ACCOMMODATIONS & SOL TESTING

ACCOMMODATIONS & SOL TESTING
An Overview by Carol Jennings Assessment Coordinator

Disclaimer This presentation is not meant to be the only document STCs, Test Examiners, and Proctors use when testing students who need accommodations. It is only designed to be a guide. The Test Implementation Manual and the Examiner’s Manual as well as the documents listed on the last page of this document should be read and followed in their entirety prior to administering a test with accommodations to a student, and all guidelines as established by the Virginia Department of Education should be followed.

Online Testing All students are required to take the online version of the SOL tests except in very specific circumstances. The student attends school in a location where a secure network connection or the required technology is not available (i.e., BRACC, Minnick, etc.). The student’s accommodation requires a paper/pencil test (i.e., Large Print, Braille, or a flexible day schedule that requires multiple testing sessions over two or more days). The student has a documented medical condition (i.e., seizures) when exposure to a computer aggravates the condition.

ALL Students

Allowable for ALL Students
Small Group Size The Virginia Department of Education does not specify the number of students that constitutes class size; thus, classes of students can be broken into smaller groups for testing—for example, individual, groups of 5, groups of 10, etc.

Small Group Size (continued) Anticipate those students who may be disruptive and remove them from the whole-class setting BEFORE testing starts. A good place to put them is with a person of authority.

Environmental Modifications Special lighting Noise buffers Use of a study carrel

Environmental Modifications Students may NOT be issued any kind of accessory to modify the environment. Accessories include, but are not limited to: Head phones Ear plugs Ticking clocks Egg timers Stress balls Toys Music or “soothing” sounds

Students Reading Aloud to Themselves Students who test better when they read aloud to themselves would need to be tested in a separate setting because the student reading aloud would be disruptive to other students. This strategy pairs with a previous slide which discusses removing potentially disruptive students BEFORE testing begins. NOTE: Regular education students may not use whisper phones.

Scratch Paper Students can have scratch paper for all tests. The scratch paper must be school issued and cannot be the student’s own paper. It must be distributed by the Test Examiner. All the scratch paper must be the same color. Students cannot have multiple colors. All scratch paper must be collected and accounted for at the end of the test. Scratch paper must be turned in to the STC. The STC will shred all scratch paper

Scratch Paper (continued) Scratch paper may include: Plain paper (no lines) Lined paper Graph paper Sticky notes Note cards The sticky notes and note cards must be all the same color. Particular care must be taken to ensure all sticky notes and note cards are accounted for after the test (i.e., number them prior to handing them out and then check the numbers when they are picked back up) Paddy paper—paper/pencil ONLY

Large Diameter Pencil—Must contain #2 lead if used for paper/pencil test Special Pencil—Must contain #2 lead if used for paper/pencil test Pencil Grip

Assistance with Directions Examiners may simplify or clarify the bold directions which are read to the students that explain how to take the test. Examiners and Proctors may not provide assistance with directions for test items within the student’s test.

Special Education/504/LEP Students ONLY
Please follow the Accommodations Charts from the Testing Manuals very carefully as all accommodations are not available for every test, and LEP students are not allowed all accommodations unless they also are identified as a student w/ a disability or 504. Follow the “Special Testing Accommodations Guidelines” carefully in the Test Implementation Manual and the Examiner’s Manual, Appendix B.

Students w/ Disabilities, 504 & LEP
NEW Students w/ Disabilities, 504 & LEP Multiple Test Sessions (Accommodation Code 1) Testing over two or more school days Requires a paper/pencil test Not permitted on the Short-Paper Component of the Grade 8 & EOC Writing assessments The student must have access only to questions administered on that particular day Break the book apart and give the student only that portion of the test s/he will take on any given day. The student may not look forward to test questions for another day or look back at questions answered on a prior day.

