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Supporting English Language Learners Through Improved Accessibility Decision MakingFormats: OnlineThese online professional development modules on accessible instruction and assessment were designed for distinct audiences of elementary teachers and secondary teachers. The modules use a collaborative decision-making process among educators, parents, and students who are English learners, to decide appropriate accessibility features and accommodations for individual students, and guides K-12 teachers to facilitate and document high quality decision making about accessible instruction and assessment for English learners.
Published: 2019-06-01
Educators' Thoughts on Making Decisions About Accessibility for All StudentsThis report describes the asynchronous online focus group activity of the Data Informed Accessibility - Making Optimal Needs-based Decisions (DIAMOND) project. The goal of conducting the focus groups was to gather in-depth information about teachers' experiences with accessibility features and accommodations in the classroom and on assessments. The results from the focus groups contribute to the project's development of guidelines for making informed decisions about accessibility features and accommodations.
Published: September 2018
NCEO Newsletter: October 2013 issueFormats: OnlineAn issue highlighting findings from the 2012 survey of states, information on two new NCEO products--a tool that groups can use to build consensus on a topic, and a report covering current state policies on accommodations for delivering assessments orally. It also profiles an innovative online training for educators to improve decisions made about accommodations for individual students. Finally, this issue focuses on three manuals developed collaboratively by states, the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO), and NCEO, and published by CCSSO, to help guide accommodations decision-making.
Published: October 2013- MIDAS Project Reports: Teachers’ Perspectives on Using Multiple Measures of Academic Achievement to Inform Instruction of Students on the Cusp Between the AA-AAAS and the General Assessment (#103)Formats: PDF
This report presents the findings of online focus groups conducted with teachers to learn more about their experiences using multiple measures to inform instructional decision making for students on the cusp between the alternate assessment based on alternate academic achievement standards (AA-AAAS) and the general state assessment used for accountability.
Published: July 2024 
NCEO Newsletter: February 2014 issueFormats: OnlineAn issue highlighting the findings from NCEO's Improving the Validity of Assessment Results for English Language Learners with Disabilities (IVARED) project that led focus groups with 232 school and district practitioners to better understand issues and challenges educators face in making appropriate decisions for English language learners (ELLs). It also announces the launching of IVARED's learning modules on ELLs with disabilities. Another launch is NCEO's first YouTube channel with videos from NCEO's Online Training to Improve Accommodations Decision Making. This issue also contains a list of sessions delivered, moderated, or chaired by NCEO staff at the NCME, AERA, or CEC conferences in Philadelphia in April 2014.
Published: February 2014- NCEO Newsletter: October 2022 issueFormats: Online
This issue highlights several new NCEO activities and products. The first is a toolkit for new state special education directors that is designed to be easy to use and help new directors (and their staff) become experts on how to include students with disabilities in assessments. Next is NCEO’s presence on TikTok. There is also recently published proceedings of the forum on assistive technology interoperability with online assessment platforms and other technology and services. Additionally, there is an article about a recent scan of the national landscape of formative assessment definitions and how students with disabilities are included in them, as well as articles about NCEO presentations at the recent National Association of State Directors of Special Education (NASDSE) conference and at the upcoming Conference on Test Security (COTS).
Published: 10/3/2022 
NCEO Brief: Five Formative Assessment Strategies to Improve Distance Learning Outcomes for Students with Disabilities (#20)The purpose of this Brief is to describe the use of formative assessment processes with students with disabilities during distance learning. Formative assessment is important for all kinds of learning, and especially focuses students on learning and evidence of learning. This Brief presents five strategies that can be used to support student understanding of their own learning. This has the potential to be a powerful antidote to the “check-box” approach some students may bring to online learning where they focus on compliance with following directions and completing a list of assignments.
Published: May 2020
NCEO Data Analytics: Graduation Policies for Students with Significant Cognitive Disabilities Who Participate in States' AA-AAS (#1)Formats: OnlineAn online, interactive brief presenting the results of NCEO's analysis of states' graduation policies for their students with significant cognitive disabilities who participate in the alternate assessment based on alternate achievement standards (AA-AAS). There is increasing interest in graduation rates and regular diploma requirements as states aim to ensure their students are college- and career-ready when they leave school with a diploma. Yet little was known about states' graduation policies and this prompted the current analysis.
