GRADUATION OPTIONS FOR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES

1
GRADUATION OPTIONS FOR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES

• Annie Margaret Harris, Coordinator
• Office of Special Education
• Division of Technical Assistance

2
Graduation Options

• There are currently several different
• graduation options available for high
• school students in our State
• Standard High School Diploma
• Career Pathway Option
• Traditional Option
• District Option
• MS Occupational Diploma
• Certificate of Completion

3
Graduation Options

• The decision regarding a students
• graduation options must be
• discussed and made by age 14, or
• prior to entering the ninth grade.

4
Graduation Options

• The IEP Committee must ensure that each
• graduation option is fully explained
• to the parent and, as appropriate, the student
  to provide the necessary information needed to
  make informed decisions regarding the students
  graduation option.
• This will be documented on the students IEP on
  page W-5 under the Graduation Options section.

5
Graduation Options

• Districts are strongly encouraged to
• develop procedures to document that
• students with disabilities and their
  parents have been informed of the graduation
  options and the minimum requirements of each
  option.
• This in addition to the information that is
  currently included and documented on the IEP
  form.

6
Standard High School Diploma

• The requirements for a Standard High School
  Diploma are based on Carnegie Units. The Carnegie
  Units are divided into various categories
  including English, mathematics, science, social
  studies and other electives.
• See Graduations Requirements Appendix A-2
• A-3, Standard 20

7
Subject Area Tests

• Along with the additional Carnegie Unit
  requirements set in 2000, the Department of
  Education approved the requirement for State-wide
  standard examinations. All students must pass
  four different subject area exams in order to
  graduate. The subject areas include English II,
  covering writing and conventions, Algebra I,
  Biology I and U.S. History from 1877.

8
Additional Requirements

• Additional courses may be required by individual
  school districts based on the local school
  district policy approved by the local school
  board. District school boards have the right to
  add, but not subtract, graduation requirements.

9
MS High School Graduation Pathways

• There are three (3) different Standard
• High School Diploma options
• 1. Traditional Option
• 2. District Option
• 3. Career Pathway Option

10
Career Pathway Option

• On March 17, 2010, Governor Haley
• Barbour signed into law Senate Bill
• 2389, an Act to amend Section 37-16-
• 17, MS Code of 1972, to provide
• certain conditions for high school
• career option programs and career
• track curricula for students not wishing
• to pursue a baccalaureate degree.

11
Career Pathway Option

• The Career Pathway Option shall consist
• of challenging academic courses and
• modern career-technical studies. The
• goal for students pursuing the Career
• Pathway Option is to graduate from high
• school with a Standard High School
• Diploma and credit toward a community
• college certification in a career-technical
• field

12
Career Pathway OptionMS Code 37-16-17

• 9th graders beginning 2010-2011 may
• choose a Career Pathway Option as
• their graduation option.

13
SUBJECT-AREA TESTS

• The Subject-Area Testing Program (SATP) consists
  of four academic end-of-course tests (Algebra I,
  Biology I, English II, and U.S. History from
  1877. A passing score in each of the four
  subject-area tests is required for a Standard
  High school Diploma (i.e. Traditional Option,
  Career Pathway Option, and the District Option).

14
Individual Career and Academic Plan (iCAP)

• Each student in MS schools must have an
• Individual Career and Academic Plan (iCAP)
• that is personalized to meet each learners
• educational and career goals. Students
• who choose the Career Pathway Option
• must complete four career and technical
• education Units and two-and-one-half
• elective Units specified in the students
• iCAP.

15
Individual Career Academic Plan (iCAP)

• The iCAP is a students guide that helps him/her
  establish
• and achieve career and academic goals for success
  after
• high school. It provides mentoring and guidance
  to assist
• the student in career pathway planning, helps
  identify
• correct career pathway options, supports changes
• to meet student needs and ambitions which enable
• student to transition into a profession or
  postsecondary
• educational major.

