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- NCEO Reports: A Summary of the Research on the Effects of K–12 Test Accommodations: 2020 (#436)
This report provides an update on the state of the research on testing accommodations. Previous reports by the National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO) have covered research published since 1999. In this report, we summarize the research published in 2020. During 2020, 11 research studies addressed testing accommodations in the U.S. K–12 education system. The research also highlights important emerging issues including the role of technology in facilitating accessibility for students with disabilities through built-in accommodations and in considering needed practices for applying technologies.
Published: September 2022 - What New Special Education Directors Need to Know about Academic AssessmentsFormats: Online
The purpose of this toolkit is to provide easy access to information that will help special education directors fulfill their role in ensuring the participation of students with disabilities in assessments. The toolkit is meant to assist directors in locating information and resources on the website of the National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO) . The information and resources highlighted in this resource can help support special education directors in ensuring that all students with disabilities are included in state, district, and school assessments and accountability systems in a manner that is appropriate for each student based on their specific instructional and assessment needs.
Published: June 2022 - NCEO Reports: An Updated State Guide to Universally Designed Assessments (#431)
This Guide is an update to the State Guide to Universally Designed Assessments that was originally published by NCEO in 2006. It provides a brief overview of what a universally designed assessment is, followed by a set of steps for states to consider when designing and developing, or revising, their summative assessments. The focus of this Guide is states’ summative assessments—general content assessments of reading/language arts, mathematics, science, and other content areas; alternate assessments based on alternate academic achievement standards (AA-AAAS); English language proficiency (ELP) assessments; and alternate-ELP assessments.
Published: February 2022 - A Framework for Making Decisions about Participation in a State’s Alternate ELP Assessment (NCEO Report 426)
This report provides information on how to identify which English learners who may have a most significant cognitive disability are eligible to take an alternate English language proficiency (alt-ELP) assessment. It does so by summarizing federal assessment requirements for English learners with the most significant cognitive disabilities, describing characteristics of students in this population, offering a framework for identifying students who are eligible to participate in the alt-ELP assessment, and incorporating a list of recommended resources for more information.
Published: 10/28/2021 - 1% Toolkit: IEP Team Resource: Making Decisions about Participation in the Alternate Assessment (NCEO Tool #10)
This IEP team resource is designed to support IEP team members, including teachers, school psychologists, English language development specialists, speech language therapists, occupational therapists, paraprofessionals, parents, administrators, and others who may participate in the IEP team meeting. It provides supports for the decision about whether a student with a disability should participate in a general assessment or an AA-AAAS. States can modify the tool as needed to reflect any differences in their IEPs or to link to their own guidelines for participation in the AA-AAAS.
Published: January 2021 
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 State Surveys: 2009 Survey of States - Accomplishments and New Issues at the End of a Decade of ChangeA 2009 report providing a snapshot of the new initiatives, trends, accomplishments, and emerging issues during this important period of standards-based education reform as states document the academic achievement of students with disabilities. It summarizes the 12th survey of states by the Institute's National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO). Results are presented for all 50 states and 8 of the 11 federally-funded entities (unique states).
Published: June 2010- What Have We Learned About Student Characteristics, Accommodations, and AA-MAS?Formats: PDF
The National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO) and a consortium of five states joined together to form the Multi-state GSEG Toward a Defensible Alternate Assessment Based on Modified Achievement Standards (AA-MAS). This paper reports the results of one study conducted by this GSEG project. The purpose of this study was to learn more about the extent to which low performing students used accommodations.
Published: April 2010 
NCEO Synthesis Reports: Responses to Working Paper 1 Conceptual Model of Educational Outcomes for Children and Youth with Disabilities (#3)Formats: PDFWorking Paper 1, "A Conceptual Model of Educational Outcomes for Children and Youth with Disabilities," was initially distributed by staff of the National Center on Educational Outcomes in July of 1991 to approximately 175 individuals, requesting their input on the ideas presented therein. This synthesis paper represents the input of over 60 additional respondents.
Published: June 1992
NCEO Newsletter: February 2016 issueFormats: OnlineThe year 2016 arrived quickly, and a lot already is happening. In this issue new products and activities are highlighted. New products include a Brief developed in collaboration with the National Center for Systemic Improvement (see Lessons Learned...) and a White Paper developed in collaboration with the English Language Proficiency Assessment for the 21st Century (ELPA21) consortium (see Alternate Assessment ...). Two new Enhanced Assessment Grant (EAG) projects are summarized - DIAMOND and ALTELLA (check below for the meaning of those acronyms). Finally, this issue highlights some presentations and meetings at the upcoming conferences in April (CEC and AERA).
Published: February 2016
NCEO Synthesis Reports: Characteristics of States' Alternate Assessments Based on Modified Academic Achievement Standards in 2010-2011 (#85)A report tracking test design changes between the alternate assessment based on modified academic achievement standards (AA-MAS) and regular assessment, whether states' AA-MAS were computer-based, whether states with computer-based tests (CBTs) included tutorial and practice test opportunities, and whether states' documents included considerations for English Language Learners (ELLs) with disabilities. Federal regulations introduced AA-MAS as another assessment option for students with disabilities in 2007. Eligible students may be from any disability category, and they must be considered unlikely to achieve grade-level proficiency within the time period covered by their Individualized Education Program (IEP) and have IEP goals based on grade-level content standards. NCEO has been tracking the characteristics of states' AA-MAS since 2007. According to the 2009 NCEO update on test characteristics, 13 states had developed what they considered to be an AA-MAS, and three states (Texas, Kansas, and Louisiana) had received federal approval. The further study reported in this publication found 17 states that by the 2010-11 academic school year had developed, or were developing, what they considered to be an AA-MAS, and one additional state (North Carolina) had received federal approval.
