Federal NCLB Regulations Understanding the 1% Cap for the Virginia Alternate Assessment Program (VAAP) Federal NCLB Regulations

What is the VAAP? Three types of SOL assessments for students with disabilities: Regular SOL w/out accommodations VGLA (Virginia Grade Level Assessment) VAAP (Virginia Alternate Assessment Program)

What is the 1% Cap NCLB regulations limit the number of alternate assessment that may be counted toward AYP to 1% of the students enrolled in tested grades Tested grades are 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 11

Where is the 1% cap applied? 1% applies at the state level 1% applies at the division level 1% does not apply at the school or classroom level

1% History in Virginia since 2001 Virginia has always exceeded the 1% cap Through 2006-2007 the federal government granted Virginia a waiver Fall 2007 the federal government notified VDOE that it will no longer grant the waiver

What are the consequences for ACPS? All students exceeding the 1% cap will have their performance status reassigned from passing to failing for AYP calculations The number of reassigned scores will be determined by dividing the number of VAAP proficient scores by the number of students in the tested grades Reassigned scores apply to English and math

What is 1% calculation for ACPS? ACPS had 1,560 students enrolled in tested grades as of 09/30/2007 1% of 1560 is 15.6 or 16 16 VAAP assessments can be counted toward division-wide AYP pass rates

ACPS numbers… 37 VAAP students in tested grades Only 16 English and 16 math VAAP will count toward division-wide AYP 21 English and 21 math assessments will have to be reassigned as failing/non-participation for the division

What does reassigned mean? Scores reassigned for AYP calculations only Does not affect the student or the IEP Does not affect the student’s graduation Parent’s get notification of the original score as usual Reassignments are done after scoring and test audits are complete

What are the local ramifications? Knowing that 22 students will be reassigned from passing to failing for division-wide AYP calculations means that ACPS will not likely make AYP Individual schools can still make AYP provided that all benchmarks are met.

What about next year? Criteria for VAAP participation is being changed per VDOE regulations IQ scores of 50 and below Moderate to profound mental retardation Adaptive behavior score of 50 or below

How do the new regulations apply to this years students? Currently, 37 ACPS students are being assessed by VAAP 8 of the 37 qualify for VAAP using the new DOE standards ACPS will not likely be above the 1% cap in 2008-2009

Questions?