Guiding a PPT to Writing IEP Goals & Objectives Aligned to the

General Education Curriculum

Enfield Public SchoolsJanuary 12, 2006

25 Industrial Park Road, Middletown, CT 06457-1520 · (860) 632-1485

Connecticut State Department of Education · Division of Teaching & Learning

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A Warm-up

What is an IEP?

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Individualized Education Program (IEP)

Present levels of academic & functional performance

Measurable annual goals

How & when progress will be measured & reported

Special education & related services/supplementary aids & services/program modifications or supports for school personnel

Explanation of extent, if any, the child will NOT participate with non-disabled children in regular class

Any accommodations necessary on state & district wide assessments

Beginning date & frequency, location, & duration of services & modifications

Post secondary goals & transition services (following 15th birthday)

“A written statement for each child with a disability that is developed, reviewed, & revised in accordance with this section & that includes -”

§614 (d) of IDEA ‘04

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What is the Purpose of IDEA?

“ To ensure that all children 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”

§601 (d) of IDEA ‘04

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Based on That Purpose…

An IEP should focus on: Increasing time with non-disabled peers

(TWNDP)

Increasing participation and progress in general education curriculum

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Let’s Talk Goals & Objectives

“When you ask for ‘good IEP goals and objectives’ you are putting the cart before the horse!”

Wrightslaw

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What Practices Lead to Effective IEPs?

Knowing the rationale behind IEPs Decision-making Documenting the decisions Implementing the IEP Measuring student progress

The Rationale

Legal BackgroundTerminologyPhilosophy

Decision-Making Values

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FAPE

Free Appropriate Public Education means special education and related services that…

have been provided at public expense; meet the standards of the State; include an appropriate school education; and conform with the IEP procedures

§602 (9) of IDEA ‘04

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It is About Access

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What Does Access Mean?

Access means a barrier-free opportunity to learn and use materials, resources, and events in natural settings.

“Barrier-free” means without any unnatural or arbitrary obstacles

Moll (2003)

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What Is Essential to Know?

Special Education

Related Services

Supplementary Aids & Services

Least Restrictive Environment

Mainstreaming

Inclusion

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Special Education

“Specially designed instruction, at no cost to parents, to meet the unique needs of a child with a disability…”

§602 (29) of IDEA ‘04

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Related Services “Transportation, and such developmental, corrective, and

other supportive services… as may be required to assist a child with a disability to benefit from special education...” speech-language pathology and audiology services interpreting services psychological services physical and occupational therapy recreation, including therapeutic recreation social work services school nurse services (to receive FAPE) counseling services, including rehabilitation counseling orientation and mobility services medical services (except medical services for diagnostic and

evaluation purposes only)

§602 (26) of IDEA ‘04

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Supplementary Aids and Services

“Aids, services, and other supports that are provided in regular education classes or other education-related settings to enable children with disabilities to be educated with nondisabled children to the maximum extent appropriate in accordance with [LRE].”

§602 (33) of IDEA ‘04

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LRE Provision

“ To the maximum extent appropriate, children with disabilities… are educated with children who are not disabled, and special classes, separate schooling, or other removal of children with disabilities from the regular educational environment occurs only when the nature or severity of the disability of a child is such that education in regular classes with the use of supplementary aids and services cannot be achieved satisfactorily.”

§612 (a)(5)(A) of IDEA ‘04§612 (a)(5)(A) of IDEA ‘04

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Mainstreaming

Selective placement of students in special education in one or more general education classes

Assumes a student must “earn” the opportunity by “keeping up” The student needed to adapt The general education classroom did not

change

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Inclusion

Expresses a belief system (philosophy) of educating each child, to the maximum extent appropriate, in the school and classroom(s) where he or she would otherwise attend

Involves bringing support services to the child rather than moving the child to the services

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A Necessary Paradigm Shift

MainstreamingMainstreaming

LRELREVisitor

MemberStetson and Associates, Inc.

ALL kids are general education students

Some just need supports and services

Stetson

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Essential Questions About LRE

Do assessment procedures and IEP goals directly link to the general education curriculum?

Does the discussion about placement/location occur only after goals & objectives are set?

Is the first option considered general education classroom in every case every time?

Is removal considered only after supplementary aids and services were tried in the general education classroom?

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What Are Your Decision-Making Values? More-is-Better

Assumes that quantity equals quality Tends to decrease LRE

Return-on-Investment Selects service most likely to “fix” Has an underlying notion of “you’re not ok”

Only-as-Special-as-Necessary Uses natural supports that exist in general education Determining the appropriate type & amount of service

Giangreco (2001)

Decision-Making

Meeting Norms

Sequence of Conversation

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Planning & Placement Team (PPT)

“A group of certified or licensed professionals, who represent each of the teaching, administrative and pupil personnel staffs and who participate equally in the decision making process to determine the specific educational needs of the child and develop an IEP for the child.”

