District Curriculum Accommodation Plan

128 Pages·2008·0.36 MB·English

Springfield Public Schools
A Culture of Educational Excellence!

DISTRICT CURRICULUM ACCOMODATION PLAN (DCAP)
A Resource Guide for Principals, Teachers, Student Support Services
Personnel, Paraprofessionals, and Parents

Our Students
will Always
come FIRST

Teamwork,
Shared
Trust, &
Accountability
Mutual Respect
A

Culture of
Educational
Excellence

Our Core
Parents & Business
Community Is
As Partners Teaching
& Learning
The mission of the Springfield Public Schools is to provide the highest quality of education so that all of our students are empowered to realize their 
full‐potential and lead fulfilling lives as lifelong learners, responsible citizens and leaders in the 21st Century.
Springfield Public Schools

Executive Summary
District Curriculum Accommodation Plan

Revised changes to Chapter 71, Section 38Q½ of the Massachusetts General Laws,
requires all school districts to adopt and implement a District Curriculum
Accommodation Plan (DCAP). The plan is designed to assist principals and teachers in
ensuring that all possible efforts have been made to meet students’ needs in general
education classrooms and to support teachers in analyzing and accommodating diverse
learning styles of all children that may be present in a school.

The Springfield Public Schools DCAP is directly connected to procedures that are
currently in place to strengthen and improve the general education program for the
benefit of all students, not solely or specifically for special education. The DCAP is
intended to address various strategies that will help achieve that objective, including:
• accommodating various students’ learning needs, including students who are
English Language Learners, and to manage student’s behavior effectively;
• support services that are available to students through the general education
program, including services to address the needs of students whose behavior may
interfere with learning;
• direct and systematic instruction in reading for all students.

When there is a concern regarding a child, the District has Student Teacher Assistance
Teams (STAT) and Service Teams as problem solving processes to address these
concerns. These processes include staff collaboration, communication with
parents/guardians, discussion and development of an Individual Curriculum
Accommodation Plan (ICAP) that includes strategies for accommodation or intervention,
and periodic review and evaluation of student progress.

This document includes curriculum accommodations for elementary, middle, and high
school. For each level there is a list of school personnel who are available to assist and
support classroom teachers in analyzing and accommodating the individual needs of
students. In addition, there is a list of sample strategies and other actions from which the
teachers and collaborating staff may select for appropriate accommodations for individual
students. This list includes suggestions for accommodating concerns regarding academic
progress as well as strategies and interventions designed to resolve social and behavioral
issues. The lists, strategies, and interventions included in this guide were gleaned from
documents that are currently being utilized in many schools throughout the District to
support the diverse learning needs of students in the general education setting.

There is also a section of this resource guide that includes Opportunities for Success
guidelines that were developed by the Colorado Department of Education. There are ten
disabilities that are included in the handbook. They are Attention Deficit Disorders
(ADD), Attention Emotional Disability, Significant Identifiable Emotional Disability,
Learning Disabilities, Physical Disabilities (Section 504), Significant Cognitive
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Challenges, Speech/Language Disabilities, Traumatic Brain Injury, Visually Impaired,
and Prevention Initiatives. There is information about these disabilities available in the
following areas:
• Characteristics of the students’ disability
• Essential learnings
• Classroom practices
• Assessment strategies
• Service options

There are both formal and informal routes in developing an ICAP. In some instances,
communication between parents and teachers will be effective in identifying issues and
agreeing upon strategies and interventions to be implemented. In other situations, teams
of educators will be involved in a more formal process such as STAT or Service Team
and a more formal plan may result. If the latter occurs, it is important to make sure that
any student determined at-risk receives a Student Success Plan that generates an
academic portfolio in accordance with the Pupil Progression Plan. The academic
portfolio can be the same as the STAT/ICAP student file, which includes samples of
student work and other information documenting area(s) of concern.

The DCAP should be used as a tool to help support the diverse learning styles for
students in the general education setting in which there is collaboration among teachers,
paraprofessionals, counselors, school psychologist, and other school support staff to
accommodate such styles. Concerns that cannot be resolved after extensive and
documented efforts by STAT or Service Team where there is a lack of progress may
result in recommendation for a more formal evaluation to determine if a disability exists.

