MIDAS Teacher Module #2

Participants will be able to:

• Apply the essential learning framework to identify learning goals while maintaining grade-level standards.
• Implement effective collaboration strategies to plan accessible grade-level instruction using Universal Design for Learning (UDL).
• Distinguish between accommodations that maintain grade-level standards and modifications that may alter the construct being measured.

Every journey needs a clear destination. In education, clear learning goals serve as that destination, guiding both teachers and students toward success. When students transition from the alternate to the general assessment, the destination does not change - they are still working toward grade-level standards. What changes is the depth, breadth, and complexity of understanding we expect them to demonstrate.

Changes in Academic Rigor

The shift from the alternate to the general assessment can bring significant changes in academic rigor. While students previously worked with different achievement expectations of the same grade-level standards, they now need to meet the same rigor of academic standards as their peers. This transition requires thoughtful planning and strategic support to maintain high expectations while ensuring that the content remains accessible. Research has shown that student and staff levels of preparation for this transition are highly variable (Bowman et al., 2024).

Knowledge and Skill Gaps

Students transitioning from alternate assessments to general assessments frequently demonstrate knowledge and skill gaps. These gaps often develop when students receive instruction in separate settings where academic expectations may not have been sufficiently rigorous. High-quality, standards-based instruction with appropriate supports helps to minimize these gaps and ensure all students can access grade-level content successfully. While the law requires that all students receive instruction based on grade-level standards, implementation often falls short. Students previously taught using grade-level standards may require a focus on enhancing depth, scope, and complexity in their learning expectations. However, students without prior grade-level standards-based instruction face the additional challenge of reducing and eliminating greater gaps in their knowledge and skills than if they had been instructed based on the grade-level standards.

Learning the Norms and Routines of the General Education Classroom

Additionally, depending on where they received their instruction, they may not understand the norms or routines of the general education classroom, creating an additional barrier to learning. What happens across the school day and what is expected in the general education environment will be new to these students. Students benefit when teams plan for these transition needs. Welcoming the students into the class by supporting them in learning the new routines is important for fostering a sense of belonging.

As was noted in Module 1, all students’ learning should be based on the grade-level content standards, regardless of which assessments they take or in which classrooms they learn. Using school (benchmark or interim assessments) and classroom assessments (formative and summative) to inform instruction is key for adapting instruction to support all students, but it is especially vital for supporting the students who transitioned to the general assessment. The Instruction and Assessment Cycle provides a way to use these data in meaningful and practical ways.

This second module focuses on the first component of the Instruction and Assessment Cycle, “Where am I going?” In this module, we will explore how to develop and communicate clear learning goals that maintain grade-level expectations while supporting students transitioning to more rigorous achievement expectations based on the same grade-level standards. We will examine strategies for making goals accessible without reducing academic rigor, helping students understand new achievement targets, and supporting their success by collaborating to analyze data and plan instruction.

As we begin our exploration of “Where am I going?” – the first component of the Instruction and Assessment Cycle – it is important to understand how learning goals shape the educational journey for students transitioning from the alternate to the general assessment. While these students previously may have been instructed based on the alternate achievement standards, they are now expected to meet the same rigorous grade-level expectations as their peers. The following video examines how teachers can develop and communicate clear learning goals that maintain grade-level expectations while supporting students through this transition. We will explore frameworks for identifying essential learning and strategies for collaboration between general and special educators. Through these tools and approaches, we will see how teachers can create learning environments that support all students in reaching grade-level standards.

Accommodations versus Modifications

Through collaborative planning, general and special educators often identify various strategies to support student learning. As teachers discuss these strategies, it is crucial to distinguish between approaches that maintain grade-level expectations and those that might unintentionally lower them. This understanding leads us to an important distinction in special education: the difference between accommodations and modifications. While both support student learning, they have very different impacts on students’ access to and achievement in grade-level content. Understanding this distinction helps collaborative teams make informed decisions about how to best support students who have transitioned from the alternate to the general assessment while maintaining appropriate academic rigor.

Accommodations

Accommodations are changes in how a student accesses and demonstrates learning, while maintaining grade-level achievement standards. Think of accommodations as providing a different path to the same destination. For example, a student might listen to an audio version of a grade-level science text while following along with the printed version. They are engaging with the same content as their peers, just accessing it in a different way.

Modifications

Modifications, on the other hand, change what a student is expected to learn. While modifications might seem helpful in the short term, they can unintentionally create barriers to grade-level achievement by reducing learning expectations. For instance, replacing grade-level text with simpler text would be a modification because it changes the actual content the student is learning. IEP teams need to carefully consider whether modifications are truly necessary for a student to access content because modifications change expectations and, on assessments, alter what is being measured and what the results mean (Hinkle et al., 2024).

