This module will address the rigor in the curriculum for all students and the role of the general educator and the special educator in supporting students with disabilities and implementing individualized education plans in the general education environment.

Upon completion of this module the user will be able to:

1. Understand why a rigorous curriculum is critical for ALL students, especially those with special needs, and write a paper analyzing the current state of affairs in your own school, with regard to having a rigorous curriculum for students with special needs.
2. Understand how Standards-Based IEPs help students with disabilities access the core curriculum.
3. Develop an understanding of co-teaching and how it can effectively support inclusion of students with special needs in general education classrooms. 
4. Identify ways to help general education teachers implement accommodations for students with special needs which enable the students to access the core curriculum in their classrooms.

Standard #1: A Vision of Learning --A school administrator is an educational leader who promotes the success of all students by facilitating the development, articulation, implementation, and stewardship of a vision of learning that is shared and supported by the greater school community.

• Performance #3--the vision is developed with and among stakeholders.
• Performance #9--data related to student learning is used to develop the school vision and goals.
• Performance #10--relevant demographic data pertaining to students and their families are used in developing the school mission and goals.
• Performance #11--barriers to achieving the vision are identified, clarified, and addressed.

Standard #2: School Culture and Instructional Program--A school administrator is an educational leader who promotes the success of all students and staff by advocating, nurturing, and sustaining a school culture and instructional program conducive to student learning and staff professional growth.

• Performance #3--there is a culture of high expectations for self, student, and staff performance.
• Performance #6--barriers to student learning are identified, clarified, and addressed.
• Performance #7--diversity is considered in developing learning experiences.
• Performance #9--multiple opportunities to learn are available to all students and staff.
• Performance #11--curricular, co-curricular, and extra-curricular programs are designed, implemented, evaluated, and refined.
• Performance #15--student learning is assessed using a variety of techniques.
• Performance #16--multiple sources of information regarding performance are used by staff and students.

Standard #4: Collaboration with Families and the Community--A school administrator is an educational leader who promotes the success of all students by collaborating with families and community members, responding to diverse community interests and needs, and mobilizing community resources.

• Performance #14—opportunities for staff to develop collaborative skills are provided.

1. Read the two articles below in order to gain an understanding of the importance of exposing students with disabilities to standards and a rigorous curriculum. Then write a paper analyzing your school’s level of performance in this area. Look at your school data…what vision do you have for students with special needs? Is that vision reflected in the current state of affairs? If not, what needs to happen so this vision can become a reality? Do the parents of your students with special needs have the same vision that you have? What are you doing well? What can you improve upon?
   • CAST—Post IDEA ’97 Case Law and Administrative Decisions: Access to the General Curriculum
   • The Access Center--Aligning IEPs With State Standards and Accountability Systems

2. In order to ensure students with special needs are mastering content standards, general educators and special educators will need to work closely together. Co-teaching is a strategy that allows for collaboration between both parties and is a best practice among professionals.  Visit the following website The Power of 2 and select the Online Training link. Once this page comes up, create a free user account in order to work through the Co-Teaching Module on this website.  This module is composed of nine components and as you work through each component, you will be asked specific questions regarding your school and current staff. When you have completed these nine components, you will have a useful document to complete the next activity.
   
   After reading this document, take some time to reflect upon your staff’s instructional strengths.  Do you see your school environment as being collaborative and inclusive? Are all of your staff members working together to do what is best for all students? If not, what needs to change to make your school environment more collaborative? Complete a rubric to assess the current level of “collaboration readiness” in your building.

3. Managing IEP Accommodations—Because students with special needs all differ in their goals and objectives, there is a considerable amount of further individualization required regarding each student’s accommodations --in order to allow them to be able to achieve their goals.
   
   Download the two files below and read through the information regarding IEP Accommodations.  Answer the following: How do you think you could help general education teachers manage the accommodations for their students with IEPs? Record your thoughts in paper format and share your thinking with your local Director of Special Education.
   • PEER (Parents Engaged in Education Reform) Accommodations
   • National Center for Learning Disabilities-- Accommodations for Students with LD
     
      
4. Using the Survey Questions provided here respond to each question and see how your current school measures up. Next, conduct a survey or interview your current special education staff and some general education teachers (enough of a sampling to make sure you have adequate representation of your staff) with these same questions.  Compare the results to the way you answered the questions.  Were your perceptions correct? What are the strengths and weaknesses of your school in each area?
   
    
5. Analyze the results of the survey and write a goal action plan for the next two school years to show how you could move this initiative forward in your building.