Accessibility and Accommodations on State Assessments for English Language Learners

1. Accessibility and Accommodations on State Assessments for English Language Learners Melissa Gholson, Coordinator Office of Assessment and Research September 15, 2014

2. Assessment Consortia System General Assessment Linked English Language Proficiency Standards • Common Core Essential • Elements Alternate Assessment

3. Philosophy & Terminology

4. A Systems Perspective

5. Accommodations: why does it really matter? “It is not enough to have a list of available accommodations. Rather, accommodations must be used for instruction and assessment, they must be monitored, and they must be used appropriately so that scores are valid and provide information about a student’s knowledge and skills”. (NCEO, 2012)

6. Guidelines for Participation in State Assessments • The current version is available electronically at http://wvde.state.wv.us/oaa/pdf/ParticipationGuidelines.pdfThis document will be used until December 1, 2014. • Distribution should be made within your districts either electronically to all members of IEP, 504 and ELL team members and school administration. • It is recommended that all building level coordinators, principals, LEP, 504,IEP and SAT team members have a copy.

7. Anticipated PG Changes • Organization-chapters for each assessment • Specific direction regarding the allowable accommodations for specific subtests • ELA & Math (Smarter Balanced guidelines) Science and Social Studies (Existing Participation Guidelines WESTEST 2 section) • Criteria for Participation in Alternate Assessment • Policy 2340 Updates • Ignore WESTEST 2 Online Writing references

8. Accommodations

9. Accommodations Quick Guide

10. Fall Assessments

11. ACT PLAN & EXPLOREReminders • P02 – Have test read verbatim – is allowed on the reading and English portions of ACT PLAN and EXPLORE • The P02 may require extra time and need a T04 • For EXPLORE and PLAN, transcribe student responses to a regular-sized answer folder. • There is no breach form for ACT PLAN & EXPLORE. Please make sure the accommodations are provided correctly the first time. • P15 – Have directions only read aloud – applies to all subtests. Only the directions that appear beside the word “Directions” appears in the test booklet can be read aloud.

12. COMPASS Reminders • For ACT COMPASS, a scribe must enter the student’s responses into the secure ACT COMPASS testing platform. • Scribes must be trained carefully in how to record responses (e.g., whether students must indicate spelling, punctuation, etc.). • PO2 is allowed for COMPASS Math and must be provided in a separate setting. • P02 is not allowed for COMPASS WRITING SKILLS.

13. Accommodations for other state assessments

14. Smarter Balanced Smarter Balanced has specific guidelines on • General Accessibility Guidelines • For more information on English Language Learners

15. Noise Buffers

16. Smarter Balanced

17. Separate Setting • Description-The test location is altered so that the student is tested in a setting different from that made available for most students. • Instructional Practice-Special seating arrangements • Students who are distractible are provided seating within the classroom to focus. • Students come in during off periods to do homework or class assignments when the classroom has only a few students. • During instruction and or testing, students are allowed to find an alternative environment to be in.

18. Text To Speech (TTS)/Read Aloud Description: Text is read aloud to the student via embedded text-to-speech technology or a human. Only available in English. Instructional Practice: • Teacher or assistant reads aloud instructions. • Listening skills are taught using read-aloud material, and then students are checked for understanding. • Students listen to a prerecorded audio interpretation book-on-tape) of text or a book. Test accommodations must be “consistent with the accommodations provided during instruction” (U.S. Department of Education, 2001).

19. TTS and Read Aloud Concerns TTS and read aloud are impacted by: • lack of use, or familiarity of the tool or accommodation. • fatigue, when reading text and listening • variable audio speed • quality of audio presentation These designated supports rely on the ability of the student to be able to use auditory processing skills. This may actually add to the cognitive load and negatively impact results.