Students w/ Disabilities, 504 & LEP Students
NEW— Students w/ Disabilities, 504 & LEP Students Dry Erase Board (Accommodation Code 2) The student may use a dry erase board in place of scratch paper, and s/he must use it independently without assistance from the Test Examiner/Proctor. The student may not be prompted to use the board. The student must be tested individually where the dry erase board is not visible to others.

NEW— /Given a Code Students w/ Disabilities, 504 & LEP Students Additional Writing Implements (Accommodation Code 3) The student may be provided additional (3 or more) writing implements such as highlighters, markers, colored pens, colored pencils, etc. The student may use additional markers if the dry erase board accommodation is used. The additional items must be provided to the student at the beginning of the test session. If the student is being assessed with a paper/pencil test, s/he may NOT use the colored markers, highlighters, pens, and/or pencils on the answer document. The student must not be prompted to use the additional markers, and s/he must use them without assistance from the Test Examiner.

Visual Aids (Accommodation Code 4) Physical magnifying devices—visually impaired students only Magnifying glass Screen magnifier Electronic magnification devices—visually impaired students only Close-circuit television (CCTV) Large monitor Interactive or electronic white board LCD projector which projects onto large screen Color overlay or tinted screen—one color only (paper/pencil)—built into TestNav8 The physical magnifying devices and the electronic magnification devices may be used for visually impaired students only. Prior to using the color overlay or tinted screen, the examiner must use practice tests to verify that the color overlay or the tinted screen does not obscure any shaded areas of the online test items.

Visual Aids (continued) Template or masks to view only 1 word, sentence, or line of print at a time—paper/pencil only (built into TestNav8) Blank graphic organizer which cannot contain directions, words, letters, numbers, symbols, color coding, or text of any kind Template Software must produce blank templates Template libraries, hyperlink functions and access to the Internet must be disabled and must be used on a separate computer than the online test Here, the templates, masks, and markers may be used only for paper/pencil tests. The blank graphic organizers must not contain directions, words, letters, numbers, symbols, or text of any kind.

Amplification Equipment (Accommodation Code 5) Hearing aid Auditory Trainer Whisper Phone

Large Print (Accommodation Code 6) This form of the test must be ordered through the Division Director of Testing and CANNOT be photocopied from the regular form of the test.

NEW— /Given a Code Students w/ Disabilities, 504 & LEP Students Test Directions Delivery (Accommodation Code 7) Students may be given written directions to accompany oral directions. Interpret/transliterate testing directions

Enlarged Answer Document (Accommodation Code 8) This accommodation is available with paper/pencil tests ONLY. The student’s answers must be transcribed to the regular answer document by a school official and verified by a second school official. The large print answer document must be retained on file by the Division Director of Testing until scores are received and verified.

Braille Test (Accommodation Code 9) Students requiring this accommodation will also receive a test in regular print for the Examiner to use. If the student’s answers are recorded on a Braille answer sheet, the responses must be transcribed to the regular answer document by a school official and verified by a second school official who has knowledge of Braille. The Braille answer sheet must be retained on file by the Division Director of Testing until scores are received and verified.

Braille Test (continued) If the test is read aloud to the student or if the student responds verbally to the responses, the test session(s) must be recorded or proctored. If recorded, the recording must be retained on file by the Division Director of Testing until the Authorization to Proceed has been processed. If proctored, both the Test Examiner and Proctor must verify that the test was administered according to standardized procedures. This verification must be retained in the office of the Division Director of Testing until the Authorization to Proceed has been processed.

Reading Test (Accommodation Codes 10 Items— Math, Science, History, & Writing & Code 14— Reading) The Reading test may be read aloud ONLY if the student has a significant decoding disability or is visually impaired. LEP students may NOT have a read aloud on the Reading test unless they also are identified as a student with a disability. Special attention must be given to students’ IEP, 504, and LEP plans to determine how the test is to be administered—must be specified in the student’s plan. The entire test read aloud Words, questions, or sentences read aloud only upon the student’s request

Reading Test Items (continued) The test must be read aloud in English. The Test Examiner must be very careful to not lead the student to the correct answer when reading test items aloud. Through intonation Through facial expressions or other non-verbal clues By repeating any part of the test that is not specifically requested by the student In describing graphics

