michigan merit curriculum: graduation requirements & the personal curriculum option

An Update on Novi’s JourneyPresentation for MAASE

April 13, 2011

Students TAKE courses Students EARN credits Credit is not just about seat time or work

completed Credit involves demonstrating proficiency

in the standards for each course A credit may----but does not necessarily---

equal a course

Students earn credit by: Successfully completing the learning

expectations for the credit area Successful completion must be

determined, in part, by assessments of proficiency

MMC guidance document from Michigan Dept. of Education in November 2006 says:

The federal Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA) is very clear that all students have the right to access, participate and perform in the general education curriculum.

While IDEA guarantees a free, appropriate, public education, it does not provide a guarantee that a student with disabilities is entitled to a diploma.

MMC assures minimal standards are addressed

Local Districts may exceed state requirements

Local Districts determine what constitutes “credit” in a set of standards or course

Local Districts approve assessments of proficiency

Local Districts determine “cut scores” on assessments of proficiency

Local Districts may establish “alternate cut scores” for students with disabilities

Local Districts establish policies/procedures relative to Personal Curriculum requests

Local Districts decide how far a Personal Curriculum may modify the content expectations and still allow the student to earn a diploma

Set up procedures that essentially create an alternate diploma

Any student wishes to go beyond the requirements by taking more math, science, ELA or world language credits

Any student wishes to modify the math requirement

A student moves into the state late in his/her high school career

A student with an IEP needs to modify credit requirements based on disability

Requires written agreement between superintendent, parent, and student

Must include measurable goals and methods of evaluation on whether goals are met

Requires quarterly meetings with parent and each teacher of a modified curriculum area to monitor progress

If a student fails to achieve goals, the PC is null and void

Revisions to the PC follow the same process

Must align with the student’s EDP Must meet as much of MMC as is

practicable Must be developed by a team

May request modifications not otherwise allowable

Must be based on the student’s disability May not create a different path to

graduation Must still include as much of the MMC as is

practicable Must be consistent with the EDP and IEP

After the PC Modification has been approved by the PC Committee, the IEP Team identifies:◦ Courses◦ Supports ◦ Accommodations

Alignment of high school courses with general ed content expectations

Alignment of special ed courses with ESSENTIAL content expectations

Common assessments of proficiency

Criteria for granting credit Cut scores to determine proficiency for all

students Alternate cut scores for students with

disabilities Process for granting out of state transfer

credits Guidelines and procedures for responding to

Personal Curriculum requests Revisions to Sept 2009 Administrative

Guidelines based on ongoing changes to initial legislation

NCSD Administrative Guidelines-effective 9/09

Guidelines revised relative to legislative changes in spring of 2010

Staff/administrative changes fall 2010 Board workshop December 2010 Board Policy approved February 2011 Guidelines revised February 2011 Forms/procedures revised February 2011

What would YOU decide?

What should “credit” be based on? What constitutes “proficiency”

◦ For the general population?◦ For students with disabilities?

Under what circumstances should alternate cut scores be used?

At what proficiency level is it no longer acceptable to grant diploma credit?

Should any student ever be allowed to waive the PE or Health requirements?

How do we handle granting credit for MMC courses taken in Middle School?

For PC requests for advanced studies, should students first be required to exhaust other options like testing out or use of electives?

How can we assure that credits accepted from other states or private schools meet MMC standards?

Simulate the decision-making that went into the development of the draft guidelines

Split into small groups Dialogue about a series of questions Provide initial reactions to each question

Maintain rigor and integrity of the diplomaRetain the individual considerations allowed by lawFind a middle ground that is acceptable to the community

Establishes that grades are based on proficiency in a set of standards

Establishes cut score for all students Establishes alternate cut score for students

with IEPs Mandates guidelines that assure PC does

not undermine integrity of diploma or create a less rigorous diploma path

Credit requirements appear here Identify nontraditional options for earning

credit (test out, dual enrollment, summer, online, etc.)

Define student with a disability

Identify standard accommodations Assure that accommodations not tied to a

specific course or location Include parameters for PCs (some from

state, some locally determined) Address PE modification for students with

an IEP

Specific requirements for students with IEPs◦ PC must have a direct and substantial relationship

to identified disability◦ PC must be driven by academic skill deficit

manifested before 9th grade and resistant to research-based interventions over time

◦ PC may not be based solely on performance deficit resulting from inadequate work habits

Specific requirements for students with IEPs (continued)◦ PC must include provision for remedial instruction

for any modified content areas◦ PC must require same total number of credits as

for all students◦ If proficiency is set at less than 60%, student

receives credit but no letter grade

Specific requirements for students with IEPs (continued)◦ If PC allows proficiency of less than 60% in more

than 2 MMC-required academics, student must demonstrate employability skills by: Passing Work Keys at level 3 or higher, OR 540 hours of paid employment in a field related to

the EDP, 270 of which must be continuous with same employer

4 types of PCs = 4 different sets of forms Request form completed by parent and

approved by assistant principal Plan completed by counselor and team,

then approved by assistant principal Plan includes notice of all requirements Signatures of participants indicate

agreement

dtinberg@novi.k12.mi.us www.maase.org