Accommodation Update 08-09

1. Accommodation Update 08-09 Division of Special Education

2. Accommodations Practices and procedures that do not reduce learning expectations but provide equitable access to grade-level curriculum Provided on an individual basis, taking into consideration the needs of each student May be appropriate for instructional use, but may not be appropriate for use on a standardized assessment Should not be simply a matter of convenience but a tool that does not compromise the content being tested and is necessary for student success Should be routinely used in classroom instruction and testing

3. Selecting and Documenting Accommodations • Selecting accommodations for assessment of individual students • Gather and review information about student’s needs and present level of performance in relation to • Grade-level TEKS, or • Linguistic needs • Befamiliar with accommodation policy for each state-required assessment • Involve students in accommodation selection

4. Administering Assessments With Accommodations • Accommodations used by students on state assessments must be the same as those routinely used in instruction and testing

5. Reading Aloud Questions and Answers on TAKS-M Reading • An accommodation beginning this year • No longer a required part of test administration • ARD committees have determined student need and routine use • Not necessary to convene a special ARD committee meeting to address this accommodation, but at next scheduled meeting ARD committees must determine • whether this accommodation is necessary • if student needs all test questions and answer choices read or if the accommodation will be provided as needed per student request • An Accommodation Request Form is not required

6. Calculation Devices • Specific conditions must be met • Disability affecting math calculation, not reasoning • Disability affecting physical reproduction of numbers • TAKS (Accommodated) • Accommodation Request Form required for grades 3-6 mathematics and 5 science • ARD committee decision and no Accommodation Request Form required for 7-8 • TAKS-M • ARD committee decision and NO Accommodation Request Form required for 3-8 Required calculators for certain grades and subjects are not considered an accommodation but a required part of test administration procedures

7. Supplemental Aids • Student must be able to understand content but needs assistance recalling some of it • Must be a tool, meaning aid cannot provide direct answers to the TEKS being tested • Separate appendix lists aids that are allowable for eligible students for TAKS (Accommodated) without an Accommodation Request Form • TAKS (Accommodated) • Accommodation Request Form required for all grades if the aid is not listed in appendix • TAKS-M • ARD committee decision and no Accommodation Request Form required for all grades

8. Use of Supplemental Aids Use of Supplemental Aids

9. Multiplication charts (up to 12 no higher) Number lines 100 charts Place value chart Mnemonic devices Description of process needed to solve a problem Standard dictionary Standard dictionary Strategy checklists Mnemonic devices Mathematics Reading/ELA

10. List of grammar rules Strategy checklists List of vocabulary (ex. Synonyms for commonly used words) Mnemonics devices Standard dictionary Non-labeled graphics (water cycle, life cycle or a food chain) Mnemonic devices Writing/ELA Science

11. Manipulatives • Assists students with visualizing abstract concepts • Must serve as a tool, meaning manipulative cannot provide direct answers to the TEKS being tested • List of manipulative that are allowable for eligible students (non-labeled geometric figures, coins, clock with gears, based-ten blocks, non-labeled fraction pieces, various counters; beans,blocks,etc..) • TAKS (Accommodated) • Accommodation Request Form required for all grades if the aid is not listed • TAKS-M • ARD committee decision and no Accommodation Request Form required for all grades

12. Extended Time (2 days to test) • Clarification to policy only • Approved only for small number of students in unique situations • Accommodation Request Form required for all students taking any assessment • Prior to submitting an Accommodation Request Form, schools should consider • other, less restrictive accommodations (e.g., individual or small-group administration, frequent breaks, dividing test into short sections, use of a scribe, oral administration if eligible) • the assessment the student is taking (i.e. format changes, fewer items) • If a student is approved for two-day testing, specific procedures must be followed in order to maintain test security and confidentiality

13. Accommodation Request Process • The District Testing Coordinator is responsible for • reviewing and submitting to TEA only those Accommodation Request Forms that are necessary and appropriate according to the information in the Accommodations Manual • providing information about accommodations to campus testing coordinators and/or school personnel • answering questions from schools

14. Accommodation Request Process • Requests may be submitted for • accommodations not covered in this manual • accommodations that require the submission of an Accommodation Request Form as indicated by italicized text • students who do not meet the listed conditions but have such a unique situation that the use of the accommodation may be needed • Requests may be submitted by • online Accommodation Request Form • Fax • E-mail: test.accomodations@tea.state.tx.us • by mail in rare situations • Request must be received by TEA at least two weeks prior to testing to ensure enough time to respond • Student Assessment Division Phone:512-463-9536 New Accommodations Website:http://www.tea.state.tx.us/student.assessment/resources/accommodations/index.html E-mail:test.accommodations@tea.state.tx.us

15. Accommodation Request Process • Do not submit requests for accommodations listed in the manual as “No Accommodation Request Form required” • Objective Evidence should • be provided with every request • clearly indicate why the student needs the accommodation • be individualized, specific, and relevant • Never include confidential student information (e.g., first and last name, social security number) with a request • If an accommodation requires the submission of an Accommodation Request Form, the student may not use the accommodation unless approved by TEA

16. Resources • Student Assessment Division Phone:512-463-9536 New Accommodations Website:http://www.tea.state.tx.us/student.assessment/resources/accommodations/index.html E-mail:test.accommodations@tea.state.tx.us • Division of IDEA Coordination Phone:512-463-9414 Website:http://www.tea.state.tx.us/special.ed/ • Texas Legislature Online Website:http://www.legis.state.tx.us/ • No Child Left Behind Website: http://www.ed.gov/nclb/landing.jhtml