Reading Test Items (continued) An examiner who administers a read-aloud test session must be familiar with how to read test items to students. Prior to testing examiners must (this is mandatory and must be documented): Listen to an audio practice test prior to testing Read Virginia Standards of Learning Assessments Guidelines for Administering the Read-Aloud Accommodation

Reading Test Items (continued) Prior to reading a test item aloud, the Examiner may take a moment to review a test item so that the answer is not inadvertently given to a student. A printed copy of the test (i.e., online, large print, or Braille) should be provided to the student so s/he can follow along as the test is read aloud.

Reading Test Items (continued) A Read Aloud administration must either be recorded or have a proctor present. If recorded, the recording must be retained on file by Division Director of Testing until the Authorization to Proceed has been processed. If proctored, the Test Examiner and Proctor must verify in writing that the test administration was conducted according to standardized procedures. This verification must be retained on file in the office of the Division Director of Testing until the Authorization to Proceed has been processed. If the Examiner forgets to record the session or the session is not recorded in its entirety, the test will need to be administered using an alternate form of the test. If the test session is not recorded in its entirety or proctored, the parents will need to be notified of the irregularity and that their child will need to take an alternate form of the test. Additionally, the STC will need to call the DDOT immediately. Then, within 24 hours, the examiner and the STC will need to write and fax an irregularity form to the DDOT. The DDOT will then forward the irregularity to the VDOE who will then assign an alternate form of the test. Once the irregularity has been closed by VDOE, the DDOT will notify the STC that the student may be retested.

Reading Test Items for Computer Adaptive Tests (Accommodation Codes 10 & 14) All guidelines on the previous slides for “Reading Test Items” must be followed The assessment must be administered one-on-one. The student must be seated directly in front of the computer, and the Test Examiner must sit to the side of the student and read from the student’s workstation.

Audio Version of the Test—(Accommodation Codes 11—Math, History, Science, & Writing & Code 15—Reading) The Reading test may be audio ONLY if the student has a significant decoding disability or is visually impaired. LEP students may NOT have an audio on the Reading test unless they also are identified as a student with a disability.

Audio Version of the Test—(Accommodation Codes 11—Math, History, Science, & Writing & Code 15— Reading) If taking the paper/pencil test, students must have instructional experience with audio on a regular basis. If the student does not have experience using audio, the audio may cause more difficulty than assistance. Experience using audio may include the following: Audio textbooks Recording lectures in class Recording tests The audio should be used in conjunction with a printed test (i.e., regular, large print, or Braille).

Audio Version of the Test—Online (Accommodation Codes 11 & 15) In the past, school divisions have been told that students should not use accommodations during testing unless they used the same accommodation during classroom instruction and assessments. Since it would be very difficult for school divisions to provide an online audio accommodation during instruction, the following guidelines have been established to provide clarification as to the circumstances under which a student could be provided with an online audio accommodation during testing.

Audio Version of the Test—Online (continued) The IEP Team or 504 Committee must determine whether the read aloud or audio form of the test is the most appropriate delivery method The parent must agree to the delivery method, and the decision must be documented in the IEP or 504 Plan. The online audio accommodation may be given to students who have a read aloud during class instruction or those who use audio-cassettes/CDs or text readers in the classroom. Students should practice the audio version of the test before attempting the live version of the test. Audio Practice Test—available with TestNav8

Interpreting/Transliterating Test Items (Accommodation Codes 12—Math, History, Science, & Writing and 16—Reading) The Interpreter’s/Transliterator’s role and professional code of ethics prohibit answering questions directly or providing assistance in answering test questions. The Interpreter/Transliterator must first read the test question to him/herself silently before interpreting/ transliterating to the student. The Interpreter/Transliterator must be very careful to not lead the student to a correct answer. Through facial expressions By repeating any part of the test that is not specifically requested by the student

