APPENDIX A

1. Why was the change made to require that all students participate in the general education curriculum?

Over 20 years of experience and research in implementing IDEA has demonstrated that the education of children with disabilities can be made more effective by having high expectations of these children and ensuring their access to the general curriculum to the maximum extent possible.

On June 4, 1997, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) Amendments of 1997 were enacted into law as Public Law 105-17. IDEA now requires that all students in special education have access to the general education curriculum. While much progress has been made in the last 20 years in services for students with disabilities, the outcomes for students have not been entirely successful. Too many students with disabilities have failed courses and dropped out of schools. Almost twice as many students with disabilities drop out as compared to students without disabilities. When students with disabilities drop out of school, they are less likely to ever return to school and are more likely to be unemployed or have problems with the law. Almost half of the students with disabilities do not participate in statewide assessments, and, therefore, schools have not been held accountable for results. Students with significant disabilities have particularly poor outcomes in terms of integration, independence and productivity.

2. When was this change made to require that all students participate in the general education curriculum?

In February, 1998, the Louisiana Department of Education issued new IEP forms to be used by school districts which do not allow for the use of an alternative curriculum. All IEPs written after July 1, 1998, must be documented on the new IEP form and must reflect access to the general education curriculum.

3. What are the Louisiana State Content Standards and why were they developed?

Cecil J. Picard, Louisiana Superintendent of Education, stated the following in his introduction to the Louisiana Content Standards:

Rapid changes are occurring in our world and economy. The increasing complexity of work that spans the entire work force of today’s society demands that education for all students be made more relevant and useful to future careers. In response to these demands, Louisiana educators and citizens collaborated to develop an action plan to establish content standards that would raise the academic expectations of students. Their mission was "to develop rigorous and challenging standards that will enable all Louisiana students to become lifelong learners and productive citizens for the 21st century." These higher academic standards and their accompanying benchmarks, which further define the standards, require students to extend the learning they have acquired by applying knowledge and skills to real life, real work situations.

To prepare Louisiana students to meet the demands of society in the 21st century, the higher standards were designed to address content knowledge and application of skills. The standards focus on what students should know and be able to do. They promote and develop thinking processes which students will use in both classroom and real work situations and address the diversity of educational needs of all Louisiana students.

Content standards have been developed at the state level for the following areas: English/Language Arts, Mathematics, Science, Social Studies, Arts, and Foreign Languages. Each content standard is followed by benchmarks which define performance expectations at grade levels K-4, 5-8, and 9-12.

4. What are the foundation skills?

The foundation skills, embedded within the Louisiana State Content Standards, are as follows: Communication, Problem-Solving, Resource Access and Utilization, Linking and Generating Knowledge, and Citizenship. These skills are to be addressed by all students across all disciplines.

5. How do the Louisiana State Content Standards tie into my local curriculum?

Local school districts must use these standards in developing their local curriculum. However, the local curriculum goes beyond the content standards to include such areas as Physical Education, electives, character education, etc.

6. Must students with disabilities have access only to the curriculum areas directly tied into the content standards, or must they have access to the entire local curriculum?

Students with disabilities must have access to the entire local curriculum.

7. Do we have to address every content standard and benchmark for each student?

Content standards form the basis of LEAP 21 and Alternate Assessment, and a student’s curriculum should reflect what will be assessed. The IEP Committee makes the determination of which standards/benchmarks are to be addressed by an individual student. This decision is based on the unique needs of an individual student and the statewide assessment in which he/she will participate.

8. Can activities from the previously used alternative curriculum guides be covered in the general education curriculum?

Yes, these activities can be used as a resource to enhance the local general education curriculum. Please note that while activities from the previously used alternative curriculum may be utilized in teaching the content standards, IDEA stipulates that there is a single curriculum, the general education curriculum.

