Lizanne DeStefano University of Illinois November 18, 2009 Atlanta, Georgia

1. U.S. Department of EducationPublic and Expert Input Meetings:Assessment of Students with Disabilities Lizanne DeStefano University of Illinois November 18, 2009 Atlanta, Georgia

2. Focus on Developing Inclusive Assessment System from the Start • Grade level or College/Career readiness standards at heart of system, not the assessments • Accessible assessments designed to minimize need for accommodation (e.g. time, print, format, reading level and language complexity) • Special Education Teachers/Related Services involved in all aspects of standards and assessment development, including scoring • Cognitive labs, field testing, and other validation activities conducted with SWDs and other special populations

3. Enhanced Attention to Test Specifications and Item Development • Clear specification of construct/skill to be assessed allows identification of target and access skills • Accommodations address access skills only • Detailed Item Development Guidelines, intensive training for item writers, and careful item review produce high quality, accessible items. • Transparency in Scoring, consistent with construct being measured

4. Accessible Item Development • Understanding construct relevant and irrelevant factors that contribute to an item’s difficulty. Controlling for construct irrelevant variance. • Word Choice • Alternate Answer Choices • Item and Block Format • Graphics • Contextual Information • Cues • Cognitive Demand

5. Adequate Precision Throughout Performance Continuum • It is challenging to design a single assessment that maintains high levels of precision across the full performance continuum. • In some assessments aligned to high standards, precision in the lower quartile is poor. Lower performing students have little chance of demonstrating what they know and can do. • Consider modular assessments (common + adaptive block), aligned to grade level standards that produce valid, reliable measure of student performance at all levels.

6. Special Considerations for General Assessment Design • Novel item types may differentially disadvantage students with disabilities. • Students should have ample experience with the technology used in the assessment. • International comparisons are problematic for students with disabilities. • Higher education and employers should be involved in standard development, standard setting, and assessment development • Multiple assessments/end of course exams are preferable.

7. LEA Involvement • Development of LEA rollout plan should explicitly address how standards, assessments and supporting components will be implemented for special education students and teachers. • IEP team training is needed to incorporate grade level standards and assessments into student’s education plan. • Intensive professional development on grade level standards, instructional accommodations, and assessment.