Interpreting/Transliterating Test Items (continued) Students who are deaf or have a hearing impairment may be considered for the interpreting/transliteration accommodation on the Reading assessment because of difficulty hearing phonemes, which is part of the decoding process. Eligibility must be determined by a diagnostic tool or instrument administered by a qualified professional. Both the interpreter and the proctor must be familiar with sign language. The interpreter/transliterator may interpret test directions, sample, items, questions regarding the mechanics of testing directed to and answered by the Examiner, and test items. If it is determined that the interpreter requires access to an online test for review purposes, the DDOT must contact the testing staff at the Virginia Department of Education for assistance. The pre-testing review must be conducted under supervision.

Interpreting/Transliterating Test Items (continued) An interpreted administration must be proctored by appropriate personnel who are fluent in the type of interpretation/ transliteration used or video recorded. If a proctor is present, both the Test Examiner and Proctor must verify in writing that the test was administered under standardized testing procedures. This written verification must be retained by the Division Director of Testing until the Authorization to Proceed has been processed. If video recorded, the video recording must be retained in the office of the Division Director of Testing until the Authorization to Proceed has been processed. The interpreter may have access to the test 24 hours prior to the test administration as authorized by the Division Director of Testing.

Interpreting/Transliterating Test Items for Computer Adaptive Tests (Accommodation Codes 12—Math, History, Science, & Writing and 16—Reading) All guidelines on the previous slides for “Interpreting/Transliterating” must be followed. The assessment must be administered one-on-one. The student and the Interpreter/Transliterator must position themselves so the student has access to the computer and can see the Interpreter/Transliterator, and the Interpreter/Transliterator can see the questions on the student’s computer screen. Please see the Examiner’s Manual, Appendix B, or the Test Implementation Manual, Appendix C, for detailed information on the reading assessment versus the non-reading assessments.

Communication Board or Choice Cards (Accommodation Code 13) Student responses must be transcribed to an answer document or entered online by a school staff member. This method must be used instructionally on a regular basis.

Communication Board or Choice Cards (continued) The test session must either be video recorded or proctored. If the test session is video recorded, the answer document/online responses must be verified using the video recording. The video recording must be retained in the office of the Division Director of Testing until the Authorization to Proceed has been processed. If the test session is proctored, both the Test Examiner and Proctor must verify in writing that the test session was administered according to appropriate guidelines. This is done on the Examiner’s/Proctor’s Transmittal Form and Affidavit for Recorded Test Sessions. This verification must be retained on file in the office of the Division Director of Testing until the Authorization to Proceed has been processed.

Bilingual Dictionary (Accommodation Code 17) The bilingual dictionary is available ONLY to LEP students. The bilingual dictionary accommodation is available for all SOL tests. The bilingual dictionary must be paper and not electronic. It must be a general, word-to-word bilingual dictionary. It cannot be content specific, rhyming, contain pictures, etc. It must not be altered with hand-written notes. The bilingual dictionary may be used alone or in conjunction with an English dictionary—without a Thesaurus. The English dictionary is not allowed on the multiple-choice component of the 2010 SOL writing test.

Examiner Records Responses (Accommodation Code 18) Student marks in test booklet, responds verbally, points, or otherwise indicates a response. If a student marks in his/her test booklet, answers must be transcribed to the regular answer document and verified by a second school employee.

Examiner Records Responses (continued ) The test session must either be video recorded or proctored. If video recorded, the recording must be retained in the office of the Division Director of Testing until the Authorization to Proceed has been processed. If proctored, the Test Examiner and Proctor must verify in writing the test session was administered according to standardized procedures. This written verification will be retained in the office of the Division Director of Testing until the Authorization to Proceed has been processed.

Examiner Records Responses (continued ) This accommodation is available only to those students as stated in their IEPs, 504 Plans, or LEP Plans (or due to a documented temporary condition). Documentation of the student’s responses (i.e., audio/video of the session, output from a Brailler, augmentative communication device, word processor, enlarged answer documents, paper and electronic copies of the student’s response, etc.) must be retained in the office of the Division Director of Testing until the Authorization to Proceed has been processed.

