Common Core's epic fail: Special Education

[Anonymous]

This does a great job of detailing the problems with Common Core:

http://www.districtadministration.com/article/what-does-common-core-mean-special-ed

What does the Common Core mean for special ed?
It’s up to states and districts to determine how to implement accommodations
By:
Alison DeNisco
District Administration, December 2014

The Common Core is presenting a new challenge—and offering little guidance—to special education teachers working to keep their students on pace with their peers....

The Common Core addresses students with disabilities in a 1 ½-page document. It states that special-needs students must have support services, individualized instruction and assistive technology to “enable their access to the general education curriculum.” However, it does not state what these services are or how they should be implemented. Changes in curriculum must “not change the standards, but allow students to learn within the framework of the Common Core,” the document states.

Approximately 6 percent of the U.S. student population has significant cognitive disabilities, including general intellectual disabilities, autistic spectrum disorders, and language and reading impairments that aren’t helped by enlarged text or hearing aids, says Katharine Beals, a lecturer at the University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Education who has written about the Common Core’s impact on special education.

“The Common Core is one-size-fits-all, and there isn’t room for a student who has a cognitive age below expectations to get remediation,” Beals says. “The philosophy is driven by good intent, but it’s a lot of wishful thinking. There’s a lot of research out there suggesting that if you want a child to make progress, the most sufficient way to do that is to drop things down to their current level of development.”

[Anonymous]

I don't see how this is any different from pre CC. Wouldn't SN kids have issues with any curriculum that was designed for the "average" student? That's why they need special services to help them with learning, regardless of what the curriculum is, which is stated in the quote you pasted.

“The philosophy is driven by good intent, but it’s a lot of wishful thinking. There’s a lot of research out there suggesting that if you want a child to make progress, the most sufficient way to do that is to drop things down to their current level of development.”

Others would argue that, for non SN kids, above bolded is called "dumbing things down".

[Anonymous]

There are no accommodations for children in Common Core. All students are expected to be in the same place at all times. It's in total conflict with the IDEA.

[Anonymous]

I don't see how this is any different from pre CC. Wouldn't SN kids have issues with any curriculum that was designed for the "average" student? That's why they need special services to help them with learning, regardless of what the curriculum is, which is stated in the quote you pasted.

“The philosophy is driven by good intent, but it’s a lot of wishful thinking. There’s a lot of research out there suggesting that if you want a child to make progress, the most sufficient way to do that is to drop things down to their current level of development.”

Others would argue that, for non SN kids, above bolded is called "dumbing things down".

She's baaaack!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

I don't see how this is any different from pre CC. Wouldn't SN kids have issues with any curriculum that was designed for the "average" student? That's why they need special services to help them with learning, regardless of what the curriculum is, which is stated in the quote you pasted.

“The philosophy is driven by good intent, but it’s a lot of wishful thinking. There’s a lot of research out there suggesting that if you want a child to make progress, the most sufficient way to do that is to drop things down to their current level of development.”

Others would argue that, for non SN kids, above bolded is called "dumbing things down".

She's baaaack!

Huh? I wrote the previous post. I don't get it. Who are you referring to?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

There are no accommodations for children in Common Core. All students are expected to be in the same place at all times. It's in total conflict with the IDEA.

Who expects all students to be in the same place at all times?

Also, of course the Common Core standards don't have accommodations. They are standards. As in, "This is what a student should be able to do by the end of second grade." How a school district gets children -- including children in special education -- to meet those standards is up to the school district. The IDEA does not apply to the Common Core standards. The IDEA applies to states.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

There are no accommodations for children in Common Core. All students are expected to be in the same place at all times. It's in total conflict with the IDEA.

Who expects all students to be in the same place at all times?

Also, of course the Common Core standards don't have accommodations. They are standards. As in, "This is what a student should be able to do by the end of second grade." How a school district gets children -- including children in special education -- to meet those standards is up to the school district. The IDEA does not apply to the Common Core standards. The IDEA applies to states.

The Common Core demands that all students be taught at grade level. And since states adopted Common Core just for the cash, now they have zero idea of how to accommodate both the federally mandated IDEA and the state-mandated Common Core (it's not federal, remember?)