Teachers in Springfield are always concerned with student achievement. Monitoring
student progress and making data driven decisions provides opportunities to ensure that
accommodations are being provided to students with diverse learning needs. The District
is committed to fostering a Culture of Educational Excellence, which has six strategic
priorities, which are:

• Improve Student Achievement
• Safe and Nurturing Learning Environment
• High Performance Management
• Learning Communities
• Accountability for Results
• Effective Communications and Collaborative Partnerships

Some strategies are already in place to address these strategic priorities. This resource
guide along with those strategies will ensure that equitable and accessible education is
available to all students of Springfield Public Schools.
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Overview of Accommodations

Accommodations are changes in how a student access information and demonstrates
learning. Accommodations do not substantially change the instructional level, content, or
performance criteria. The changes are made in order to provide a student with equal
access to learning and equal opportunity to show what he or she know and can do.
Examples of accommodations can include changes to the following (PEAK Parent
Resource Center):
• Presentation and/or format and procedures
• Instructional strategies
• Time/scheduling
• Environment
• Equipment
• Architecture
• Test taken orally
• Large print textbooks
• Additional time to take test
• A locker with an adapted lock
• Weekly home-school communication tool, such as notebook, daily log book
• Peer support for note taking
• Lab sheets with highlighted instructions
• Graph paper to assist in organizing and lining up math problems
• Tape record lectures
• Use of a computer for writing

Elementary Curriculum Accommodation

Classroom Characteristics Supporting Curriculum
Accommodation for Regular Education Students
• Small class sizes
• Standardized and other testing data – MCAS, MEPA, Step Up Springfield Assessments,
teacher administered assessments and assessment used to assess achievement and to
inform instruction
• Differentiated instruction
• School-based professional development for teachers
• Building literacy teams
• District wide Kindergarten screening
• Portfolio system for collecting designated student work and assessing progress over
time (Pupil Progression Plan)
• Curriculum and instructional activities that address varied learning styles

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Student Support Personnel and Resource Staff Providing Specific
Consulting/Support/Intervention
in the Regular Education Setting

• Behavioral Specialists
Behavioral interventions with students, management strategy support for
teachers
• School Adjustment Counselor/School Social Worker
Provides teacher consultation, support to student and families, liaison for
social/ community agencies. Liaison between home and school, parent and
teacher support and consultation, *chairperson/facilitator of STAT or Service
Team. (*May vary by school)
• Instructional Leadership Specialists/Collaborative Professional Development Teachers
Teacher consultation for curriculum modification, screening and informal and
formal assessment, direct service to groups or individual students,
demonstration classes, co-taught classes.
• Speech/Language Pathologist and OT/PT Specialists
Teacher consultation, classroom observations of students, informal screening,
parent/home consult.
• Librarian
Consultation with teachers regarding resources, support for
enrichment/research
• School Nurses
Consultation to staff, communication and consultation with parents, direct
service to individual students and staff, vision and hearing screening. Serve
on STAT or Service Team as needed, develop and manage a health care plan.
• School Psychologist
Teacher consultation and support to teachers, parents, and students on academic,
behavioral or social issues; formal evaluations, staff training
• ESL Teacher
Direct services for identified students, consultation to staff and parent
• ELL Resource Teacher
Teacher consultation for curriculum accommodation, screening and informal and
formal assessment, direct service to groups or individual students,
demonstration classes, co-taught classes.
• STAT and Service Team
Review of staff, principal and parent referred cases
• Principal
Articulation and modeling of vision and principles, supervision and evaluation
of staff, fostering of accommodation philosophy, facilitating staff;
collaboration and communication.
• Therapists (outside agencies)
Teacher consultations, observation of students
• Quebec Team
Police Department liaison, individual student or parent support and
consultation, referral where appropriate
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Possible Accommodations and Interventions that may be
recommended but are not limited to regular education students

ELEMENTARY

Curriculum/Instruction/Assessment Strategies
Provide multi-modal presentations of materials
Utilize differentiated instruction and assignments
Develop alternate assessments
Repeat or reteach concepts
Offer peer teaching/group activities
Model content area reading strategies
Provide individual help in the classroom
Include study skills strategies
Utilize transition cues
Develop teacher-student contracts
Incorporate incentives/rewards
Utilize technology/computer-assisted instruction
Provide challenge projects
Offer oral/untimed testing
Utilize multiple intelligence/learning style approaches
Model use of graphic organizers
Develop integrated curriculum projects
Behavioral Intervention Strategies
Classroom interventions by guidance counselor
Arrange seating accommodations
Develop student-teacher contacts
Develop behavioral plans
Include positive reinforcement/incentives/rewards
Utilize charts and graphs to monitor expectations
Adjust classroom management strategies
Facilitate parent support/communication
Consult with school psychologist, social worker, special needs staff
Individual and small group guidance counseling
Organizational Strategies
Provide school-wide agenda system
Develop flexible/modified schedule
Utilize flexible grouping
Utilize contract learning
Utilize team teaching
Implement a progress reporting system
Cooperative teaching
Consult and co-planning by grade level teams