20. Linguistic Forms of Support

21. Research Based Decisions for ELL’s

22. ELLs with Disabilities

23. ELLs with Disabilities

24. Language Translations • Mathematics-ASL, stacked translations (with the Spanish translation directly above the English item) and primary pop up glossaries in Spanish, Vietnamese. Arabic, Tagalog, Ilokano, Cantonese, Mandarin, Korean, Punjabi, Russian and Ukrainian. • ELAListening-Full translations of ASL

25. Translations

26. Translations

27. Bilingual Dictionary

28. Translation Glossaries Why glossaries instead of dictionary? • The translation non-embedded support includes the customized translation of pre-determined construct relevant terms that are most challenging to ELLS. • The translation of the terms is content specific and grade appropriate. Bilingual dictionaries of not provide context-specific information nor are they customized. • Glossaries are provided in Spanish, Vietnamese Arabic, Tagalog, Ilokano, Cantonese, Mandarin, Korean, Punjabi, Russian and Ukrainian

29. Accommodations Provision Process • Accommodations must be verified locally prior to assessment using the Accm.14 app. The verification process means that the plan, the ACCM.14 data and the WVS 326 should match. • Accommodations are compared to current ELL plan and or IEP. • The WVS. 326 form is reviewed to prepare the testing environment for the student. • The provision of the accommodation is captured on the WVS.326 form during testing.

30. The WVS.326 Process • The WVS.326 form is provided for all required state assessments. • One form will be provided for each student who should receive accommodations. • Electronic information data collection helps to support better student outcomes. • The accommodations data will inform our accommodations policies and research. • WVS.326 process also provides IEP, 504 and LEP teams feedback on accommodations provision. • WVS. 326 video http://wvde.state.wv.us/oaa/videos/WV_326/Documentation%20Procedures.zip

31. WVS.326 ACT PLAN & EXPLORE English COMPASS WRITING The WVS.326 form includes all the accommodations All pre-slugging and data entry one side Directions are on the back Coding process includesdata for accommodation refusals and is used for invalidations of over and under accommodations. Information about WVS. 326 process is included in the Participation Guidelines.

32. Let’s Talk About Codes If you mark Provided “Yes”- this means the student was given the identified accommodation. If you mark “No”- this means the student was not provided the identified accommodation. This is an accommodations breach UNLESS it is a: • Code 1-the student refused; or • Code 2-the accommodation is not allowed/applicable for this test If “no” is not marked with a code 1 or 2, then it constitutes an accommodations error that requires documentation. See the PG for specific details.

33. What to do about students who do not receive accommodations? All incidents for failing to provide an accommodation requires written documentation. • The CTC will review all accommodation breaches  with principals/building level coordinators and report any findings to the Special Education, Title III and/or 504 director(s) and to the Office of Assessment and Accountability. • If a student has been denied accommodations listed within the IEP, 504 or LEP plan, there has been a breach in the integrity/accuracy of test results. Therefore, the CTC or county special education director should contact the principal who must inform the parent/guardian of the testing administration breach and provide the following options: • Test is invalidated and the student is retested using a breach form (if the testing window is still open). • Test is scored. • Test is invalidated and student receives a score of ―0. If the second or third option is selected—there must bea signed written agreement between the parent/guardian and principal/building level coordinator. Copies of the agreement must be kept on file with the CTC/county special education director, Section 504 director, or Title III director.

34. Accommodations Application in WVEIS on the Web (WOW) • School administrators use the Accom. 14 Assessment Accommodations Application in WOW to support the verification process for identifying students who need accommodations. • Provide training to administrators on the use of the Accm.14 App. • Accommodations are updated on a daily delta and are available at the school, district and state level. • The accommodations application contains filters and allows users to sort by school, student ID, name, grade, accommodation and assessmenttype. • The application allows for printing or creation of spreadsheets. • Online ELL plan contains the data that supports Accommodations. 14 Application

35. Data System:Accommodations

36. Accommodations Application

37. Monitoring ELLs

41. Resources • Participation Guidelines • Resources shared for accommodations https://sites.google.com/a/wvde.k12.wv.us/oaar-file-cabinet/accommodations • ELPA 21 Consortia http://www.elpa21.org/ • Smarter Balance Accessibility and Accommodations http://www.smarterbalanced.org/resources-events/publications-resources/accessibility-accommodations/

42. Questions? Melissa Gholson mgholson@access.k12.wv.us