Creating a common language for Educators

With all the acronyms used in education today, a lot can get lost in translation between general educators, special educators, other service providers and parents.  As a starting place, we can attempt to avoid the use of some of these.  That is not always possible.  Attached find a list to start a conversation in this group as to how best make sure that all our teacher candidates are familiar with the basics.

See below for a taste of some of these! 

Also for more, see attached!

General Acronyms

Teachers use these acronyms to discuss academics, behavior, or what’s going on in the wider world of education.

• AYP: Adequate Yearly Progress is each school’s progress according to the federal No Child Left Behind (NCLB) act. AYP tracks standardized test data in math, reading, and science. According to NCLB, all students in public schools must be proficient in reading and math by the 2013-14 school year. Schools that do not meet AYP towards that goal must notify parents and face sanctions.
• DEAR: Drop Everything and Read (or IR for Independent Reading) is a time during the school day when children read silently. (For some of the benefits of IR and DEAR, click here.)
• ELL: Students who are English Language Learners do not speak English at home and are learning English at school.
• ESEA: The Elementary and Secondary Education Act is the federal law for K-12 education, it was reauthorized into NCLB in 2002.

For Special Education

You’ll come across these acronyms if your child is being evaluated for or has a disability that affects his school experience.

• 504 Plan: A 504 Plan is written for a child who has a disability that impacts his access to the curriculum in some way. The goal of a 504 Plan is to provide the student with accommodations and modifications in school that allow him to fully access the general curriculum. (Get info on the difference between IEPs and 504 Plans.)
• ADA: The Americans with Disabilities Act is a 1992 law that prevents discrimination on the basis of disability by any public institution, including schools.
• ADHD: Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder is a condition that’s characterized by inattentiveness, impulsivity, hyperactivity, or a combination of those characteristics that is out of the normal range for the child’s age.