Core Curriculum

  • The students at Paul B. Stephens School are provided instruction in learning targets aligned to the Florida Standards Access Points (ELA and Math) and the Sunshine State Standards Access Points (Science and Social Studies).  Florida Standards Access Points are intended only for students with a significant cognitive disability.  The Access courses which guide instruction on the Access Points are designed to provide students with access to the general curriculum.  Access points reflect increasing levels of complexity and depth of knowledge aligned with grade-level expectations. The access points included in access courses are intentionally designed to foster high expectations for students with significant cognitive disabilities.

    Access points in English Language Arts contain Essential Understandings (or EUs). EUs consist of skills at varying levels of complexity and are a resource when planning for instruction.  EUs are referred to as “student entry points”. They outline student expectations aligned to the Florida Standards Access Points.
     

    The Pacing Guides, which are available for ELA and Math, are meant to be a starting point for collaborative unit planning at the teacher’s school site and provide sample resources for common learning experiences aligned to the Access Points.