1. PARCC Read Aloud Decision Making

2. Agenda
Purpose and Basics
Math Read Aloud
ELA Read Aloud

3. Purpose and Objectives
This presentation is designed to provide district staff and educators with an overview and understanding of decisions related to PARCC read aloud accessibilities and accommodations
Objectives
Through this overview, educators will be able to understand:
How to determine eligibility and appropriate use of math read aloud as an accessibility feature
How to determine eligibility and appropriate use of ELA read aloud as an accommodation

4. Basics of ELA and Math Assessments
Test Content
Louisiana will administer PARCC assessments for English language arts (ELA) and math to students in grades 3 through 8 in spring 2015.
These will be the same test forms as those taken by students in districts and states across the country and will include the same questions field tested by nearly 50,000 Louisiana students during spring 2014.
The test details were originally communicated in the assessment guides released last March. Minor improvements were made based on field test feedback.
Test Dates
Phase 1 (Performance-Based Assessment): March 16 to 20
Phase 2 (End-of-Year Assessment): May 4 to 8
Students will take only one session (called a “unit”) per day.
Updates
Paper administration only: Educators have urged the Department to take a patient approach to technology implementation, allowing dedicated focus on the test’s content for In 2016, Louisiana will implement technology-based tests.
One fewer EOY ELA passage with questions: Louisiana and other states have shortened the ELA test by removing one passage per grade level.
These changes are included in the updated assessment guides.
Louisiana Believes

5. Agenda
Purpose and Basics
Math Read Aloud
ELA Read Aloud

6. PARCC Math Read Aloud Read Aloud on the Math Assessment:
Is a PARCC accessibility feature available to all students and should be indicated on the IEP, IAP, LEP, or PNP form
Is used for the entire assessment, not selection of choice words, during the test administration
Is appropriate for some students but should not be used for all students
Shall be determined by IEP, IAP, LEP, and PNP teams for individual students
Requirements for use of math read aloud:
Student reads below grade level and is unable to fluently read and comprehend items on the math assessment
Student’s reading ability interferes with the measure of math standards
Student regularly receives read aloud in the math classroom
Assessment data indicates that the student benefits from the support by being better able to demonstrate content knowledge
*For more information see the PARCC Accessibility and Accommodations Manual
Louisiana Believes

7. Steps in Decision Making
When engaging in the accessibility determinations:
Step 1: Ensure that the accessibility feature is used in the classroom.
Step 2: Gather evidence that the support increases access during instruction and assessments (observation and performance/assessment data).
Step 3: Meet as a team (teacher, parent, student, and other relevant stakeholders) to discuss accessibility features and create the plan of support using the PARCC Accessibility and Accommodations Manual for guidance.
Step 4: Measure continued effectiveness of the accessibility features through classroom observation and performance data and adjust as needed.

8. Roles in Determining Accessibility and Accommodations
District Leaders:
Provide guidance on process and timelines for completing and maintaining records
Work with schools to ensure comparability so that students are being provided equal access across schools
School leaders:
Ensure completion of process and adherence to timelines
Ensure maintenance of records
Participate in SBLC decision-making process
Teachers:
Ensure accessibility features are provided in the classroom on a regular basis
Gather evidence that the support increases access to instruction and results in student being better able to demonstrate their understanding of the content
Monitor for continued effectiveness of accessibility features

9. Math Read Aloud Accessibility School Level PNP Example
*This student, who does not have an IEP or IAP, would receive test read-aloud for math only. He will test with a read aloud group for the math session and return to his regular testing group for ELA.

10. Agenda
Purpose and Basics
Math Read Aloud
ELA Read Aloud

11. Accommodations on Assessments
Accommodations, by definition, provide support for students with disabilities without subverting the purpose of the assessment. The purpose of the assessment, the standards measured and method of measurement therefore determine the available accommodations for an assessment. On past ELA assessments, in grades 3-8, the test were less integrated and students answered questions based on more discrete skills (writing, research, reading, and language). This allowed all sections except for Reading Comprehension to be read aloud to students with this accommodation. NOTE: This is still an accommodation available for high school assessments (EOC, GEE, and LAA 2). However, the PARCC assessments are more integrated—assessing Reading, Writing, and Language through a series of tasks or passage sets. Since this means that the ELA read aloud accommodation applies to the entire ELA assessment, it must be used for only a small population of students—those who could not otherwise access the ELA assessment..

