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- Empowering Families Flyer #1: Why are assessments important?Formats: PDF
This flyer was designed to help families understand why assessments are a good opportunity for their children to show what they know, and for schools to better understand their children’s needs. It also includes tips for families on how to better support their children when they take assessments. This flyer is part of the Empowering Families Toolkit developed by NCEO to provide accessible materials for parents about assessment topics.
Published: August 2023 - NCEO Brief: School Psychologists’ Role in Accommodations Decision Making (#32)
Students’ learning and achievement in schools are regularly monitored formally and informally through classroom, district, and state assessments. School psychologists have a specialized understanding of data-based decision making, consultation, provision of academic assessment and intervention services, and the special education eligibility process. The accommodations decision-making process is one area where school psychologists can provide valuable knowledge and expertise to support students with disabilities in instruction and assessment. This Brief explains a five-part framework for educators and other specialists who serve students, including school psychologists, to use in the selection, administration, and evaluation of accommodations for the instruction and assessment of all students, including students with disabilities and English learners.
Published: July 2023 - NCEO Reports: The Relationship between Student Placement and AA-AAAS Participation Rates (#439)
This report presents the findings of a study that looked at the relationship between states’ percentage of students participating in the alternate assessment based on alternate academic achievement standards (AA-AAAS) and the percentage of students in more restrictive learning environments. The 2015 reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), known as the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), placed a 1% cap for states on student participation in the AA-AAAS. This meant that states, districts, and individualized education program (IEP) teams need to carefully consider which students should be included in these assessments. Data used in this analysis were for 2018-19. This study found that states with higher percentages of students in more restrictive environments tended to have higher percentages of students participating in the AA-AAAS for both mathematics and reading.
Published: June 2023 - NCEO Reports: 2021-22 Participation Guidelines and Definitions for Alternate Assessments Based on Alternate Academic Achievement Standards (#440)
This report provides an update to previous analyses of the guidelines, definitions, and criteria states have developed for making decisions about alternate assessment based on alternate academic achievement standards (AA-AAAS) participation. This report provides an analysis of the 2021-22 policies of the 50 states and the District of Columbia. We analyzed criteria that should be used and factors that should not be used to determine participation, the state definitions of “most significant cognitive disabilities,” the information provided to parents about the AA-AAAS, mentions of English learners in materials related to the AA-AAAS, exemption and non-exemption materials regarding participation, and the content areas for which participation decisions are made.
Published: June 2023 - NCEO Newsletter: June 2023 issueFormats: Online
In this issue, we highlight some new NCEO products, as well as several upcoming events. The first article is about two new tools that can be used to develop state and district assessment participation action plans. Next is an article about gaps in the accommodations research literature. 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 on What Does Meaningful Accessibility Really Mean? that follows NCSA. The article includes information on how to register for the forum.
Published: June 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 - 1% Toolkit: Developing an Assessment Participation Action Plan: A Tool for District Leaders (NCEO Tool #14)
The purpose of this resource is to provide a tool for districts that wish to improve student assessment participation. The tool provides guidance on how district leaders can develop an assessment participation action plan and describes a series of steps that support the development of the action plan. States may customize the tool as needed to meet their needs. This resource was developed through a collaborative process with the 49 states participating in NCEO’s 1% Cap Community of Practice (CoP) during its bi-weekly webinar calls in 2021 and 2022.
Published: April 2023 - 1% Toolkit: Developing an Assessment Participation Action Plan: A Tool for State Leaders (NCEO Tool #13)
The purpose of this resource is to provide a tool for states that wish to improve student assessment participation. The tool provides guidance on how state leaders can develop an assessment participation action plan and describes a series of steps that support the development of the action plan. States may customize the tool as needed to meet their needs. This resource was developed through a collaborative process with the 49 states participating in NCEO’s 1% Cap Community of Practice (CoP) during its bi-weekly webinar calls in 2021 and 2022.
Published: April 2023 - NCEO Data Analytics: Number and Percentage of Students with Disabilities by Disability Category from 2005-06 to 2020-21 (#17)Formats: Online
This interactive report presents information on the percentage of students with disabilities ages 6-17, and the percentage of these students by category for school years 2005-06 to 2020-21. Students with disabilities are students who receive special education services as indicated in an Individualized Education Program (IEP). The U.S. Department of Education receives data from states on the number of these students in each of 13 disability categories, and the number and percentage of students with disabilities varies over time, by category, and by state. The data in this report allow users to view trends over time, disability categories, and provides data by state.
