1. Developing Achievement Standards for Alaskas Alternate Assessment Aran Felix, Program Manager, Alternate Assessment Jeanne Foy, Program Manager, NAEP Department of Education & Early Development November 15-16, 2005

2. November 15-16, 2005Developing Alternate Achievement Standards 2 Thanks to… National Alternate Assessment Center (NAAC)- Designing from the Ground Floor: AA on Alternate Achievement Standards, Access & Alignment to Grade Level Content Dr. Diane Browder, University of North Carolina, Linking to Grade Level Content Standards for Students with Significant Cognitive Disabilities, ASES SCASS Presentation, October 7, 2005 Dr. Patricia Almond, Consultant, Performance Level Descriptions, Alaska AA Workgroup, April 25-27, 2005

3. November 15-16, 2005Developing Alternate Achievement Standards 3 Overview of Committee Work Become familiar with assessment terminology Understand Standard Setting Process Who are the students Who take AA on AAS? Legal and historical background Gain knowledge of this committees part in setting Alternate Achievement Standards Immersion in GLES and ExGLES Recommend Performance Level Labels Descriptors at Grade Level, Grade Cluster, Grade Span? Write final draft Performance Descriptors

4. November 15-16, 2005Developing Alternate Achievement Standards 4 Assessment Terminology Alternate Assessment (AA) Students with Disabilities (SWD) Students with Significant Cognitive Disabilities (SCD) Standard-Setting Performance/ Achievement Standards Alternate Achievement Standards (AAS) Performance Descriptors Performance Level Labels Grade Level Expectations (GLEs) Extended Grade Level Expectations (ExGLEs)

5. Academic Achievement Standards How good is good enough?

6. November 15-16, 2005Developing Alternate Achievement Standards 6 Purpose of this Section Gain an overview of the steps taken to develop Achievement Standards for any assessment. Then, understand that the same steps are taken to develop Achievement Standards for the Alternate Assessment. These standards will be called Alternate Achievement Standards (AAS).

7. November 15-16, 2005Developing Alternate Achievement Standards 7 The Theory of Action, holds that in standards-based reform when states set high standards for student performance, develop assessments that measure student performance against the standards,... change curriculum, instruction, and school organization to enable... students to meet the standards, and hold schools strictly accountable for meeting performance standards, then student achievement will rise. (The National Research Council, 1999, p. 15)

8. November 15-16, 2005Developing Alternate Achievement Standards 8 Standards Based Assessment System (Hanasche, CAS Handbook, 1998, p. 36)

9. November 15-16, 2005Developing Alternate Achievement Standards 9 ACHIEVEMENT STANDARDS Performance Labels each level of Levels achievement Performance Describes each level of Descriptors performance ExemplarsSample student work at each level of performance separate Cut ScoresScores that separate the different levels of performance (Done by a Standard Setting Committee)

10. November 15-16, 2005Developing Alternate Achievement Standards 10

11. November 15-16, 2005Developing Alternate Achievement Standards 11 PERFORMANCE DESCRIPTORS 4Narrative descriptions at each performance level 4Narrative descriptions for each grade and content area Grade 4 Reading Proficient When reading fourth grade text, the student demonstrates an understanding of the main idea and key points of the text supported by literal and inferential information. The student draws clear connections between information and the text and inferences and conclusions.

12. November 15-16, 2005Developing Alternate Achievement Standards 12 Exemplars Representative samples of student work Illustrations for full range of performance Paul Bunyan Paul Bunyan was a great big guy. He had a ox named Babe that was blue. Babe is the one that made the Grand Canyon. He got stung by a fly. He was so mad he dragged the plow all over America. And that's how the Grand Canyon got to be.

13. November 15-16, 2005Developing Alternate Achievement Standards 13 Cut Scores (This work is accomplished by a Standard Setting Committee)

14. November 15-16, 2005Developing Alternate Achievement Standards 14 Alternate Academic Achievement Standards Alternate Achievement Standards follow the same process of development as general education achievement standards Promote access to the general curriculum The Proficiency Descriptors must be aligned to content standards (include knowledge and skills that link to grade- level expectations using typical, age-appropriate materials and activities Reflect professional judgment of the highest learning standards possible