Published: September 2011- NCEO Reports: How Students Who Take the AA-AAAS Are Included in State Systemic Improvement Plans (SSIP): An Analysis of FFY 2021 SSIPs (449)Formats: PDF
This report presents the findings of an analysis of states’ FFY 2021 State Systemic Improvement Plans (SSIPs) that examined how students who participate in the alternate assessment based on alternate academic achievement standards (AA-AAAS) were included in State-identified Measurable Results (SiMRs) related to student performance. Students who take the AA-AAAS have the most significant cognitive disabilities. This analysis revealed significant gaps in how students who take the AA-AAAS were included in these improvement efforts.
Published: April 2025 - 1% Toolkit: Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) for Students with the Most Significant Cognitive Disabilities (NCEO Tool #15)
The purpose of this tool is to provide information on the Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) for students with the most significant cognitive disabilities for parents in the form of (a) a fact sheet, and (b) a set of frequently asked questions (FAQs) that provide additional details about MTSS. These parent resources are available for states to adapt to share with districts, parent organizations, and parents. This resource was developed through a collaborative process with members of the TASH Inclusive Education Community of Practice (CoP) and staff from forty-nine states and the Bureau of Indian Education (BIE) who participated in the 1% CoP.
Published: November 2023 - NCEO Brief: Gaps in the Accommodations Research Literature (#31)
Federal and state policymakers, as well as educators, rely on the accommodations research literature to evaluate how accommodations should be used to improve accessibility for students with disabilities. This Brief consolidates information about gaps in this research with the goal of promoting wider interest in and additional research on accommodations. NCEO reviewed the accommodations research literature published between 1999 and 2021. Gaps in the research were identified in those summaries of the literature. The primary audience for this Brief is researchers and other persons or organizations interested in conducting or promoting research that supports a better understanding of accommodations. Graduate students looking to identify potential areas for research may also find this Brief useful.
Published: April 2023 - NCEO Participation Communication Toolkit: One-Page “Ready-to-go” Student FlyerFormats: PDF
The purpose of this “ready-to-go” flyer is to provide concise resources about why it is so important that all students participate in state testing. Written for students, it also provides strategies to reduce student test anxiety. The flyer is part of the Participation Communication Toolkit developed by the National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO) to identify and describe reasons why all students, including students with disabilities, English learners, and English learners with disabilities should take state tests. This flyer can be used as is with no changes.
Published: 3/8/2023 - NCEO Participation Communication Toolkit: Participation Communication Toolkit Slide Deck TemplateFormats: PPT
This customizable slide presentation is designed to support the needs of state education agency staff, and district and school administrators for brief but substantive information district and school administrators can use when communicating with educators, policymakers, families, and other stakeholders about why it is so important that students participate in state assessments. In addition to serving as an information resource for administrators, it may be used for in-person or webinar trainings for educators, and as a handout for educators and parents. The slides may be customized. The slide deck is part of the Participation Communication Toolkit developed by the National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO) to identify and describe reasons why all students, including students with disabilities, English learners, and English learners with disabilities should take state tests.
Published: 11/9/2021 
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 Synthesis Reports: States' Participation Guidelines for Alternate Assessments Based on Modified Academic Achievement Standards (AA-MAS) in 2009 (#75)A report updating information in previous National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO) reports that, since 2007, have annually compiled, analyzed, and summarized states' participation guidelines for the Alternate Assessments based on Modified Achievement Standards (AA-MAS). As of October 2009, 14 states had publicly-available participation guidelines for an assessment they considered to be an AA-MAS. Results from this study suggest that states are continuing to develop or update their participation guidelines.
Published: March 2010
NCEO Technical Reports: Revisiting Graduation Requirements and Diploma Options for Youth with Disabilities: A National Study (#49)A document reporting on National Center on Educational Outcomes' (NCEO) fourth study of state graduation requirements for students with disabilities. This national study was designed to describe current variations across states in high school exit exam practices and the use of alternative diploma/credentialing options. The study also examines the intended and unintended consequences for students when they are required to pass exit exams to receive a high school diploma, and the intended and unintended consequences of using single or multiple diploma options for students with disabilities.
Published: December 2007
NCEO Synthesis Reports: Addressing Standards and Assessments on the IEP (#38)Formats: OnlineThe purpose of this year 2001 study was to examine state Individualized Education Program (IEP) forms to determine the extent to which they include documentation of standards and assessments. All 50 states were asked to send their IEP forms and to indicate whether they were required, recommended, or simply sample forms. Because IEP forms are a primary source of information to guide decisions during IEP team meetings, the way in which information appears on them is very important. NCEO makes several recommendations for IEP forms that will provide decision-making guidance to IEP teams.
Published: April 2001