1. TCAP-Alternate Portfolio TCAP-Alt PA

2. TCAP-Alt PA Alternate Assessment based on Alternate Achievement Standards (1% Assessment)
The primary purpose for alternate assessments in state assessment systems is to increase the capacity of large-scale accountability systems to create information about how a school, district, or state is doing in terms of overall student performance. Gathering data on the performance of students through alternate assessments requires rethinking traditional assessment methods. An alternate assessment is neither a traditional large-scale assessment nor an individualized diagnostic assessment. For students with disabilities, alternate assessments can be administered to students who differ greatly in their ability to respond to stimuli, solve problems, and provide responses.
IEP teams must consider a student’s individual characteristics when determining whether a student with a disability should participate in the general assessment with or without accommodations, or in the alternate assessment. 2

3. Two Basic Steps for Decision-making
Review student records and important information across multiple school years and settings
Determine whether the student fits all of the criteria for participating in TCAP-Alt PA
There are two basic steps that an IEP team should take in determining whether the alternate assessment is appropriate for a student.
For (1), settings include school, home and community
For (2) there are three criteria that a student must meet in order to be eligible for the assessment. Those criteria are presented in the following slides and materials.

4. Step 1 Review student records and important information
Description of student’s curriculum and instruction
Classroom work samples and data
Assessment tasks (class, state, district-wide, individualized, etc.)
IEP information (e.g., PLEP, goals, information on substantial communication needs, or possible linguistic concerns for English language learners for accurate assessment)
Information the IEP Team should consider to determine whether the alternate assessment is appropriate for an individual student includes:
Description of the student’s curriculum and instruction, including data on progress
Classroom work samples and data
Examples of performance on assessment tasks to compare with classroom work
Results of district-wide alternate assessments
Results of individualized reading assessments
IEP information including:
Present levels of academic achievement and functional performance (PLEP), goals, and short-term objectives.
Considerations for students with individualized and substantial communication needs or modes (from multiple data sources)
Considerations for students who may be learning English as a second or other language (i.e., English language learners) that may interfere with an accurate assessment of his or her academic, social, or adaptive abilities.

5. Step 2 Determine whether the student fits all of the participation criteria
The student has a significant cognitive disability. Review of student records indicate a disability or multiple disabilities that significantly impact intellectual functioning and adaptive behavior essential for someone to live independently and to function safely in daily life.
The student is learning content linked to (derived from) the State Standards. Goals and instruction listed in the IEP for this student are linked to the enrolled grade-level standards and address knowledge and skills that are appropriate and challenging for this student.
The student requires extensive direct individualized instruction and substantial supports to achieve measurable gains in the grade and age-appropriate curriculum. The student:
requires extensive, repeated, individualized instruction and support that is not of a temporary or transient nature, and
uses substantially adapted materials and individualized methods of accessing information in alternative ways to acquire, maintain, generalize, demonstrate and transfer skills across multiple settings.

6. Criterion 1 The student has a significant cognitive disability.
Review of student records indicate a disability or multiple disabilities that significantly impact intellectual functioning and adaptive behavior essential for someone to live independently and to function safely in daily life.
Participation Descriptions
A student with a significant cognitive disability is one who has records that indicate a disability or multiple disabilities that significantly impact intellectual functioning and adaptive behavior. Adaptive behavior is defined as actions essential for an individual to live independently and to function safely in daily life. Having a significant cognitive disability is not determined by an IQ test score, but rather a holistic understanding of a student.
Most students with significant cognitive disabilities have intellectual disabilities, multiple disabilities, or autism, but not all do. And, not all students with these disabilities are considered to have a “significant cognitive disability.” Students demonstrating academic deficits or difficulties due to learning disabilities, speech-language impairments, and emotional-behavioral disabilities do not qualify for participation in the Alternate Assessment. Performing 3-4 grade levels below peers without disabilities is not evidence of a significant cognitive disability. Academic deficits or difficulties alone do not indicate that a student has a significant cognitive disability. Further, a significant cognitive disability will be pervasive, affecting student learning across content areas and in social and community settings.
Students with autism or intellectual disabilities should be carefully considered for the Alternate Assessment, but they should not automatically be assigned to the alternate assessment based on their identified disability category. Not all students with autism or intellectual disabilities have a significant cognitive disability. Many students eligible to receive special education and related services under these categorical labels are able to participate in general assessments, with accommodations.
Students receiving special education services who are identified as having orthopedic impairments, other health impairments, or traumatic brain injuries, do not necessarily have a significant cognitive disability. Determinations for student participation in statewide assessments must be evidence centered and made individually for each student by the IEP team.
 Students demonstrating mild to moderate cognitive disabilities may be more appropriately placed in the general assessment system with accommodations. Anticipated or past low achievement on the general assessment does not mean the student should be taking the Alternate Assessment.