Published: April 2023 - NCEO Data Analytics: Number and Percentage of English Learners with Disabilities by Disability Category, 2012-13 to 2020-21 (#18)Formats: Online
This interactive report presents information on the percentage of students with disabilities ages 6-21 who are also English learners (i.e., English learners with disabilities), and the proportion of these students by category for school years 2012-13 and 2020-21. English learners with disabilities are students who receive special education services as indicated in an Individualized Education Program (IEP) and who are also developing English proficiency. The U.S. Department of education receives data from states on the number of these students in each of 13 disability categories, and the number and percentage of English learners with disabilities varies over time, by category, and by state. The data in this report allow users to view one or more disability categories for comparison, and provides data by state.
Published: March 2023 - NCEO Participation Communication Toolkit: Communicating about Annual State Assessment Participation for All Students: A Communication ToolkitFormats: Word
This communications toolkit was 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. The purpose of the tool is to provide a concise resource that state education agency staff, and district and school administrators can use when communicating with educators, policymakers, families, and students about why it is so important that students participate in state assessments. It also contains materials that Individualized Educational Program (IEP) teams can use when making state test participation decisions for students with disabilities. This toolkit is intended to provide a neutral but useful mechanism to guide positive, thoughtful conversations about student testing participation.
Published: 2023-03-09 - NCEO Participation Communication Toolkit: One-Page “Ready-to-go” IEP Team Discussion GuideFormats: PDF
This “ready-to-go” discussion guide for IEP teams is designed to provide information about the different test options for students with disabilities, and the implications of those decisions. This resource also explains why it is so important that students with disabilities participate in state testing. The tool may be customized by a state, district, or school. The discussion guide 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: 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: One-Page “Ready-to-go” Family 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 families, it also provides strategies to reduce student test anxiety. The flyer can be displayed during state testing windows, shared during parent-teacher meetings, and distributed during school events. 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: One-Page “Ready-to-go” Policymaker 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 policymakers, it also provides strategies to support students and their families in the policymaker’s state. 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: One-Page “Ready-to-go” Educator 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 teachers, it also provides strategies to reduce student test anxiety. The flyer can be displayed during state testing windows, shared during parent-teacher meetings, and distributed during school events. 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 Brief: Meeting the 1% AA-AAAS Participation Requirement (#29)
Up to 1.0% of the total tested state student population in a subject area may participate in the alternate assessment based on alternate academic achievement standards (AA-AAAS). This Brief presents the results of analyses of states’ AA-AAAS participation rates from 2015-16 through 2018-19. Information is presented on: (a) the number of states meeting the 1.0% participation requirement in each year from 2015-16 through 2018-19 for mathematics (i.e., math) and reading/language arts (i.e., reading), and (b) states with decreasing and states with increasing patterns of participation rates across the four years in math and reading.
Published: March 2023 - NCEO Reports: A Summary of the Research on the Effects of K–12 Test Accommodations: 2021 (#438)Formats: PDF
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 2021. During 2021, 12 research studies addressed testing accommodations in the U.S. K–12 education system. The research published in the year 2021 addressed several critical areas such as the effects of accommodations on student performance and educators’ knowledge, perceptions, and implementation practices regarding accommodations. The research also identifies emerging trends such as the use of paper-and-pencil accommodations in digital environments, the role of individualized accommodations, and the increased research in the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) content areas.
Published: February 2023 - NCEO Newsletter: February 2023 issueFormats: Online
This issue highlights a disproportionality calculator tool that can be used to examine disproportionality with respect to student subgroup participation in the alternate assessment; a brief on including students with disabilities in K-2 assessments; a brief on involving students with disabilities in selecting accessibility features and accommodations; and a policy analysis of how states’ policies address the qualifications and training requirements for test administrators, proctors, and accommodations providers. This issue also contains an updated list of accommodations included in the NCEO Accommodations Toolkit. And we provide information on upcoming conferences NCEO staff will present at.
Published: 1/30/2023 - NCEO Brief: Suggestions for Involving Students in Selecting and Implementing Accommodations (#30)
This Brief provides an overview of how students’ insights on the usefulness and feasibility of various accessibility features and accommodations should be taken into account when identifying accessibility features and accommodations for instruction and assessment. Students are often the best source of information about their strengths and needs, and what helps. This Brief uses synthesized and summarized research NCEO conducted on the perceptions of students with disabilities regarding accommodations between 1999 and 2021, and provides suggestions for soliciting students’ perceptions on accommodations and involving them in advocating for their needs.
Published: January 2023