9. May a district develop a separate curriculum that is correlated to the Louisiana State Content Standards?

No, there can be no separate special education curriculum. There may be supplemental materials/resources used to enhance programs for students in special education.

10. Must students’ needs that extend beyond the context of the general education curriculum framework be addressed?

The Louisiana Content Standards have been developed for all Louisiana students, including students with disabilities, gifted and talented students, as well as linguistically and culturally diverse students. Nonetheless, it is acknowledged that some students may have unique needs which extend beyond those which fall into the general education framework. In fact, IDEA requires that all IEPs must not only address the general education curriculum, but must also address any other needs that result from the student’s disability. Refer to Section II of the General Education Access Guide for an explanation of the "common core of learning."

11. How do functional skills tie into the general education curriculum?

Instruction for some students in special education has focused on functional skills, that is, those skills which can be used in everyday situations. Likewise, the content standards require that students should be able to apply knowledge and skills to real life and real work situations. For students with very significant disabilities, these skills must promote maximum opportunities for integration. The Alternate Assessment: Student Planning Matrix provides a step-by-step process for modifying the general education curriculum to meet the needs of students who have typically addressed a functional curriculum in the past and who are now eligible for the Alternate Assessment.

12. Should functional skills be included in general education academic classes?

Yes. Most functional skills or activities can be taught within the context of general education academic classes (e.g., English, Math, Science, Social Studies).

The Alternate Assessment: Student Planning Matrix can assist IEP teams in looking at the scope of general education and how the needs of an individual student with more significant disabilities tie into the general education curriculum. There are numerous products available through the Louisiana Department of Education which can guide IEP teams in how to deliver instruction on "functional skills" within the context of a general education class.

13. Does this mean that all students have to be in the general education class?

The ecological assessment precedes the completion of the Alternate Assessment: Student Planning Matrix. It is part of the assessment information used in completing the Matrix, and aids the IEP team in modifying the general education curriculum to meet the needs of the student. Refer to Louisiana Bulletin 1933, page 54, for an explanation of the ecological assessment process.

15. Does this mean that we do away with community-based instruction?

No! In fact, efforts should be made to include students with disabilities in general education initiatives tied to community access such as School to Work. Many students will require instruction in the community to meet their needs. This is particularly true at the secondary level as students are preparing for ultimate employment and full access to community services. The need for community-based instruction remains an IEP Committee decision.

16. How do you strengthen the role of parents in the IEP process?

The 1997 Amendments to IDEA stress the critical need to strengthen the role of parents to provide a means for parents and schools to work together. Schools can involve parents by:

1) providing opportunities to participate in meetings concerning their child (convenient times, pleasant environments, proper notice, using parental information to plan programs, etc.);

2) providing them with information regarding the process for curriculum development and emphasizing their vital role in that process (refer parents to LEA parent training activities, Families Helping Families, Louisiana Department of Education Parent Conferences, etc); and

3) providing them with progress reports and requesting information from parents regarding their perception of the progress of their child.

17. Does IDEA address statewide assessment?

Yes. As a result of changes in IDEA, all students in Louisiana must participate in statewide assessment. The changes in IDEA were made to ensure that high standards were set for all students and that school systems be held accountable for the progress and outcomes of all students.

IDEA suggests that no more than 2% of the total LEA population participate in Alternate Assessment. Louisiana school systems were strongly encouraged to submit a Transition Assurance Plan to the Louisiana Department of Education. This plan provides an assurance that at least 80% of students with disabilities will participate in LEAP 21 in the 1998-99 school year. The remaining students are to participate in Alternate Assessment. The Alternate Assessment has not yet been developed. In the meantime, LEAs are to continue to use their current assessment procedures (e.g., behavior charting, task analysis, progress reports, portfolios) for students participating in Alternate Assessment.

18. How do I know if a student qualifies for participation in the Alternate Assessment?

The Louisiana Department of Education has developed draft Alternate Assessment Eligibility Criteria. Refer to Section III: Program Development for Students with Disabilities of the General Education Access Guide for the criteria.