Examiner Records Responses (continued ) The student’s responses must be entered exactly as the student indicated. The student’s responses must not be corrected or altered in any way. The transcription must be verified by a second school official to ensure no errors occurred in the transcription. All materials containing student responses to test items are considered as secure test materials and must be maintained in a secure location.

Mathematical Aids (Accommodation Code 19) Math aids allowed examples—number line, fraction circles, colored shapes, etc. Math aids not allowed examples—place value chart, fraction chart, clocks, coins, bills, base 10 blocks, etc. (See Explanation of Math Aids Handout for Math Aids that are Allowed and Not Allowed)

NEW— Students w/ Disabilities, 504 & LEP Students Specific Verbal Prompts (Accommodation Code 20) If documented in the student’s IEP or 504 plan, the Test Examiner may use verbal prompts to help the student remain focused on completing the SOL assessment. Following are the only prompts that may be used during SOL tests: “Please continue with your tests.” “Keep working.” “Keep going.” “Focus.” “Stay focused.”

Specific Verbal Prompts (continued) The IEP Team or 504 Committee must choose from the verbal prompts on the previous screen, and the specific prompt(s) must be documented in the IEP or 504 Plan. All other verbal prompts must be submitted for review on a Special Assessment Accommodation Request form and have prior approval from the VDOE.

Specific Verbal Prompts (continued) Students must be assessed individually; the test session must either be proctored or recorded. If proctored, both the Proctor and Test Examiner must verify in writing that the test administration was conducted according to standardized procedures. This is done on the Examiner’s/Proctor’s Transmittal Form and Affidavit for Recorded Test Sessions. This verification must be retained on file in the office of the Division Director of Testing until the Authorization to Proceed has been processed.

Change Students w/ Disabilities, 504 & LEP Students Response Devices (Accommodation Code 21) Multiple-Choice Component Students records responses to MC items using Braille writer. Requires a paper/pencil test Must be recorded or proctored Short-Paper Component of Writing Assessment Word Processor Word Processor with Speech to Text Brailler—may be used with paper/pencil tests only Word Prediction Software

Response Devices (continued) Only those devices which produce the student’s response verbatim may be used. If the device produces an auditory output, the session must be recorded and the recording must be retained by the Division Director of Testing until the Authorization to Proceed has been processed. Or, a proctor can be present, and appropriate procedures followed. If speech-to-text software is used, the student must be assessed in a one-to-one setting.

Response Devices (continued) Automatic correction, thesaurus, or grammar check features must be disabled. A hand-held spell checker or the spell checking capacity of a computer can be used. However, the student cannot be prompted to use it. The typed or printed essay must be transcribed to the regular answer document or into TestNav by school personnel and verified by a second school employee.

Response Devices (continued) Word Prediction Software The word prediction software must not provide prompting for spell checking, grammar checking, predicting of phrases, or word choices. The student cannot use the thesaurus function of the software. If the software allows selection of a dictionary, a grade-level appropriate dictionary must be chosen.

Response Devices (continued) Word Prediction Software The software used for this accommodation should provide the student with a selection of single words from a student-generated single or multiple keystroke. The software should not provide phrases, grammatically appropriate options, or other unrelated word choices generated by the student’s keystrokes to predict sentence structure. The student should type his/her paper on a separate computer than the testing computer and then transcribe his/her work into TestNav on the testing computer.

Response Devices (continued) A document stating the typed or printed essay is entirely the student’s work and that no automatic correction, thesaurus, or grammar check features were used must be signed by the Test Examiner and Proctor and retained in the office of the Division Director of Testing. The student’s short-paper component must be retained on file by the Division Director of Testing until the Authorization to Proceed has been processed.