16
Why Pathways To Success?

• Assist students in selecting their appropriate
  graduation pathway
• Increase attendance rates, high school GPA, and
  scores on Statewide tests in secondary schools
• Increase enrollment in dual-credit courses
• Achieve higher rates of postsecondary (PS)
  enrollment and completion
• Decrease remediation at the PS level
• Produce higher skilled employees in the workforce

17
Mississippi Occupational Diploma Requirements -
Standard 20.5

• In accordance with MS Code 37-16-11(2), the
  State Board of Education has approved criteria
  for an occupational diploma for students with
  disabilities.
• The Mississippi Occupational Diploma (MOD)
  provides an option for students with
  disabilities that emphasizes high expectations
  in both academics and work experiences that will
  assist students in acquiring and maintaining the
  necessary competencies and skills needed to
  secure and retain competitive employment.
• The primary postgraduate goal for these
  students is competitive employment.

18
Decision Regarding Participation

• The decision regarding participation in the MOD
  will be made by the students Individualized
  Education Program (IEP) Committee, which must
  include a school counselor.

19
Remember

• The MOD is not a standard high school
• diploma and will not be accepted at a four
• (4) year university. It may in some limited
• cases be accepted at some community
• colleges in some areas for some
• vocational programs.

20
MOD Requirements

• Students must earn a minimum of twenty-one (21)
  course credits by successfully completing
  selected courses from the general education
  curriculum, vocational education programs, MOD
  portfolio objectives or any combination of these
  courses, and complete an occupational diploma
  portfolio containing a collection of evidence of
  the students knowledge, skills and abilities as
  agreed upon by the students IEP Committee.

21
Role of IEP Committee

• The MOD may be implemented in any Least
  Restrictive Environment deemed appropriate by the
  IEP Committee.
• Prior to graduation, an exit IEP Committee
  meeting must be held to evaluate the
• accomplishment of the goals and objectives in
  the IEP and the completion of all requirements
  for the MOD.

22
Role of IEP Committee

• There must be a Transition Plan in place that is
  tied to the MOD and other post-secondary goals.

23
Employability Skills

• Willingness to work hard
• Willingness to accept constructive criticism
• Respect for authority
• Good attendance and punctuality
• Good hygiene and grooming skills

24
Academic Standards

• Both No Child Left Behind (NCLB) and the
  Individuals with Disabilities Education Act
  (IDEA) set high academic standards for
  students achievement thus, students should
  participate in the general education curriculum
  to the maximum extent appropriate for each
  student.
• IEP Committee decisions must focus on the
  educational placement of each student in the
  Least Restrictive Environment (LRE).

25
MS Occupational Diploma(MOD)

• Functional life skills
• Functional academic skills
• Social skills
• Self-help/Independent living skills
• Communication skills
• Job-specific skills
• Employability skills

26
MOD Optional Course Credits

• Employment English I Life Skills Science I
• Employment English II Life Skills Science II
• Employment English III Life Skills Science
  III
• Applied Employment English IV Applied Life
  Skills Science IV
• (On the Job) (On the Job)
• Job Skills Math I Career Preparation I
• Job Skills Math II
  Career Preparation II
• Job Skills Math III Career
  Preparation III
• Applied Job Skills Math IV
  Applied Career Preparation IV
• (On the Job), (On the Job),
• OR
• Any combination of general education, vocational,
  and/or special education courses

27
MOD Graduation Option Required Course Credits

• Completion of a two-year Career/Technical
• (Vocational) Program
• OR
• 10th Grade School-Based Work Assessment
  (30 Hours)
• 11th Grade Community-Based Work Training
  (30 Hours)
• For students not pursuing the Two-Year
• Career/Technical Vocational Program

28
Career/Technical Requirements

• Successful completion of a two (2) year
• career/technical (vocational) program
• OR
• By the end of the senior year, 540 hours of
  successful, paid employment

29
MOD Enrollment

• Enrollment
• The MOD option is initiated at the time the
• student enters the 9th grade however, a
• student can enter the MOD program at
• any time during their high school career.

30
Portfolio Documentation

• Teachers can utilize a variety of methods.
• Teachers have the flexibility to
  select the method with which they are most
  comfortable.
• Student involvement is very important.

31
Monitoring Portfolio Objectives

• Always check previous years portfolios to
  determine if any objectives were not mastered.
• Objectives may be repeated over several years,
  and may be repeated in more than one subject area
  and/or grade.
• All objectives in bold print from all four
  years must be mastered or a passing grade must be
  earned from the general education class that
  coincides with the MOD course in order to earn an
  Occupational Diploma.

