1. New Mexico’s Alternate Assessments
Minding the 1% Cap on
New Mexico’s Alternate Assessments
Karen Greer
Assessment Coordinator
Assessment Bureau
Sbicca Brodeur
Education Administrator
Special Education Bureau February 5, 2019
Also on the line, Kimber Sanchez

2. Intended Outcomes
Refresh district’s basic knowledge of applicable federal and state requirements
Help districts consider implications for your LEA practices
Introduce districts to initial ideas for developing the monitoring system

3. Review of USDE Requirements: What we have to do

4. The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) and New Mexico statute require:
The inclusion of students with disabilities, including students with the most significant cognitive disabilities, in the state assessments.
States must implement an alternate assessment aligned with alternate academic achievement standards.
In New Mexico, the alternate assessments are the New Mexico Alternate Performance Assessment (NMAPA) and Alt-ACCESS for ELLs.
Federal Statute: Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) Title I, Part A, Subpart 1, Section 1111, (b), 3, C
New Mexico Statute: 22-2C-4 NMSA 1978
NM: alternate academic achievement standards are called Extended Grade Band Expectations

5. ESSA continued:
Limits the participation of students with the most significant cognitive disabilities in the alternate assessment aligned with alternate academic achievement standards (AA-AAAS).
For each subject, the total number of students assessed in such subject using the alternate assessments does not exceed 1 percent of the total number of all students in the State who are assessed in such subject.

6. Illustration: “XYZ School District”
Total number of students in the district: 1200
Number of students who took the general assessment in math with or without accommodations: 1000
Number of students who took the NMAPA in math: 11
Total number of students who took both the general and NMAPA in math: 1011
11/1011 = .01 or 1%

7. Language of Federal Requirements
A State may NOT prohibit an LEA from assessing more that 1 % of its assessed students with the alternate assessment
BUT
A State MUST require an LEA that assesses more than 1 % of its assessed students in any subject with an alternate assessment to submit information justifying the need to exceed the 1%
AND
States must provide appropriate oversight of each LEA that is required to submit justification and must make the justification publicly available.

8. Eligibility Criteria Severe cognitive impairment
Must affect students in multiple settings (school, home, and community)
Must be determined by an IEP team, a group of individuals with a clear understanding of the student’s needs
€(3) NMAC
Severe levels of impairment can lead to losing the ability to understand the meaning or importance of something and the ability to talk or write, resulting in the inability to live independently.

9. What Percentage of Students Took Alternate Assessments in 2018?
Percentage of Assessed Students Taking NMAPA
Math
Reading
Science
0.996%
0.995%
0.999%
Percentage of Assessed Students Taking Alt ACCESS for English Learners
1.3%

10. Implications for LEAs

11. Accessibility and Accommodations: Less Restrictive Options
The big idea
Start outside and move in

12. Accessibility and Accommodations: Less Restrictive Options
Accommodations for students with disabilities
Flexible administrative considerations and universal tools for all students
Linguistic scaffolding and Universal Design principles designed into the test items

13. Administrative Considerations for All Students
Timing: Before lunch
Scheduling and pacing of content areas
Setting and locations
Group size
Frequent breaks

14. What Are Accessibility Features in Assessments?
Can be used by any student (i.e., students with and without disabilities, gifted students, ELs, and ELs with disabilities)
Not classified as accommodations
Students should be exposed to these features prior to testing,
They are not necessarily appropriate for every student.
Practice tests that include accessibility features are available for teacher and student use throughout the year.
No IEP or 504 Plan or EL Plan required
Consideration should be given to the supports a student consistently uses and finds helpful during instruction and when engaging in individual work.

15. Examples of Accessibility Features for All Students
Computer Based
Paper Based
Either Mode
Math: Text to Speech
Math: Read or Sign
Redirect Attention
Highlighter tool
Highlighter
Blank scratch paper
Spell check
Read aloud, clarify instructions
Pop up glossary
Headphones/noise buffer
Magnification
Best practice: students are familiar with these in classroom instruction. if a student does not regularly receive text-to-speech or other audio representations on their math textbooks during instruction, text-to-speech for mathematics on assessments may distract a student or slow their pacing, possibly interfering with their performance. Use practice tests for features unique to the assessment.

16. Students Who May Receive Accommodations:
Students with disabilities who have an Individualized Education Program (IEP);
Students with a Section 504 plan who have a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities, but who do not qualify for special education services;
Students who are ELs; and
Students who are ELs with disabilities who have an IEP or 504 plan are eligible for both sets of accommodations.

17. When accessibility features and accommodations are not appropriate, IEP teams should consider a student’s eligibility for the alternate assessment, NMAPA.

18. Guiding Questions for IEP Teams
Does performance in multiple settings (home, school, community) indicate a significant cognitive disability?
Does the student need intensive, pervasive, or extensive levels of support in school, home, and community?
Do the student’s current cognitive and adaptive skills and performance levels require direct instruction to accomplish the acquisition, maintenance, and generalization of skills in multiple settings?
Preventing overly restrictive assessment decisions
Pervasiveness

19. Guiding Questions (cont.)
Questions 1-3 responses demonstrate to the team that this student “cannot participate in the regular assessment; and the particular [alternate] assessment selected is appropriate for the child.”
Parents informed of the potential consequences of having their student assessed against alternate achievement standards (such as potential limitations to postsecondary opportunities).

20. What we want to do
Provide an appropriate standardized assessment where all students can “show what they know”
Regulations tell us what we have to do, this is what we want to do

21. Minding the 1% CAP for Districts

22. Initial Ideas for Monitoring System
Proactive Alerts: Feedback loop when an LEA is approaching or is at the cap
Intervention: When an LEA is over the cap
Request for justification
Mining the data
Oversight

23. Reasonable Justification When an LEA Exceeds the 1% Cap
Very small school district
Large medical centers in the attendance area
Districts with JPA with another district to operate sped programs that include students from other districts
Specialty schools: Schools for deaf, blind, etc.
e.g., 1 student exceeds 1%
Families moving into district to be near medical services

24. Major Milestones and Activities
Collaboration with NMPED Special Education staff
Participation on nationwide Community of Practice
Input from PED Assessment and Accountability Advisory Committee
Final plan delivered for approval
Release and communication

25. Contacts Karen Greer Sbicca Brodeur Assessment Coordinator
NMAPA & ACCESS for ELLs
Assessment Bureau NMPED
Sbicca Brodeur
Education Administrator
Autism/Low incidence/Vision/Hearing
Special Education Bureau, NMPED

26. Resources NMAPA Participation Guidelines
Guidelines.pdf
NMAPA FAQs for Families
for-Families_v4.pdf
Accessibility Features and Accommodations Manual: provides guidance to LEAs and decision-making teams to ensure that assessments provide valid results for all participating students. Use this manual to understand how to assign and deliver accommodations and accessibility features to students.

27. References
Federal Statute: Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) Title I, Part A, Subpart 1, Section 1111, (b), 3, C
New Mexico Statute: 22-2C-4 NMSA 1978
pdf

28. Questions?