1. Selecting materials and curriculum for supporting students with disabilities in the general education setting, or the LRE, involves ensuring that instructional materials are accessible, inclusive, and responsive to diverse learning needs, while also promoting cultural responsiveness and providing opportunities for real-world application and enrichment. Example activities include:

• • Allocate funds for purchasing accessible instructional materials, including digital textbooks, audiovisual resources, and materials in alternative formats (e.g., braille, large print) to ensure equitable access to the curriculum for students with disabilities.
  • Invest in curriculum modifications and adaptations to make learning materials more inclusive and responsive to the diverse needs of students, including providing multiple means of representation, engagement, and expression.
  • Provide resources for developing and implementing IEPs or 504 plans that outline appropriate accommodations and supports for students with disabilities in the general education setting.
  • Help staff find, obtain, and effectively use standards-based materials, supplies and kits, and other enrichment opportunities that convey academic lessons in fun and engaging ways. Where appropriate, provide materials to engage students in their native languages or in other ways that help Multilingual Learners make stronger content connections.
  • Strengthen culturally responsive content:
    • Provide time for teachers to understand how to better connect instruction to students’ life experiences, acknowledging diverse cultural assets, and promoting cross-cultural relationships.
    • Research, select, and strategically invest in inclusive instructional resources and other classroom materials that reflect a wide range of cultural, language, ability, gender identity, and socioeconomic experiences that do not perpetuate stereotypes.
    • Establish processes to involve students and other stakeholders in selecting culturally relevant content.
  • Strengthen a school’s/LEA’s career and technical education (CTE) programs to promote effective transition and improve successful for post-school outcomes:
    • Provide academically based job training for high school and college-aged students.
    • Build partnerships with businesses to support CTE in out-of-school time settings.
    • Ensure that students have the technology needed at school, on job sites, and at home to develop high-quality job skills.
    • Build connections with community organizations and businesses to give students real-world experiences and internships.

ESEA Title I-A	ESEA Title II	ESEA Title III-A	ESEA Title IV-A	McKinney-Vento	IDEA
Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y

2. Planning and collaboration for professionals responsible for supporting students with disabilities in the general education setting, or LRE, involves providing dedicated time and resources for educators to build inclusive classrooms, collaborate with colleagues, and facilitate smooth transitions for students, ultimately ensuring their academic and social-emotional needs are met effectively. Example activities include:

• • Provide teachers with the time to build inclusive classrooms. While teachers are required to read the IEPs of all students in their classes, many teachers often do not have enough time to truly understand the needs of each student, especially at the middle and high school levels where they may have larger numbers of students with IEPs. General education teachers also need time to regularly collaborate with special education teachers and Child Study Team members throughout the school year to stay informed about any changes in the educational needs of their special education students.
  • Build in paid time for effective transitions at the end of a semester or school year as changes can be challenging for many students with disabilities. Even a small amount of time with the previous teacher can smooth a student’s reentry into school after a transition period.
  • Revise school schedules to allow for more individualized instruction or greater time for in-depth teaching of subjects or skills.

ESEA Title I-A	ESEA Title II	ESEA Title III-A	ESEA Title IV-A	McKinney-Vento	IDEA
Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y

3. Using assistive technology to support students with disabilities in the general education setting or in the LRE involves equipping educators and support personnel with the necessary training and resources to effectively integrate a range of assistive technology tools, catering to individual student needs, and promoting equitable access to the curriculum and learning environment. Example activities include:

• • Obtain and train general education teachers, special education teachers, and support personnel on using assistive technology to help students with disabilities. This can range from low-tech tools, such as adapted pencils, to higher-tech tools such as voice recognition software or augmentative communication devices.
  • Allocate funds for purchasing adaptive equipment and assistive technology devices to support students with mobility, sensory or communication impairments.

