DRAFT 3-06
A Reflective Process for
Present Levels of Performance in IEP Development
Examining the Quality of Assessments
Purpose: The present level of performance is the first step in the IEP process. The assessment data used to develop a full understanding of the student’s present level of performance needs to be current, accurate, and objective. The assessments serve a dual function of assessing the student’s progress in general education and a baseline.
§ Examine the assessments that were used to determine the present level of performance and sort them in the matrix
§ Analyze the quality of those assessment by:
§ Highlight in yellow those assessments which provide the most information about the student’s participation and progress in general education
§ Check those assessments that provide specific, observable, measurable quantitative data (baseline data)
§ Star those assessments that provide objective qualitative data
Least Aligned Most AlignedAlignment with General Education / Quantitative Assessments / Qualitative Assessments
Curriculum-Based
Observational-Based
Criterion-Based
Norm Referenced
Narrowing the Scope
Purpose: IEPs are designed to meet the specific needs of a child that result from a disability in order to support the student’s access, participation, and progress in general education curriculum. Therefore IEP development stems directly from the analysis of data in terms of how the student currently functions in the general education. Since this is a very large scope for examination, there is a need to first determine which areas need to be explored more deeply as potential areas for IEP development.
§ List all the assessments that are used regularly for all students to determine their progress
§ Record this student’s current performance on these assessments
§ Determine in which areas the student is performing as expected and which areas need further exploration
Assessments Used in General Education / The Student’s Current Performance / Check OnePerforming as Expected / Needs Further Exploration
Language Arts
Math
Science/Social Studies/Other Subjects
Post Secondary/Vocational
Behavior/Social Emotional
Motor Skills/ Daily Living/Health
Other
Determining the Curriculum Standards and Setting Demands
Purpose: In order to determine a gap analysis, it is important to first establish the expected performance for ALL students. Both curriculum standards and setting demands need to be explored in order to set the expected performance.
§ In one area, identify the general education content and performance standard(s) that represent the age-appropriate grade level of the student (Nolet & McLaughlin, 2000)
§ Content standards are the broad curriculum goals or big ideas
§ E.g. Students read, comprehend and respond in individual, literal, critical and evaluative ways to literary, informational and persuasive texts in multimedia formats.
§ Performance standards are defined levels of mastery that must be met at each grade level
§ E.g. Students will identify and discuss the underlying theme or main idea in texts.
§ Identify the concepts that students need to know and skills that students need to apply (Reeves & Ainsworth, 2005)
§ Circling the verbs/verb phrases (skills)
§ Underlining the nouns/noun phrases (concepts)
§ E.g. Students will identify and discuss the underlying theme or main idea in texts.
§ Identify the setting demands needed for these content and performance standards (Moll, 2003)
§ Participation and Motivation = Type and level of engagement and motivators for student interest
§ Procedures, Transitions, and Routines = Classroom management systems for handling the flow of instruction
§ Sequence and Pace = Order and speed/time limits for learning
§ Tasks and Demonstration of Learning = Type and level of activities, presentations, and assessments
§ Resources and Materials = Texts, teacher-made materials, equipment, supplies
§ Background Knowledge and Independence Level = Prior information and skills needed
§ Vocabulary and Language of Learning = Content/topic terminology and key wording used to provide connections between concepts and directions for tasks
§ Strategies for Learning = Ways information and learning is organized, presented, and demonstrated
§ Reading and Writing Skills Needed = Level and amount of reading and writing required to gain understanding and perform tasks
§ Physical and Sensory Skills Needed = Type of gross/fine motor skills and visual, auditory, and tactile modalities required to gain understanding and perform tasks
Determining the Curriculum Standards and Setting Demands
Content Standard:
Performance Standard(s):
Setting DemandsParticipation & Motivation
Procedures, Transitions, & Routines
Sequence & Pace
Tasks & Demonstration of Learning
Resources & Materials
Background Knowledge & Independence Level
Vocabulary & Language of Learning
Strategies for Learning
Reading & Writing Skills Needed
Physical & Sensory Skills Needed
Determining the Unique Needs of a Student
Purpose: Gap analysis includes an examination the unique instructional, behavioral, and physical needs of a student that impact access, participation, and progress in general education.
