# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Zaretta Hammond "Culturally Responsive Teaching" at the San Francisco Public Library

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Developed by CAST, this video series focuses on assessments in K-12 learning environments. Each video is designed to support educators in planning and implem...

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Learn about CAST’s Universal Design for Learning framework, fostering inclusive educational experiences and improving learning outcomes for all learners.

# data[].attributes.headline
Types of tests for executive functioning issues

# data[].attributes.subject
Types of tests for executive functioning issues

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Executive functioning involves a wide range of skills.

Tests for executive functioning look at specific skills like working memory and organization.

Other learning differences can impact executive functioning, which can make it complicated to test.

Testing a child for executive functioning issues can be tricky. That's because executive function is the management system of the brain, and it involves a wide range of skills. Individual tests may look at a number of areas to pinpoint where the trouble spots are. So there can appear to be overlap between tests in what they measure.

It's important that testing for executive function be done as part of a full evaluation. Looking at all areas of a child's learning can reveal any other challenges that might be having an impact.

Here are examples of skills that tests for executive function can assess:

There are many tests that can evaluate executive function in children. And a lot of them look at more than one skill at a time. Here are types of tests, and some of the most common examples of each.

Tests that assess attention

Why it's important: The ability to pay attention is a key executive function. Trouble with attention is a hallmark of ADHD. While this test isn't an assessment for ADHD, it might signal that a child struggles with attention. Learn more about the link between ADHD and executive functioning issues.

How it works: In the classic version, different letters flash on a computer screen. The child is asked to press the space bar whenever the letter A appears. The test lasts for 15 to 20 minutes. (With CPT II, kids press the bar when they don't see the letter.)

Kids who miss targets may be "zoning out" because they have trouble paying attention. But this test also looks at other skills that can impact attention. Missing targets might be the result of slow processing speed, for instance. Responding to the wrong targets might be a problem with focus or with inhibitory control. And a child who was doing well up to a certain point but then made mistakes may have trouble sustaining attention.

Tests that assess inhibitory control

Why it's important: Inhibitory control is tied to self-control. It allows kids to think before they act. It also allows them to assess each new situation and consider the correct or most effective way to respond.

How it works: The evaluator shows a child the words for different colors written out. But the color of the ink doesn't match the word that's spelled out. For example, the word red might be written in green ink. As quickly as possible, the child must say the name of the color, as opposed to the word. The test is usually timed, so it also looks at processing speed.

Kids who haven't learned to read yet may perform a similar task with shapes instead of words. In this case, there might be a circle in red ink. The child has to say the color, not the shape.

Tests that assess working memory

What they measure: The Digit Span test measures verbal working memory (the ability to store information that's heard). The Spatial Span test measures visual working memory (the ability to store information that's seen).

Why they're important: Working memory is an executive function that allows kids to hold onto new information in order to put it to use. (It's also affected by attention.)

With spatial span, the evaluator touches a series of blocks in a certain order. The child has to touch the blocks in the reverse order that the evaluator touched them.

If a child does poorly on the digit span version but well on the spatial span, it might point to trouble with working memory that is more language related. If it's the other way around, it might mean that the child is struggling with working memory just for visual-spatial tasks.

Tests that assess organization and planning skills

Why it's important: Planning, sequencing, and organizational skills are key to following directions and completing tasks efficiently. They're also important when it comes to participating in complex discussion. Kids who have trouble with executive function often struggle with these skills.

Tests that assess concept formation

Tests that assess set shifting

The child sees four of the cards lined up in a row, and one by itself below. The child is told to match that card to one of the four above, but not told the rule for matching. (In other words, the child doesn't know whether to match by shape, color, number, etc.)

The child only gets feedback on whether the match was right or wrong. So through trial and error, the child needs to figure out the rule. Scoring is based on the number of correct sorts.

See the Minnesota Executive Function Scale, a virtual card-sorting task, in action:

Tests that assess word and idea generation

How it works: Thechild names as many words as possible, based on a certain letter. For example, they might have to come up with words that start with M. Or, on a harder version of the test, they may have to name as many kinds of fruit and furniture as possible, in pairs. They might start with apple/chair or banana/couch, and so on.

It's important to know that results of a single test aren't enough to identify trouble with executive function. The evaluator has to look at all of the test results together. That allows the evaluator to pinpoint which areas are a struggle and develop a plan to help your child succeed.

Tests for executive function look at a variety of skills.

Some tests measure the ability to pay attention.

It's important that evaluators look at all test results together to figure out what your child struggles with - and what will help.

About the Author

About the Author

Kate Kelly has been writing and editing for more than 20 years, with a focus on parenting.

Reviewed by

Reviewed by

Nelson Dorta, PhD is a pediatric neuropsychologist and an assistant professor of medical psychology in child psychiatry at the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Columbia University.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Types of tests for executive functioning issues

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Executive functioning involves a wide range of skills. Tests for executive functioning look at specific skills like working memory and organization. Other learning differences can impact executive functioning, which can make it complicated to test. Testing a child for executive functioning issues can be tricky.

# data[].attributes.headline
Types of tests for executive functioning issues

# data[].attributes.subject
Types of tests for executive functioning issues

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Executive functioning involves a wide range of skills.

Tests for executive functioning look at specific skills like working memory and organization.

Other learning differences can impact executive functioning, which can make it complicated to test.

Testing a child for executive functioning issues can be tricky. That's because executive function is the management system of the brain, and it involves a wide range of skills. Individual tests may look at a number of areas to pinpoint where the trouble spots are. So there can appear to be overlap between tests in what they measure.

It's important that testing for executive function be done as part of a full evaluation. Looking at all areas of a child's learning can reveal any other challenges that might be having an impact.

Here are examples of skills that tests for executive function can assess:

There are many tests that can evaluate executive function in children. And a lot of them look at more than one skill at a time. Here are types of tests, and some of the most common examples of each.

Tests that assess attention

Why it's important: The ability to pay attention is a key executive function. Trouble with attention is a hallmark of ADHD. While this test isn't an assessment for ADHD, it might signal that a child struggles with attention. Learn more about the link between ADHD and executive functioning issues.

How it works: In the classic version, different letters flash on a computer screen. The child is asked to press the space bar whenever the letter A appears. The test lasts for 15 to 20 minutes. (With CPT II, kids press the bar when they don't see the letter.)

Kids who miss targets may be "zoning out" because they have trouble paying attention. But this test also looks at other skills that can impact attention. Missing targets might be the result of slow processing speed, for instance. Responding to the wrong targets might be a problem with focus or with inhibitory control. And a child who was doing well up to a certain point but then made mistakes may have trouble sustaining attention.

Tests that assess inhibitory control

Why it's important: Inhibitory control is tied to self-control. It allows kids to think before they act. It also allows them to assess each new situation and consider the correct or most effective way to respond.

How it works: The evaluator shows a child the words for different colors written out. But the color of the ink doesn't match the word that's spelled out. For example, the word red might be written in green ink. As quickly as possible, the child must say the name of the color, as opposed to the word. The test is usually timed, so it also looks at processing speed.

Kids who haven't learned to read yet may perform a similar task with shapes instead of words. In this case, there might be a circle in red ink. The child has to say the color, not the shape.

Tests that assess working memory

What they measure: The Digit Span test measures verbal working memory (the ability to store information that's heard). The Spatial Span test measures visual working memory (the ability to store information that's seen).

Why they're important: Working memory is an executive function that allows kids to hold onto new information in order to put it to use. (It's also affected by attention.)

With spatial span, the evaluator touches a series of blocks in a certain order. The child has to touch the blocks in the reverse order that the evaluator touched them.

If a child does poorly on the digit span version but well on the spatial span, it might point to trouble with working memory that is more language related. If it's the other way around, it might mean that the child is struggling with working memory just for visual-spatial tasks.

Tests that assess organization and planning skills

Why it's important: Planning, sequencing, and organizational skills are key to following directions and completing tasks efficiently. They're also important when it comes to participating in complex discussion. Kids who have trouble with executive function often struggle with these skills.

Tests that assess concept formation

Tests that assess set shifting

The child sees four of the cards lined up in a row, and one by itself below. The child is told to match that card to one of the four above, but not told the rule for matching. (In other words, the child doesn't know whether to match by shape, color, number, etc.)

The child only gets feedback on whether the match was right or wrong. So through trial and error, the child needs to figure out the rule. Scoring is based on the number of correct sorts.

See the Minnesota Executive Function Scale, a virtual card-sorting task, in action:

Tests that assess word and idea generation

How it works: Thechild names as many words as possible, based on a certain letter. For example, they might have to come up with words that start with M. Or, on a harder version of the test, they may have to name as many kinds of fruit and furniture as possible, in pairs. They might start with apple/chair or banana/couch, and so on.

It's important to know that results of a single test aren't enough to identify trouble with executive function. The evaluator has to look at all of the test results together. That allows the evaluator to pinpoint which areas are a struggle and develop a plan to help your child succeed.

Tests for executive function look at a variety of skills.

Some tests measure the ability to pay attention.

It's important that evaluators look at all test results together to figure out what your child struggles with - and what will help.

About the Author

About the Author

Kate Kelly has been writing and editing for more than 20 years, with a focus on parenting.

Reviewed by

Reviewed by

Nelson Dorta, PhD is a pediatric neuropsychologist and an assistant professor of medical psychology in child psychiatry at the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Columbia University.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Types of tests for executive functioning issues

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Executive functioning involves a wide range of skills. Tests for executive functioning look at specific skills like working memory and organization. Other learning differences can impact executive functioning, which can make it complicated to test. Testing a child for executive functioning issues can be tricky.

# data[].attributes.headline
Setting Annual IEP Goals: What You Need to Know

# data[].attributes.subject
Setting Annual IEP Goals: What You Need to Know

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Your child's IEP goals should be reviewed and updated annually.

These goals should focus on helping your child succeed in his school subjects and with everyday life skills like socializing.

Once your child's new IEP goals are set, the IEP team decides what supports and services will help him reach those goals.

The whole point of having an IEP is to help your child reach state grade-level standards. To do that, the IEP team will set annual goals and measure improvement against those goals.

At each yearly IEP meeting, the IEP team reviews your child's progress toward annual goals. In some cases, those goals may not have been met and will need to stay the same for another year. But if your child has met them or the team thinks that they need to be changed, you'll work to develop new goals for the coming year.

Setting annual IEP goals takes more than just knowing where your child's skills are now. It also means knowing what skills need work to make progress toward grade-level standards. As an equal member of the IEP team, it's important for you to understand and be involved in the process of setting goals.

Here's how to set annual goals that are effective and appropriate for your child.

IEP Goals Are Set Using Present Level of Performance

Your child's present level of performance (PLOP) is key in setting annual goals. (You may also hear this referred to as a PLAAFP, PLP or PLEP.) The PLOP describes how your child is doing now. It looks at current skills and specific areas of weakness-not just in academic subjects, but in other areas, too, such as motor and social skills.

Your child's PLOP helps map a plan of what needs to happen to get those skills from where they are now to grade level.

Information is gathered from many sources. This can include your child's most recent evaluation, standardized testing, work samples and progress monitoring, as well as reports from you and teachers.

For example, the information may show that your child, Heather, has trouble decoding two-syllable words. But she can decode one-syllable words well. Her annual IEP goal might read as follows:

Heather is currently able to decode one-syllable words. When given a list of regular two-syllable words, she will use her prior knowledge of decoding one-syllable words and skills gained through explicit instruction to correctly decode 15 out of 20 words in two-syllable word reading activities.

The Value of Strengths-Based, SMART IEP Goals

Aligning goals to PLOP is just one part of a standards-based IEP. Ideally, your child's IEP should also be strengths-based. Weaving strengths into IEP goals can help you follow your child's progress, and it can help your child see how to make progress by taking into account what she's good at.

One way of doing this is to include a strength assessment as part of determining PLOP. This provides information about your child's abilities-for both the IEP team and your child. There may be areas where your child excels at home or in other environments that could be used to help in school. And there may be areas of strength that your child hasn't even discovered yet.

Those insights can be used to make SMART goals stronger. (If your child has recently had a full evaluation, the report should include strengths as well as weaknesses.)

SMART is short for Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Results-oriented and T ime-bound. Here's what that means:

Specific: Each goal is specific in naming the skill or subject area and the targeted goal.

Measurable: The goal is stated in a way that your child's progress can be measured by standardized tests, curriculum-based measurements or screening.

Attainable: The goal represents progress that is realistic for your child.

Results-oriented: The goal clearly lays out what your child will do to accomplish it.

Time-bound: The goal includes a time frame in which your child will achieve it, with the right supports and services. It also states when and how often progress will be measured.

What does this look like in practice? A SMART, strengths-based annual goal might say:

Given fourth-grade level reading material on nonfiction topics, Heather will deploy her love of learning and her interest in science and history to write three details from the passage in her own words with 85% accuracy on three out of four consecutive assignments.

This is much more useful than a vague goal such as: Heather will improve her reading skills.

How to Monitor Progress Moving Forward

Keep in mind, you don't have to wait until the yearly IEP meeting to see how your child is progressing toward IEP goals.

Your school should provide progress reports during the year-at least as often as when report cards are issued. Ask the IEP team when you can expect to receive those updates on your child's progress.

Your child's annual IEP goals should address the skills that need support due to learning and thinking differences.

Effective IEP goals are strengths-based and SMART: specific, measurable, attainable, results-oriented, and time-bound.

You can track your child's progress toward IEP goals throughout the year to stay informed.

About the Author

About the Author

The Understood Team is made up of passionate writers and editors. Many of them have kids who learn and think differently.

Reviewed by

Reviewed by

Melody Musgrove, EdD served as director of the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) in the U.S. Department of Education.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Setting Annual IEP Goals: What You Need to Know

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Your child's IEP goals should be reviewed and updated annually. These goals should focus on helping your child succeed in his school subjects and with everyday life skills like socializing. Once your child's new IEP goals are set, the IEP team decides what supports and services will help him reach those goals.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Copyright © 2014-2021 Understood For All Inc. All rights reserved. "Understood" and related logos are trademarks of Understood For All Inc. and are used with permission. This website provides information of a general nature and is designed for information and educational purposes only and does not constitute medical or legal advice. Understood is a nonprofit initiative. Understood does not and will not take money from pharmaceutical companies. We do not market to or offer services to individuals in the European Union. For more information, please review the Terms and Conditions.

"Understood" as used above includes Understood For All Inc., and their officers, affiliates, parents, and related entities, and their respective employees, contractors, or other personnel.

Understood For All Inc.
145 Hudson Street, Suite 5B
New York, NY 10013-2150
Media inquiries: media@understood.org (preferred) or(516) 654-7584

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Copyright © 2014-2021 Understood For All Inc. All rights reserved. "Understood" and related logos are trademarks of Understood For All Inc. and are used with permission. This website provides information of a general nature and is designed for information and educational purposes only and does not constitute medical or legal advice.

# data[].attributes.headline
Dividing Fractions Using Fraction Strips: An Evidence-Based Math Strategy

# data[].attributes.subject
Dividing Fractions Using Fraction Strips: An Evidence-Based Math Strategy

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Dividing Fractions Using Fraction Strips: An Evidence-Based Math Strategy

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Learn how to teach dividing fractions in fifth and sixth grade using fraction strips. Download these printables that help with teaching dividing fractions.

# data[].attributes.headline
Respectful Redirection: An Evidence-Based Behavior Strategy

# data[].attributes.subject
Respectful Redirection: An Evidence-Based Behavior Strategy

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Respectful redirection is a quick, in-the-moment strategy to give corrective feedback to students. You get your students' attention without making a big deal about it, using a calm tone, neutral body language, and clear, concise wording.

You tell students exactly what they're doing incorrectly and what they should be doing instead with as few words as possible, leaving less room for confusion. (If your school uses a PBIS framework, you may hear this strategy called "error correction.")

Watch: See respectful redirection in action

to see how one teacher uses respectful redirection with her whole class.

Read: How to use this strategy

Set expectations. Before you can start using respectful redirection, make sure your students know what is expected of them in your classroom. These expectations should be reasonable, age-appropriate, and culturally responsive. Knowing your students well will help you create expectations that respect cultural differences and life experiences. Share and review the expectations regularly as part of building your class culture.

When a student doesn't follow a classroom expectation, decide in the moment whether you need to intervene. Ask yourself: What is this behavior communicating? Is it getting in the way of the student's learning or the learning of others?

Also, when you're deciding whether to intervene, remember that some students may look off-task when they're doing things that actually keep them on-task. For example, students who are standing up or fidgeting at their desks may look off-task. But for students who have ADHD, movement can be a strategy that helps them concentrate.

If you decide that you need to use a respectful redirection, follow the steps from the example below.

Scenario: Josh is struggling to have his ideas recognized during group work and keeps interrupting another student.

1. Address the issue as quickly as possible. If your redirection will only be for one student, do your best to speak privately.

Walk to Josh and say quietly and calmly, "Josh, I can tell you really want to share your ideas, but you were talking while Laurel was talking."

2. Describe what the student should do instead by referring to your classroom expectations.

Point to a visual of classroom expectations and say, "In this class, we take turns speaking during discussions. Next time you have an idea to share with the group, wait until the person who is speaking stops, and then share your idea."

3. Explain why the alternate behavior is a better option.

"It's easier for people to listen when one person is talking at a time."

4. Ask the student to demonstrate understanding, either by practicing it immediately or by telling you how they will do it in the future.

"Josh, the next time you want to share your idea when someone else is talking, what could you do?"

5. When the student follows your redirection, provide feedback and reinforcement.

"Josh, the way you waited to speak until after Laurel was finished talking allowed everyone in your group to listen and share their ideas. Well done."

Understand: Why respectful redirection works

Respectful redirection isn't just about telling students to focus on what they're supposed to be doing. It's also about how you say it. Research shows that this type of brief, consistent, systematic correction with feedback has a positive effect on student behavior. How you speak to students - the tone you use, the words you choose, and how much you say - affects the way they respond to you.

Students who learn and think differently especially benefit from this strategy. For students with ADHD, research shows that delayed feedback is less likely to result in positive behavior changes. An immediate redirection helps students recognize cause and effect.

As a predictable framework, respectful redirection can be comforting to students, especially those who have experienced trauma. One of the elements of strong trauma-informed teaching is a safe community. Routines and predictability help to build trust, allowing students to feel safe. They know how the process works and their role in it.

When done successfully, respectful redirection can remove the need for further intervention. Talking to students in a positive, calm manner while giving specific feedback gives them a way to get back on task without needing more information.

Respectful redirection can work at home, too. Share behavior contracts families can use to help their kids learn to replace an inappropriate behavior with a more appropriate one.

Research behind this strategy

About the author

About the author

Amanda Morin is the author of "The Everything Parent's Guide to Special Education" and the former director of thought leadership at Understood. As an expert and writer, she helped build Understood from its earliest days.

Reviewed by

Reviewed by

Brittney Newcomer, MS, NCSP is the associate director of thought leadership at Understood. She has served in public schools for more than a decade as a teacher, evaluator, and curriculum manager.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Respectful redirection is a quick, in-the-moment strategy to give corrective feedback to students. You get your students' attention without making a big deal about it, using a calm tone, neutral body language, and clear, concise wording. You tell students exactly what they're doing incorrectly and what they should be doing instead with as few words as possible, leaving less room for confusion.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Prior written notice is a legal right guaranteed to parents of kids with IEPs.

Prior written notice requires the school to send written explanations of any proposed changes in your child's educational plan.

Prior written notice also requires the school to send a written notice if the school denies a parent request.

Schools make changes to student services all the time. As the parent, you need to be informed. You need to know what the changes are and why the school is making them. You also get to participate in the decision-making. The law is on your side.

Under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), parents have legal rights called procedural safeguards. One of these safeguards is called " prior written notice ." This provision says the school must give parents written notice any time it adds, changes or denies educational services to their child or wants to change the child's placement.

Here's what else you need to know about prior written notice.

What the Written Notice Should Contain

Prior written notice must include a full description of what the school plans to do or refuses to do. It must also give parents the following:

An explanation of why the school wants to make this change or is refusing to make the change you requested

A description of other options that were considered and why those options were rejected

A description of each test or record the school used in making the decision

A reminder that parents have legal rights to procedural safeguards

Information about how parents can get a written copy of their legal rights

Contact information for help in understanding their rights

When the School Sends Written Notice

Any time the school proposes to start or change nearly anything related to your child's education, it must send prior written notice. For example, if the school wants to change your child's IEP , it needs to send you prior written notice.

The school also must give written notice if it rejects any parent requests.

