Department Announces New Effort to Strengthen Accountability for Students with Disabilities
Moving from Compliance-Focused Approach to One Driven by Results
English Language Arts/English Language
River Valley Charter School Recognized
 | Office of Special Education Programs |
Today, the Department of Education announced new steps to help close the achievement gap for students with disabilities by moving away from a one-size-fits-all, compliance-focused approach to a more balanced system that looks at how well students are being educated in addition to continued efforts to protect their rights.
While the Department has effectively ensured access to educational resources for students with disabilities, not enough attention has been paid to educational outcomes, which have not sufficiently improved. This is partly due to the fact that federal policy has focused more on procedural requirements and not enough on critical indicators like increasing academic performance or graduation rates for students with disabilities.
"For too long we've been a compliance-driven bureaucracy when it comes to educating students with disabilities," said U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan. "We have to expect the very best from our students—and tell the truth about student performance—so that we can give all students the supports and services they need. The best way to do that is by focusing on results," Duncan said.
Throughout the coming year, the Department will work closely with stakeholders to develop and implement a new review system that takes a more balanced, results-driven approach to assessing how states are educating students with disabilities and better targets monitoring to where it's needed most.
Since the current process of conducting on-site state compliance reviews has not focused enough on improving student outcomes, the Department will not be carrying out the visits scheduled for the 2012-13 school year to allow it time to develop a new and more effective system. However, the Department will continue to review annual performance reports as well as monitor state supervision systems.
For more information about the work of the Department's Office of Special Education Programs, seehttp://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/osers/osep/index.html
Education Roundup for Week Ending March 2, 2012
SACRAMENTO—The California Department of Education (CDE) today issued this week's Education Roundup featuring education-related announcements of public interest.
English Language Arts/English Language
Development Focus Group Recruitment
The CDE is recruiting educators from throughout California to participate in focus groups to revise the English Language Arts/English Language Development Framework for California Public Schools: Kindergarten Through Grade Twelve.
Revisions are necessary to incorporate and support the Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts, including new English Language Development standards, and reflect current research on effective instructional strategies to meet the needs of California’s diverse student population.
Four focus group meetings are being scheduled and all will be open to the public for comment. The comments will be forwarded to the Instructional Quality Commission and the State Board of Education for consideration. Each of the focus group meetings will be in the late afternoon:
- May 22, 2012, Orange County Department of Education.
- May 31, 2012, California Department of Education, Sacramento.
- June 4, 2012, Monterey County Office of Education.
- June 5, 2012, Contra Costa County Office of Education.
Applications for appointment to the focus groups must be received by April 5, 2012. In late April, the State Superintendent of Public Instruction will then appoint between 10 to 15 people for each meeting location.
For more information, an application form, and an online version of the current Reading/Language Arts Framework, please visit the CDE Web site at Curriculum Frameworks - Reading/Language Arts.
River Valley Charter School Recognized
for Excellence in Independent Study
River Valley Charter School in Lakeside was recognized this month at the California Consortium for Independent Study (CCIS) Conference in San Diego for receiving the Exemplary Independent Study Recognition Award (EISRA). The award is issued jointly by the CCIS and the CDE for exhibiting excellent educational practices in schools where independent study is the primary mode of instruction.
The CCIS Conference gives independent study teachers and administrators the opportunity to meet representatives from previous EISRA recipients to learn more about their practices. Awardees also serve as models for other schools to replicate.
River Valley Charter School runs a rigorous, college preparatory “blended” independent study program, structured much like a typical college or university. Students attend classes two days per week. The mandatory 75-minute classes are in four core areas: English, mathematics, science, and social science. Students are assigned “lesson extensions,” including homework, project-based learning, and research and writing assignments to complete during the other three days of the week. Many electives are offered before or after school, or via independent study. Tutoring is available four days per week after school.
For information about EISRA recipients, please visit the CDE Web site at Award-Winning Exemplary Independent Study Schools - Independent Study. For information on independent study, visit Independent Study - Educational Options. For information about the CCIS, visit CCIS - California Consortium for Independent Study (Outside Source).
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Tom Torlakson — State Superintendent of Public Instruction