32
MOD Objectives

• There is no single source for all objectives.
• Teaching materials can include books, Internet
  and teacher-made items.
• Binders or files can be organized by
  objectives.
• Note Only one item of evidence is
  required and the one item can cover
  several objectives.

33
MOD Portfolio

• Completion
• The occupational portfolio must reflect
  satisfactory performance in meeting both the
  academic and work-training curriculum
  requirements.
• Core objectives must be mastered with a minimum
  of 70 accuracy.
• Evidence of the level of acquisition must be
  included in the portfolio for all content
  standards.

34
MOD Portfolio

• Prior to graduation, an exit IEP Committee
  meeting must be held to evaluate accomplishment
  of the goals and objectives on the IEP and the
  completion of all requirements for the MOD.
• At this meeting, the student will present the
  completed MOD Portfolio for review by the IEP
  Committee.
• The final MOD Portfolio will be reviewed and
  approved prior to graduation by the principal or
  a designee.

35
Role of IEP Committee

• Review the portfolio at the annual IEP meeting
  or more frequently as needed.
• Include all content standards not attained at
  the passing rate in the IEP revision as goals and
  benchmarks to be re-taught.
• Ensure student repeats the course if the core
  content standards are not mastered.

36
MOD Portfolio

• Instructing Teachers Responsibilities
• Gather evidence to document attainment of
  portfolio content standards in the subject area.
  A single item of evidence may be used to document
  more than one content standard and in more than
  one core curriculum course.
• Ensure that the portfolio is documented by the
  end of each grading period.
• Report progress toward attainment of the
  content standards to parents at the end of each
  grading period.
• Provide a copy of the progress to the teacher
  responsible for maintaining the IEP.

37
MOD Portfolio

• Student Responsibilities
• Assist in the management of his/her portfolio.
• Review items of evidence each grading period
  and select the best product for display in
  his/her portfolio.
• Prior to graduation, present the portfolio at
  the exit IEP Committee meeting as a replacement
  for the exit interview.

38
Remember

• There must be a Transition Plan directly
• tied to the students post-secondary goals
• for life after high school.

39
MOD Work Component

• 10th Grade On-Campus Job Shadowing
• 11th Grade Community-Based Work Training
• OR
• 12th Grade By the end of 12th grade completion
  of 540 hours Paid Work Experience
• in lieu of completion of a two-year
• Career/Technical (Vocational) Program

40
10th Grade On-Campus Job Shadowing

• Students must have successful experiences and
  acceptable work performance evaluations in three
  to six school-based work experiences six to
  eight job shadowing experiences or a combination
  of the above for a minimum of 30 hours.
• NOTE This requirement may be waived in lieu of
  a minimum of 30 hours of other community-based
  training experiences if agreed upon by the
  students IEP Committee. The substituted work
  experience must be documented and noted in the
  students portfolio.

41
10th Grade On-Campus Job ShadowingSteps in
Preparing for School-Based Work Assessment

• Identify possible training sites
• Local school
• Neighboring schools
• Other school sites
• Central office
• Print shop
• Transportation shop

42
10th Grade On-Campus Job ShadowingSteps in
Preparing for School-Based Work Assessment

• Identify possible training areas in the local
• school
• School office
• Classroom
• Library
• Counselors office
• On-campus day care
• Building maintenance
• Janitorial services
• Grounds maintenance

43
10th Grade On-Campus Job ShadowingSteps in
Preparing for School-Based Work Assessment

• Identify possible training areas in the local
• school
• Sports team
• Band
• Gym
• Cafeteria
• Bookroom
• School store
• Science lab
• Art program
• Bus maintenance

44
11th Grade Community-Based Work Training

• Students must have successful experience and
  work performance evaluations in two to four
  community-based work training experiences with a
  minimum total of 30 hours.
• NOTE This requirement may be waived if the
  student successfully completes a planned sequence
  of courses from a career/technical (vocational)
  education course of study in his/her chosen
  career/technical education field that designates
  the student as a program completer.