Response Devices (continued) The test session must either be video recorded or proctored. If the test session is video recorded, the video recording must be retained in the office of the Division Director of Testing until the Authorization to Proceed has been processed. If the test session is proctored, both the Test Examiner and Proctor must verify in writing that the test session was administered according to appropriate guidelines. This is done on the Examiner’s/Proctor’s Transmittal Form and Affidavit for Recorded Test Sessions. This verification must be retained on file in the office of the Division Director of Testing until the Authorization to Proceed has been processed.

Student Uses Augmentative Communication Device (Accommodation Code 22) This is NOT facilitated communication. Projects the speech or in some other way communicates for the student. Board with letters, numbers, etc. where the student may indicate by pressing the letters/numbers his/her responses. It could be as simple as a two-way switch. Must be specific on IEP/504 Plan the type of augmentative communication device and how it will be used.

Student Uses Augmentative Communication Device (continued) Documentation must exist that indicates the student uses an augmentative communication device for his/her written work on a regular basis in the classroom. Only communication devices which produce student work verbatim may be used. If the augmentative communication device produces auditory output, it should be treated as dictation to a scribe and all procedures followed.

Student Uses Augmentative Communication Device (continued) The test session must either be video recorded or proctored. If the test session is video recorded, the video recording must be retained in the office of the Division Director of Testing until the Authorization to Proceed has been processed. If the test session is proctored, both the Test Examiner and Proctor must verify in writing that the test session was administered according to appropriate guidelines. This is done on the Examiner’s/Proctor’s Transmittal Form and Affidavit for Recorded Test Sessions. This verification must be retained on file in the office of the Division Director of Testing until the Authorization to Proceed has been processed.

Student Uses Augmentative Communication Device (continued) Non-Writing & Writing Multiple Choice Test Examiners and students must work together prior to testing to complete multiple-choice practice items which include TEI. Based on the practice sessions, the Test Examiner may use vocabulary software of the augmentative communication device to create preset word banks of ‘direction’ words (i.e., select, drag, drop, up, down, right, left, etc.) which will allow the student to direct the Test Examiner to complete the TEI items.

Student Uses Augmentative Communication Device (continued) Non-Writing & Writing Multiple-Choice The student may use a preset template to select multiple-choice responses. The student may not have access to subject-linked vocabulary with the augmentative communication device. The Test Examiner must record the student’s response on the student’s test computer or answer document. The student’s responses must be verified by a second school employee, following appropriate procedures.

Student Uses Augmentative Communication Device—Writing Assessment (continued) Short-Paper Component Two separate computers must be made available to the student. The student will log into TestNav on one computer, and the second workstation will be the augmentative communication device. The student must not have access to the Internet or any other software during testing. The student will use the augmentative communication device to type the short paper using the QWERTY keyboard.

Student Uses Augmentative Communication Device—Writing Assessment (continued) Short-Paper Component The student may not have access to subject-linked options on the device. If the word prediction software is used, it must provide only single words and may not be linked by subject. The student may not use automatic correction, thesaurus, or grammar-check features.

Student Uses Augmentative Communication Device—Writing Assessment (continued) Short-Paper Component The student’s response must be transcribed into the TestNav response screen and verified by a second school official. The school must either print a copy of the student’s response or make an electronic copy on a jump drive or CD; the copy will be maintained in the Division Director of Testing (DDOT) Office until the Authorization to Proceed (ATP) has been processed.

Student Uses Augmentative Communication Device—Writing Assessment (continued) Short-Paper Component The student’s short paper must be deleted from the augmentative communication device the student used to compose the paper. The Test Examiner and Proctor must sign a document stating that the response to the writing prompt is entirely the student’s work and that no “automatic correction, thesaurus, or grammar check features” were used. This document must be retained on file in the office of the DDOT until the Authorization to Proceed has been processed.

Spelling Aids—Short Paper Component of the Writing Assessment Only (Accommodation Code 23) Students w/ disabilities are allowed to use approved spelling aids on the short-paper component of the SOL Writing assessment. This includes the use of a spell checker and spelling dictionaries. Spelling checkers may not automatically correct words, provide prompting for spell checking, or include a thesaurus. If the spell checker allows for the selection of a dictionary, a dictionary appropriate to the student’s grade level must be chosen.