7. Criterion 2
The student is learning content linked to (derived from) the State Standards.
Goals and instruction listed in the IEP for this student are linked to the enrolled grade-level state standards and address knowledge and skills that are appropriate and challenging for this student.
Participation Descriptions
The student’s disability or multiple disabilities affect how the student learns curriculum linked to the state standards. The student is learning content that is linked to (derived from) the standards that appropriately breaks the standards into smaller steps.
You may ask, “Why is it important to indicate that a student is receiving instruction on content linked to the standards…”
The decision to align a student’s academic program to the alternate performance indicators that are linked to the standards and participation in the Alternate Assessment limits a student’s direct contact with the breadth of the standards for the grade level in which he/she is enrolled. This limited or modified exposure to the grade level standards may have significant impact on academic outcomes and post-secondary opportunities.

8. Criterion 3
The student requires extensive direct individualized instruction and substantial supports to achieve measurable gains in the grade and age-appropriate curriculum.
The student: 
(a) requires extensive, repeated, individualized instruction and support that is not of a temporary or transient nature, and
(b) uses substantially adapted materials and individualized methods of accessing information in alternative ways to acquire, maintain, generalize, demonstrate and transfer skills across multiple settings.
Participation Descriptions
The student’s need for extensive direct individualized instruction is not temporary or transient. His or her need for substantial supports to achieve gains in the grade and age-appropriate curriculum requires substantially adapted materials and customized methods of accessing information in alternative ways to acquire, maintain, generalize, demonstrate, and transfer skills across multiple settings.

9. Criteria Not Appropriate for Decision-Making
English language learner (ELL) status
Low reading level/achievement level
Anticipated disruptive behavior
Impact of test scores on accountability system
Administrator decision
Anticipated emotional duress
Need for accommodations (e.g., assistive technology/AAC) to participate
Disability category or label
Poor attendance or extended absences
Native language/social/cultural or economic difference
Expect poor performance on general education assessment
Academic and other services student receives
Educational environment or instr. Setting
Percent of time in Special Education
Clarify that individual characteristics related to ELL status or the extent of individualized support needed in using accommodations CAN factor into decision-making, but that generalizations about “ELL Status” or type of accommodation used is NOT an appropriate basis for decisions.
An ELL should be considered for the alternate assessment if (a) his/her cognitive functioning indicates a significant cognitive disability using assessments in his/her home language as appropriate, and (b) he/she meets the other participation guidelines for the . Assessments of adaptive behavior and communication, as well as information on goals and instruction in the student's IEP should take into account linguistic and sociocultural factors for valid interpretation of what may or may not be a significant cognitive disability. If an ELL with an IEP does not meet the criteria for the alternate assessment, he/she should take the general assessment with accommodations as appropriate.

10. Medical Exemption Request
If you believe a student qualifies as medically exempt, your district portfolio supervisor needs to contact the state special populations assessment consultant for a medical exemption request form.

11. TCAP-Alt PA Entry Requirements
Report of Irregularity
If applicable, must be the first page of the binder if assessed on a Modified or Homebound Rubric
Table of Contents
Number pages on bottom right hand corner and record numbers on the appropriate lines of the Table of Contents
Participation Guidelines
Only from EasyIEP
Affidavit of Student Performance
Signed in ink by teacher of record and school principal
Content Area Specific Forms
Evidence Sheet
Graph

12. TCAP-Alt PA Evidence Sheet and Graph
“Snap Shot” of one data collection day
Represents one point on the graph
Date must be coded on the graph
Graph
Four graph options
Columns on graph represent one data day
Each point on the graph represents one activity
Center each point in the middle of the box and connect the points using a blue ink pen
Choice and Inclusion row should be completed if student was provided a choice and/or setting was inclusive
If setting was inclusive, teacher or appropriate person must sign, with appropriate title (not just “teacher”) and setting code
Each data day represented must have supporting evidence kept by the teacher

