Identifying Students in Need of Modified Achievement Standards and Developing Valid Assessments

Who are the students needing modified achievement standards? ….and thoughts for developing eligibility criteria Sue Bechard and Judy Snow January 16, 2008 Washington D.C.

MT GSEG: Bechard & Snow 3 Who are the students needing Modified Achievement Standards (MAS)? Can include: □2% of the total student population who can be counted as proficient on MAS, □students with disabilities, from any of the 13 disability categories, □students who are addressing grade level content standards on their IEPs, but are not expected to meet grade level achievement standards in the current year □students who need less difficult test items, covering the same breadth of content. US Dept of Ed., 2007

MT GSEG: Bechard & Snow 4 Determination of eligibility for MAS…. Must consider…. □objective evidence □multiple measures of progress over time □IEP goals that are based on grade level content standards □providing students the opportunity to show what they know and can do on an assessment that is based on grade-level academic achievement standards. Must not consider…. □a specific disability category □racial or economic background US Dept of Ed., 2007

MT GSEG: Bechard & Snow 5 Population Identification Issues □On average, students with disabilities comprise approximately 10% of the total student population. □If 10% - 1% = 9%, what characteristics should be used to distinguish the students appropriate for the 2% option within this group? □Are there test performance distinctions? □Are there specific learning characteristics? □Are there specific learning needs for access to the general curriculum? □What are the “modified” expectations relative to grade level content which distinguishes this population?

MT GSEG: Bechard & Snow 6 Population Identification Issues (cont.) □What is the purpose of the AA-MAS? □To allow students to do better (AYP improvement)? □To provide better information for instructional planning (data on what students know)? □To increase student self-esteem? □To provide greater alignment between cognition, expectations, instruction and assessment? □Is an AA-MAS needed at every grade level/content area?

MT GSEG: Bechard & Snow 7 Selected results from prior research…. □Colorado: Report from the HB Study Committee, December, 2005 □New England Compact (RI) Enhanced Assessment Grant, □Montana General Supervision Enhancement Grant,

MT GSEG: Bechard & Snow 8 CO report: Low Performers Who Score in the Bottom 1/3 of Scale Scores □Students who score in the bottom one third of scale scores on CSAP are almost twice as likely to be Black or Hispanic as students of other ethnicities. □Only 60% of students with IEPs scoring at lowest possible scale scores were able to be matched with a test the following year; thus, they may be more mobile than their counterparts who score at higher levels. □For those students scoring in the bottom one-third of scale scores, and where a match the following year was able to be made, it was found that these students did make substantial longitudinal growth.

MT GSEG: Bechard & Snow 9 CO report: Students with IEPs Who Do Not Make Longitudinal Growth □On the Colorado CSAP Reading Test, there were 250 students (of 444,407) across grade levels that were determined to be “Students in the Gap”. □On the CSAP Math Test, there were 658 students (of 444,910) that were determined to be “Students in the Gap”. □The CSAP as currently administered may not reflect their academic achievements; however, if appropriate accommodations and more intensive instruction were provided, these students too may make more gains.

MT GSEG: Bechard & Snow 10 Georgia EAG Also looked at snapshot vs. longitudinal growth: □Low Performing: lowest performance level in at least one assessment □Persistently Low: lowest performance level for three consecutive years Melissa Fincher, July 2007

MT GSEG: Bechard & Snow 11 Rhode Island (New England Compact - NEC) EAG Teacher judgments of class work were compared to test performances and revealed two gaps of students performing below proficient: Performance gap □The test may not reflect classroom performance. Teachers see students performing proficiently in class, but test results are below proficient. Information gap □The test may not be helpful for instructional planning. Teachers rate students’ class work as low as possible and test results are at “chance” level. No information is generated on what students can do. Parker & Saxon, 2007 Bechard & Godin, 2007

MT GSEG: Bechard & Snow 12 NEC EAG data sources □State assessment data – grade 8 mathematics results from two systems □General large-scale test results □Demographics (special programs, ethnicity, gender) □Student questionnaires completed at time of test □Accommodations used at time of test □State special education data □Disability classification □Free/reduced lunch □Attendance □Classroom teacher data □Individual interviews □Judgments of all students’ classroom work

MT GSEG: Bechard & Snow 13 NEC EAG findings The Information Gap in grade 8 mathematics comprised % of the total population □Included non-disabled students. □Test performance: □Students mostly guessed on the test items. □Most used multiple accommodations. □Teacher perceptions: □These students operate below grade level in class. □Teachers are not surprised by their low test results. □There is a disconnect in what is tested vs. what is taught. □These students need more supports in the classroom. □Student perceptions: □Think the test is harder than their classroom work. □They try hard on the test.

