Parent Advisory Council
Seven Hills Classical Academy
May 10, 2012
The Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSS) and
the National Governors Association Center for Best Practices
(NGA Center) June 2, 2012
• Developed Kindergarten to grade 12 common core state standards
on behalf of 48 states, two territories, and the District of Columbia
• English Language Arts and Mathematics standards represent
expectations for student knowledge and skills that high school
graduates need to master and succeed in college and careers
• Feedback from the general public, teachers, parents, business
leaders, states, and content area experts
• Align with college and work expectations
• Include rigorous content and application of knowledge through highorder skills
• Build upon strengths and lessons of current state standards
• Informed by top performing countries, so that all students are
prepared to succeed in our global economy and society
• Evidence and/or research-based
Please See Minnesota Academic Standards Grades K-12, Reading and
Mathematics
In order for students with disabilities to meet high academic standards and to
fully demonstrate their conceptual and procedural knowledge and skills in
mathematics, reading, writing, speaking and listening(English language arts),
their instruction must incorporate supports and accommodations, including:
• supports and related services designed to meet the unique needs of these
students and to enable their access to the general education curriculum
(IDEA 34 CFR §300.34, 2004).
• An Individualized Education Program (IEP) which includes annual goals
aligned with and chosen to facilitate their attainment of grade-level
academic standards.
• Teachers and specialized instructional support personnel who are prepared
and qualified to deliver high-quality, evidence-based, individualized
instruction and support services.
• Required only if child is taking modified Minnesota Comprehensive
Assessment (MCA-Modified)
• Best Practice to implement Standard Based IEP
MCA-Modified
• Schools are responsible for meeting the educational needs of all
students. Some students are unable to achieve grade-level
proficiency due to their disability, and the MCA-Modified helps ensure
that schools provide mathematics and reading instruction that will
help these students learn grade-level content.
• Alternate assessment based on modified achievement standards for
a limited group of students whose disability has prohibited them from
attaining grade-level proficiency.
• Measures mathematics and reading skills based on grade-level content
standards. The assessment is less difficult than the Minnesota
Comprehensive Assessments (MCA) taken by the general student
population, and the expectations for achievement are less rigorous.
• Elementary and Secondary Education Act/No Child Left Behind requires
that all students in public schools participate in the statewide
assessment program. The MCA-Modified is provided for specific grades
in reading (5-8 and 10) and mathematics (5-8 and 11).
• The MCA-Modified may be appropriate for certain students with
Individualized Education Programs (IEP). Students may take the MCAModified in reading and/or mathematics instead of the MCA. The IEP
team is responsible for determining how the student participates in
statewide testing.
• The grades 5–8 Mathematics MCA-Modified are aligned to the 2007
academic standards for mathematics.
• The grade 11 Mathematics MCA-Modified continues to be aligned to
the 2003 academic standards.
Reading
The Reading MCA-Modified measures student understanding of fiction
and nonfiction passages. The passages are generally shorter than in
the MCA, and more of the passages are at the lower end of the
readability range for each grade. Some items are embedded within the
passage, and items referring to the entire passage appear at the end.
Mathematics
The Mathematics MCA-Modified items are accompanied by graphic
support when appropriate. The reading load is reduced, and for grades
5-8, read-aloud support is available via the computer. Formulas are
provided in the items or on a separate formula sheet.
Step 1: Consider the grade-level content standards in which the student is
enrolled or would be enrolled based on age.
• What grade-level content standard(s) does the student need specialized
instruction in (based on disability need)?
• What is the intent of the content standard?
• What is the content standard saying that the student must know and be able
to do?
Step 2: Examine classroom and student data to determine where the student is
functioning in relation to the grade-level standards (present levels of academic
and functional performance).
• Interim assessments, Measures of Academic Progress, Minnesota
Comprehensive Assessments (MCAs), informal reading assessments
• How does the student’s disability affect participation and progress in the
general curriculum?
• What supports does the student need to learn the knowledge and attain the
skills to progress in the general curriculum?
Step 3: Develop measurable annual goals aligned with grade-level content
standards.
Step 4: Identify specially designed instruction including accommodations and/or
modifications needed to access and progress in the general curriculum.
See examples.
http://projectforum.org/docs/Standards_BasedIEPExamples.pdf
• Minnesota Department of Education
http://education.state.mn.us
Search: Academic Standards
• National Association of State Directors of Special Education