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NCEO Newsletter: February 2017 issueFormats: OnlineIn this issue, new NCEO activities and products are highlighted. NCEO is excited to be collaborating with the University of Texas in the new National Deaf Center on Postsecondary Outcomes (see New Deaf Center Grant). Other NCEO collaborations are reflected in its work with ACHIEVE on diplomas for students with disabilities, and in its work on the state defined alternate diploma with the National Technical Assistance Center on Transition (NTACT). A new report by NCEO provides baseline information on how states are addressing the exit of English learners (ELs) with disabilities from EL services (see How States Make Exit Decisions...). Finally, in this issue we provide some updates on NCEO's DIAMOND project activities.
Published: February 2017
NCEO Reports: Providing English Language Development Services to English Learners with Disabilities: Approaches to Making Exit Decisions (NCEO Report 404)The purpose of this report is to provide a baseline report, prior to the passage of the Every Student Succeeds Act, on factors that affect decisions to exit English learners (ELs) with disabilities from English language development services, including the relationship of these decisions to students' Individualized Education Programs (IEPs). Although many critical educational decisions are made for these students, the determination that an EL with disabilities should be reclassified and exited from services is one of the more critical decisions made for individual students.
Published: January 2017
Variables Used by States in the Calculation of Annual Measureable Achievement Objectives (AMAOs) for Title III ReportingThe purpose of this report is to present information on the approaches used by states to calculate each of three annual measurable achievement objectives (AMAOs) about the language acquisition and academic achievement of English learners (ELs). Although states report their AMAO calculations to the federal government, there is no mechanism of comparison across states. This report provides a snapshot of the inputs states used for calculating AMAOs for the 2014-15 school year.
Published: December 2016
Considerations for Developing State-Defined Alternate Diplomas for Students with Significant Cognitive DisabilitiesThis Brief describes the criteria that must be met for a State-defined alternate diploma to meet federal requirements for inclusion in the Title I Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate (ACGR). It includes considerations for states contemplating the development of a State-defined alternate diploma, and recommends steps for those deciding to adopt a State-defined alternate diploma.
Published: November 2016
Diplomas that Matter: Ensuring Equity of Opportunity for Students with DisabilitiesFormats: PDFTo try to understand the diploma options available for students with disabilities, Achieve and the National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO) partnered to analyze the diplomas available in each state for the graduating class of 2015. Achieve and NCEO also compared the course and assessment requirements for earning a regular diploma in each state for students with disabilities and their peers without disabilities.
Published: November 2016
NCEO APR Snapshot Briefs: 2013-2014 APR Snapshot #12: AA-AAS Participation and Performance (#12)Formats: OnlineThis report provides information on the number of students participating in the Alternate Assessment based on Alternate Achievement Standards (AA-AAS) and the performance of those students, using federally submitted data from the 2013-2014 school year.
Published: October 2016- NCEO APR Snapshot Briefs: 2013-2014 APR Snapshot #11: Assessment Accommodations Use by Students Receiving Special Education Services (#11)Formats: Online
This report provides information on the number of students with disabilities using accommodations and the performance of these students on the general statewide assessment used for Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) accountability. Using federally submitted data from the 2013-2014 school year, we present information on accommodations for reading and mathematics statewide assessments administered to grade 8 students (and grade 4 to show a comparison to grade 8 data).
Published: September 2016 
NCEO Newsletter: October 2016 issueFormats: OnlineThis issue highlights the news of NCEO's continued funding. It also summarizes several new reports. These include a report on the pre-session to the National Conference on Student Assessment, a forum on Common Language for States and Assessment Vendors. Consistent with the need for common language is the Accessibility Manual developed through the Council of Chief State School Officers. Information on the contents and tools in this new manual is provided here, along with links to the manual that is available to all states to adapt as desired. Another report highlighted here is the recent NCEO report that examines high school assessment accommodation policies of ACT, SAT, PARCC, and Smarter Balanced; this report raises issues of differences in policies and procedures that are likely to affect many students with disabilities. Finally, this issue highlights recent snapshot reports of assessment and accommodations data submitted by states' special education divisions to the U.S. Department of Education. These snapshots highlight assessment participation, use of accommodations, and performance on assessments.
Published: October 2016
CCSSO Accessibility Manual: How To Select, Administer, And Evaluate Use Of Accessibility Supports For Instruction And Assessment Of All StudentsFormats: WordThe Council of Chief State School Officers' (CCSSO's) Accessibility Manual: How to Select, Administer, and Evaluate Use of Accessibility Supports for Instruction and Assessment of All Students establishes guidelines for states to use for the selection, administration, and evaluation of accessibility supports for instruction and assessment of all students, including students with disabilities, English learners (ELs), ELs with disabilities, and students without an identified disability or EL status. Accessibility supports discussed herein include both embedded (digitally-provided) and non-embedded (non-digitally or locally provided) universal features that are available to all students as they access instructional or assessment content, designated features that are available for those students for whom the need has been identified by an informed educator or team of educators, and accommodations that are generally available for students for whom there is documentation on an Individualized Education Program (IEP) or 504 accommodation plan. Approaches to these supports may vary depending on state or assessment consortium contexts as well as nature of assessments - be they content assessments, English language proficiency (ELP) assessments, or alternate assessments.
Published: August 2016
Forum on Common Language for States and Assessment VendorsFormats: PDFA report on a forum held on June 20, 2016 in Philadelphia that brought together states, assessment vendors, and other educational stakeholders to address the need for developing a common language around accessibility and accommodations for all students, including: (1) General education students, (2) English learners (ELs), and (3) Students with IEPs or 504 plans. The forum was a pre-session to the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO) National Conference on Student Assessment (NCSA).