Here are a few more examples of when you should get notice:

When the school wants to conduct an initial evaluation of your child

When the school says no to your request for an evaluation, services or placement in another educational setting

When the school wants to change how it identifies your child's disability

When the school wants to change a child's educational placement, such as switching from a general education classroom to a special education classroom

When the school wants to reduce, add or in any way change your child's educational services

If the school informed you of the change in a phone call or a meeting, it still has to send you written notice.

What If the School Does Not Give Prior Written Notice?

You can ask for written notice if the school doesn't send it you. If the school fails to send you prior written notice, it's violating the law.

Prior written notice gives you an opportunity to respond before any changes are made. If you don't agree with the action the school plans to take or the school refuses to send you prior written notice, you can put your objections in writing.

If you ask for mediation or a due process hearing in your letter, you'll trigger the "stay put" provision. That means no changes can be made until you and the school resolve your differences. You may be able to work out your disagreement in a meeting.

Sometimes there are misunderstandings about changes in your child's education. Prior written notice guarantees that you're kept up to date on the important decisions being made. Understanding this right is important to being a strong advocate for your child.

The school must send prior written notice even if a teacher notified you verbally about a change.

If the school fails to send you prior written notice, it's violating the law.

Prior written notice gives parents time to respond before changes are made.

About the Author

About the Author

Andrew M.I. Lee, JD is an editor and attorney who strives to help people understand complex legal, education, and parenting issues.

Reviewed by

Reviewed by

Myrna Mandlawitz, MEd, JD has worked for over 20 years as a consultant/lobbyist on special and general education.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Prior Written Notice: Your Right to Hear About Changes to Your Child's IEP

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Prior written notice is a legal right guaranteed to parents of kids with IEPs. Prior written notice requires the school to send written explanations of any proposed changes in your child's educational plan. Prior written notice also requires the school to send a written notice if the school denies a parent request.

# data[].attributes.headline
Phonics Blending: An Evidence-Based Literacy Strategy

# data[].attributes.subject
Phonics Blending: An Evidence-Based Literacy Strategy

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Phonics blending is a way for students to decode words. With phonics blending, students fluently join together the individual sound-spellings (also called letter-sound correspondence) in a word. With a word like jam, students start by sounding out each individual sound-spelling (/j/, /ă/, /m/). Then, they slowly blend those sounds together (" jjjaamm"). Finally, they read the word (" jam").

You may sometimes hear phonics blending called sounding out, visual blending, or synthetic phonics. Students start with blending the sound-spellings in one-syllable words. From there, they can go on to read syllables or affixes in longer words.

Scroll down for tips on adapting this strategy for distance learning.

K (Common Core Literacy RF.K.3.A: Demonstrate basic knowledge of one-to-one letter-sound correspondences)

K (Common Core Literacy RF.K.3.B: Associate the long and short sounds with the common spellings [graphemes] for the five major vowels)

1 (Common Core Literacy RF.1.3.A: Know the spelling-sound correspondences for common consonant digraphs)

1 (Common Core Literacy RF.1.3.B: Decode regularly spelled one-syllable words)

Choose words to teach. For each instructional session, choose five to seven one-syllable new words to teach and five to seven words that need to be reviewed (for a total of 10 to 14 words). Use a resource like Phinder for a helpful list of decodable, one-syllable words you might use. To make the words relevant to students, invite them to help you choose the words.

Remember that students need to have other foundational literacy skills before they begin blending. For instance, make sure each word you choose only includes sound-spellings that you have already explicitly taught or that you are sure your students know.

Double-check your words. For your first lesson, double-check that each word you choose is decodable (like jam) and not an irregular word (like does). You can include an irregular word in a later lesson. Use it as a chance to explain that not all words in English follow the rules of phonics. Explain that the strategy of phonics blending may not work for words that break the rules. (Instead, you can introduce a sight words strategy for those words.)

2. Model. Tell students that you'll model how to say each sound, blend the sounds together, and read the word. For example, while pointing to each letter in the word sit, you might say, "The first sound is /s/, the next sound is /ǐ/, and the last sound is /t/."

3. Blend. Explain that you'll blend the sounds together slowly without pausing: sssiiittt. As you do that, use your finger to scoop under each letter. Then, point under the word and say the word: sit.

Point to each letter and prompt students to say the first sound, next sound, and last sound.

Then, use your finger to scoop under each letter while telling the class to blend the sounds.

Finally, point under the word and ask students to read the word. (Consider recording this instruction in a video clip for students who want to watch the process again.)

If a student says an incorrect sound or pauses for too long between sounds, stop the lesson and model blending the word again. Or ask the class to self-assess how they said the sounds. Then, have them repeat the process on that same word before moving on.

Note: There is evidence that having students practice reading word families (like sat, mat, and rat) is not effective. That's because students rely too heavily on auditory rhyming, which doesn't help when reading words in context.

Research has shown that phonics blending supports students' ability to read unfamiliar words because it provides them with a consistent strategy for approaching new words. Students who have been taught this strategy are more likely to read words correctly, which is especially motivating for students who struggle with reading.

Phonics blending can also help students avoid a common reading error. Have you ever asked students to read a one-syllable word like pit, but they read pig? Or they looked at the word bag and immediately said bat?

This is a common error because students (both young and old) who struggle with language or phonological processing may not have mastered all the sound-spellings. They will often say the beginning part of a word correctly, but then guess the rest of the word based on familiar words or sounds. Phonics blending will help students focus on each sound rather than just guessing based on the beginning of the word.

Over time, regular practice of this phonics-blending strategy will help students read with better fluency. That allows them to focus less on decoding and more on comprehending what they're reading.

For English language learners (ELLs): Phonics blending is especially importantbecause many sounds in English will be new or different from these students' home languages. Getting additional practice in forming and blending those sounds will help with their reading and language development.

Partner with your students' families. Find out what resources they have available and what they might need to support learning at home.

Guide individual students or small groups through the steps in a synchronous online lesson. Or record a video for asynchronous learning. Either way, use UDL as you're planning the lesson.

Have students make flashcards for continued practice. A shoebox or a cereal box can be a great source of card stock for flashcards. But any type of paper will work. Or make digital flashcards for your students with a tool like Quizlet.

About the Author

About the Author

Shannon Kelley, MAT is a PhD student in educational psychology. She previously taught secondary English and special education.

Reviewed by

Reviewed by

Allison Posey, MEd, CAST, Inc. is a curriculum and design specialist at CAST.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Phonics Blending: An Evidence-Based Literacy Strategy

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Phonics blending is a way for students to decode words. With phonics blending, students fluently join together the individual sound-spellings (also called letter-sound correspondence) in a word. With a word like jam, students start by sounding out each individual sound-spelling (/j/, /ă/, /m/). Then, they slowly blend those sounds together (" jjjaamm").

# data[].attributes.headline
Sight words: An evidence-based literacy strategy

# data[].attributes.subject
Sight words: An evidence-based literacy strategy

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Sight words are words that students are expected to recognize instantly. With the right support, students can become so familiar with these words that they no longer need to pause and try to decode them. Some sight words are regularly spelled words, and some are spelled irregularly.

You may hear other educators use the term high-frequency words. These are words that appear very often in what students read. It's especially important for these frequently used words to become sight words. Students can read with better fluency when they recognize these words right away.

By explicitly teaching sight words, you can help cement the words into students' memories. Use this three-part strategy, which starts with sound-letter mapping, then moves to a flashcard activity, and ends with other ways to keep reinforcing the sight words with repeated exposure.

Scroll down for tips on adapting this strategy for distance learning.

Watch this video from Literacy How of a teacher using sound-letter mapping to teach her students the high-frequency word lit.

K (Common Core Literacy RF.K.2: Know and apply grade-level phonics and word analysis skills in decoding words; RF.K.3.C: Read common high-frequency words by sight)

1 ( Common Core Literacy RF.1.3: Know and apply grade-level phonics and word analysis skills in decoding words; RF.1.3.G: Recognize and read grade-appropriate irregularly spelled words)

2-5 (Common Core Literacy RF.2.3, RF.3.3, RF.4.3.A, and RF.5.3.A: Know and apply grade-level phonics and word analysis skills in decoding words)

Choose words to teach. Assess how well your students recognize sight words using a simple pre-test. For example, you can have students read grade-level words from Dolch or Fry word lists. Then, make a list of the 25 words your students missed most often. Divide the list into groups of five words to teach each day. (You can adjust the number of words based on your students' needs.)

Prepare materials. On the board, draw sound boxes (a long rectangle divided into two, three, or four squares, depending on the number of sounds in the words you plan to teach). Give students a matching handout of the sound boxes, such as this printable of Elkonin sound boxes.

Choose one of the five words you want to teach. Tell the students they'll be spelling the word. (Example: with.) Invite them to repeat the word. Then ask, "How many sounds do you hear in with?" Hold up one finger per sound as your students say the sounds: /w/ /i/ /th/. Say the sounds with the students to help them identify individual sounds.

On the board, write in the sound boxes the letter or letters that correspond to each sound - one sound per box. Then read the word together.

Students can write the letters on their handout. Or you can give your students small manipulatives (like coins or bingo chips). Have students move one manipulative into a box for each sound. Then, when it's time to write the corresponding letter or letters in each box, students can move the manipulatives out of the way to write the letter(s).

Repeat the sound-letter mapping with each of the five sight words.

In round one, show and read the words one at a time to students. Wait three seconds to give students time to look at each word's letters and patterns. Then ask them to repeat the word.

In round two, shuffle the cards and show one card at a time. Wait three seconds and then ask students to read the word. If students read the word incorrectly or aren't able to read it, point out a memorable feature. For example, "Notice the -ed at the end of used." Wait three seconds and ask students to try the word again. Go through the stack of cards until students correctly identify each word at least twice.

Constant time delay for words with unusual spellings: Use this activity for word sets (or "word families") that share a pattern but that don't have typical letter-sound combinations (like could, should,and would). You can use a resource like Phinder to look for words based on letter patterns.

Write all the words from a word set in a vertical column on a card. Show students the card and ask them to identify how each word ends. After students respond correctly, point to and say each word on the card. Wait three seconds and then ask students to say the words.

If you're practicing words from different word sets, be sure to write the different sets on different cards. Shuffle the cards and have students read through each word set.

Teaching tip: If you're introducing these sight word activities for the first time, make sure to explicitly teach the activity and offer guided practice. If students are familiar with an activity, provide a quick model.

When you use this strategy, you're teaching a skill called orthographic mapping. It's a process we use to store printed words in our long-term memory. Orthographic mapping is essential for learning sight words.

Here's what happens when we use orthographic mapping: When we see a word, we break it apart by the sounds we hear in the word (phonemes) and the letter and letter patterns (graphemes) that correspond to those sounds. This process fixes the word into our long-term memory. Eventually, we recognize the word immediately when we see it. We still see all the letters, but we know the word so well that we don't have to sound it out.

Research shows that most readers need between one and four exposures to a word to commit it to long-term memory. Struggling readers need even more exposure to new words because orthographic mapping can be hard. Repeated practice with sight words gives students the exposure they need to build their sight word vocabulary.

Teaching tip: For English language learners, including a word's meaning during instruction can help with reading and language development. Try using hand gestures as you teach word meanings.

Share this article with families to help them understand what sight words are and why they're important. You can also send home this list of 12 ways for families to help kids practice sight words at home.

Partner with your students' families. Find out what resources they have available and what they might need to support learning at home.

Guide students through the steps (including how to draw the sound boxes) in a synchronous online lesson. Or record a video for asynchronous learning. Either way, use UDL as you're planning the lesson.

Students can save paper by using a pencil and erasing the word to use the paper over and over. Or they can put their paper inside a Ziploc bag and use a marker that can be wiped off (if they have these supplies).

If you're using manipulatives, give ideas for ones that students might be able to find at home, like crayons, small game pieces, cotton balls, or coins.

Have students make flashcards for continued practice. A shoebox or a cereal box can be a great source of card stock for flashcards. But any type of paper will work. Or make digital flashcards for your students with a tool like Quizlet.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Sight Words: An Evidence-Based Literacy Strategy

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Sight words are words that students are expected to recognize instantly. With the right support, students can become so familiar with these words that they no longer need to pause and try to decode them. Some sight words are regularly spelled words, and some are spelled irregularly.

# data[].attributes.headline
Elkonin sound boxes: An evidence-based literacy strategy

# data[].attributes.subject
Elkonin sound boxes: An evidence-based literacy strategy

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Phonemic awareness is the ability to hear and manipulate the smallest units of sounds (phonemes) in words. Many students with learning differences like dyslexia struggle with phonemic awareness. Because phonemic awareness is a foundational literacy skill, students who have trouble with this skill often have difficulty with reading.

Elkonin sound boxes can help students develop phonemic awareness by focusing on segmenting and blending the sounds in words. Segmenting is breaking a word apart into its individual sounds. Blending is putting the individual sounds together to say the word. Read on to learn how to use Elkonin sound boxes to teach these important skills.

Scroll down for tips on adapting this strategy for distance learning.

K (Common Core ELA Literacy RF.K.2: Understand spoken words, syllables, and sounds)

1 (Common Core ELA Literacy RF.1.2: Understand spoken words, syllables, and sounds)

Gather materials. Give each student an Elkonin sound boxes printable and five counters, coins, tiles, or other small objects. For students who struggle with fine motor skills, consider using larger objects that are easier to handle.

Words with two sounds and two letters: it, no

Words with three sounds and three letters or with three sounds and four letters ending in a 'silent e': hop, cat, game

Words with three sounds and one or more digraphs (two letters that make one sound): fish, tooth, chime

Words with four phonemes and blends (two or more letters that blend together but that have separate sounds): crab, skip, trade

Words with five phonemes and blends: street, crust, blend

2. Model. Point to the set of boxes that has two squares. Explain that students will move one counter into one square for each sound they hear. Model how you'll do that by lining up two counters above the squares. Say the word it. Pull down one tile into the first square as you say /ĭ/ and the second tile as you say /t/. Then run your finger along the arrow underneath the box to blend the sounds back together: it.

3. Practice and give feedback. Invite students to practice another word with you. Depending on your students' needs, you might use the sound box with three squares and the word hit. Support students as they pull down one tile for /h/, one for /ĭ/, and another for /t/. Then blend the sounds back together to make hit.

Repeat the activity with several words that have two, three, four, or five sounds (as appropriate for your students). Provide feedback as students segment and blend the sounds.

For English language learners (ELLs): Hold up a picture of the word you are asking students to segment. Say the word and have students repeat it. (If the word is a cognate, say the word both in English and in the student's home language.) After students say the word in English, segment the sounds and then blend them together. By doing so, you'll help students build vocabulary by connecting the word with its meaning.

All students - and particularly students who learn and think differently - benefit from explicit instruction in literacy. The visual element of the sound boxes helps students to segment each sound separately. Similarly, moving the tiles and dragging their finger along the word helps to engage students in multisensory learning .

Elkonin sounds boxes are especially useful for ELLs. Learning English can be difficult for some students because there are sounds in English that may not exist in their home language. For instance, English has many more vowel sounds than Spanish. Elkonin sound boxes give students repeated practice with hearing unfamiliar sounds.

Share this resource with families to help them understand the importance of phonemic awareness and other phonological skills.

Partner with your students' families. Find out what resources they have available and what they might need to support learning at home.

Guide an individual student or a small group of students through the steps (including how to draw the sound boxes) in a synchronous online lesson. Use UDL as you're planning the lesson.

Make sure your modeling is easy for students to see. Position your camera to show how you move the counters into the sound boxes. Or create slides that show the sound boxes and use animation to fade in the counters.

Give ideas for manipulatives that students might be able to find at home, like crayons, small game pieces, cotton balls, or coins.

About the Author

About the Author

Kim Greene, MA is the managing editor at Understood. A former elementary teacher and a certified reading specialist, she has a passion for developing resources for educators.

Reviewed by

Reviewed by

Margie B. Gillis, EdD is the founder and president of Literacy How, which provides professional development for teachers on research-based reading practices in the classroom.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Elkonin sound boxes: An evidence-based literacy strategy

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Phonemic awareness is the ability to hear and manipulate the smallest units of sounds (phonemes) in words. Many students with learning differences like dyslexia struggle with phonemic awareness. Because phonemic awareness is a foundational literacy skill, students who have trouble with this skill often have difficulty with reading.

# data[].attributes.headline
Fraction Number Line: An Evidence-Based Math Strategy

# data[].attributes.subject
Fraction Number Line: An Evidence-Based Math Strategy

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Comparing fractions can be hard for many elementary students. They often have trouble figuring out if one fraction is greater than, less than, or equal to another fraction.

Students with learning differences like dyscalculia may have an especially hard time with this skill. That's because they have difficulty with number sense. They often have trouble understanding quantities and comparing two whole numbers. Some students may also wrongly apply their knowledge of comparing whole numbers to comparing fractions. They might think that 1/4 is larger than 1/2 because the whole number 4 is larger than the whole number 2.

A fraction number line can help all students compare fractions, especially those who learn and think differently. It's just one strategy you can use to provide students with evidence-based math instruction.

Watch: See the Strategy in Action

Download: Use a Printable Resource

Read: Learn How to Use the Strategy

Gather materials. Give each student a copy of the fraction number line download and two colored pencils, crayons, or markers. If you make your own fraction number line, make sure it has a small set of whole numbers (like 0 to 1) and a small set of fractions (like 1/4, 1/2, 3/4) between the whole numbers.

3. Explicitly teach how to use the number line to solve the problem. Model how to use one color of a pencil, marker, or crayon to show the distance that Jacob ran, from 0 to 1/4, on the number line. You can label this distance as "J." Do the same with another color for Amy, from 0 to 1/2, labeling it as "A."

Understand: Why This Strategy Works

Number lines are important visual models in math. They help students understand the abstract concept of numbers, which is particularly helpful for students with learning and thinking differences like dyscalculia.

Research shows that the ability to tell if a fraction is greater than, less than, or equal to another fraction on a number line is the best predictor of success with fractions. A number line can prevent students from applying knowledge of whole numbers to fractions. That's because it shows that the denominator represents the number of equal parts into which a whole object or set has been divided.

Relating the number line to real-life word problems can also keep students' attention and connect new learning to prior knowledge. Those connections can help students better retain new concepts.

Connect: Link School to Home

Fuchs, L., Fuchs, D., Powell, S., Seethaler, P., Cirino, P., & Fletcher, J. (2008). Intensive intervention for students with mathematics disabilities: Seven principles of effective practice. Learning Disability Quarterly, 31(2), 79-92.

About the Author

About the Author

Kim Greene, MA

is the managing editor of Understood for Educators. A former elementary teacher and a certified reading specialist, she has a passion for developing resources for teachers and school leaders.

Reviewed by

Reviewed by

Brendan R. Hodnett, MAT

is a special education teacher in Middletown, New Jersey, and an adjunct professor at Hunter College.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Fraction Number Line: An Evidence-Based Math Strategy

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Comparing fractions can be hard for many elementary students. They often have trouble figuring out if one fraction is greater than, less than, or equal to another fraction. Students with learning differences like dyscalculia may have an especially hard time with this skill. That's because they have difficulty with number sense.

# data[].attributes.headline
Universal Design for Learning (UDL): A teacher’s guide

# data[].attributes.subject
Universal Design for Learning (UDL): A teacher’s guide

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Universal Design for Learning (UDL): A teacher’s guide

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
UDL stands for Universal Design for Learning. When you teach using UDL, your lessons are designed in flexible ways to meet the needs of individual learners. Read more about UDL.

# data[].attributes.headline
Positive behavior strategies: What you need to know

# data[].attributes.subject
Positive behavior strategies: What you need to know

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Positive behavior strategies are evidence-based, proactive approaches to changing challenging student behavior. Some examples of positive behavior strategies are pre-correcting and prompting and nonverbal signals.

There's a lot to think about when it comes to teaching. You plan and deliver lessons to cover the curriculum. You adjust your lesson plans to meet your students' needs. On top of it all, you manage student behavior.

You're not alone if you feel like managing behavior sometimes gets in the way of teaching. That's where positive behavior strategies come in. These strategies are also known as "positive behavior supports," or PBS.

Why Use Positive Behavior Strategies?

Positive behavior strategies encourage you to see behavior as a form of communication. Every behavior sends a message about what a student needs. Some messages are easy to read. Some need more deciphering. (In those cases, a behavior specialist, a school psychologist, or other colleagues can help you decipher the message.)

Once you understand the message behind the behavior, you can better support students. As Jerome Schultz, PhD, puts it, "If you can read the need, you can meet the need."

These strategies help build a trusting relationship between teachers, students, and families. Instead of seeing behavior as a problem, you'll show empathy by looking at students with compassionate curiosity. With this view, you can shift your focus from "fixing" students to understanding them. You can also develop a more collaborative relationship with students by working together to understand when and under what circumstances a behavior occurs.

