Frequently Asked Questions:
Alternative means of expression are the different assessment mediums (tests, performance tasks, hands-on projects, spoken or written responses, etc.) offered to students with disabilities within instruction that give them flexibility in how they showcase their learning while still meeting coursework proficiency requirements—especially those requirements tied to earning a diploma. As an additional note, IEP teams have the right to define, using the guidance of these initiatives, viable alternative means of expression for individual students with disabilities, including students eligible for CAA, based on their IEP-defined resources and services and the requirements of the course and content area.
This initiative currently applies to the supports that students with disabilities can access in order to earn a standard diploma that meets the state minimum graduation requirements. The guidance, tools, and resources are available for educational community members (LEAs, site administrators, and all members of an IEP team) in California to use when crafting alternative means of expression for students within courses of study required for completion of a standard diploma that meets the state minimum requirements. LEAs can also use these exemplar courses and apply the overall strategy to coursework that aligns with A-G requirements.
These are the courses defined by the state or other institutions that, upon successful completion, signify that the student has met the state minimum requirements to earn a standard high school diploma.
No. The alternate pathway to a diploma is a specific alternate diploma pathway based on California alternate achievement standards that is exclusively for students with significant cognitive disabilities.
This initiative focuses on improving students with disabilities’ access to courses of study tied to state graduation requirements that embed alternative means of expression. This initiative in no way alters or modifies these requirements. Instead, it is designed to give students with disabilities different ways to demonstrate proficiency by providing alternative means of expression options within coursework. For information on the alternate pathway to a diploma, please visit the initiative information page A New Pathway to a High School Diploma – Laws, Regulations, & Policies (CA Dept of Education).
Students with disabilities were the original population this initiative was designed around, per SB154 and SB102 legislation, because California’s educational systems have yet to equitably support this population to earn a standard diploma when compared with other student groups across the state.
No. California Ed Code Section 51225.3(b) states that any student has the right to alternative means to complete prescribed courses of study that include, but are not limited to, the practical demonstration of skills. Students with disabilities have the addition of federally protected rights to supplementary aids and services defined by the student’s IEP team based on the student’s strengths and needs. Furthermore, students with disabilities have been identified, through the state’s accountability dashboard, to have the lowest high school graduation rate compared to all other measured groups. These two factors further elevate the importance of having California EC Section 51225.3 requirements available within classrooms tied to graduation within the state.
Yes. A student’s eligibility for the CAA assessment should not preclude their access to standards-based instruction even if most of their instruction outside IEP-specific content area(s) is tied to California alternate achievement standards. Students with disabilities eligible for CAA have the right to alternative means of expression when meeting any state-prescribed coursework requirements identified as appropriate by the student’s IEP team.
In accordance with SB154 and SB102, local educational agencies are responsible for providing alternative means of expression within core coursework instruction. This includes local school boards, district and school administrators, special education teachers, general education teachers, and other key district staff charged to implement high-quality and inclusive instruction.
In addition to members of the education community mentioned above, IEP teams are also responsible for defining alternative means of expression tied to students’ IEP-documented, specially-designed instruction.
Inclusive Access to a Diploma: Reimagining Proficiency for Students with Disabilities initiative recommends educators, including but not limited to those developing curriculum, deploy a backward planning process that includes identifying the big ideas and their related standards, setting success criteria, identifying viable mediums of assessment, and defining instructional methods. For more on the backward design process please visit the initiative strategy page.
No. By following a backward design process that begins with the standards and instructional frameworks, educators are firmly establishing rigor levels. For any alternative means of expression option to be viable, it must satisfy these levels and therefore uphold the course requirements. The Inclusive Access to a Diploma: Reimagining Proficiency for Students with Disabilities initiative provides California educators with strategies for following their own backward design process across any state or locally defined content area and includes exemplar courses to demonstrate ways to unpack the big ideas and integrate alternative means of expression into coursework.
First, the initiative team explored which courses were most represented in waiver requests to the California State Board of Education. Second, the initiative team surveyed California educators, including but not limited to teachers and special education staff. Third, the initiative team conducted focus groups with students, parents, teachers, counselors, administrators, community representatives, and other IEP team members to determine which courses presented the largest barriers to a diploma.
Based on this information, Algebra 1 and Mathematics 1 represent the highest areas of emphasis from the field, and therefore, became the first set of sample courses. The initiative team selected one course in English language arts/English language development, history-social science (HSS), visual and performing arts (VAPA), science, and physical education to provide additional examples of how the initiative strategy could apply to other content areas.
WestEd developed the Inclusive Access to a Diploma: Reimagining Proficiency for Students with Disabilities initiative in partnership with the CDE’s Career and College Transition Division, Curriculum Frameworks and Instructional Resources Division, and the Special Education Division, as well as with CDE representatives. CDE also referred content subject matter experts to the initiative based on their knowledge and experience of the content frameworks.
Key Terms
Students with Disabilities
The initiative uses the same definition for students with disabilities that has been outlined in the federal IDEA regulations 34 CFR § 300.8. Please refer to that statute for more information.
Alternative Means of Expression
The different assessment mediums (tools, strategies, and assessment types) offered to students with disabilities within instruction that give students flexibility in how they showcase their learning while still meeting coursework proficiency requirements—especially those requirements tied to earning a diploma.
Coursework
The tools, materials, and resources provided within a course describing the requirements, success criteria, progression of study or learning, and acceptable and non-acceptable alternative means of expression students can use when showing their proficiency of course content.
Performance Tasks
A style of assessment that applies the standards and big ideas of a course to a scenario. These types of assessments model applied demonstrations of coursework and are viable means of expression for students to utilize when showing proficiency. Performance tasks are a viable alternative means of expression for students with and without disabilities provided they meet the content requirements and, in the case of students with disabilities, align with students’ IEP-defined supplementary aids and services.
Tools for Providing Alternative Means of Expression
The guidance and materials that equip educators, students, and families with the knowledge, skills, and resources for embedding alternative means of expression into coursework instruction.
Proficiency
The competencies or skills needed to exhibit a thorough understanding of a content area or course. Proficiency often suggests the ability to perform complex tasks at a specified level of understanding and can be measured through varied forms of assessments—including but not limited to the practical demonstration of skills. Definitions of what constitutes proficiency (i.e., passing a course) should be defined by local education agencies through the integration of the California State Board of Education adopted curriculum frameworks and state standards.
Curriculum Frameworks
Documents guiding school communities in how to implement instruction of standards adopted by the State Board of Education. To find the curriculum frameworks for the state of California, please refer to the California Department of Education curriculum frameworks webpage.
State Content Standards
Statements defining knowledge, skills, and competencies setting the achievement levels for each content area at each grade level. To find the content standards for the state of California, please refer to the California Department of Education content standards webpage.
Big Ideas
The central competencies, skills, and concepts a student will be expected to understand and be able to do upon completion of a course.
Standard Diploma
For this initiative, the standard diploma is defined as a diploma satisfying the state minimum requirements. These requirements can be found on the following webpage.
