Integrating Minnesota Graduation Standards and Special Education

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“A Framework for Integrating Minnesota Graduation Standards and Special Education” was published and distributed within the Twin Cities metro area. For the first time, special education teachers in Minnesota had access to detailed, practical information about how graduation standards can be integrated into certain special education programs. Now, the Framework is being made more widely available.

On this site, you can access the Framework in its entirety. If you prefer, you can click on an abridged version of the document that applies specifically to your choice from four areas of special education programming. The site also includes a calendar of upcoming events and a forum for sharing thoughts, ideas and best practices.

With on-going updates and the participation of teachers and parents, we hope to become your one-stop source for information about integrating Minnesota standards into special education.

Background

When Minnesota public schools moved to a standards based system, it signaled a major change in the state’s approach to education. Our students are now expected to demonstrate their knowledge through application. Performance assessment has become an everyday fact of life.

From the beginning, educators believed that the standards were important to the education of every student in Minnesota - including special education students. However, determining the role of the standards in certain kinds of special education programming was no small task. It took a collaborative effort and the expertise of experienced special education teachers to develop a framework for integrating the Minnesota standards into special education.

About the Framework

The framework is a pragmatic, user-friendly resource that has examples and clear suggestions. It focuses exclusively on four types of special education programming:

The Framework is not meant to be the definitive statement on integrating Minnesota standards. It does, however, represent some of the best thinking at this point for moving special education students into the graduation standards system. The examples, planning guides, decision making tools and other resources it provides are intended to encourage teachers to make their own adaptations and develop their own best practices.

We encourage you to share the benefits of your ideas and experiences in our forum. Together, we can find even more ways to bring the Minnesota graduation standards into the special education classroom.

Lesson plans and curriculum designed specifically for EBD student populations are now available for free download!

High School Social Studies: Diverse Perspectives
This six part lesson teaches critical thinking and analytical skills by looking at diverse perspectives related to historical events in US history or current issues/events in the world today.

High School Literature and Arts Analysis
This unit on literature analysis includes four lessons of activities. Teachers may view the unit activities/products as a menu of options. Choose the activities and assignments that fit for your students, your curriculum and time frame. Each lesson may take several days.

High School Career Investigation
This unit gives students the opportunity to choose a career and create a career path through informed decision-making. Students begin the unit exploring their own interests, values, and skills through individual writing, completing three self-assessment inventories, and participating in discussions. Students also investigate work they are interested in pursuing and compare the characteristics of their chosen career to their personal qualities, talents and skills. Students can then create a career action plan and a personal portfolio to utilize for future education goals and their job search.

Practical Tools:
Activities and Curricula for Special Populations

Preview the newest DCD and EBD resource materials that were produced through the Best Practices in Special Education grant. These comprehensive teaching tools were developed by a collaborative team of Minnesota teachers who work with EBD and DCD student populations.

Request a CD-ROM ($3.00 shipping and handling) by mailing your payment and request to:

Northeast Metro District 916
Capitol View Center
70 W. County Rd. B2
Little Canada, MN 55117

(Members of Intermediate Districts 916, 287 and 917 may receive copies with no shipping charges. For these members, or if you have further questions, contact us)

Your Tools For Writing A Graduation Standards Referenced Individual Education Plan For Students with Developmental Cognitive Disabilities

Revised/Aligned with the New Minnesota Academic Standards - 2003

Click to view
(May take several minutes to download depending on your connection speed)
(Adobe Acrobat required)

FREE!

Receive a hard-bound copy of the Integrating Graduation Standards Framework at no cost!

ordering information

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