NYC Promotion Policy Updates Division of Specialized Instruction

NYC Promotion Policy Updates Division of Specialized Instruction and Student Support October 2017

Outcomes Participants will: • Understand explore how promotion benchmarks and multiple measures support all students • Understand explore the changes in promotion policy for students with disabilities who are held to modified promotion criteria • Support the change in promotion policy for students with disabilities 2

What is Promotion? • Promotion is the process by which teachers determine if students are ready for and have mastered enough content and skills to be successful in the next grade level. • The NYCDOE’s student promotion policy serves the important role of ensuring that students have the supports they need to build a strong foundation in math and literacy before entering the next grade level. • Chancellor’s Regulation A-501 details the promotion policies and procedures for all NYCDOE schools. 3

What We Know About Promotion Policy in NYC • High expectations with appropriate support sets students up to be successful. • When students struggle, we need to increase intervention and support vs decreasing expectations. • Modified promotion criteria only exists in NYC and is not part of NYSED guidance or IDEIA. • Modified promotion criteria exists only in grades 3 -8. Far too many students with disabilities in grades 3 -8 are held to modified promotion criteria. • All students participating in standard assessment in high school are held to standard promotion criteria, which is based on credit accumulation/course work and exams. 4

What We Know About Promotion Policy in NYC • 2014 changes to A-501: introduction of the integrated use of multiple measures, including a holistic assessment of student work and students’ demonstration of sufficient progress toward attaining NYSED Learning Standards. • Promotion benchmarks are the academic standards students must meet to be promoted to the next grade level at the end of the school year. • Students are assessed holistically, using multiple measures, such as State test scores, grades, report cards, samples of student writing, oral projects, written assignments, and other performance-based student work. • State test scores may not be the primary or major factor in promotion decisions. 5

Promotion Implementation Guide • Read Promotion Implementation Guide • Pages 1 to the top of page 4 • Page 5 to the top of page 7 • Bottom of page 7 to the middle of page 8 6

Promotion Implementation Guide • After reading, consider the following: • Why should most students with IEPs now be held to standard promotion criteria? • Define promotion benchmarks. • Define multiple measures. • What new options are now available through multiple pathways to support students towards successful graduation? • What do you know about your schools’ promotion benchmarks and use of multiple measures? • How are promotion benchmarks and multiple measures conveyed to students and parents? • How students know they are making progress? 7

Promotion Implementation Guide • 2017 -2018 Promotion Implementation Guide will be updated and released in November. • If schools are not talking about promotion benchmarks and the use of multiple measures, this is the first place to start! • Decisions about promotion criteria are part of transition planning and ensuring that students are provided with the supports and skills for success in high school, including achieving the highest diploma objective possible. 8

Promotion Implementation Guide • Key Ideas: • Standard promotion criteria is defined as sufficient progress toward promotion benchmarks as determined by multiple measures. • Most students with disabilities can be held to standard promotion criteria. • Multiple measures support students in demonstrating their understanding in a variety of ways that support strengths and required skills. 9

2017 -2018 Changes in Promotion Policy for Students with Disabilities • 3 Sections: • Background and Goals • Promotion Criteria Decision Making • Modified Promotion Criteria and Professional Development & Support • Guiding Questions and Protocols • Background and Goals: • Why is it important to use multiple measures to assess student progress toward promotion benchmarks? • How does this support what we know about students with disabilities? • Promotion Criteria Decision Making: • How do these questions support IEP teams, grade teams, SITs in determining if a student can be held to standard promotion criteria? 10

2017 -2018 Changes in Promotion Policy for Students with Disabilities • Modified Promotion Criteria and Professional Development & Support • Questions and Assumptions Protocol • Examine the text and identify questions and assumptions. Record one per sticky note. • Place sticky notes on wall/chart paper. • Reflect on the assumptions. • What trends or themes do you see? • How do these assumptions impact the shift in mindset and practice that needs to occur? 11

2017 -2018 Changes in Promotion Policy for Students with Disabilities • Key Ideas: • When students struggle, we increase intervention versus lowering our expectations. • Very few students require modified promotion criteria. • IEP teams, including parents, meet to carefully consider how promotion criteria supports student progress. 12

Promotion Criteria in SESIS 13

Promotion Criteria in SESIS If a student is to be held to Standard Promotion Criteria, select Standard for both Current Year and Next Year. 14

Promotion Criteria in SESIS If selecting Modified Promotion Criteria, continue with the following steps… After selecting Modified, a dropdown menu will populate. Use the dropdown to select Multiple Criteria NOT Multiple Criteria and Modification of Achievement of Performance Standards. 15

Promotion Criteria in SESIS Here, a statement of rationale for modified promotion criteria must be entered. Additionally, a statement that promotion is based on meeting the appropriately rigorous skill-based literacy and math annual goals must be written in this box. 16

Promotion Criteria in the IEP PLOP Measurable Annual Goals Recommended Programs Participation in State and Services Assessments Individualized, rigorous goals Appropriate services are aligned to the NY Learning provided given the amount of Evidence of a Standards; goals addressing support required for the student’s rate of Promotion Criteria is only the areas of need for literacy student to meet his/her Annual progress and the required for students who and math are used to Goals. effect of disability are participate in Standard determine promotion. described in the PLOP Supplementary Aids and Assessment. and provide the Progress reports must be Services include the rationale for a student completed for each goal interventions, multiple requiring modified along with support measures and instructional promotion criteria. communication to parents supports a student requires to around promotion in doubt. meet his/her Annual Goals. 17

Getting Help 18

Getting Help 19

Timeline • Review Timeline • Prioritizing: • Review promotion criteria for students who had modified criteria for the 1617 SY but met standard promotion criteria and ensure the IEPs for these students reflect standard promotion criteria. • Review promotion criteria for students whose IEPs currently have modified promotion criteria, if the students should be held to standard promotion criteria given the new policy, schedule IEP meetings. • Ensure all IEPs reflect the appropriate supports and interventions that will be implemented to facilitate student progress and achievement. 20

Additional Resources • Guidance for schools on how to have conversations with families about promotion criteria. • FAQ on promotion policy for students with disabilities. • Continue checking the Promotion for Students with Disabilities page on the intranet. • Examples of IEPs 21

Reminders • Use the materials from today. • Continue to read P Weekly for updates and additional resources. • Check the intranet. https: //intranet. nycboe. net/Special. Populations/Special. Ed/pd/deviep/promotionfo rstudentswithdisabilities. htm • If you need support or you have questions, please reach out to our office. 22

Intranet 23