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Glossary of Terms

Common Core Standards

The Common Core is a set of nationally recognized academic standards in mathematics and English language arts/literacy. These learning goals outline what a student should know and be able to do at the end of each grade. The standards were created to ensure that all students graduate from high school with the skills and knowledge necessary to succeed in college, career, and life.

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Click here to learn more about Common Core Standards.

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Department on Disability Services (DDS)
The DC Department on Disability Services, provides services to adults whose disabilities are a barrier to finding and maintaining competitive employment. In partnership with DCPS, DDS can begin working with DCPS students as early as age 14 to begin the process of determining whether their disability will be a barrier to finding and maintaining competitive employment.

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Click here to learn more about DDS.

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Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE)

Special education and related services that:

  • Are provided at public expense, under public supervision and direction, and without charge;

  • Meet the standards of the State Educational Agency (in DC, it’s OSSE);

  • Include an appropriate preschool, elementary school, or secondary school education; and

  • Are provided through an Individualized Education Program

 

High School Achievement Certificate (HSAC)

 

This is a certificate of IEP Completion that is earned by students with disabilities who have mastered their IEP goals, completed high school coursework, but have not completed the requirements for a Standard High School Diploma. To earn a Certificate of IEP Completion, students must earn 24.0 credits. For more information please visit this link - https://dcps.dc.gov/page/my-child-track-graduate.

 

IDEA: The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act

This is the Federal law that addresses special education issues and provides parent due process rights.

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IEP Team

The IEP Team, which stands for Individualized Education Program Team, is a group of people that includes:

  • The parent(s) of the child;

  • At least one general education teacher of the child;

  • At least one special education teacher;

  • A representative of the Local Education Agency (LEA) who is qualified to provide, or supervises the provision of, specially designed instruction to meet the unique needs of children with disabilities, and is knowledgeable about the general curriculum and the availability of resources of the LEA;

  • An individual who can interpret assessment results and the related instructional implications;

  • Other individuals, at the discretion of the parent or the LEA, who have knowledge or special expertise regarding the child, including related services personnel, if appropriate; and

  • The child, if appropriate.

 

The IEP team is responsible for identifying and evaluating children with disabilities, developing, reviewing, or revising an IEP for a child with a disability, and determining the placement of a child with a disability in the least restrictive environment (LRE).

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Inclusion

Inclusion means that teachers, families, and students work together to make sure that every child, even those with significant disabilities, has a fair opportunity to learn in the regular classroom alongside other students. The main aim is to include them as much as possible while providing the support they need to feel like they're part of the group and accomplish challenging educational goals.

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Individualized Education Program (IEP)

The term ‘individualized education program’ or ‘IEP’ refers to a written statement for each child with a disability that is developed, reviewed, and revised in accordance with federal law. The IEP guides a special education student’s learning. It is created for children between the ages of 3 and 22. It describes the amount of time that the child will spend receiving special education services, any related services the child will receive, and academic/behavioral expectations.

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The IEP team meets at least once a year to talk about the child’s progress and make any needed changes to the plan.

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Least Restrictive Environment (LRE)

The principle outlined in IDEA that special education students must be educated in the setting as close to their general education peers as possible.

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Local Education Agency(LEA)

A public authority with direct administrative control over a set of public schools. As of the 2021-22 school year, DC contains one traditional public LEA (DCPS) and 68 public charter LEAs.

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Local educational Agency Representative and Local educational Agency Representative Designee (LEARD)

The school principal acts as the Local Educational Agency Representative. The principal chooses someone to deal with special education matters in the school. The LEARD and IEP case managers are responsible for identifying kids who might have a disability and arranging meetings about special education. In certain schools, a child's teacher might also serve as their IEP case manager.

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Multi-State Alternate Assessment (MSAA)

The Multi-State Alternate Assessment (MSAA) is a big test system made to help students with serious cognitive disabilities do better in school. This gets them ready for more choices after school.

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MSAA for English and Math is a must for students in grades 3-8 and 11 who qualify for this special test. MSAA mostly happens online, and it has tools to help students work by themselves. Some students use a computer, while others use printed materials given by the person in charge of the test.

MSAA has:

  • Two Math parts with about 35-40 questions in total.

  • Four English/Literacy parts with about 35-40 questions in total.

Most of the questions are multiple choice, but some need longer answers. You can find sample questions on the MSAA website to practice and get used to how the test looks online and to try out any tools that help you.​

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Office of State Superintendent of Education (OSSE)

The Office of the State Superintendent of Education is the state education agency for the District. As a result, OSSE sets statewide policies, provides resources and support, and ensures accountabilities for all public education in the District.

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​Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC)

The PARCC assessment  is computer-based and matches the high expectations of the Common Core State Standards, requiring students to think critically and solve real-world problems. It assesses what your child is learning in school and helps teachers and parents know if students are on track for success in college and careers. OSSE creates or provides the procedures and testing protocol for PARCC testing.

Students in grades 3–8 and students enrolled in Algebra I/II, Geometry, and English I/II will take the PARCC test.  

 

Related Services

Speech-language, occupational, physical therapy and more, are all examples of related services, but a child’s team decides which services are necessary.

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 Resource Classroom

A small group classroom setting where students receive instruction outside of the general education setting (Students MUST have an IEP to receive this service).

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Self-Contained

Students spend the entire day in a specialized class for students with disabilities.

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Specialized Instruction

Specialized instruction means adapting, as appropriate to the needs of an eligible child under this part, the content, approach, or delivery of instruction:

  • To address the unique needs of the child that result from the child’s disability

  • To ensure access of the child to the general curriculum, so that the child can meet the educational standards within the jurisdiction of the public agency that apply to all children (Department of Education)

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