§ Determine what the student needs to access to general education curriculum and activities (Giangreco, 2001; Moll, 2003; Nolet & McLaughlin, 2000)
o Personal = Medical, health
o Physical and sensory = Gross/fine motor, visual, auditory, and tactile
o Processing = Acquiring, organizing, categorizing, linking, storing, and retrieving information
o Self-management = Transitions, interactions, behaviors, procedures, routines
§ Determine what the student needs to participate in general education curriculum and activities
o Motivational = Interests, life goals/dreams, personal connections
o Communication = Receptive, expressive, terminology for understanding concepts and directions, content specific vocabulary
o Reading and writing = Level of skills, ability to use for learning and demonstrating knowledge
§ Determine what the student needs to progress in general education curriculum
o Pacing = Rate of learning, number of repetitions
o Content Knowledge and Skills= Concepts the student currently knows and skills the student can currently apply
Assessment Area / Student NeedsPersonal
Physical & Sensory
Process
Self-management
Motivational
Communication
Reading & Writing
Pacing
Content Knowledge & Skills
Analyzing the Gap
Purpose: Gap analysis is used to determine what student needs raise to the level of needing specially designed instruction. Gap analysis compares the relationship between the curricular and setting demands of general education to the unique needs of an individual student.
§ Use the information gathered on the student’s current level of performance and the analysis of the curricular and setting demands to complete the matrix. (Moll, 2003)
§ Highlight each area as:
o Green – A Bridge = a match between what the instructional demands and what the student needs (Moll, 2003)
o Yellow – A Gap = the instructional demands call for something the student is not ready for without some level of change (Moll, 2003)
Analyzing the Gap
What concepts will be taught? / What does the student know about the content?
How will the student apply skills? / What skills can the student apply?
What background knowledge is important for this content? / What background knowledge does the student have for this content?
What is the pacing for instruction? / At what rate does the student learn new content?
What is the language of instruction or this content? / To what degree does the student understand the language of instruction?
What reading writing skills are necessary for learning? / What reading writing skills does the student have?
What learning strategies are used to teach this content? / How does the student approach new learning?
What activities will engage the learner? / What are the interests of the student?
What class management systems are used? / What self-management skills does the student use?
What physical sensory skills will students need? / What personal, physical and sensory issues does the student have?
What materials are used for learning? / What materials does the student need for learning?
How do students demonstrate learning during after instruction? / How does the student best demonstrate learning?
Determining the Degree of Impact on Access, Participation, and Progress
Purpose: The determinations of a student’s present level of performance clarify which areas require specially designed instruction. Each gap area and student need should be access for the degrees of impact it has on a student’s ability to access, participate, and progress in general education.
§ Analyze each gap area to determine the degree of impact and need for specially designed instruction. (Giangreco, 2001; Lenz, Deshler, & Kissam, 2004; Nolet & McLaughlin, 2000)
§ Essential questions for determining the degree of impact and the need for specially designed instruction
§ Is the gap a result of or related to the disability?
§ Does the gap significantly impact the student’s ability to access, participate, or progress in general education curriculum across multiple areas and settings, as well as require an intensity and frequency of on-going support that extends beyond what can be provided in general education?
§ Can the gap be closed through a change in instructional delivery, materials, or assessment procedures/tasks?
§ Does the student need instruction on learning strategies, how to use materials, or techniques for completing tasks?
§ Will the gap close if direct instruction is provided on a missing critical concept or skill?
§ Is the gap significant enough to warrant a change in content or performance standards?
§ Make a statement that describes how the student’s disability specifically impacts her/his access, participation, and progress in the general curriculum. Think of it as an “if-then” statement.
§ E.g. The student’s level of decoding skills and fluency rate make it difficult for her to complete independent reading assignments in the core academic areas
§ Determine what the student needs as a result of the impact.
§ Accommodations = a change in how instruction is delivered, materials, or assessment procedures/tasks
§ Modifications = a change in content or performance standards
§ Direct instruction on a learning strategy, the use of materials, a missing concept or skill
§ E.g. The student’s level of decoding skills and fluency rate make it difficult for her to complete independent reading assignments in the core academic areas and requires accommodations for reading texts and direct instruction on decoding skills
Determining the Degree of Impact on Access, Participation, and Progress
The Gap Area(Specific Area) / The Degree of Impact
(Access, Participation, Progress) / The Need
(General Education Supports or Intervention Plan)
(Accommodations, Modifications, Direct Instruction)
Summary of Reflection
Strengths / Needs for ImprovementResources
Giangreco, M. F. (2001). Guidelines for making decision about IEP services. [Electronic Version], 1-70. Retrieved 1/5/06 from http://www.uvm.edu/~mgiangre/.
IEP Manual and Forms. (2006). Retrieved. from http://www.state.ct.us/sde/deps/special/index.htm#IEP.
Lenz, B. K., Deshler, D. D., & Kissam, B. R. (2004). Teaching Content to All: Evidence-Based Inclusive Practices in Middle and Secondary Schools. Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon.
Moll, A. M. (2003). Differentiated Instruction Guide for Inclusive Teaching. New York: Dude Publishing.
Nolet, V., & McLaughlin, M. J. (2000). Accessing the General Curriculum: Including Students with Disabilities in Standards-Based Reform. Thousand Oaks, CA Corwin Press, Inc.
Reeves, D., & Ainsworth, L. (2005). Making Standards Work Paper presented at the Making Standards Work Series, CT.
SERC 13