12. PARCC ELA Read Aloud Read Aloud on the ELA Assessment:
Includes read aloud of the entire ELA assessment
Will be noted on student performance reports
Is available to students with IEP and IAP accommodations that meet the following criteria:
Blindness or a visual impairment and has not learned (or is unable to use) braille;
A disability that severely limits or prevents him/her from accessing printed text, even after varied and repeated attempts to teach the student to do so (e.g., student is unable to decode printed text);
Deafness or a hearing impairment and is severely limited or prevented from decoding text due to a documented history of early and prolonged language deprivation
*See the PARCC Accessibility and Accommodations Manual for more information. and PARCC Appendix D: Read Aloud Decision Making
Louisiana Believes

13. Determining Eligibility
In determining the appropriateness of this accommodation, the following should be considered:
The IEP Team must use the evaluation results to determine that the student’s disability precludes or severely limits the student’s ability to gain meaning from written language.
The IEP Team should also determine if a learning disability exists in the area of reading, which includes decoding, comprehension or fluency.
There must be documentation of:
remedial reading services
student’s current reading skills
IEP or instructional goals related to reading development
response to intervention (RTI) model and outcomes such as the use of research or evidence-based interventions
aids and/or services provided to the student to support reading instruction

14. Steps in Decision Making
When engaging in the accessibility and accommodations determinations:
Step 1: Ensure that the accessibility and accommodations are used in the classroom.
Step 2: Gather evidence that the support increases access during instruction and assessments (observation and performance/assessment data).
Step 3: Meet as a team (teacher, parent, student, and other relevant stakeholders) to discuss accessibility and accommodations and create the plan of support using the PARCC Accessibility and Accommodations Manual for guidance.
Step 4: Measure continued effectiveness of the accessibility and accommodations through classroom observation and performance data and adjust as needed.

15. Roles in Determining Accessibility and Accommodations
District Leaders:
Provide guidance on process and timelines for completion based on guidance in Appendix D of the PARCC Accessibility and Accommodations Manual
Work with schools to ensure comparability
Ensure appropriate evidence and documentation are used in decision making process
School leaders:
Ensure completion of process and adherence to timelines
Participate in IEP/IAP team decision making process based on guidance in Appendix D of the PARCC Accessibility and Accommodations Manual
Use appropriate evidence and documentation in decision making process
Teachers:
Ensure usage of accommodations in the classroom on a regular basis
Gather evidence that the support increases access to instruction and results in student being better able to demonstrate their understanding of the content
Monitor for continued effectiveness of accommodation

16. ELA Read Aloud Accommodation School Level Example #1
Matthew is a 4th grade student with a specific learning disability in reading and has received read aloud as accommodation on state assessments as recorded on his IEP. The disability prevents Matthew from being able to engage in printed text. He has been included in the RTI process at his local school and is receiving reading remediation daily. Matthew regularly receives read aloud as an accommodation in the classroom and utilizes audio files in place of much of the printed text. In evaluating the evidence available, the school level team determines that because Matthew has a disability that severely impacts his ability to read and comprehend printed text as determined by reading assessments, has been involved in the school RTI process, is currently receiving reading remediation, and has IEP goals related to reading development, he is eligible for read aloud as an accommodation on state assessments. The school level team records the appropriate accessibility and accommodations and plans to determine the effectiveness of the supports through classroom assessment and observation and make appropriate changes if needed.

17. ELA Read Aloud Accommodation School Level Example #2
Sarah is a 7th grade student with ADHD tendencies and has received read aloud as accommodation on state assessments as recorded on her IAP for 3 years. She does not have a reading disability, but the IAP team has found that read aloud results in Sarah being less distracted by movement and noises in the classroom setting. In evaluating the evidence available, the school level team determines that because Sarah does not have a reading disability and is not receiving reading remediation, she is not eligible for read aloud as an accommodation on state assessments. However, they also determine that she would benefit other supports including using a noise buffer (ear buds or earplugs) and by being redirected by the test administrator when distracted. The school level team records the appropriate accessibility and accommodations and plans to determine the effectiveness of the supports through classroom assessment and observation and make appropriate changes if needed.

18. Next Steps Tasks Key Dates Louisiana Believes
Districts should:
Ensure all IEPs, IAPs, LEP forms, and PNPs are aligned to guidance and requirements for the PARCC assessments (primarily read aloud, dictionary/thesaurus, calculator)
Ensure accessibility features and accommodations are being used regularly
30 days prior to the assessment windows
Weekly PARCC Office Hours
·      Background: Dedicated time to answer educator questions related to the PARCC assessments 
·      When: Every Thursday at 11:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m.
·      Access: Join the PARCC Office Hours here.
PARCC Webinars
·      Personal Needs Profile (PNP) Decision Making, January 7 at 1:00 p.m. 
·      Access: Join the webinar here.
For more information, contact
Louisiana Believes