Domain II — Promoting Student Learning and Development

This field guide outlines an integrated framework to embed equity efforts into school-wide positive behavioral interventions and supports (SWPBIS) by aligning culturally responsive practices to the core components of SWPBIS. The goal of using this guide is to make school systems more responsive to the cultures and communities that they serve. This guide is part of a 5-point intervention approach for enhancing equity in student outcomes within a SWPBIS approach.

TEA, "Administrator Companion Document to the Rubric of Effective Practices for Students with Complex Access Needs": Texas SPED Support

This companion document to the Rubric of Effective Practices for Students with Significant Cognitive Disabilities provides administrators with best practices to facilitate learning for students with complex access needs and the evidence that they should see if practices are implemented.

TEA, "Self-Determination TEKS Alignment": Texas SPED Support

Organized by grade band and subject area, the TEKS Alignment Collection outlines the knowledge and skills that align with self-determination as defined by the research of Dr. Michael Wehmeyer and The National Gateway to Self-Determination Project. Educators may use the Self-Determination Alignment Collection to consider where self-determination skills are addressed in each content area or to develop standards based annual individualized education program (IEP) goals for a specific student.

In this course, you will first develop an understanding of the literacy needs of individuals with autism as the foundation for framing their instruction. Using video examples, we will then share specific strategies for engaging individuals with autism in increasing complex text and academic content, and supporting students in applying literacy skills to their social experiences.

In this video, an educator reviews how she uses the Curriculum Framework documents.

TEA, "Vertical Alignment": Texas SPED Support

This updated training module provides a rationale for intensive intervention and an overview of data-based individualization (DBI), NCII’s approach to providing intensive intervention, and lessons learned from implementing DBI. DBI is a research-based process for individualizing validated interventions through the systematic use of assessment data to determine when and how to intensify intervention. Includes slides and a workbook as well as related resources. 

NCII, through a collaboration with the University of Connecticut and the National Center on Leadership in Intensive Intervention and with support from the CEEDAR Center, developed course content focused on enhancing educators’ skills in using explicit instruction. This course includes four modules that can support faculty and professional development providers with instructing pre-service and in-service educators who are learning to implement explicit instruction. 

This module explores the importance of scaffolding and modeling for students as they learn new skills and strategies. 1 hour.

TEA, "Standards-Based Individualized Education Program (IEP) Process Training": Texas SPED Support

The intent of this training is to provide participants with an understanding of the SB IEP process for gathering student data, including the full and individual evaluation (FIE), to write the student’s present levels of academic achievement and functional performance (PLAAFP) statement, to draft measurable annual goals with short-term objectives/benchmarks, if appropriate, and to create a data collection system for monitoring progress of the annual goals.

This question and answer document is intended to provide guidance and best practices to local educational agencies (LEAs) regarding how to approach the development of annual IEP goals and ultimately write and monitor them to meet the above requirements. Therefore, when TEA refers to “measurable” annual goals, it includes both the requirement that the goals indeed be measurable, but they must also be focused on each individual student to ensure they are individualized and challenging enough to result in meaningful progress.

TEA, "Language and Communication Focused IEPs": Texas SPED Support

This 11-part course program series is intended to prepare educators and school administrators on how to use the IEP Discussion Guide in the best way possible. Each course covers a chapter in the IEP Discussion Guide.

Welcome to A Step Toward IEP Quality and Rigor: A Rubric to Guide Development of Present Levels of Academic Achievement and Functional Performance (PLAAFP), Goals/Objectives, and Progress Monitoring Methods of the Individualized Education Program for Students with Significant Cognitive Disabilities.

This 30 minute course is intended to explain the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) definition of present levels of academic achievement and functional performance (PLAAFP) statements, explain the critical role of the present levels statement in the development of a high-quality individualized education program (IEP), identify tips for developing present levels statements that promote progress and identify resources to learn more about PLAAFP statements

During this 30 minute webinar, Alex Marken and Dr. Mitch Yell from the PROGRESS Center and Christopher Colosimo from Elkhorn Area School District (WI) provide an overview of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)’s requirements for measurable annual goals, explain the critical role that goals play in the development of a high-quality IEP, share essential elements for goal writing, and identify tips for developing goals that promote progress for students with disabilities.

 

The American Institutes of Research, PROGRESS Center, " IDEA and the IEP: From Compliance to PROGRESS"

This 30 minute course provides an overview of the seven required components of the individualized education program (IEP) as outlined in the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). It explains how the required components of an IEP are interconnected and critically important for developing high-quality educational programming for students with disabilities, provides tips for developing IEPs that promote progress, and shares resources to learn more. This course is part of a larger series on IEPs.

 

 

 

Explore the Texas AT Support website, a vast library of essential tools and support for educators to enhance learning for students with diverse needs. You’ll discover valuable information on how to integrate these assistive technologies effectively, including guides on selecting the right tools, training materials for both students and staff, and examples of best practices.

 

 

TEA, "Working with Paraprofessionals" :Texas SPED Support

This video provides educators with the essential strategies for successful collaboration with paraprofessionals in the classroom. Additional insights will be provided to clarify roles and responsibilities, consistent communication, and the need for continuous professional development.

