Program Profile: PreK-12 Adapted Curriculum
Details and data for the 2023-24 School Year
Program Overview
The PreK-12 Adapted Curriculum program consists of a program manager, 2 educational specialists, and 4 curriculum resource teachers. The program manager who oversees both PreK-12 Adapted Curriculum and the Special Education Instruction programs. The PreK-12 Adapted Curriculum program helps to ensure that the school system is meeting the needs of the students with disabilities as outlined by State and Federal regulations and guidelines.
The PreK-12 Adapted Curriculum program, under the Office of Special Education Instruction (OSEI), provides direct and indirect support to schools in the instruction of students with the low incidence disabilities of autism, intellectual disabilities, intellectual disabilities severe, and physical disabilities who access an adapted curriculum. Special education services for students with low incidence disabilities are individualized based on student needs. Students with low incidence disabilities who are receiving instruction on an adapted curriculum may exhibit moderate to significant delays in the areas of language, communication, cognition, socialization, and adaptive functioning. These students may or may not experience other disabilities that have a secondary impact on educational progress. As a result of their disabilities, the students accessing the adapted curriculum often need significant modifications and adaptations to the general education curriculum to demonstrate educational progress.
The Adapted Curriculum program works with schools to ensure the provision of a free appropriate public education (FAPE) in the least restrictive environment (LRE) for students with low incidence disabilities who are accessing an adapted curriculum. The services and support provided to students with low incidence disabilities are governed by the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act 2004 and the Regulations Governing Special Education Programs for Children with Disabilities in Virginia link: https://www.doe.virginia.gov/programs-services/special-education/regulations-laws-policies
The Adapted Curriculum program provides support to schools through the activities listed below.
- Professional development in the areas of essential literacy and math, life skills, classroom management, behavior management, assessment, evidence-based practices, and data collection.
- Assisting teachers in meeting the individual needs of students with a focus on research- based instructional resources and methodologies and previewing newly developed research-based commercial resources.
- Providing direct support to teachers on ways to adapt curriculum and instructional materials to address individual student learning needs.
- Classroom consultations and coaching to provide support and professional development to teachers on topics related to instruction, classroom management, and positive behavior programming.
- Consultations with school administrators to address program development, program modifications, and instructional oversight.
- Instructional, behavioral, and material support during extended school year (ESY) services.
Instructional Program
Services for students with disabilities who are accessing an adapted curriculum are delivered based on a continuum of placement options that include base schools, cluster programs, and public day sites. Instructional goals and placement decisions are based on individual needs as specified in students' individualized education programs (IEP). Special education services range from receiving support in the general education settings to specialized instruction in self contained special education classes. The academic instructional program for students receiving instruction based on an adapted curriculum is guided by the general education curriculum as defined through the Virginia Essentialized Standards of Learning (VESOL). Teachers provide academic instruction that is individualized, based upon students' current level of performance and rate of learning.
There is an additional instructional focus on life skills necessary for, and relevant to, independent functioning with the intent of allowing each student to reach their highest possible level of independence.
- The focus of instructional programming is to develop core academic knowledge, improve social skills, target, and teach appropriate behaviors, and develop critical career and work skills in preparation for a productive adult life.
- Community-based instruction (CBI) is a key component of educational programming for students with disabilities receiving instruction on an adapted curriculum. CBI gives students the opportunity to develop both life skills and work skills in a variety of natural settings.
- High school students on an adapted curriculum who are working towards an Applied Studies diploma can participate in special education courses, including Foundations courses for English, Science, U.S. and Virginia History, and World History. These courses are designed to provide students with the opportunity to participate in the general education content where the curriculum is adapted and is focused on the Virginia Essentialized Standards of Learning (VESOL) as well as on the goals included in the students’ IEP.
Fairfax County Public Schools provides services for school-aged students with low-incidence disabilities at all elementary, middle, secondary, and high school locations. A student’s IEP team may determine that a student requires services at a school other than their base school depending on the student’s needs and the services required.
State Assessments
The Regulations Governing Special Education Programs for Children with Disabilities in Virginia require that all students with disabilities participate in the Virginia Assessment System either through the Standards of Learning (SOL) assessments or the Virginia Alternate Assessment Program (VAAP). Students with disabilities may participate in the SOL assessments in the same manner that nondisabled students participate, or they may participate in the SOL assessments with standard or non-standard accommodations. Students with significant cognitive disabilities may participate in the VAAP in grades 3 through 8, 10, and 11. Additional information on state assessments can be found at:
https://www.fcps.edu/student-tests-and-assessments/student-assessment-details
Criterion Referenced Assessments
The Brigance® Inventories are a set of comprehensive, criterion- referenced assessments approved for use in FCPS that measure developmental and academic progress from birth to adult. These assessments are conducted twice a year by teachers working with students receiving instruction based on an adapted curriculum. Data obtained by these assessments is used to document student growth and to develop students’ IEP goals. Teachers select the appropriate subtests from the assessment batteries listed below to assess the progress of students receiving instruction on an adapted curriculum.