Spelling Aids (continued) A spelling dictionary should only contain the words in alphabetical order and not contain hints or clues. The spelling dictionary may be teacher- or student- made with words that the student uses on a regular basis in his/her writing. This does not include the use of grammar check.

Dictation to a Recording Device—Pre-writing Only on the Short-Paper Component of the SOL Writing Test (Accommodation Code 24) Organization Phase (Pre-Writing/Draft)—A student may organize his/her thoughts for the short-paper component into a recorder and then play it back as s/he composes the short paper. The final short paper may not be transcribed from a recording device by school personnel .

Dictation to a Scribe (Accommodation Code 25) The student dictates in English (or uses an augmentative communication device with auditory output) to respond to the short-paper component of the Writing assessment. The scribe must format, capitalize, and punctuate only as directed by the student.

Dictation to a Scribe (continued) The scribe can either type or write the student’s dictation. When the student is finished, the student should have an opportunity to review the rough draft and make final corrections to capitalization, grammar, punctuation, etc.

Dictation to a Scribe (continued) The testing session must either be recorded or proctored by a second person. If the session is recorded, the scribe’s transcription and the recording must be verified by a second school official. The recording and the transcription must be retained by the Division Director of Testing until the appeals process is over and the Authorization to Proceed has been processed. If the session is proctored, the Proctor and Test Examiner must verify the student’s response was typed exactly as the student directed and that nothing was changed, added, or deleted. The scribe and the Proctor must verify in writing that the test administration was conducted according to standardized procedures. This verification and transcription will be retained in the office of the Division Director of Testing.

Calculator/Arithmetic Tables—Grades 3-7 Mathematics Assessments Only (Accommodation Code 26) The student’s IEP Team or 504 Committee must determine that the student is eligible based on the calculator accommodation criteria established by VDOE. Arithmetic tables and charts are defined as tools that serve the same function as a calculator. Multiplication tables Division tables Addition tables Subtraction tables This accommodation cannot be used by LEP students unless they are also identified as a student w/ a disability or a 504 student.

VDOE Approved Special Accommodation Request (Accommodation Code 27) Some students may require an accommodation beyond those listed by the Virginia Department of Education. Prior approval by the VDOE is required before administering these accommodations. If you have a student who requires an accommodation that is not listed by VDOE, you should submit the Special Assessment Accommodation Request Form to the Division Director of Testing. The DDOT will submit the form to VDOE for approval. Each form will be reviewed based upon the need to provide equal access to the SOL test for the student and the need to maintain standardized procedures and security. Accommodations may be approved, approved with conditions, or not approved.

Calculator with Additional Functions—Grades 4-8 & EOC Mathematics & Grades 5, 8, and EOC Science Assessments Only (Accommodation Code 28) The student may use a calculator with additional functions designed to accommodate his/her disability. The student must meet the eligibility requirements on either the Calculator Accommodation Criteria Form for SWD or the Calculator Accommodation Criteria Form for Students with Blindness or Visual Impairments. Calculators with additional functions are allowed if the additional mathematical functions are required for the student to access the SOL assessment and are directly related to his/her disability.

Calculator with Additional Functions—Grades 4- 8 & EOC Mathematics & Grades 5, 8, and EOC Science Assessments Only(continued) Calculators with additional functions are not allowed if: they are not related to the student’s disability; they provide an unfair advantage to the student; they are designed solely to enhance student performance; or they are designed to compensate for below grade-level mathematics skills.

English Dictionary (Accommodation Code 29) LEP students only may use an English dictionary on the Reading, Math, History, and Science assessments. LEP students cannot use an English dictionary on the Multiple-Choice Component of the Writing SOL. Students with an IEP/504/LEP Plan who cannot access the online spell-check tool on the Short-Paper Component of the Writing Assessment or other permitted spelling aid are allowed to use an English dictionary to check spelling. It must be a general dictionary without a thesaurus. It must not be content specific or specialized. It must be a paper dictionary. An electronic dictionary is not allowed. It may be school owned or student owned. It should be familiar to the student. It must not be altered in any way with hand-written notes or include class notes.

