Introduction & Background

1. Introduction & Background Laurene Christensen National Center on Educational Outcomes

2. Background • SCASS and ASES SCASS • Peer Review • Projects of the Accommodations Workgroup • Dissemination of findings • What is monitoring accommodations? • What is acceptable evidence for monitoring?

3. What is a SCASS? • State Collaborative on Assessment and Student Standards • to provide leadership, advocacy, and service in creating and supporting collaborative partnerships through the experience and knowledge of state education personnel • aligned with the vision and mission of the Council for Chief State School Officers (CCSSO)

4. What is the ASES SCASS? • Assessing Special Education Students • addresses the inclusion of students with disabilities in large-scale assessment, standards, and accountability systems • monitors the implementation of No Child Left Behind and the reauthorization of IDEA for impact on states and students with disabilities • 31 member states

5. ASES SCASS • The group’s mission each year: • increasing awareness among states of issues, trends, promising practices, and resources • developing and/or reviewing policy statements • developing resources useful to state educational agencies

6. ASES SCASS • Three work groups (2006-2007 & 2007-2008) • Assistive Technology and Assessments • Alternate Assessment-Alternate Achievement Standards Professional Development • Auditing and Monitoring Accommodations

7. Peer Review • An ongoing process (since 2004) used by the US Department of Education (ED) to determine whether state are meeting requirements for funds that they receive. • Part of the review criteria pertain to accommodations (testing) and their effects. This includes monitoring accommodations.

8. Accommodations Workgroup • Wanted to provide more information to states about monitoring accommodations • Current working agenda addresses the question of how states meet the NCLB requirement of routinely monitoring accommodations

9. Dissemination of Findings • A quick reference for states to use in preparing for peer review (Hints and Tips) • An NCEO technical report with comprehensive peer review guidance information • A comprehensive professional development guide for states to establish quality monitoring programs (the states’ stories on their processes, resources, and methodologies)

10. What is monitoring? • Monitoring involves tracking the accommodations students use for instruction and for assessment. • Does the student get the accommodations listed in the IEP/504 plan? • Does the student get the accommodations she or he needs for instruction? • Does the student get the accommodations she or he needs for the assessment? • Does the student use the accommodation?

11. What is monitoring? • Monitoring may also include paying attention to the effectiveness of an accommodation. • Does the student think the accommodation is effective? What does the teacher think? • Does the accommodation produce a valid score? • Does it allow for inferences about a student’s knowledge and skills?

12. Monitoring Types • Desk Audit— online or paper audits of randomly chosen records conducted at the district or state level. Records, or copies of records, are sent to the reviewer who conducts the audit without going to the school. • On Site Audits— Reviews of assessment and accommodations records conducted in the school. Audits may be conducted during and outside of test window.

13. Documents that clearly show the monitoring of accommodations availability and use Records of district monitoring visits that include IEP reviews (onsite visitation checklists) District affidavits that provide assurance that students with disabilities are given appropriate accommodations (certification of adherence to test procedures, irregularity forms). Documentation of accommodations used on testing day (student information sheets) Records of annual state reviews of testing accommodations (record reviews) Targeted monitoring of school districts that includes monitoring accommodations What is acceptable evidence of monitoring?

14. Discussion

15. Ensure that your state has a valid method for gathering data on which students are to receive specific accommodations in assessment, and a form to document what they receive on test day. Document how your state analyzes its accommodations data, including timelines of analysis. Identify a specific monitoring procedure that identifies issues in the selection of accommodations for individual students or the provision of accommodations for instruction or assessment. Monitoring Recommendations

16. Monitoring Recommendations • Include information on any consequences that result from any irregularities in the administration of assessment accommodations. • Consider conducting studies that examine the link between IEP-determined instructional accommodations, IEP-determined assessment accommodations, and which accommodations are actually used in each location. • Surveys or observations regarding accommodations assignment (e.g. samples of IEPs compared to accommodations, larger than that proposed) followed by random audits/monitoring

17. Future Directions • Monitoring for validity of accommodations: • How effective is the accommodation? • Does the student think the accommodation is effective? What does the teacher think? • Does the accommodation produce a valid score? • Does it allow for inferences about a student’s knowledge and skills?

18. Your turn! Questions? Comments?