Welcome
Dr. Fred Balcom, Director of Special Education, California Department of Education

Laying the Foundation: College, Career and Civic Life Readiness for ALL Students in an Aligned System of Supports
Developing and implementing an aligned system of supports takes time and thoughtful consideration. The result of considering all educational environments and stakeholders when decision-making and allocating resources positively impacts outcomes for ALL students.

• Overview and Components
  • Kevin Schaefer, Assistant Director of Special Programs, WestEd
    • Laying the Foundation (3.9mb)
  • District-level Panel Discussion: Question and Answer
    • Kimberly Salomonson, Director of Pupil Personnel Services, Sanger Unified School District
    • Kip Meyer, Assistant Superintendent of Personnel Services, Lake Elsinore Unified School District
      • MTSS Reflection Sheet (16kb)
      • MTSS Needs Assessment Tool (161kb)
      • Special Education Glossary of Key Terms (277kb)

Building A Supportive Infrastructure: Access to Instruction and Curriculum Utilizing the Universal Design for Learning Principles
Providing comprehensive professional development opportunities and fidelity measures focusing on the Universal Design for Learning (UDL) lesson planning framework allows for increased access to high quality first instruction

• Overview and Examples: Principles and Guidelines of UDL

• Definition of “Curriculum”: Goals, Assessment, Methods, and Materials

• A Focus on the Implicit Expectations of the California Common Core State Standards

  • Kevin Schaefer, Assistant Director of Special Programs, WestEd

    • Building a Supportive Infastructure - UDL (7.1mb)
    • UDL Guidelines (827kb)
    • UDL Lesson Observation (32kb)

Creating a Collaborative Educational Community: Supports in General and Special Education Classrooms, a Teacher Panel Discussion
A supportive environment that honors student individualization, strengths, interests, and preferences, is founded in trust, and allows for maximum access to the general education curriculum, thus improving college, career, and civic life outcomes.

• General and Special Educator Panel Discussion: Question and Answer

  • Facilitator: Dr. Steven Winlock, Advisory Commission on Special Education Commisioner/Sacramento County Office of Education Leadership Academy
    • Supports in General and Special Education Classrooms-A Teacher Panel Discussion (768kb)
    • Collaborative Panel Reflection Sheet (71kb)
  • Teacher Panelist:

    • Jodi Fortney, has been teaching Special Education for 25 years, with the past 13 years being at the high school level. Ms. Fortney is currently a Special Day Class high school teacher at Mt. Whitney High School in Visalia, California. She was a participant on the National and Center State Collaborative (NCSC) Language Arts Sample Systematic Instruction Script (LASSIs) field test as well as the NCSC assessment writing study in 2014.

    • Jennifer Ellerman, a former general education teacher, was part of a successful co-teaching team from California Middle School, Sacramento, California with Janelle Mercado a special education teacher. Ms. Ellerman's current position is a Technical Assessment Specialist for the Sacramento City Unified School District.

    • Janelle Mercado, a former special education teacher, was a co-teaching partner with Jennifer Ellerman, a general education teacher, both from California Middle School in Sacramento, California. Ms. Mercado is currently a Program Specialist for Eldorado SELPA/Charter SELPA.

    • Cindy Sasaki, currently teaches at Title 1 schools: David Reese Elementary and Florin Elementary in Elk Grove, California. Ms. Sasaki is currently an Inclusive Education Specialist in the Elk Grove Unified School District.

    • Elaine Stallworth is a third grade general education teacher at Caleb Greenwood Elementary in Sacramento City Unified who has been successfully co-teaching with a special education teacher in order to inclusively serve her multiple students with Individualized education programs.

    • Recommended Teacher Resources (278kb)
    • Chapter 10 Adopted Text (20kb)
    • Chapter 10 Response Options (583kb)
    • Resource: Visible Learning Power Point (187kb)

Designing to Scale…UP: Planning for Usability, Accessibility and Accommodations with Technology Beyond Students with Disabilities
Supports and accommodations in the age of technology are only as good as the degree and fidelity that technology is embedded into instructional practices. Alignment with instructional practices and implementation of a clear professional development and communication plan is essential.

• Understanding Allowable Universal Tools, Designated Supports, and Accommodations: ISAAP Tool is a resource to assist in access in equity in instruction for all students

• Overview: Assistive Technology Support for the Student with an individualized education plan instructional practices

• Kevin Schaefer, Assistant Director of Special Programs, WestEd
• Jill King, Administrator IV, Support Coordinator, SELPA at Placer County Office of Education
• Designing to Scale Up (2.6mb)
• ISAAP MTSS Planning Sheet (65kb)
• UDL Resource Handout (419kb)
• Assessment Resources (203kb)