Lenses

Lens 1: IEPs and Related Services are Supplemental to the Core Instruction

Regarding achievement gaps, the FDOE states the following:

“It is essential that all students are provided an opportunity to achieve their highest academic, professional and life goals regardless of race/ethnicity, disability, economic status, or native language. Florida is working hard to ensure that each and every student has this opportunity by improving the performance of all students while also closing the achievement gap through the implementation of system-level strategies and by measuring and tracking key performance metrics.” (https://edudata.fldoe.org/StrategicPlan/reports/Strategic-GAP-Report-State.html)

All students, regardless of race/ethnicity, disability, economic status, or native language are general education students. IEPs, specially designed instruction, and other ESE services are system-level tools and supports designed to help schools and districts reduce the achievement gap for students with disabilities in the general education curriculum in the regular classroom, and to help those students achieve their highest academic, professional, and life goals.

IEPs are not only aligned to the grade level standards, but they are also aligned to the standards-based core instruction in the regular classroom. This means the quality and effectiveness of specially designed instruction and related services depends to a large degree on the quality and effectiveness of the standards-based core instruction that the IEP is supplemental to.

Activity

Review the images of the classrooms on this handout. Discuss the following:

1. Which classroom looks like it would successfully support accommodations?
2. Which classroom looks like it would successfully support inclusion?

Lens 2: We are changing to Universal Education

Some classroom instruction may be very effective as long as the student's have the skills to respond to that instruction. A classroom where everyone has to use paper and pencils as their primary instructional tools can have good results if the students are skilled in using paper and pencils. However, add a student who needs digital materials and who cannot write with a pencil, and there may be an achievement gap for that student. Our instructional design, from the beginning, must be to meet the needs of all students. We have to change to an universal education system and support our teachers in strategies for designing universal instruction.

Activity

Review the Learning Support Rating Scale. How would you rate your school(s)?

Lens 3: The Goal is Inclusion

• IEP must be aligned with the standards for the grade in which the student is enrolled.
• IEP must take into account present level of performance, impact of the disability, and involvement-progress in the general education curriculum. Goals must be aligned with the standards for all children with disabilities.
• The curriculum must be the same as for all students.
• So the child can meet the standards that apply to all students.
• The same curriculum that is based on the state standards.
• Access to the general curriculum in the regular classroom, to the maximum extent possible.
• FAPE for students with disabilities includes special education and related services, supplementary aids and services, and other supports that are designed to enable the child to advance appropriately and make progress in the general curriculum.

Next Page >