ESEA Title I-A	ESEA Title II	ESEA Title III-A	ESEA Title IV-A	McKinney-Vento	IDEA
Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y

4. Support and collaborate with parents and families of students with disabilities by providing accessible education and training programs, as well as necessary support services, to empower families to actively engage in their children's education and participate in educational decision-making. Example activities include:

• • Provide supports for families and learning at home:
    • Offer education and training programs for families to meaningfully engage in their children’s education, including literacy and other educational development opportunities. This is particularly important when students are not in school, such as weekends, vacations, and during the summer.
    • Ensure that families who might have language or technological challenges have the support they need to access resources through the school and/or community. Provide interpreters or translations of materials as needed.
  • Invest in providing technology resources and support services to ensure that families have access to necessary equipment, such as computers and assistive technology devices, to engage in virtual learning and communication with educators. Provide supports such as hot spots to families without reliable Wi-Fi connections and training in computer literacy.
  • Hire qualified professionals or consultants or provide stipends to existing personnel, to facilitate parent education programs, ensuring that the content is accessible, culturally relevant, and delivered in multiple formats to accommodate diverse learning needs and preferences.
  • Consider the need for transportation assistance and/or childcare services during community events to ensure that all families, including those facing logistical barriers, can participate and benefit from the resources and opportunities available.
  • Develop and disseminate printed materials, brochures, and handbooks in multiple languages that provide guidance, tips, and resources for supporting students with disabilities at home and advocating for their needs within the school system.
  • Allocate funding to hire bilingual staff or interpreters to provide language translation services for families with limited English proficiency, ensuring that they can fully participate in education-related meetings, workshops, and communication with school personnel.

ESEA Title I-A	ESEA Title II	ESEA Title III-A	ESEA Title IV-A	McKinney-Vento	IDEA
Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y

5. Develop high-quality learning environments and curricula to support students with disabilities in the general education setting, and the LRE. This involves investing in resources, professional development, and curriculum development or adaptation to ensure that instruction is inclusive, aligned with standards, and provides multiple means of representation, engagement, and expression to meet the diverse learning needs of all students. Example activities include:

• • Provide resources for ongoing coaching and support to help teachers implement high-quality, inclusive curricula, and instructional methods that meet the diverse learning needs of students with disabilities.
  • Invest in curriculum development and adaptation to ensure that learning materials are designed with UDL principles, providing multiple means of representation, engagement, and expression to address the varied needs of students with disabilities.
  • Allocate funding for purchasing or developing supplemental materials, resources, and instructional aids that support the implementation of inclusive curricula and provide additional scaffolding and support for students with disabilities.
  • Provide resources for classroom modifications or renovations to create inclusive learning spaces that accommodate diverse needs, such as adjustable furniture, sensory-friendly lighting, and quiet areas for students who may need a break.
  • Increase the depth of instruction, not just the breadth. Facilitate teacher teams, through common planning time and/or stipends, to review curriculum to:
    • Ensure it is tightly aligned with grade-level standards.
    • Identify opportunities to integrate multiple content standards within a given unit.
    • Examine Prerequisite Concepts and Skills to determine where to invest time and effort.
    • Ensure it is engaging, relevant, and connected to real-world issues.
    • Adjust pacing guides to allow for additional learning time and use of challenging tasks that motivate students to persist in problem solving and “constructive struggle.”

ESEA Title I-A	ESEA Title II	ESEA Title III-A	ESEA Title IV-A	McKinney-Vento	IDEA
Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y

6. Train and prepare for professionals to support students with disabilities in the general education setting or the LRE involves providing educators with targeted professional development on evidence-based intervention strategies and retaining coaches focused on evaluating and enhancing learning environments to increase opportunities for students with disabilities to access and succeed in the general education curriculum. Example activities include:

• • Provide teachers with professional development on effective, research-based intervention strategies, such as phonics-based reading programs; focus on supporting students with the greatest learning needs.
  • Obtain and retain coaches that focus on evaluating learning environments and increasing opportunities for students with disabilities in the general education setting.

ESEA Title I-A	ESEA Title II	ESEA Title III-A	ESEA Title IV-A	McKinney-Vento	IDEA
Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y