Welcome to Texas SPED QuickLearns, a micro learning video series designed to give you quick but vital information about special education in Texas. In this video, we will explore elements of co teaching. This content aligns with the resource documents, guidelines for co teaching in Texas teachers, and guidelines for co teaching in Texas administrators, which can be found on the Texas SPED support website.
We encourage you to pause the live video now and download these documents to use as supportive resources.
In determining the most appropriate placement for students, we consider each student as a general education student first.
The admission review and dismissal committee or ARD committee is tasked with reviewing student data to determine the least restrictive environment LRE or most inclusive setting for the child.
The code of federal regulations under the individuals with disabilities education improvement act of two thousand and four specifies that to the maximum extent appropriate children with disabilities including children in public or private institutions or other care facilities are educated with children without disabilities.
Special classes, separate schooling or other removal of children with disabilities from the regular educational environment occurs only when the nature or severity of the disability of a child is such that education in regular classes with the use of supplementary aids and services cannot be achieved satisfactorily.
The continuum of services identifies various inclusive service delivery models that effectively address the needs of diverse learners. Special education must offer a continuum of services to support placement of students with disabilities. Keep in mind that all schools must include a range of inclusive services of supports provided in the general education classroom as part of this service continuum.
Co teaching is just one of the many service delivery options within the continuum.
This information aligns with the resource document Technical Assistance Individualized Education Program development, which can be found on the Texas SPED Support website. Federal law defines special education services as specially designed instruction at no cost to the parents to meet the unique needs of a child with a disability. In Texas, the ARD committee determines specially designed instruction needed for each student as part of the Individualized Education Program or IEP.
For more information on SDI, check out the resource document Specially Designed Instruction, A Resource for Teachers, which can be found on the Texas SPED Support website. You can also watch the Specially Designed Instruction, SDI, Texas SPED QuickLearns video within this series.
The provision of special education is a service, not a place. It is a service that is brought to the student rather than bringing the student to the service.
Student service minutes specifically stated in the individualized education program or IEP should mirror general education content minutes as determined by the Aard Committee and day to day scheduling should reflect ARD committee decisions. This information aligns with the resource document Individualized Education Program development, which can be found on the Texas SPED Support website.
Co teaching is a service option within inclusive models. In a co teaching model, two or more certified professionals share the responsibility of planning, delivering instruction, and progress monitoring for all students assigned to their classroom. In a co teaching setting, general and special education teachers work together to determine the unique needs of all students and apply their expertise in a variety of areas, such as curriculum or instructional strategies through flexible grouping configurations to make sure that students meet instructional objectives. With effective co teaching, teachers model and support these skills to create collaborative learning environments that are results driven, standards based, and promote meaningful access for students with disabilities.
As previously mentioned, co teaching is defined as two certified or licensed professionals who are equally responsible for instructional planning, delivery, and evaluation.
Because these tasks fall outside of the responsibilities of a paraprofessional, a classroom with a teacher and a paraprofessional is not considered a co teaching arrangement.
Many of the co teaching models require both educators to deliver initial content instruction, which is not an allowable activity for a paraprofessional.
For additional guidance on paraprofessionals, please refer to working with paraprofessionals located on the Texas SPED support website.
You can also watch the paraprofessional Texas SPED quick learns video within this series.
Co teaching provides all students with opportunities to learn in environments that model collaboration, demonstrate respect for different perspectives, and utilize a process for building on one another's strengths to meet a common goal.
In this manner, co teaching pairs are able to increase student access to the general curriculum through a variety of strategies and the provision of SDI. Two of the most critical components of creating a successful co teaching partnership are maintaining open communication and building trust.
In successful co teaching partnerships, co teachers share a common belief that each partner has a unique expertise and perspective that enriches the student learning experience.
Together, co teachers provide opportunities for students to learn from two or more people who may have different ways of thinking or teaching. The greatest benefit of the co teaching planning process is the team's ability to tap into each teacher's area of expertise and have thoughtful conversations about student needs.
It allows teachers to reflect on the effectiveness of co teaching, analyze student formative data, celebrate successes, and address any questions or concerns.
Co planning should be an ongoing activity with scheduled times to discuss the roles and contributions of each member of the team during the delivery of instruction.
To view co planning examples, sample meeting forms, and lesson planning templates, please refer to Guidelines for Co Teaching in Texas Teachers and Guidelines for Co Teaching in Texas Administrators, which can be found on the Texas SPED Support website.
Co teaching pairs can follow these steps that highlight critical statements in creating lesson plans for their classrooms.
The first step in creating a comprehensively taught lesson is for both certified teachers to discuss the enrolled grade level skill or expectation linked to the enrolled grade level Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills or TEKS.
This encompasses looking closely at the duration of the instruction as well as the content and activities within each lesson component.
Next, co teaching pairs determine students' evaluations, assessments, or products that demonstrate understanding of the learning expectation.
Then they review student data and incorporate it into lesson planning. Co teaching pairs then identify any challenges or barriers that students may encounter in the upcoming lesson or unit of study.
Then co teaching pairs work together to create learning activities that include elements of specially designed instruction that contribute to a student's meeting IEP goals that address learning barriers.
Co teachers then incorporate any accommodations or modifications to ensure students are able to access and show progress in the general education curriculum.
Lastly, co teaching pairs select the co teaching approach and physical classroom arrangement that best supports the individual learning outcome for their students, including what each teacher will do before, during, and after instruction.
Co teaching is simply a structure through which special education services can be provided. Co teaching enables teachers to determine students' strengths and weaknesses more readily, deliver instruction and assess learning more efficiently, tailor activities to students' individual needs, and have a sense of mutual support and accountability for improving student outcomes. For more information on co teaching, refer to Guidelines for Co Teaching in Texas Teachers and Guidelines for Co Teaching in Texas Administrators, which can be found on the Texas SPED Support website.
