Testing Students with Accommodations

1. Testing Students with Accommodations New Hanover County Schools October 2013

2. Introductions Instructional Services Testing and Accountability Student Support Karen Greene Jackie Swartwout Melissa Lewis Elizabeth Murray Julie Askew Liaisons Andrea Belletti Sarah Gubitz

3. Session Sequence Participation in General Testing, Testing with Accommodations, or Participating in Alternate Assessment Overview of the NC Testing Program Responsibilities of Key Personnel Testing Accommodations Monitoring Accommodations Testing Policies and Procedures Getting Ready for End-of-Year Testing IEP Annual Reviews Next Steps and SchoolLink Surveys

4. I. Overview of the NC Testing Program Purpose of the NC Testing Program • To assure all high school graduates possess skills/knowledge necessary to function in society • To provide a means for identifying strengths and weaknesses in the education process in order to improve instructional delivery • To establish a means for making state, local and school level accountable to public Pages A1.01- A1.06

5. Overview - Components of the NC Testing Program The State Board of Education shall adopt tests in grades 3-12 that are required by federal law or as a condition of a federal grant. Tests shall measure progress toward • reading, • communication skills, and • mathematics in grades 3-8 and toward competencies in grades 9-12. Pages A1.01- A1.06

6. Overview - Access to Curriculum • Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA) mandates that all students with disabilities be provided access to the general curriculum. • Common Core State Standards (Math and English Language Arts) • NC Essential Standards (Other content areas) • Federal Elementary and Secondary Act (ESEA) requires that all students must be assessed on grade-level content. • For students with significant cognitive disabilities, the assessment must be linked to grade-level content through the NC Extended Common Core and Essential Standards Pages A1.01-A1.06

7. II. Responsibilities of Key Personnel LEP Coordinator School Administrators LEA Director of Exceptional Children LEA Testing Director Develop annual testing calendar. Train school TCs on annual tests. Develop a system to monitor schools’ implementation of state policies, including students receiving testing accommodations. Analyze and communicate assessment data Inform parents of annual testing requirements. Review IEPs annually. Monitor accommodations. Develop school-based test plan. Train test administrators and proctors before test day. Upload accommodations files to DPI weekly. Train staff on IDEA. Monitor annual IEP Reviews. Monitor accommodations. Upload accommodations files to DPI. Monitor annual LEP Reviews. Monitor accommodations. Pages B1.01-B1.06

8. III. Procedures for Determining Test Participation • General Test Administration • Testing with Accommodations • Participation in an Alternate Assessment • NCEXTEND2 – Student’s disability precludes him/her from achieving content area proficiency, as demonstrated by objective evidence on multiple measures. • NCEXTEND1 – Students having a significant cognitive disability Pages C1.01

9. NC Testing Program School Accountability AssessmentsState  LEA  School 12 EOC (Math I, Biology, English II); ACCESS for ELLs; WorkKeys 11 EOC (Math I, Biology, English II); ACCESS for ELLs; ACT; AltACT; CCRAA 10 EOC/EOG(Math I, Biology, English II); ACCESS for ELLs; PLAN 9 EOC (Math I, Biology, English II); ACCESS for ELLs • EOG/EOC (Math, ELA, Science); ACCESS for ELLs; EXPLORE 8 7 • EOG/EOC (Math, ELA); ACCESS for ELLs 6 • EOG (Math, ELA); ACCESS for ELLs 5 • EOG (Math, ELA, Science); ACCESS for ELLs EOG (Math, ELA); ACCESS for ELLs 4 3 • EOG (Math, ELA), ACCESS for ELLs ACCESS for ELLs K - 2 Pages C1.04-1.05

10. Alternate Assessments Extended Content Standards • Students with significant cognitive disabilities • NCEXTEND1 Grades 3-8 ELA/Math Grades 5 and 8 Science Grade 10 ELA, Math, Science Grade 11 ACT • IEP must include all three subjects. • Accommodations must be listed on IEP. Modified Assessment • Student’s disability precludes him/her from achieving content area proficiency, as demonstrated by objective evidence on multiple measures. • NCEXTEND2 Grades 3-8 ELA/Math Grades 5 and 8 Science Math I, English II, Biology • Students may be on EXTEND2 for one subject/course. Pages C1.03-C1.05

11. Process for Identifying Accommodations Pages C1.04-1.08

12. National Assessment of Education Progress (NAEP) • 2013-2014 • No school in our district is scheduled for NAEP this year. Pages C1.08-1.12

13. Limited English Proficient (LEP) Students

14. Students with Disabilities also Identified as LEP • All testing accommodations for these students must be listed in the IEP or Section 504 Plan Page C1.15

15. LEP Testing Accommodationsfor EOGs/EOCs • Information in this presentation about eligibility for and assignment of LEP testing accommodations is accessible in the state publication Guidelines for Testing Students Identified as Limited English Proficient, published August 2013 (enclosed). • For additional, more detailed information, the pages containing the referenced information are listed on each slide.