- Inventory of Early Development (IED) III: Designed for students performing below the developmental level of a typical 5- to 8-year-old.
- Comprehensive Inventory of Basic Skills - Reading/ELA and Mathematics (CIBS II): Designed for students performing at grade level PreK-9.
- Transition Skills Inventory: Designed for students at the secondary level. Informal Assessments: Informal assessments are intended to provide more detailed data to guide daily instruction. Informal assessments are content-specific tools which can be teacher-developed or may be a part of a commercial academic instructional program.
Examples of informal assessment used in FCPS include:
- Ongoing assessments built-in to specialized instructional programs,
- Emergent Reading Checklist,
- Basic Math Assessment,
- Concepts Assessment,
- Social Skills Checklist,
- Life Skills Checklist,
- Building Independence and Self-Advocacy Checklist, and
- Teacher-Developed Checklists.
The instructional program for students with autism, intellectual disabilities, intellectual disabilities severe, and physical disabilities who are accessing an adapted curriculum is aligned with the FCPS Program of Studies and the Virginia Essentialized Standards of Learning (VESOL). The Office of Special Education Instruction recommends specialized instructional materials and resources to meet the individual learning needs of students with disabilities who are accessing an adapted curriculum.
FCPS Developed Curriculum Resources
- Modified resources for the Student Rights and Responsibilities.
- Adapted Sexual and Gender Based Harassment training for students in grades 7- 12 to supplement the Supplemental Training on Bullying and Discriminatory Harassment for Students in Grades 7- 12.
- Modified Family Life Education (FLE) Curriculum for grades 5-12.
- Community-Based Instruction Manual.
Commercially Developed Resources
A comprehensive list of recommended instructional resources is available for teachers to meet the individual needs of students instructed on an adapted curriculum. A variety of FCPS approved instructional programs and supplementary materials are included which address content and life skills instruction. All students receive instruction in the core content areas of reading and math. Instruction is provided using evidence-based practices and, as appropriate, using one of the evidence-based programs listed below.
Reading Programs
- Reading Mastery
- Corrective Reading Comprehension
- Corrective Reading Decoding
- Early Literacy Skills Builder (elementary)
- Early Literacy Skills Builder for Older Students (secondary)
- Early Reading Skills Builder (ERSB)
- Language for Learning (elementary)
- PCI Reading Program
- Pathways to Literacy (elementary)
- CARS & STARS (supplemental)
English Language Arts
- Teaching to Standards: Language Arts (secondary)
- Access Language Arts: Write Curriculum (secondary)
Mathematics Programs
- Access Algebra (secondary)
- Connecting Math Concepts
- Early Numeracy Curriculum (elementary)
- Hands-On Math (supplemental)
- Math Skills Builder (secondary and supplemental)
- Teaching to Standards: Math (secondary)
Science Programs
- Early Science Curriculum (elementary)
- Teaching to Standards: Science (secondary)
The Adapted Curriculum team will continue to support teachers in the best practices of instruction for students accessing an adapted curriculum.
Goal 1
During the 2023-24 school year, the adapted curriculum team will provide instructional and behavioral best practices training to staff. Training will be provided using multiple formats including in-person and virtual. Additionally, the team will provide a four-part hands on training series for paraprofessionals to improve staff efficacy. Data sources will include the number of trainings and participants as well as feedback collected from the participants.
Goal 2
During the 2023-24 school year, the adapted curriculum will continue to develop and refine resources/ lessons to support instruction in Virginia Essentialized Standards of Learning (VESOL). Data sources will include the number of resources/lessons created to support VESOL instruction and the number of school visits across the six regions.
Goal 1
During the 2022-23 school year, the Adapted Curriculum team will develop and provide professional development and resources to support instructional staff in providing literacy instruction based on Science of Reading (SOR) for students accessing the adapted curriculum. Data sources will include the number of trainings and participants, and support visits for teachers and school teams.
During the 2022-23 school year, the adapted curriculum team conducted 10 trainings on Science of Reading (SOR) and trained 181 teachers through the SOR trainings. Additionally, the team provided in-person and virtual support to instructional staff and school teams 1,149 times across 5 regions.
Goal 2
During the 2022-23 school year, the Adapted Curriculum Development team in collaboration with the ESY and Assessment team will develop lesson plans and resources to support the instruction of the Virginia Essentialized Standards of Learning (VESOL). Data sources will include a number of lesson plans/units and other resources for reading, mathematics, science, and social studies.
During the 2022-23 school year, the Adapted Curriculum Development team created 28 units for reading, 28 units for math and 21 units for science to support the instruction on Virginia Essentialized Standards of Learning (VESOL). Additional resources created include quarterly and weekly pacing guides for reading, math and science for elementary and secondary levels.
Contact: Jugnu Agrawal, [email protected]
