[SE-Dir] ODE Guidance: Avoiding Mock Sheltered Workshop Activities AND Oregon's Extended Assessment

[SANDBERG Ruby - ODE]

TO:  All District and ESD Special Education Directors

The message below is being sent to you on behalf of:


Sarah Drinkwater, Ph.D.
Assistant Superintendent
Office of Student Services
______________________________________________
September 22, 2016


Avoiding Mock Sheltered Workshop (MSW) activities in schools - What they are and how this requirement impacts planning for appropriate vocational instructional activities.

This guidance document (attached) is provided for special education directors, secondary special education teachers, administrators and transition specialists.  The Settlement Agreement for the Lane vs. Brown case was approved in December 2015, and relates to persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) who worked in or were referred to sheltered workshops.
There has been some confusion regarding the definition of Mock Sheltered Workshop (MSW) activities contained in the Settlement Agreement and their prohibition within public schools.  Clarification is needed around pre-vocational activities, similar to those that might occur in a sheltered workshop.


Oregon's Extended Assessment Participation

ODE would like to extend a sincere thank you to districts, schools, and IEP Teams for their efforts in continuing to thoughtfully consider the most appropriate statewide assessment for your students on IEPs-a particularly challenging task with the transition to more cognitively complex and multi-faceted statewide assessments. In light of the new ODE assessment decision making guidance (attached)--combined with an anticipated ESSA requirement for a 1% state cap on the number of students who participate in an Alternate Assessment--our review of the numbers of students, across eligibility categories, , who participated in Oregon's Extended Assessment (2014-15 and 2015-16), is one indication of those conscientious efforts (see tables below). However, as we have noted in the eligibility categories bolded below, we believe there may be students taking Oregon's Extended Assessment for whom further consideration of their participation may be appropriate.

ODE appreciates your support in reminding all special education teachers and IEP teams, that the Extended Assessment is to be taken by students with the most severe cognitive disabilities and that this is being emphasized under the proposed ESSA rules.  And, we hope this message will serve to encourage districts to use the guidance regarding the decision around which IEP students should participate in Oregon's Extended Assessment.  For more information or for specific questions regarding Oregon's Extended Assessment, please contact Brad Lenhardt at brad.lenhardt at ode.state.or.us<mailto:brad.lenhardt at ode.state.or.us> or 503-947-5755.




Ruby Sandberg, Executive Assistant
Office of Student Services
Oregon Department of Education
503-947-5738 l FAX: 503-378-5156 l ruby.sandberg at state.or.us<mailto:ruby.sandberg at state.or.us>

The Oregon Department of Education is an equal opportunity agency and employer.
Messages to and from this email address may be made available to the public under Oregon law.


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