1. National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO) NCLB Implications for Assessment and Accountability for Students with Disabilities Martha L. Thurlow OSEP Strand Highlights of IDEA Part D Research

2. National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO) Overview of Session NCEO’s History and Focus No Child Left Behind Act (and IDEA) Selected Research Findings and Implications

3. National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO) NCEO’s Background Funded since 1990 – from outcomes to assessments and accountability (especially with IDEA 97) Three areas of focus:  Research  Technical Assistance and Dissemination  Collaboration and Other Leadership

4. National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO) Many targeted topics: Accommodations Out-of-Level Testing Accountability Participation Alternate Assessment Reporting Assessment Standards Graduation Requirements The importance of these topics was reinforced by IDEA 97, and more recently by No Child Left Behind

5. National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO) No Child Left Behind, the 2001 reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, includes students with disabilities as one of several subgroups in its accountability requirements

6. National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO) Stated purpose of NCLB: “…to ensure that all children have a fair, equal, and significant opportunity to obtain a high-quality education and reach, at a minimum, proficiency on challenging State academic achievement standards and state academic assessments”

7. National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO) Key Elements of NCLB  State standards for what a child should know and be able to do in reading and math now, and in science by 2005-06  Tests of every student’s progress toward the reading and math standards in grades 3-8 plus once in high school beginning in 2005-06, and toward science standards in elementary, middle, and high school beginning in 2007-08

8. National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO) Key Elements of NCLB  Criteria of adequate yearly progress (AYP) for each state, district, and school – for all students and for subgroups  School and district performance publicly reported in district and state report cards  Consequences for districts or schools that continually fail to make AYP

9. National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO) NCLB builds on IDEA concepts of best practice in the large-scale assessment of students with disabilities Assessment Participation Accommodations Alternate Assessment Reporting and adds concepts consistent with IDEA, such as: Accountability Universal Design

10. National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO) NCEO has research, technical assistance activities, and other leadership activities in all of these areas. http://education.umn.edu/NCEO Today – highlight work on just a few topics: state participation and accommodation policies, public reporting practices, universal design

11. National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO) Analyses of Written State Policies (2002) Study Procedures NCEO 1.Requested newest policy from all 50 states 2.Completed grids for all states and all accommodations (with notations) 3.Sent data to state for verification 4.Made changes only with written documentation [Collected policies through Sept 2001]

12. National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO) Participation Policies Additional Testing Options* Available Available, Not Aggregated Not Allowed Out-of-Level Test9128 Partial Participation2104 Multiple Alternates900

13. National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO) Participation Policies

14. National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO) Assessment Accommodation Policies

15. National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO) Assessment Accommodation Policies

16. National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO) Distinctions between “okay” and “not okay” accommodations are usually evident in terms used in policies States with different terms37 States with single term13 “Accommodation” Terminology

17. National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO) Terms Used to Indicate “Not Okay” Testing Changes Modification*17 states Non-Standard 7 states Not Allowed 5 states Not Permitted3 states Not Aggregatable2 states Non Valid/Impact Score1 state each *One state uses this term for “okay”test change

18. National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO) Besides IEP, 504, and ELLs Colorado Kansas Oregon Rhode Island Wyoming Eligible Groups All for All Students Minnesota Washington Some for All Students New York All for Some Students KentuckyMarylandMississippi MaineMassachusettsNorth Dakota “All” Under Special Circumstances

19. National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO) A better look at the accommodation policies of states 60% of states Presentation Equipment Response Scheduling/ Timing Setting

20. National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO) Accommodations Most Often Allowed (With & Without Restrictions) Presentation Accommodations Number of States Allowing:WithoutWith Large Print463 Braille3514 Read Aloud*541 Sign Language Interpretation378 Read/Re-read/Clarify Directions*2910 *One state prohibits use

21. National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO) Accommodations Most Often Allowed (With & Without Restrictions) “Equipment” Accommodations Number of States Allowing:WithoutWith Magnification400 Amplification340 Light/Acoustics320 Calculator*1423 Templates/Graph Paper320 *One state prohibits use

22. National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO) Accommodations Most Often Allowed (With & Without Restrictions) Response Accommodations Number of States Allowing:WithoutWith Proctor/Scribe3117 Write in Test Booklet 372 Computer or Machine*309 Communication Device278 *One state prohibits use

23. National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO) Prohibited Accommodations Top Five# of States Spell Checker/Assistance11 Extended Time3 Audio/Video Cassette2 Over Multiple Days2 Others*1 *Others include: Read Aloud Re-read, Clarify Directions Calculator Abacus Computer Student’s Home

24. National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO) More options are available in states that just the usual three (same way as other students take test, with accommodations, alternate) Policies have become more specific over time Generalizations Participation Policies

25. National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO) Few states completely prohibit accommodations Policies are really complex, with clarifications about type of test, specific skills assessed, and certain student characteristics Generalizations Accommodation Policies

26. National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO) Analyses of Public Education Reports (2003) Study Procedures NCEO 1.Searched Web sites of all 50 states 2.Summarized findings and sent to states to verify 3.States sent additional public reports 4.Changes made only if reports were available to the public [Collected reports through May 2002]

27. National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO) Previous Findings: 11 states reported disaggregated participation data 13 states reported disaggregated performance data 1998 Study General Assessments

28. National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO) Previous Findings: 14 states reported disaggregated participation data 17 states reported disaggregated performance data 2000 Study General Assessments

29. National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO) WAMTND OR NV CA ID WY UT AZ CO NM SD NE KS TX OK MN IA MO AR LA WI IL MI OH KY MS TN FL AL GA SC NC VA PA NY ME WV AK HI VT NH CT NJ DE MD IN MA RI No disaggregated data (n=6) Performance data only for some tests (n=2) Performance and Participation data for some tests (n=10) Performance data only for all tests (n=4) Performance and Participation data for all tests (n=28) New Findings: 2002 Study General Assessments

30. National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO) WAMTND OR NV CA ID WY UT AZZ CO NM SD NE KS TX OK MN IA MO AR LA WI IL MI OH KY MS TN FL AL GA SC NC VA PA NY ME WV AKHI VTNH CT NJ DE MD IN MA RI No disaggregated data (n=25) Participation data only (n=10) Performance data only (n=2) Participation and Performance data (n=13) New Findings: 2002 Study Alternate Assessments

31. National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO) Universally Designed Assessments :  are designed from the beginning to be accessible and valid for the widest range of students  provide optimal standard assessment conditions

32. National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO) Elements of UD Assessments  Inclusive assessment population  Precisely defined constructs  Accessible, non-biased items  Amenable to accommodations

33. National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO) Elements of UD Assessments  Simple, clear, and intuitive instructions and procedures  Maximum readability and comprehensibility  Maximum legibility

34. National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO) More things to look for: Results from ongoing survey of state directors of special education Searchable bibliography of research on effects of accommodations Universal design research In-depth study of alternate assessments

35. National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO) More things to look for: Principles of inclusive assessments and accountability systems Self study guide to inclusive assessments and accountability systems Visit the NCEO Web site for these and more....

36. National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO) Join Many Others! education.umn.edu/nceo