Understanding the Personal Curriculum

1
Understanding the Personal Curriculum

• Why it is not a Special Education Thing

2
Reaching and Teaching All Michigan Students
3
Reality Check

• Internationally, the United States does not have
  the highest educational standards. However, we
  have the deepest commitment to equityessential
  to a schools success is absolute commitment to a
  rigorous and relevant curriculum for all
  students.
• Bill Daggett

4
Practicalities

• Preparing Michigan Students for Work and College
  Success are the same thing
• Governors Goal - Double the number of college
  graduates in Michigan
• Students success in college or the workplace is
  linked to high level courses in English, science
  and math beyond Algebra II
• Rigorous requirements do not increase dropout
  rates

5
In the last 30 years, jobs have been
redistributed employment share and earnings
have shrunk for high school drop outs

• Until the 1970s the United States economic
  dominance rested on a solid agricultural and
  manufacturing base where workers with high school
  or less could provide a comfortable living for
  their families
• Today, ideas rather than natural resources
  comprise an increasing share in GDP growth

1973
Employment share Earnings
32 25,900
40 32,000
9 51,000
12 40,000
7 57,700
High school drop outs
High school graduates
Some college, no degree
Associate degree
Bachelors degree
Graduate degree
2001
Employment share Earnings
9 20,700
31 29,600
21 52,600
18 35,800
11 68,200
10 37,100
Source Autor, Levy, Murnane, 2003 Carnavale
(ETS), 2003
6
Schools DO Make a Difference

• Research of
• Larry Lazotte,
• Wilbur Brookover
• Michael Rutter
• Conclude that
• All children can learn
• Schools control the factors that assure mastery
  of the curriculum

7
Schools DO Make a Difference

• Robert Marzano, What Works in Schools, 2003
• An analysis of research conducted over a 35 year
  period demonstrates that schools that are highly
  effective produce results that almost entirely
  overcome the effects of student backgrounds.

8
Getting to Credit

• Credit must be aligned with subject area content
  expectations

9
Strategies to Assist Student Success

• Integrated instruction
• Online learning
• College credit opportunities
• Work based learning
• Project based learning

• Flexible scheduling
• Spiraled Curriculum
• Peer coaching
• Adult mentoring
• Electives

10
Options to Meet MMC Requirements

• A PC is not necessarily needed for alternative
  instructional delivery methods and course work
  inclusive of MMC credit requirements for the
  following
• Humanities sequence
• Career and technical education
• Industrial technology courses
• Dual enrollment, International Baccalaureate, AP
  courses
• Alternative education programs

11
Guiding Principles

• The PC is one of many options to help students
  meet or exceed the MMC
• The PC is the exception and agreed upon with
  thought and integrity
• The PC is agreed upon and initiated by the
  parent/guardian or emancipated student
• Educators are obligated to teach a challenging
  curriculum and prepare students for post
  secondary goals
• The PC is an individualized plan for rigor and
  relevance based on the HSCE
• The PC holds constant the graduation
  requirements, curriculum and content
• The PC is consistent with SBE policy on Universal
  Education and Design for learning

12
Personal Curriculum

• Legislative Requirements
• Agreement between the superintendent,
  parent/guardian, and the student
• Developed by a team that must include at least
• student
• parent/guardian
• counselor/designee
• school psychologist should be included for
  students with disabilities
• Meets as much of MMC (HSCE/CCE) as practicable
• Aligned with the EDP
• Measurable goals
• Method to evaluate progress
• Communication of progress with parent

13
Educational Development Plans

• The Board of a LEA or Board of Directors of a
  PSA
• Shall ensure each pupil in Grade 7 is provided
  with the opportunity to develop an EDP
• The EDP shall be developed before the student
  enters high school
• Shall be developed by
• Pupil
• School counselor
• School Psychologist should be included if the
  student has an IEP

14
Essential Elements for EDPs

• 1.  Personal Information
• 2.  Career Goal(s)
• 3.  Educational/Training Goal(s)
• 4.  Assessment Results
• 5.  Plan of Action
• 6.  Parent Consultation/Endorsement
• (under age 18)

Courtesy of Christine Reiff, Office of Career
and Technical Preparation
15
Drop Out Prevention

• If a pupil is not successfully completing a
  credit required for graduation or is identified
  as being at risk of withdrawing from HS
• The pupil's school district or PSA shall notify
  the pupils parents/guardian of the availability
  of
• tutoring or
• other supplemental educational supports and
  counseling services

16
Mathematics Modification
17
Modifications

• Health and Physical Education and Visual,
  Performing and Applied Arts
• Student takes additional credit beyond the
  required credits in English Language Arts, Math,
  Science, or World Languages
• Health education and social skills programs
  improve school and test performance, attendance
  and school connectedness
• Physical education, structured physical activity
  and higher fitness levels impact student
  achievement.

