual Goal

Student Profile Paints a verbal picture of the students academically, functionally, socially, behaviorally. Student Profile Paints a verbal picture of the students academically, functionally, socially, behaviorally. Standard Present Level of Performance Impact Statement Annual Goal

What we need to know about Student Profile Summary The BIG picture of the student’s functioning in all areas Written so that a stranger reading the summary should feel as if he knows the student Created using input from student, parents, teachers A list of test scores A restatement of the psychological evaluation report

What we need to know about Student Profile Summary Strengths and needs across the curriculum, including accommodations and learning styles Status of prior IEP goals Based on data, both quantitative and qualitative. Filled with acronyms Impossible (or even difficult) for the parent to understand.

What we need to know about Arkansas Standards Are to be used when creating goals for students with disabilities Should be used for at least one academic goal for every student with an IEP Are not the same as the Student Learning Expectations (SLEs) from the old Arkansas Frameworks

What we need to know about Present Level of Performance Should be the student’s level of performance in relation to the chosen standard Should include strengths, needs, and data sources related to the chosen standard Should not list the student’s strengths and needs in all academic areas Should not be copied and pasted from the profile

What we need to know about Present Level of Performance Should be easy for a parent or general education teacher to understand. Should not be copied from the psychological evaluation Should not be a list of test scores Should not include multiple acronyms

Describes the barriers the student encounters related to his or her disability. Describes the barriers the student encounters in reaching the chosen standard. Does not provide a definition of the student’s disability Does not state how the disability impacts the student’s performance in all areas Is not copied and pasted from one goal page to another. What we need to know about Impact Statements

What we need to know about Measurable Annual Goals Is created after analyzing the gap between the grade level expectation and the student’s current skill level Is a small piece of the student’s needs Is based on what is critically needed for the student to reach grade level expectations. Requires that the creators of the IEP know and understand the standards Is not a restatement of the standard Does not assume that every student will work only on grade-level content

Measurable Annual Goals Measurable goals contain 4 critical components: Timeframe Conditions Behavior Criterion 123

Activity As a group, write something that you learned about each of the following on a light bulb: Student Profile Summary Present Level of Performance Impact Statement Measurable Annual Goal Be prepared to share.

What have we learned so far? The Student Summary Profile paints the big picture of the student. The standards are chosen from the needs that become apparent through the Student Profile Summary. The Present Level of Performance details strengths, needs, and data sources pertaining to the chosen standard.

What have we learned so far? The Impact Statement explains the barriers the disability creates related to the chosen standard for the goal. The Measurable Annual Goal is designed to help bridge the gap from the present level of performance to the grade-level standard.

Student Profile Needs Standard Present Level & Impact Statement Gap Goals Evaluate Close the Gap!

STUDENT PROFILE SUMMARY

Student Profile Paints a verbal picture of the students academically, functionally, socially, behaviorally. Student Profile Paints a verbal picture of the students academically, functionally, socially, behaviorally. Standard Area of need for the student Standard Area of need for the student Present Level of Performance The areas of strengths & needs pertaining to the identified standard Present Level of Performance The areas of strengths & needs pertaining to the identified standard Impact Statement How the stated needs keep the student from reaching the standard selected Impact Statement How the stated needs keep the student from reaching the standard selected Annual Goal

Student Profile The profile should include general statements regarding overall:  Strengths  Needs  Assessment/Evaluation  Status of prior IEP goals  Teacher/Parent/Student input  Transition needs (at least by age 16)

Student Profile

Student Profiles could include: Student’s response to:  Learning strategies  Accommodations  Interventions  Classroom instruction Ask… “What have we learned about this student’s skills and knowledge?” Must be based on data.

Consider the Whole Child

Data Sources

Data Sources for Profile Summary Data Office Referrals Attendance Records Teacher Made Tests Work Samples PARCC Scores or other Standardized Testing Parent Input Rating Scales Medical Records Videos and Photographs Vocational Training Observation Notes Checklists Data from Outside Sources Interim Assessments Transition Assessment

Student Profile: Beginning Steps Locate the handout Student Description: Larry From the list of information, create a mental picture of Larry: What are his strengths? What are his needs? What do you know about his social skills and his personality? What information do you feel is missing? Share at your table.

Student Profile: Beginning Steps Look at the example of the student profile for Larry Do you see strengths? Do you see needs (the barriers that keep him from reaching grade-level expectations)? What else do you know about Larry? What else would you like to know about Larry?

