Accountability Tests and Assessment of Students with Disabilities

2. Accountability Tests and Assessment of Students with Disabilities Paul J. Gerber, Ph.D. September 26, 2002 MERC Policy and Planning Council Meeting

3. Introduction Landau, Vohs and Romano, 1998

4. “Generally, the theory of standards-based reform is that, if states set high standards for student performance, develop assessments that measure student performance against standards, give schools the flexibility they need to change curriculum, instruction, and school organization to enable their students to meet the standards, and hold schools strictly accountable for meeting performance standards, then student achievement will rise.” Quenemoen, Lehr, Thurlow & Massanari, 2001

5. Trends in high-stakes testing for all students: 23 states Students must pass a high school exit exam to receive a diploma. 13 states Accountability tests are used in student promotion or retention decisions. Routinely Accountability tests are used to award scholarships, to grant advanced placement, and/or to earn honor credit. In a few states Student suitability for acceptance to state universities, and even employment is predicated on accountability test performance. Disability Rights Associates (DRA), 2000

6. Legislation Background

7. Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)

8. IEPs must include “a statement of any individual modifications in the administration of state or district-wide assessments of student achievement that are needed in order for the child to participate in such assessment.” Scores reported to the public “must include aggregated data that include the performance of children with disabilities together with all other children and disaggregated data on the performance of children with disabilities.”

9. IDEA requires two kinds of reporting of assessment scores of students with disabilities “First, school, district, and statewide summaries must report the scores of students with disabilities with the scores of other students (aggregated scores). This provision is important because if the scores of students with disabilities are only reported separately, the achievement of students with disabilities is likely to be considered as less important when evaluating school performance… In addition, school district and statewide summaries must also report the performance of children with disabilities separately from the scores of students without disabilities (disaggregated scores) to allow analysis of student performance and identification of specific trends.”

10. Benefits of Legislation to Students with Disabilities Promote high expectations Provide an accurate picture of education Allow all students to benefit from reforms Enable accurate comparisons to be made Avoid unintended consequences of exclusion Meet legal requirements NCEO, 2001

11. “Under the settlement Oregon will modify its current testing system so that students with disabilities will be able to demonstrate their abilities and are not tested on their disabilities.” Aubry, lawyer with Disability Rights Associates “Smart and talented students with learning disabilities were failing because they weren’t provided with the accommodations needed in order to show their actual knowledge. With this settlement, kids with learning disabilities will now have an equal chance on the assessments.” Portland mother

12. Policy Recommendations Opportunity to learn Test validity and reporting Access to accommodations Alternate assessment Parent and student involvement Political and administrative considerations Use of test scores Limit on use of high-stakes tests National Center for Learning Disabilities (NCLD), 2000

13. Role of the Individualized Education Program (IEP) Drives assessment accommodations Authorizes and requires, under IDEA provisions, that an IEP team identify any accommodation that a student with a disability will need in district or state assessments Often coincides with the nonstandard testing conditions typically employed in regular classroom testing

14. Testing Accommodations

15. 9 Principles for Alternate Assessment Alternate assessment is for students pursuing a functional curriculum regardless of their educational placement. Participation decisions are made by the IEP team. Participating students must have access to and show progress in the general education curriculum to improve the students’ quality of life and prepare students for employment and independent living. Student performance is based on multiple sources of data. Assessment must yield reliable and valid information that leads to student learning and improved instruction.

16. Alternate assessment will follow nondiscriminatory practices and will be sensitive to issues of culture competence. Performance on Life Skills Strands and Performance Indicators and access to the Delivery Practices are viewed as equally important in improving students’ quality of life and preparing them for employment and daily living. The assessment will parallel the state and district-wide assessment to the greatest extent possible. Schools will be accountable and have high expectations for all. Virginia Alternate Assessment Steering Committee, 1997

17. 2001 State Outcome Data (U. S.) More positive than negative consequences were reported. 50% of states reported participation rate increases 66% of states reported stable or increased performance levels of students with disabilities. 60% of states monitored use of accommodations; half of these reported increased use of accommodations. Most states were using a portfolio or body of evidence approach. 50% of states did not report scores of students who use non-approved accommodations. 25 states included alternate assessment participants in all components of accountability systems.

18. Conclusion Intended and Unintended Consequences