The MIDAS Project
Making Improved Decisions for Students on the Cusp of Alternate Assessment Participation Using Multiple Measures of Academic Achievement from Multiple Sources (MIDAS)
Background
The purpose of this project is to create customizable templates, professional learning modules, and supporting materials for educators on the use of data from multiple measures of academic achievement to inform instructional decision making for students with disabilities, including English learners with disabilities, who move from the alternate assessment based on alternate academic achievement standards (AA-AAAS) to the general statewide assessment.
The goals of this project are:
- to increase capacity of State Education Agencies (SEAs) to provide technical assistance (TA) to local education agencies (LEAs) on the use of multiple measures of academic achievement from multiple sources to improve instructional practices for students with disabilities who move from the AA-AAAS to the general assessment
- to increase capacity of special education and general education teachers to successfully instruct students with disabilities who move from the AA-AAAS to the general assessment
Research Activities
To better understand the needs of education professionals who instruct students who move from the AA-AAAS to the general assessment, MIDAS project staff are:
- compiling information about existing instructional resources and measures of academic achievement, and then analyzing this information with a focus on appropriateness for students with disabilities who move from the AA-AAAS to the general assessment
- identifying gaps in existing instructional materials
- conducting online focus groups with educators conducting classroom observations and interviews with educators
- conducting interviews with parents
- conducting targeted state data analyses.
Training Modules
The MIDAS Training Modules give educators the knowledge and tools they need to successfully instruct students who move from the AA-AAAS to the statewide general assessment.
The materials produced by MIDAS staff provide insight into and assistance with the complex issues surrounding how to help teachers develop the knowledge and skills they need to successfully instruct students who move from the AA-AAAS to the statewide general assessment.
Partners & Staff
The MIDAS project is a collaboration of three state departments of education (Arkansas, North Carolina, West Virginia) and the National Center on Educational Outcomes. Funding for this project is provided by the U.S. Department of Education’s Competitive Grants for State Assessments program. Staff members include researchers and professional development experts.