Meeting Every Student

1
Meeting Every Students NeedsAlternate Routes
to Graduation

• Nick Smith, Deputy Superintendent
• School Support Services
• www.sde.idaho.gov

2

History and Background

• In Idaho, students must pass the 10th grade Idaho
  Standards Achievement Test (ISAT) in reading,
  language usage, mathematics,
• Students who entered high school in Fall 2009
  must also achieve proficient on the Science ISAT.
  
• Students who do not pass one or more subject
  areas of the test may appeal to their local
  school district to use an alternative pathway to
  graduation.
• Currently students must be in the fall semester
  of senior year of high school to make an appeal.
• Students with disabilities or English Language
  Learners (ELL) may submit an appeal at an earlier
  grade level.

3
History and Background

• Idaho school districts are required to develop a
  plan for an alternative pathway at the point that
  a student makes such an appeal.
• Those plans must be submitted to the State Board
  of Education for review.
• The plans must meet the IDAPA Rules Governing
  Thoroughness 08.02.03.105
• 90 percent of the criteria of the measure(s) must
  be based on academic proficiency and performance
• The measure(s) must be aligned to a minimum of
  10th grade content standards and aligned to the
  subject matter
• The measure(s) must be valid and reliable.

4
History and Background

• Idaho is one of 23 states in the nation that
  require students to pass an exit exam in order to
  receive a high school diploma.
• All these 23 states have also identified
  alternative pathways to graduation for student
  with disabilities.
• 18 of 23 states have alternative pathways for
  general education students.
• All 23 states have alternative pathways for ELL
  students.

5
Types of Plans in Idaho

• Alternative Tests (8 School Districts)
• District identifies at least one alternative test
  that students can use in place of the ISAT, i.e.,
  Idaho Alternative Assessment, EOCs, ACT, SAT,
  etc.
• I-PLN (17 school districts)
• Districts allow students to use the results of
  their work on PLATO modules to demonstrate
  proficiency on areas of the ISAT that they have
  failed to pass.
• Multiple Options (6 school districts)
• The district provides at least one non-test
  option for demonstrating proficiency. District
  provides more than one way for students to
  demonstrate proficiency.
• Includes ISAT courses, performance measures and
  student grades.
• Multiple Measures (17 school districts)
• District compiles information from multiple
  sources to determine students eligibility for a
  diploma.
• Includes student grades, portfolios, senior
  projects, attendance, work-based learning
  experiences, and recommendations from teachers.

6
Recommendations For Change

• The State Board of Education requested Education
  Northwest perform an analysis and study of
  Idahos Alternate Pathways to graduation.
• As a result, the Office of the State Board of
  Education staff have submitted revisions to IDAPA
  08.02.03.105.

7
Recommendations For Change

• Revisions to IDAPA 08.02.03.105 include
• Earlier identification of students
• Fall semester of the junior year rather than fall
  semester of the senior year.
• Require plans to contain multiple measures of
  student achievement.

8
Developing a Quality Alternative Pathway to
Graduation Plan

• At least 90 of the criteria of the measures
  should be based on academic proficiency.
• A majority of measures should be aligned with
  content standards.
• Plan should ensure validity and reliability.
• Plan should include multiple measures for
  demonstrating proficiency.

9
Developing a Quality Alternative Pathways to
Graduation Plan

• Plan should provide information about how
  students will be identified and provide for early
  identification.
• Plan should provide information about early
  opportunities for remediation.
• Plan should provide information about explicit
  alternatives for students with disabilities, IEP
  or 504 plans and English Language Learners.

10
Rating of Plans

• Education Northwest reviewed all plans currently
  on file with the State Board of Education.
• Of those reviewed, 9 received a high rating
  indicating that they were closely aligned to
  these standards.
• Blaine County School District
• Cassia County School District
• Dietrich School District
• Emmett School District
• Firth School District
• Hagerman School District
• Lake Pend Oreille School District
• Lewiston School District
• Mountain Home School District

11
Feedback Questions

• Nick Smith
• Deputy Superintendent
• School Support Services
• nwsmith_at_sde.idaho.gov
• [phone]