Figure 11: <strong>Co</strong>-Teach Class Planner-High School ExampleGrade Level/ Ma<strong>in</strong>stream Self-<strong>Co</strong>nta<strong>in</strong>ed<strong>Co</strong>ntent AreaNo Special Education It<strong>in</strong>erant Support <strong>Co</strong>-Teach SupportSupportSupport NeededEnglishEnglish IEnglish IIEnglish IIIEnglish IVOtherMathematicsAlgebra IGeometryAlgebra IIPre-calculusOtherScienceIPCBiologyChemistryPhysicsOtherSocial StudiesU.S. HistoryWorld HistoryWorld GeographyGovernmentEconomicsOther <strong>Co</strong>-Teach <strong>Co</strong>ursesAdapted with permission from North East ISD.34 | <strong>Texas</strong> <strong>Co</strong>-<strong>Teach<strong>in</strong>g</strong> <strong>Guidel<strong>in</strong>es</strong> <strong>Texas</strong> Education Agency / Education Service Center, <strong>Region</strong> 20
Lesson Plans (Figure 16)In addition to lesson plann<strong>in</strong>g references <strong>in</strong> the schedul<strong>in</strong>g and plann<strong>in</strong>g section, other considerations mustbe addressed with collaborative plann<strong>in</strong>g. As well as available commercial lesson plans, a district or campusmay choose to adapt current lesson plans to <strong>in</strong>clude co-teach<strong>in</strong>g approaches.Regardless of campus-specific <strong>for</strong>mat or design, required student IEP accommodations and modificationsmust be <strong>in</strong>corporated <strong>in</strong>to the teachers’ plann<strong>in</strong>g. It is imperative, there<strong>for</strong>e, that general educators havecopies of students’ IEP documents, <strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g the present level of academic achievement and functionalper<strong>for</strong>mance (PLAAFP) statements, annual goals (<strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g benchmarks/short-term objectives, if <strong>in</strong>cluded),accommodations, Behavior Intervention Plans (BIPs), and all other relevant <strong>in</strong><strong>for</strong>mation. In addition to hav<strong>in</strong>ga copy of the relevant portions of the IEP, 19 <strong>Texas</strong> Adm<strong>in</strong>istrative <strong>Co</strong>de (TAC) §89.1075 (c) also requiresthat each teacher be <strong>in</strong><strong>for</strong>med of his/her specific responsibilities related to implement<strong>in</strong>g and document<strong>in</strong>gthe implementation of the student’s IEP.Lesson plans should be data-driven. <strong>Co</strong>-teachers should cont<strong>in</strong>ually review student data to develop andrevise lesson plans. The lesson plan should be used as a plann<strong>in</strong>g tool <strong>in</strong> order <strong>for</strong> the special educatorhalf of the co-teach<strong>in</strong>g team to make contributions to the lesson plan.To plan effective lessons that <strong>in</strong>clude all students, educators need advance notice of students with specialneeds be<strong>in</strong>g assigned to their classrooms. While this is not always possible with transfer students, it isusually possible if a student is chang<strong>in</strong>g classes and is certa<strong>in</strong>ly possible when classes are set up at thebeg<strong>in</strong>n<strong>in</strong>g of the school year. <strong>Co</strong>-teachers cannot develop accommodations and modifications with<strong>in</strong> thelesson plan to support students who are placed <strong>in</strong> the co-teach classroom without sufficient data dur<strong>in</strong>gthe plann<strong>in</strong>g process.Use of PersonnelIt is important that co-teachers actually be given time to co-teach. Due to the nature of a co-teach<strong>in</strong>gclassroom, it is crucial that co-teachers be allowed to fulfill their assignments by provid<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong>struction tostudents on a consistent basis. Not meet<strong>in</strong>g a student’s written IEP schedule of services can result <strong>in</strong> af<strong>in</strong>d<strong>in</strong>g of noncompliance <strong>for</strong> the LEA. Additionally, <strong>in</strong>consistent implementation of the co-teach<strong>in</strong>g programdoes not allow students opportunities to experience the benefits of the co-teach<strong>in</strong>g environment, nor does itprovide a true picture of how successful co-teach<strong>in</strong>g can be.Dually Certified TeachersPer the 2011-2012 Student Attendance Account<strong>in</strong>g Handbook (p. 94) (http://www.tea.state.tx.us/<strong>in</strong>dex2.aspx?id=7739&menu_id=645&menu_id2=789), one dually certified teacher may not provide both generaleducation and special education services at the same time. If the general education teacher is also specialeducation certified, and the student’s IEP requires special education support <strong>in</strong> a general education sett<strong>in</strong>g,the general educator cannot provide general education <strong>in</strong>struction to one group of students while provid<strong>in</strong>gspecific IEP-directed special education supports/<strong>in</strong>struction to the student whose IEP requires it at thesame time. If a student’s IEP requires direct special education support/<strong>in</strong>struction <strong>in</strong> a general educationsett<strong>in</strong>g, the direct special education support/<strong>in</strong>struction must be provided <strong>in</strong> addition to the general education<strong>in</strong>struction provided by the general education teacher. Hav<strong>in</strong>g one teacher who is dually certified does notfollow state policy, nor does it create a co-teach<strong>in</strong>g situation. (See the Student Attendance Account<strong>in</strong>gHandbook <strong>for</strong> specific <strong>in</strong><strong>for</strong>mation/exceptions regard<strong>in</strong>g 3- and 4-year old students.)© <strong>Texas</strong> Education Agency / Education Service Center, <strong>Region</strong> 20 <strong>Texas</strong> <strong>Co</strong>-<strong>Teach<strong>in</strong>g</strong> <strong>Guidel<strong>in</strong>es</strong> | 35
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