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- NCEO Newsletter: February 2022 issueFormats: Online
This issue highlights (1) information about a participation communication toolkit that NCEO recently released with customizable resources, sample social media posts, and other resources that can be used when communicating about why it is important for students to participate in state tests; (2) a new series for school leaders on including students with disabilities in assessments; (3) two new resources on the assessment of English learners with disabilities; (4) a new publication about including deaf students in assessments; (5) an article that several NCEO staff wrote for the National Association of State Boards of Education (NASBE) on ensuring students with disabilities leave school ready to succeed; and (6) information on sessions on upcoming conferences that include NCEO staff.
Published: February 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: Percentage of Students with IEPs Who Were Assigned Accommodations from 2007-08 to 2016-17 (#13)Formats: OnlineThis interactive report presents data on the number and percentage of students receiving special education services who were assigned accommodations for the state general assessments used for accountability purposes in grades 3-8 and high school from 2007-08 to 2016-17. This report displays data on content area differences, grade level differences, trends over time, accommodations vs. performance, and state profiles.
Published: May 2020
NCEO Limited English Proficiency Projects Reports: Relationships Between a Statewide Language Proficiency Test and Academic Achievement Assessments (#4)This year 2004 report presents a study on Minnesota's English learner performance on the Test of Emerging Academic English in comparison to English learner and English fluent student reading performance on Minnesota's Comprehensive Assessment in grades 3 and 5, and the Basic Skills Tests in grade 8.
Published: August 2004- Empowering Families Toolkit - Tool 1 Video: Why are assessments important, and why should students with disabilities participate in assessments? (Version 2/authentic video of a parent and her children)Formats: Free Video
This video 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 “Version 2” video has the same content as “Version 1” but features an authentic parent and her children. The video is part of the Empowering Families Toolkit developed by NCEO to provide accessible materials for parents about assessment topics.
Published: 9/5/2023 
NCEO Technical Reports: Effects of a Reading Accommodation on the Validity of a Reading Test (#28)Formats: OnlineThis year 2000 report examines the effect of a read aloud accommodation on the performance of students on a reading comprehension test. Thirty-two students from general education and special education were administered two equivalent forms of the California Achievement Tests (CAT/5) Comprehension survey. One of the groups took a form with the read aloud accommodation. There were no significant effects by student status found, except for a moderate positive effect size for students with disabilities. Information on student preference of the read aloud accommodation by student status are also presented.
Published: December 2000- Empowering Families Toolkit - Tool 1 Video: Why are assessments important, and why should students with disabilities participate in assessments? (Version 2/authentic video of a parent and her children in Spanish)Formats: Free Video
This video 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 “Version 2” video has the same content as “Version 1” but features an authentic parent and her children and additionally is in Spanish. The video is part of the Empowering Families Toolkit developed by NCEO to provide accessible materials for parents about assessment topics.
Published: 9/5/2023 - 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 Synthesis Reports: Assessment Guidelines that Maximize the Participation of Students with Disabilities in Large-Scale Assessments: Characteristics and Considerations (#25)Formats: OnlineThis 1996 report provides: (1) An overview of immediate and past practice in participation, accommodation, and reporting of students with disabilities in state and national assessments; (2) Criteria for making decisions around participation, accommodation, and reporting of assessment results for students with disabilities. (3) Examples and nonexamples of criteria markers in existing state guidelines, (4) short list of assessment accommodations in four categories, and (5) A hands-on approach to examining and/or revising state and district guidelines about accountability, large-scale assessments, and students with disabilities.
Published: October 1996
1% Toolkit: Start with the End in Mind: An Infographic to Guide Decisions about Student Participation in the Alternate Assessment (NCEO Tool #7)This Infographic to Guide Decisions about Student Participation in the Alternate Assessment tool is designed to provide guidance about IEP team decision making for a student’s participation in the state's alternate assessment on academic achievement standards (AA-AAAS), which is meant for a very small number of students with significant cognitive disabilities. Developed during NCEO’s Peer Learning Group 3 (PLG 3), the tool explains how this important decision can affect the future opportunities available to a student with a disability. The infographic may be given to teachers in IEP trainings, provided to parents and guardians to read before an IEP team meeting, and used to talk with parents and guardians during an IEP team meeting.
