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District clarifies special-education expectations and accommodations for STAAR
Summary
The director of special programs explained how special-education eligibility and accommodations affect STAAR participation and growth expectations; district leaders said SPED students are expected to make more than a year's growth and the district will support SPED teachers through PLCs and coaching.
Kristine Johnson, the district official over special programs, explained special-education participation rules and what they mean for interpreting STAAR results. She said students qualify for services when they require specially designed instruction and that, by definition, many students receiving services are not on grade level when they enter special education; as a result, SPED growth expectations differ from general-education metrics.
Johnson said, "So when we're looking at those students, we're expecting them to make more than a year's growth in a year," and described supports — PLCs, targeted coaching and efforts to recruit certified SPED teachers — intended to raise performance. Trustees and principals noted difficulty recruiting SPED-certified staff, an increase in students needing specialized pull-out support at middle grades, and the district plans to report a more detailed breakdown in August.
