End of Individualization?

Dear Ed Inquiry, 

I am trying to find some REAL information on what’s going on with Common Core, specifically in regards to Special Education and IEP’s. Everything I am finding is from out of state (I’m in Utah) and seems to indicate that they’re trying to do away with Special Ed and IEP’s, but doing so with the take of “we’re doing this for the benefit of the kids. We need them to also conform to the  Common Core Standards.  It’s for their good.”  This kind of defeats the purpose of an IEP and special ed.  Any help or direction or websites would be most appreciated!

Thanks for fighting the good fight!

End of Individualization?

Dear End of Individualization,

I understand your concerns about how Common Core Standards will affect our students with learning disabilities. However, in my research, I could not find anything that indicated that there is a movement to get rid of Special Education and the IEP process in any state. The legislation that protects our learning challenged students, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act of 1997 (IDEA) was actually tweaked in 2004 to include some more specific language.  

http://www.cdcan.us/legislation/IDEA/IDEAComparison97to04.pdf

I think what you may be referring to is the push to include all students in general education courses, including those who are or were in separate Intensive Academics classes due to significant cognitive deficits. I know that here in the state of Florida, the special diploma the kids in IA classes receive will allow them into a technical program, but not college. Florida has also decided that these diplomas don’t count toward graduation rates when calculating school grades. This may be why there is such a push to place students on a standard diploma track.  Although they diplomas are recognized by technical schools, employers, and sometimes the military (this seems to change frequently, so contacting the source directly is the best option) and can benefit the students who may not be able to complete the coursework for a standard diploma, they do the schools and districts no good. It is as if they didn’t graduate at all. Crazy, right?

My research led me first led me to corestandards.com with this information: 

http://www.corestandards.org/assets/application-to-students-with-disabilities.pdf  

But, you asked for “real” information, so I kept searching for a less biased source that included some insight into what is really happening out there. 

I was surprised to find more articles that touted Common Core as being a good thing when it comes to standards based IEPs, mostly written by experts in Special Education, but the one below seems to have a more balanced approach. 

http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2013/10/30/10cc-iep.h33.html

The bottom line is that there is a push for all kids to meet the specifications of the Common Core Standards, and just like our previous standards, this will be a struggle for many. Even with supports provided in an IEP, I just don’t see how it is possible for a child with significant cognitive issues to perform on grade level. I know it’s not what I am supposed to say, but I think we need to value all diploma options and all levels of students. We need to honor that student who worked diligently to earn his or her special diploma. If we are truly preparing kids for college AND career, why are we ignoring those who want or need to take a different path to reach their career goals?

Thanks for your question.  You certainly got us thinking!
Ed Inquiry