NCSC Alternate Standards
Common Core State Standards & Special Education
The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) was enacted to ensure children with disabilites have the same opportunities to a free and appropriate public education (FAPE) as their peers without disabilities. Students participating in special education programs are expected to access the Common Core State Standards just as their peers participating in general education.
Students living in California participating in a special education program and have a significant cognitive disability may access the Common Core State Standards by utilizing an alternate set of standards developed by National Center and State Collaborative (NCSC).
The NCSC is a collaborative including 24 states working together to build an alternate assessment based on alternate achievement standards for students with severe cognitive disabilities. The goal of the alternate set of achievement standards is to help students with severe cognitive disabilities achieve higher academic outcomes and prepare them for life after high school.
(Please choose the links below to learn more about the NCSC and alternate achievement standards)