Manchester Essex Regional School District District Curriculum Accommodation Plan (DCAP)

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1 Manchester Essex Regional School District District Curriculum Accommodation Plan (DCAP)

2 What is a District Curriculum Accommodation Plan? Massachusetts General Laws require the adoption and implementation of a District Curriculum Accommodation Plan (DCAP). This plan is intended to guide principals and teachers in ensuring that all possible efforts are made to meet student needs in general education classrooms and to support teachers in analyzing and accommodating the wide range of student learning styles and needs that exist in each school. The DCAP describes accommodations and instructional supports and strategies that are available in general education. Massachusetts General Laws, Chapter 71, Section 38Q1/2 A school district shall adopt and implement a curriculum accommodation plan to assist principals in ensuring that all efforts have been made to meet the students needs in regular education. The plan shall be designed to assist the regular classroom teacher in analyzing and accommodating diverse learning styles of all children in the regular classroom and in providing appropriate services and support within the regular education programming, including, but not limited to, direct and systematic instruction in reading and provision of services to address the needs of children whose behavior may interfere with learning, or who do not qualify for special education services under chapter 71B. The curriculum accommodation plan shall include provisions encouraging teacher mentoring and collaboration and parental involvement. The Manchester Essex Regional School District s DCAP has four main objectives: To assist general education teachers in analyzing, assessing, and accommodating the needs of diverse learners To articulate support services and instructional delivery options available within general education settings To recommend instructional interventions for struggling learners To delineate resources available to teachers in the areas of student support, mentoring, professional development and coaching Manchester Essex Regional School District believes that all students can learn. The following statements represent this belief system: Students have different rates and styles of learning Students are diverse in their cognitive, physical, linguistic, social and emotional development Students differ in their ability to work and study independently At various times, students experience different reactions and responses to curriculum and instructional task demands Students require different amounts of supervision and instruction 1

3 Supporting Student Learning The following list is representative of suggested strategies but not inclusive of all strategies that may be successful with individual students. Accommodations may involve classroom instruction, student responses/performance criteria, teaching environments, or materials. Curriculum/Instruction/Assessment Strategies Provide cueing and wait time or think time to encourage participation Provide multi modal presentation of instruction and materials Repeat or re teach concepts with a different approach Pre teach vocabulary Repeat and clarify directions Differentiate instruction and assignments Utilize alternative assessments: oral, multiple choice, computer based, read aloud (except reading tests) Provide preferential seating/flexible seating arrangements Frequent progress monitoring and feedback to student on progress Incorporate incentives and reward systems, including student graphing of progress Instruct students in study skills, note taking; model these skills during instruction Use checklists, teacher check ins, calendars, and project organizers to break down long term assignments Break down tasks into manageable steps Utilize peer buddy systems for study groups or homework check ins Provide homework logs and journals for homework follow up Utilize technology and computer assisted instruction Teach students to use graphic organizers Provide manipulatives Arrange partner or small group instruction Develop student contracts or academic improvement plans Provide reference tools, web sites and textbooks for homework support Offer a copy of teacher or peer notes, PowerPoint presentations, and/or note taking templates Provide study guides Allow extended time for tests that determine a student s knowledge and mastery of content Provide a scribe when needed to assess student knowledge Allow the use of word processing for assignments and assessments 2

4 Provide scheduled or unscheduled breaks Reduce assignments requiring copying Cue student prior to transitions Use rubrics and models/exemplars of completed assignments and projects Schedule after or before school help sessions Employ flexible or cluster groupings Co teaching Tape lectures and discussions for students to replay Behavioral Intervention Strategies Post classroom expectations in view of all students Teach behavioral expectations across settings and review/reteach following school vacations Arrange seating to prevent behavioral difficulties Develop student contracts or individual behavior improvement plans with motivating incentives Utilize charts and graphs to monitor expectations Adjust classroom management strategies Include movement breaks and energizers during instructional periods Incorporate stress reduction activities Remove distractions Provide self monitoring check lists, coaching, and strategies Increase student teacher interaction Parent communication and shared incentives Define clear and consistent expectations Use charts and graphs to monitor student progress toward expectations Organizational Strategies Provide daily visual schedule and agenda Provide all assignments in writing Utilize flexible groups Implement a frequent progress monitoring system with students Use cooperative learning strategies Increase parent communication, share common strategies between school and home 3

5 Choose and use graphic organizers with students Check often for understanding/review Have student repeat directions Use study sheets to organize material Create long term assignment timelines Coordinate a homework buddy system Provide a copy of teacher or peer notes, PowerPoint presentations, and/or note taking templates Check homework planner for accurate recording of assignments Post homework and assignments on line Provide student with weekly print out of grades and any missing assignments Send parents weekly or biweekly progress reports Materials Adjust arrangement of material on page Audio books; textbooks in digital format Use study guides Use supplementary materials to support key concepts Offer large print Provide marker to guide reading Offer large graph paper for math Provide pencil grips Require all students to use an assignment notebook Access to computers for written assignments Allow use of calculator 4

6 Assignments Give directions in small distinct steps (written/picture/verbal) Reduce paper and pencil tasks Use pictorial directions Give extra cues and prompts Allow student to record or type assignment Adapt worksheets, packets Testing Adaptations Give test orally Provide an alternate assessment or reduced number of problems Provide visual directions Read test to student Preview language of test questions Extend time limits Administer in short periods Change visual format of test Administer in large print format Allow student to dictate answers to a scribe MERSD Resources for Teacher Professional Development: The MERSD offers a variety of teacher trainings throughout the school year and summer. A teacher professional development committee meets several times per year to determine offerings. Resources include: MERSD U Professional Development Committee Early Release Wednesday Trainings Extended Wednesday Trainings Summer Curriculum Projects Skillful Teacher Course Salem State Collaborative Mentor Mentee Program 5

7 MERSD Instructional Support Teams: Instructional support teams are building based groups of teachers and counselors who meet regularly to problem solve learning challenges for individual students. These teams recommend strategies, monitor interventions, and work collaboratively to identify appropriate building resources for children with learning, attendance, and/or social emotional challenges. MERSD Building Based Resources: Each building in the District provides a variety of resources to support general education students with learning challenges. Resources include the following: All Buildings Essex Elementary Memorial Elementary MERMS MERHS Specialist consultation School psychologist, OT, Targeted Reading Support Targeted Reading Support Co Teaching (ELA only) Co Teaching (grade 9/10) PT, Speech, Behavior specialist Guidance or school adjustment counseling Individual and small group Targeted Math Support Targeted Math Support Title I Math Instruction Learning Center Special education teacher consult AIMS Web progress monitoring AIMS Web progress monitoring Learning Center MCAS Prep Courses Social skills group Social skills group Developmental Peer Tutoring Guidance Title I Support Developmental Guidance 6