Sign up to receive tools and tips that can support your students on their journeys.

These strategies teach and reinforce new skills. Once you understand why a student is behaving a certain way, you can respond more effectively. You can teach them new behaviors that serve the same purpose. Many social-emotional learning programs incorporate specific strategies for teaching behaviors, like how to follow directions or ignore peer distractions.

These strategies prompt you to consider multiple reasons for behavioral difficulties. Challenging behavior can happen for many reasons. Students may lack the language or communication skills to express what they need. Or the behavior could be a way to avoid a difficult situation or task. Some students behave in negative ways to get attention or to get what they want. In other cases, some students may be reacting to an environment that isn't supporting their learning. Or there could be a cultural difference, which may prompt you to take a culturally responsive approach to analyzing the behavior and your response to it.

As a classroom teacher, you may not have all the time, tools, or training to look at student behavior in depth. You can work with other school staff to do a functional behavior assessment (FBA). The specialist who does the FBA can work with teachers to create an appropriate behavior intervention plan.

What Do Positive Behavior Strategies Look Like?

To see a positive behavior strategy in action, watch this classroom video from Edutopia:

For more examples of positive behavior strategies, take a look at these ready-to-use strategy articles:

How Do I Put Positive Behavior Strategies Into Practice?

Handling challenging behavior can be frustrating. Use this chart to reflect on where you are in your practice and where you might focus your next efforts.

Create a classroom layout that supports students.

Provide flexible spaces like a reading corner to support different types of learning.

Position furniture to ensure smooth transitions.

Organize materials in safe and accessible ways.

Seat students near peers who model appropriate behavior and who can ignore inappropriate behavior.

Seat students near you so you can use strategies like active supervision and pre-correction.

Post and define positive behavior expectations.

With your students, co-create classroom expectations that are observable, measurable, positive, and understandable.

Limit expectations to three to five statements.

Explicitly teach behavior expectations.

Plan, teach, and practice expected behaviors.

Plan, teach, and practice routines and procedures.

Reinforce and re-teach routines, procedures, and expectations throughout the year.

Establish ways to monitor your classroom and frequently check in with students.

Have systems to respond to behavior.

Collect data to look at the causes of inappropriate behavior.

Collaborate with specialists to use data to create supports for individual students.

Explicitly teach and reinforce new skills aligned to appropriate behavior.

Set competence anchors for students.

Partner with families.

Gather information about students from families and caregivers.

Engage the family when a student demonstrates challenging behavior.

Follow up with families to share when a student is demonstrating positive behavior.

Behavior expectations might be different at home than they are at school, so it's important for families to know what's expected in your classroom. Talk with families about the behavioral expectations in the classroom and the language you use to talk about behavior. This will help families understand new phrases they may hear or behavior changes they may see. Also, families may want to use the same expectations at home. Share with them these parent-child behavior contracts to get started.

Additional Resources and Research

About the Author

About the Author

Amanda Morin

worked as a classroom teacher and as an early intervention specialist for 10 years. She is the author of The Everything Parent's Guide to Special Education. Two of her children have learning differences.

Reviewed by

Reviewed by

Jerome Schultz, PhD

is a clinical neuropsychologist and lecturer in the Harvard Medical School Department of Child Psychiatry.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Positive Behavior Strategies: What You Need to Know

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Positive behavior strategies are evidence-based, proactive approaches to changing challenging student behavior. Some examples of positive behavior strategies are pre-correcting and prompting and nonverbal signals. There's a lot to think about when it comes to teaching. You plan and deliver lessons to cover the curriculum. You adjust your lesson plans to meet your students' needs.

# data[].attributes.headline
Multisensory instruction: What you need to know

# data[].attributes.subject
Multisensory instruction: What you need to know

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Multisensory instruction is a way of teaching that engages more than one sense at a time. Find out how multisensory learning can help all kids.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
The IRIS Center Peabody College Vanderbilt University Nashville, TN 37203 [email protected]. The IRIS Center is funded through a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) Grant #H325E220001. The contents of this website do not necessarily represent the policy of the U.S. Department of Education, and you should not assume endorsement by the Federal Government. Project Officer, Sarah Allen.

Copyright 2024 Vanderbilt University. All rights reserved.

* For refund and privacy policy information visit our Help & Support page.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The IRIS Center Peabody College Vanderbilt University Nashville, TN 37203 [email protected]. The IRIS Center is funded through a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) Grant #H325E220001. The contents of this website do not necessarily represent the policy of the U.S.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Curriculum-Based Measurement Warehouse: A World of CBM Resources...

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Curriculum-Based Measurement: A Manual for Teachers . This manual is the most popular download on Intervention Central! It provides a complete introduction to CBM and its use in schools.

# data[].attributes.headline
Positive behavior strategies: What you need to know

# data[].attributes.subject
Positive behavior strategies: What you need to know

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Positive behavior strategies are evidence-based, proactive approaches to changing challenging student behavior. Some examples of positive behavior strategies are pre-correcting and prompting and nonverbal signals.

There's a lot to think about when it comes to teaching. You plan and deliver lessons to cover the curriculum. You adjust your lesson plans to meet your students' needs. On top of it all, you manage student behavior.

You're not alone if you feel like managing behavior sometimes gets in the way of teaching. That's where positive behavior strategies come in. These strategies are also known as "positive behavior supports," or PBS.

Why Use Positive Behavior Strategies?

Positive behavior strategies encourage you to see behavior as a form of communication. Every behavior sends a message about what a student needs. Some messages are easy to read. Some need more deciphering. (In those cases, a behavior specialist, a school psychologist, or other colleagues can help you decipher the message.)

Once you understand the message behind the behavior, you can better support students. As Jerome Schultz, PhD, puts it, "If you can read the need, you can meet the need."

These strategies help build a trusting relationship between teachers, students, and families. Instead of seeing behavior as a problem, you'll show empathy by looking at students with compassionate curiosity. With this view, you can shift your focus from "fixing" students to understanding them. You can also develop a more collaborative relationship with students by working together to understand when and under what circumstances a behavior occurs.

Sign up to receive tools and tips that can support your students on their journeys.

These strategies teach and reinforce new skills. Once you understand why a student is behaving a certain way, you can respond more effectively. You can teach them new behaviors that serve the same purpose. Many social-emotional learning programs incorporate specific strategies for teaching behaviors, like how to follow directions or ignore peer distractions.

These strategies prompt you to consider multiple reasons for behavioral difficulties. Challenging behavior can happen for many reasons. Students may lack the language or communication skills to express what they need. Or the behavior could be a way to avoid a difficult situation or task. Some students behave in negative ways to get attention or to get what they want. In other cases, some students may be reacting to an environment that isn't supporting their learning. Or there could be a cultural difference, which may prompt you to take a culturally responsive approach to analyzing the behavior and your response to it.

As a classroom teacher, you may not have all the time, tools, or training to look at student behavior in depth. You can work with other school staff to do a functional behavior assessment (FBA). The specialist who does the FBA can work with teachers to create an appropriate behavior intervention plan.

What Do Positive Behavior Strategies Look Like?

To see a positive behavior strategy in action, watch this classroom video from Edutopia:

For more examples of positive behavior strategies, take a look at these ready-to-use strategy articles:

How Do I Put Positive Behavior Strategies Into Practice?

Handling challenging behavior can be frustrating. Use this chart to reflect on where you are in your practice and where you might focus your next efforts.

Create a classroom layout that supports students.

Provide flexible spaces like a reading corner to support different types of learning.

Position furniture to ensure smooth transitions.

Organize materials in safe and accessible ways.

Seat students near peers who model appropriate behavior and who can ignore inappropriate behavior.

Seat students near you so you can use strategies like active supervision and pre-correction.

Post and define positive behavior expectations.

With your students, co-create classroom expectations that are observable, measurable, positive, and understandable.

Limit expectations to three to five statements.

Explicitly teach behavior expectations.

Plan, teach, and practice expected behaviors.

Plan, teach, and practice routines and procedures.

Reinforce and re-teach routines, procedures, and expectations throughout the year.

Establish ways to monitor your classroom and frequently check in with students.

Have systems to respond to behavior.

Collect data to look at the causes of inappropriate behavior.

Collaborate with specialists to use data to create supports for individual students.

Explicitly teach and reinforce new skills aligned to appropriate behavior.

Set competence anchors for students.

Partner with families.

Gather information about students from families and caregivers.

Engage the family when a student demonstrates challenging behavior.

Follow up with families to share when a student is demonstrating positive behavior.

Behavior expectations might be different at home than they are at school, so it's important for families to know what's expected in your classroom. Talk with families about the behavioral expectations in the classroom and the language you use to talk about behavior. This will help families understand new phrases they may hear or behavior changes they may see. Also, families may want to use the same expectations at home. Share with them these parent-child behavior contracts to get started.

Additional Resources and Research

About the Author

About the Author

Amanda Morin

worked as a classroom teacher and as an early intervention specialist for 10 years. She is the author of The Everything Parent's Guide to Special Education. Two of her children have learning differences.

Reviewed by

Reviewed by

Jerome Schultz, PhD

is a clinical neuropsychologist and lecturer in the Harvard Medical School Department of Child Psychiatry.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Positive Behavior Strategies: What You Need to Know

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Positive behavior strategies are evidence-based, proactive approaches to changing challenging student behavior. Some examples of positive behavior strategies are pre-correcting and prompting and nonverbal signals. There's a lot to think about when it comes to teaching. You plan and deliver lessons to cover the curriculum. You adjust your lesson plans to meet your students' needs.

# data[].attributes.headline
Understanding Behavior as Communication: A Teacher’s Guide

# data[].attributes.subject
Understanding Behavior as Communication: A Teacher’s Guide

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Think of the last time a student called out in class, pushed in line, or withdrew by putting their head down on their desk. What was their behavior telling you?

In most cases, behavior is a sign they may not have the skills to tell you what they need. Sometimes, students may not even know what they need. What are your students trying to communicate? What do they need, and how can you help?

Respond to students, not their behaviors

First, know that when students act out, those actions can bring about emotions in teachers and other adults. Given all of the pressures placed on teachers, you may already feel stressed or emotional. It’s normal to take students’ behaviors personally because of your own feelings and needs in the moment.

One way to reframe your thinking is to respond to the student, not the behavior. Start by considering the life experiences that students bring to the classroom.

Some students who learn and think differently have negative past experiences with teachers and school. Others may come from cultures in which speaking up for their needs in front of the whole class isn’t appropriate.

Students who have food insecurity may push others out of the way at lunchtime to make sure they get something to eat. Students who have experienced trauma can often be wary of others. They may be hypervigilant and prone to what looks like overreactions to simple things. Keeping these experiences in mind can help you respond to the reasons for student behavior and not simply react to or correct the behavior itself.

What student behavior is telling you

Figuring out the function of, or the reasons behind, a behavior is critical for finding an appropriate response or support. Knowing the function can also help you find ways to prevent behavior issues in the future.

Learning for Justice (formerly Teaching Tolerance), an organization that provides resources for educators to create civil and inclusive school communities, offers the acronym EATS to highlight some possible functions of behavior. EATS stands for Escape, Attention, Tangible gains, and Sensory needs. Here’s a breakdown of what that means:

Escape: Some students use behavior to avoid a task, demand, situation, or even person they find difficult. Escape behavior can also be quiet, like students who ask to use the bathroom every time it’s their turn to read.

Example: Sofia, who struggles with reading, often breaks the rules during her language arts class. She refuses to take out her book during silent reading time. She eventually throws it to the floor, calls the teacher a name, and gets sent to the office.

What her behavior is saying: Sofia is communicating that she’s struggling with reading and would rather get into trouble than be asked to do a task that is challenging for her without the support she needs.

Attention: Some students behave in ways that are designed to gain attention. They may feel unsure about when or whether they’ll get your attention otherwise. Attention-seeking can play out in positive behaviors as well, such as when students work hard on a task to get your approval.

Example: Nevaeh is what you might call a clingy student. She really wants to show how hard she worked on her math. She puts up her hand and calls the teacher’s name over and over. When she doesn’t get a response, she walks across the room, taps the teacher’s arm, and yanks on her sleeve.

What her behavior is saying: Nevaeh is trying to tell you that she’s unsure about her strengths. She’s communicating that she needs your approval to be sure she’s done a good job on her math.

Tangible gains: Some student behavior is aimed at getting what they want, when they want it. This type of behavior is very common for students who struggle with impulsivity or flexible thinking.

Example: Joseph often talks back to his teacher and comes off as disrespectful. He misses or ignores his teacher’s hand gestures to lower his voice. Joseph gets agitated when he’s told to stop. He argues that he’s just trying to get answers to his questions. He believes the teacher should respond to him right away.

What his behavior is saying: Joseph is communicating that he needs more information to understand the lesson. From past experiences, he may have learned to talk or question the teacher continuously until he receives a response. His behavior represents trouble with communication skills. That means there’s an opportunity to teach the social skill of waiting to talk. In not responding to the teacher’s subtle cues to stop talking, he’s not simply being belligerent. He’s showing that he needs explicit help learning to respond to cues appropriately to have his needs met.

Sensory needs: Students’ brains are constantly taking in information from their senses. For some, processing that stream of input is a struggle. “Sensory seekers” underreact to sensory input or need more of it to function. “Sensory avoiders” overreact to sensory input. They may become overwhelmed and hyperactive. Those behaviors become problematic when they are disruptive or interfere with learning.

Example: Ethan tends to be “hands on” with other students. It’s particularly a problem when he’s standing in line. He complains that he feels crowded. He may push other students out of the way.

What his behavior is saying: Ethan is trying to let you know that he’s overwhelmed by being so close to other students. He is literally moving them out of his personal space, which may be a larger area than is typical for others.

Harness the power of collaboration

It can be hard to figure out the function of a student’s behavior, especially when there are learning and thinking differences at play. Most schools have a collaborative teacher assistance team that can help you understand student behaviors. Those teams are typically made up of special and general education teachers, as well as other professionals, like a school psychologist or a counselor.

Talk with the team about whether an observation by a member of the team or a formal functional behavioral assessment (FBA) is necessary to gather data. This information can lead to a more in-depth look at the reasons behind the student’s behavior.

When you work together to understand the behavior, you’ll be better prepared to help students identify what they need and how to communicate that more appropriately.

Related topics

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Understanding Behavior as Communication: A Teacher’s Guide

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Understanding that behavior is a form of communication can help teachers reframe what they’re seeing and not take student behavior personally.

# data[].attributes.headline
Behavior intervention plans: What you need to know

# data[].attributes.subject
Behavior intervention plans: What you need to know

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Most kids get in trouble now and then at school. But if a child acts out over and over again, it can be hard for them (and their classmates) to learn in school. To help a child behave, a school may put in place a formal plan.

Here's what you need to know about behavior intervention plans (or BIPs).

What's a Behavior Intervention Plan?

A BIP is a written plan that teaches and rewards good behavior. It can be a single page or many pages. The purpose is to prevent or stop misbehavior, not just punish the child.

The plan has three key parts. First, the plan lists the problem behavior. Second, it describes why it's happening. Third, it puts in place strategies or supports to help.

How do schools figure out why a child is misbehaving? And how do they know what strategies or supports to use? They put together a team of school staff to look into it.

The school team may interview the child, the teacher, and other staff. They should also observe the child and talk to the child's family to figure out what's happening. Testing might be used, too, as well as a review of past report cards or incidents. (This process is called a functional behavior assessment.)

Here's an example of how a BIP might work. Say a middle-schooler is cracking jokes in history class every day. When the teacher asks the child to stop, the child responds with insults.

The child is sent to the principal's office almost every day. And neither the child nor the child's classmates are learning any history.

There are many possible reasons kids might disrupt class like this. They might be restless. They may not understand what's being taught. They might want attention from the teacher or other students.

Sometimes, kids don't know why they do what they do. The school team has to do some detective work to figure out why the child is acting out.

Once the team understands the reason (or reasons), it puts together the plan to prevent it from happening.

For example, if a child wants attention, the school may try to channel this in a more positive way-maybe letting the child perform in a talent show. If the problem is restlessness, the child could take breaks when feeling antsy. The plan may even include teaching the child strategies for staying focused.

Educators refer to these strategies and supports as interventions. This means they're formal and done for a specific amount of time. The team also will keep an eye on how they're working. That's why the plan is called a behavior intervention plan.

Who Gets a Behavior Intervention Plan?

Not every child gets a behavior plan. They're meant for kids who have a lot of trouble behaving appropriately, and only when it gets in the way of their learning.

Some kids already have 504 plans or IEPs to help them thrive in school. For these kids, the 504 or IEP team will decide whether to add a BIP. If added, the plan becomes part of their education program. Sometimes, the law requires schools to consider giving a child a behavior plan -for example, if a child with an IEP or 504 plan is suspended from school for several days.

But kids don't have to have a 504 plan or IEP to get a behavior plan. If kids act out in school and it's hurting their learning, they might get a BIP. It's up to the school to decide how to help.

Kids change over time, and so should their behavior plans. The school should review the BIP every so often, and adjust it if there's new information or if the child needs a change.

Sadly, lots of behavior plans don't work out at first. That could happen if there's a mismatch between the behavior problem and the strategies in the plan. Sometimes, the school assumes a child is acting out for one reason, but it's not the real reason.

For example, if a child is cracking jokes to hide a reading difficulty, then letting the child be part of the talent show might not help.

Another pitfall is that a school and a family set up a plan but don't come back to review it. If the behavior plan doesn't change with the child, it can get outdated quickly-especially if there are rewards or incentives in the plan. What works at first might soon become "old hat" and need to be switched out.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Behavior Intervention Plans: What You Need to Know

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Most kids get in trouble now and then at school. But if a child acts out over and over again, it can be hard for them (and their classmates) to learn in school. To help a child behave, a school may put in place a formal plan.

# data[].attributes.headline
The School Evaluation Process: What to Expect

# data[].attributes.subject
The School Evaluation Process: What to Expect

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
If you've chosen to have your child tested for learning and attention issues, you've taking a big step toward getting extra support for your child. But what actually happens during the evaluation process? There are many benefits to getting your child evaluated. But the main one is finding out if your child is eligible for special education services. The tests your child takes will provide information that the IEP team can use to make decisions about services. Not all schools handle evaluation the same way. In most schools evaluation is called a " comprehensive educational evaluation."

Here's an overview of the main things to expect before, during and after an evaluation.

Who Evaluates Your Child?

The testing looks at all the areas of your child's development. At least two professionals will evaluate or observe your child. A psychologist will look at how your child thinks and his potential. Either she or a special education teacher will observe your child in the classroom. Specialists may look at other areas in which your child has difficulty. For example, if your child is having trouble with language, a speech therapist may be involved.

The professionals who evaluate your child:

Have training and credentials in the area of development they are testing, such as speech and language

Have experience working with kids

Know the expected behavior and skills of kids of various ages

Share information to help get the best picture of your child

A case manager will coordinate all of the testing. This person is sometimes called an IEP coordinator. She is often a special education teacher at your child's school. Keep in mind that you can have private testing done by professionals who don't work for the school district. In some cases, the school may pay for this independent educational evaluation (IEE). But in many cases, parents cover the cost.

Before the Evaluation

"With a school evaluation, you must provide your written consent before the testing takes place."

You must provide your written consent before the testing takes place. You'll get an evaluation plan that outlines the tests the school is recommending. As you look over the evaluation plan, ask yourself questions like these:

Are these tests the right ones to figure out if my child has a "suspected disability"? (If you're not sure what the tests are, ask the IEP coordinator to explain.)

What does each test measure?

What is the format of the test (such as written or verbal)?

How are the results of the tests presented (such as a number score or written summary)?

Will each test or observation suggest ways for my child to learn better? Will these be recommendations for appropriate services, programs or accommodations?

Is there a specific purpose for a classroom observation?

Will the observation be done during a subject that my child is having trouble with?

Which evaluator will be working with my child?

What is the evaluator's experience and credentials?

What to Expect During an Evaluation

The professionals who evaluate your child will:

Read and review your child's records, work samples and screenings

Speak with you and your child's teacher about your concerns

Provide questionnaires to get background information about your child

Observe your child in the classroom

Talk to your child

Use standardized tests or other methods to learn about your child's skills

You may or may not be present during your child's testing. Testing may occur at school. But if your child is tested by outside evaluators, you might need to take your child to their offices. If your child is taking many different tests, the evaluation may take place over a span of many days. But it will all be completed within 60 days of the referral for evaluation, unless your state has implemented a different timeline.

Even if you're not present, you can still play an active role by asking to be informed when testing will take place. That gives you the opportunity to help prepare your child for testing. You may also want to touch base with the evaluator to set up a time to share information.