15. November 15-16, 2005Developing Alternate Achievement Standards 15 Alternate Academic Achievement Standards (cont.) Include description of content-based competencies associated with each level Grade-level content may be reduced in complexity or modified to reflect pre-requisite skills For each grade level/span/cluster, define alternate achievement standards for proficiency Should be defined in a way that supports individual growth because of their linkage to different content across grades

16. November 15-16, 2005Developing Alternate Achievement Standards 16 Purpose of this group is to write Performance Descriptors for the Alternate Task 1: After GLEs, determine if Performance Descriptors will be written for each Grade Level (3 – 10), or by Grade Cluster (3-4, 5-6, 7-8, 9-10) or by Grade Span (3-5, 6-8, 9-10) Task 2: Review draft Descriptors, revise and rewrite. These will be used by the State, by classroom teachers, and by a Standard Setting Committee.

17. Who are the AA Students? Articulating the Population

18. November 15-16, 2005Developing Alternate Achievement Standards 18 Who are the students who take AA on AAS? The number of students participating in alternate assessments on alternate achievement standards as compared to the total population of student learners and students with disabilities…

19. November 15-16, 2005Developing Alternate Achievement Standards 19 More different than alike… The total student population receiving special education services broken down by disability category SOURCE: Education Week analysis of data from the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs, Data Analysis System, 2002-03.

20. November 15-16, 2005Developing Alternate Achievement Standards 20 Issues in Teaching/Assessing Students in Alternate Assessments on Alternate Achievement Standards Students with the most significant cognitive disabilities present problems with learning in these areas: –Attention to Stimuli –Memory –Generalization –Self-Regulation –Limited motor response repertoire –Meta-cognition and Skill Synthesis –Sensory Deficits –Special Health Care Needs Refer to Handout

21. November 15-16, 2005Developing Alternate Achievement Standards 21 Handout of Issues

22. November 15-16, 2005Developing Alternate Achievement Standards 22 Additional Consideration Level of Symbolism Symbolic: Speaks or has vocabulary of signs, pictures uses to communicate; reads sight words; recognizes some numbers/ may count Emerging Symbolic: Beginning to use pictures or other symbols to communicate; limited vocabulary Pre-Symbolic: Communicates with gestures, eye gaze, moving to object, sounds Special consideration: Students who do not seem to have intentionality in communication; no clear response established that can be used to assess understanding

23. Background Legal and Historical Shifts Technological Advances

24. November 15-16, 2005Developing Alternate Achievement Standards 24 Federal Legislation Elementary & Secondary Education Act (ESEA) as amended by NCLB –High Expectations –Challenging Academic Standards –ALL students including SWD –Accountability IDEA 1997 –SWD access general education curriculum –Accommodations –Alternate Assessment –Report test participation –Report performance on standards (See Handouts)

25. November 15-16, 2005Developing Alternate Achievement Standards 25 Historical Perspective: Changing Curricular Context for SCD Early 1970s –Adapting infant/early childhood curriculum for students with the most significant disabilities of all ages 1980s –Rejected developmental model –Functional, life skills curriculum emerged 1990s –Also: social inclusion focus –Also: self determination focus –Assistive technology 2000 –General curriculum access (academic content) –Plus earlier priorities (functional, social, self determination) –Digitally accessible materials

26. November 15-16, 2005Developing Alternate Achievement Standards 26 What Students with the most Significant Cognitive Disabilities Should Know and be able to do…..

27. November 15-16, 2005Developing Alternate Achievement Standards 27 We do not know if we can teach academics to this population until we try Emerging evidence from teachers and students that students with severe disabilities can learn academics. –Subgroup of students with most complex, multiple disabilities not represented in this research…But, they are also not represented in research on functional skills We have to give ourselves permission to teach some skills that building understanding; not every skill will be usable at Walmart today We can align we grade level content if we use the concepts of AGE APPROPRIATE and partial participation. Need to do deeper thinking about this concept. –Diane Browder, October 7, 2005ASES SCASS Meeting

28. November 15-16, 2005Developing Alternate Achievement Standards 28 General Curriculum Access Not just access to general education settings; but access to CONTENT and expectation for learning –Even students in separate settings have this expectation per IDEA and NCLB Assessing progress on state standards Teaching grade level academic content with expectations for alternate achievements

29. November 15-16, 2005Developing Alternate Achievement Standards 29 What is the Challenge? Creating a link between Alternate Assessment, instruction, and state academic content standards Why its a challenge: 25 year tradition of focusing on separate function curriculum, not academics for this population Lack of research, models, shared understanding of what academics looks like. Research just beginning. –Diane Browder, October 7, 2005ASES SCASS Meeting

