MEAP-Access Assessment for Student Success

1. MEAP-AccessOEAA / OSE-EISWebcastMarch 9, 2011

2. MEAP-Access Alternate Assessmentbased on Modified Achievement StandardsAvailable fall 2011

3. Our Presenters are… Dan Evans – OEAA Assessment Administration and Reporting Eleanor White, Ph.D. – OSE-EIS Director Linda Howley - OEAA Assessment Consultant for Students with Disabilities

4. Topics • Assessment background • What you can do now • IEP Basics • Selecting Students for participation • Assessment basics and how it differs • Accommodations and Accountability • Questions

5. MEAP-Access Michigan special educators must assist IEP Teams in making assessment decisions for a group of students who may have difficulty learning grade level content in the same timeframe as their peers. • For some students, the MEAP, even with accommodations is inappropriately difficult • For others, the alternate assessment (MI-Access) does not provide an appropriate level of challenge • MEAP-Access may be the most appropriate for a student

6. Assessment Continuum

7. Background In April of 2007, the U.S. Department of Education issued regulations describing Alternative Assessments based on Modified Achievement Standards (AA-MAS). Under NCLB and IDEA this is referred to as the “2% Regulation.”

8. Background The 2% regulation permits Michigan to use the General Assessment (MEAP) to develop an Alternate Assessment based with modified achievement standards (AA-MAS).

9. Background - Pilot • Administered Winter 2009 • Results were promising • SBE approved operational test March 2009

10. Background - Operational MEAP-Access was first administered Fall 2009 during the MEAP cycle. This was the first step toward improving access to grade-level assessments in Reading/Writing and Mathematics for student with disabilities in grades 3-8 who are currently receiving grade-level instruction.

11. Background - Operational • Approximately 9,000 students (Selected by IEP Teams) • Results were unreliable • Unable to conduct Standard Setting session on the results • SBE approved a one year delay to develop a revised assessment • Operational again Fall 2011

12. What you can do now! Eleanor White, Ph.D. Director Office of Special Education and Early Intervention Services

13. New Opportunity • More options than before to ensure that students have the opportunity to demonstrate what they know • Make sure you include MEAP-Access into any state assessment discussion for students who are being taught on grade level standards • Statewide guidelines available to assist in this decision

14. A few things to keep in mind • Students assessed with this test are counted in AYP calculations • This alternate assessment may not be option if it is under utilized in fall 2011 • The AA-MAS (MEAP-Access) is an option for states • If it is under utilized MEAP-Access will be eliminated due to budget cuts

15. IEP Basics This assessment, like MI-Access, is to be utilized when IEP Teams determine that the MEAP (even with accommodations) is not appropriate for a student with an IEP.

16. IEP Basics Prior assessment choices for these students has been: • Regular assessment – MEAP and MEAP with accommodations • Alternate Assessment based on Alternate Achievement Standards – MI-Access

17. IEP Basics Neither of these options proved to be the best assessment of what these students know and can do.

18. IEPs Basics • State assessment decisions are made at the IEP Team Meeting • If an IEP has been completed for a student you can consider using an amendment to change the state assessment or accommodations

19. Selecting Students for MEAP-Access • A student must have a current IEP • 504 students are not eligible • Participation in MEAP-Access is determined annually by IEP team

20. Selecting Students for MEAP-Access • IEP must include goals that are based on Michigan’s grade-level content standards for the grade in which the student is enrolled • IEP goals should be attainable within the year covered by the IEP

21. Selecting Students for MEAP-Access • There must be objective evidence demonstrating students’ disability precludes them from achieving the grade-level standards at the same level of rigor as their peers. • Students must have access to and instruction in grade-level content for the grade in which they are enrolled

22. Selecting Students for MEAP-Access Decision to participate in MEAP-Access must NOT be based on: • Student’s disability category • Ethnicity • Economic background

23. Eligibility Criteria • Requires a Standards Based IEP • Access to grade level instruction • Student’s disability precludes them from achieving the grade-level standards • Student’s lack of progress over time • IEP Team is reasonably certain that the student will not achieve grade-level standards