16. LEP Testing Accommodations for EOGs/EOCs Step 1: Identify LEP students • A copy of every completed Home Language Survey (even the ones that only list English) should be sent promptly to Andrea Belletti[What procedures are in place in your school to assure this?] • Home Language Surveys are evaluated to determine when a student first entered US Schools and who is… • an immigrant, by Title III definition, whether second language English or not; • already LEP in North Carolina; • LEP with scores available from another WIDA state; and • in need of W-APT testing, to determine if LEP. • Appropriately identified students are entered into Ellevation, the ESL online database

17. LEP Testing Accommodations for EOGs/EOCs Step 2: Determine eligibility for testing accommodations • Eligibility for first-year ELA/English II exclusion—“Exemption” is really a misnomer—federal law “exempts” no one, but will accept the most recent W-APT or WIDA ACCESS reading subtest score as a reading/ELA/English II test for the student’s first twelve months in US schools. While math and science language are included in those tests, they do not in any way test math or science knowledge, so LEP students are never “exempt” from these tests. (page 5) • first year (initial 12 months) in US schools • W-APT or WIDA ACCESS reading subtest score below 4.0 [Expanding] • Eligibility for LEP testing accommodations (pages 6, 31) • student must be LEP AND • student must have a WIDA reading score below 5.0 [Bridging]

18. LEP Testing Accommodations for EOGs/EOCs Step 3: Determine each student’s testing accommodations utilizing these considerations… (page 30) • the student’s current level of English proficiency • the level of previous schooling in the student’s home language • the amount of schooling and instruction the student has received in US schools

19. LEP Testing Accommodations for EOGs/EOCs Step 3 (con’t): Determine each student’s testing accommodations utilizing these considerations and choosing from these possibilities…(pages 32-52) • English/Native Language Word-to-Word Bilingual Dictionary/Electronic Translator • Multiple Testing Sessions • Scheduled Extended Time • Student Reads Test Aloud to Self • Test Administrator Reads Test Aloud (in English) (not for ELA/English test) • Computer Reads Test Aloud—Student Controlled (not for ELA/English test) • Testing in a Separate Room

20. LEP Testing Accommodations for EOGs/EOCs Step 4: The ESL teacher enters testing accommodations into the Ellevation (online 3rd party) database • No accommodation entries are made for any student with an IEP, 504 plan, or transitory impairment plan (any necessary LEP accommodations are documented in the student’s plan, and must not be duplicated in the ESL accommodations record). • Other LEP students taking tests without accommodations (whether ineligible or just not assigned) should be entered as such. • Assigned testing accommodations must be entered into the Ellevationsystem. • At the start of each month, Andrea Belletti will download all accommodations records and provide them to Accountability, where they will be uploaded to the testing shell.

21. LEP Testing Accommodations for EOGs/EOCs Step 5: Confirmation of assigned testing accommodations prior to testing • At the TCs request, the ESL teacher produces a print-out of documented LEP accommodations. • The TC and ESL teacher review documented accommodations to assure accuracy. • Assigned first year “exemptions” should be confirmed with Andrea Belletti, to assure that they are appropriately documented in the LEP CFDC (the state LEP database). • TCs who wish to view the Ellevation database directly will go to www.ellevationeducation.com. Andrea Belletti can provide a username and password. (Treat this information with as much care as your PowerSchool password, as it accesses equally personal student information.)

22. Questions

23. Transitory Impairment • A student may receive testing accommodations if identified with an impairment with an actual or expected duration of six months or less. • Completed Transitory Impairment form must be kept on file at school AND at the district testing office. Accommodations must be recorded in Powerschool http://www.nhcs.net/testing/Forms/Transitory%20Impairment%20Accommodations%20Chart_4.16.12[1].pdf Pages C1.16-1.17

24. Changes in Testing Accommodations Before Testing • Accommodations should be routinely used. • Changes to accommodations must be made at least 30 calendar days before the first day of testing. Page C1.17

25. Procedures When a Student Declines an Accommodation • Discuss the decision thoroughly with the student to that he/she understands purpose of accommodation and consequence for not using the accommodation. • Detailed Instructions C.19 Page C1.18

26. Use of Accommodations Not Described in Publication • School team must apply for permission to sue the accommodation. • Administrator completes a Notification of Accommodations form and submits it to the Testing Department. • Testing Department will submit to DPI. • Examples