19. When must school systems share the Alternate Assessment Eligibility Criteria with parents?

If data related to a student’s progress in school support the likelihood that a student would meet the draft Alternate Assessment Eligibility Criteria, parents should be notified of such in the IEP notification letter. A copy of the Alternate Assessment Eligibility Criteria may be sent with the notification letter. Remember, it is critical that parents understand the ramifications of the decision to have a student participate in Alternate Assessment (i.e., the student is not eligible to receive a high school diploma).

20. When will Alternate Assessment be required?

By July 1, 2000, the state must implement the Alternate Assessment.

21. How do we grade students who are participating in Alternate Assessment?

Since students participating in the Alternate Assessment are not expected to meet the standards at the same proficiency level as students participating in LEAP 21, there is no "set" rule on grading these students. Grading systems are determined at the local school level. Alternate grading systems should reflect the same procedures used by your local school system.

The Adapted Physical Education curriculum guide (Bulletin 1717) published by the Department in 1996 includes all of the components listed above (with the exception of aquatics) and those beyond to include skills for students with significant disabilities, mobility or sensory impairments. The major difference between the regular and adapted physical education curriculum is that in the latter modifications were made to ensure safe, successful, and beneficial participation.

26. Will the process outlined in the General Education Access Guide change?

This is a working document which will be field-tested. Feed-back from LEA administrators, instructional personnel, families, and other stakeholders will be used to modify the process to better meet the needs of Louisiana students.

27. Are LEAs mandated to use the forms found in the General Education Access Guide?

While use of the forms found within the document is not mandated, all students receiving special education services must be provided access to the general education curriculum. School systems are encouraged to provide all relevant staff with copies of the General Education Access Guide and to support the use of the guide and the various forms through professional development activities. Families, as key partners in the education process, should be informed of the new requirement that all students have access to the general education curriculum.

28. Does this mean that we change the way that we teach?

Maybe! A variety of instructional approaches and strategies must be utilized to meet the diverse needs of students. For example, cooperative learning, thematic instruction, peer support strategies, authentic instruction, and instruction based on an individual’s learning preferences may be utilized. Of course, effective instructional strategies such as prompting, shaping, modeling, direct instruction, positive reinforcement, and other proven practices should continue to be utilized.

29. What is the Transition Assurances Statement?

School districts were encouraged to sign and implement a Transition Assurances Statement that would become a part of their Pupil Progression Plan for the 1998-99 school year. This set of assurances outlines for school systems how they can implement program issues for school year 1998-99. Refer to your local Pupil Progression Plan for this document.

30. How do you assign grade level placements (e.g., 7th grade, 9th grade) for students who were previously in the ARP program and most likely in ungraded situations, but are now addressing the general education curriculum?

The placement should be in accordance with the local Pupil Progression Plan. Students should be assigned grade level placements that reasonably correspond to their chronological age.

31. For school year 1998-99, how do you determine which grade level test a student participating in LEAP 21 will take?

For former ARP Students:

It is very important that grade level "assignments" are made specifically to address students’ participation in LEAP 21. As indicated in the March 19, 1998, teleconference, ARP students formerly in ungraded situations could participate in the test that corresponds to either their chronologically appropriate grade level or tests that are given in grades as much as two levels below their chronological age.

For former SDRI Students:

Students that were formerly in the SDRI program should continue to take the test that corresponds to the grade in which they are enrolled.

32. How do we assure the "safe passage" of students at the secondary level who were previously in an ARP program, and who will now be required to address the general education curriculum?

Because Louisiana has had two allowable special education programs for years (SDRI and ARP), this has become a very difficult issue to resolve at the secondary level. The question at the secondary level is how do we now integrate these students back into the general education curriculum, when, for so many years, many of them have addressed an alternative curriculum and, prior to that, Separate Minimum Standards?