1. Mississippi Occupational Diploma
Annie Margaret Harris, Coordinator
Division of Technical Assistance

2. Mississippi Occupational Diploma Requirements - Standard 20.5
In accordance with MS Code (2), the State Board of Education has approved criteria for an occupational diploma for students with disabilities.
The Mississippi Occupational Diploma (MOD) provides an option for students with disabilities that emphasizes high expectations in both academics and work experiences that will assist students in acquiring and maintaining the necessary competencies and skills needed to secure and retain competitive employment.
The primary postgraduate goal for these students is competitive employment.
May 2012
Office of Instructional Enhancement and Internal Operations/Office of Special Education

3. Decision Regarding Participation
The decision regarding participation in the MOD will be made by the student’s Individualized Education Program (IEP) Committee, which must include a school counselor.
May 2012
Office of Instructional Enhancement and Internal Operations/Office of Special Education

4. Role of IEP Committee
The MOD may be implemented in any Least Restrictive Environment deemed appropriate by the IEP Committee.
Prior to graduation, an exit IEP Committee must be held to evaluate accomplishment of the goals and objectives in the IEP and the completion of all requirements for the MOD.
May 2012
Office of Instructional Enhancement and Internal Operations/Office of Special Education

5. MOD Requirements
Must earn a minimum of twenty-one (21) course credits by successfully completing selected courses from the general education curriculum, vocational education programs, special education curriculum or any combination of these courses and complete an occupational diploma portfolio containing a collection of evidence of the student’s knowledge, skills and abilities as agreed upon by the student’s IEP Committee.
May 2012
Office of Instructional Enhancement and Internal Operations/Office of Special Education

6. MOD Enrollment
Enrollment: The MOD option is initiated at the time the student enters the 9th grade; however, a student can enter the MOD program at any time during their school career.
May 2012
Office of Instructional Enhancement and Internal Operations/Office of Special Education

7. Optional Course Credits
Employment English I Life Skills Science I
Employment English II Life Skills Science II
Employment English III Life Skills Science III
Applied Employment English IV Applied Life Skills Science IV
(On the Job) (On the Job)
Job Skills Math I Career Preparation I
Job Skills Math II Career Preparation II
Job Skills Math III Career Preparation III
Applied Job Skills Math IV Applied Career Preparation IV
(On the Job), or (On the Job), OR
Any combination of general education, vocational,
and/or special education courses
May 2012
Office of Instructional Enhancement and Internal Operations/Office of Special Education

8. Required Course Credits
Completion of a two-year Career/Technical
(Vocational) Program OR
10th Grade School-Based Work Assessment (30 Hours)*
11th Grade Community-Based Work Training (30 Hours)*
*For students not pursuing the Two Year
Career/Technical (Vocational Program)
May 2012
Office of Instructional Enhancement and Internal Operations/Office of Special Education

9. Career/Technical Requirements
Successful completion of a two (2) year career/technical (vocational) program OR 540 hours of successful, paid employment by the end of the senior year
May 2012
Office of Instructional Enhancement and Internal Operations/Office of Special Education

10. Please refer to MS Public School Accountability Standards 2010 Appendix A-1 Pages and MS Public School Accountability Standards Appendix A-1 Page
May 2012
Office of Instructional Enhancement and Internal Operations/Office of Special Education

11. Please refer to MS Public School Accountability Standards 2010 Appendix A-2 Pages and MS Public School Accountability Standards Appendix A-2 Pages 35-37
May 2012
Office of Instructional Enhancement and Internal Operations/Office of Special Education

12. Please refer to MS Public School Accountability Standards 2010 Appendix B Pages and MS Public School Accountability Standards 2012 Appendix B Pages
May 2012
Office of Instructional Enhancement and Internal Operations/Office of Special Education

13. Please refer to MS Public School Accountability Standards 2010 Appendix C-1 Page 41 and MS Public School Accountability Standards 2012 Appendix C-1 Page 42
May 2012
Office of Instructional Enhancement and Internal Operations/Office of Special Education

14. Please refer to MS Public School Accountability Standards 2010 Appendix C-2 Page 44 and MS Public School Accountability Standards 2012 Appendix C-2 Page 43
May 2012
Office of Instructional Enhancement and Internal Operations/Office of Special Education

15. Please refer to MS Public School Accountability Standards 2010 Appendix G Page 61 and MS Public School Accountability Standards 2010 Appendix G Page 59
May 2012
Office of Instructional Enhancement and Internal Operations/Office of Special Education

