Steps to Creating Standards-Based Individualized Education Programs The following highlights the major steps Committees on Special Education (CSEs) can follow to create IEPs developed in consideration of the State’s learning standards or “standards-based IEPs”.

Step 1: Consider grade-level content standards for the grade in which the student is enrolled or would be enrolled based on age. Considerations:Guiding Questions: What is the intent of the content standard? What is the content standard saying that the student must know and be able to do? 1.What are some ways to determine the intent of a content standard? 2.How might you translate the standard into practical “student must be able to do…” 3.What are some ways you can incorporate the grade-level content standards into my meeting process? 4.What is your current state of using the grade-level content standards to guide the meeting? 5.What would be my desired state of incorporating the grade-level content standards into the meeting? Responses: What are some implications of this step in my current practice? What questions do I have about this step?

Step 2: Examine classroom and student data to determine where the student is functioning in relation to the grade-level standards. Considerations:Guiding Questions: Has the student been taught content aligned with grade-level standards? Has the student been provided appropriate instructional scaffolding to attain grade-level expectations? Were the lessons and teaching materials used to teach the student aligned with State grade- level standards? Was the instruction evidence based? 1.What are some ways I could determine if the student has been taught content aligned with grade-level standards? 2.What are some ways I could determine that the student been provided appropriate instructional scaffolding to attain grade-level expectations? 3.What are some ways I could determine that the lessons and teaching materials used to teach the student aligned with State grade-level standards? 4.What are some ways I could determine that the instruction evidence based? 5.What if these things are not being done? What are some ways to address this? Responses: What are some implications of this step in my current practice? What questions do I have about this step?

Step 3: Develop the present level of academic achievement and functional performances. Considerations:Guiding Questions: Describe the individual strengths and needs of the student in relation to accessing and mastering the general curriculum. What do we know about the student’s response to academic instruction (e.g., progress monitoring data)? What programs, accommodations (e.g., classroom and testing) and/or interventions have been successful with the student? What have we learned from previous IEPs and student data that can inform decision making? Are there assessment data (i.e., State, district and/or classroom) that can provide useful information for making decisions about the student’s strengths and needs (e.g., patterns in the data)? How does the student’s disability affect participation and progress in the general curriculum? Is the student on track to achieve grade-level proficiency within a year? 1.What is the current and desired state of progress monitoring in my setting? 2.What are some ways student progress monitoring data is currently used to inform PLP development? 3.How do I know what has been successful in the past? 4.What assessment data is useful in developing the PLP? Responses: What are some implications of this step in my current practice? What questions do I have about this step?

Step 4: Develop measurable annual goals aligned with grade-level academic content standards. Considerations:Guiding Questions: What are the student’s needs as identified in the present level of performance? Does the goal have a specific timeframe? What can the student reasonably be expected to accomplish in one school year? Are the conditions for meeting the goal addressed? How will the outcome of the goal be measured? 1.Are goals based on identified needs in the PLP? 2.What are some ways you could determine what a student can reasonably be expected to accomplish in one school year? 3.What are some ways you could determine that the goals well-constructed and measurable? Responses: What are some implications of this step in my current practice? What questions do I have about this step?

Step 5: Assess and report the student’s progress throughout the year. Considerations:Guiding Questions: How does the student demonstrate what he/she knows on classroom, district and State assessments? Are a variety of assessments used to measure progress? How will progress be reported to parents? 1.What are some ways that progress monitoring data can be incorporated into the meeting? 2.Which assessments are useful in the CPSE/CSE process? 3.What are some ways I could determine that progress reports are based on actual student data and not opinion? Responses: What are some implications of this step in my current practice? What questions do I have about this step?

Step 6: Identify specially designed instruction including accommodations and/or modifications needed to access and progress in the general education curriculum. Considerations:Guiding Questions: What specially designed instruction, including accommodations, has been used with the student and were they effective? Has the complexity of the material been changed in such a way that the content has been modified? 1.What are some ways that Specially Designed Instruction is discussed at the meeting and documented in the IEP? 2.What are some ways that the committee determines the need for modifications? 3.What are some ways that specific modifications are determined? Responses: What are some implications of this step in my current practice? What questions do I have about this step?

Step 7: Determine the most appropriate assessment option. Considerations: What types of responses do the State assessments require? What are the administrative conditions of the assessment? (i.e., setting, delivery of instructions, time allotted, etc.) What accommodations are allowed on the assessment(s)? Are the accommodations approved for the assessment also used in the classroom? Has the student received standards-based, grade-level instruction? Was the instruction evidence based? What is the student’s instructional level? How different is the student’s instructional level from the level of typical peers? Can the student make progress toward grade-level standards in the same timeframe as typical peers? What can be learned from the student’s previous State assessment results? Guiding Questions: 1.What are some ways we dialogue and determine assessment at the meeting? 2.What are some ways we dialogue and determine testing accommodations at the meeting? 3.What are some ways we compare student’s performance level with that of typical peers? 4.What are some ways we could accelerate learning to close the gap? Responses: What are some implications of this step in my current practice? What questions do I have about this step?