1. 2017-2018 CMAS Accommodations and Accessibility Features Training
November, 2017

2. Agenda I. Overview of types of supports II. Accommodations
Accessibility Features
Administrative Considerations
II. Accommodations
Presentation accommodations
Response accommodations
Timing/scheduling accommodations
EL accommodations
Unique Accommodation Requests
III. Pearson Access
IV. CoAlt/DLM (Alternate assessments)

3. Accommodations, Accessibility Features, and Administrative Considerations

4. Accommodations are…
Accommodations are practices and procedures that provide equitable access during instruction and assessment for students who have a documented need, including students with a disability.
Remember…IDER
Individualized
Documented
Evaluated for effectiveness
Regularly Used
Accommodations are NOT intended to help students “do better” or used without evidence of effectiveness.
Do not blanket assign an accommodation to a class (TTS)
How do you know an accommodation is being used regularly? How do you know it is effective and continuing to be effective?

5. Types of Accommodations
Presentation Accommodations
Response Accommodations
Timing and Scheduling Accommodations
EL Accommodations
These will be covered in upcoming slides

6. Accessibility Features are…
Available to all students (but does NOT mean they should be used by all students).
Some still need to be documented within Pearson Access Next.
BUT- take into consideration IDER for Text-to-Speech and Oral Script

7. Types of Accessibility Features
Answer masking
Magnification/enlargement
Audio amplification
Notepad
Color contrast
Pop-up glossary
Answer eliminator
Spell check
Frequent breaks (does not stop the clock)
Text-to-speech for Math, SC, SS- CBT
General admin directions read aloud/repeated/clarified
Time-and-a-half for SC, SS (built in)
Highlight tool
Oral Script (Reader/Signer) for Math, SC, SS- PBT
Headphones/noise buffers
Writing tools
Line reader

8. Text-to-Speech: Math/SC/SS
DO NOT assign to students “just in case”
Requires significant bandwidth
Security issues (only one form)
Students will not benefit if they do not use TTS regularly in class
Many students don’t use it!
CDE reported that off the students who were assigned TTS in the state, less than 25% of students actually chose to use it
Consider: Does the student qualify for TTS for ELA (a UAR)? If not, what is your rationale for assigning it for Math, SC, or SS?

9. Administrative Considerations
Available to ALL students
Small group testing
Time of day
Separate or alternate location
Specified area or setting
Adaptive and specialized equipment or furniture
No need to indicate these in Pearson Access

11. Accommodations

12. Presentation Accommodations
Assistive Technology (e.g., communication device, screen reader, computer for paper-based testing schools)
Auditory Presentation: text-to-speech (TTS), Oral Script for Human Read/Signer (requires UAR for ELA)
Braille
Human signer for test directions
Large Print

13. Response Accommodations
Assistive technology
Talking calculator, Abacus
Calculation device and math charts/counters (requires UAR for non-calculator sections)
Speech to text (cannot connect to internet)
Scribe/signer (requires UAR for ELA)
Word prediction

14. Timing/Schedule Accommodations
Multiple breaks (stops the clock)
Extended time (completes unit in one day)
Think about loss of instruction time and test fatigue
Remember, time-and-a-half is built in to science and social studies
Time-and-a-half for ELA/Math
Double time

15. Accommodations for ELs
Time and a half for ELA/Math
Double time
Word-to-word dictionary
General admin directions read aloud/repeated/clarified in native language (Translated “say” directions)
Transadaptation of math, SC, SS into Spanish
Text to speech for math, SC, and SS in Spanish
Auditory Presentation: reader for math, SC, SS in Spanish
Auditory Presentation: reader for math, SC, SS in native language
Transadaptation: translate in a way that makes sense (with human translator)

16. First year in the US – EL accommodation
Grades 3 and 4
• Students who are Non-English Proficient (NEP), based on W-APT and a local body of evidence, may be exempt from the language arts assessment
o NEP students whose native language is Spanish and who have received instruction in Spanish in that school year are required to take CSLA
o NEP students whose native language is other than Spanish or is Spanish but they have not received instruction in Spanish language arts in the current school year are exempt (code ELA test with Not Tested Reason 02)
• Students who are Limited English Proficient (LEP), based on W-APT and a local body of evidence, must be assessed on CMAS ELA or CSLA, whichever better matches instruction
A student’s parent/guardian may opt their child into testing. Results will be used for accountability and growth calculations.
No exemption from Math, SS, or Sci-

17. First year in the US – EL accommodation
Grades 5 and Higher
• Students who are NEP, based on W-APT and a local body of evidence, are exempt from the language arts assessment (code ELA test with Not Tested Reason 02)
• Students who are LEP, based on W-APT and a local body of evidence, must be assessed on CMAS ELA
On the student registration in PAnext for first year in U.S. students, districts are to complete the field Date First Enrolled in U.S. School (the first date on which the student enrolled in a U.S. public school) and code the ELA assessment as Not Tested Reason 02, if applicable. While the ELA assessment may not be taken, these students will take the math, science, and social studies assessments for their grade level as EL accommodations are available.