Conn. Agencies Regs. § 10-76a-1(15)

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IEP Team A group of individuals composed of—

The parents; At least 1 regular education teacher; At least 1 special education teacher, A representative who is

Qualified to provide or supervise specially designed instruction;

Is knowledgeable about general education curriculum; & Is knowledgeable about availability of resources;

An individual who can interpret the instructional implications of evaluation results (may be a member of the team);

Other individuals who have special expertise; & Whenever appropriate, the child.

§614 (d) of IDEA ‘04

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Why an Administrator?

Someone to ensure… Supervision of the special education Expertise in general education curriculum Appropriate services and resources are

provided without delay Coordination of staffing, scheduling, and

resources

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Essential Questions for Membership

Do parents and students have an active roll in the PPT decisions, including a place for input?

Who has the expertise in the general education curriculum, including specific subject areas?

Who has specific knowledge about the student’s performance level?

Who has the ability to coordinate resources and supervise the implementation of special education services?

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Meeting Norms

Membership Group dynamics

Conflict-resolution/Conflict management Consensus building

Shared framework (clear process) Purpose of meeting Flow of conversation & decisions Summarizing the recommendations

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Reflection on Current Practice

How do I … ensure that all the necessary people attend the

FULL meeting and have equal participation in making decisions?

seek consensus and use skills in conflict-resolution/conflict management?

articulate the framework & flow of the meeting clearly so all members have shared meaning?

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What Comes First?

Create a list that represents the typical order of decisions in a PPT.

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Compare & Contrast

Compare this order to the IEP documentation.

12

3

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Sequence of Conversation

Sequence of Conversation

Documenting the Decisions

PPT Meeting Notes

IEP Documentation

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Reflective Question

What is the difference between these two terms? Paperwork

Documentation

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Reflective Question

What is the difference between these two terms? Paperwork

work such as writing letters or reports, which must be done but is not very interesting

Documentation official documents, reports etc., that are used to

prove that something is true or correct

Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English http://www.ldoceonline.com/

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Reflective Question

Does the “paperwork” drive the process or does the process get documented?

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Documentation of the Process

PPT Meeting Cover Page

Demographic information Record of Attendance

PPT Recommendations (Summary optional)

Prior Written Notice

**Required Data Collection

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Documentation of the Process

IEP Present levels of Performance Transition Planning Goals & Objectives Program Accommodations & Modifications State & District Testing Accommodations Special Factors, Progress Reporting, Exit Criteria Summary of Special Education, Related Services, and

Regular Education

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Essential Questions for Present Level of Performance How does the student’s present level of

performance compare to general education content & performance standards?

What general education standards does the student know and can do?

4 & 5

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Demands/

Skills

Years in School

The Achievement Gaps

KU-CRL

Gap

Present Level

Expected Performance

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Essential Questions for Specialized Instruction How does the student’s disability

specifically affect involvement and progress in to the general curriculum?

If {concern}, then {impact} occurs in the area of…

4 & 5

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Essential Questions for Transition Planning How are the student’s preferences and

interests determined? How does the student’s transition planning

link to goals and objectives?

6

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Essential Questions for Measurable Goals & Objectives Of the areas requiring specialized

instruction, what specific strategies, skills, and concepts does the student need to learn?

Under which general education conditions is the student expected to demonstrate the knowledge and skills?

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Planning vs. Telling

The purpose of the PPT is to MAKE DECISIONS and create a PLAN

So when we come into the meeting with goals already written… Who really made the decisions? When were they made? What were they based on?

Does this comply with the intent of the law?

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The Anatomy of Goal Setting

The Present Level of PerformanceWhat does the student know and can do in general education curriculum?

General Education Conditions What general education content standards are

expected to be learned?

During which activities, and/or tasks does the student need to demonstrate new learning?

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The Anatomy of Goal Setting

Define the PerformanceWhat are the observable ways that the student will demonstrate his/her knowledge or skills?

Performance CriteriaTo what performance level will the student demonstrate knowledge and skills?

How many times or how often will the student demonstrate that performance?

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What Needs to Be Learned?

Strategies Problem-solving and

decision-making Study skills Coping Compensation Self-awareness Self-management

        

Skills Able to do Specific applications

Concepts Need to know Abstract ideas

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Benchmarks vs. Objectives

Benchmarks Break down the

performance levels to meet a given goal

Build on the previous benchmark

Articulate the rate of progress

Objectives Break out the goal into

discrete skills Interrelate to each

other Articulate the various

strategies or skills of an overarching goal

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Writing a Desired Goal

Clearly define the outcome Observable (can be seen) Measurable (can be counted) Specific (clear terms, no room for a judgment call)

When {condition} occurs, {the student} will {demonstrate} from {baseline/present level of performance} to {target} {number of times}.

