NCSC- National Center and State Collaborative Students with Significant Cognitive Disabilities

The Least Dangerous Assumption We assume that students with the most significant cognitive disabilities are competent and able to learn, and we support increased educational opportunities in a range of learning environments.

Defining, Teaching and Assessing Content for Students with Significant Cognitive Disabilities

NCSC Phase 1 Pilot Test Grades 3-8 and 11 Mathematics, Reading and Writing

NCSC Assessment The NCSC assessment is for students with significant cognitive disabilities, and is an alternate assessment based on alternate academic achievement standards (AA-AAS)

NCSC Assessment The assessment is designed with the assumption that all students can communicate if given the means to do so

Participation Guidelines A student’s IEP team will determine if this assessment is appropriate to administer using the NCSC Participation Guidelines Default/PDFs/Resources/NCSC_Partici pation_Guidelines-Nov-2013.pdf Default/PDFs/Resources/NCSC_Partici pation_Guidelines-Nov-2013.pdf

Comparison Alternate Portfolio Assessment NCSC Grades 3-8 Literacy and Math, Grade 9 Math, and Grade 11 literacy, (not including science) Grades 3-8 and 11 Literacy and Math (not including science) Aligned to Arkansas FrameworksAligned to Common Core State Standards September to March collection1.5 to 2 hours per content area per student Human scorersElectronic scoring except writing Pictures, video, work productElectronic Format At least 57 Pieces of evidence30 Multiple choice items max per content area and writing

NCSC Assessment Test questions will be at four levels of complexity so that students with the most significant cognitive disabilities can demonstrate their knowledge and skills when they have received content instruction in the classroom

NCSC Assessment The assessment will consist of approximately 30 items for each subject tested Most items are selected response (multiple choice) Writing will be assessed by constructed response  Responses can be constructed in many ways including words and picture symbols

NCSC Assessment The assessment will take approximately hours to administer the math sessions and an equivalent amount of time to administer the literacy sessions  Students can be assessed in smaller blocks of time during the testing window

NCSC Assessment - Technology The assessment will be administered using technology in a variety of ways  Some students will respond directly into the online system  Some students will take a paper-pencil version of the test  The teacher may enter student responses into the computer for students who are unable to do so

Pilot Test Dates 2/14/2014 Administrator’s Training 3/17-4/18 Math Pilot Window 3/11-4/15 Literacy Pilot Window

Pilot Test Dates These dates have been changed from the original dates published in earlier webinars. Information will be announced to the schools as soon as it has been confirmed with NCSC.

Registration The registration window will be open until the end of the month. If your school has not registered, there is still time to get your school district involved.

What can schools be doing to get ready?

Instructional Supports and Resources for Teachers ment.html rces-cop-presentations

Charlotte Marvel Jennifer Brown Suzanne Knowles – Arkansas Contact Information

Questions??? Type in chat box or one of us after the webinar