Published: March 2015- NCEO Newsletter: June 2022 issueFormats: Online
This issue highlights several new products available from NCEO including the updated guide to universally designed assessments, an analysis of how states include students with disabilities in test security policies, and the findings of a survey on how states monitor alternate assessment participation decisions. There is also an article about two resources that address the role of related service providers in making accessibility and accommodations decisions. This issue includes a summary of all the sessions in which NCEO is participating during the National Conference on Student Assessment (NCSA). Finally, there is an article on the forum that follows NCSA on assistive technology interoperability with online assessment platforms, and other technology and services.
Published: 6/1/2022 
NCEO Data Analytics: 2012-13 Publicly Reported Assessment Results for Students with Disabilities and ELLs with Disabilities (#2)Formats: OnlineAn interactive, online brief analyzing public reporting practices for assessment data for students with disabilities in K-12 schools in the United States. This interactive brief is based on NCEO Technical Report 70: 2012-13 Publicly Reported Assessment Results for Students with Disabilities and ELLs with Disabilities
. The purpose of this study was to analyze whether states report data for students with disabilities "to the public with the same frequency and in the same detail as it reports on the assessment of nondisabled children," as required by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).Published: August 2015
NCEO Newsletter: February 2018 issueFormats: Online2018 greetings from NCEO. In this issue, a new webpage on the NCEO website is highlighted, as well as a new report on states' alternate assessment based on alternate achievement standards (AA-AAS) participation guidelines and definitions of students with the most significant cognitive disabilities. Also in this issue is an update on the activities of the DIAMOND project, which is developing professional development materials, including online modules, on accessibility and accommodations. Finally, in this issue, we provide information on sessions at the annual conferences of the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) and the American Educational Research Association (AERA) and National Council on Measurement in Education (NCME).
Published: February 2018
Accommodations for Students with Disabilities on State English Language Proficiency Assessments: A Review of 2011 State PoliciesFormats: PDFA report documenting states' participation and accommodation policies for English language learners (ELLs) with disabilities on their English Language Proficiency (ELP) assessments. The states' online policies from 2011, after state verification, showed that 49 states addressed participation criteria for ELLs with disabilities. Of these states, 36 states allowed for selective participation of students with disabilities on the ELP assessment, meaning that a student may participate in some domains but not others. Most often, ELLs who were deaf/hard of hearing or who had visual impairments or blindness were considered for selective participation. The summary of findings suggests that over time, states have become more detailed in their policies relating to participation and accommodations for ELLs with disabilities on ELP assessments. Continued attention to the participation and performance of ELLs with disabilities in ELP and other state assessments is essential.
Published: August 2013
NCEO Synthesis Reports: State Alternate Assessments: Status as IDEA Alternate Assessment Requirements Take Effect (#35)Formats: OnlineA report describing the approaches states were taking, as of the year 2000, to alternate assessments for the small number of students with disabilities who could not participate in state and district-wide assessment programs. The National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO) developed an online survey on the development of alternate assessments and received responses from all 50 states. In addition, five educational units that received IDEA Part B funds (American Samoa, Bureau of Indian Affairs, Marshall Islands, Virgin Islands, and Washington DC) completed the survey. While the presentation in this report of all the approaches states are taking does not imply endorsement of any specific state alternate assessment practices, it does indicate that states were still moving in many directions despite regulations suggesting directions for development.
Published: June 2000- NCEO Reports: 2018-19 Publicly Reported Assessment Results for Students with Disabilities and English Learners with Disabilities (#428)
This is the 22nd report by the National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO) that describes how states publicly report assessment data for students with disabilities in K-12 schools in the United States. The purpose of this report is to examine the extent to which states reported 2018–19 assessment data for students with disabilities “to the public with the same frequency and in the same detail as it reports on the assessment of nondisabled children,” as required by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). It also describes how states report assessment participation and performance data to the public online. It summarizes these data for grades 4 and 8, and high school, with additional analyses that focus on average performance gaps across years. The report also summarizes the extent to which states report participation and performance for English learners (ELs) with disabilities and examines public reporting of accommodations.
