Narrowing the Gap for Maryland’s Students with Disabilities

In January 2025, the Maryland State Department of Education released the Standard for Developing Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) to Close or Narrow Academic Performance Gaps - PDF. The Standard was developed in response to the foundational recommendation of the Blueprint Special Education Workgroup that students with disabilities be enabled through their IEPs to meet grade-level achievement expectations.

The Workgroup had identified low expectations for students with disabilities as a persistent barrier to improving outcomes for these students. IEPs that close or narrow achievement gaps are an important systemic lever for establishing high expectations and involve several key components:

1. Narrowing the Gap goals target foundational math and literacy skills that impact access to grade-level content when students have significant academic performance gaps.
2. Grade-Level Standards-Aligned goals in every academic area impacted by a student’s disability.
3. Identification of evidence-based practices and reasonable calculation of services to enable the progress necessary to close or narrow performance gaps.
4. Timely review and revision of the IEP, including intensification of services if needed, when a student is not making adequate progress toward closing or narrowing academic performance gaps.

Guidance Documents

This set of guidance documents is intended for use by IEP teams, including special and general educators, IEP chairs, administrators, and parents. They can be printed and used at the IEP table to help teams select standards and skills for Narrowing the Gap goals, write goals for students in different grade bands, identify evidence-based practices, and reasonably calculate services.
 

Narrowing the Gap Goals in Grades K-5 - PDF - 149.73 KB

Narrowing and closing academic performance gaps in the early grades is critical. Narrowing the Gap goals included in the IEPs of students in grades K-5 target foundational math and literacy (reading and writing) skills that impact a student’s access to grade-level content. Reasonably calculated services, based on evidence-based practices to the extent practicable, enable students to achieve these goals.
 

Narrowing the Gap Goals in Grades 6-12 - PDF - 181.75 KB

Narrowing the Gap goals are included in Maryland Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) for students in grades 6-12 to close or narrow academic performance gaps. These goals target foundational math and literacy (reading and writing) skills that impact a student’s access to grade-level content. Reasonably calculated services, based on evidence-based practices to the extent practicable, enable students to achieve these goals.
 

Narrowing the Gap Goals in Grades 12+ - PDF - 160.77 KB

For students in grades 12+, Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) must include Grade-Level Standards-Aligned goals and, when appropriate, Narrowing the Gap goals to address academic performance gaps. How teams develop and implement these goals depends on the student's educational setting and post-12th-grade activities. Whether instruction occurs in a classroom or in the community, the expectation remains the same — every student with a disability deserves access to rigorous, meaningful academic goals.
 

Narrowing the Gap in Literacy - PDF - 229.32 KB (Developed in collaboration with Division of Instructional Programs)

All students must have access to the full progression of the Maryland College and Career Ready (MCCR) Standards for English Language Arts/Literacy (MCCRS). To develop IEPs that close or narrow academic performance gaps, IEP teams must identify which literacy standards or essential skills will enable a student with a disability to meet grade-level expectations and have meaningful access to the full depth and breadth of the standards.
 

Narrowing the Gap in Mathematics - PDF - 198.91 KB (Developed in collaboration with Division of Instructional Programs)

All students must have access to the full progression of the Maryland College and Career Ready Standards (MCCRS) for Mathematics. To develop Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) that close or narrow academic performance gaps, IEP teams must identify mathematics standards or essential skills that will enable a student with a disability to meet grade-level expectations and have meaningful access to the full depth and breadth of the standards.
 

Services to Narrow the Gap: Evidence-Based Practices and Reasonable Calculation - PDF - 214.64 KB

To narrow and close academic achievement gaps, the services in a student’s IEP must be: (1) evidence-based practices (EBP) to the extent practicable and (2) reasonably calculated to enable a student to master their goals. Services cannot be based on a student’s disability, program structures or models, or administrative or resource limitations like schedules, staffing, or cost.
 

Revising the IEP to Narrow the Gap: When a Student Is Not Making Progress - PDF - 209.73 KB

Establishing high expectations for students through IEPs that close or narrow academic performance gaps is achieved through Grade-Level Standards-Aligned and Narrowing the Gap (NTG) goals, and through reasonably calculated services based on evidence-based practices. When students do not make adequate progress toward meeting those goals, the IEP team must convene to review the IEP and make needed revisions. This process should maintain focus on high expectations and on changes needed to close or narrow academic performance gaps.
 

For questions about the Standard for Developing Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) to Close or Narrow Academic Performance Gaps, please contact:
 

Molly Conner
Director, Performance Support & Technical Assistance
Office: (410) 767-0775
[email protected]