MT GSEG: Bechard & Snow 14 NEC EAG: Special program status of students in the Information Gap Non-gap comparison = students who performed at “chance,” on the test but higher in the classroom. The majority of students performing at “chance’ were students with IEPs.

MT GSEG: Bechard & Snow 15 NEC EAG: Disability designations of students in the Information Gap Learning disabilities: □Lower percentages of students with SLD were in the information gap than in the general population. Other disabilities: □deaf/blind □multiple disabilities □hearing impairments □mild to moderate cognitive disabilities □combinations of disabilities.

MT GSEG: Bechard & Snow 16 Montana GSEG, 2005 Students in the Sample □Grade 5 students statewide □Census sample of: □Students with an IEP □Who took Spring 2006 Grade 4 math CRT □A few (13) who scored well on the Alternate Assessment also included, selected by scores and recommendations from IEP teams □CRT-M = 672 students, CRT = 199 students Montana Office of Public Instruction and Measured Progress

MT GSEG: Bechard & Snow 17 MT GSEG, 2005 data sources □Pilot test results □Student survey □Test administrator survey □Standard setting results □Recorded discussions of standard setting panelists □Interviews with standard setting panelists

MT GSEG: Bechard & Snow 18 MT GSEG 05: Test Information Functions

MT GSEG: Bechard & Snow 19 MT GSEG 05: Performance Level Comparisons, CRT-M vs. CRT Up Three Levels 7 1%All 7 went to Advanced Up Two Levels %All 120 went from below proficient to proficient or advanced Up One Level %88 went from nearing to proficient, 96 went to advanced No Change % Down One 23 3%11 went from proficient to nearing proficiency Down Two 5.7% Down Three 1.1%

MT GSEG: Bechard & Snow 20 MT GSEG 05 student and teacher surveys: Difficulty Students taking the CRT-M found the test slightly less difficult when compared to classroom content than students taking the regular CRT. Teachers felt the modified test should be modified more to reach the students having with the greatest challenges.

MT GSEG: Bechard & Snow 21 MT GSEG 05 feasibility question: Is the CRT-M a better measure? □Students answered more items right □Student scores went up □Students moved up to another proficiency level □Validity indicators improved □More data analysis and study to determine which CRT-M students benefited most

MT GSEG: Bechard & Snow 22 Selected considerations from current research…. □Montana (+ NEC) EAG, : Adapting Test Items to Increase Validity of Alternate Assessments Based on Modified Achievement Standards □Montana GSEG, : Identifying Students in Need of Modified Achievement Standards and Developing Valid Assessments

MT GSEG: Bechard & Snow 23 MT EAG, 2007 Focus on high school reading comprehension to: □determine the processing requirements of test passages and items (use coding strategy) □describe the cognitive abilities and challenges of the target population □conduct cognitive labs □develop item modifications based on cognitive variables

MT GSEG: Bechard & Snow 24 Preliminary feedback from Expert Panel ( ) □Some noted cognitive variables: □Abstract reasoning that relies on information from entire passage □Long passages that require sustained attention □Limited experience with multiple meanings of vocabulary words □Dense passages that require large amounts of working memory □Location in the passage where necessary information is found to answer the question □Irrelevant information in passage makes mapping and sorting difficult □Emotional content difficult for students with ED to process □Answers to questions not found in passage (e.g. reliance on prior knowledge)

MT GSEG: Bechard & Snow 25 Montana GSEG, 2007 Focus on middle school reading and mathematics to: □Identify students in need of modified achievement standards (MAS). □Determine what content knowledge the student is lacking to achieve proficiency □Develop dynamic online assessment that provides scaffolding based on distractor selection.