30. November 15-16, 2005Developing Alternate Achievement Standards 30 Accessing the Curriculum Academic content (reading, writing, math, science) for students with SCD should be as close as possible to the grade level content (with age-appropriate themes, topics, materials, activities) –a) But with adaptations in delivery of content to make it accessible to students level of understanding, and –b) Differentiation in level of expectation for student achievement to focus on prioritized target skills within that content that are both meaningful to student and build growth in academic learning. Diane Browder, ASES-SCASS, October 2005

31. November 15-16, 2005Developing Alternate Achievement Standards 31 Advent of Assistive Technology Provides Access Tools Provides multiple means of representation of content (e.g., words, pictures, symbols, objects) Provides engagement alternatives (e.g., use of computer, digital materials) Provides multiple means of expression (e.g., communication systems) (CAST, 2002)

32. November 15-16, 2005Developing Alternate Achievement Standards 32 Cheap Talk 4 (Enabling Devices) DynaVox 3100 Step By Step Communicator, Abel Net Active Participation Picture Exchange Communication System, PECS (Pyramid Educational Consultants) Communication devices must provide a means of active participation within the curriculum

33. November 15-16, 2005Developing Alternate Achievement Standards 33 Active Participation - reading with..... graphics/symbols (Writing with Symbols 2000, Widgit).. objects.. tactile cues.. a communication aid (Step-by-Step, AbelNet)

34. November 15-16, 2005Developing Alternate Achievement Standards 34..word prediction (Read and Write Gold, textHELP)..webbing software (Inspiration) A portable keyboard (AlphaSmart).. a custom overlay and adaptive keyboard (Overlay Maker, IntelliTools) Active Participation - writing with…

35. November 15-16, 2005Developing Alternate Achievement Standards 35 Active Participation - write with A plant needs oxygen.. word stamps.. sentence strips in science water The plant needs sunlight... individual laminated symbols secured with Velcro (Boardmaker, Meyer-Johnson).. pictures – drawn, magazine

36. November 15-16, 2005Developing Alternate Achievement Standards 36 Additional Consideration: Meaningfulness Functional is –Usable in daily life; something student will do in their daily routines currently or in the future –Functional skills are not necessarily meaningful until student gains experience with them Dr. Browder-Oct. 7, 2005 Meaningful is –Student will be able to gain enough understanding of activity to learn the target response –Student has some prior knowledge/ experience that gives the activity meaning –Acquiring the response will build academic knowledge that will broaden the students world –Meaningful skills that are also functional are more likely to be maintained, but not all academic skills are immediately usable

37. What will be Taught? What will be Assessed? Becoming Familiar with Grade Level Expectations

38. November 15-16, 2005Developing Alternate Achievement Standards 38 In a Complete System of Standards What gets tested gets taught.

39. November 15-16, 2005Developing Alternate Achievement Standards 39 Alaska Standards Book Page 9 – Content Standards –Broad statements of what students should know and be able to do Page 41 – Performance Standards/Grade Level Expectations (PS/GLEs) –Statements that define what students should know and be able to do at the end of a given grade level. –Further defines content standards

40. November 15-16, 2005Developing Alternate Achievement Standards 40 Grade Level Expectations (GLEs) Guides development of assessment items Basis for school districts curriculum development GLEs do not represent the entire curriculum GLEs indicate core curriculum to be mastered by the end of a given grade.

41. November 15-16, 2005Developing Alternate Achievement Standards 41 What are Entry Points to the GLEs? From Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks: Entry Points provide a range of options at which a student with a disability can access the content standard at a challenging level, and should be used by educators and parents to identify instructional goals and objectives for the student. Entry points are described along a continuum of complexity and difficulty.