18. CSLA CSLA is an accommodated paper form for ELA
Only 3rd/4th grade students are eligible
Guidelines for eligibility are here:
CSLA tests must be ordered ahead of time; contact Jessica Welch if you have students who may qualify.

19. Emergency Accommodations
Determined on a case-by-base basis
Call me (Jessica Welch) if you think you have a student who requires an emergency accommodation
Documentation is maintained at the school level for three years

20. Unique Accommodations
Accommodations requiring a Unique Accommodation Request (UAR):
ELA Assessment
Auditory Presentation: Oral Script/Human Reader, TTS
Human Scribe (Constructed response OR in place of STT)
Math
Calculator on non-calculator sections
Other
Accommodations not listed, i.e. self-prompting strategy cards

21. Unique Accommodations
Submissions process
Students must have an active 504 or IEP
Must have data documenting need/use from current school year
Teacher(s) complete current UAR request form
SAC submits via Syncplicity (DEADLINE: December 13- but may submit earlier) and notifies Jessica Welch that requests have been uploaded. Naming convention: schoolcode_SASID_UAR1718
CSI reviews and approves request or asks for more information
CSI submits to CDE for final approval
CSI communicates to schools regarding CDE final approval OR request for more information
Do not assign a UAR in Pearson Access until it has been approved

22. Unique Accommodations
Considerations:
DO NOT submit UARs as one large PDF. Forms must be uploaded individually (by student) to Syncplicity
Any requests using an old UAR form will be automatically denied
Data submitted in UAR must reflect need for specific accommodation (not a general screener score)
UARs containing data from prior school years will be automatically denied
December 13th is a HARD deadline. Only UARs for students with new IEPs will be considered after December 13th.

23. In summary.. Accommodations Accessibility Feature
Required IEP, 504, or EL plan
Students must use accommodation on a regular basis (ideally for 3+months prior to assessment)
Unique Accommodations require CDE/CSI approval prior to use
Accessibility Feature
Available to any student (including students with IEP/504)
Assign individually (not to an entire class)
Accessibility Features
Can be individual or group
Example: A class typically has math instruction after lunch, so schedule math test after lunch
Two students misbehave when they sit next to each other, so assign them to test in different groups

24. Pearson Access and Accommodations/ Accessibility Features

25. What must be documented in Pearson Access?
Braille
Color Contrast
Speech-to-Text (only non- internet based)
Extended Time
Calculator/Math Charts and Counters (non-calculator sections) UAR required
Large Print
Auditory Presentation (UAR for ELA)
Word Prediction
TTS
Word-to-Word Dictionary
Oral Script
Scribe
Translation of assessment (Spanish)
Spanish TTS
Paper

26. Pearson Access
Schools have from 1/8/2018 through 1/26/2018 to upload Student Registration in Pearson Access, to ensure proper ordering of accommodated materials.
Changes made to student registration after 1/26 (that require additional materials) WILL NOT result in an automatic materials order.
Make sure to mark accommodations for each relevant content area. Accommodations do not carry over from one test subject to another!
Last year- issues with late accommodations and materials

27. Pearson Access
Two options for updating student information (accommodation and registration):
- File upload (csv)
-Manually enter by student

28. PA- File upload
Refer to SR/PNP field definitions document and Pearson training videos- contain helpful tips and important detail. What follows is a high-level overview!
Screen Share: Uploading a file to Pearson Access
1. PNP Import/Export under Setup>Import/Export data
2. Export>edit document>Import
Common errors:
Must maintain leading zeros for all codes (including school codes, grades, and test codes)
**Date will no longer cause an error if in MM/DD/YYYY format!

29. PA-Manual registration update
Screen share- training site
Log into Pearson Access
Under Setup, select Students
Find and select the students you want to work with
Under Start, select Registration: Manage Student Tests
Select appropriate accommodations
Click Save

30. CoAlt/DLM

31. About
Alternate test for students with a Significant Cognitive Disability.
CoAlt= alternate assessment for CMAS Science/Social Studies
DLM= alternate assessment for CMAS ELA/Math and PSAT/SAT.
If you have a student who you think may be newly eligible (did not take alternate assessment last year)- please reach out directly to me and CC Matt Hudson .

32. Reminders about PII Don’t share student information via email!
Always use a phone call or Syncplicity.

33. Timeline
Now through December 13: Complete and submit UARs via Syncplicity
January: Receive confirmation of approved UARs (or non- approved UARs)
January 8- January 26: Update student registration for initial orders
January 16 or 18: Attend CMAS administration training for SACs
February 1- prior to test session creation: Assign CBT special forms (TTS, accommodations)

34. Upcoming trainings:
January 16th, 2018: CMAS Administration training (webinar)
January 18th, 2018: CMAS Administration training (in-person)

35. Questions?
When in doubt- call me!