With the vast majority of states adopting a uniform set of standards for their students to achieve, how does this effect students with special needs? What are the standards for ELL students and students with learning disabilities?
Here is what the official Common Core State Standards say regarding students with special needs in regards to the language arts:
It is beyond the scope of the Standards to define the full range of supports appropriate for English language learners and for students with special needs. At the same time, all students must have the opportunity to learn and meet the same high standards if they are to access the knowledge and skills necessary in their post–high school lives.
Each grade will include students who are still acquiring English. For those students, it is possible to meet the standards in reading, writing, speaking, and listening without displaying native-like control of conventions and vocabulary.
The Standards should also be read as allowing for the widest possible range of students to participate fully from the outset and as permitting appropriate accommodations to ensure maximum participation of students with special education needs. For example, for students with disabilities reading should allow for the use of Braille, screen-reader technology, or other assistive devices, while writing should include the use of a scribe, computer, or speech-to text technology. In a similar vein, speaking and listening should be interpreted broadly to include sign language.
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