Assessment Update Testing Students with Disabilities District Test Coordinator Meeting Douglas Alexander Anne Mruz Suzanne Swaffield June 11,

Special Requests for Accommodations – Reviewed by committee Psychometrician Content specialist Disability specialist Assessment specialist – MUST be submitted two weeks prior to the start of testing window 2

Title I─Improving the Academic Achievement of the Disadvantaged: Individuals With Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) 2007 Section (b)(2)…State guidelines must: (A) identify the accommodations for each assessment that do not invalidate the score; and (B) instruct IEP Teams to select for each assessment, only those accommodations that do not invalidate the score.

Resources For IEP Teams The Office of Assessment resources available online: Accommodations Manual Accommodations Manual Oral Administration FAQ Oral Administration FAQ Guidance for IEP Teams on Determining Participation in the South Carolina Alternate Assessment (SC-Alt) Guidance for IEP Teams on Determining Participation in the South Carolina Alternate Assessment (SC-Alt) 4

Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium (SBAC) Update

Accessibility and Accommodations Framework SBAC goal is to provide every student with a positive assessment experience – Fair and accurate estimate of each student’s achievement – Remove obstacles to accurate measurement for Students who are English Language Learners ELLs Students with Disabilities Students with special assessment needs

Smarter Balanced Accommodations Definition A practice or procedure in presentation, response, setting, and timing or scheduling that, when used in an assessment, provides increased equity access to all students. A practice or procedure in presentation, response, setting, and timing or scheduling that, when used in an assessment, provides increased equity access to all students. Consortium-approved accommodations do not compromise the learning expectations, construct, grade- level standard, or intended outcome of the assessment. Consortium-approved accommodations do not compromise the learning expectations, construct, grade- level standard, or intended outcome of the assessment. 7

DRAFT Accessibility Framework 8

Access by Design Needs of most students can be accommodated during the design process rather than in a post hoc manner after the original version of an item and task are developed. Needs of most students can be accommodated during the design process rather than in a post hoc manner after the original version of an item and task are developed. Accessibility supports are embedded in a digital file. Accessibility supports are embedded in a digital file. 9

Accessibility Supports Embedded in a Digital File 10 Spoken (Read Aloud) Tags ASL tags Braille Tags Text-Based Default Form Language Learner Tags

Individual Student Assessment Accessibility Profile (ISAAP) Universal tools will be available by default for all students Universal tools will be available by default for all students – Field will be null for most students – Documentation required only if they need to be turned off Students requiring one or more accessibility tools or accommodations or support will have this documented prior to test administration through the ISAAP. Students requiring one or more accessibility tools or accommodations or support will have this documented prior to test administration through the ISAAP. – Digital delivery system will activate the specified options when the student logs in to an assessment. – For paper-based administration the ISSAP will allow the assessment program to deliver the appropriate materials to each school. – Provides information to the school regarding any special settings or conditions 11

Available to All Available with ISAAP Available with Documentation Embedded English Glossaries Highlighter Mark for Review Masking Writing Tools Zoom Expandable Passages Calculator Digital Notepad Tab-enter Navigation Embedded math tools Color Overlays Color Contrast Guided Line Reader Magnification Reverse Contrast Text-to-speech Turn off any ‘All Access’ tools American Sign Language Audio Captions Braille Translation Option Auditory Calming Non- Embedded Breaks Scratch Paper Color OverlaysAbacus Hand-held Calculator Print on Demand Quiet Environment

National Center and State Collaborative (NCSC) National Center and State Collaborative (NCSC) Update 13

To develop a comprehensive system of technically defensible summative assessments supported by – Evidence-based curriculum and instruction – Comprehensive professional development To ensure that students with significant cognitive disabilities achieve increasingly higher academic outcomes and leave high school ready for post-secondary options (college and career ready) NCSC Project Goals 14

Summative Assessment Coordinate with the general assessment used by each member state (in SC this is Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium (SBAC)); Coordinate with the general assessment used by each member state (in SC this is Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium (SBAC)); Utilize alternate academic achievement standards strongly linked with the CCSS; Utilize alternate academic achievement standards strongly linked with the CCSS; Yield scores that can be used for accountability purpose(s); and Yield scores that can be used for accountability purpose(s); and Utilize a technology-based management system for assessment administration, documentation, and reporting. Utilize a technology-based management system for assessment administration, documentation, and reporting. 15

Status of Assessment Development Currently developing tasks aligned to the CCSS Currently developing tasks aligned to the CCSS Committee members from partner states including SC are participating in content and bias reviews of items this summer Committee members from partner states including SC are participating in content and bias reviews of items this summer Pilots and cognitive labs will be conducted fall of 2013 and some field-testing spring of 2014 Pilots and cognitive labs will be conducted fall of 2013 and some field-testing spring of 2014 Census operational field test spring 2015 Census operational field test spring 2015

Curriculum and Instruction Professional Development

Aligned to the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) through Core Content Connectors (CCCs) and Learning Progression Frameworks (LPFs) Curricular materials and instructional modules will be provided to SC teachers as they are developed to review and provide feedback. Curriculum and Instruction 18

Professional Development A number of sessions will be provided by NCSC staff at the Office of Exceptional Children’s Research to Practice Professional Development Institute, July 8-14 A number of sessions will be provided by NCSC staff at the Office of Exceptional Children’s Research to Practice Professional Development Institute, July 8-14 Strategies and resources for teaching challenging academic content Strategies and resources for teaching challenging academic content Communicative competence Communicative competence Children/ResearchtoPractice2013.cfm