Published: May 2020
1% Toolkit: Who Should Participate in Your State’s Alternate Assessment? A Slide Presentation Tool for Administrators (NCEO Tool #6)This Slide Presentation tool is designed to support the needs that administrators have for brief but substantive information about who should participate in the state’s alternate assessment on academic achievement standards (AA-AAAS). 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. Developed during NCEO’s Peer Learning Group 3 (PLG 3), they highlight the purpose of the AA-AAAS, the implications of a student taking the AA-AAS, strategies for talking with parents, and identification of students who should participate in this assessment. The slides may be customized.
Published: May 2020
TIES Center Briefs: Developing IEPs that Support Inclusive Education for Students with the Most Significant Cognitive Disabilities (#3)This Parent Brief focuses on developing Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) that support inclusive education for students with the most significant cognitive disabilities. IEPs that support inclusion are especially critical for students with the most significant cognitive disabilities who participate in a state alternate assessment aligned to alternate academic achievement standards (AA-AAAS), as well as for those in grades PreK-2 who may not yet take state assessments. The purpose of this Brief is to identify specific ways in which the IEPs of students with the most significant cognitive disabilities can be written to support inclusion in the general education curriculum and, ideally, the general education classroom.
Published: 2/5/2020
NCEO Synthesis Reports: Implementation of Alternative Methods for Making Educational Accountability Decisions for Students with Disabilities (#12)Formats: PDFThis report examines some of the issues and challenges in gathering data for purposes of making accountability decisions for students with disabilities (1994). The report (1) describes the alternative methods that are being used, (2) describes the student population and accountability decision-making practices in representative states, (3) describes the kinds of issues State Education Agency (SEA) personnel encounter, (4) identifies the kinds of data SEA and national education policy personnel say would be needed to demonstrate that education works for students with disabilities, (5) describes ways in which SEA personnel have been successful in overcoming barriers, and (6) makes recommendations of promising practices for making accountability decisions.
Published: March 1994- NCEO APR Snapshot Briefs: 2022-2023 APR Snapshot 32: State Assessment Participation, Performance, and Assigned Accommodations for Students Receiving Special Education Services (#32)Formats: Online
This report provides a snapshot of the participation and performance of grade 8 students receiving special education services on statewide reading/language arts and mathematics assessments for 2022-23. Data are presented for both general and alternate assessments (AA-AAAS), including an analysis of the 1% participation cap for alternate assessments using enrollment-based calculations. This Snapshot also summarizes data on the percentage of students assigned accommodations for state general assessments. Data for other grades are provided for the regular states as well as for unique states that receive special education funds.
Published: March 2026 
NCEO Synthesis Reports: 2005 State Policies on Assessment Participation and Accommodations for Students with Disabilities (#64)This year 2006 report analyzes states' participation and accommodation policies for students with disabilities for school year 2005. Key findings include (1) increased clarification for when accommodations can be used, (2) controversial accommodations continue to be read aloud questions, sign interpret questions and calculator use, (3) spell check appears to be more widely accepted than in the past, (4) that most states permit extended time with no restriction, and (5) that fewer states allow testing over multiple days. Also, most states now have user accessible policies on their web sites. Authors note the analysis was descriptive and there was no attempt to determine degree of compliance to federal requirements.