Published: December 2021 - NCEO Reports: 2017-18 Publicly Reported Assessment Results for Students with Disabilities and English Learners with Disabilities (#419)
This is the 21st report by the National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO) that describes how states publicly report assessment data for students with disabilities in K-12 schools in the United States. The purpose of this report is to examine the extent to which states reported 2017–18 assessment data for students with disabilities “to the public with the same frequency and in the same detail as it reports on the assessment of nondisabled children,” as required by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). It also describes how states report assessment participation and performance data to the public online. It summarizes these data for grades 4 and 8, and high school, with additional analyses that focus on average performance gaps across years. The report also summarizes the extent to which states report participation and performance for English Learners (ELs) with disabilities and examines public reporting of accommodations.
Published: December 2020 
NCEO Reports: 2016-17 Publicly Reported Assessment Results for Students with Disabilities and ELs with Disabilities (#411)This is the 20th report by the National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO) that describes how states publicly report assessment data for students with disabilities in K-12 schools in the United States. The purpose of this report is to examine the extent to which states reported 2016-17 assessment data for students with disabilities “to the public with the same frequency and in the same detail as it reports on the assessment of nondisabled children,” as required by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). It also describes how states report assessment participation and performance data to the public online. It summarizes these data for grades 4 and 8, and high school, with additional analyses that focus on average performance gaps across years. The report also summarizes the extent to which states report participation and performance for English Learners (ELs) with disabilities and examines public reporting of accommodations.
Published: October 2019
Voices From the Field: Making State Assessment Decisions for English Language Learners With DisabilitiesFormats: PDFA report describing an activity undertaken by the Improving the Validity of Assessment Results for ELLs with Disabilities (IVARED) project, which is a consortium of the five states of Arizona, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, and Washington, led by Minnesota. In collaboration with the National Center on Educational Outcomes, these states sought to understand ways to make state accountability assessments more valid and reliable for English language learners (ELLs) with disabilities. This report describes how IVARED tried to better understand the current assessment and accommodation decision-making process, test score use practices, and issues and challenges educators face in making appropriate decisions for ELLs with disabilities. Online focus groups were conducted in each of the five states with a total of 232 school, district, and state practitioners who had expertise in working with this population of students.
Published: 2013
NCEO Technical Reports: An Evaluation of the Extent to Which Teachers Used the "IEP Quality Tutorial-South Dakota" After Training (#63)A report discussing the use of the "IEP Quality Tutorial-South Dakota (IEPQ-SD)." During the 2010-2011 school year, the state of South Dakota piloted an online program called the "IEP Quality Tutorial-South Dakota (IEPQ-SD)". IEPQ-SD was designed to support the implementation of standards-based IEPs in schools throughout the state. Forty-nine educators in South Dakota participated in training on the IEPQ-SD tool, and they were then given access to the tool so that they could use it in their work with IEPs. This report presents the results of an evaluation of the extent to which teachers used IEPQ-SD after training, and their reactions to it. Interviews were conducted with five of the training participants approximately six months after the training session to learn about educator perceptions of the training, how their work with IEPs has been affected by the training, and how student experiences have been affected by the training. They were also asked what the educators liked about the training and what could be improved for future trainings, and if and how participants thought the IEPQ-SD tool should be rolled out to other educators in South Dakota.
Published: April 2012- NCEO Newsletter: June 2021 issueFormats: Online
In this issue, we highlight several new resources on using interim assessments to measure what students with disabilities know and can do. We also provide information on NCEO presentations at upcoming conferences, describe new reports, and new videos for parents of students with significant cognitive disabilities. Information is also provided about a project where NCEO is working as the accessibility lead.
Published: 2021-05-30 - NCEO Newsletter: February 2021 issueFormats: Online
This issue highlights a new video series for parents of students with significant cognitive disabilities. The videos focus on various aspects of supporting the learning of their children at home. Currently available videos address routines at home, helping with academics at home, foundations of communications at home, and communications at home. This issue also highlights a new Brief that NCEO published on using pre-assessment to plan instruction for students with disabilities during distance education, as well as a review of the literature on literacy assessment and instruction practices for English learners with significant cognitive disabilities. Additionally, there is an article about eight tools which were developed with states that were members of several Peer Learning Groups (PLGs) organized by NCEO on topics related to addressing the 1% threshold on participation in alternate assessments based on alternate academic achievement standards (AA-AAAS). Finally, we have a list of sessions that include NCEO staff who will be participating in the upcoming virtual Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) Convention and Expo.
Published: February 2021