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Welcome to the Intellectual Disabilities Page!
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What are Access Points?
Access Points are alternate achievement standards built to target the salient content of the Florida Standards. They are designed to frame the instruction and assessment of students with significant cognitive disabilities providing them access to the general education curriculum.
The access points are aligned to the Florida Standards for English language arts and math and the Next Generation Sunshine State Standards for social studies and science.
The access points for social studies and science consist of three varying levels of cognitive complexity:
- independent (highest level of cognitive complexity)
- supported
- participatory (lowest level of cognitive complexity)
The access points for English language arts and mathematics do not range in levels of cognitive complexity but have embedded supports that consist of concrete and representational skills, called essential understandings, which build to the access point.
What is the Purpose of Access Points?
Access Points are designed to contribute to a fully aligned system of content, instruction, and assessment that focuses on knowledge and skills needed at each grade level to prepare for the next.
What Supports are Embedded in the Access Points?
Essential Understandings which are skills that help build the knowledge necessary to master each Access Point.
What are the Essential Understandings (EUs)?
- EUs are not part of the standards
- EUs are scaffolds that disaggregate access points to help teachers provide instruction.
- EUs provide a variety of entry points where a student may begin to interact with grade level content.
- EUs serve as benchmarks along the continuum of learning to ensure progress toward the access points.
What is the Alternate Assessment?
The Alternate Assessment is the assessment program for individuals with significant cognitive disabilities that are working on a modified curriculum based on the access points. The two assessments include the Florida Standards Alternate Assessment Performance Task and Datafolio. For more information, please contact Mallory White.