24. Participation and ProvisionsIEP Model Form

25. Assessment Basics Dan Evans Administration and Reporting Analyst Office of Educational Assessment and Accountability

26. MEAP-Access Basics Scheduled for Fall 2011 • Grades 3-8 only • Reading and Mathematics • Writing (grades 4 and 7) • Assessment will be administered during the MEAP assessment window (October)

27. Operational Assessment Components MEAP-Access has: • Fewer Items • Fewer Answer Choices (3 vs 4) • Less complex formats • Based on MEAP-Access modification guidelines developed with input from multiple educators

28. How MEAP-Access Differs from MEAP and MI-Access? MEAP: • Is a general assessment for students in grades 3-9 • Assessment is based on Grade Level Content Expectations (GLCEs)

29. How MEAP-Access Differs from MEAP and MI-Access? MI-Access • Is an alternate assessment for students with disabilities in grades 3-8 and 11 • Assessment based on Extended Grade Level Content Expectations (EGLCEs)

30. How MEAP-Access Differs from MEAP and MI-Access? MEAP-Access • Is an alternate assessment for students in grades 3-8 • Assessment based on GLCEs • Reading/Writing and Mathematics are the content areas assessed

31. Operational Assessment • Assessment Options • IEP Teams have the flexibility between content areas to have students participate in • MEAP • MEAP-Access or • MI-Access (FI only)

32. MEAP-Access Redevelopment MEAP-Access was developed with the help of OEAA, OSE-EIS, Michigan educators and other stakeholders including information from: • Pilot testing • Cognitive Lab Study • Assessment Plan Writing Team • Committee Review for content and bias • Embedded item testing

33. Examples of Changes Made • Reading • Commissioned passages that could be modified • Simplified language and vocabulary • Introduction of Word Study questions • Passage introductions to engage readers • Paragraph/Line numbering for passages and questions • Segmenting of passages with questions to eliminate page turns

34. Examples of Changes Made • Math • Questions created with less reading load • Use of simplified vocabulary when appropriate • Inclusion of less complex numbers when appropriate • Fewer multiple step problems • Items placed in contexts familiar to students • Sentences in questions written on separate lines • Hints and formula boxes included when applicable

35. Accommodations and Accountability Linda Howley Assessment Consultant for Students with Disabilities Office of Educational Assessment & Accountability

36. Decision Making Flowchart

37. Accommodations All decisions about which accommodations a student needs must: • be made by the IEP Team • be documented in the student’s IEP • reflect what the student routinely uses or responds to during instruction

38. Accommodations • All accommodations currently available for MEAP assessments are also available for the MEAP-Access. • The accommodations summary table is available on the webpage. • Statewide Assessment Selection Guidelines for participation on webpage.

39. Assessment Accommodation Summary Table

40. Accountability When students with disabilities are part of the accountability system, educators’ expectations for these students also are more likely to increase.

41. MEAP-Access and Accountability State Accreditation (school report cards) uses results from • MME • MEAP • MEAP-Access • MI-Access

42. MEAP-Access and Accountability Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) uses results from • MME • MEAP • MEAP-Access • MI-Access

43. MEAP-Access and AYP • Counts toward 95% participation requirement • May count up to 2% of students across the district who score at the Proficient level for AYP

44. 2% Cap This is the maximum amount of proficient MEAP-Access scores that can be used to calculate AYP NOTE There is NO cap on the number of students participating in MEAP-Access assessments

45. 1% Cap Refers to the proficiency cap for MI-Access There is also NO cap on the number of students participating in MI-Access assessments.

46. Resources and Guidelines Statewide Assessment Selection Guidelines www.michigan.gov/meap-access Michigan Online Professional Learning System (MOPLS) www.learnport.org

47. MOPLS

48. Submitting Questions • Fax: 517-335-1186 • Email: oeaa@michigan.gov • View any time at: www.MIstreamnet.com • Webpage www.michigan.gov/meap-access

49. Thank You! • Fall MEAP-Access webcast will be scheduled and announced for September 2011 • FAQ sheet is available on MEAP-Access webpage • Archived Event on webpage • DVD copies for $10 plus $4 shipping • Brenda Hose at 734-334-1437 or hoseb@resa.net