TIES Inclusive Education Roadmap

Step 4A focused on writing two to three 3-year SMARTIE goals. Two pieces of information provide both direction and content for writing the Action Plan goals: (1) the LRE data and (2) the Takeaways from the RISE Part 2 Priority.

The first goal is always a placement goal for students with significant cognitive disabilities to be educated in general education classrooms. It is impossible to make meaningful change in the quality of inclusive education in the abstract. Planning and professional development are important, but ultimately the students need to be in general education classrooms receiving their instruction so the changes can be implemented. When students with significant cognitive disabilities are members of general education classrooms there is an impetus and energy behind making changes that make a difference.

Estimated Time Commitment

The time commitment is quite variable for EILTs. When the knowledge about the current context has recently been reflected on and they are facilitated to use the SMARTIE goal template, teams are able to write 2 to 3 goals in an hour. In other instances, teams may prefer more discussion and take up to 2 hours.

Writing SMARTIE Goals

Create a SMARTIE goal for each priority by ensuring that each goal is:

• Specific
• Measurable
• Attainable
• Relevant
• Time-based (can be completed within three years)
• Inclusive of students with significant cognitive disabilities
• Equitable implementation across all stakeholder groups

Follow the SMARTIE goal template to write your goals:

Writing SMARTIE Goal #1: Students’ Educational Placement Goal

SMARTIE Goal #1 addresses a change in placement to the general education classrooms for students with significant cognitive disabilities. As mentioned, the first goal is always an educational placement goal to ensure that students with significant cognitive disabilities will be educated in general education classrooms. The goal can be broader of other students with disabilities, too, but must be inclusive of this group of students so ALL MEANS ALL.

It is not possible to implement meaningful change for inclusive education and problem solve all of the barriers and challenges in the abstract when the students are not present. Preparation and capacity building is extremely helpful in preparing for a shift to inclusive classrooms, but it will be reflecting on the implementation of inclusive education practices and supports that will inform teams about what is working, not working and ways to make modifications.

Write a challenging goal. The focus on increasing the percent of time students are in general education to 80% or more of the day to achieve the outcomes and benefits of inclusive education. History has shown that little has changed over decades in students with significant cognitive disabilities being educated in general education. The incremental approaches have not achieved their intended outcomes. Refer back to the LRE data analysis that was completed in Step 1D to ground writing this goal.

Examples

Here are a few examples of SMARTIE Goal 1 related to student placement in general education classrooms:

• Transition all of the elementary students with significant cognitive disabilities who are currently being educated at cluster sites in the district to their neighborhood schools in general education classrooms for 80% or more of the school day from 0% to 100% by September, 2026. [three year time period]

• Transition the students with significant cognitive disabilities currently being educated in separate special education schools to their neighborhood schools in general education classrooms for 80% or more of the school day from 0% to 60% by September, 2026. [three year time period] (The subsequent goal would be to transition from 60% to 100% of the students.)

• Enroll all PreK students with extensive support needs in general education kindergarten for 80% or more of their day, from 18% of students with extensive support needs to 75%, by June, 2026. [three year time period] (The subsequent goal would be to extend PreK to kindergarten placement in general education from 75% to 100%)

• Educate all students with disabilities, including students with significant cognitive disabilities, in their neighborhood schools in general education classrooms 80% or more of the school day from
  • 78% to 100% for all students with disabilities and
  • 20% to 100% for students with significant cognitive disabilities

by September, 2026. [three year time period]

Writing SMARTIE Goals #2 and #3: Quality of Inclusive Practices

Time (“T”) in general education for students with significant cognitive disabilities is a necessary, but insufficient, step. The next question is how does the system achieve instructional effectiveness (“I”) and engagement with learning and peers (“E”)?

SMARTIE Goals 2 and 3 focus on the quality of instruction and access to the general education curriculum for students in the general education classrooms. The EILT can choose to write one or two goals in this area. In Step 4B, you will delineate the activities that will be accomplished to achieve these goals. Refer back to the findings in Step 2B, the reflection on strengths and needs in the RISE priority area, and the three Takeaways to ground writing these goals. Follow the same SMARTIE goal template to write these goals.

Examples

Here are a few examples of SMARTIE Goals 2 and 3 related to access to the general education curriculum, quality of instruction, and student and system outcomes:

Engage all students, including students with significant cognitive disabilities, in the general education curriculum by instructional teams co-designing lessons using Universal Design for Learning and grade level standards from sporadically to 100% of the time by September, 2026. [three year time period]

Increase peer engagement among all students, including students with significant cognitive disabilities, through the consistent integration of small group learning in core classes (a minimum of twice per week for each core area), from 30% of the classes to 100% of the classes by June, 2026. [three year time period]

Ensure that all students with significant cognitive disabilities are able to engage in the learning process using a consistent and effective means of communication from currently 50% to 100% of the students by June, 2026. [three year time period]

Ensure that all students, including students with significant cognitive disabilities, have an array of course options by having the secondary core subject (ELA, math, 9th and 10th grade science & social studies) have one to two well designed, co-taught classes as part of the school offerings by September, 2026. [three year time period]

Real-World Example

A district had focused on implementing inclusive education for all students, including students with significant cognitive disabilities, over the last several years. They had a strong inclusive education model in place for all students at the elementary and middle school levels, but not at the high school level. Based on their data and fidelity of implementation, they were ready to scale up to the high school level.

After choosing and completing the RISE Part 2 General Education Curriculum Content and Access Focus Area, one of the Takeaways focused on the need for access points to the general education curriculum for students with significant cognitive disabilities. The EILT made the following SMARTIE Goal #2 to address this work:

• Identify access points to grade-level, general education subject area content in Grades 9-12 Science, English Language Arts, Social Studies and Math for students with significant cognitive disabilities by curriculum mapping the grade level content and identifying access points in each unit from currently having no curriculum maps with access points to having all core courses mapped by June 2026.

The district began by focusing on Science standards and courses so the general education and special education teacher curriculum writing teams could get a flow to the work , then they could then share their work with the other department teams for their curricular mapping. They focused first on the Grade 9 core content, then progressed to the other grades.

Equity Check

Did all of the diverse representatives on the EILT actively participate in the action planning process?

Are the activities for the SMARTIE goals truly inclusive of students with significant cognitive disabilities?

What’s next?

• Complete Step 4A in the Inclusive Education Action Plan by writing in your two to three, 3-year goals.
• With the 3-year goals in place, then move to Step 4B where an annual activity plan that uses the Implementation Drivers is developed for each goal.