16. Please refer to the MS Occupational Diploma Any Combination of General Education and Special Education Sample Course of Study Chart
May 2012
Office of Instructional Enhancement and Internal Operations/Office of Special Education

17. Monitoring Portfolio Objectives
• Always check previous years’ portfolios to determine if any objectives were not mastered. • Objectives may be repeated over several years, repeated in more than one subject area and/or grade. • All objectives in bold print from all four years must be mastered or a passing grade must be earned from the general education class that coincides with the MOD course in order to earn an Occupational Diploma.
May 2012
Office of Instructional Enhancement and Internal Operations/Office of Special Education

18. MOD Objectives
• There is no single source for all objectives. • Teaching materials can include books, internet and teacher-made items. • Binders or files can be organized by objectives. Note: Only one item of evidence is required and the one item can cover several objectives.
May 2012
Office of Instructional Enhancement and Internal Operations/Office of Special Education

19. MOD Portfolio
Completion: • Occupational portfolio that reflects satisfactory performance in meeting both the academic and work-training curriculum requirements. • Core objectives must be mastered with a minimum of 70% accuracy. • Evidence of the level of acquisition must be included in the portfolio for all content standards.
May 2012
Office of Instructional Enhancement and Internal Operations/Office of Special Education

20. MOD Portfolio
Prior to graduation, an exit IEP Committee meeting must be held to evaluate accomplishment of the goals and objectives on the IEP and the completion of all requirements for the MOD.
At this meeting, the student will present the completed MOD Portfolio for review by the IEP Committee.
The final MOD Portfolio will be reviewed and approved prior to graduation by the principal or a designee.
May 2012
Office of Instructional Enhancement and Internal Operations/Office of Special Education

21. Role of IEP Committee
• Review the portfolio at the annual IEP meeting, or more frequently as needed.
• Include all content standards not attained at the passing rate in the IEP revision as goals and benchmarks to be re-taught.
• Ensure student repeats the course if the core content standards are not mastered.
May 2012
Office of Instructional Enhancement and Internal Operations/Office of Special Education

22. MOD Portfolio
Instructing Teacher’s Responsibilities: • Gather evidence to document attainment of portfolio content standards in the subject area. A single item of evidence may be used to document more than one content standard and in more than one core curriculum course. • Ensure that the portfolio is documented by the end of each grading period. • Report progress toward attainment of the content standards to parents at the end of each grading period. • Provide a copy of the progress to the teacher responsible for maintaining the IEP.
May 2012
Office of Instructional Enhancement and Internal Operations/Office of Special Education

23. Student Responsibilities:
MOD Portfolio
Student Responsibilities:
• Assist in management of his/her portfolio.
• Review items of evidence each grading period and select the best product for display in his/her portfolio.
• Prior to graduation, present the portfolio at the exit IEP Committee meeting as a replacement for the exit interview.
May 2012
Office of Instructional Enhancement and Internal Operations/Office of Special Education

24. MOD Work Component
10th Grade: On-Campus Job Shadowing 11th Grade: Community-Based Work Training OR 12th Grade: 540 Hours Paid Work Experience in lieu of Completion of a two-year Career/Technical (Vocational) Program
May 2012
Office of Instructional Enhancement and Internal Operations/Office of Special Education

25. 10th Grade On-Campus Job Shadowing
Students must have successful experiences and acceptable work performance evaluations in three to six school-based work experiences; six to eight job shadowing experiences; or a combination of the above for a minimum of 30 hours.
NOTE: This requirement may be waived in lieu of a minimum of 30 hours of other community-based training experiences if agreed upon by the student’s IEP committee. The substituted work experience must be documented and noted in the student’s portfolio.
May 2012
Office of Instructional Enhancement and Internal Operations/Office of Special Education

26. 11th Grade Community-Based Work Training
Students must have successful experience and work performance evaluations in two to four community-based work training experiences with a minimum total of 30 hours. NOTE: This requirement may be waived if the student successfully completes a planned sequence of courses from a career/technical (vocational) education course of study in his/her chosen career/technical education field that designates the student as a “program completer”.
May 2012
Office of Instructional Enhancement and Internal Operations/Office of Special Education

