澳门跑狗论坛

Special Education

One State鈥檚 Approach for Struggling Math Learners: IEP-Style Plans

By Lydia McFarlane 鈥 August 02, 2023 3 min read
Sand Pine Elementary fourth grade students, from left, Ayden Jenkins, Ceinna Davis, and Kera Gordon review math lessons with teacher Stephanie Sheridan at the school on Feb. 18, 2015, in Wesley Chapel, Fla.
  • Save to favorites
  • Print
Email Copy URL

Students struggling with math in Florida may get more attention in the classroom this upcoming school year.

Earlier this week, Florida鈥檚 Department of Education announced an unusual proposal that is aimed at helping students in kindergarten through 4th grades who are identified with substantial gaps in their math knowledge.

Under the plan, schools would be required to develop individualized education programs for students, much like the IEPs that are mandated under federal law for students with disabilities.

The Florida plan targets a wider range of students struggling with math and the qualifications differ by age.

For example, for kindergarteners, the evaluation is based on the students鈥 ability to identify and compare three-dimensional figures and shapes. For 4th graders, the evaluation is based on the students鈥 abilities to interpret data and understand mathematical concepts such as mean, median, and mode.

Florida鈥檚 Department of Education wants to implement this proposal to ensure students who are struggling with math are receiving the support and help that they need to succeed for the rest of their educational experiences.

While this plan is now just a proposal, if it were implemented into Florida schools, it would be unconventional.

Many students with IEPs are diagnosed with learning disabilities that ensure their protection under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, or IDEA, which then identifies them as special education students. Students protected under this act are given resources from the school that are funded by the state.

However, if Florida鈥檚 Department of Education follows through on its proposal, the students that would potentially be getting IEPs would not necessarily be protected under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act.

鈥淚 think it is an interesting proposal to address math deficiencies and potentially very helpful to many students, but because these students would not be determined eligible under the IDEA in the manner required by federal law, schools could not receive federal IDEA money to help defray the costs of the proposal,鈥 said Mitchell Yell, a professor in the Educational and Developmental Science College of Education at the University of South Carolina whose research often focuses on IEP development.

School districts could potentially be responsible for funding the new plan, which could cost districts significant amounts of money even as it helps the students targeted.

鈥淭his additional help will be costly to school districts, and because the method of identifying students as needing extra assistance does not adhere to the requirements of the federal law, schools would likely have to come up with these extra funds. If the state would provide funding for these additional services, that would certainly help the school districts financially,鈥 Yell said.

Rather than giving each student who is identified as having a substantial math deficiency an IEP, Florida schools have other options to consider, Yell pointed out.

鈥淭hey [Florida schools] could have small group math instruction with more individual help for students who are identified through the new system,鈥 he said.

While the best way to help students who would be identified by this proposed plan has not yet been decided, extra math help for students who are struggling, especially after the pandemic, could prove to be valuable.

鈥淚 think the notion of giving students extra help through an IEP-type plan is laudable,鈥 Yell said. 鈥淲e know that students who have reading and math problems certainly have had these problems exacerbated by the pandemic. Giving the students the extra help they need is a pro.鈥

Events

Artificial Intelligence K-12 Essentials Forum Big AI Questions for Schools. How They Should Respond鈥
Join this free virtual event to unpack some of the big questions around the use of AI in K-12 education.
This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of 澳门跑狗论坛's editorial staff.
Sponsor
School & District Management Webinar
Harnessing AI to Address Chronic Absenteeism in Schools
Learn how AI can help your district improve student attendance and boost academic outcomes.
Content provided by 
This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of 澳门跑狗论坛's editorial staff.
Sponsor
Science Webinar
Spark Minds, Reignite Students & Teachers: STEM鈥檚 Role in Supporting Presence and Engagement
Is your district struggling with chronic absenteeism? Discover how STEM can reignite students' and teachers' passion for learning.
Content provided by 

EdWeek Top School Jobs

Teacher Jobs
Search over ten thousand teaching jobs nationwide 鈥 elementary, middle, high school and more.
Principal Jobs
Find hundreds of jobs for principals, assistant principals, and other school leadership roles.
Administrator Jobs
Over a thousand district-level jobs: superintendents, directors, more.
Support Staff Jobs
Search thousands of jobs, from paraprofessionals to counselors and more.

Read Next

Special Education 3 Things Every Teacher Should Know About Learning Differences
A researcher, a teacher, and a student all weigh in: What do you wish all teachers knew about students with learning differences?
3 min read
Photograph showing a red bead standing out from blue beads on an abacus.
iStock/Getty
Special Education How Special Education Might Change Under Trump: 5 Takeaways
Less funding and more administrative chaos could be on the horizon鈥攂ut basic building blocks like IDEA appear likely to remain.
7 min read
Photo of teacher working with hearing-impaired student.
E+
Special Education How Trump's Policies Could Affect Special Education
The new administration's stance on special education isn't yet clear鈥攂ut efforts to revamp federal policy could have ripple effects.
13 min read
A teenage girl from the back looks through the bars, the fenced barrier, at the White House in Washington, D.C.
iStock/Getty Images
Special Education The Essential Skill Students With Learning Differences Need
Schools must teach students with learning differences how to communicate about their needs.
4 min read
Vector illustration of three birds being released from a cage.
iStock/Getty