Your child is likely to be pulled out of the classroom to participate in some testing. It's a good idea to speak with your child ahead of time to prepare him for this. Letting him know that these are not the kind of tests he can prepare for may reduce stress.

After the Evaluation

Once the testing is done, each evaluator will write a report about the results. The report will include information about why your child was referred for testing. It should also provide scores and a summary of what the evaluator learned.

An IEE also will include recommendations for how to help your child. A school evaluation won't include recommendations because those are discussed at the IEP team meeting. You will sit down with the team of professionals at a meeting to go over the results. They help determine your child's eligibility for special education services. Be sure to ask questions, and speak up if you don't agree with the results of testing. You also should put your objections in writing.

Keep in mind that you're an important part of the team. You're all working to find solutions for your child. The information you get from an evaluation can point you in the right direction. It can help you talk to teachers about classroom supports, explore treatment options and explain to your child why he is struggling. All of those steps can help your child feel less frustrated and more hopeful.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
If you've chosen to have your child tested for learning and attention issues, you've taking a big step toward getting extra support for your child. But what actually happens during the evaluation process? There are many benefits to getting your child evaluated. But the main one is finding out if your child is eligible for special education services.

# data[].attributes.headline
Functional assessment: What it is and how it works

# data[].attributes.subject
Functional assessment: What it is and how it works

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Does your child get into trouble in class? Are trips to the principal's office common but unproductive? If so, you might be curious about new ways to address your child's behavior. It may be time to ask the school to conduct a functional assessment, also known as a functional behavior assessment (FBA).

What a Functional Assessment Is

A functional assessment is an approach to figuring out why your child acts a certain way. It uses a variety of techniques to understand what's behind inappropriate behaviors. This includes looking at non-academic factors that might be contributing to your child's frustration with learning.

Knowing what's behind inappropriate behavior can help you and the school find ways to change the behavior. The basic idea behind this approach is that your child's behavior serves a purpose. Whether he's aware of it or not, your child acts a certain way to get to a desired outcome or goal.

For example, perhaps your child has a hard time showing his work on math problems. In math class, he gets angry, crumples up the paper and is disruptive. He's sent to the principal's office.

The behavior isn't appropriate, but it served its purpose. Your child managed to avoid doing the work that was frustrating him. He may not know that was his goal, but he found a way to deal with the math that was causing him stress.

A key part of a functional assessment is figuring out what triggers certain behaviors in your child at home, in school and with friends. Sometimes parents and teachers assume they know what's causing a child's behavior because they've seen other children do similar things. But it's important to remember that the causes for the same behavior can vary widely among children.

Functional Assessment vs. Comprehensive Evaluation

A functional assessment has a narrower focus than a comprehensive evaluation. It focuses on the why, how, where, when and what of your child's behavior. A comprehensive evaluation is a process that's used to see if your child is eligible for special education services. It looks at all aspects of your child's learning. If behavior is a concern, a functional assessment may be part of the comprehensive evaluation process.

The Functional Assessment Team

Assessment is a team effort. Each team member sees your child from a different perspective. Everyone works together to figure out what's going on with your child's behavior.

The assessment team varies from school to school. It typically includes a person with specialized training, such as a school psychologist or behavior specialist. That professional helps to gather information. She interviews people who know and work with your child. She will also speak with your child and do some screenings or assessments.

A functional assessment team might also include:

General education teachers

Special education teachers

Professionals who work with your child (counselors and speech therapists, for example)

School administrators

Parents and caregivers

Your child

Although they're not part of the team, your child's peers can also shed light on your child's behavior.

The Steps of a Functional Assessment

During a functional assessment, the team gathers information and uses it to create a plan to help your child behave in more appropriate ways. Here are the steps the team takes.
Step #1: Defining the inappropriate behavior.
Using vague words to describe your child's behavior can make it harder to gather the best information. Saying that your child is "disruptive" doesn't give enough information. And it could mean different things to different people.

Instead, it's important to describe the behavior in an objective, specific way. For example, you or a teacher might say that your child "rips up, throws work papers and is argumentative when asked to show work in math class."
Step #2: Collecting, comparing and analyzing information.
This is several steps rolled into one. Team members work to pull together information from your child's records, interviews and questionnaires. Their goal is to answer questions like:

Where is this behavior happening?

Where is it not happening?

How often is the behavior occurring?

Who is around when it occurs?

What tends to happen right before and right after the behavior?

What is a more acceptable behavior that can be used as a replacement?

An ABC chart is a tool that's frequently used in this step. A stands for Antecedent (what happens before), B is for Behavior (the action or reaction), and C is for Consequence (what happens after).

Your child can help provide this information, too. Only he can tell you how he feels in these situations. Asking him to try to keep track of what he is feeling-and when-could help the team.
Step #3: Hypothesizing reasons for the behavior.
A hypothesis is a best guess based on the information you have. The team works together to figure out what your child's behavior is telling them. What does he get out of ripping up his paper and being disruptive? It's the team's job to figure out what he is escaping, avoiding or getting from the behavior.
Step #4: Developing a plan.
Once the team has an idea of the reasons behind your child's inappropriate behavior, the team works closely with the behavior specialist or psychologist to find ways to see if the hypothesis is right. This means changing something in the environment to see if it changes the behavior.

To do this, they create a behavior intervention plan (BIP). A BIP is a plan that's designed to teach and reward positive behaviors. This can help prevent or stop problem behaviors in school. For example, it might be helpful to see how your child acts when he's asked to explain the steps of a math problem out loud-but not in front of the whole class. Or he could show his work on some of the problems but not all of them. Suggestions in the plan may include:

Changes to the physical environment

Changes to the way information is taught or presented

Changes to your child's routine or events that happen before the inappropriate behavior

Changes to the consequences for a behavior

Teaching different, more appropriate behaviors that serve the same purpose (such as asking for help or taking a break when frustrated with math)

Before putting a plan into place, the team has to make sure your child understands the expectations. They have to be sure he can control the inappropriate behavior and is motivated to change. This is where information from a comprehensive evaluation is helpful.

The Role of Parents in a Functional Assessment

Knowing that your child's behavior is causing problems can bring up many feelings. But the team is trying to work together to find solutions-not to place blame. Tell the team what you're seeing at home. This is an important piece of this process. It can show the similarities and differences between your child at home and at school. You can keep track of your child's behavior using an ABC approach or by keeping a journal. Taking notes can make it easier to see patterns in your child's behavior.

A functional assessment may not provide an immediate solution to your child's behavior issues. But it can give a more complete picture of your child's struggles. Then you and the school can work together to take the next steps to help your child.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Functional Assessment: What It Is and How It Works

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Does your child get into trouble in class? Are trips to the principal's office common but unproductive? If so, you might be curious about new ways to address your child's behavior. It may be time to ask the school to conduct a functional assessment, also known as a functional behavior assessment (FBA).

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Having your child evaluated can be a confusing and emotional journey, with a number of steps along the way. As you take each step, you may have questions and concerns. But at the end, you should have a clearer picture of why your child is struggling and how you and the school can help your child thrive.

Learning about evaluations can help you feel more confident and prepared during the process. It also makes it easier to speak up for what your child needs, and helps pave the way for your child to do the same.

This guide can help you navigate every step in your evaluation journey.

Your child is having trouble in school, and you don't know why. The best way to get a full picture is to have your child evaluated. If this is your first experience, you'll need basic information on what evaluations are and what they can lead to. And you're likely to have questions.

What will the evaluation tell me about my child? What's the difference between school and private evaluations? Who pays for the evaluation? What about evaluation for college testing accommodations ?

Even when your child is struggling in school, it's not always an easy decision to have your child evaluated. You may worry about your child being labeled. How will other kids treat your child? Will your child be in a regular classroom, or pulled out? You may even wonder if your child's difficulties are serious enough for an evaluation.

These types of uncertainties are common. Having answers can help you feel comfortable with whatever decision you make.

Once you've decided to have your child evaluated, the next question is: "How do I make this happen?" The process for requesting a school evaluation is formal, but it's not complicated. If the school agrees, the process begins.

But what if the school denies your request? Where do you go from there? What if you decide to seek a private evaluation instead of a school evaluation? And is the process different depending on what your child's struggling with?

Once you request an evaluation, what happens next? There are a number of steps involved in the process. Your child will take a series of tests that look at different areas of learning, including reading, writing, math, and memory.

What do those tests measure, and who gives them? What rights do you have during the process? Knowing the ins and outs of the evaluation process helps you be prepared. It also allows you to prepare your child for the experience.

After your child is evaluated, the evaluation team at school will look over all the test results and decide if your child is eligible for special education services through an IEP . If not, the team might recommend support through a 504 plan .

But what if you don't agree with the school's results? What are your options? And what if your child had a private evaluation? How do you get the school to consider those results?

Getting an evaluation is the best way to understand your child's struggles, and how to help.

Both school and private evaluations involve testing.

Understanding evaluations empowers you to speak up for what your child needs.

About the Author

About the Author

The Understood Team is made up of passionate writers and editors. Many of them have kids who learn and think differently.

Reviewed by

Reviewed by

Ellen Braaten, PhD is the director of LEAP at Massachusetts General Hospital.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Having your child evaluated can be a confusing and emotional journey, with a number of steps along the way. As you take each step, you may have questions and concerns. But at the end, you should have a clearer picture of why your child is struggling and how you and the school can help your child thrive.

# data[].attributes.body
Inclusive Instruction : Evidence-Based Practices for Teaching Students with Disabilities

# data[].attributes.body
https://highleveragepractices.org/

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Explicit Instructions | Effective and Efficient Teaching

# data[].attributes.body
By Anita L. Archer

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Anita L. Archer, PhD, is an educational consultant to school districts on explicit instruction, the design and delivery of instruction, behavior management, and literacy instruction. She has taught elementary and middle school students and is the recipient of 10 awards honoring her excellence in teaching and contributions to the field of education. Dr. Archer has served on the faculties of San Diego State University, the University of Washington in Seattle, and the University of Oregon in Eugene. She is nationally known for her professional development activities, having presented in every state over the course of her 40-year career. Dr. Archer is coauthor, with Dr. Mary Gleason, of numerous curriculum materials addressing reading, writing, and study skills.

Raised in the Pacific Northwest, Anita's primary home is in Portland, Oregon where she enjoys entertaining friends, attending symphony and opera performances, and practicing her cello (She is a beginner.) The NYC location of Anita's second home allows her to walk across the street to Lincoln Center and take in abundant musical performances.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Explicit Instructions | Effective and Efficient Teaching

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Anita L. Archer, PhD, is an educational consultant to school districts on explicit instruction, the design and delivery of instruction, behavior management, and literacy instruction. She has taught elementary and middle school students and is the recipient of 10 awards honoring her excellence in teaching and contributions to the field of education.

# data[].attributes.headline
Educating Different Kinds of Minds | Temple Grandin | TEDxCSU

# data[].attributes.subject
Educating Different Kinds of Minds | Temple Grandin | TEDxCSU

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Educating Different Kinds of Minds | Temple Grandin | TEDxCSU

# data[].attributes.headline
Dr. Anita Archer - Vocabulary Instruction

# data[].attributes.subject
Dr. Anita Archer - Vocabulary Instruction

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Dr. Anita Archer - Vocabulary Instruction

# data[].attributes.body
Joanie Judd | TEDxChandlerPublicLibrary

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Minding the gap | Joanie Judd | TEDxChandlerPublicLibrary

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Arizona PBS and other TV stations across Arizona will join together Tuesday, Jan. 12 at 6:30 p.m. in a rare effort to combat the growing epidemic of youth suicide.

In partnership with the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Arizona State University, more than 25 TV stations will air a half-hour, commercial-free student-produced documentary about youth suicide in Arizona and what can be done stop it.

According to data from the Centers for Disease Control, youth suicide rates climbed by a staggering 56% across the United States between 2007-2017, making it the second leading cause of death for young people. Since the COVID-19 pandemic began in March, the CDC estimates that one in four young people have contemplated taking their life.

In Arizona, the rate of suicide among adolescents has consistently exceeded the national average.

All major network-affiliated stations in Phoenix, Tucson and Yuma are expected to air the documentary. Other partners include Arizona's largest Spanish-language TV stations, public television partners including Arizona PBS, and independently owned stations across the state. To maximize its reach, the 30-minute program will be broadcast in unison Jan. 12 at 5 p.m. on Spanish-language TV stations and at 6:30 p.m. on English-language TV stations.

"PBS NewsHour" will begin at 5:30 p.m. on Jan. 12, directly following "Arizona Horizon."

The documentary, titled "Life is...", was produced through a grant from the Arizona Community Foundation and with the support of the Arizona Broadcasters Association. It analyzes the underlying societal, cultural, technological and medical causes behind the state's troubling statistics and offers resources and potential solutions.

"This is a critical issue impacting our youth in Arizona. The investigative reporting conducted by these students will enable us to work on solutions within our community to support teens in the future" said Steve Seleznow, president and CEO of the Arizona Community Foundation.

Dozens of students spent the past year reporting and producing the documentary and related digital content on mental health, isolation and loneliness, at-risk gene variants, the LGBTQ+ community and more. Their stories are available at www.confrontingyouthsuicideaz.com.

The students worked under the direction of Cronkite Visiting Professor David Ariosto, an author and journalist who has managed, produced and written for National Geographic, Time Magazine, NPR, Reuters, CNN, and Al Jazeera America.

"This project has made important progress on an extremely pressing issue," said Ariosto. "The students not only told the stories of youth suicide in our state but also helped uncover possible solutions to benefit our community and across the country."

The youth suicide project follows a multi-year partnership between the Cronkite School and Arizona broadcasters to shed light on some of Arizona's most pressing issues. In both 2015 and 2017, the Cronkite School produced documentaries for air across the state about alarming rises in prescription opioid abuse. The first documentary was watched live by an estimated 1 million Arizona viewers and won numerous honors, including the region's top Emmy and a national Alfred I. duPont-Columbia University Award.

About the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication
The Cronkite School at Arizona State University is widely recognized as one of the nation's premier professional journalism programs. The school's 2,500 students regularly lead the country in national journalism competitions. They are guided by a faculty of award-winning professional journalists and world-class media scholars. Cronkite's 15 full-immersion professional programs give students opportunities to practice what they've learned in real-world settings under the guidance of professionals.

About the Arizona Community Foundation
Established in 1978, the Arizona Community Foundation is a statewide family of charitable funds supported by thousands of Arizonans. With five regional offices serving communities across Arizona, ACF is among the top 25 community foundations in the nation with more than $1.0 billion in trust and endowment assets and is certified under the National Standards for U.S. Community Foundations. Since inception, ACF and its affiliates have awarded more than $900 million in grants, scholarships and loans to nonprofit organizations, schools and government agencies. More information is available at azfoundation.org.

About the Arizona Broadcasters Association
The Arizona Broadcasters Association is a statewide nonprofit group that represents more than 200 Arizona radio and TV stations. The ABA financially supports the defense of Arizona independent journalism in legal court proceedings, funds broadcast scholarships and training programs at all three state universities, and lobbies on behalf of radio and TV stations to help create a long-term future for Arizona's local media and its critical role in communities across the state.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
WATCH NOW: Cronkite School produces documentary on youth suicide in Arizona | Arizona PBS

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Arizona PBS and other TV stations across Arizona will join together Tuesday, Jan. 12 at 6:30 p.m. in a rare effort to combat the growing epidemic of youth suicide. In partnership with the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Arizona State University, more than 25 TV stations will air a half-hour, commercial-free student-produced documentary about youth suicide in Arizona and what can be done stop it.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Arizona Project AWARE provides evidenced-based Suicide Prevention Training that is approved by AHCCCS to meet legislative requirements, per ARS15-120.

Who is required to receive Suicide Prevention Training in Arizona?

How can students access mental health support in an education environment?

Each school has unique relationships with behavioral health providers in their area. Some schools allow services to be provided on campus; other schools refer students off campus. Speak with your school social worker, principal or school nurse for more information about the resources provided in your area and to help connect your student to services.

For more information about specific services, funding sources and programs available for school age youth please visit Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System page. You can also download this guide for Accessing/Paying for Behavioral Health.

Need Help Now? Mental Health Crisis Resources

If this is a mental health emergency, please call 911. You are not alone and there are a network of professionals throughout the state ready to help.

Arizona Crisis Hotlines:

NEW! Resilient Arizona Crisis Counseling Program - Call 211 now to connect to a Arizona crisis counselor

The mission of Resilient Arizona CCP is to assist individuals and communities in recovering from the psychological effects of the Coronavirus pandemic through community-based outreach, emotional support and educational services. Services are provided at no cost and are available to anyone who has been impacted by the pandemic. These services are provided in safe, accessible telephonic and virtual locations. Services can be provided in a group setting or one-on-one and include supportive crisis counseling, education, development of coping skills, and connection to appropriate resources. ​​​

Crisis Response Network

Central AZ: 602-222-9444

Northern AZ: 1-877-756-4090

Southern AZ: 1-866-495-6735

National Crisis Hotlines:

National and Regional Crisis Hotlines

Crisis Text Line: Text CONNECT to 741741

Teen Life Line: Phone or Text 602-248-TEEN (8336) Monday-Friday 3 - 9 PM

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline:1-800-273-TALK (8255)

National Substance Use and Disorder Issues Referral and Treatment Hotline: 1-800-662-HELP (4357)

The Trevor Project (LGBTQ+ Hotline): Phone: 1-866-488-7386 or Text: START to 678-678

Trans Lifeline: 1-877-565-8860

New! Social Emotional Learning Competencies, Resources, & Funding Guide

NEW! Arizona Social Emotional Learning Competencies and Resources, for K-12 through adulthood, released August 2020. Sign and submit the SEL Pledge!

SEL in Homes & Communities plus, Confident Parents Confident Kids

Please call the Family Assistance Center phone line to talk to someone who can provide emotional support and offer resources to any parent, especially those who need help parenting a child with emotional or behavioral health challenges: 1-877-568-8468 or visit  www.familyinvolvementcenter.org/

Resources for Creating Safe & Supportive Learning Environments

Project AWARE encourages all LEAs to implement evidenced-based programs and practices that support a positive campus climate and culture. There are multiple avenues both within ADE and nationwide to help your school get started. School Employee Wellness Guide

This guide is a resource for districts and schools with no prior experience with employee wellness initiatives as well as for those seeking to improve an existing initiative. It was written with diverse readers in mind. People in a variety of positions- from human resources directors to district superintendents to wellness coordinators-play a role in leading and supporting employee wellness initiatives. Though the guide was developed for public schools, most of the information will apply to all types of schools.
Child Trends What Works Database
Searchable register of over 700 programs that have had at least one randomized evaluation to assess child or youth outcomes related to education, life skills, and social/emotional, mental, physical, behavioral, or reproductive health
Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL)
A trusted source for knowledge about high-quality, evidence-based social and emotional learning (SEL). CASEL supports educators and policy leaders and enhances the experiences and outcomes for all PreK-12 students.
Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) & PBIS (Positive Behavior Interventions & Supports)
Technical Assistance Center on PBIS supports schools, districts, and states to build systems capacity for implementing a multi-tiered approach to social, emotional and behavior support. The broad purpose of PBIS is to improve the effectiveness, efficiency and equity of schools and other agencies. PBIS improves social, emotional and academic outcomes for all students, including students with disabilities and students from underrepresented groups.
Title IV-A Office of Safe & Healthy Students
The mission of the Arizona Department of Education, Office of Safe and Healthy Students, is to provide support to schools and LEAs so that every student can experience a safe, healthy, and supportive learning environment, including focusing on students physical and mental health, and safety. A safe, healthy, and supportive school environment is the product of a school's attention to fostering safety; promoting a supportive academic, disciplinary, and physical environment; and encouraging and maintaining respectful, trusting, and caring relationships throughout the school community, focusing on the fostering of positive conditions, climate, and culture, including family and community engagement.
Arizona Department of Education Title I Program
The purpose of Title I is to "provide all children significant opportunity to receive a fair, equitable, and high-quality education, and to close educational achievement gaps". Title I provides technical assistance, service and support to local educational agencies (LEAs) and schools to help ensure every child has access to an excellent education.

SchoolSafety.gov is a new website designed to help schools and communities prepare for and address various threats related to safety, security, and support in schools. Further information is available on their website.

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline : 1-800-273-8255

Arizona Suicide Prevention Coalition: Mission - To change those conditions that result in suicidal acts in Arizona through awareness, intervention, and action

Comprehensive Student Threat Assessment Guide Training

Does your school have a Comprehensive School Threat Assessment (CSTAG) Team?
Learn more here: https://www.azed.gov/shs/schoolthreatassessment/

Contact Us

Project AWARE is part of the School Safety & Social Wellness Department within the Divison of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion. Click here to contact us!

