Families: Academic

Mother pushing daughter in wheelchair.

Understanding College & Career Ready Standards 

College and Career Ready Standards (CCRS) are rigorous academic standards that build from kindergarten through 12th grade to support students’ preparation and success upon graduation from high school. CCRS set high goals for student achievement; graduating high school students who meet CCRS are prepared to pursue a college education without taking any remedial courses. 

The Center for Parent Information and Resources  

The Center provides families of children with disabilities with information about college and career readiness in easy-to-understand language. 

National Secondary Transition Technical Assistance Center (NSTTAC) 

National Secondary Transition Technical Assistance Center (NSTTAC) provides an overview of legislative and best-practice initiatives around college and career readiness. It includes a description of the development of Common Core State Standards.  The document also highlights instructional activities in which high school students may demonstrate proficiency of the CCSS through transition-focused curricula and provides a summary of college and career ready initiatives adopted by each state.

College & Career Readiness & Success Center

College & Career Readiness & Success Center  provides “The College and Career Readiness and Success Organizeris a graphic that displays a consolidated overview of the many elements that impact a student’s ability to succeed in college and careers at both the institutional and individual levels: 

National Center on Accessible Educational Materials for Learning

National Center on Accessible Educational Materials for Learning provides a host of resources for SEAs, LEAs, families and educators to promote knowledge development to ensure  equitable opportunities for children with disabilities.

Standards-based Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) 

Standards-based IEPs focus on helping students go from their current level of performance to meeting grade-level college and career ready standards.  Explore the resources below for an overview of standards-based IEPs, how standards-based IEPs are different, and why standards-based IEPs promote your child’s growth. 

National Association of State Directors of Special Education (NASDSE) 

National Association of State Directors of Special Education (NASDSE) presents a seven-step process to be used in developing a standards-based IEP. Each step is followed by guiding questions for the IEP team to consider in making data-based decisions. 

The U.S. Department of Education 

The U.S. Department of Education provides resources on IDEA requirements and implementation considerations for IEPs. 

National Center on Accessible Educational Materials for Learning  

National Center on Accessible Educational Materials for Learning provides a host of resources for SEAs, LEAs, families and educators to promote knowledge development and capacity building to ensure  equitable opportunities for children with disabilities.

Assessment 

Assessments provide teachers and families with information about a student’s educational performance. Explore the resources below to learn more about different types of assessments and how assessments can provide important information to families and schools. 

The National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO) 

The National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO)provides resources on the participation of children with disabilities in State and district-wide assessments. 

IRIS Center 

IRIS Center offers a wide variety of free, online resources about evidence-based instructional and intervention practices to support behavior and classroom management, including modules, practice guides and research summaries developed in collaboration with nationally-recognized researchers and education experts, to support the education of all children, particularly those with disabilities. See the “Resources Locator” for information on assessment, including progress monitoring. 

The Center for Parent Information and Resources (CPIR) 

CPIR provides family-friendly resources on assessments and students with disabilities.  

Assessment Accommodations 

Postsecondary Education Program Network 2 (pepnet 2) 

Postsecondary Education Program Network 2 (pepnet 2) providesinformation about accommodations that might be particularly useful for students who are deaf or hard of hearing: Accommodations are central to issues of access to education for students who are deaf or hard of hearing (SDHH). However, there are often concerns that accommodations might change the difficulty of a test, particularly when those changes involve different language modalities (e.g., ASL or a signed version of a standardized measure). This paper reviewed the current literature, focusing on the factors that are important to keep in mind when considering the use of accommodations for assessment. 

National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO) 

National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO) is a national technical assistance center that provides national leadership in designing and building educational assessments and accountability systems that appropriately monitor educational results for all students with disabilities (SWD), including English learners with disabilities.  They provide information about accommodations for students with disabilities and universally designed assessments.

Center for Parent Information and Resources (CPIR)

Center for Parent Information and Resources (CPIR) provides families with information about assessment accommodations. 

IRIS Center 

IRIS Center offers a wide variety of free, online resources about evidence-based instructional and intervention practices to support behavior and classroom management, including modules, practice guides and research summaries developed in collaboration with nationally-recognized researchers and education experts, to support the education of all children, particularly those with disabilities.  See the “Resources Locator” for information on assessment and accommodations.    

Accommodations 

An accommodation is a support that helps a student to successfully participate in the general education curriculum and show progress. Assessment accommodations change the way an assessment is administered without altering the content of the assessment.   Classroom accommodations are crucial supports in helping students achieve CCRS.  Explore the resources below for an overview of classroom accommodations, such as making changes to scheduling, materials, instruction, or how a student responds to show progress.  Also provided is information about various types of assessment accommodations, such as accommodations to settings, timing, scheduling, format, or response. In addition, you can use the links provided to learn more about the importance of determining which accommodations are appropriate to meet an individual child’s needs. 

Classroom Accommodations 

Center for Parent Information and Resources (CPIR) 

Center for Parent Information and Resources (CPIR) has a launch page devoted to information about accommodations, including a resource that explains supports, modifications, and accommodations. 

National Center for Learning Disabilities (NCLD) 

NCLD, in association with Reading Rockets, provides information about accommodations for students with learning disabilities. 

National Association of School Psychologists (NASP)

NASP’s vision is to help all children and youth thrive in school, at home, and throughout life. The document, Academic Accommodations for Students with Disabilities, provide background and strategies for providing accommodations for students with disabilities.  

Assessment Accommodations 

Postsecondary Education Program Network 2 (pepnet 2) 

Postsecondary Education Program Network 2 (pepnet 2) providesinformation about accommodations  that might be particularly useful for students who are deaf or hard of hearing: Accommodations are central to issues of access to education for students who are deaf or hard of hearing (SDHH). However, there are often concerns that accommodations might change the difficulty of a test, particularly when those changes involve different language modalities (e.g., ASL or a signed version of a standardized measure). This paper reviewed the current literature, focusing on the factors that are important to keep in mind when considering the use of accommodations for assessment. 

National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO)

National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO) is a national technical assistance center that provides national leadership in designing and building educational assessments and accountability systems that appropriately monitor educational results for all students with disabilities (SWD), including English learners with disabilities.  They provide information about accommodations for students with disabilities and universally designed assessments:  

Center for Parent Information and Resources (CPIR) 

Center for Parent Information and Resources (CPIR) provides families with information about assessment accommodations. 

IRIS Center 

IRIS Center offers a wide variety of free, online resources about evidence-based instructional and intervention practices to support behavior and classroom management, including modules, practice guides and research summaries developed in collaboration with nationally-recognized researchers and education experts, to support the education of all children, particularly those with disabilities.  See the “Resources Locator” for information on assessment and accommodations.