Special Topic Area:
Academic Standards and Students with Disabilities

Introduction

State academic content and achievement standards are central to ensuring that all students have access to and make progress in the general curriculum. Academic content standards define what all students should know and be able to do; student academic achievement standards define how well students must perform to be considered proficient. Together, academic content and achievement standards are key elements in standards-based accountability systems.

While academic content standards define the learning targets for all students, teachers use a variety of curriculum materials and instructional strategies to help students reach those targets. For students with disabilities, teachers tailor curriculum and instruction to meet individual learning needs. Academic content standards can be expanded to create targets for learning for all students, including those participating in alternate assessments for students with significant cognitive disabilities. Many states now have frameworks to ensure that all students have access to academic content standards.

Student academic achievement standards are generally defined in terms of proficiency levels – basic, proficient, and advanced, for example. Proficiency levels are defined by states and districts, and may be the same or different for students participating in regular and alternate assessments.

If students with disabilities are to benefit from standards-based reform, they must be included in each step of the standards-based accountability system, including access to rigorous standards through high quality curriculum and instruction, and reliable, valid, and fair assessment of their progress toward the standards set for all students. Standards-based accountability systems have given us an opportunity to measure both access to, and progress in, the general curriculum for students with disabilities. Careful alignment of student learning to the standards set for all students will ensure that progress, not just access, occurs.

Top of page

NCEO is supported primarily through a Cooperative Agreement (#H326G050007) with the Research to Practice Division, Office of Special Education Programs, U.S. Department of Education. Additional support for targeted projects, including those on LEP students, is provided by other federal and state agencies. Opinions expressed in this Web site do not necessarily reflect those of the U.S. Department of Education or Offices within it.

© 2008 by the Regents of the University of Minnesota.
The University of Minnesota is an equal opportunity educator and employer.

Online Privacy Statement
This page was last updated on July 15, 2008