The purpose of the Project A.W.A.R.E. Arizona is to: increase awareness of mental health issues in young people, train school personnel to detect and respond to mental health issues, and connect youth and their families to behavioral health resources.

Project AWARE supports the development and implementation of a comprehensive plan of activities, services, and strategies to decrease youth violence and support the healthy development of school-aged youth. Arizona Department of Education (ADE), in partnership with Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System (AHCCCS), is working to implement Project AWARE throughout Arizona. Project A.W.A.R.E. is a five-year grant (2018 - 2023) funded through the Department of Health and Human Services Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services (SAMHSA). ​

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Free Suicide Prevention Training for Arizona Educators!Arizona Project AWARE provides evidenced-based Suicide Prevention Training that is approved by AHCCCS to meet legislative requirements, per ARS15-120. QPR Suicide Prevention Training (Online, Self paced) New!

# data[].attributes.headline
Book: The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel Van Der Kolk

# data[].attributes.subject
Book: The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel Van Der Kolk

# data[].attributes.body
Great book on childhood trauma and how it can affect children and adults.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Find out about what tests are used to diagnose or help students with special needs.

# data[].attributes.headline
Comprehensive Assessment and Evaluation of Students With Learning Disabilities

# data[].attributes.subject
Comprehensive Assessment and Evaluation of Students With Learning Disabilities

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Comprehensive Assessment and Evaluation of Students With Learning Disabilities | LD Topics | LD OnLine

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
LD OnLine is the leading website on learning disabilities, learning disorders and differences. Parents and teachers of learning disabled children will find authoritative guidance on attention deficit disorder, ADD, ADHD, dyslexia, dysgraphia, dyscalculia, dysnomia, reading difficulties, speech and related disorders.

# data[].attributes.headline
Academic Assessments and Students With Disabilities | ESSA Fact Sheet

# data[].attributes.subject
Academic Assessments and Students With Disabilities | ESSA Fact Sheet

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
January 2017
A collaborative publication of the Center for Parent Information and Resources (CPIR) and The Advocacy Institute
This fact sheet in Spanish
See other fact sheets on ESSA
__________________

This fact sheet is designed to accompany the Stakeholder Guide to the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) and gives you a brief overview of ESSA's requirements for academic assessment of students with disabilities. It's organized in a Q&A format. Click on a question below, to quickly access specific information, or keep scrolling to read the full fact sheet.

1. What academic assessments are required by the ESSA? (Keep scrolling)

2. Are the academic content and achievement standards on which these assessments are based the same in every state?

3. How are students with disabilities to be included in the state academic assessments?

4. Are the requirements for student participation the same in every state?

5. What accommodations must be provided to students with disabilities on academic assessments?

6. Who decides the accommodations that will be provided to students with disabilities on academic assessments?

7. How is the performance of students with disabilities reported?

8. Should parents be provided with an explanation of how their child performed on state assessments?

9. What is the connection between a student's IEP and the student's participation in state academic assessments?

10. Do the assessments required by ESSA have student "stakes" such as promotion to the next grade or receipt of a regular diploma?

Back to top

1. What academic assessments are required by the ESSA?

ESSA requires states to give the following academic assessments to all public school students each year:

Mathematics | In each of grades 3 through 8; and at least once in grades 9 through 12

Reading or language arts | In each of grades 3 through 8; and at least once in grades 9 through 12;

Science | One time during grades 3 through 5; grades 6 through 9; and grades 10 through 12.

These assessments must be aligned with the state's academic content and achievement standards. In addition, states must give an annual assessment of English language proficiency to all English learners.

2. Are the academic content and achievement standards on which these assessments are based the same in every state?

No. ESSA requires each state to adopt challenging academic content standards in mathematics, reading or language arts, and science that:

align with entrance requirements for credit-bearing coursework [not remedial instruction programs] in the system of public higher education in the state and relevant state career and technical education standards;

apply to all public schools and public school students in the state, including students with disabilities.

ESSA also requires each state to adopt academic achievement standards that:

are aligned with the content standards;

include not less than 3 levels of achievement; and

include the same knowledge, skills, and levels of achievement expected of all public school students in the state except for students identified with the most significant cognitive disabilities.

The U.S. Department of Education does not review or approve the states' academic content and achievement standards. Therefore, academic content and achievement standards can and do vary from state to state. While most states have adopted the Common Core State Standards, several states have developed their own academic content standards.

3. How are students with disabilities to be included in the state academic assessments?

ESSA requires that students with disabilities participate in the same academic assessments as all other students, with only one limited exception for those students with the most significant cognitive disabilities (see Alternate Assessment Fact Sheet). This means that the vast majority of students with disabilities should will take the academic assessments. (ESSA requires that students with disabilities be provided with appropriate accommodations, as will be discussed in a moment.)

Equally important, ESSA requires that students with disabilities participate in the assessment for their enrolled grade. In other words, a student in grade 6 cannot be given the assessment designed for grade 4. This ensures that the information about how students with disabilities are doing academically is based on their enrolled grade, providing critical information for schools and parents.

English learners with disabilities must be given both the test of English language proficiency and the academic assessments.

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) also requires states to include students with disabilities in all state and district-wide assessments.

4. Are the requirements for student participation the same in every state?

Yes. Every state must assess all students in the grades previously described every year. Students may also be expected to participate in assessments in other subject areas, such as history, geography, and writing skills, if and when the state requires it. However, ESSA requires assessments only in the areas of reading/language arts, math, and science.

5. What accommodations must be provided to students with disabilities on academic assessments?

ESSA requires states to provide the appropriate accommodations, such as interoperability with, and ability to use, assistive technology, for students with disabilities (as defined by IDEA), including students with the most significant cognitive disabilities and students covered under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, that are necessary to measure the academic achievement of such children.

It's also important that students with disabilities have practice in using or applying the accommodations to be provided during assessments. Accommodations provided to a student during state assessments must also be provided during classroom instruction, classroom assessments, and district assessments. However, some instructional accommodations may not be appropriate for use on certain statewide assessments. For example, reading a test to the student may invalidate a reading test. Some states have determined certain accommodations to be "standard" or "nonstandard" and may instruct Individualized Education Program (IEP) teams to only select accommodations that the state has determined will not invalidate the results of a particular test or portion of a test.

6. Who decides the accommodations that will be provided to students with disabilities on academic assessments?

The IDEA requires the student's IEP team to make decisions regarding the accommodations to be provided during assessments. Students must be provided accommodations based on individual need as long as the accommodations do not invalidate the assessment.

In order to make sound decisions regarding accommodations, the IEP team members must be familiar with the state's academic content standards and state accommodation guidelines.

Assessment accommodations should be documented in the student's IEP. Test accommodations should be reviewed annually and updated and revised as needed. While the IEP team is responsible for determining the specific accommodations a student needs to participate in state assessments, the IEP team may not exempt a student from participating.

The same procedures should be followed for students with Section 504 Plans.

7. How is the performance of students with disabilities reported?

Individual test scores will not be made available to the public. Only the parents and school receive the results of an individual child's tests.

ESSA requires student performance on state academic assessments to be disaggregated (or broken out) for several subgroups of students: economically disadvantaged racial/ethnic groups, special education students, and English learners at the school, district, and state levels. (Disaggregated assessment results are only reported when the number of students in the subgroup meets or exceeds the "minimum" number of students set by the state.)

This disaggregation is designed to allow the performance and expectations of historically low-performing groups of students - including students with disabilities - to be visible to the public so that performance gaps are identified. This information must be included in the annual state and local school district report cards required by ESSA.

8. Should parents be provided with an explanation of how their child performed on state assessments?

Yes. Parents should be provided with user-friendly information on how their child performed, including an explanation of achievement levels. Teachers should also let parents know how they will use the test results to improve instruction.

Unfortunately, a recent survey of perceptions of assessments found that 61% of parents say their child's teachers rarely or never discuss their child's assessment results with them. So there is an urgent need for better, more frequent communication between teachers and parents.

9. What is the connection between a student's IEP and the student's participation in state academic assessments?

While a student's participation in academic assessments is required by both ESSA and IDEA, the results of that participation provide valuable information that should be incorporated into a student's IEP.

In November 2015 the U.S. Department of Education distributed guidance to states that stated:

To help make certain that children with disabilities are held to high expectations and have meaningful access to a State's academic content standards, we write to clarify that an individualized education program (IEP) for an eligible child with a
disability under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) must be aligned with the State's academic content standards for the grade in which the child is enrolled.

A student's "present levels of academic achievement and functional performance" should include the student's performance on the most recent state academic assessments. The student's measurable annual goals should be aligned with the academic content standards for the student's enrolled grade, regardless of how far behind the student might be performing.

10. Do the assessments required by ESSA have student "stakes" such as promotion to the next grade or receipt of a regular diploma?

No. States have the option to add student "stakes" to their standards and assessment systems. In some states students are required to pass one or more high school assessments as a condition of receiving a diploma. Some states require students to achieve at certain levels on assessments to be promoted to subsequent grades. However, student "stakes" are not a requirement of ESSA.

While ESSA requires that all students be assessed, the emphasis of such assessments is focused on group measures, rather than on one individual student. These group measures are used to evaluate the performance of entire schools, school districts, and states. Additionally, ESSA puts a strong focus on the performance of subgroups of students that have traditionally experienced poor academic achievement, such as minority students, students with limited English proficiency, and students with disabilities.

As ESSA states, "The purpose of this title is to provide all children significant opportunity to receive a fair, equitable, and high-quality education, and to close educational achievement gaps."

Other Fact Sheets on ESSA

CPIR offers additional fact sheets on ESSA that may interest you. They are:

Authorship | This guide has been produced in a partnership between the Center for Parent Information and Resources (CPIR) and The Advocacy Institute under a cooperative agreement from the U.S. Department of Education Office of Special Education Programs.
_____________________________

**Highly Rated Resource! This resource was reviewed by 3-member panels of Parent Center staff working independently from one another to rate the quality, relevance, and usefulness of CPIR resources. This resource was found to be of "High Quality, High Relevance, High Usefulness" to Parent Centers.
________________________________________

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Academic Assessments and Students With Disabilities | ESSA Fact Sheet

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
January 2017 A collaborative publication of the Center for Parent Information and Resources (CPIR) and The Advocacy Institute This fact sheet in Spanish See other fact sheets on ESSA __________________ This fact sheet is designed to accompany the Stakeholder Guide to the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) and gives you a brief overview of ESSA's requirements for academic assessment of students with disabilities.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Basic Description

A blueprint or plan for a child's special education experience at school.

A blueprint or plan for how the school will provide support and remove barriers for a student with a disability.

What It Does

Provides individualized special education and related services to meet a child's unique needs.

These services are provided at no cost to families.

Provides services and changes to the learning environment to enable students to learn alongside their peers.

As with an IEP, a 504 plan is provided at no cost to families.

What Law Applies

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)

This is a federal special education law for children with disabilities.

Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973

This is a federal civil rights law to stop discrimination against people with disabilities.

Who's Eligible

To get an IEP, there are two requirements:

1. A child has one or more of the 13 disabilities listed in IDEA. The law lists specific challenges, like learning disabilities, ADHD, autism, and others.

2. The disability must affect the child's educational performance and/or ability to learn and benefit from the general education curriculum. The child must need specialized instruction to make progress in school.

To get a 504 plan, there are two requirements:

1. A child has any disability. Section 504 covers a wide range of different struggles in school.

2. The disability must interfere with the child's ability to learn in a general education classroom.

Section 504 has a broader definition of a disability than IDEA. (It says a disability must substantially limit one or more basic life activities. This can include learning, reading, communicating, and thinking.) That's why a child who doesn't qualify for an IEP might still be able to get a 504 plan.

Independent Educational Evaluation

Families can ask the school district to pay for an independent educational evaluation (IEE) by an outside expert. The district doesn't have to agree.

Families can always pay for an outside evaluation themselves, but the district may not give it much weight.

Doesn't allow families to ask for an IEE. As with an IEP evaluation, families can always pay for an outside evaluation themselves.

Who Creates It

There are strict legal requirements about who participates. An IEP is created by an IEP team that must include:

The child's parent or caregiver

At least one of the child's general education teachers

At least one special education teacher

School psychologist or other specialist who can interpret evaluation results

A district representative with authority over special education services

With a few exceptions, the entire team must be present for IEP meetings.

The rules about who's on the 504 team are less specific than they are for an IEP.

A 504 plan is created by a team of people who are familiar with the child and who understand the evaluation data and special services options. This might include:

The child's parent or caregiver

General and special education teachers

The school principal

What's in It

The IEP sets learning goals and describes the services the school will provide. It's a written document.

Here are some of the most important things the IEP must include:

The child's present levels of academic and functional performance-how the child is currently doing in school

Annual education goals for the child and how the school will track progress

The services the child will get-this may include special education, related, supplementary, and extended school year services

The timing of services-when they start, how often they occur, and how long they last

Any accommodations-changes to the child's learning environment

Any modifications-changes to what the child is expected to learn or know

How the child will participate in standardized tests

How the child will be included in general education classes and school activities

There is no standard 504 plan. Unlike an IEP, a 504 plan doesn't have to be a written document.

A 504 plan generally includes the following:

Specific accommodations, supports, or services for the child

Names of who will provide each service

Name of the person responsible for ensuring the plan is implemented

Notice

When the school wants to change a child's services or placement, it has to tell families in writing before the change. This is called prior written notice. Notice is also required for any IEP meetings and evaluations.

Families also have "stay put" rights to keep services in place while there's a disagreement about the IEP.

The school must notify families about an evaluation or a "significant change" in placement. Notice doesn't have to be in writing, but most schools do so anyway.

Consent

A parent or caregiver must consent in writing for the school to evaluate a child. They must also consent in writing before the school can provide the services in an IEP.

A parent or caregiver's consent is required for the school district to evaluate a child.

How Often It's Reviewed and Revised

The IEP team must review the IEP at least once a year.

The child must be reevaluated every three years to determine whether services are still needed.

The rules vary by state. Generally, a 504 plan is reviewed each year and a reevaluation is done every three years or when needed.

How to Resolve Disputes

IDEA gives families several ways to resolve disputes (usually in this order):

Section 504 gives families several options for resolving disagreements with the school:

Mediation

Alternative dispute resolution

Impartial hearing

Complaint to the Office for Civil Rights (OCR)

Lawsuit

Funding/Costs

Students receive these services at no charge.

States receive additional funding for students with IEPs.

Students receive these services at no charge.

States do not receive extra funding for students with 504 plans. But the federal government can take funding away from programs (including schools) that don't meet their legal duty to serve kids with disabilities.

IDEA funds can't be used to serve students with 504 plans.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
The difference between IEPs and 504 plans

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Basic Description A blueprint or plan for a child's special education experience at school. A blueprint or plan for how the school will provide support and remove barriers for a student with a disability. What It Does Provides individualized special education and related services to meet a child's unique needs.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Making Masks Fun: Tips for Helping Your Child Wear a Face Mask

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Child Mask Tolerance; B) Easy to use steps in action

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Teaching Children Mask Tolerance: A) Caregiver Instructional

# data[].attributes.headline
7 Questions to Ask in Managing Student Behavior

# data[].attributes.subject
7 Questions to Ask in Managing Student Behavior

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Jon Konen
District Superintendent

One of the qualities that will get you hired faster than anything else is the ability to manage a classroom full of students. Administrators shy away from hiring new teachers that have a difficult time managing students. The amount of time an administrator must put into teaching and training a new teacher to manage student behavior can be time consuming, thus, not a hiring possibility. Administrators may hire a new teacher as a "project" if they are still developing in this area. Again, the amount of time administrators have to train new teachers has been minimized with duties and responsibilities. If they have a new teacher that can manage a classroom versus one that cannot, these decisions are no-brainers in the hiring process.

There are some qualities that set proficient classroom managers apart from those that are developing. As you dig into learning more about these proficient teachers, you will find the exemplary classroom managers transfer the management back to their students. Management of students is the primary component to a prosperous academic environment.

Here are seven questions you can tackle in order to go from being a proficient teacher to one that is exemplary!

1 - What Types of Classroom Rules Have You Created That Support Student Learning?

Clear and succinct rules can be easy to write and post in your classroom. Teaching them and re-teaching them is the difficult task. Every student is different and a teacher must find the best instructional strategies in order to teach them. Students must buy into the rules and follow them. Students should participate in upholding them, offering revisions, and supporting other students in the learning environment.

There are multitude of philosophies that have given educators guidance in creating a productive and academic classroom. To adhere to one philosophy over another is an impossible solution. The ability to combine and mix philosophies, as well as tips, tricks, techniques, and strategies set exemplary teachers apart from others.

Depending on the time period, what has been socially acceptable has changed. We must understand, also, that what is socially acceptable in one region of the country may not be in another. For example, as of April 2017, 15 states allow corporal punishment (according to an online article from North Carolina Public Radio). In addition, seven states also allow school districts to make this decision on their own, but do not delineate this in their state administrative rules or laws. Altogether, 22 states allow corporal punishment as a means of classroom and school management. Students in one school in North Carolina, with parent permission, can chose paddling by the principal instead of in-school suspension or out-of-school suspension. You fill find a majority of these states are located in the southeast portion of the United States. That leaves 28 states that prohibit this strategy; this number has been decreasing in the last decade.

According to Charlotte Danielson's Framework for Teaching Evaluation Instrument (2013©) the following qualities are found in the best classrooms:

Orderly, business-like, and productive; not authoritarian atmosphere

Clear standards of conduct

Respectful and dignity is upheld

Positive student behavior is modeled and celebrated;

Proactive behavior approaches

Discipline in private and teacher subtly and silently monitors student behavior

Here are a few discipline philosophies and strategies that meet most of these qualities and will give you a solid background in classroom management:

1. Positive Discipline - Dr. Jane Nelson

2. CHAMPS: Safe and Civil Schools - Randy Sprick

3. Love and Logic - Jim Fay and Dr. Foster Cline

4. High Trust - Denny McLaughlin

5. Precision Commands - Utah Students at Risk

6. Classroom Management that Works - Robert Marzano

7. Kagan Cooperative Learning - Dr. Spencer Kagan

When developing a clear set of rules a strong classroom management plan takes bits and pieces from research, and other teachers and mentors. You must also take in account what works best for your personality, and what works with the students in front of you. Developing a set of rules is vital to your success. Rules are different then procedures and routines. Rules are the spirit of the classroom, while routines and procedures support students getting what they need on a daily basis. Rules have a consequence, while routines and procedures, when not followed, require more practice.

Best practice is to have a few rules that students know and they can recite. When students break a rule, the behavior is labeled, and it is connected back to one of the devised classroom rules. If a teacher has too many rules, it may be hard to incorporate and implement. Understand that you should not mix procedures and routines with your classroom rules. Keep these separate so students understand the differences; confusion and a breakdown of positive classroom culture can occur when consequences and punishments are given when procedures and routines are not followed.

Exemplary teachers create solid rules that carry out the spirit of the classroom. Students support these rules. They are even encouraged and given the words to support others in the classroom when they are not followed. The teacher specifically models words, phrases, and even non-verbal signals in order for students to support with the optimal learning environment. When this breaks down, teachers reteach, model, and practice empowering the students. A sense of agency is created where students are empowered to take on their own learning, as well as supporting the students around them, too.

2 - Is Your Student Behavior Entirely Appropriate?

The culture and behavior of your students in your classroom is in direct correlation...what you permit, you allow. Some teachers may allow different levels of conversations while learning is going on, while some teachers incorporate many conversations into the learning through structures. The best class managers build in the opportunities for students to talk, move, and express themselves as they interact with the content. An exemplary teacher understands that the behaviors the classroom exudes at that moment may need to be changed, adapted, or enhanced.

A classroom that is chatty one day may need more talk time in the learning structures. For example, a teacher may include more Kagan Learning structures that gets students up and talking to each other. Harnessing their talkativeness is an art that exemplary teachers benefit upon when changing instructional decisions.

Exemplary teachers understand that they should take ownership of a student's behavior outside of the walls of their classroom. They are the main influencers in making sure each student is doing their job in other places: library, hallway, lunchroom, and even recess. They work with students in all areas and know that they need to team with other staff members in order for their students to be successful. These exemplary teachers share ideas, strategies, and team around students who have behavior difficulties. Teachers at the developmental or basic level only worry about the behaviors in their classroom. This can be difficult in order to cause true change in unwanted behavior.