45
11th Grade Community-Based Work Training

• Community-based job shadowing and work training
  are designed to provide opportunities for a
  student to learn appropriate work habits and to
  determine the things they like or dislike about
  the jobs experienced, rather than being designed
  to train a student for a specific job.
• Each student will visit various businesses in
  the community to observe work being performed,
  talk to employees, and actually perform work
  under direct supervision.
• NOTE This is in lieu of the two-year
  Career/Technical (Vocational) Program.
  

46
11th Grade Community-Based Work
TrainingDeveloping Community-Based Work
Training Sites

• Review existing labor market
• Develop a list of potential employers to
  contact
• Contact local business groups in the community
• (e.g., Rotary, Kiwanis, Chamber of Commerce)
• Retain employer contact information
• NOTE This is in lieu of the two-year Career/
• Technical (Vocational) Program.

47
11th Grade Community-Based Work Training
Developing Community-Based Work Training Sites

• Locate individual employers who may have
• appropriate training sites.
• Visit business sites and meet with employers.
• Discuss the employer options for participation.
• Allow students to visit and/or job shadow.
• Volunteer as a classroom speaker.
• Serve as a training site.

48
11th Grade Community-Based Work
TrainingDeveloping Community-Based Work
Training Sites

• Make followup arrangements.
• Send a thank-you letter to each employer
  contacted.
• Complete the Community-Based Work
  Training Business Agreement when a
  business agrees to participate.

49
11th Grade Community-Based Work
TrainingDeveloping Community-Based Work
Training Sites

• Plan transportation arrangements.
• Develop a schedule including all
• community-based work training
• sites and participating students.

50
11th Grade Community-Based Work
TrainingDeveloping Community-Based Work
Training Sites

• Utilize guest speakers to provide instruction on
  community-based work. Possible topics include
• Recreation and Leisure
• Gardening
• Cooking
• Sports
• Cake Decorating

51
11th Grade Community-Based Work Training
Developing Community-Based Work Training Sites

• Recreation and Leisure
• Fishing
• Playing video games
• Dancing
• Ceramics
• Sports
• Other hobbies

52
12th Grade 2-year Vocational Completer

• Cooperative career/technical education may be
  substituted not to exceed one credit in each of
  the non-elective subject areas of English, math,
  science, and social studies.

53
12th Grade 2-year Vocational Completer

• Students attend a related study class as part of
  the cooperative education program. Related study
  provides contact with the cooperative education
  teacher/coordinator for the purpose of refining
  work skills/habits/behaviors, advocacy training,
  overview of employment laws/guidelines, work
  situational problem-solving, and contact with
  local business-related individuals.

54
540 Hours Paid Work Experience

• Documented evidence of a minimum of 540 hours
  of successful paid employment
• The school cannot guarantee a job placement
• Some schools use Ability Work.
• Release time may be given for students
• to participate in work experiences for
• credit

55
Group Activity

• Each participant was asked to bring a minimum
• of 4 MOD Portfolios, at least one for each grade
• listed 9th, 10th, 11th, and 12th. Working in
  groups
• of not less than five (5), review the portfolio
• documentation to ensure the students meet all
• State MOD requirements. Note any
• documentation omissions (i.e., course codes,
• dates, signatures, etc.).

56
Certificate

• A Certificate certifies that the student has
  satisfactorily completed an individualized course
  of study as specified on his/her Individualized
  Education Program (IEP).

57
Certificate

• Students who graduate with a Certificate can
  participate in graduation ceremonies along with
  their non-disabled peers.

58
Certificate

• A Certificate is not a high school diploma and
  students with a Certificate may not qualify for
  admission to post-secondary educational
  institutions (colleges and/or universities).

59
Certificate of Completion FAPE

• A free and appropriate public education (FAPE)
  continues to be available to such students
  through age 20 who have exited the school system
  with a Certificate of Completion.

60
Contact Information

• ANNIE MARGARET HARRIS
• MARobinson_at_mde.k12.ms.us
• DESMA MCELVEEN
• dmcelveen_at_mde.k12.ms.us
• TANYA BRADLEY
• tbradley_at_mde.k12.ms.us
• OFFICE OF SPECIAL EDUCATION601-359-3498