The Collaboration and Flexible Grouping Educator Collection courses offer multiple learning opportunities focused on strengthening partnerships to enhance collaboration, co-teaching best practices, effective data-driven decision-making, and student-centered small group planning and implementation.

BridgingApps 

A network providing review information on apps designed to assist users in meeting a specific need.

Explore the Texas AT Support website, a vast library of essential tools and support for educators to enhance learning for students with diverse needs. You’ll discover valuable information on how to integrate these assistive technologies effectively, including guides on selecting the right tools, training materials for both students and staff, and examples of best practices.

Assistive Technology Industry Association (ATIA)

TEA makes available a state subscription to the Assistive Technology Industry Association (ATIA) for all Texas educators and families of students with disabilities. This subscription provides free, unlimited access to ATIA professional development, which includes live and recorded offerings by national experts on a variety of topics across the spectrum of the assistive technology industry sectors.

The special education teacher knows how to promote students’ educational performance in all content areas by facilitating their achievement in a variety of settings and situations.

The HLPs are organized into four domains: Collaboration, Data-Driven Planning, Instruction in Behavior and Academics, and Intensify and Intervene as Needed. Each domain has pillars and embedded practices infused with culturally inclusive pedagogies. This site will provide the initial grounding and thinking for how professionals can think about HLPs, reorient toward the most essential (pillar) practices, and demonstrate how the remaining HLPs (embedded) practices function to support implementation.  HLPs are meant for ALL educators to support all students hence resources are provided for a variety of roles of those implementing practices.

This video clearly defines and differentiates between accommodations and modifications in the educational setting, offering practical examples for each. Educators and instructional leaders will gain a comprehensive understanding of how to effectively implement these strategies to meet the diverse needs of students, fostering an inclusive learning environment.

TEA, "Specially Designed Instruction": Texas SPED Support

This video offers educators valuable insights and practical examples to understand and implement the Specially Designed Instruction (SDI) essential for enabling students with disabilities to access and make progress in the general curriculum. Additionally, it delves into related concepts like accommodations, modifications, differentiated instruction, and high-yield instructional strategies, which play distinct roles in supporting diverse learners.

TEA, "Specially Designed Instruction (SDI) Accommodation Companion Guides" 

This companion document is intended to be used as a reference for educators. It describes tools that align with accommodations that may be included in some Individualized Education Programs (IEPs), Section 504 Accommodation Plans, and/or linguistic accommodations for Emergent Bilinguals. A general description of the accommodation and examples of how this could appear in a student learning plan is provided to allow educators to see the connection between some accommodations that students may receive and the digital resources available to implement those supports. This is not an exhaustive list of accommodations that may be documented in a student learning plan; it is simply a list of a few high leverage tools.

In this course, you will get a basic overview of the UDL framework, including its structure, curricular components, and the research behind it. You will understand the alignment between the three brain networks for learning and the three UDL guiding principles. This course is the first of five modules in which you will explore a teacher’s journey through several days of professional learning and self-reflection. 

University of Florida, CEEDAR Center " Reimagining Classroom Experiences to Maximize Student Engagement" 

This webinar focuses on engaging all learners through active classroom experiences. Participants will learn a variety of strategies to build relationships with students, create a learning environment that encourages active participation, and check for student understanding – all of which maximize student outcomes. We will discuss informal and deliberate methods to assess what students are learning during instruction to collect data and make informed decisions.

The American Institute of Research, PROGRESS Center  "Finding Just the Right AT" 

 In this video, Andrea Boykin, PhD, a manager of assistive technology (AT) for the District of Columbia Public Schools (DCPS), explains the process for identifying the proper assistive technology for students.

The Texas Education Code (TEC) §38.0031 mandates the development of a Classroom Technology Plan specifically designed to support students with dyslexia. This guide aims to provide educators, administrators, and stakeholders with a comprehensive understanding of the legislative requirements and the practical steps necessary to integrate effective technological solutions in the classroom. By leveraging these technologies, schools can create an inclusive learning environment that accommodates the unique needs of students with dyslexia, ultimately enhancing their educational experience and academic success.

The IRIS Center, Peabody College, Vanderbilt University "Student Centered Transition Planning: 

This 2-hour online module will help users to better understand the benefits of student-centered transition planning, identify ways to involve students in collecting assessment information and developing goals, and be able to prepare students to lead their own IEP meetings.

TEA, "Next Steps to Independence: Skills and Strategies": Texas SPED Support

The Next Steps checklist can also serve as an informal transition assessment for self-determination skills. It is divided by age and grade ranges, starting with Birth to Age 3 and ending with 18+ (Ages 18-22), highlighting critical developmental milestones.

TEA ”Mathematic Tasks For Students with Motor Difficulties”: Texas SPED Support

In this video, Cheryl Jorgensen, an expert on inclusion for students with the most complex access needs, addresses mathematics tasks for students with motor difficulties. This video aligns with the Rubric of Effective Practices from TX CAN Indicator IV: Differentiated Instruction.