Behavior Intervention Plans (BIP), a tool of a tiered behavior system or Response to Intervention (RtI), can be developed and implemented. Setting a goal that includes positive and negative rewards is a great place to start with students. The classroom teacher should start a Tier I plan before a Tier II plan is developed. A Tier II plan may include other professionals in the building supporting the classroom teacher and the student. After data is collected and interventions have been implemented for a set time, a student that is not successful may be referred back to the school's behavior team for Tier III support plan. Special education testing, working with the school's psychologist, or even mental health professionals may the next step for a Tier III BIP.

I found South Bend Community School Corporation Special Education Services illustrates the basic components to a Tier II or III behavior intervention plan:

Description of Targeted Behaviors

Hypothesis of Observed Behaviors

Setting Measurable Goals

Creating Objectives to Meet Goals

Environmental Strategies

School Setting

Routines

Curriculum and Instruction Modifications and Accommodations

Positive Behavior Interventions

Socio/Emotional Strategies

Self-regulatory Strategies

Coping Skills

Communication Skills

Negative Behavior Interventions

Redirection and De-escalation

Consequences

Crisis Management

Evaluation of Data

Determination of Intervention Success

Changing Frequency, Duration, or Intensity of Behaviors

Making Next Step Decisions

3 - Do Students Play a Part in the Creation and Revision of the Classroom Rules?

Authoritarian classrooms have teachers that demand respect instead of earning it. Understandably, power and control are difficult to give up in a classroom. Exemplary teachers understand that empowering students to lead includes having them take an active role in classroom management. Yes, the teacher is the only adult in the classroom that will hand out immediate consequences when rules are broken. These teachers understand that students can help themselves and their peers in the learning process where the learning environment is safe. Classroom environments like this should be the expectation, not an acceptation.

The ultimate goal for educators should be creating a classroom that is full of students who understand the concept of agency. They are willing to do whatever it takes to learn. They take responsibility in their learning and the learning of others in their classroom. They understand that negative and unwanted behaviors can affect their learning. Exemplary teachers empower these students to be the first intervention in making sure they are getting their needs met in learning.

For example, if a student is talking while a peer is trying to read, that reading student may show the non-verbal quiet sign to the offending student. The offending student then understands and quickly corrects their own behavior. The classroom teacher may not even know that this occurs, but can be proud that it was handled in a respectful and kind manner. This transfer of responsibility to the students is difficult to attain, but teachers should be empowering students to be independent with the gradual release of responsibility.

4 - What Verbal and Nonverbal Cues Do You Use to Curb Small Behavioral Problems?

The use of cueing is the number one proactive classroom management tool a student can use in the classroom. What teachers say and do ultimately determines how students react. Exemplary teachers understand they may not be able to stop all behaviors, but know that if it is predictable, they can put strategies and techniques into action to prevent many of them from occurring.

Verbal cueing is the most recognized behavior strategy for teachers. Picking and choosing the correct words to use when there is misbehavior or unwanted behavior is an art form. Not only does the teacher have to think about using respectful language that keeps a student's dignity intact, they must also think about how they will continue teaching. The teacher has to take into account many factors: the student who is being corrected, if this is common or uncommon behavior for this student, what has worked in the past for this student, and whether it is something that can be ignored and handled at later time. At any one time, a master teacher makes roughly 1,500 educational decisions daily. A teacher's philosophy of classroom management plays a role in the words they choose to correct behavior.

Here are some verbal cue sentence starters that teachers can use when working with students:

Non-verbal cues can be just as powerful as verbal cues. For example, the exemplary teacher can move towards a talkative student and the mere presence changes the student's behavior. The teacher can keep teaching, and the students understand the teacher is giving them a nonverbal cue to quiet down. There are many non-verbal cues that can be taught to students, and can be used by both students and teachers. Here are a few:

Finger Over the Lips - used to quiet someone in order to hear

Pushing Your Hand Palm Down - used to have someone sit down or get lower for visibility

Two Hands Down - used to slow someone down for safety

Twirling Your Two Fingers - used to make someone turn around to focus better

Shaking Wrist - used to access the bathroom by a student

"W" in Sign Language - used to access the water fountain by a student

Raising Your Hand Palm Up - used to have students stand up or get higher

Lowering Your Hand Palm Down - used to have students sit down or get lower

Eye Contact or Stare With Eyebrow Raised - used to extinguish an unwanted behavior

Touch to The Shoulder - used to quiet or stop an unwanted behavior

Proximity - used to quiet or stop an unwanted behavior

High 5, Hand Shake, Fist Bump - used to celebrate a student

5 - Do Students Support Each Other with Classroom Management?

The key difference in a well-managed classroom is how well students support each other with learning, and more specifically, with classroom management. Creating a culture where students will take care of most of the classroom behavior themselves may seem impossible to imagine. Exemplary teachers can do just that. They have taught verbal and nonverbal cues so well that students are expected to help stop any unwanted behaviors first.

Can a student in your classroom turn to another student, give them a non-verbal cue (putting a finger over their lips), and be able to quiet another student? The offending student then thinks about their job, quiets down, and the classroom teacher may not even know that this was done! Students can also use their words to be the first line of defense before they go to the teacher for support. Teachers model words and actions that students can use to support their learning.

Many times when a student tries to address someone else's behavior, the offending student makes a comment or continues to do the behavior. In an exemplary teacher's classroom, students feel safe and comfortable enough to discuss or stop another student's unwanted behavior with words or non-verbal cues. In a proficient classroom, the teacher is the primary person who solves these types of behavior problems.

6 - What Proactive Actions Can a Teacher Take to Prevent Behavior Problems?

There are many strategies, techniques, tips, and tricks that teachers can use to prevent behavior problems. Remember, if a behavior is predictable, it can be prevented in some fashion. The following are my top five strategies that will give you some ideas to use in unwanted behavior prevention:

1. Build Relationships - Students have a hard time causing a behavior problem for a teacher or staff member they like. Spend time getting to your know your students, their likes, and what makes them tick. Treat your relationships like a proverbial bank account...before you can withdraw, you must have something deposited. Research Jim Fay's philosophy called, Love and Logic!

2. Front Loading - Letting students know ahead of time of everything they are going to be doing helps them in a myriad of ways: all transitions, subject changes, answering a question, working with a partner, etc... By front loading expectations, students have time to adjust to a change.

3. Active Participation, Learning Structures, and Other Engagement Strategies - The best preventative behavior strategy is powerful engaging instruction. By adding in active participation techniques (research Pérsida Himmele and William Himmele's, Total Participation Techniques), multiple learning structures (research Kagan Cooperative Learning), and adding in engagement strategies (research Dave Burgess's, Teach Like a Pirate, or Robert Marzano's, The Highly Engaged Classroom, or Marcia Tate's, Worksheets Don't Grow Dendrites), you can infuse movement and total classroom participation techniques that keep students engaged and lessen classroom behaviors.

4. Teach Routines, Procedures, and Rules Differently - If students know and understand the rules of the classroom, as well as knowing the routines and procedures learning is more likely to occur by a majority of the students. Students seek a clear set of boundaries that continually defined and refined. When they are clearly established and celebrated by both students and teachers, behaviors lessen.

5. Keep a Growth Mindset and Find Mentors - If you think you know everything, you will have a student that changes that! We must be learners and understand that we must ask for support from others. No matter how many years of experience you have, finding someone else to give advice, ideas, and support is invaluable to our growth mindset (research Carol Dweck's, Mindset).

7 - How Extensive Is Your Proverbial "Toolbox" of Classroom Management Techniques and Strategies?

Experience plays a role in determining the size of your classroom management "toolbox." A new teacher can read and watch videos of classroom management techniques, but nothing is as valuable as in-class experiences. There are many factors in classroom management. If a teacher works with a high number of behaviorally challenged students, one intense explosive student, or several smaller behaviors in a large classroom, the tools you use determine your success as well as the rest of the students in the classroom. As every teacher will find out, one student can affect the learning of the 30 other students in the classroom. Exemplary teachers are constantly expanding their knowledge by reading, watching videos, working with mentors and colleagues to better themselves. They understand that one strategy is not going to work for all students. They also understand that trauma and anxiety play a role in what strategies they chose to use with individual students. Exemplary teachers offer grace when it is needed, as well as knowing when they need to push a student further or harder to reach their potential.

When a teacher works in a tiered behavior system (see response to question #2 above), they use different levels of behavior strategies and plans. Tier I students should consist of 80% or more of the students in the classroom. The classroom established rules with reinforcement are enough to manage these students. The next 10-15% of students, Tier II, need more support from the classroom teacher. The teacher may implement a classroom behavior plan, and they may even involve another specialist or behavior team to support them. The behavior team may build a Behavior Intervention Plan (BIP). Lastly, a Tier III student needs extensive support through this behavior team, and possibly an Individual Education Plan (IEP) that addresses behavior goals.

Trauma crosses all cultures as well as all economic levels. Exemplary teachers continue to research about the best practices that support students with trauma. They understand that every student is unique and the plan they devise together with the student and family addresses the needs for the student's success. A great resource is Kristin Souers and Pete Hall's book, Fostering Resilient Learners: Strategies for Creating a Trauma-Sensitive Classroom.

Exemplary teachers continue to implement strategies and techniques. They let their students in on these strategies and never keep their moves secret. They get buy-in from students and transfer the power of their best and most effective tools to their students. The true test is when a guest teacher comes into the classroom. Will the classroom continue in much of the same manner with a guest teacher? When observed, students are supporting each other and taking care of their learning. Agency is visible in the classroom of an exempt teacher. Students even celebrate each other when things go well.

MORE ROCK MY EVALUATION RELATED READINGS:

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Jon Konen District Superintendent One of the qualities that will get you hired faster than anything else is the ability to manage a classroom full of students. Administrators shy away from hiring new teachers that have a difficult time managing students.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Coaching Checklists
A Coaching Checklist is provided for modules 2 through 7 to guide coaches and trainers in providing feedback on homework tasks completed by participants in the training series. Scores and notes on the Coaching Checklist are usually paired with specific notes on the homework documents turned in by the participant.
EXAMPLE FBA/BIPs w/ Coaching Feedback Tools to Guide Development of Tier 3 Systems of Support in the School
Coaches should also be be supporting schools to implement systems for supporting implementation of Basic FBA to BIP. The assessments below provide a focus to school teams for continuing action planning and development.

Here are links to recommended measures, which are available through PBIS Apps:

Tiered Fidelity Inventory (TFI) (Tiers 2 and 3) Monitoring Advanced Tiers Tool (MATT)

Benchmarks for Advanced Tiers (BAT) FBA and BIP Technical Adequacy Tool for Evaluation (TATE)

TATE Scoring Form TATE Scoring Rubric

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Coaching Checklists A Coaching Checklist is provided for modules 2 through 7 to guide coaches and trainers in providing feedback on homework tasks completed by participants in the training series. Scores and notes on the Coaching Checklist are usually paired with specific notes on the homework documents turned in by the participant.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Welcome! Use the buttons below to take you to the training modules. The Behavior Specialist Training includes all 7 modules and is for those who will be the leading behavior support efforts in the school. The School-wide Training consists of two modules for all staff in the school.

# data[].attributes.body
Behavior

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Find What Works from Systematic Reviews Educator's Practice Guides Resources for Educators Reviews of Individual Studies Data from Study Reviews Resources on Evidence Tiers and WWC Ratings

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Section 504 Plan VS. IEP | Special Education Decoded

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
IEP Goals Defined | Special Education Decoded

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Students with Disabilities: Special Education Categories

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The IDEA Data Center (IDC) operates under a grant from the U.S. Department of Education for The National Technical Assistance Center to Improve State Capacity to Collect, Report, Analyze, and Use Accurate IDEA Part B Data, #H373Y190001. The contents and resources on this website do not necessarily represent the policy or reflect the views of the U.S.

# data[].attributes.headline
The 13 terms used in this definition of a child with a disability

# data[].attributes.subject
The 13 terms used in this definition of a child with a disability

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.provider_name
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
300.8 Child with a disability.

(1) Child with a disability means a child evaluated in accordance with §§300.304 through 300.311 as having an intellectual disability, a hearing impairment (including deafness), a speech or language impairment, a visual impairment (including blindness), a serious emotional disturbance (referred to in this part as "emotional disturbance"), an orthopedic impairment, autism, traumatic brain injury, an other health impairment, a specific learning disability, deaf-blindness, or multiple disabilities, and who, by reason thereof, needs special education and related services.

(i) Subject to paragraph (a)(2)(ii) of this section, if it is determined, through an appropriate evaluation under §§300.304 through 300.311, that a child has one of the disabilities identified in paragraph (a)(1) of this section, but only needs a related service and not special education, the child is not a child with a disability under this part.

(ii) If, consistent with §300.39(a)(2), the related service required by the child is considered special education rather than a related service under State standards, the child would be determined to be a child with a disability under paragraph (a)(1) of this section.

(b) Children aged three through nine experiencing developmental delays. Child with a disability for children aged three through nine (or any subset of that age range, including ages three through five), may, subject to the conditions described in §300.111(b), include a child-

(1) Who is experiencing developmental delays, as defined by the State and as measured by appropriate diagnostic instruments and procedures, in one or more of the following areas: Physical development, cognitive development, communication development, social or emotional development, or adaptive development; and

(2) Who, by reason thereof, needs special education and related services.

(c) Definitions of disability terms. The terms used in this definition of a child with a disability are defined as follows:

(i) Autism means a developmental disability significantly affecting verbal and nonverbal communication and social interaction, generally evident before age three, that adversely affects a child's educational performance. Other characteristics often associated with autism are engagement in repetitive activities and stereotyped movements, resistance to environmental change or change in daily routines, and unusual responses to sensory experiences.

(ii) Autism does not apply if a child's educational performance is adversely affected primarily because the child has an emotional disturbance, as defined in paragraph (c)(4) of this section.

(iii) A child who manifests the characteristics of autism after age three could be identified as having autism if the criteria in paragraph (c)(1)(i) of this section are satisfied.

(2) Deaf-blindness means concomitant hearing and visual impairments, the combination of which causes such severe communication and other developmental and educational needs that they cannot be accommodated in special education programs solely for children with deafness or children with blindness.

(3) Deafness means a hearing impairment that is so severe that the child is impaired in processing linguistic information through hearing, with or without amplification, that adversely affects a child's educational performance.

(i) Emotional disturbance means a condition exhibiting one or more of the following characteristics over a long period of time and to a marked degree that adversely affects a child's educational performance:

(A) An inability to learn that cannot be explained by intellectual, sensory, or health factors.

(B) An inability to build or maintain satisfactory interpersonal relationships with peers and teachers.

(C) Inappropriate types of behavior or feelings under normal circumstances.

(D) A general pervasive mood of unhappiness or depression.

(E) A tendency to develop physical symptoms or fears associated with personal or school problems.

(ii) Emotional disturbance includes schizophrenia. The term does not apply to children who are socially maladjusted, unless it is determined that they have an emotional disturbance under paragraph (c)(4)(i) of this section.

(5) Hearing impairment means an impairment in hearing, whether permanent or fluctuating, that adversely affects a child's educational performance but that is not included under the definition of deafness in this section.

(6) Intellectual disability means significantly subaverage general intellectual functioning, existing concurrently with deficits in adaptive behavior and manifested during the developmental period, that adversely affects a child's educational performance. The term "intellectual disability" was formerly termed "mental retardation."

(7) Multiple disabilities means concomitant impairments (such as intellectual disability-blindness or intellectual disability-orthopedic impairment), the combination of which causes such severe educational needs that they cannot be accommodated in special education programs solely for one of the impairments. Multiple disabilities does not include deaf-blindness.

(8) Orthopedic impairment means a severe orthopedic impairment that adversely affects a child's educational performance. The term includes impairments caused by a congenital anomaly, impairments caused by disease (e.g., poliomyelitis, bone tuberculosis), and impairments from other causes (e.g., cerebral palsy, amputations, and fractures or burns that cause contractures).

(9) Other health impairment means having limited strength, vitality, or alertness, including a heightened alertness to environmental stimuli, that results in limited alertness with respect to the educational environment, that-

(i) Is due to chronic or acute health problems such as asthma, attention deficit disorder or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, diabetes, epilepsy, a heart condition, hemophilia, lead poisoning, leukemia, nephritis, rheumatic fever, sickle cell anemia, and Tourette syndrome; and

(ii) Adversely affects a child's educational performance.

(10) Specific learning disability-

(i) General. Specific learning disability means a disorder in one or more of the basic psychological processes involved in understanding or in using language, spoken or written, that may manifest itself in the imperfect ability to listen, think, speak, read, write, spell, or to do mathematical calculations, including conditions such as perceptual disabilities, brain injury, minimal brain dysfunction, dyslexia, and developmental aphasia.

(ii) Disorders not included. Specific learning disability does not include learning problems that are primarily the result of visual, hearing, or motor disabilities, of intellectual disability, of emotional disturbance, or of environmental, cultural, or economic disadvantage.

(11) Speech or language impairment means a communication disorder, such as stuttering, impaired articulation, a language impairment, or a voice impairment, that adversely affects a child's educational performance.

(12) Traumatic brain injury means an acquired injury to the brain caused by an external physical force, resulting in total or partial functional disability or psychosocial impairment, or both, that adversely affects a child's educational performance. Traumatic brain injury applies to open or closed head injuries resulting in impairments in one or more areas, such as cognition; language; memory; attention; reasoning; abstract thinking; judgment; problem-solving; sensory, perceptual, and motor abilities; psychosocial behavior; physical functions; information processing; and speech. Traumatic brain injury does not apply to brain injuries that are congenital or degenerative, or to brain injuries induced by birth trauma.

(13) Visual impairment including blindness means an impairment in vision that, even with correction, adversely affects a child's educational performance. The term includes both partial sight and blindness.

[71 FR 46753, Aug. 14, 2006, as amended at 72 FR 61306, Oct. 30, 2007; 82 FR 31912, July 11, 2017]

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Sec. 300.8 Child with a disability - Individuals with Disabilities Education Act

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
300.8 Child with a disability. (a) General. (1) Child with a disability means a child evaluated in accordance with §§300.304 through 300.311 as having an intellectual disability, a hearing impairment (including deafness), a speech or language impairment, a visual impairment (including blindness), a serious emotional disturbance (referred to in this part as "emotional disturbance"), an...

# data[].attributes.headline
Evaluating School-Aged Children for Disability

# data[].attributes.subject
Evaluating School-Aged Children for Disability

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Current as of September 2017
In Spanish | en español

Evaluation is an essential beginning step in the special education process for a child with a disability. Before a child can receive special education and related services for the first time, a full and individual initial evaluation of the child must be conducted to see if the child has a disability and is eligible for special education. Informed parent consent must be obtained before this evaluation may be conducted.

The evaluation process is guided by requirements in Part B of our nation's special education law, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). This page will help you learn more about what these requirements are.
Table of Contents
Purposes of Evaluation

The initial evaluation of a child is required by IDEA before any special education and related services can be provided to that child. The purposes of conducting this evaluation are straightforward:

To see if the child is a "child with a disability," as defined by IDEA

To gather information that will help determine the child's educational needs

To guide decision making about appropriate educational programming for the child.

IDEA's Definition of a "Child with a Disability"

IDEA lists different disability categories under which a child may be found eligible for special education and related services. These categories are:

Autism

Deafness

Deaf-blindness

Developmental delay

Emotional disturbance

Hearing impairment

Intellectual disability

Multiple disabilities

Orthopedic impairment

Other health impairment

Specific learning disability

Speech or language impairment

Traumatic brain injury

Visual impairment, including blindness.

To find out more about these disabilities and how IDEA defines them, you'll find Categories of Disability under IDEA right to the point.

Having a disability, though, does not necessarily make a child eligible for special education. Consider this language from the IDEA regulations:

Child with a disability means a child evaluated in accordance with §§300.304 through 300.311 as having [one of the disabilities listed above] and who, by reason thereof, needs special education and related services. [ emphasis added]

This provision includes the very important phrase "...and who, by reason thereof..." This means that, because of the disability, the child needs special education and related services. Many children have disabilities that do not bring with them the need for extra educational assistance or individualized educational programming. If a child has a disability but is not eligible under IDEA, he or she may be eligible for the protections afforded by other laws-such as of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended. It's not uncommon for a child to have a 504 plan at school to address disability-related educational needs. Such a child will receive needed assistance but not under IDEA.

Identifying Children for Evaluation

Before a child's eligibility under IDEA can be determined, however, a full and individual evaluation of the child must be conducted. There are at least two ways in which a child may be identified to receive an evaluation under IDEA:

(1) Parents may request that their child be evaluated. Parents are often the first to notice that their child's learning, behavior, or development may be a cause for concern. If they're worried about their child's progress in school and think he or she might need extra help from special education services, they may call, email, or writeto their child's teacher, the school's principal, or the Director of Special Education in the school district. If the school agrees that an evaluation is needed, it must evaluate the child at no cost to parents.

