Personal Curriculum Use for Students with IEPs
Helping All Students Succeed
All students must have a plan for the future.
Students need opportunities to investigate career pathways, to discover their interests, and to identify options for meeting their potential. This is addressed through the Educational Development Plan (EDP), which documents the student’s career pathway and postsecondary goals. The EDP also outlines the high school coursework the student will need to achieve his or her postsecondary goals. For students with an Individualized Education Program (IEP), the IEP is used to document special education services necessary for the student to access and achieve in the Michigan Merit Curriculum (MMC). A PC can be used to modify any content within the MMC for a student with an IEP if he or she needs it in order to access and achieve in the MMC. The EDP, IEP, and PC must work together to map out an educational plan that meets the student’s needs.
The Michigan Merit Curriculum (MMC) can be modified.
The PC will not be necessary for most students with an IEP but can be a valuable tool for some students to earn a diploma. A modification to the MMC through use of a PC starts with a request by a parent or legal guardian, emancipated student, or school personnel. The request is followed by a thorough review of the relevant student information by a PC team. A PC for a student with an IEP allows a district to consider modifications to any area of the MMC. MMC content may only be modified if the PC team determines that the student’s disability is the reason the student is not able to access or demonstrate proficiency in the content. The PC plan must be agreed to by both the parent or legal guardian (or emancipated student) and the superintendent or his or her designee before being implemented. Upon completing the MMC, as modified by the PC, the student receives a high school diploma.
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MDE Documents and Tools
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This rubric may be used to assist in an IEP team's planning for a student's course of study - diploma vs. non-diploma, and use of Personal Curriculum.
Used with permission from MI TOP training with Kent County ISD, Jan 2015