13. TCAP-Alt PA Evidence Sheet and Graph
Activity
Specific method of instruction that will lead to mastery of the API
Should be written in a way which could be replicated-must be clear how the student performed the activity
Writing good activities is VERY important
Choice
Connected to activity
Recorded on both evidence sheet and graph
Food choices are only appropriate if academic and directly related to activity (not reward)
Peer Interaction
Must be related to activity
Peer is any student within two grade levels of student being assessed who does not meet criteria for TCAP-Alt PA participation.
Peer Interactions must be related to the API and activity. A peer may NOT meet
participation guidelines for TCAP-Alt PA. For students in grades 3-8, a peer is no more than two grade levels above or below the student being assessed. For students in grade 9, peers may be in grade 7 or higher. For students in grade 10, peers may be in grade 8 or higher. For students in grades 11–12, peers may be in grade 9 or higher.

14. TCAP-Alt PA Content Entry Requirements
Correspond to the General Education Assessment at the student’s grade level.
Writing is included as one of the Content Standards for Reading/Language Arts.
TCAP-Alt PA fulfills the writing requirement.
K-2
If district requires a K-2 assessment, portfolio is administered in the same content areas as the K-2.
Do not order a binder for the assessment.
The K-2 portfolio is scored at the district level and the district is responsible for reporting the score to the parent.
Grades 3-8
Assess Reading/Language Arts, Math, and Science
Grades 9-12
Math (recommended in 9th grade)
Life Science (recommended in 10th grade)
Reading/Language Arts (recommended in 11th grade)

15. Three Scoring Rubrics
The Rubric is the blueprint by which the portfolio is scored.
Qualified Scorers will review each portfolio.
Numerical points in Content, Choice, Supports, Settings, and Peer Interactions are calculated.
There are three types of Rubrics:
TCAP-Alt PA
TCAP-Alt PA Modified
TCAP-Alt PA Homebound

16. TCAP-Alt PA Rubric
If using the TCAP-Alt PA Rubric, assess three different content standards per content area.
For high school students being assessed in science, use three different sub-categories of Life Science.
Fill out one graph and one evidence sheet per content standard assessed, according to the instructions provided in Section VII of the Teacher’s Manual
At least 15 occurrences of data collection must be documented throughout the data period for each API.
The TCAP-Alt PA Rubric assesses all five dimensions (Content, Choice, Settings, Supports, and Peer Interactions) for each of the three APIs per content area.

17. TCAP-Alt PA Modified Rubric
Use the TCAP-Alt PA Modified Scoring Rubric only under the following conditions:
Student absences are excessive (student is present 40% or less during the data period) OR
Student transfers from out-of-state after November 30 but before January 1 OR
Student attends school but has an abbreviated schedule (1/2 day or less)
If using the TCAP-Alt PA Modified Rubric, assess one API per content area.
Fill out one graph and one evidence sheet per content area assessed, according to the instructions provided in Section VII of the Teacher’s Manual
The TCAP-Alt PA Modified Rubric assesses all five dimensions (Content, Choice, Settings, Supports, and Peer Interactions) for one API per content area.
A Report of Irregularity MUST be completed and included in the student’s binder if you are using the modified rubric.

18. TCAP-Alt PA Homebound Rubric
Use the TCAP-Alt PA Homebound Scoring Rubric only under the following conditions:
Student is placed on homebound status for the entire school year OR
Student attends a special day school.
The special day school serves only students with significant cognitive and adaptive disabilities AND
The student’s TCAP-Alt Participation Guidelines document cognitive and adaptive skills are equal to or less than 50.
If using the TCAP-Alt PA Homebound Rubric, assess one API per content area.
Fill out one graph and one evidence sheet per content area assessed, according to the instructions provided in Section VII of the Teacher’s Manual
The TCAP-Alt PA Homebound Rubric assesses only Content and Choice for one API per content area.
A Report of Irregularity MUST be completed and included in the student’s binder if you are using either the homebound rubric.

19. TCAP-Alt PA Resources
TCAP- Alt PA Resources are posted to
2014 Teacher’s Manual
Content Standards and Alternate Performance Indicators Document
List of sample activities for each grade level cluster and API
K-2 training modules
Tips for Integrating the TCAP-Alt PA with your daily classroom instruction
Exemplar portfolios
FAQs
System Coordinator Information Document

20. Who can we ask if we have more questions?
For information about the TCAP-Alt PA contact:
Lori Nixon
(615)
For assistance with instruction and communication needs for students who participate in the TCAP-Alt PA:
Alison Gauld
(615)
Jill Omer
(615)