(2) The school system may ask to evaluate the child. Based on a teacher's recommendation, observations, or results from tests given to all children in a particular grade, a school may recommend that a child receive further screening or assessment to determine if he or she has a disability and needs special education and related services. The school system must ask parents for permission to evaluate the child, and parents must give their informed written permission before the evaluation may be conducted.

Giving Parents Notice

It is important to know that IDEA requires the school system to notify parents in writing that it would like to evaluate their child (or that it is refusing to evaluate the child). This is called giving prior written notice. It is not enough for the agency to tell parents that it would like to evaluate their child or that it refuses to evaluate their child. The school must also:

explain why it wants to conduct the evaluation (or why it refuses);

describe each evaluation procedure, assessment, record, or report used as a basis for proposing the evaluation (or refusing to conduct the evaluation);

where parents can go to obtain help in understanding IDEA's provisions;

what other options the school considered and why those were rejected; and

a description of any other factors that are relevant to the school's proposal (or refusal) to evaluate the child.

The purpose behind this thorough explanation is to make sure that parents are fully informed, understand what is being proposed (or refused), understand what evaluation of their child will involve (or why the school system is refusing to conduct an evaluation of the child), and understand their right to refuse consent for evaluation, or to otherwise exercise their rights under IDEA's procedural safeguards if the school refuses to evaluate.

All written communication from the school must be in a form the general public can understand. It must be provided in parents' native language if they do not read English, or in the mode of communication they normally use (such as Braille or large print) unless it is clearly not feasible to do so. If parents' native language or other mode of communication is not a written language, the school must take steps to ensure:

that the notice is translated orally (or by other means) to parents in their native language or other mode of communication,

that parents understand the content of the notice, and

that there is written evidence that the above two requirements have been met.

Parental Consent

Before the school may proceed with the evaluation, parents must give their informed written consent. This consent is for the evaluation only. It does not mean that the school has the parents' permission to provide special education services to the child. That requires a separate consent.

If parents refuse consent for an initial evaluation (or simply don't respond to the school's request), the school must carefully document all its attempts to obtain parent consent. It may also continue to pursue conducting the evaluation by using the law's due process procedures or its procedures, unless doing so would be inconsistent with state law relating to parental consent.

However, if the child is home-schooled or has been placed in a private school by parents (meaning, the parents are paying for the cost of the private school), the school may not override parents' lack of consent for initial evaluation of the child. As the Department of Education (2006) notes:

...once parents opt out of the public school system, States and school districts do not have the same interest in requiring parents to agree to the evaluation of their children. In such cases, it would be overly intrusive for the school district to insist on an evaluation over a parent's objection. (71 Fed. Reg. at 46635)

Timeframe for Initial Evaluation

Let's move on from the prerequisites for initial evaluation (parent notification and parent consent) to the actual process of initial evaluation and what the law requires. Let us assume that parents' informed consent has been given, and it's time to evaluate the child. Must this evaluation be conducted within a certain period of time after parents give their consent?

Yes. In its reauthorization of IDEA in 2004, Congress added a specific timeframe: The initial evaluation must be conducted within 60 days of receiving parental consent for the evaluation-or if the state establishes its own timeframe for conducting an initial evaluation, within that timeframe. (In other words: Any timeframe established by the state takes precedence over the 60-day timeline required by IDEA.)

The Scope of Evaluation

A child's initial evaluation must be full and individual, focused on that child and only that child. This is a longstanding provision of IDEA. An evaluation of a child under IDEA means much more than the child sitting in a room with the rest of his or her class taking an exam for that class, that school, that district, or that state. How the child performs on such exams will contribute useful information to an IDEA-related evaluation, but large-scale tests or group-administered instruments are not enough to diagnose a disability or determine what, if any, special education or related services the child might need, let alone plan an appropriate educational program for the child.

The evaluation must use a variety of assessment tools and strategies to gather relevant functional, developmental, and academic information about the child, including information provided by the parent. When conducting an initial evaluation, it's important to examine all areas of a child's functioning to determine not only if the child is a child with a disability, but also determine the child's educational needs. This full and individual evaluation includes evaluating the child's:

health,

vision and hearing,

social and emotional status,

general intelligence,

academic performance,

communicative status, and

motor abilities

As IDEA states, the school system must ensure that-

...the evaluation is sufficiently comprehensive to identify all of the child's special education and related services needs, whether or not commonly linked to the disability category in which the child has been classified.

Review Existing Data

Evaluation (and particularly reevaluation) typically begins with a review of existing evaluation data on the child, which may come from the child's classroom work, his or her performance on State or district assessments, information provided by the parents, and so on.

The purpose of this review is to decide if the existing data is sufficient to establish the child's eligibility and determine educational needs, or if additional information is needed. If the group determines there is sufficient information available to make the necessary determinations, the public agency must notify parents:

of that determination and the reason for it; and

that parents have the right to request assessment to determine the child's eligibility and educational needs.

Unless the parents request an assessment, the public agency is not required to conduct one.

If it is decided that additional data is needed, the group then identifies what is needed to determine:

whether your son or daughter has a particular category of disability (e.g., "other health impairment," "specific learning disability");

your child's present levels of performance (that is, how he or she is currently doing in school) and his or her academic and developmental needs;

whether your child needs special education and related services; and

if so, whether any additions or modifications are needed in the special education and related services to enable your child to meet the goals set out in the IEP to be developed and to participate, as appropriate, in the general curriculum.

An example may help crystallize the comprehensive scope of evaluations: Consider a first-grader with suspected hearing and vision impairments who's been referred for an initial evaluation. In order to fully gather relevant functional, developmental, and academic information and identify all of the child's special education and related services needs, evaluation of this child will obviously need to focus on hearing and vision, as well as, cognitive, speech/language, motor, and social/behavioral skills, to determine:

the degree of impairment in vision and hearing and the impact of these impairments on the child;

if there are additional impairments in other areas of functioning (including those not commonly linked to hearing and/or vision) that impact the child's aptitude, performance, and achievement; and

what the child's educational needs are that must be addressed.

With this example, any of the following individuals might be part of this child's evaluation team: audiologist, psychologist, speech-language pathologist, social worker, occupational or physical therapist, vision specialist, regular classroom teacher, educational diagnosticians, or others.

Variety, Variety!

The evaluation must use a variety of assessment tools and strategies. This has been one of the cornerstones of IDEA's evaluation requirements from its earliest days. Under IDEA, it is inappropriate and unacceptable to base any eligibility decision upon the results of only one procedure. Tests alone will not give a comprehensive picture of how a child performs or what he or she knows or does not know. Only by collecting data through a variety of approaches (e.g., observations, interviews, tests, curriculum-based assessment, and so on) and from a variety of sources (parents, teachers, specialists, child) can an adequate picture be obtained of the child's strengths and weaknesses.

IDEA also requires schools to use technically sound instruments and processes in evaluation. Technically sound instruments generally refers to assessments that have been shown through research to be valid and reliable (71 Fed. Reg. at 46642). Technically sound processes requires that assessments and other evaluation materials be:

administered by trained and knowledgeable personnel;

administered in accordance with any instructions provided by the producer of the assessments; and

used for the purposes for which the assessments or measures are valid and reliable.

In conjunction with using a variety of sound tools and processes, assessments must include those that are tailored to assess specific areas of educational need (for example, reading or math) and not merely those that are designed to provide a single general intelligence quotient, or IQ.

Taken together, all of this information can be used to determine whether the child has a disability under IDEA, the specific nature of the child's special needs, whether the child needs special education and related services and, if so, to design an appropriate program.

Consider Language, Communication Mode, and Culture

Another important component in evaluation is to ensure that assessment tools are not discriminatory on a racial or cultural basis. Evaluation must also be conducted in the child's typical, accustomed mode of communication (unless it is clearly not feasible to do so) and in a form that will yield accurate information about what the child knows and can do academically, developmentally, and functionally. For many, English is not the native language; others use sign to communicate, or assistive or alternative augmentative communication devices. To assess such a child using a means of communication or response not highly familiar to the child raises the probability that the evaluation results will yield minimal, if any, information about what the child knows and can do.

Specifically, consideration of language, culture, and communication mode means the following:

If your child has limited English proficiency, materials and procedures used to assess your child must be selected and administered to ensure that they measure the extent to which your child has a disability and needs special education, rather than measuring your child's English language skills.

This provision in the law is meant to protect children of different racial, cultural, or language backgrounds from misdiagnosis. For example, children's cultural backgrounds may affect their behavior or test responses in ways that teachers or other personnel do not understand. Similarly, if a child speaks a language other than English or has limited English proficiency, he or she may not understand directions or words on tests and may be unable to answer correctly. As a result, a child may mistakenly appear to be a slow learner or to have a hearing or communication problem.

If an assessment is not conducted under standard conditions-meaning that some condition of the test has been changed (such as the qualifications of the person giving the test or the method of giving the test)-a description of the extent to which it varied from standard conditions must be included in the evaluation report.

If your child has impaired sensory, manual, or speaking skills, the law requires that tests are selected and administered so as best to ensure that test results accurately reflect his or her aptitude or achievement level (or whatever other factors the test claims to measure), and not merely reflect your child's impaired sensory, manual, or speaking skills (unless the test being used is intended to measure those skills).

What About Evaluation for Specific Learning Disabilities?

IDEA's regulations specify additional procedures required to be used for determining the existence of a specific learning disability. Sections 300.307 through 300.311 spell out what these procedures are. You can learn more by reading of our Building the Legacy training curriculum on IDEA 2004.

It's important to note, though, that IDEA 2004 made dramatic changes in how children who are suspected of having a learning disability are to be evaluated.

States must not require the use of a severe discrepancy between intellectual ability and achievement.

States must permit the use of a process based on the child's response to scientific, research-based intervention; and

States may permit the use of other alternative research-based procedures for determining whether a child has a specific learning disability.

The team that makes the eligibility determination must include a regular education teacher and at least one person qualified to conduct individual diagnostic examinations of children, such as a school psychologist, speech-languate pathologist, or remedial reading teacher.

Determining Eligibility

Parents were not always included in the group that determined their child's eligibility and, in fact, were often excluded. Since the IDEA Amendments of 1997, parents are to be part of the group that determines their child's eligibility and are also to be provided a copy of the evaluation report, as well as documentation of the determination of the child's eligibility.

Some school systems will hold a meeting where they consider only the eligibility of the child for special education and related services. At this meeting, your child's assessment results should be explained. The specialists who assessed your child will explain what they did, why they used the tests they did, your child's results on those tests or other evaluation procedures, and what your child's scores mean when compared to other children of the same age and grade.

It is important to know that the group may not determine that a child is eligible if the determinant factor for making that judgment is the child's lack of instruction in reading or math or the child's limited English proficiency. The child must otherwise meet the law's definition of a "child with a disability"-meaning that he or she has one of the disabilities listed in the law and, because of that disability, needs special education and related services.

If the evaluation results indicate that your child meets the definition of one or more of the disabilities listed under IDEA and needs special education and related services, the results will form the basis for developing your child's IEP. The IEP is discussed in detail in CPIR's pages beginning at All About the IEP.

What Happens if You Don't Agree with the Evaluation Results?>

If you, as parents of a child with a disability, disagree with the results of your child's evaluation as obtained by the public agency, you have the right to obtain what is known as an Independent Educational Evaluation , or IEE. An IEE means an evaluation conducted by a qualified examiner who is not employed by the public agency responsible for the education of your child. If you ask for an IEE, the public agency must provide you with, among other things, information about where an IEE may be obtained.

Who pays for the independent evaluation? The answer is that some IEEs are at public expense and others are paid for by the parents. For example, if you are the parent of a child with a disability and you disagree with the public agency's evaluation, you may request an IEE at public expense. "At public expense" means that the public agency either pays for the full cost of the evaluation or ensures that the evaluation is otherwise provided at no cost to you as parents. The public agency may grant your request and pay for the IEE, or it may initiate a hearing to show that its own evaluation was appropriate. The public agency may ask why you object to the public evaluation. However, the agency may not require you to explain, and it may not unreasonably delay either providing the IEE at public expense or initiating a due process hearing to defend the public evaluation.

If the public agency initiates a hearing and the final decision of the hearing officer is that the agency's evaluation was appropriate, then you still have the right to an IEE but not at public expense. As part of a due process hearing, a hearing officer may also request an IEE; if so, that IEE must be at public expense. Whenever an IEE is publicly funded, that IEE must meet the same criteria that the public agency uses when it initiates an evaluation. The public agency must tell you what these criteria are-such as location of the evaluation and the qualifications of the examiner-and they must be the same criteria the public agency uses when it initiates an evaluation, to the extent they are consistent with your right to an IEE. However, the public agency may not impose other conditions or timelines related to your obtaining an IEE at public expense.

Of course, you have the right to have your child independently evaluated at any time at your own expense. (Note: When the same tests are repeated within a short time period, the validity of the results can be seriously weakened.) The results of this evaluation must be considered by the public agency, if it meets agency criteria, in any decision made with respect to providing your child with FAPE. The results may also be presented as evidence at a hearing regarding your child.

What Happens Down the Road?

After the initial evaluation, evaluations must be conducted at least every three years (generally called a triennial evaluation) after your child has been placed in special education. Reevaluations can also occur more frequently if conditions warrant, or if you or your child's teacher request a reevaluation. Informed parental consent is also necessary for reevaluations.

As with initial evaluations, reevaluations begin with the review of existing evaluation data, including evaluations and information provided by you, the child's parents. Your consent is not required for the review of existing data on your child. As with initial evaluation, this review is to identify what additional data, if any, are needed to determine whether your child continues to be a "child with a disability" and continues to need special education and related services. If the group determines that additional data are needed, then the public agency must administer tests and other evaluation materials as needed to produce the data. Prior to collecting this additional information, the agency must obtain your informed written consent.

Or, if the group determines that no additional data are needed to determine whether your child continues to be a "child with a disability," the public agency must notify you:

of this determination and the reasons for it; and

of your right, as parents, to request an assessment to determine whether, for the purposes of services under IDEA, your child continues to be a "child with a disability."

A final note with respect to reevaluations: Before determining that your child is no longer a "child with a disability" and, thus, no longer eligible for special education services under IDEA, the public agency must evaluate your child in accordance with all of the provisions described above. This evaluation, however, is not required before terminating your child's eligibility due to graduation with a regular high school diploma or due to exceeding the age eligibility for FAPE under State law.

Want More Details?

You may find the following sections of our website particularly helpful for understanding the requirements and responsibilities intrinsic to the special education process.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Evaluating School-Aged Children for Disability

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Current as of September 2017 In Spanish | en español Evaluation is an essential beginning step in the special education process for a child with a disability. Before a child can receive special education and related services for the first time, a full and individual initial evaluation of the child must be conducted to see if the child has a disability and is eligible for special education.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Find out about what tests are used to diagnose or help students with special needs.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Testing results are presented statistically.

Understanding the vocabulary of tests is important to understanding evaluation results.

Your child's test scores are only one part of the evaluation results.

Once your child goes through the evaluation process, you'll get a report that explains what the testing showed. There are a number of terms used to report on test results and how tests are scored. Being familiar with these terms can help you better understand what the results mean.

The Importance of Statistics

Statistics is the science of using math to make sense of and interpret large amounts of information. Statistics help evaluators:

Organize and present data in ways that are easier to understand. The information can be used to make graphs and charts that show patterns.

Describe data in ways that help you see how your child fits into a larger group of people.

Draw conclusions from data to get an idea of how best to support your child.

A number of different terms are used to talk about test results. Knowing what these terms mean is a good start to understanding what your child needs.

1. Norm-referenced: A norm-referenced test compares your child's scores to the scores of other kids the same age. The "norm group" is a large, random group of kids who have taken the same test.

Their scores are used to determine what's typical for the age group. For example, on one test, the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (WISC), the average score is 100.

2. Test reliability: A reliable test is one that would provide the same results every time. That means if your child took the test a few times, the scores would be roughly the same. Longer tests tend to be more reliable than short ones.

For example, the score on a test with fewer questions is more likely to be affected by your child not paying attention to one of the questions. That's because each question is worth more on a shorter test.

If your child missed one answer on a spelling test of five words, his grade would be 80 percent. If he missed one word out of twenty, his grade would be 95 percent.

3. Standard score: Most educational tests have standard scores based on a scale that makes the average score 100. But the average always falls within a range. There's wiggle room (sometimes referred to as "standard error") in test scores to account for possible mistakes.

So, an average score is actually a range of numbers. For example, if an average score is 100 and the standard error is 15, that means the average is really anywhere between 85 and 115.

4. Standard deviation (SD): The standard deviation is the average distance (or number of points) between all test scores and the average score. For example, the WISC has an SD of 15 points. Most kids fall between the range of 85-115 points.

One SD (15 points) from the average or standard score (100 in this case) isn't statistically significant. "Statistically significant" means that the difference isn't due to chance or error.

So what does this mean? If your child's score is only one SD lower than the average, the score is still considered average. However, if your child's score is two standard deviations (30 points) above or below the average, that's significant.

Keep in mind that 68 percent of the population falls into the average score range between 85 and 115. Anywhere in that range is considered average, although you may see it described as "high average" or "low average."

5. Percentile: The percentile shows the proportion of scores that were lower than your child's score. Imagine your child is one of 100 kids being tested. If your child is at the 75th percentile, it means he scored higher than 75 of the 100 kids tested.

Many tests are made up of a number of short tests that look at different skills. Those short tests are called subtests. An achievement test may have subtests for vocabulary, working memory and visual reasoning. Each subtest has its own score.

Sometimes the scores of subtests that look at different pieces of bigger skills are combined. For example, a vocabulary subtest and a language comprehension subtest might be combined to give a "verbal ability" score.

Subtest scores are important. When there's a big difference in the scores of different skill groups, it can show the specific area in which your child is having difficulty.

An Example of an Evaluation Result

The evaluation report will usually have a chart that shows the different types of scores. It will also include information about the reliability of the test and the standard deviations. But it may also have a written interpretation of the results.

For example: Jane obtained a standard score of 85 (-1 SD) on the WISC, which is ranked at the 16th percentile and is classified as low average. This means Jane's score was below the average score of 100. She scored the same or higher than 16 percent of kids her age in the general population. While her score is still considered to be average, it's at the low end of the average range.

Scores alone don't tell you what's going to help your child. The summary and recommendations are where all the information comes together and the evaluator tells you what it means. The summary and recommendations section helps answer these questions:

What does this mean for your child's ability to learn?

Do these results show that your child has learning differences that require special education services?

What types of services, ways of teaching, assistive technology and other support could benefit your child? If your child is eligible for special education services, the Individual Education Program (IEP) team will consider the answers to these questions.

The more you understand the meaning of scores from educational or psychological evaluations, the better able you are to be an active team participant.

Many tests have a range of scores that are considered average.

Subtests help show the specific skills your child has trouble with.

You can use the recommendations of an evaluation report to find ways to help your child learn more successfully.

About the Author

About the Author

worked as a classroom teacher and as an early intervention specialist for 10 years. She is the author of Amanda Morin The Everything Parent's Guide to Special Education. Two of her children have learning differences.

Reviewed by

Reviewed by

Barbara Hubert, MSEd an adjunct instructor at Hunter College, teaches grad students how to create supportive, accessible, inclusive classrooms.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Testing results are presented statistically. Understanding the vocabulary of tests is important to understanding evaluation results. Your child's test scores are only one part of the evaluation results. Once your child goes through the evaluation process, you'll get a report that explains what the testing showed.

# data[].attributes.headline
Using Assessment and Evaluation Strategies to Support Students

# data[].attributes.subject
Using Assessment and Evaluation Strategies to Support Students

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Using Assessment and Evaluation Strategies to Support Students

# data[].attributes.headline
Gross Motor Skills vs. Fine Motor Skills: Whatʼs the difference?

# data[].attributes.subject
Gross Motor Skills vs. Fine Motor Skills: Whatʼs the difference?

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Gross Motor Skills vs. Fine Motor Skills: Whatʼs the difference?

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Advice on Taking Frequent Breaks | From our Family to Yours

# data[].attributes.headline
ADHD and Dyslexia Strategies: How to Turn on Text to Speech on Your Mobile Device

# data[].attributes.subject
ADHD and Dyslexia Strategies: How to Turn on Text to Speech on Your Mobile Device

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
ADHD and Dyslexia Strategies: How to Turn on Text to Speech on Your Mobile Device

# data[].attributes.headline
This is how you treat ADHD based off science, Dr Russell Barkley

# data[].attributes.subject
This is how you treat ADHD based off science, Dr Russell Barkley

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
This is how you treat ADHD based off science, Dr Russell Barkley part of 2012 Burnett Lecture

# data[].attributes.headline
How a font can help people with dyslexia to read

# data[].attributes.subject
How a font can help people with dyslexia to read

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
How a font can help people with dyslexia to read | Christian Boer | TEDxFultonStreet

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Page 6: High-Quality PLAAFP Statements

Make sure that all of the student's educational needs identified in the evaluation stage are included in the present levels of academic achievement and functional performance section of the IEP.