This module offers a description of related services and an overview of the benefits they provide to students with disabilities in the general education classroom. It highlights five commonly used related services (Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Speech-Language Pathology Services, Social Work Services, and Psychological Services) and briefly highlights many of the other related services as identified through IDEA '04.

The Collaboration and Flexible Grouping Educator Collection courses offer multiple learning opportunities focused on strengthening partnerships to enhance collaboration, co-teaching best practices, effective data-driven decision-making, and student-centered small group planning and implementation.

K. Knows how to provide community-referenced and community-based instruction as appropriate.

L. Knows how to design and implement instruction in independent living skills, vocational skills and career education for students with physical and health disabilities and how to promote the use of medical self-management procedures for students with specialized health care needs.

The special education teacher understands and applies knowledge of issues and procedures for teaching appropriate student behavior and social skills.

 

U.S. Department of Education, Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports 

This website that supports schools, districts, and states to build systems capacity for implementing a multi-tiered approach to social, emotional and behavior support to improve the effectiveness, efficiency, and equity of schools and other agencies. PBIS improves social, emotional, and academic outcomes for all students, including students with disabilities and students from underrepresented groups by offering a variety of videos, professional development webinars, tools, publications and forums.

Developed specifically with primary and intermediate elementary teachers in mind (e.g., K-5th grade), this module reviews the major components of a classroom behavior management plan (including rules, procedures, and consequences) and guides users through the steps of creating their own classroom behavior management plan (est. completion time: 2 hours).

NCII, through a collaboration with the University of Connecticut and the National Center on Leadership in Intensive Intervention and with support from the CEEDAR Center and PBIS Center, developed course content focused on enhancing educators’ skills in behavior support for intensive intervention. The course includes eight modules that can support faculty and professional development providers with instructing pre-service and in-service educators’ knowledge of behavioral theory and skills in designing and delivering effective behavioral supports for students with intensive needs.

TEA, “Social Skills Training Module”: Texas SPED Support

Social skills training (SST) involves group or individual instruction designed to teach learners to appropriately interact with typically developing peers. Most social skills meetings include instruction on basic concepts, role-playing or practice, and feedback to help learners acquire and practice communication, play, or social skills to promote positive interactions with peers. Participants will be able to: Define social skills training Identify what skills to teach using social skills training Identify the steps for implementing social skills training.

TEA, "Communication: The Power of Communication for Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders": Texas SPED Support

This webinar course focuses on essentials of communication. The ability to communicate is essential. This core deficit of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) must be addressed. Here you will learn about communication needs, strategies, and interventions. Case studies are provided covering students across the autism spectrum including non-verbal, emerging verbal and verbal communicators.

U.S. Department of Education, Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports "Comprehensive Functional Behavior Assessment Guide" 

The purpose of this practice guide is to help teams conduct a comprehensive functional behavior assessment, develop a function-linked behavior intervention/support plan, and make data-based decisions. Functional behavior assessments help teams to identify the relation of targeted serious and intense (i.e., challenging) behavior to the environmental events that occur before and after the behavior is performed.

U.S. Department of Education, Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports "Forum 2020 Comprehensive FBA/BIP Practices" 

This session will describe essential practices for supporting students with more intensive behavioral support needs, introducing Prevent-Teach-Reinforce (PTR) as team-based comprehensive Functional Behavior Assessment/ Behavior Support Plan model. PTR is research-based and includes a manualized protocol consisting of collaborative team processes, coaching structures, fidelity measures, and daily progress monitoring tools. Case examples from elementary and high schools will be shared.

The TIER Behavior module comprises eight pathways, or trainings. These pathways aid educators in implementing evidence-based practices for behavior within a multi-tiered system of supports (MTSS) framework.

The special education teacher understands and applies knowledge of transition issues and procedures across the life span.

The purpose of this training is to give Texas educators the information and tools needed to plan a coordinated set of activities, also known as the transition services for students with disabilities.

This training package was developed collaboratively with staff from the ECTA Center and the Western Regional Resource Center (WRRC) in response to the need expressed from state and local providers to have specific information and resources about developing Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP) outcomes and Individualized Education Program (IEP) goals for early childhood settings. This revised training package includes a set of six fully scripted power point presentations, handouts, activities, and supplemental materials as well as how several stated have used and adapted the materials.

In this video, Ayo Jones covers easing student transitions to new educational settings. This video aligns with the Rubric of Effective Practices from TX CAN Indicator II: Effective Teams - Component 12.

Recorded webinar by experts in the field of transition and 18+, Dr. Vickie Mitchell and Dr. Christina Gushanaus. This webinar is intended to assist local education agencies (LEA) in defining what 18+ programs are, what they are not, and best practices as supported by national experts.

 

U.S. Department of Education, Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports "Teaching Behavior: Managing Classrooms with Effective Instruction" 

This session targets specific teacher instructional behaviors with evidence for increasing student success around both academics and behavior. Considerations for implementation in typical classrooms and video examples will be used to clarify processes and procedures.

The IRIS Center, Peabody College, Vanderbilt University" Student Centered Transition Planning" 

This module will help users to better understand the benefits of student-centered transition planning, identify ways to involve students in collecting assessment information and developing goals, and be able to prepare students to actively participate in their own IEP meetings.