| The Ohio Schools are redefining their
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| | which they previously have been exempt.
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| Special Education program and closing the
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| | The Ohio schools developed the following
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| gap in the achievement of students with
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| | strategies for improvement:
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| disabilities. The Ohio schools believe
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| | • Redefine special education at the
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| that achievement gaps are not the same as
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| | state level to shift focus away from
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| ability gaps, and the education system is
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| | compliance and paperwork to
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| responsible for ensuring that high
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| | standards-based instruction for all
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| achievement is an attainable goal for all
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| | children.
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| students. Furthermore, the Ohio schools
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| | • Implement a statewide monitoring
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| has put forth that meaningful
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| | system designed to assess district
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| participation of students with
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| | educational compliance with federal and
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| disabilities in state assessment is
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| | state law applicable to students with
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| absolutely essential if every child is to
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| | disabilities.
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| be assured access to challenging
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| | • Align the work of the Special
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| curriculum and appropriate instruction.
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| | Education Regional Resource Center
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| In 2001, the Ohio schools made a major
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| | (SERRC) network with the priorities of
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| shift in approaching students with
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| | the Ohio schools, including No Child Left
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| disabilities by revising school policy to
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| | Behind, differentiating instruction,
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| require students with disabilities to
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| | positive behavior support, reading
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| participate in state assessment. Now,
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| | literacy, and progress monitoring.
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| content standards are the focus of
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| | • Maximize use of federal and state
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| instruction for all students in every
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| | funds earmarked for children with
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| classroom, and a variety of
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| | disabilities.
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| research-based instructional strategies
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| | • Develop and disseminate products,
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| are aligned with the content standards. A
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| | tools and services focused on improving
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| coherent array of interventions, supports
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| | results for student who are at risk,
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| and services are used to ensure the
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| | including students with disabilities.
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| success of students with disabilities.
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| | • Use the accountability system to
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| The policy now is that assessment is a
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| | leverage change in policy and practice at
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| reflection of instruction and instruction
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| | the local school level.
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| is a reflection of assessment, creating a
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| | The Ohio schools are focusing attention
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| shared responsibility for the education
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| | and energy on assisting all students to
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| of students with disabilities.
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| | achieve high academic standards. They are
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| The Ohio schools' goals for teaching
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| | preparing and supporting teachers and
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| students with disabilities are standards,
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| | administrators to ensure that all
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| capacity, and accountability. They will
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| | students are taught what they need in
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| improve access to, participation in, and
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| | order to succeed. They are adapting the
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| progress in the general curriculum, based
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| | public education structure in a manner to
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| on the Ohio academic standards, for
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| | ensure all students will learn the Ohio
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| students with disabilities. Encouraging
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| | schools' academic standards.
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| others to consider students with
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| | This means fewer but more meaningful
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| disabilities as general education
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| | goals for all students, effective use of
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| children first is the capacity goal -
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| | student assessment data and resources, a
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| assuming they will achieve, rather than
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| | fundamental shift in focus from what is
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| assuming they may not achieve. The goal
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| | taught to what children learn, and
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| of accountability is to increase the
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| | allowing assessment to drive classroom
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| performance of children with disabilities
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| | instruction, which is rigorous and
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| on state and district assessments from
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| | aligned to the standards.
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