The MIDAS Project Teacher Modules

Multiple Measures to Enhance Grade-level Instruction for Students Who Have Moved from the Alternate to the General Assessment

Welcome

In recent years, a growing number of students who once participated in the alternate state assessments have moved to the general state assessments. When students move from alternate to general assessments, teachers often report feeling unprepared to support these students in meeting the same rigorous achievement expectations as their peers. Common challenges include determining appropriate instructional strategies, using assessment data effectively, and maintaining grade-level expectations while providing necessary supports. This shift has left general and special education teachers grappling with urgent questions, including How can they effectively support these students in accessing and mastering grade-level content that is deeper, broader, and more complex than previously instructed?

This is a series of online modules developed by the MIDAS project at the National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO) in collaboration with the state partners of Arkansas, North Carolina, and West Virginia. While these modules were developed and piloted with input from our partner states, they are intended to be used by teachers in any state. It is important to note that the components of the series can be applied to all students, with and without disabilities.

In these modules, we:

• Model the principle of presumed competence in instruction and demonstrate it in educational decision-making
• Share a step-by-step process to support grade-level standards-based instructional lessons that are accessible to all learners, including those with disabilities
• Focus on school benchmark and classroom assessment data using multiple assessment measures to inform access to and progress in learning grade-level content
• Support general education and special education teacher collaboration for school and classroom assessments to inform instruction

Upon completion of this module series, participants will have a comprehensive framework for supporting students who have moved from alternate to general assessments, including specific strategies for goal-setting, data collection and analysis, and instructional decision-making.

Flexible Ways to Use the Modules

The modules are designed to be used either as a course and taken sequentially or as a reference so you can quickly find the information you are looking for at any given time. Teachers, schools, and districts can utilize these modules for their own professional development or group-level professional development.

Modular Structure

This series includes five modules:

• Importance of the Instruction and Assessment Cycle
• Where am I going?
• Where am I now?
• Where to next?
• Student examples

Each module follows the same format and includes the following components:

• Introduction
  • The topic will be introduced in this section.
• Build Background
  • The main ideas of the topic will be discussed in depth here.
• Try It!
  • This section will challenge you to apply the information presented on the topic in your classroom.
• Reflect and Connect
  • This section will challenge you to reflect on your learning and connect it to practice.
• Dive Deeper
  • This section will provide additional information you may use to understand the topic better.

Acknowledgments

The Making Improved Decisions for Students on the Cusp of Alternate Assessment Participation Using Multiple Measures of Academic Achievement from Multiple Sources (MIDAS) project is supported by a contract (state of Arkansas Award #CON000000099314) based on a grant from the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Elementary and Secondary Education (Award #S368A220001). Collaborating states include North Carolina and West Virginia. Opinions expressed herein do not necessarily reflect those of the Arkansas Department of Education, collaborating states, or the U.S. Department of Education (or Offices within it). Readers should not assume endorsement by the federal government.

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