Additional Local School System Graduation Requirements
Identify any additional local school system graduation requirements, if applicable.
NOTE:
A list of additional local school system graduation requirements may be attached to the closed IEP document. If you are attaching a document to the paper copy of the IEP, summarize what is being attached and maintain a copy of that attachment with the paper copy of the IEP within the student’s record.
Has the Team Determined That the Student Should Participate in an Alternate Educational Framework, Which, if ...
Has the Team Determined That the Student Should Participate in an Alternate Educational Framework, Which, if Continued Will Result in Not Earning Credits Towards a Maryland High School Diploma
Indicate:
• YES- with date of written consent;
• NO- with date of written refusal; or
• No response
Student Participation in Statewide Assessment
Indicate YES or NO to all applicable Statewide assessments, in which the student will participate, including applicable content areas.
NOTE: MSDE requires all students to participate in either the General or the Alternate Statewide assessment programs. The Maryland Accessibility Features and Accommodations Manual, delineates special exemption conditions for:
• English Learners (ELs) who are in their first year of enrollment in a U.S. school may substitute their test results on the English language proficiency assessment or the PARCC English Language Arts/Literacy rather than sitting for the PARCC English Language Arts/Literacy test itself. Such students must still participate in the PARCC Mathematics and MSA Science tests.
• Special Medical Exemption Conditions for students when they cannot take the assessment during the entire testing window, including the make–up dates, because of a significant medical emergency. A significant medical emergency is a significant health impairment that renders the student incapable of participating in ANY academic activities.
Student Participation in Alternate Assessment Based on Alternate Academic Achievement Standards
Document whether or not the student will participate in an alternate assessment based on alternate academic achievement standards in applicable assessed grade in:
- English/language arts
- math
- science
Indicate YES or NO
Has the Team Determined That the Student Should Participate in an Alternate Assessment, Which, if...?
Has the Team Determined That the Student Should Participate in an Alternate Assessment, Which, if Continued Will Result in Not Earning Credits Towards a Maryland High School Diploma?
Indicate:
YES - with data written consent;
NO - with data written refusal; or
No response
Document Basis for Assessment Decision(s) (required)
Document the basis of the IEP team’s decision relative to the student’s participation in PARCC, HSA, or Alternate Assessment based on alternate academic achievement standards, as applicable.
A required text field for an IEP team to provide additional information to document the basis of the IEP team’s decision. If addressed properly, documentation will meet requirements of prior written notice (PWN), in accordance with 34 C.F.R.
§300.503 and COMAR 13A.05.01.12, PWN includes:
• A description of the action proposed or refused;
• An explanation of why the public agency proposes or refuses to take the action;
• A description of the options the public agency considered and the reason the options were rejected;
• A description of each assessment procedure, test, record, or report the public agency uses as a basis for the
proposal or refusal;
• A description of any other factors relevant to the proposed or refused action;
• A list of sources a parent may contact to obtain assistance in understanding the provisions of IDEA; and
• If an action proposed by a public agency also requires parental consent, a public agency may provide notice at the same time it requests consent.
[20 U.S.C §1415; 34 C.F.R. §300.503; COMAR 13A.05.01.12]
To ensure that students with disabilities receive the appropriate provision of accommodations, IEP Teams, which includes the parent, must employ good decision making when determining accommodations for a student based on his/her instructional needs in the classroom and for assessments.
Beginning with the Maryland IEP that will be in effect July 1, 2012, in Section 2 of the Instructional and Testing Accommodations page, the IEP Team must complete the Document Basis for Assessment Decision(s) text field. This field documents the IEP Team’s decision relative to the student’s participation in the PARCC, MSA, HSA, or the Alternate Assessment, as applicable.
In addition, in Section 2, for accommodations noted with an asterisk, the IEP Team must complete the Provide specific description stating the type of accommodation and how the accommodation will be administered text field. This dialogue box is required for IEP Teams to specify the type of accommodation(s) that will be administered, and how the accommodation(s) will be administered (i.e., Visual Cues: Teacher will gesture to the student and/or point to assignments to support the student to stay on task when experiencing difficulty with attention or behavior). For information regarding the use of specific accommodations for online testing, the IEP Team must refer to Section 5 of the Maryland Accommodations Manual Issue, July 2012.
Participation in National /International Assessments
NOTE: A student may be asked to participate in National or International Assessments. Only allowable accommodations on National / International Assessments are permitted; however, this should not preclude the student from taking the National or International Assessment without those accommodations. See Commonly Used Terms, page 10.
Participation and Performance on District/Statewide Assessments
All students must be included to the fullest extent possible in all statewide assessment programs and their assessment results are a part of Maryland’s accountability system. The MSDE requires all students to participate in Statewide assessment programs unless documented as described in the “Maryland Accessibility Features and Accommodations Manual. The Maryland participation requirement is supported by federal legislation requiring the participation of students with disabilities in standards-based instruction and assessment initiatives. Two key federal acts governing student participation in assessments include the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).
For specific information relative to each assessment, please refer to either the “Maryland Accessibility Features Accommodations Manual,” July 2012 or the PARCC Accessibility Features and Accommodations Manual (2014). Maryland Assessments include the following, as applicable to the student:
- Alternate Assessment based on Alternate Academic Achievement Standards (AA-AAAS)
- Alt MISA – Grade 5, 8 & 11, Science Only
- HSA- biology and government
- PARCC- Grades 3-8 and High School
- Bridge Validation Program (Bridge Plan)
- Alternate Access for ELLs
Pursuing a High School Diploma or Certificate of Program Completion
Indicate whether the student is pursuing a:
- Maryland High School Diploma; or
- Maryland High School Certificate of Program Completion
NOTE:
The final decision to award a student with disabilities a Maryland High School Certificate of Program Completion will not be made until after the beginning of the student's last year in high school unless the student is participating in the Alternate Assessment Based on Alternate Achievement Standards.
[COMAR 13A.03.02.09D(3)]
Complete for High School Seniors that may be Eligible for HSA Waiver
By April 1, the school principal shall consider whether to recommend to the local superintendent a waiver of the HSA graduation requirements that the student has not fulfilled if the senior may fail to graduate because:
(1) The student has taken none of the required HSAs; or
(2) The student has taken some or all of the HSAs and failed some or all of them, and
(a) The student has or will meet all other graduation requirements;
(b) The student has or will take all required HSAs before the graduation date; and
(c) If the student had an opportunity to participate in one or more interventions, or remediation opportunities, including the Bridge Plan, the student participated in them; and
(3) The student is prevented from meeting the HSA graduation requirements because:
(a) Of a decision made by the local school system about scheduling, course sequencing, test taking, or provision of interventions as required.
(b) The student experienced a special, extraordinary, or extenuating circumstance or combination of circumstances preceding the administration of the most recent HSA, such as a recent death in the immediate family, a serious or prolonged illness or pregnancy with medical complications, an accident causing serious injury, or a destructive house fire; or
(c) The student moved to the United States in the junior or senior year and the student is literate in the student's native language but not literate in English.
[COMAR 13A.03.02.12]
If a student with a disability who is an high school senior may be eligible for an HSA waiver, the IEP team is to discuss the criteria of the waiver decision-making process for the student and indicate whether or not it supports an HSA waiver recommendation to the local superintendent.
Indicate:
• YES (If yes, specify date recommended); or
• NO