One of the fundamental components of an IEP, a present levels of academic achievement and functional performance (PLAAFP) statement summarizes the student's current levels of functioning. State and district documentation of this information varies. For example, some PLAAFP statements are written as a single comprehensive summary that covers all areas in which the student needs support; others are written as multiple smaller descriptions that address each area of need separately.

Regardless of the way it is organized, the PLAAFP statement must contain information for each identified area of need based on the results of the student's evaluation (the second step in the IEP process). The PLAAFP statement serves as the foundation from which all other components of the IEP will be built.

At a minimum, the PLAAFP statement must contain information that:

Describes the student's needs in an academic and/or functional skill area

States the impact of the student's disability on her involvement in the general education curriculum

Documents the student's current levels of performance, which will serve as baseline data to measure her subsequent progress
baseline data
The measure of the level of a student's academic or behavioral performance before a change (e.g., instructional or behavioral practice or intervention) is implemented. This information can be compared to data collected after the change has been implemented to evaluate student progress.

Informs the annual goals and the appropriate special education services and supports required to meet those goals

Alphabet Soup

Historically, IEPs contained information about a student's present levels of performance (PLOP), also referred to as present levels of educational performance (PLEP) in some schools or districts. When Congress reauthorized IDEA in 2004, this was changed to the present levels of academic achievement and functional performance (PLAAFP). The new term highlights the need for special education to address all of a student's needs. The addition of functional performance -nonacademic skills necessary for independent living (e.g., behavior, social skills, communication, independent living skills, and mobility)-reflects an awareness that students with disabilities require more than academic supports if they are to meet their individual goals for long-term success.

PLOP: present levels of performance

Legislation and Litigation

Developing a High-Quality PLAAFP Statement

The IEP team can begin the process of developing a high-quality PLAAFP statement by holding a discussion that centers around the four elements outlined above: student needs, effect on progress in general education, baseline information, and connection to goals and/or services. By doing so, they will begin to assemble the elements that will become the student's PLAAFP statement. The table below poses some questions that can help guide that conversation.

Student Needs

Information on the student's current academic and/or functional needs

What are:

The student's strengths?

The main areas of concern (e.g., academic, functional) and how do these concerns relate to district or state standards and benchmarks and the student's postsecondary interests?

The parents' concerns?

The student's instructional preferences?

The results from the evaluation (e.g., standardized tests, progress monitoring data)?

Ways in which the student's strengths can help address the identified areas of concern?

Effect on Progress in General Education

An explanation of how the disability affects the student's involvement and progress in the general education curriculum

How does the student's disability affect her:

Involvement in general education?

Access to the general education curriculum?

Progress in the general education curriculum?

Baseline Information

Baseline data for monitoring student progress

Are the data being reviewed to determine whether the student is making progress:

And do these data relate to:

Identified areas of concern?

State content standards?

Connection to Goals and/or Services

Bridge between the PLAAFP statement and an annual goal

Is there enough information in the PLAAFP to develop a challenging, ambitious, measurable annual goal?

Is there enough information in the PLAAFP to determine what special education, related services, accommodations, and program modifications are needed?

Note: These are simple "yes" or "no" questions.

When a student's first IEP is developed, much of the information needed for the PLAAFP is collected in the initial assessment. That information is outdated by the time a student's IEP is ready for an annual review, so school personnel will need to collect data prior to the IEP meeting. In this interview, Tamara McLean shares how personnel at her school collaborate to collect the information and draft PLAAFP statements (time: 1:06).

Transcript: Tamara McLean

In my school when we develop the PLAAFP statements, it's a collaboration of many different people. So if it is an O. T. skill, the O.T. is going to develop the wording, but she will send out an information thing to fill out for the gen ed teacher, for the special ed teacher, on those areas so they can see how it plays out in the classroom versus just their one-on-one setting. The case manager is really only going to develop the areas that they serve. So if a child has an IEP that has math service and it has reading service, the person who delivers the reading service is going to be the person who actually fills in that part of the IEP. But they're going to reach out to the reading teacher as well and get information for how that plays out in the general education classroom. Really, it is a collaboration for all areas because whether it's pre-vocational, whether it's social-emotional, whether it's math, whether it's reading, it's not just going to be one person who has information on that.

After the IEP team has discussed the information above, they can begin to write the PLAAFP statement. As they do so, they should keep in mind that this statement should be written in concise, specific, and clear language that can be easily understood by all members of the IEP team. It should not merely identify the student's disability and list the various assessment scores, but instead should provide enough information to inform the development of the student's annual goals. The table below contains portions of one student's PLAAFP statement that relate to his reading skills and shows how each element is addressed.

Student Needs

K is a 9-year-old, 4th-grade student who is eligible for special education services under the category of Specific Learning Disability. K has strong expressive and receptive language skills and a large vocabulary. As a result, he actively engages in class discussions and performs well on tasks that require auditory comprehension (e.g., following multi-step directions, answering comprehension questions about class discussions or about passages that are read to him). His strong communication skills have also earned him the friendship and respect of his peers, many of whom look to K as a class leader.

K's learning disability negatively affects his decoding skills, which are at a low 2nd-grade level. His broad reading scores on standardized tests are:

In addition to school-based concerns, K's parents worry about the effects of his learning disability outside of school. For example, K avoids games that involve even a little bit of reading, resulting in some conflicts during weekly family game nights, which often involve board games. When the family eats out, K prefers one restaurant whose menu he has memorized and protests if a new restaurant is selected due to anxiety about reading an unfamiliar menu.

Effect on Progress in General Education

The 4th-grade curriculum involves many independent reading activities. K's decoding problems affect his performance in the general education setting because he cannot independently read items like written instructions, worksheets, or content area texts. He is self-conscious about his reading difficulties and works hard to hide his reading struggles from his classmates. As a result, he is unwilling to utilize text-to-speech technologies on his tablet, even with headphones, or partner with a peer reader.

Baseline Information

K is currently reading 54 words correct per minute (wpm) on a 2nd-grade reading probe, which is slightly higher than the 2nd-grade fall benchmark of 50 wpm. The 4th-grade fall benchmark is 95 wpm on a 4th-grade reading probe.

Connection to Goals and/or Services

Yes, there is enough information to determine annual goals and/or services and supports.

Did You Know?

For preschool children, the part of the statement describing how the disability affects involvement and progress in the general education curriculum is different. In their case, that portion of the statement describes how the child's disability affects her participation in appropriate activities.

This toolbox describes additional resources related to the information presented on this page. These resources are provided for informational purposes only for those who wish to learn more about the topic(s). It is not necessary for those working through this module to read or refer to all of these additional resources to understand the content.

This IRIS Case Study describes how to clearly define a student's behavior so that when they occur they can be reliably identified, measured, or counted. It goes deeper into the methods needed to collect baseline data and then determine whether the student has made progress.

Present Levels of Academic Achievement & Functional Performance (PLAAFPs)
Present Levels of Academic Achievement and Functional Performance (PLAAFP) Statements

Both of the Kansas SDE documents above explain each of the elements within a high-quality PLAAFP statement. The first lists additional considerations for infants and toddlers, behavior, severe disabilities, and secondary transition-related issues. The second introduces the connection between the PLAAFP statements and the annual goals, with examples.
Present Levels
This Center for Parent Information & Resources (CPIR) document provides additional detail on both academic and functional skills, as well as examples across a wide range of skill areas.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
IRIS | Page 6: High-Quality PLAAFP Statements

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Make sure that all of the student's educational needs identified in the evaluation stage are included in the present levels of academic achievement and functional performance section of the IEP. One of the fundamental components of an IEP, a present levels of academic achievement and functional performance (PLAAFP) statement summarizes the student's current levels of functioning.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
About the Author

About the Author

writes for digital and print, including ParentCenter, WebMD, Peg Rosen Parents, Good Housekeeping, and Martha Stewart.

Reviewed by

Reviewed by

Melody Musgrove, EdD served as director of the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) in the U.S. Department of Education.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
writes for digital and print, including ParentCenter, WebMD, Peg Rosen Parents, Good Housekeeping, and Martha Stewart. Melody Musgrove, EdD served as director of the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) in the U.S. Department of Education.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
RTI aims to identify kids who are struggling in school.

It uses targeted teaching to help them catch up.

An important part of RTI is measuring progress and providing more support to kids who need it.

If you look inside any general education classroom, chances are good that you'd see different students struggling for different reasons. It can be hard for a teacher to tell right away which students are struggling or why.

Response to intervention (RTI) aims to identify struggling students early on and give them the support they need to thrive in school. The word intervention is key to understanding what RTI is all about. The goal is for the school to intervene, or step in, and start helping before a student falls really far behind.

Teachers can provide targeted teaching - called interventions - to help struggling students catch up. A big part of the RTI process involves closely monitoring student progress. That way the school can see which students need more academic support.

RTI isn't a specific program or type of teaching. It's a proactive approach: RTI measures students' skills and uses this data to decide which interventions to use.

Dive deeper

The RTI process begins with a teacher assessing the skills of everyone in the class. This helps the school's RTI teams tell which students need instructional interventions. That's the term for focusing on specific skills in trying to improve them.

Interventions can be part of class-wide instruction. The teacher may break students into small groups. These groups are tailored for different skill levels or learning interests.

Students who don't make enough progress getting this kind of help during class may start to work on skills in small groups that meet during enrichment activities like music or art.

As part of the RTI process, schools help struggling students by using teaching interventions that researchers have studied and shown to be effective. Many of them deal with reading. But there are also some proven methods of improving writing and math skills. Some schools also use research-based behavior interventions.

Read more about instructional interventions .

Another essential component of RTI is called progress monitoring. That means that teachers frequently assess students' skills to decide whether an intervention is working.

During an intervention, a teacher or other member of the RTI team uses an assessment tool that measures certain skills. They assess the skills every week or every other week. That may sound like a lot of testing. But each assessment only takes a few minutes to complete.

Learn more about progress monitoring .

There's no single way of doing RTI, but it's often set up as a three-tiered system of support. Some school districts call this framework a multi-tiered system of supports, or MTSS , instead of RTI.

Think of this tiered system as a pyramid, with the intensity of support increasing from one level to the next:

Get deeper information about the three tiers of support .

RTI isn't a special education program. But it can help general education teachers pick up on early signs that kids are struggling. It also plays a key role in helping schools figure out who qualifies for special education.

Federal law says that when deciding if a student is eligible for special education, the school district can use a "process that determines if the child responds to scientific, research-based intervention." That's one of the reasons many states use RTI.

If a student qualifies for special education, the RTI interventions used can help the school decide which services and supports to include in the IEP .

There are a few other key things to keep in mind about the relationship between RTI and special education:

RTI can't be used to reduce a student's workload. That kind of modification may be used for some special education students, but not for general education students.

If a student is getting extra help through RTI, it doesn't mean a family has to wait to request a special education evaluation. They have the right to ask for an evaluation at any time.

As part of the evaluation, the school can gather information from the RTI process, like screening and progress monitoring data. But they still have to follow the time frame of completing an initial evaluation within 60 days of getting parent consent.

Learn about evaluations for special education .

RTI is effective for lots of reasons. For one, it can help more kids thrive in general education classrooms.

It can also help schools save special education resources for kids who truly need them. Many students performing below grade level don't have disabilities. Through the RTI process, they can make progress without special education services.

Here are some other reasons why RTI is beneficial:

Students continue to get their core instruction in the general education classroom with their peers.

It's not a "wait and see" approach. Students can start to get extra help before falling so far behind that they have to go to summer school or repeat a grade.

If a student is referred for special education services, there's already documentation about which type of instruction has not been helpful.

If a school doesn't use RTI, families can still ask for extra help . But it might not be provided as extensively or as systematically as it would in a school that uses RTI.

Schools aren't required to give families a written intervention plan. All the school needs to tell families about RTI is:

But many schools provide much more information. That's because they know that parent involvement plays a big role in helping kids thrive in school. In fact, some schools are already in the habit of giving parents a written intervention plan.

If the school doesn't automatically provide a written plan, families can ask for one. It might include:

A description of the skills the child struggles with, and documentation about these challenges, like assessment results or work samples

A description of the research-based intervention the child is getting

Details about how often the intervention will be provided and for what length of time - how many minutes per day over how many weeks

Details about who will be providing the intervention and in which schoolroom

The criteria for determining whether the intervention is successful

A description of how progress monitoring works and how often progress will be measured

Get answers to other common questions about RTI .

Requesting a written intervention plan can help you take an active role in RTI. But there are other ways you can be involved in the process:

Remember that RTI is a fluid process. At any time during the school year, you can talk to the teacher and find out which interventions are available to help your child.

Ask the school for more information about the intervention your child is receiving, like which studies show it is effective.

Ask the school to give you a copy of your child's progress monitoring graph after every assessment.

Give the intervention time to work. To know if it's helping, the school needs data. Wait at least a few weeks before you ask the school if it's time to try something different.

Ask the school how you can help your child at home.

If you think your child's skills aren't improving, you may want to request an evaluation for special education. Remember that you can make this request at any time.

Use this list of questions to learn about your school's RTI process .

About the Author

About the Author

worked as a classroom teacher and as an early intervention specialist for 10 years. She is the author of Amanda Morin The Everything Parent's Guide to Special Education. Two of her children have learning differences.

Reviewed by

Reviewed by

Elaine M. Niefeld, MA, MBA is a consultant and former associate director of the RTI Action Network.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
RTI aims to identify kids who are struggling in school. It uses targeted teaching to help them catch up. An important part of RTI is measuring progress and providing more support to kids who need it. If you look inside any general education classroom, chances are good that you'd see different students struggling for different reasons.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.provider_name
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) is a law that makes available a free appropriate public education to eligible children with disabilities throughout the nation and ensures special education and related services to those children.

The IDEA governs how states and public agencies provide early intervention, special education, and related services to more than 8 million (as of school year 2022-23) eligible infants, toddlers, children, and youth with disabilities.

Infants and toddlers, birth through age 2, with disabilities and their families receive early intervention services under IDEA Part C. Children and youth ages 3 through 21 receive special education and related services under IDEA Part B.

Additionally, the IDEA authorizes:

Formula grants to states to support special education and related services and early intervention services.

Discretionary grants to state educational agencies, institutions of higher education, and other nonprofit organizations to support research, demonstrations, technical assistance and dissemination, technology development, personnel preparation and development, and parent-training and -information centers.

Congress reauthorized the IDEA in 2004 and most recently amended the IDEA through Public Law 114-95, the Every Student Succeeds Act, in December 2015.

In the law, Congress states:

Disability is a natural part of the human experience and in no way diminishes the right of individuals to participate in or contribute to society. Improving educational results for children with disabilities is an essential element of our national policy of ensuring equality of opportunity, full participation, independent living, and economic self-sufficiency for individuals with disabilities.

Other Laws for Children with Disabilities

The U.S. Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights (OCR) provides additional resources of interest for individuals with disabilities and their families.

OCR does not enforce the IDEA; however, OCR does enforce the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Section 504 and Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, Title II rights of IDEA-eligible students with disabilities.

To learn more, visit the OCR's Frequently Asked Questions About Section 504 and the Education of Children with Disabilities.

Visit OCR's website for additional resources.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
About IDEA - Individuals with Disabilities Education Act

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The IDEA is a law that makes available a free appropriate public education to eligible children with disabilities throughout the nation and ensures special education and related services to those children.

# data[].attributes.headline
Individuals With Disabilities Education Act (IDEA): What You Need to Know

# data[].attributes.subject
Individuals With Disabilities Education Act (IDEA): What You Need to Know

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
About the Author

About the Author

Andrew M.I. Lee, JD is an editor and former attorney who strives to help people understand complex legal, education, and parenting issues.

Reviewed by

Reviewed by

Myrna Mandlawitz, MEd, JD has worked for over 20 years as a consultant/lobbyist on special and general education.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Individuals With Disabilities Education Act (IDEA): What You Need to Know

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Andrew M.I. Lee, JD is an editor and former attorney who strives to help people understand complex legal, education, and parenting issues. Myrna Mandlawitz, MEd, JD has worked for over 20 years as a consultant/lobbyist on special and general education.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Response to Intervention (RTI) is a multi-tier approach to the early identification and support of students with learning and behavior needs. The RTI process begins with high-quality instruction and universal screening of all children in the general education classroom. Struggling learners are provided with interventions at increasing levels of intensity to accelerate their rate of learning. These services may be provided by a variety of personnel, including general education teachers, special educators, and specialists. Progress is closely monitored to assess both the learning rate and level of performance of individual students. Educational decisions about the intensity and duration of interventions are based on individual student response to instruction. RTI is designed for use when making decisions in both general education and special education, creating a well-integrated system of instruction and intervention guided by child outcome data.

For RTI implementation to work well, the following essential components must be implemented with fidelity and in a rigorous manner:

High-quality, scientifically based classroom instruction. All students receive high-quality, research-based instruction in the general education classroom.

Ongoing student assessment. Universal screening and progress monitoring provide information about a student's learning rate and level of achievement, both individually and in comparison with the peer group. These data are then used when determining which students need closer monitoring or intervention. Throughout the RTI process, student progress is monitored frequently to examine student achievement and gauge the effectiveness of the curriculum. Decisions made regarding students' instructional needs are based on multiple data points taken in context over time.

Tiered instruction. A multi-tier approach is used to efficiently differentiate instruction for all students. The model incorporates increasing intensities of instruction offering specific, research-based interventions matched to student needs.

Parent involvement. Schools implementing RTI provide parents information about their child's progress, the instruction and interventions used, the staff who are delivering the instruction, and the academic or behavioral goals for their child.

Each of these essential components is addressed in the "Include Essential Components" section of this Web site.

Though there is no single, thoroughly researched and widely practiced "model" of the RTI process, it is generally defined as a three-tier (or three-step) model of school supports that uses research-based academic and/or behavioral interventions. The Three-Tier Model is described below.

Tier 1: High-Quality Classroom Instruction, Screening, and Group Interventions

Within Tier 1, all students receive high-quality, scientifically based instruction provided by qualified personnel to ensure that their difficulties are not due to inadequate instruction. All students are screened on a periodic basis to establish an academic and behavioral baseline and to identify struggling learners who need additional support. Students identified as being "at risk" through universal screenings and/or results on state- or districtwide tests receive supplemental instruction during the school day in the regular classroom. The length of time for this step can vary, but it generally should not exceed 8 weeks. During that time, student progress is closely monitored using a validated screening system such as curriculum-based measurement. At the end of this period, students showing significant progress are generally returned to the regular classroom program. Students not showing adequate progress are moved to Tier 2.

The online drug ordering system provides for checking the availability of a prescription, this is done so that teenagers cannot buy cheap generic Viagra and abuse the dosage of the drug.

Tier 2: Targeted Interventions

Students not making adequate progress in the regular classroom in Tier 1 are provided with increasingly intensive instruction matched to their needs on the basis of levels of performance and rates of progress. Intensity varies across group size, frequency and duration of intervention, and level of training of the professionals providing instruction or intervention. These services and interventions are provided in small-group settings in addition to instruction in the general curriculum. In the early grades (kindergarten through 3rd grade), interventions are usually in the areas of reading and math. A longer period of time may be required for this tier, but it should generally not exceed a grading period. Students who continue to show too little progress at this level of intervention are then considered for more intensive interventions as part of Tier 3.

Tier 3: Intensive Interventions and Comprehensive Evaluation

At this level, students receive individualized, intensive interventions that target the students' skill deficits. Students who do not achieve the desired level of progress in response to these targeted interventions are then referred for a comprehensive evaluation and considered for eligibility for special education services under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004 (IDEA 2004). The data collected during Tiers 1, 2, and 3 are included and used to make the eligibility decision.

It should be noted that at any point in an RTI process, IDEA 2004 allows parents to request a formal evaluation to determine eligibility for special education. An RTI process cannot be used to deny or delay a formal evaluation for special education.

In addition to variations in the tiers used to deliver RTI services, schools use different approaches in implementation, such as problem-solving, functional assessment, standard protocol, and hybrid approaches. Although there are many formats for how a school might implement RTI to best serve the needs of its students, in every case RTI can be a school-wide framework for efficiently allocating resources to improve student outcomes.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Learn more about how Response to Intervention (RTI) helps students succeed.