Program Improvement
VDOE provides training, technical assistance and resources to local school divisions in providing quality instruction and supports to students with disabilities as well as supporting low-performing schools and school divisions to implement research-based effective practices for students with disabilities.
Results Driven Accountability
- Results Driven Accountability (RDA) – RDA is intended to balance focus on improving educational results and outcomes for students with disabilities. RDA provides greater supports to local education agencies in improving results for children and youth with disabilities, and their families.
Comprehensive Coordinated Early Intervening Services
Section 618 and section 613 of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) of 2004 requires states to identify school divisions that have significant disproportionality of racial/ethnic groups in the identification, disability, placement, and/or discipline of children with disabilities. Significant disproportionality is determined by the State, based on the division’s numerical data. Identified divisions must use 15 percent of the total amount of its 611 and 619 Part B IDEA funds for Comprehensive Coordinated Early Intervening Services (CCEIS) to help address issues of disproportionality. These services are provided to assist students age 6 through grade 12 who are not currently identified as needing special education or related services but who need additional academic and behavioral support to succeed in a general education environment. Each Fall, divisions are notified of the significant disproportionality and informed that they are required to set-aside Part B funds for CCEIS the following school year.
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Any division may opt to use up to, but not exceeding, 15 percent of the total amount of its 611 and 619 Part B IDEA funds for Coordinated Early Intervening Services (CEIS).
In December 2016, the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) finalized new regulations on significant disproportionality (34 CFR §300.646). In order to ensure these new regulations effectively address significant disproportionality, the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS) proposes to postpone the compliance date by two years, from July 1, 2018, to July 1, 2020. They also propose to postpone the date for including children ages three through five in the analysis of significant disproportionality with respect to the identification of children as children with disabilities and as children with a particular impairment from July 1, 2020, to July 1, 2022.
The proposed postponement does not relieve a school division identified with significant disproportionality under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) of 2004. Regulations remain in effect under section 618 and section 613 of IDEA that requires states to identify school divisions that have significant disproportionality of racial/ethnic groups with regards to identification in special education, specific disability categories, placement, and discipline. Those divisions are then required to reserve 15 percent of their Part B grant awards to provide Comprehensive Coordinated Early Intervening Services (CCEIS).
The additional flexibility to expand the population of children who can be served with IDEA Part B funds reserved for CCEIS to include children with disabilities and children ages three through five, with and without disabilities is currently on hold until new regulations take effect.
Additional information can be found about CCEIS and CEIS on the Center for IDEA Fiscal Reporting (CIFR) website.
Division CEIS Resources:
- Virginia Allowable CEIS Costs-This is a Word document. – contains a list of allowable CEIS expenses.
- CEIS FAQ’s-This is a PDF document. - Questions and answers to the most common questions about CEIS.
Training and Technical Assistance
- SOL Reporting Resources to Inform Instruction and Remediation – Recorded versions of professional development opportunities provided to division and school staff regarding the appropriate use of SOL score reports and assessment data.
- Eligibility Determination Conference – A primary focus of VDOE's implementation of Results Driven Accountability (RDA) is eligibility determination. Eligibility determination is the process for determining whether or not a child qualifies for special education services and meets the state criteria for identification in one or more of the 14 disability categories. This link provides information and resources related to the statewide training performed in 2014-2015.
- Language & Culture Videos
Program Improvement Training Topics
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Supporting Students with Disabilities in Mathematics |
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Scheduling Students with Disabilities for Success |
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Data Informed Decision Making: Improving Instruction for All Learners (PPT) |
Play VideoResources
- Corrective Action Plan (Word) – This blank template is used by LEAs to establish and track improvement activities. The goals may be sorted into two areas: 1. Those driven by results indicators, and 2. Those necessary to meet compliance with special education regulations.
- Self-Assessment for Special Education Program Improvement (Word) | (PDF) – This self- assessment for special education program improvement is designed to allow the leadership team to reflect upon the current practices related to the achievement of students with disabilities in their division and serve as a tool that will assist the division leadership team in the development of the division improvement plan.
- School Quality – VDOE assists schools in which students are achieving at levels below federal and state accountability standards.
- Instructional Interventions That Have Proven to Be Successful with Low-Achieving Students (PDF) – The Regulations Establishing Accrediting Standards for Public Schools in Virginia (SOA), effective September 28, 2000, require schools accredited with warning in English or mathematics to adopt and implement instructional interventions that have a proven track record of success at raising student achievement. The Board of Education is required to publish a list of recommended instructional interventions, which may be amended from time to time.
- Virginia Tiered Systems of Support (VTSS) – VTSS is a framework and philosophy that provides resources and support to help every student to be successful in academics and behavior. It begins with systemic change at the division, school and classroom level that utilizes evidence-based, system-wide practices (response to intervention, positive behavior interventions and supports and content literacy curriculum) to provide a quick response to academic and behavioral needs.
- Student Assistance Programming – Student Assistance Programming goals are to prevent problems through education and address existing problems by directing students to school-based or community services providers as may be appropriate.
- TeacherDirect – Updates from VDOE regarding SOL resources and information targeted to classroom teachers
- Virginia Department of Education’s Training and Technical Assistance Centers – VDOE's state-wide projects with TTACs provide professional development and support designed to assist schools in addressing accountability and improvement goals for students with disabilities.
Outside Resources
- TTAC Online – Information and resources regarding assessment, instruction and training specific to students with disabilities