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