Time for Change: Examining Utah Data Relating to Student Performance and Implementing a State Systemic Improvement Plan (SSIP) to Improve Student Outcomes

The Purpose of IDEA To ensure that all students with disabilities have available to them a free appropriate public education that emphasizes special education and related services designed to meet their unique needs and prepare them for further education, employment, and independent living. First purpose is huge. (1B) to ensure that the rights of children with disabilities and parents of such children are protected; (1C) to assist States, localities, educational service agencies, and Federal agencies to provide for the education of all children with disabilities; (2) to assist States in the implementation of a statewide, comprehensive, coordinated, multidisciplinary, interagency system of early intervention services for infants and toddlers with disabilities and their families; (3) to ensure that educators and parents have the necessary tools to improve educational results for children with disabilities by supporting system improvement activities; coordinated research and personnel preparation; coordinated technical assistance, dissemination, and support; and technology development and media services; and (4) to assess and ensure the effectiveness of efforts to educate children with disabilities.

December 1, 2013 Child Count 75,767 Students with Disabilities in Utah Ages 3-21 2012 Intellectual Disability 3248 4.56% Hearing Impaired 637 0.89% Speech/Language Impairment 17152 24.08% Visual Impairment 235 0.33% Emotional Disturbance 2109 2.96% Orthopedic Impairement 196 0.28% Other Health Impairment 5160 7.24% Specific Learning Disability 30509 42.83% Deaf-Blindness 33 0.05% Multiple Disabilities 1687 2.37% Autism 4293 6.03% Traumatic Brain Injury 285 0.40% Developmental Delay 5689 7.99% Total 71233

Perception Check Utah has approximately 76,000 students with disabilities ages 3–21 (approximately 71,000 ages 6–21) served with an IEP. Of those ages 6–21, approximately 46% are students with an SLD, 22% have an SLI, and 10% have an Other Health Impairment (OHI). Using disability category data alone, up to 86% of Utah students with disabilities have mild/moderate disabilities.

6-8th Grade Math Proficiency Non- students with Disabilities 2013-2014

6-8th Grade Math Proficiency Students with Disabilities 2013-2014

Utah SAGE Results for Students with Disabilities in Mathematics 2013–2014 by Grade Grade Level Percent Proficient 3 22.3% 4 21.4% 5 16.1% 6 9.2% 7 9.5% 8 6.6% 10 4.5%

Utah’s 2013–2014 SAGE tests show 42 Utah’s 2013–2014 SAGE tests show 42.2% of students without disabilities in grades three through eight and ten were proficient in mathematics, but just 12.9% of students with disabilities were proficient. 29.3% achievement gap

SWD have Made Slight Gains in Math and ELA over the Past Four Years, but no Significant Progress The majority of SWD are not proficient in math. ELA scores show similar gaps, but more SWD are being assessed than in math. Not all SWD are tested in grade-level secondary math assessments. Those SWD enrolled in general education math courses had higher rates of proficiency than those in more restrictive settings. Special educators express lack of understanding of core, instructional methodology for the core, and the need for SWD to access the core.

Utah NEEDS to IMPROVE the OUTCOMES of students with disabilities. This drives the SSIP.

Access to General Education by Grade 2014-2015

Utah State-identified Measurable Result (SiMR) Increase statewide proficiency by 11.11% for students with Speech Language Impairments (SLI) or Specific Learning Disabilities (SLD) in grades six through eight on SAGE mathematics over a five-year period.

Three Root Causes Administrator, teacher, parent, and student attitudes and behavior (resulting in some IEP team decisions that limit grade level core mathematics instruction); Teacher understanding of mathematics standards and effective instruction; and An educational system that decreases general education instructional support and interventions in the secondary settings, during a time when the mathematics core standards become more rigorous and abstract (i.e., Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS)).

Needed Vital Changes in Utah Administrators, teachers, parents, and students will see the need to expect students with disabilities to master mathematics content (resulting in IEP team decisions that require and scaffold grade-appropriate Core mathematics instruction); General education and special education teachers will understand mathematics standards and effective instruction will improve; and The state and local educational agencies will increase general education instructional support and interventions in the secondary settings, to scaffold mathematics Core standards as they become more rigorous and abstract.

Broad Coherent Improvement Strategies to Address Root Causes Inclusion in Grade-Level Core, Assessment, Graduation Requirements, and College and Career Ready (CCR) Plans Leadership Preservice and Inservice Professional Learning Data and Evidence-Based Practices and Decisions Active Engagement of All School Personnel IEP team Decisions Fiscal Support

What Next? Nine LEAs selected for SSIP reporting (Indicator 17) Collaboration between USOE and LEA to identify specific schools, methods of implementation, improvement strategies, and available funding Decisions made based on LEA data and PIP RDA All LEAs expected to improve (Indicator 3)