Pennsylvania Modified Academic Achievement Standards Grant: PSSA-M
IDEA General Supervision Enhancement Grant (CFDA 84.373X)

The No Child Left Behind legislation provided an opportunity for Pennsylvania to ensure that the school system is committed to accountability for all students, including students with disabilities.  In response to this opportunity the Pennsylvania Department of Education through designation of the Pennsylvania Training and Technical Assistance Network (PaTTAN) will:

1. Develop Pennsylvania Modified Academic Achievement Standards based on the state's academic content standards for the grade in which the student is enrolled;
2. Develop clear and appropriate guidelines for IEP teams to use in determining which students should be assessed on modified academic achievement standards;
3. Development and implementation of statewide training on those guidelines for IEP teams;
4. Ensure that the state assessment system uses universal design principles, to the extent possible, based on modified academic achievement standards; and
5. Provide statewide integrated and coordinated professional development for implementation of standards-based IEPs by all LEAs.

Guidelines for IEP teams will be developed as part of this effort.  The guidelines will include sample IEPS to help teams design appropriate standards-based IEPs for all students with disabilities in the Commonwealth.  Statewide training opportunities will also be available.