2005-2006 Training The ARD Committee Decision-Making Process for the Texas Assessment Program

1. 2005-2006 Training The ARD Committee Decision-Making Process for the Texas Assessment Program

2. Agenda • Introductions/General Information • Purpose of the Training • Components of the 2006 Assessment Program • Highlights of the 2006 Changes to the Manual • Subject Area Assessment Information • Writing/ELA Achievement Levels • LEP Students in Special Education • Testing Accommodations • Field Tests • Student Success Initiative (SSI) • Resources

3. Purpose of Training • How to make decisions about student placement in the Texas Assessment Program by using the TEKS curriculum as documented in the student’s IEP; • How to determine which of the accommodations documented in the IEP are appropriate and allowable for the assessments; and • How to set student expected achievement levels (ARD expectations) on an SDAA II assessment.

4. Objectives • Definitions of accommodations and modifications • How accommodations and modifications fit into the process of planning and implementing the Individual Education Plan (IEP) and making state assessment decisions.

5. Objectives • Definition of measurable annual goals • How measurable annual goals fit into the process of planning and implementing the Individual Education Plan (IEP) and making state assessment decisions.

6. Region Level ESC Staff District Level Superintendents Administrators Special Ed. Administrators Testing Coordinators Campus Grades 3-11 Principals and other administrators Ed. Diagnosticians Licensed Specialist in School Psychology Counselors Special Ed. Staff General Ed. Staff Testing Coordinators Test Administrators Parents Who Needs to Be Trained?

7. Student Achievement Placement Accommodations/Modifications LRE Consideration Measurable Annual Goals Present Levels of Performance Student Achievement Pyramid Full and Individual Evaluation

8. Federal LRE Requirements34 C.F.R. Section 300.114(new proposed regulations) Each public agency shall ensure – (i) That to the maximum extent appropriate, children with disabilities, … are educated with children who are nondisabled; and

9. Federal LRE Requirements (ii) That special classes, separate schooling or other removal of children with disabilities from the regular educational environment occurs only if the nature or severity of the disability is such that education in regular classes with the use of supplementary aids and services cannot be achieved satisfactorily.

10. Federal LRE Requirements34 C.F.R. 300.116 (e) A child with a disability is not removed from education in age-appropriate regular classrooms solely because of needed modifications in the general curriculum. (Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1412 (a)(5))

11. Full and Individual Evaluation • Multi-disciplinary • Comprehensive • Child focused • Designed to give information about how the child learns and what he is able to perform

12. Present Levels of Performance • Academic Achievement • Functional Performance • How the disability affects involvement and progress in the general curriculum • Assistive Technology as an accommodation should be considered at this point • Testing benchmark data is important

13. Measurable Annual Goals • Write goals based on PLOP for identified needs.

14. Measurable Annual Goal • Look at what the student can do today • Look at his learning history • Look at how far he can progress in a year’s time (measurable terms—what does it look like, what does sound like, what can he do) • Look at the standards that he is expected to achieve • Write an achievable goal always pointing toward those standards

15. Measurable Annual Goals • Academic • Functional • Needs that result from the disability • Involvement and progress in the general curriculum • Other needs that result from the disability

16. Example PLOP: Throws every fourth paper onto the roof. GOAL: Given a bag full of folded newspapers and a neighborhood street, be able to throw a paper onto the roof of each house.

17. Example • PLOP: Student is alert 20% of the school day. • GOAL: Student will be alert 50% of the school day as indicated on daily chart.

18. Example • PLOP: While supine in turtle, and given resistance against his feet, will push 80 feet 2 of 5 data days. • GOAL: While supine in turtle, and given resistance against his feet, will push 80 feet 4 of 6 data days.

19. Standards • If you don’t know where you are going, you never know when you arrive.

20. Accommodations: The How

21. Modifications: The What

22. Terminology • Terms in use for many years • No legal definition of these terms • Best practice definitions for accommodations and modifications widely accepted since IDEA ‘97 • No longer interchangeable terms

23. Accommodations • An accommodation allows a student to complete the same assignment or test as other students, but with a change in the timing, formatting, setting, scheduling, response and/or presentation. This accommodation does not alter in any significant way what the test or assignment measures.

24. Modifications • A modification is an adjustment to an assignment or a test that changes the standard or what the test or assignment is supposed to measure. They are changes in what the student is expected to learn and demonstrate in the content area.

25. Modifications or Accommodations • Snooze alarm? • 9-hole golf course? • Riding lawnmower? • Speed dial? • E-mail? • DayTimer? • PDA? How What How How How How How

26. Accommodations • When do I accommodate? • Why should that accommodation go into the IEP? • Should I make sure that every accommodation that I make in my classroom is written down? • How does this relate to decisions about the state assessment program?

