An Update on Novi’s Journey Presentation for MAASE April 13, 2011

 Students TAKE courses  Students EARN credits  Credit is not just about seat time or work completed  Credit involves demonstrating proficiency in the standards for each course  A credit may----but does not necessarily-- - equal a course

Students earn credit by:  Successfully completing the learning expectations for the credit area  Successful completion must be determined, in part, by assessments of proficiency

 MMC guidance document from Michigan Dept. of Education in November 2006 says:  The federal Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA) is very clear that all students have the right to access, participate and perform in the general education curriculum.  While IDEA guarantees a free, appropriate, public education, it does not provide a guarantee that a student with disabilities is entitled to a diploma.

 MMC assures minimal standards are addressed  Local Districts may exceed state requirements  Local Districts determine what constitutes “credit” in a set of standards or course

 Local Districts approve assessments of proficiency  Local Districts determine “cut scores” on assessments of proficiency  Local Districts may establish “alternate cut scores” for students with disabilities

 Local Districts establish policies/procedures relative to Personal Curriculum requests  Local Districts decide how far a Personal Curriculum may modify the content expectations and still allow the student to earn a diploma

 Set up procedures that essentially create an alternate diploma

 Any student wishes to go beyond the requirements by taking more math, science, ELA or world language credits  Any student wishes to modify the math requirement  A student moves into the state late in his/her high school career  A student with an IEP needs to modify credit requirements based on disability

 Requires written agreement between superintendent, parent, and student  Must include measurable goals and methods of evaluation on whether goals are met  Requires quarterly meetings with parent and each teacher of a modified curriculum area to monitor progress  If a student fails to achieve goals, the PC is null and void  Revisions to the PC follow the same process

 Must align with the student’s EDP  Must meet as much of MMC as is practicable  Must be developed by a team

 May request modifications not otherwise allowable  Must be based on the student’s disability  May not create a different path to graduation  Must still include as much of the MMC as is practicable  Must be consistent with the EDP and IEP

 After the PC Modification has been approved by the PC Committee, the IEP Team identifies: ◦ Courses ◦ Supports ◦ Accommodations

 Alignment of high school courses with general ed content expectations  Alignment of special ed courses with ESSENTIAL content expectations  Common assessments of proficiency

 Criteria for granting credit  Cut scores to determine proficiency for all students  Alternate cut scores for students with disabilities  Process for granting out of state transfer credits  Guidelines and procedures for responding to Personal Curriculum requests  Revisions to Sept 2009 Administrative Guidelines based on ongoing changes to initial legislation

 NCSD Administrative Guidelines-effective 9/09  Guidelines revised relative to legislative changes in spring of 2010  Staff/administrative changes fall 2010  Board workshop December 2010  Board Policy approved February 2011  Guidelines revised February 2011  Forms/procedures revised February 2011

What would YOU decide?

 What should “credit” be based on?  What constitutes “proficiency” ◦ For the general population? ◦ For students with disabilities?  Under what circumstances should alternate cut scores be used?  At what proficiency level is it no longer acceptable to grant diploma credit?

 Should any student ever be allowed to waive the PE or Health requirements?  How do we handle granting credit for MMC courses taken in Middle School?  For PC requests for advanced studies, should students first be required to exhaust other options like testing out or use of electives?  How can we assure that credits accepted from other states or private schools meet MMC standards?

 Simulate the decision-making that went into the development of the draft guidelines  Split into small groups  Dialogue about a series of questions  Provide initial reactions to each question

Maintain rigor and integrity of the diploma Retain the individual considerations allowed by law Find a middle ground that is acceptable to the community

 Establishes that grades are based on proficiency in a set of standards  Establishes cut score for all students  Establishes alternate cut score for students with IEPs  Mandates guidelines that assure PC does not undermine integrity of diploma or create a less rigorous diploma path

 Credit requirements appear here  Identify nontraditional options for earning credit (test out, dual enrollment, summer, online, etc.)  Define student with a disability

 Identify standard accommodations  Assure that accommodations not tied to a specific course or location  Include parameters for PCs (some from state, some locally determined)  Address PE modification for students with an IEP

 Specific requirements for students with IEPs ◦ PC must have a direct and substantial relationship to identified disability ◦ PC must be driven by academic skill deficit manifested before 9 th grade and resistant to research-based interventions over time ◦ PC may not be based solely on performance deficit resulting from inadequate work habits

 Specific requirements for students with IEPs (continued) ◦ PC must include provision for remedial instruction for any modified content areas ◦ PC must require same total number of credits as for all students ◦ If proficiency is set at less than 60%, student receives credit but no letter grade

 Specific requirements for students with IEPs (continued) ◦ If PC allows proficiency of less than 60% in more than 2 MMC-required academics, student must demonstrate employability skills by:  Passing Work Keys at level 3 or higher, OR  540 hours of paid employment in a field related to the EDP, 270 of which must be continuous with same employer

 4 types of PCs = 4 different sets of forms  Request form completed by parent and approved by assistant principal  Plan completed by counselor and team, then approved by assistant principal  Plan includes notice of all requirements  Signatures of participants indicate agreement

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