18
Modifications

• Social Studies
• The third credit may be modified if the student
  takes an additional credit (beyond the required
  credits) in English Language Arts, Math, Science,
  or World Language
• 2 credits required, including civics

19
Transfer Students

• Student has successfully completed the
  equivalent of 2 years of high school credit out
  of state or at a nonpublic school.
• Districts may use appropriate assessment
  examinations to determine what credits were
  earned out of state or at a nonpublic school
• The Personal Curriculum incorporates as much of
  the subject area content expectations of the
  Michigan merit standard as is practicable.
• Student successfully completes at least 1
  mathematics credit during final year of high
  school.
• Credit must be at least Algebra 1 if enrolled at
  least 1 year
• Next credit above Algebra 1 if student has
  demonstrated success in Algebra1
• Student must take Civics

20
Modifications

• No modifications in the following areas
• English Language Arts
• Science
• World Languages
• Civics
• Online Learning Experience
• Exception Students with a disability and
  transfer students

21
Subsection (k)

• Permits consideration of modifications not
  otherwise allowed
• PC allows some credit swapping and some content
  modification
• Modification is subject to demonstration that
  the modification is necessary because the pupil
  is a child with a disability
• Permits the modification to be made to the
  extent necessary

22
Subsection (k) cont.

• The modification must be consistent with the
  Educational Development Plan and the
  Individualized Education Program
• This determination is made by at least
• student
• parent/guardian
• counselor/designee
• school psychologist should be included for
  students with disabilities

23
Link to IDEA

• If a pupil receives special education services,
  the pupil's IEP shall identify
• the appropriate course or courses of study and
• the supports, accommodations, and modifications
  necessary to allow the pupil to progress in the
  curricular requirements of the MMC or PC and meet
  the requirements for a diploma.

24
Accountability

• NCLB and IDEA 04 hold State and Public Agencies
  accountable for the performance of students with
  disabilities within a structure of state
  standards.
• While it is allowable to account for growth and
  performance for some of these students on
  alternative achievement standards it is not
  appropriate to create a different path to
  graduation.

25
Accountability

• IDEA defines what is not a diploma and therefore
  defines what is a diploma.
• Section 300.102(a)(3), regarding exceptions to
  FAPE, has been changed to clarify that a regular
  high school diploma does not include an
  alternative degree that is not fully aligned with
  the States academic standards, such as a
  certificate or a general educational development
  credential (GED).
• In this context, nothing from the MDE can counter
  the accountability framework that NCLB and IDEA
  create.

26
Some Things Seems to Be Very Clear

• We cannot substitute alternative content and
  count achievement within that content towards the
  18 credit requirements.
• We cannot reduce the number of credits.
• The IEP supports but does not trump the
  graduation requirements.
• There are no plans for a Special Education
  curriculum that will lead to a separate diploma.
• No such thing as a modified diploma.
• Kids who dont get a diploma are not doomed to
  fail in life.
• Districts can issue alternative certificates but
  they do not end FAPE.

27
So where do we get answers?

• There are two sets of guidance documents posted
  to the Office of School Improvement website.
• Follow this link
• http//www.michigan.gov/mde/0,1607,7-140-6530_3033
  4-178576--,00.html

28
Or.

• Start with the MDE website
• MDE - Michigan Department of Education
• http//www.michigan.gov/mde
• Go to the OFFICES tab on the left side of the
  page
• Follow the School Improvement link
• Follow the Personal Curriculum Guidelines link

29
And now

• Answers to your questions

30
SEAC Questions on Personal Curriculum

• Generated on January 9th 2008 in preparation for
  Personal Curriculum presentation to SEAC on
  February 6th, 2008
• The latest versions of MDEs Personal Curriculum
  Guidelines and examples documents can be found
  here
• http//www.michigan.gov/mde/0,1607,7-140-6530_3033
  4-178576--,00.html

31
Umbrella Question

• Q When and under what circumstances should a PC
  be considered for a student? When is it not
  necessary?
• A Page 39, Questions 1 and 2 of the FAQ section
  in the Supporting Materials and Examples

32
Additional Questions

• Q What is the schools obligation to bring up
  the option of a PC at an EDT or IEP?
• A The school would be responsible for informing
  the parent of the personal curriculum as part of
  their general information sharing process
  regarding the graduation requirements.

33

• Q What is the role of the IEP with regards to
  MME?
• A Identifies which version of the exam the
  student will be assessed on and any modifications
  or accommodations that are necessary and
  permissible.

34

• Q How does the IEP/504 plan interface with the
  end of credit exams?
• A Identify accommodations and modifications

35

• Q Are there other ways besides to PC within the
  HS curriculum for students with IEPs to
  demonstrate the competencies required by MMC?
• A The PC has nothing to do with demonstrating
  competence.

36

• Q Is the PC framed around the students
  interests and capabilities/competencies?
• A The PC is a tool for making changes to the
  graduation requirements as identified in 1278a
  and 1278b. It individualizes the rigor of the
  students course of study as identified in the
  EDP. A good EDP should be based on sources of
  information that identify preferences, strengths
  and interests of students and families.

37

• Q How will the state (MDE) monitor the rate of
  students with PCs?
• A Through the SRSD - SDS

38

• Q What plans are there to develop a
  user-friendly guide to PC for parents and school
  staff? (user-friendly meaning lt5 pages, not in .4
  font, as jargon-less as possible etc.)
• A We are forming a group to do this as we speak.

39

• Q What provisions are there to balance more
  rigor in one area with less rigor somewhere else?
• A There are no official provisions. This is a
  decision that must be made and agreed to by the
  development team.

40

• Q How will consistency between districts (LEAs)
  be assured if LEAs each define their own end of
  credit exams?
• Q How will we deal with the issue of equity
  between district to district, and between program
  to program?
• A Data portraits. We must connect the dots
  between course of study, performance on the MME,
  graduation and postsecondary outcomes.

41

• Q What ISDs are coordinating efforts with their
  local districts with regard to MME? How are they
  doing that?
• A Thats a good question!

42
Contact Information

• Personal Curriculum
• Deborah Clemmons Clemmonsd_at_michgian.gov
• Supervisor for Curriculum and Literacy
• 517-241-2479 MDE OSI
• Special Education
• Matt Korolden koroldenm_at_michigan.gov
• Co-director, Secondary Redesign and Transition
• 517-241-3509 MDE OSE/EI