27. Student Placement • Where are the opportunities in the general education classroom for the student to participate in activities to achieve these goals, supported by the accommodations and/or modifications? • Continuum of alternative placements

28. Student Achievement • Placement without expected achievement is management, not education. • Plans need to be re-evaluated! • Frequent and accurate assessment is vital.

29. Highlights of the 2006 Changes • New Terms (page iii) • TEKS Curriculum-the state-mandated curriculum • Modified TEKS Curriculum-access to the TEKS curriculum by using adaptations and modifications in instructional strategies • Alternate TEKS Curriculum-access to the TEKS curriculum by using supports and structure needed for the functional level of students

30. Highlights of the 2006 Changes • New Supports (page iii) • “Assessment by Grade level and Subject Area” Page 2 • “2005-2006 LDAA Reporting Deadlines” Page 7 • “Considerations for ARD Assessment Decisions” sample forms per subject Pages 106-111

31. Components of the 2006Texas Assessment Program • Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS) (p. 13) • Grades 3-9 reading • Grades 3-10 and exit level math • Grades 4 and 7 writing • Grade 10 and exit level English language arts • Grades 5, 8, 10, and exit level science • Grades 8, 10, and exit level social studies

32. Components of the 2006 Texas Assessment Program • TAKS-Inclusive (TAKS-I) (p. 13) • For special education students • Only at enrolled grade level • For those grades and subjects for which there is not SDAA II • Exit level math • Exit level ELA • Grades 5, 8, 10, and exit level science • Grades 8, 10, and exit level social studies

33. TAKS-I (p. 13) • If student requires accommodations not allowed on the TAKS • Same allowable accommodations as SDAA II • Same test items as TAKS • No field test items on the test • Only available at enrolled grade level • Larger font and fewer items per page • Will use TAKS scoring criteria, not ARD expectation

34. Components of the 2006 Texas Assessment Program • State-Developed Alternative Assessment II (SDAA II) (p. 14) • For special education students

35. SDAA II Terms (p. ) • Enrolled grade level • Instructional level • The level of instruction that the student is receiving is the instructional level chosen for the test • There are three achievement levels within each instructional level

36. SDAA II Terms (p. ) • Achievement level • There are three achievement levels within each instructional level • Level I (beginning) minimal knowledge and skills • Level II (developing) adequate knowledge and skills • Level III (proficient) strong knowledge and skills • Level III meets TAKS equivalency standard if tested on enrolled grade level

37. SDAA II (p. 14) • Available for instructional levels K-10 mathematics • Administered during enrolled grades 3-10

38. SDAA II (p. 14) • Available for instructional levels K-9 reading • Administered during enrolled grades 3-9

39. SDAA II (p. 14) • Available for instructional levels K-9 writing • Administered during enrolled grades 4 and 7 writing

40. SDAA II (p. 14) • Available for instructional level 10 ELA • Administered during enrolled grade 10 ELA

41. Components of the 2006 Texas Assessment Program • Locally Determined Alternate Assessment (LDAA) (p. 14) • The ARD Committee should choose an assessment that most closely aligns to the instruction the student is receiving

42. Components of the 2006 Texas Assessment Program • Spanish TAKS (p. 13) • Grades 3-6 reading • Grades 3-6 math • Grade 4 writing • Grade 5 science

43. Components of the 2006 Texas Assessment Program • Texas English Language Proficiency Assessment System (TELPAS) (p. 15) • Reading Proficiency Tests in English (RPTE) Grades 3-12 reading • Texas Observation Protocols (TOP) Holistic observational ratings Grades K-2 listening, speaking, reading, and writing Grades 3-12 listening, speaking, and writing

44. Components of the 2006 Texas Assessment Program • Linguistically Accommodated Testing (LAT) (p. 15) • For students who are LEP exempt in math • Grades 3-8 math • Grade 10 math

45. Subject-Area Assessment Information • Reading • Mathematics • Writing • English Language Arts • Social Studies • Science

46. Assessment Decision Considerations • Students working on or close to their enrolled grade level may benefit from being assessed with TAKS. • All students have the right to be exposed to as much of an on-grade- level curriculum as possible to reach their academic potential. • Instructional decisions made by the ARD committee and documented in the IEP must always guide assessment decisions. • Each subject area is considered separately when making assessment decisions.

47. Setting Appropriate SDAA II Achievement Expectations Step 1: Review the student’s current information to determine the student’s present level of functioning (IEP, work samples, informal and formal assessments, CSR). Step 2: Determine student’s TEKS mastery level and appropriate assessment (TAKS, TAKS-I, SDAA II, or LDAA). Stop here if TAKS, TAKS-I, or LDAA is to be given.

48. Insert Chart from page 22 of manual.

49. Insert Chart from page 23

50. Setting Appropriate SDAA II Achievement Expectations • Step 3: Determine the appropriate SDAA II instructional level.