Published: August 2016- NCEO APR Snapshot Briefs: 2013-2014 APR Snapshot #10: State Assessment Participation and Performance of Students Receiving Special Education Services (#10)Formats: Online
This report provides a snapshot of the participation and performance of student receiving special education services in statewide assessments used for Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) accountability. Using federally submitted data from the 2013-14 school year, we present information on participation and performance in reading and mathematics statewide assessments administered to grade 8 students.
Published: August 2016 
NCEO Reports: 2015-16 High School Assessment Accommodations Policies: An Analysis of ACT, SAT, PARCC, and Smarter Balanced (#403)This report provides a snapshot of how accommodations were included in policies across ACT, SAT, Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC), and Smarter Balanced during the 2015-16 school year. As required by federal and state legislation, all students, including students with disabilities and English learners (ELs), participate in state assessments used for accountability. Some states use assessments developed by consortia of states. States also are required to ensure that graduating students are college- and career-ready (CCR). Some states use state-administrations of the ACT or SAT as their measure of CCR. Many students with disabilities and ELs use accessibility features and accommodations to access each of these assessments. This report also analyzes differences in the accessibility framework, decision-making process, and terminology across the four assessments.
Published: July 2016- Assessment Today: How We Got Here and Where We are GoingFormats: Online
In this presentation Dr. Martha Thurlow, Executive Director of the National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO) traces the history of the inclusion of students with disabilities in large-scale assessments, addressing the history of assessment for students with disabilities and how the current assessment context and projected future events relate to this history.
Published: 2016-06-30 
NCEO Reports: A Summary of the Research on the Effects of Test Accommodations: 2013-2014 (#402)This report provides an update on the state of the research on testing accommodations as well as to identify promising future areas of research. Previous reports by NCEO have covered research published since 1999. We summarize the research to review current research trends and enhance understanding of the implications of accommodations use in the development of future policy directions, implementation of current and new accommodations, and valid and reliable interpretations when accommodations are used in testing situations. Key issues under investigation include how accommodations affect test scores, how educators and students perceive accommodations, and how accommodations are selected and implemented.
Published: May 2016
NCEO Reports: Principios y Características de Sistemas Inclusivos de Evaluación en un Escenario de Evaluación Cambiante (#400 Spanish)This document is a Spanish translation of the fourth in a series of Principles documents produced by the National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO). NCEO revisited and revised its 2008 Principles for inclusive assessment systems to respond to the many changes in the current educational assessment context. The revised Principles reflect a broader perspective that acknowledges that the Principles should apply not only for students with disabilities but also for English learners (ELs) and ELs with disabilities, as well as to all types of assessments in assessment systems. Similar to previous documents, it is designed to identify the principles and characteristics of inclusive assessment systems. Content is in Spanish.
Published: January 2016
White Paper on Common Accessibility Language for States and Assessment VendorsThis White Paper by DIAMOND project staff addresses the issue that different test platforms use different terminology for the accessibility features and accommodations that they offer to students, which can make it difficult for students, parents, and educators to understand the available options and select the appropriate supports.
Published: June 2016
NCEO Newsletter: June 2016 issueFormats: OnlineThis issue is packed with events and activities in which NCEO is involved this spring. One big event was the launching of the NCEO Facebook page. Please visit and like NCEO! Some new reports and tools are also highlighted in this issue, including a Lessons Learned document, an updated Principles for Inclusive Assessment report, and a new Data Analytics tool on the demographics of ELs and ELs with disabilities. With June the month for the National Conference on Student Assessment (NCSA) in Philadelphia, the center is also highlight the pre-conference forum NCEO is holding with the Assessing Special Education Students SCASS and the EL SCASS - Common Language for States and Assessment Vendors. It focuses on the need for developing a common language around accessibility and accommodations for all students. NCEO hopes you will join in this important discussion. Finally, the center describe the NCSA sessions in which NCEO is involved.
Published: June 2016- NCEO APR Snapshot Briefs: 2011-2012 APR Snapshot #9: AA-AAS Participation and Performance (#9)Formats: Online
This report summarizes Alternate Assessment based on Alternate Achievement Standards (AA-AAS) data used for Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) accountability. Using federally submitted data from the 2011-2012 school year, we present information on the number of students participating in the AA-AAS and the performance of those students.
Published: June 2016 - NCEO APR Snapshot Briefs: 2011-2012 APR Snapshot #8: Assessment Accommodations Use by Students Receiving Special Education Services (#8)Formats: Online
This report provides a snapshot of the participation and performance of student receiving special education services in statewide assessments used for Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) accountability. Using federally submitted data from the 2011-2012 school year, we present information on accommodations for reading and mathematics statewide assessments administered to grade 8 students (and grade 4 to show a comparison to grade 8 data).
Published: May 2016 
Lessons Learned About Assessment from Inclusion of Students with Disabilities in College and Career Ready AssessmentsFormats: PDFThe new large-scale assessments rolled out by consortia and states are designed to measure student achievement of rigorous college- and career-ready (CCR) standards. Recent surveys of teachers in several states indicate that students with disabilities adjusted well to the new assessments, and liked many of their features, but that there also are challenges. Some of these challenges are related to assessment issues that need to be addressed to improve accessibility and student outcomes. This Brief was prepared to provide information and suggestions for state education agencies (SEAs) and other technical assistance (TA) providers who work with local education agencies (LEAs). It highlights three main challenges identified by the teachers, and then addresses the implications for assessment and the implications for TA providers.
Published: March 2016