Published: September 2006
NCEO State Surveys: 1997 State Special Education Outcomes: A Report on State Activities During Educational ReformFormats: PDFThis report presents the results of the sixth survey of state activities in the assessment of educational outcomes for students with disabilities conducted by NCEO since 1991. NCEO sent the survey to directors of special education of all the 50 regular states and the 10 unique states that provide special education under the provisions of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. Results are presented in seven sections: (1) Students with disabilities and standards-based reform, (2) Measuring the participation of students with disabilities in statewide testing, (3) state activities in developing alternate assessments, (4) Using assessment results for students with disabilities, (5) Individualized Educational Programs and assessments, (6) Measuring non-academic outcomes for students with disabilities, and (7) Current issues and technical assistance needs.
Published: November 1997
NCEO Synthesis Reports: 2001 State Policies on Assessment Participation and Accommodations (#46)Formats: OnlineThis year 2001 report analyzes state participation and accommodation policies nationwide. Among the major findings are: (1) participation options beyond the usual three (participation without accommodations, participation with accommodations, alternate assessment) have become more evident -- generally these are: partial participation, additional alternate assessments, and out-of-level testing, (2)"emotional anxiety" is more frequently noted as a reason for students to not participate in assessments, (3) policies for both participation and accommodations are becoming more specific, often indicating implications for how accommodated students' scores are reported, (4) the number of states that allow accommodations for specific groups (i.e., all students and students no longer on IEPs), and (5) that most controversial accommodations continue to be read aloud, calculator, and scribe. The analyses suggest that states continued to adjust their policies to ensure that students with disabilities have opportunities to participate in statewide assessments, and at the same time to understand the meaning of the scores from their assessments.
Published: July 2002
NCEO Synthesis Reports: Access to Computer-Based Testing for Students with Disabilities (#45)This year 2002 report recommends a five step process for the transformation of paper and pencil tests to computer-based tests based on an overview of the opportunities and challenges of computer-based testing and a presentation of research findings and accommodation considerations. This process assumes that the principles of universally designed assessments have been followed and include the following five steps: (1) assemble a group of experts to guide the transformation, (2) decide how each accommodation will be incorporated into the computer-based test, (3) Consider each accommodation or assessment feature in light of the constructs being tested, (4) consider the feasibility of incorporating the accommodation into the computer-based test, and (5) consider training implications for staff and students. Authors also make initial considerations for common accommodations within the categories of timing/scheduling, presentation, response, and setting.
Published: June 2002- NCEO Reports: Using Interim Assessments to Appropriately Measure What Students with Disabilities Know and Can Do: Advisory Panel Takeaways and NCEO Recommendations (#427)
A report on a virtual meeting NCEO held on February 16 and 17, 2021 of an Interim Assessment Advisory Panel to tap into the panel members’ collective knowledge about using interim assessments to support valid interpretations of what students with disabilities know and can do. The panel represented psychometricians, researchers knowledgeable about students with disabilities, state education agency (SEA) assessment and special education leaders, local education agency (LEA) leaders, and parents. Interim assessments refer to assessments that are administered several times during a school year to measure student progress. The meeting purpose was to develop and disseminate guidance to state departments of education on how to enable all students with disabilities, including students with the most significant cognitive disabilities and English learners with disabilities, to participate in interim assessments in ways that yield valid inferences of what they know and can do.
Published: May 2021 
NCEO Synthesis Reports: Assessing Educational Outcomes: State Activity and Literature Integration (#1)Formats: PDFIn October 1990 the National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO) for Students with Disabilities was established at the University of Minnesota. Its mission is to provide national leadership in the development of educational outcomes and a system of indicators for students with disabilities. For NCEO it is necessary to give attention not only to the most recent research related to outcomes indicators in general but also to research that has been conducted in special education. The purpose of this document is to provide a synthesis of information that is available in the current literature. Topics of relevance to this literature review include (1) Educational reform and its current status in the United States, (2) Definitions of key terms, (3) Current models of educational indicators in both general education and special education, (4) Current states of outcomes indicators activities in both general education and special education, and (5) Critical issues in the development of a comprehensive system of educational indicators. This document will be revised annually in order to incorporate new literature and current events that pertain to the educational outcomes of students with disabilities.
Published: July 1991