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Intervention
Provide test taking strategies and practice
Utilize miscue analysis/prescriptive teaching
Develop study skills strategies
Consult with teacher mentors
Provide after school help
Utilize peer buddy systems

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Springfield Public Schools
MIDDLE SCHOOL CURRICULUM ACCOMMODATION

Classroom Characteristics Supporting Curriculum
Accommodation for Regular Education Students

• Leveled classes in core subjects at grades 6, 7 and 8
• Computer labs (with assigned support staffing)
• Team structure at grades 6, 7 and 8
• Strong elective program for exploration and to meet interest areas
• Remedial reading classes
• Behavioral support center
• Writing portfolio system
• Standardized (and other) testing data base MCAS, MEPA, Step Up Springfield
Assessments, District Benckmark Assessments, teacher administered assessments
• Service Learning Grant
• Detention, in-school suspension
• Course/grade level acceleration
• Honors courses in core academic areas
• Retention or repeating of specific courses
• After school help in all disciplines
• Student folders for all core academic areas

Student Support Personnel and Resource Staff Providing Specific
Consultation/Support/Intervention
in the Regular Education Setting
• Behavioral Specialists
Behavioral interventions with students, management strategy support for
teachers
• School Adjustment Counselor/School Social Worker and Guidance Counselors
Provides teacher consultation, support to student and families, liaison for
social/ community agencies. Liaison between home and school, parent and
teacher support and consultation, *chairperson/facilitator of STAT or Service
Team. (*May vary by school), file manager
• Department Chairs
Curriculum and instruction oversight, teacher assistance with curriculum
modifications, curriculum resource acquisition and allocation
• Administrative Team
Support to teachers on social/behavioral issues, behavioral interventions with
students, scheduling accommodations, articulation and implementation of
vision and principles, supervision and evaluation of staff, fostering of
philosophy of accommodation
• School Nurse
Consultation to parents, students and staff, direct service for individual
students
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• Quebec Team
Police Department liaison, individual student or parent support and
consultation, referral where appropriate
• ESL Teacher
Direct services for identified students
• ELL Resource Teacher
Teacher consultation for curriculum accommodation, screening and informal and
formal assessment, direct service to groups or individual students, demonstration
classes, co-taught classes.
• Instructional Leadership Specialists/Collaborative Professional Development Teachers
Direct instruction, consultation regarding curriculum modifications for
teachers
• Librarian
Support for student research, consultation with teachers and students about
curriculum resources
• MCAS-related Student Success Team
Review of MCAS and other performance data, development of individual
student success plan
• School Psychologist
Teacher consultation and support to teachers, parents, and students on academic,
behavioral or social issues; formal evaluations, staff training
• Therapists (outside agencies)
Teacher consultations, observation of students
• STAT or Service Teams
Review of teacher referred cases

SUGGESTED CURRICULUM ACCOMMODATIONS
Physical
Arrange preferred seating
Incorporate stress-release activities
Use visual/auditory aids
Experiment with use of space
Include energizers
Remove distractions
Consider a better student/teacher match

Structural
Change levels
Change instructors
Use contract learning
Cross grade levels
Develop alternate assignments
Organizational
Experiment with a flexible schedule
Rotate the student’s schedule
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Include an extended day program
Reduce the student’s schedule
Invite parental assistance
Arrange parent workshops
Insist upon frequent progress reports

Remedial
Offer after-school support
Schedule counsel or meetings
Improve parental communication
Find a buddy reader
Arrange peer tutoring
Take advantage of mentoring
Utilize study groups
Provide assistance with note taking
Technology
Incorporate appropriate software
Schedule computer-assisted instruction
Provide calculators
Tape record lessons
Offer research assistance
Take advantage of computer labs
Utilize listening centers
Arrange E-mail communication

Behavioral
Change seats
Utilize charts
Provide a mentor
Refer parents to agency
Provide a set of rewards
Plan parental programs
Adjust classroom management
Use simple corrective measures
Provide on going positive reinforcement
Refer to ADL mediation
Arrange alternative programs

Instruction/Assessment
Give extended time on tests
Encourage peer tutor
Allow oral testing
Provide manipulatives
Use alternate assessments
Vary teaching strategies
Identify student’s learning style
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