It's a colossal failure for special ed students, their teachers and their schools. It puts them in a totally lose-lose situation. And it also proves Common Core was rushed in with now true thought behind it.

[Anonymous]

"no true"

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

The Common Core demands that all students be taught at grade level. And since states adopted Common Core just for the cash, now they have zero idea of how to accommodate both the federally mandated IDEA and the state-mandated Common Core (it's not federal, remember?)

It's a colossal failure for special ed students, their teachers and their schools. It puts them in a totally lose-lose situation. And it also proves Common Core was rushed in with now true thought behind it.

Where does the Common Core demand this? How does the Common Core demand this?

Also, I am not a lawyer, but it seems to me pretty well-established that if there is a conflict between a federal law and a state regulation, federal law takes precedence.

[Anonymous]

I am a special educator and I was first excited about common core. There is more overlap between subjects, which means more exposure and review. However, the end expectation is for the student to synthesize information and explain reasoning. For students who are just grasping the facts, they are not ready for the next step.

Math is difficult because there are many students who can do the rote algorithm and show understanding in that way. Ask them to explain why and they are totally lost. That is 50% of the curriculum!

There are still many answers sought and not a lot of guidance from higher ups. There is more curriculum development for those students who are not on the diploma track, and it is leaving those students behind who are in the regular curriculum. Not to say the old curriculum was perfect, but this has presented more challenges.

[Anonymous]

Isn't the point of an IEP, to individualize the curriculum based on the special needs of a student. Unless they end them, I think it will be fine.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am a special educator and I was first excited about common core. There is more overlap between subjects, which means more exposure and review. However, the end expectation is for the student to synthesize information and explain reasoning. For students who are just grasping the facts, they are not ready for the next step.

Math is difficult because there are many students who can do the rote algorithm and show understanding in that way. Ask them to explain why and they are totally lost. That is 50% of the curriculum!

There are still many answers sought and not a lot of guidance from higher ups. There is more curriculum development for those students who are not on the diploma track, and it is leaving those students behind who are in the regular curriculum. Not to say the old curriculum was perfect, but this has presented more challenges.

This is what my child and so many others like him are facing. He now despises school. Tells me every day how much he hates it. He hates the teachers. He hates the work. Great job, Common Core!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Isn't the point of an IEP, to individualize the curriculum based on the special needs of a student. Unless they end them, I think it will be fine.

What we are telling you is there is a huge disconnect. Because the Common Core is a slapdash set of standards, figuring out how to accommodate students was never truly considered.

Thousands of standards, and one and a half pages on Common Core dealing with special ed. It was a disaster from the beginning.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am a special educator and I was first excited about common core. There is more overlap between subjects, which means more exposure and review. However, the end expectation is for the student to synthesize information and explain reasoning. For students who are just grasping the facts, they are not ready for the next step.

Math is difficult because there are many students who can do the rote algorithm and show understanding in that way. Ask them to explain why and they are totally lost. That is 50% of the curriculum!

There are still many answers sought and not a lot of guidance from higher ups. There is more curriculum development for those students who are not on the diploma track, and it is leaving those students behind who are in the regular curriculum. Not to say the old curriculum was perfect, but this has presented more challenges.

This is what my child and so many others like him are facing. He now despises school. Tells me every day how much he hates it. He hates the teachers. He hates the work. Great job, Common Core!

I'm sorry that your child now hates school. But I don't think that means that the Common Core math standards are bad. A child should be able to demonstrate understanding, and simply being able to do the standard algorithm by rote does not demonstrate understanding.

How are the teachers requiring him to demonstrate understanding? For example, are they requiring him to write sentences, and he has a verbal disability or dysgraphia? In that case, the problem is with his lack of accommodation, not with the Common Core standards.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Isn't the point of an IEP, to individualize the curriculum based on the special needs of a student. Unless they end them, I think it will be fine.

What we are telling you is there is a huge disconnect. Because the Common Core is a slapdash set of standards, figuring out how to accommodate students was never truly considered.

Thousands of standards, and one and a half pages on Common Core dealing with special ed. It was a disaster from the beginning.

The Common Core is standards. Only that. Just standards. The Common Core is not a curriculum, or administration, or accommodation for special education. How to accommodate students in special education is up to the state, the school district, and the school, in compliance with the various federal and state laws and regulations.