NEW— Students w/ Disabilities, 504 & LEP Students Read-Back Student Response—Short Paper Component of Writing Assessment (Accommodation Code 30) The Read-Back Student Response accommodation may be provided by either a Test Examiner or from a workstation equipped with text-to-speech capabilities. The IEP/504 plan must clearly indicate if the student’s response is read by the Test Examiner or the work station. Please follow the directions in Appendix B of the Test Implementation Manual or the Examiner’s Manual carefully for both the text-to-speech and Test Examiner.

Read-Back Student Response (continued) The student’s response must be read verbatim without providing any clues or assistance. A Read-Back Student Response administration must either be recorded or have a proctor present. If recorded, the recording must be retained on file by Division Director of Testing until the Authorization to Proceed has been processed. If proctored, the Test Examiner and Proctor must verify in writing that the test administration was conducted according to standardized procedures. This is done on the Examiner’s/ Proctor’s Transmittal Form and Affidavit for Recorded Test Sessions. This verification must be retained on file in the office of the Division Director of Testing until the Authorization to Proceed is processed.

Change— Students w/ Disabilities, 504 & LEP Students Flexible Schedule (Accommodation Code 31) All SOL assessments are untimed, and ALL students may take the entire day to test if needed. Students w/ disabilities, 504, and LEP students can have supervised breaks during the day If a student takes the assessment with breaks, the schedule for breaks must be determined prior to testing and based on the routine use of scheduled breaks during regular classroom and benchmark assessments. The frequency of breaks must be documented in the student’s IEP/504/LEP Plan. The STC and Test Examiner must have a system for notifying the student to begin and end a break during testing. The break must be supervised and test security must be maintained during the break. Note here that students who have flexible schedule but complete the test in one day should test online. Students who have flexible schedule and test over multiple days should use paper/pencil.

Flexible Schedule (continued) Students must be not allowed to discuss the test in any way, have access to educational materials or electronic devices, and must not disrupt other students during the break. The student’s test materials must not be accessible or viewable by other students or school personnel during the break. If the student is taking the test online and the room is securely maintained, the monitor can be turned off. The student may exit the test, and then have his/her test resumed by the STC prior to logging back into the test. Online tests must be administered in one day. Note here that students who have flexible schedule but complete the test in one day should test online. Students who have flexible schedule and test over multiple days should use paper/pencil.

New Students w/ Disabilities, 504 & LEP Students Setting (Accommodation Code 32) This includes any alteration to Setting Adaptive or special furniture Special lighting Note here that students who have flexible schedule but complete the test in one day should test online. Students who have flexible schedule and test over multiple days should use paper/pencil.

Students w/ Disabilities, 504 & LEP Students—Presentation
Plain English Math (Accommodation Code A) This form of the test covers the same content as the regular Mathematics form of the test. LEP students may not participate for more than three consecutive years. The Access for ELLs ranges that allow the Plain English Math version are as follows: The modifications on this test include: Simplification of reading load Syntax Vocabulary Grades 3-5—1.0 – 3.5 (Grades 9-12(Algebra I only)—1.0 – 3.5 Grades 6-8—1.0 – 3.3

Resources: Students with Disabilities: Guidelines for Assessment Participation Students with Disabilities: Guidelines for Special Test Accommodations Limited English Proficient Students: Guidelines for Participation in the Virginia Assessment Program Guidelines for Administering the Read-Aloud Accommodation for Standards of Learning Assessments Explanation of Testing Accommodations with Disabilities—Math Aids—Accommodation Code 19 Explanation of Testing Accommodations for Students with Disabilities—Assistive Technology Accommodations

ACCOMMODATIONS & SOL TESTING

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ACCOMMODATIONS & SOL TESTING

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