27. 11th Grade Community-Based Work Training
Community-based job shadowing and work training are designed to provide opportunities for a student to learn appropriate work habits and to determine the things they like or dislike about the jobs experienced, rather than being designed to train a students for a specific job.
Each student will visit various businesses in the community to observe work being performed, talk to employees, and actually perform work under direct supervision.
NOTE: This is in lieu of the two-year Career/Technical (Vocational) Program.
May 2012
Office of Instructional Enhancement and Internal Operations/Office of Special Education

28. Review existing labor market
11th Grade Community-Based Work Training: Developing Community-Based Work Training Sites
Review existing labor market
Develop a list of potential employers to contact
Contact local business groups in the community
(e.g., Rotary, Kiwanis, Chamber of Commerce)
Retain employer contact information
NOTE: This is in lieu of the two-year Career/
Technical (Vocational) Program.
May 2012
Office of Instructional Enhancement and Internal Operations/Office of Special Education

29. Locate individual employers who may have appropriate training sites.
11th Grade Community-Based Work Training: Developing Community-Based Work Training Sites
Locate individual employers who may have
appropriate training sites.
Visit business sites and meet with employers.
Discuss the employer options for participation.
Allow students to visit and/or job shadow.
Volunteer as a classroom speaker.
Serve as a training site.
May 2012
Office of Instructional Enhancement and Internal Operations/Office of Special Education

30. 11th Grade Community-Based Work Training: Developing Community-Based Work Training Sites
• Make follow–up arrangements. • Send a thank-you letter to each employer contacted. • Complete the Community-Based Work Training Business Agreement when a business agrees to participate.
May 2012
Office of Instructional Enhancement and Internal Operations/Office of Special Education

31. Plan transportation arrangements. Develop a schedule including all
11th Grade Community-Based Work Training: Developing Community-Based Work Training Sites
Plan transportation arrangements.
Develop a schedule including all
community-based work training
sites and participating students.
May 2012
Office of Instructional Enhancement and Internal Operations/Office of Special Education

32. 12th Grade: 2-year Vocational Completer
Cooperative career/technical education may be substituted not to exceed one credit in each of the non-elective subject areas of English, math, science, and social studies.
May 2012
Office of Instructional Enhancement and Internal Operations/Office of Special Education

33. 12th Grade: 540 Hours Paid Work Experience
• Enrollment in the Career/Technical Cooperative Education Program by the end of the senior (exiting) year • Documented evidence of a minimum of 540 hours of successful paid employment • Release time may be given for students to participate in work experiences for credit
May 2012
Office of Instructional Enhancement and Internal Operations/Office of Special Education

34. MS Occupational Diploma: Where Are We Now In 2012?
The MOD is a State law enacted by the MS State Legislature and MDE governs the process through the MS Public School Accountability Standards.
The MOD is an appropriate, viable exiting option for some students with disabilities.
The MOD is focused primarily on teaching employability skills and is based on an employability skills curriculum.
May 2012
Office of Instructional Enhancement and Internal Operations/Office of Special Education

35. MS Occupational Diploma: Where Are We Now In 2012?
The MOD may not be accepted in lieu of a Standard High School Diploma.
The MOD is not an academic program that will prepare students to be successful in a postsecondary academic program.
The MOD is not a job-specific training program.
May 2012
Office of Instructional Enhancement and Internal Operations/Office of Special Education

36. MS Occupational Diploma: Where Do We Go From Here?
IEP Committees should continue to consider the MOD as a viable graduation option for students who do not have plans to attend college or enter military service after exiting from high school.
IEP Committees should have frank conversations with parents, explaining that this option focuses on teaching
May 2012
Office of Instructional Enhancement and Internal Operations/Office of Special Education

37. MS Occupational Diploma: Where Do We Go From Here?
employability skills, not guaranteeing a job placement or entrance to community college or entrance to military service.
IEP Committees should include a representative from the community college to participate in developing a student’s transition plan if the student desires or plans to attend community college.
May 2012
Office of Instructional Enhancement and Internal Operations/Office of Special Education

38. MS Occupational Diploma: Where Do We Go From Here?
Students with a postsecondary goal to attend community college or enter military service should be enrolled in one of the Career Pathways Diploma option or the Standard High School diploma option.
May 2012
Office of Instructional Enhancement and Internal Operations/Office of Special Education

39. Questions
Annie Margaret Harris Desma McElveen Tanya Bradley Office of Special Education Division of Technical Assistance (601)
May 2012
Office of Instructional Enhancement and Internal Operations/Office of Special Education