Student Profile: Karen Locate the handout Student Description: Karen Shaw From the list of information, create a mental picture of Karen: What are her strengths? What are her needs? What do you know about her social skills and her personality? What information do you feel is missing? Share at your table.

Karen’s Student Profile Summary With a partner, write a student profile summary for Karen. You are creating the Big Picture. Create a summary that enables a stranger to understand Karen’s progress, strengths, and needs.

Consider the Whole Child

Student Profile: Jerome Read the information about Jerome. Write Jerome’s Student Profile Summary. Compare with this profile written about Jerome. What have you learned about creating Student Profile Summaries?

Three Student Profiles What do you know? Are there pieces missing? How can this profile be improved? Jeremy Jane Sam

Transition

Stop and Process What are the components of a well-written Student Profile Summary? Why is it important that the Student Profile Summary be complete? Student Profile Guiding Questions Used with permission from Arlington ISD

Your Student’s Profile Look at the student information in the folder that you brought with you: EPC Last annual review Updated goals Other relevant data Complete the Student Profile Worksheet. Please avoid looking at the student’s current Student Profile Summary

Your Student’s Profile Using the Student Profile Worksheet, write the Student Profile Summary for your student. (Please try not to look at the current Student Profile Summary.) Share with your elbow partner. Are there ways to improve? Share out

Student Profile Paints a verbal picture of the students academically, functionally, socially, behaviorally. Student Profile Paints a verbal picture of the students academically, functionally, socially, behaviorally. Standard Area of need for the student Standard Area of need for the student Present Level of Performance The areas of strengths & needs pertaining to the identified standard Present Level of Performance The areas of strengths & needs pertaining to the identified standard Impact Statement How the stated needs keep the student from reaching the standard selected Impact Statement How the stated needs keep the student from reaching the standard selected Annual Goal

Needs Using the Student Profile, determine the critical needs for the student. After determining the student’s critical needs, think about standards based on those needs.

X 60XX 50XX 40XX /2610/1010/2411/711/2111/2812/12 Reading Fluency Progress Monitoring

Student Trajectory

Standards-Based IEPs Review  Content is determined through planning process  Development is like using a GPS  Knowledge of grade level standards is key

Before next time… Develop and bring a training plan for your district. Please bring two student folders Please bring a tablet or laptop

Day 2 We will discuss Choosing Standards Present Level of Performance Impact Statement

Exit Tickets On a sticky notes, Let us know what worked well. Let us know what could have been better. Place your sticky notes on the corresponding chart paper as you exit.

Bibliography Assessing Special Education Students SCASS (2012). Module 1: Introduction to Standards-based IEPs [Power Point slides]. Washington, DC: Council of Chief State School Officers. Bateman, B (2007). From gobbledygook to clearly written annual IEP goals. Verona, WI: IEP Resources. Bateman, B, & Herr, C M (2006). Writing measurable IEP goals and objectives.Verona, WI: IEP Resources. Braman, B.J., & Catlett, S.C. (2007). Instructional Objectives Handbook. Houston: Courtade-Little, G, & Browder, D M (2005). Aligning IEPs to academic standards.Verona, WI: Attainment Company. Etscheidt, S.K. (2006).Progress Monitoring: legal issues and recommendations for IEP teams. Teaching exceptional children. 38, Holbrook, M.D. National Association of State Directors of Special Education, Project forum. (2007). Seven step process to creating standards-based ieps. Alexandria, VA: Project Forums printing office.

Bibliography Holbrook, M.D. National Association of State Directors of Special Education, Project forum. (2007). Standards-based individualized education program examples. Alexandria, VA: Project Forums printing office. Lignugaris/Kraft, B, Marchand-Martella, N, & Martella, R.C. (2001). Strategies for writing better goals and short term objectives or benchmarks. Teaching exceptional children. 34, LRP Publications, (2006). Use the 'stranger' test to revise IEP goals. Today's school psychologist, 10 LRP Publications, (2006).Annual progress may be measured in inches for some students. Special education IEP team trainer. 7, 6. Region 4, (2005). Framework for developing individualized education programs. Houston, TX: Region 4. Region 20 ESC, Initials. (2009). Standards-based ieps goal development online training Steere, D.E., & Cavaiuolo, D. (2002). Connecting outcomes, goals, and objectives in transition planning. Teaching exceptional children. 34,