Removing Barriers

The key to making grade-level content accessible without reducing its rigor lies in identifying and removing barriers in the learning environment rather than changing the content itself. By examining examples of effective and ineffective approaches, we can better understand how to maintain high expectations while providing appropriate support. The following table illustrates this distinction across different instructional areas, showing how seemingly helpful modifications might actually create barriers to grade-level achievement, while well-designed accommodations can provide access while maintaining rigor.

When we focus on making content accessible rather than making it easier, we maintain the rigor necessary for student success while providing the support students need to achieve grade-level standards. This approach requires ongoing collaboration, careful planning, and a commitment to high expectations for all students. By maintaining clear learning goals and providing appropriate accommodations, we create an environment where all students can access and engage with grade-level content, preparing them for success on the general assessment and beyond.

Action Steps

Below are some concrete, actionable steps that you can immediately implement to improve the instruction and assessment of students who have transitioned from alternate assessments to general assessments.

1. Create learning goal cards: Make index cards with essential learning goals for each unit and have students self-assess their starting point using a simple 1-3 scale.
2. Implement "I can" statements: Transform standards into student-friendly "I can" statements and have students track which ones they have mastered.
3. Create a learning pathway visual: Design a visual "roadmap" showing how essential learning goals connect to future content.
4. Plan assessment checkpoints: Schedule specific points throughout the unit to collect formative data on progress toward essential learning goals.
5. Implement strategic pre-assessments: Before starting a new unit, use a 5-question probe to identify specific knowledge gaps to address.
6. Analyze item-by-item performance: Review your most recent classroom assessment and identify 2-3 specific skills where transitioning students struggled most.
7. Use exit tickets strategically: Create 3-minute exit tickets focused only on the day's essential learning to gauge immediate understanding.
8. Create a data collection chart: Track performance patterns across multiple assessments to identify persistent barriers versus one-time challenges.

Select a current instructional unit where you have students who recently moved from the alternate to the general assessment. Consider the essential learning goals you identified for all students and reflect on how you will gather evidence of their learning.

1. First, clearly state:
   • The unit’s essential learning goals for all students
   • How you typically assess student learning in this unit
   • Any potential barriers you anticipate for students transitioning from the alternate to the general assessment
2. Then, brainstorm multiple ways to gather meaningful data about:
   • Student access to the content (Can they engage with the materials and activities?)
   • Student learning progress (Are they developing an understanding of key concepts?)
   • Student demonstration of learning (Can they show what they know?)
3. For each assessment approach you identify, consider:
   • Does it maintain grade-level expectations?
   • What accommodations might make it more accessible without modifying content?
   • How will it provide actionable data for instructional decisions?
4. Next, identify 2-3 priority assessment strategies you could implement immediately, focusing on those that:
   • Align with essential learning goals
   • Provide clear evidence of student learning
   • Could benefit multiple students in your class
   • Are feasible within your current resources and schedule
5. Identify a colleague (general or special educator) with whom you can share your assessment planning:
   • Schedule a brief 15-minute collaboration session
   • Share your essential learning goals and assessment strategies
   • Seek input on potential barriers and Universal Design solutions
   • Plan follow-up to discuss implementation results
6. Create a realistic timeline for implementing your priority assessment strategies. For example:
   • Week 1: Implement strategy #1
   • Week 2: Gather initial data and adjust as needed
   • Week 3: Implement strategy #2
   • Week 4: Collaborate with colleague to review effectiveness

Consider the following questions about your assessment planning:

• How do your selected assessment strategies maintain high expectations while providing appropriate support?
• What barriers might still exist in how students access or demonstrate their learning? How could you address these barriers without lowering expectations?
• How might your collaborative team use the assessment data to:
  • Guide instructional decisions?
  • Identify needs for additional support or scaffolding?
  • Monitor progress toward grade-level standards?
• What benefits might your assessment strategies provide for other students in your class?

Looking forward…

• How will the essential learning framework you've established help you analyze assessment data more effectively?
• What specific data will you need to collect to determine if students are mastering essential learning goals?
• How might you use assessment results to adjust instruction while maintaining focus on essential learning?

Share your reflections with a colleague, focusing on how your assessment planning supports all students in reaching grade-level standards. Consider how you might refine your approach based on their feedback.

Learn more about developing clear learning goals and maintaining grade-level expectations through these resources:

Understanding Grade-Level Standards and Essential Learning

• CAST: “UDL Tips for Developing Learning Goals”
• “Targeting Learning with Criteria for Success” (video, 3 minutes)

Collaboration and Planning Tools

• TIES Center: “5-15-45 Tool: Linking Available Time with Meaningful Collaboration”

Accommodations vs. Modifications

• NCEO: “NCEO Brief: The Basics of Accommodations and Modifications (NCEO Brief #33)”

Universal Design for Learning

• “Universal Design for Learning (UDL): A Teacher's Guide”