"All students, including students with significant cognitive disabilities, deserve and have a right to a quality educational experience. This right includes, to the maximum extent possible, the opportunity to be involved in and meet the same challenging expectations that have been established for all students. The Wisconsin Essential Elements for Science were developed to satisfy the requirement of the U.S. Department of Education that Wisconsin have alternate achievement standards for students with significant cognitive disabilities. These standards are:
• Clearly linked to Wisconsin’s academic standards • Promote access to the general education curriculum • Reflect professional judgment of the highest expectation possible
The Wisconsin Essential Elements for Science, are aligned with college and career expectations and include rigorous content and application for students with significant cognitive disabilities. These alternate achievement standards provide a more authentic, real-world approach to learning science. The new Wisconsin Essential Elements for Science emphasize the link across disciplines and demonstrates how math, reading, and science work together in education as they do in life as well as provide suggestions and opportunities for these links."
-Barb Van HarenDirectorDPI Special Education Team https://dpi.wi.gov/sites/default/files/imce/sped/pdf/dpi-ee-science.pdf