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Accommodations vs. Modifications

Accommodation A change made to the

teaching or testing procedures in order to provide a student with access to information and to create an EQUAL OPPORTUNITY to demonstrate knowledge and skills (HOW)

Modification A change in what the

student is expected to learn and/or demonstrate (WHAT)

While a student may be working on modified course content, the subject area/context remains the same as for the rest of the class.

Nolet, V. & McLaughlin, M. J. (2000)

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Accommodations vs. Modifications

Accommodation Can be put into the

condition as part of the activity or task

Can become the strategy or skill that is learned

Modification Is set in the

performance criteria

and/or Qualifies the condition

and skill

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Essential Questions for Reporting Progress What is the expected amount of growth? How will it be known that the student has made

progress? What is the monitoring process?

Type of assessment Frequency

How will progress be reported?

7

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Essential Questions for Program Accommodations & Modifications What is the impact of this accommodation on:

learning; access to general education curriculum; independence?

How can this accommodation be more like peers and enrich the learning of others?

How is this accommodation able to be implemented with integrity?

What assistive technology was considered?

7 & 8

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Essential Questions for State & District Testing Which accommodations increase the student’s

opportunity to successfully demonstrate learning?

How do these accommodations impact the student’s ability to take a test?

How do these accommodations align with the accommodations used in the student’s daily instruction?

9

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Essential Questions for Special Factors and Exit Criteria What was considered for students with behavior

concerns, visual impairments, hearing impairments, or for students who do not have English as a primary language?

How often will the student’s progress be reported?

How and when will the student exit special education services?

10

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Essential Questions for Services, & Regular Education What is it the student needs to learn? How frequently does the student need

direct instruction? Who will provide the instruction? Who will be responsible to oversee

implementation & monitor student progress?

Where will the instruction occur?11

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Key Word: ALIGNMENT

Concern/needs

Goals & Objectives/ Accommodations & Modifications

Levels/Types of Support

Implementing the IEP

Build School & Classroom Capacity

Staffing & Scheduling

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Integrity

Did we do what we said we would do? Reasons why we tend not to follow through:

IEP was not a “working document” for all implementers IEP was not clearly defined or comprehensive The skills of the implementers were not adequate The right resources (time, money, personnel) were not

supplied

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Implementation Integrity

Did I… Assign reasonable case loads? Create schedules that allow for collaboration? Provide professional development & specific

training for the supports described in the IEP? Provide the appropriate resources? Supervise and evaluate the implementation?

Measuring Student Progress

Evaluating Impact

Reporting Progress

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Measuring the Effectiveness of Implementation Did we achieve our goals for student

outcomes? How do we know this?

Did we set a predetermined goal line? Did we monitor student progress and make

appropriate adjustments? Did we examine why the goal was met or not

met?

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Monitoring vs. Evaluating

Monitoring On-going and frequent Part of the

implementation process

Provide information for adjustments in plan

Evaluating A specific point in time A review of the

implementation process

Provide information for decisions on next steps

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Monitor the Progress

Monitor the level and rate of progress of student learning Monitor on a frequent basis (daily or weekly)

Student progress Implementation Integrity

Check for rate of progress as it relates to the target goal line

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Resources for IEP Development Bateman, B.D. & Herr, C. M. (2003). Writing Measurable

IEP Goals and Objectives. Wisconsin: IEP Resources.

Clark, S. G. (2000). The IEP process as a tool for collaboration. Teaching Exceptional Children 33(2): 56-66.

Giangreco, M. F. (2001). Guidelines for making decision about IEP services. http://www.uvm.edu/~mgiangre/

Massanari, C. B. (2002). Connecting the IEP to the general curriculum: A talking paper.

Nolet, V. & McLaughlin, M. J. (2000). Accessing the General Curriculum: Including Students with Disabilities in Standards-Based Reform. California: Corwin Press.

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Resources for IEP Development Lignugaris/Kraft, B., Marchand-Martella, N. & Martella, R.

C. (2001). Writing better goals and short-term objectives or benchmarks. Teaching Exceptional Children 34(1): 52-58.

Moll, A. M. (2003). Differentiated Instruction Guide for Inclusive Teaching. New York: Dude Publishing.

Reed, P. Let’s put the planning back in Individual Educational Programs. http://www.wati.org/at_services/pdf/atintheeip.pdf

Whitworth, J. E. (1994). Training in developing effective IEP's: The Illinois experience.

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An IEP should not be a New Year’s Resolution!

It is a Contract!!!