27. Medical Exception There may be some rare circumstances in which a student cannot take a state assessment during the entire testing window, including makeup dates, due to a significant medical emergency and/or condition. Students in the final stages of terminal or degenerative illnesses Students receiving extensive short-term medical treatment due to a medical emergency Principal submits request to the Testing Department. All assessments for which the student is eligible must be included ACCESS EOG/EOG ACT

28. Authoritative Data Sources for Testing Accommodations 504 Plans LEP EC Comprehensive Exceptional Children Accountability System (CECAS) Consolidated Federal Data Collection System (CFDC) PowerSchool (Under Construction) Each school must maintain a spreadsheet until the PowerSchool portal is operational. ELLevations (3rd Party) GoalView (3rd Party)

29. IV. Testing Accommodations: Descriptions and Procedures

30. Accommodations for North Carolina Developed Assessments Assistive Technology and Special Arrangements Special Print Versions Special Test Environments See Appendix A (pG1.03): Questions for IEP Teams/Section 504 Committees to Consider

31. Testing Accommodations 3-8 Paper/Pencil Accommodations– page D1.02 3-8 Online Accommodations – page D1.03 9-12 Paper/Pencil Accommodations – page D1.04 9-12 Online Accommodations – page D1.05 New: Computer Reads Test Aloud may be added to IEPs for appropriate students as we migrate toward more state online testing.

32. Special Print Versions • Braille Edition • Large Print Edition • One Test Item Per Page Edition • Must be documented in Goalview/CECAS • Testing Department must confirm order by April 1, 2014. Pages D2.01 – D2.13

33. Large Print Edition • The majority of Large Print Editions are printed on 11” x 17” paper and use 22-point Verdana font. • Students should be provided similar practice experiences through the year during classroom instruction. • Students typically use “Student Marks Answers in Test Book” in conjunction with Large Print. • Students may also need Scheduled Extended Time, Multiple Sessions, and/or separate setting in conjunction with Large Print. • If the student requires BOTH Large Print AND One Item Per Page this is a special testing accommodation requiring a Accommodation Notification Form. Be aware that the combination of these accommodations produces a HUGE document. Pages D2.07 – D2.09

34. Assistive Technology Devices • Keyboarding devices • Speech recognition systems • Alternative keyboards, “sticky keys”, touch screens • Screen enlarging programs • Accessibility options (if it doesn’t invalidate the test) • Recording responses on audiotape • No device can be used to read aloud a test if it is a Reading test. This invalidates the test. • “Talking Calculators” can only be used for calculator active portions of a test. Must use headphones or be in a one-on-one test. • Contact Cindy Booth for Assistive Technology questions. Pages D3.03 – D3.10

35. Interpreter/Transliterator Signs/Cues Test Description • The Interpreter/Transliterator Signs/Cues Test accommodation allows a student to use the services of an interpreter or transliterator to sign or cue the directions and the content of a test during the test administration • Must have a test administrator to read directions and test items. This can be the same person who cues/signs the test. A proctor is still required. • Cannot cue/sign a reading test! This invalidates the test and is similar to reading the test aloud. • Must have testing in a separate room (small group or one-on-one) in addition to this accommodation. Pages D3.11 – D3.14

36. Student Marks Answers in Test Book Description • The Student Marks Answers in Test Book accommodation allows a student to circle his/her responses to test questions directly in the test book during the test administration. Considerations • Does the student use the Student Marks Answers in Test Book accommodation during regular classroom instruction and similar classroom assessments? • Does the student have difficulty transferring information or staying focused? Does the student have mobility, coordination, or motor limitations? Pages D3.15 – D3.16

37. Student Marks Answers in Test Book • Students must not be provided answer sheets. Students are directed to record answers in the test book. • After testing is complete, in a group setting, one person must transcribe the results, another person must check the transcription and a third person must be present as a witness. All three individuals must sign the outside cover of the test book. • Transcribed test books must be separated from regular test books upon return to the Testing Office. Pages D3.15 – D3.16

38. Student Marks Answers in Test BookGridded-response Items • Students record answers directly in the test booklet. • Develop a process to help students clearly indicate their final answer in the test booklet. • No changes are made to student answers; the answer must be transcribed as written. • Do not change mixed numbers to improper fractions or decimals. • If answer has more characters than there are spaces, start from the left and record what is written until the spaces are filled. Pages D3.15 – D3.16

39. Student Reads Test Aloud to Self Description • The Student Reads Test Aloud to Self accommodation permits the student to read the test aloud to him/herself during the test administration. Considerations • Does the student routinely use the Student Reads Test Aloud to Self accommodation during regular classroom instruction and similar classroom assessments? • Will the student use a device (e.g., PVC elbow pipe, whisper phone) while reading the test that allows the student to hear him/herself read? • If the student will be provided this accommodation, has the Testing in a Separate Room accommodation been discussed? Pages D3.17 – D3.18

