Ohio’s Alternate Assessments for Students with Disabilities Thomas Lather Office for Exceptional Children (614)

What are Alternate Assessments? A state wide assessment process that is designed for students with the most significant cognitive disabilities who are unable to participate in regular assessment. –Ensures that all students can participate in the assessment systems.

Alternate Assessments Basic Assumption: –The vast majority of students with disabilities should be able to participate in the regular State assessment with appropriate and allowable accommodations, if needed. –A “small number” of students should participate in alternate assessment. (US DOE Non-Regulatory Draft Guidance, March 10, 2003 at

What are Alternate Assessments Must be aligned with the State’s content and student achievement standards. Must report student achievement in the same way as the State’s regular assessment. –i.e.,advanced, proficient, basic Must serve the same purpose as the assessment for which it is an alternate –i.e., Reading, Math

What are Alternate Assessments Ohio’s Standards based Alternate Assessment is for students with the most severe disabilities. The Alternate Assessment consists of a Collection of Evidence (COE) of a student’s achievement of Ohio’s Academic Content Standards. –The collection of evidence documents access to grade level content but reflects an alternate level of achievement. Alternate assessment is a “snapshot” of achievement during a window of time

Ohio’s Alternate Assessment for Students with Disabilities Collection of Evidence scored across four domains Performance Support/Independence Complexity/Context Settings and Interactions Evidence is scored independently according to professionally accepted standards

Alternate Assessments Proposed Federal Policy for purpose of Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) –Use of alternate achievement standards at state and LEA levels may not exceed 1% of tested population with maximum positive impact for AYP (USDOE Proposed Rules, Federal Register, March 20, 2003 (Vol. 68, No. 54, pp )

Alternate Assessments 1% proposed cap does not limit the number of the students who can participate in Alternate Assessment. The proposed cap provides that only 1% of those students who participate in an Alternate Assessment, and scored proficient and above, will be counted towards AYP.

Alternate Assessments Which students should take an Alternate Assessment? IEP team determination –Decision based on individual needs of the student, NOT the category of the disability –Follow Ohio Guidelines for Participation in Alternate Assessment

Ohio Guidelines for Participation in Alternate Assessment: Criteria to Assist IEP Teams Appropriate for students with severe disabilities –In most cases, this means students with cognitive disabilities –However, this is NOT exclusive of other disability conditions

Ohio Guidelines for Participation in Alternate Assessment: Criteria to Assist IEP Teams Severe limitations documented in evaluation team report Instruction chiefly focused on acquisition of essential life skills –Generally not appropriate for students engaged in general curriculum without significant modification. –Appropriate for students who require the highest level of individualized instruction

Ohio Guidelines for Participation in Alternate Assessment: Criteria to Assist IEP Teams If alternate assessment is appropriate for a student, that student would participate in alternate assessment “across the board” (i.e., in all tested subject areas) Determination should be reviewed annually

Transitions in Ohio’s alternate assessments for students with disabilities, Existing “IEP” based Alternate Assessments –Grade 4 Citizenship, Science, and Writing –Grade 6 Citizenship, Science, and Writing –Grade 9 Reading, Mathematics Citizenship, Science, and Writing (if needed) New “Standards-based Alternate Assessment (“collection of evidence”) –Grade 3 Reading –Grade 4 Reading/Mathematics –Grade 6 Reading/Mathematics –Grade 10 (OGT) Reading/Mathematics

Alternate Assessment/EMIS Student Testing Record –“Subject” Test Type Select ALT – Alternate Assessment –“Subject” type of accommodation Select NO

Alternate Assessment/EMIS Since the Standards Based Alternate Assessment will be scored, and the score reported to the Department, the results of the IEP-Based Alternate Assessment will need to be reported as followed: –AAA Advanced –BBB Proficient –CCC Basic –DDD Below Basic

Alternate Assessment Additional information regarding Alternate Assessment can be located on the web-pages for the Offices of Exception Children and Curriculum and Assessment.