Administrator Update January 2010

Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) 1997 –Students with disabilities must participate in statewide assessment program. No Child Left Behind, 2001 –Results of ALL students must be reported (AYP- adequate yearly progress). Florida’s Accountability System –ALL students with disabilities must be assessed either through the FCAT or an alternate assessment. Introduction/Purpose of the FAA

State-designated alternate assessment Designed specifically for students with significant cognitive disabilities who meet FCAT exemption criteria Assesses competencies in the Sunshine State Standards Access Points What is the FAA?

New This Year Scores for students who take the Florida Alternate Assessment will count this year toward AYP AND School Grades!

What Do I Need To Do ? Communicate with ESE Specialist Review FAA timeline and testing procedures Support teachers with test administration Adhere to timeline for materials return

ACCESS POINTS

What are Access Points? Expectations written for students with significant cognitive disabilities (SWSCD) to access the general education curriculum. Aligned directly to Sunshine State Standards. Reflect the “core intent” of the standards with reduced levels of complexity. Have three levels of complexity: participatory, supported, and independent with the participatory level being the least complex.

Who are access points designed for? Only students with significant cognitive disabilities Students who meet criteria for alternate assessment Other students with disabilities should be working on the regular SSS with accommodations as necessary

What Do They Look Like?

Where are Access Points?

Access Points

WHO ARE YOUR FLORIDA ALTERNATE ASSESSMENT STUDENTS?

Assessment Participation Guidelines –Is the student unable to master the Sunshine State Standards, even with appropriate and allowable course accommodations? YES –Is the student’s demonstrated cognitive ability the primary reason for the inability to master these standards? YES –Is the student participating in a modified curriculum based on competencies in the Sunshine State Standards Access Points for all academic areas? YES –Does the student require extensive direct instruction in academic and vocational competencies as well as domestic, community living and leisure activities? YES –Does the student have deficits in adaptive behavior, as demonstrated by the inability to function effectively and independently in everyday living skills (interpersonal and social interactions) across a variety of settings? YES

Who Should Administer the Florida Alternate Assessment? Student’s special education teacher OR Certified teacher Knows student Trained in assessment procedures

Grades and Content Areas Tested GradeReadingMathematicsWritingScience 3 ✔✔ 4 ✔✔✔ 5 ✔✔✔ 6 ✔✔ 7 ✔✔ 8 ✔✔✔✔ 9 ✔✔ 10 ✔✔✔ 11 ✔

Administration and Scoring Process Flowchart

Item

Common Errors on Answer Sheets –Multiple responses per item –No response bubbled in for an item –Incorrect content area completed for specified grade level Writing is administered in grades 4, 8, and 10 only Science is administered in grades 5, 8, and 11 only –Content area left blank –Reading and Mathematics not administered to all students in grades 3-10 –Did not enter Form A or B

Sample Answer Sheets

Document Count Summary Form

Proficiency

School Grades Beginning this year the alternate assessment (FAA) will be included in the learning gains component of school grades. The FAA has a score range of 1 to 9 with 4 or higher being proficient. Students will be considered a learning gain if they improve a level or more on the assessment or maintain the proficiency level from the prior year. If a student's score decreases they will not be considered a learning gain. This will only impact the total learning gains as the low 25% is based on prior FCAT scores.

Scores

A Sample Summary This is a Summary for a Middle School: SUMMARY Academic Area Number of StudentsPerformance Level Assessed Not Assessed No ScoreEmergentAchievedCommended READING MATHEMATIC S WRITING SCIENCE

A Sample Summary With 10 points more in each area: SUMMARY Academic Area Number of StudentsPerformance Level Assessed Not Assessed No ScoreEmergentAchievedCommended READING MATHEMATIC S WRITING SCIENCE

A Sample Summary Students that demonstrate growth: SUMMARY Academic Area Number of Students Performance Level AssessedEmergentAchievedCommended READING MATHEMATICS WRITING SCIENCE 12451

Questions and Answers