The guidance clarifies that students with disabilities should not only have access to a free appropriate public education, but also they should have individualized education programs (IEPs) that are aligned with state academic content standards for the grade in which a child is enrolled. (ed.gov)
Meanwhile, it provides $ 2.5 billion to support professional development that can be used to «improve the knowledge of teachers and principals and, in appropriate cases, paraprofessionals, concerning effective instructional strategies, methods, and skills, and use of challenging State academic content standards and student academic achievement standards, and State assessments, to improve teaching practices and student academic achievement.» (educationnext.org)
States must intervene in their lowest - performing schools, for example, in ways that are consistent with the Education Department's «turnaround principles» such as «ensuring that the instructional program is research - based, rigorous, and aligned with State academic content standards.» (americanprogress.org)