40. Student Reads Test Aloud to Self • To ensure the validity of the test, students provided the Student Reads Test Aloud to Self accommodation must also be provided the Testing in a Separate Room accommodation (one-on-one). • No other students are to be present in the room during the test administration. • A test administrator or proctor may not correct the student as he/she reads aloud. • A test administrator or proctor may not read any part of the test to the student unless the student also has the Test Administrator Reads Test Aloud accommodation. Pages D3.17 – D3.18

41. Test Administrator Reads Test Aloud Description • The Test Administrator Reads Test Aloud accommodation permits the test administrator to read aloud test directions and content to a student during the test administration (for state tests that do not measure reading comprehension). Note • To ensure the validity of the test, students provided the Test Administrator Reads Test Aloud accommodation must also be provided the Testing in a Separate Room accommodation (small group or one-on-one). Pages D3.19 – D3.22

42. Test Administrator Reads Test Aloud Considerations • Does the student routinely have tests read aloud during regular class instruction and other assessments? • Would the student’s functioning reading level affect his or her performance on a state test that does not measure reading comprehension? • Would the student be comfortable requesting test items be read aloud? • How does the student feel about being tested in a separate room? • If the Testing in a Separate Room accommodation will be provided, will the test administration be one-on-one or in a small group? • Should the student be provided the Scheduled Extended Time or Multiple Testing Sessions accommodation? Pages D3.19 – D3.22

43. Test Administrator Reads Test Aloud Details MUST be Specified (examples) • A student who is to have every word (including words on maps, tables, graphs, charts, computer screen, etc.) read aloud during the test administration. • A student who is only to have words read aloud upon the student’s request. • A student who does not require that numbers in mathematics tests be read aloud. • A student who only requires this accommodation when there is greater content or unknown vocabulary words on a test but does not need the accommodation for tests with shorter sentences. Pages D3.19 – D3.22

44. Computer Reads Test Aloud Description • The Computer Reads Test Aloud—Student Controlled accommodation permits the student to control which portions of the online test are read aloud by clicking a button beside the desired block of text. As with all accommodations for North Carolina tests, (1) the use must be documented in the current IEP or Section 504 Plan, and (2) the accommodation must be routinely used during classroom instruction and similar classroom assessments. Pages D3.23 – D3.26

45. Computer Reads Test Aloud 3 Methods • The traditional Test Administrator Reads Test Aloud • Computer Reads Test Aloud—Student Controlled • A combination of the two methods Considerations • Students receiving the Computer Reads Test Aloud—Student Controlled accommodation must also receive the Testing in a Separate Room accommodation (one-on-one) unless using headphones. • Test Administrator may read items or portions of items to a student ifthey also have Test Administrator Reads Aloud accommodation. Pages D3.23 – D3.26

46. Computer Reads Test Aloud Limitations • This option is not designed to read all parts of the computer screen (graphics, graphs, or tables within a test item; drag-and-drop item answer choices; etc.) • The volume cannot be modified through the computer once the secure browser has been launched unless there is a volume control feature on the headphones themselves. Note • Must be documented in Goalview/CECAS according to the timeline or the accommodation will not be available for online testing. Pages D3.23 – D3.26

47. EXPLORE/PLAN Update (Computer reads Test Aloud) • Some schools have had success running the DVDs using VLC media player.   • Open the VLC program and then go to File -> Open Disc. • Please check this process by Friday.

48. Other AT Devices and Special Arrangements • Braille Writer / Slate • Cranmer Abacus • Dictation to Scribe • Magnification Devices These accommodations are infrequently used, but are available. The Testing Students with Disabilities Handbook has specific advice and procedures for implementing these accommodations. Pages D3.27 – D3.36

49. Special Testing Environments Multiple Test Sessions • allows the total test administration time to be divided into mini-sessions as determined by the individual needs of the student Scheduled Extended Time • allows the tests to be administered during a scheduled extended period of time Testing in a Separate Room • allows a student to take a test in a separate room in a one-on-one or small group administration Pages D4.03 – D4.12

50. Special Testing Environments Considerations • Does the student typically require extra time over several days to complete classroom assignments and similar classroom assessments? • Can the student finish the test within the given time constraints but with more frequent breaks or over multiple days? • Does the student need additional time to complete the test (i.e., the Scheduled Extended Time) in addition to more frequent breaks or the test given over multiple days? • Does the student routinely use a special test environment accommodation during regular classroom instruction and similar classroom assessments? Pages D4.03 – D4.12