Extended Content Standards 

Overview

The Exceptional Children's Department supports Public School Units (PSU’s) in curriculum adaptations to address the Standard Course of Study, methodology and best practices, implementation of the NCEXTEND1, and other issues regarding students with significant cognitive disabilities.

North Carolina Standard Course of Study defines the appropriate content standards for each grade level and each high school course to provide a uniform set of learning standards for every public school in North Carolina. These standards define what students know and should be able to do. - NC DPI .  Extended Content Standards refers to a modified curriculum designed for students with significant cognitive disabilities, providing them access to essential elements of the regular course of study ( ELA, Math, Science and Social Studies) with adaptations to address additional areas of need such as adaptive and functional, often including individualized instruction and support methods.  

A significant cognitive disability is defined as:

• Students with significant cognitive disabilities have cognitive and adaptive behavior functioning deficits that may prevent them from attaining grade level achievement standards, even with substantial program modifications and accommodations.
• They may require extensive individualized instruction across multiple settings to access and make progress in the learning environment.
• The significant cognitive disabilities cannot be the primary result of: excessive or extended absences, social, cultural, and economic differences, identification as an English Learner (EL), pre-determined poor performance on grade level assessments, administrator decision, educational environment or instructional setting.