MT GSEG: Bechard & Snow 26 Students who will be included in the MT GSEG study samples Middle school reading and mathematics □Sample for analyzing items and distractors: All students who took the tests of interest, disaggregated □Sample for cognitive labs: convenience sample of 48 students (24 per content area) □Sample for pilot test: Approximately 5% of the total population

MT GSEG: Bechard & Snow 27 MT CRT Grade 10 Reading Example, 2007

MT GSEG: Bechard & Snow 28 Implications of research for identification of target population Use of performance data : □Longitudinal performance data □Students who are so low performing, nothing is known about them □Match between classroom performance and test performance □Distractor analyses

MT GSEG: Bechard & Snow 29 Implications of research for identification of target population (cont.) Use of other data: □Teacher judgment data □Opportunity to learn variables □Mobility □Attendance □Program placement □Performance data analyzed by cognitive modeling information □Data from standards-driven IEPs

MT GSEG: Bechard & Snow 30 Data collected for “The Whole IEP Process” (C. Massanari) What is the desired outcome for this student? Three to four years from now Student’s desired post- school outcome What are the skills and knowledge essential to meeting the desired outcome? What are the expectations of the general curriculum relative to the student’s age/grade? Content Expectations for learning and demonstration of learning Extracurricular activities or events available

MT GSEG: Bechard & Snow 31 How do skills and knowledge essential to meeting the desired outcome compare with the general curriculum, including content and expectations for learning? Where are the similarities/connections? Where are the differences? Where within the general curriculum, including extracurricular, are the opportunities for learning the needed skills and knowledge? What are the student’s present levels of performance? What skills and knowledge does the student already possess? What other strengths does the student present? What are the areas of challenge? What accommodations, modifications, or other supports have proven beneficial for this student? Given all the information we have discussed thus far, what do we think are reasonable goals for this year? What are the objectives for each goal? What instructional accommodations are needed? What modifications to the general curriculum are needed? How will progress be reported and how often? Given the information we have discussed thus far, how will the student participate in state and district-wide assessments? With peers as given With peers and with accommodations or modifications Alternate assessment

MT GSEG: Bechard & Snow 32 Also, consider how model of 1% eligibility guidelines might apply For example: Montana's eligibility questions for the CRT-Alt. The student MUST: □Program: Have an active IEP □Learning characteristics: Have cognitive abilities and adaptive behaviors which require substantial adjustments to general curriculum □Learning objectives and expected outcomes: Focus on functional application of skills □Delivery of instruction: Requires direct and extensive instruction

MT GSEG: Bechard & Snow 33 Consider how model of 1% eligibility guidelines might apply (cont.) Montana's eligibility questions for the CRT-Alt. Decisions must NOT be based on: □Excessive or extended absence □Disability category □Social, cultural, or economic differences □Amount of time receiving special education services □Expectation of failure on general test

MT GSEG: Bechard & Snow 34 So…2% eligibility considerations might address: Learning characteristics: □What are the cognitive abilities and adaptive behaviors of the target population? □What adjustments are needed for the student to participate in the general curriculum (e.g., accommodations/modifications) Learning objectives and expected outcomes: □How does the student demonstrate application of learned knowledge, skills, and abilities?

MT GSEG: Bechard & Snow 35 2% eligibility considerations (cont.) Delivery of instruction: □What are the deconstructions of constructs necessary for the student to master the grade level content? □What adjustments must be made to simplify the materials used in instruction? Academic achievement: □How is the progress of this student different from the pattern of progress typical for all students at the targeted grade level?

MT GSEG: Bechard & Snow 36 References □Bechard, S. and Godin, K. (2007). Identifying and Describing Students in the Gaps in Large-Scale Assessment Systems. Paper submitted for publication. □Colorado Department of Education. (2005, December). Assessing “students in the gap” in Colorado: Report from the HB Study Committee. Denver: Author. □Montana Office of Public Instruction and Measured Progress. (2007, May). Determining the Feasibility of an Alternate Assessment Based on Modified Achievement Standards: A Planning Project and Pilot Test [Final Report for Montana’s General Supervision Enhancement Grant CFDA X – Priority B]. Helena: MT. □Parker, C. E., & Saxon, S. (2007). “They Come to the Test, and There is Nothing to Fold”: Teacher Views of Students in the Gaps and Large-Scale Assessments. Paper submitted for publication. □Title I—Improving the Academic Achievement of the Disadvantaged; Individuals With Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). Final rule. 72 Fed. Reg –17781, pts. 200 and 300 (2007, April 9).