42. November 15-16, 2005Developing Alternate Achievement Standards 42 Access to the General Curriculum: A Continuum of Learning (Mathematics) Dan Wiener & Pam Green 2002 Grade 7-8 Learning Standard #2 for Algebra: Solve simple algebraic expressions for given values Example: 3a 2 – b, for a=3 & b=7 Match pictures & objects to create and compare sets Understand symbols and meaning of: * addition + * subtraction - * equal to = Solve simple one- and two- digit number sentences Example: 1 + 1 + 1 = x 2 + x = 5 3x + 8 = 29 Standard as written Less Complex More Complex Entry Points

43. November 15-16, 2005Developing Alternate Achievement Standards 43 Access to the General Curriculum: A Continuum of Learning (ELA – Reading and Literature) Dan Wiener & Pam Green 2002 Grade 7-8 Learning Standard #16.10 for Reading and Literature: Identify and analyze mythologies from different cultures Example: Student creates a hero tale, using epic tale conventions (e.g., quest, special weapons) Respond to epic tales read aloud by selecting/ drawing pictures related to the story Recognize that an epic tale is fictional Example: Student reads (or listens to) adapted stories, and categorizes each as make-believe or real Identify elements of fiction in an epic tale Example: Student reads an epic tale, identifying details related to characters, setting and plot Standard as written Less Complex More Complex Entry Points

44. November 15-16, 2005Developing Alternate Achievement Standards 44 What are Access Skills? From Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks: After repeated attempts to address academic content through successively less complex entry points in a subject strand, it may be determined that the student would benefit at present from exposure to access skills (under other educational needs defined in the IEP) within the context of standards-based activities. In order to provide access to the general curriculum, the student may engage in standards-based instruction by practicing targeted social, motor, and communication skills (I.e. access skills) during such activities. Practicing these skills in the context of academic instruction benefits students by exposing a student to challenging new ideas and content, by providing new opportunities to practice targeted skills in a variety of settings.

45. November 15-16, 2005Developing Alternate Achievement Standards 45 Example of Access Skill From Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks: This is a grade 5 activity in which students describe how electromagnets can be made and used. Small student groups design and construct electromagnets using a six-volt battery, insulated wire, a large nail, and an electronic switch. Norman participates in this activity by activating an electronic switch that connects the current to the electromagnet so his group can test a variety of objects for magnetic properties. Although Norman does not address the essence of the learning standard directly, this activity provides the opportunity for Norman to participate in instruction with his peers while practicing a targeted skill in his IEP.

46. November 15-16, 2005Developing Alternate Achievement Standards 46 Findings Mixed: Some states had strong alignment to academic content; some weak alignment Examples from strongly aligned states –Math Compare volumes of more and less Use strategies such as counting, measuring, to determine possible outcomes in problem solving –Reading Answer questions related to story Identify pattern in familiar story Examples from weakly aligned states –Math Replace rollers in beauty parlor Measure growth of fingernails –Reading Show anticipation on roller coaster Attend to visual stimuli (NAAC, June 2005)

47. November 15-16, 2005Developing Alternate Achievement Standards 47 Seymour Sarason It could be argued with a good deal of persuasiveness that when one looks over the history of man the most distinguishing characteristic of his development is the degree to which man has underestimated the potentialities of men. (Christmas in Purgatory, 1965, p. 107)

48. November 15-16, 2005Developing Alternate Achievement Standards 48 Working with GLES Use the handout showing the continuum of skill development: Least to Most Complex. The ExGLEs are not by grade level. This group will determine grade level abilities in order to write performance descriptions. Grade Level Expectations when extended are about age- appropriate materials and using adapted, less-complex but same content and activities Eventually a curriculum document should be developed that contains suggestions of grade-level activities to access content. Okay to make comments about suitable activities if you think of them – but this is not your assignment.

49. November 15-16, 2005Developing Alternate Achievement Standards 49 Examining AK GLES Today: Become familiar with GLES and extended GLES Make comments, provide feedback, turn in. As group examines, make a preliminary determination of what skills at what grade in order to make the grade level decision ~ ~ ~ Diane Browder recommends asking these questions: Will the skill have meaning for the student? When looking at the skill in isolation, can you still identify the academic domain? Or is it no longer reading, math, etc.? Could a curriculum content expert link it back to the specific state standard?

50. November 15-16, 2005Developing Alternate Achievement Standards 50 Purpose of this group is to write Performance Descriptors for the Alternate Task 1 After GLEs, determine if Performance Descriptors will be written for each Grade Level (3 – 10), or by Grade Cluster (3-4, 5-6, 7-8, 9-10) or by Grade Span (3-5, 6-8, 9-10) Task 2: Review draft Descriptors, revise and rewrite. These will be used by the State, by classroom teachers, and by a Standard Setting Committee.

51. Thank you for your work! Contact Information: Aran Felix, Alternate Assessment Program Manager Aran_Felix@eed.state.ak.us #907-465-8437