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NCEO Synthesis Reports: Enhancing Communication: Desirable Characteristics for State and School District Educational Accountability Reports (#30)Formats: OnlineA report summarizing a 1997 meeting of members of a study group within the State Collaborative on Assessment and Student Standards, Assessing Special Education Students, which is made up of assessment and special education representatives, to develop a list of necessary, desirable, and succinct characteristics of good state and district educational accountability reports. A checklist of desirable characteristics for state and school district accountability reports is included.
Published: January 1998
NCEO Synthesis Reports: Making Decisions About the Inclusion of Students with Disabilities in Large-Scale Assessments: A Report on a Working Conference to Develop Guidelines on Inclusion and Accommodations (#13)Formats: PDFThis report is a summary of a meeting held in Washington, D.C. on March 9-10, 1994. Much of the focus of this meeting was on the challenges faced in making decisions about inclusion and accommodations for students with disabilities on the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP). The content of this report and the recommended guidelines also have applicability for state large-scale assessments.
Published: April 1994- Policy HistoryFormats: Online
This page describes the important policy milestones related to students with disabilities in education over time.
Published: 2021-02-01 - 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 APR Snapshot Briefs: 2018-2019 APR Snapshot #27: AA-AAAS Participation and PerformanceFormats: Online
This report summarizes Alternate Assessment based on Alternate Academic Achievement Standards (AA-AAAS) data used for Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) accountability. Using federally submitted data for the 2018-2019 school year, we present information on the number of students participating in the AA-AAAS and the performance of those students. An AA-AAAS has been developed by each state to measure the academic achievement of students with significant cognitive disabilities. We present data for the 50 regular states as well as the 10 unique states (American Samoa, Bureau of Indian Education, District of Columbia, Federated States of Micronesia, Guam, Northern Marianas, Puerto Rico, Republic of Palau, Republic of the Marshall Islands, and Virgin Islands).
Published: December 2022 - Assistive Technology Interoperability with Online Assessment Platforms and Other Technology Products and Services: Making it All Work!
This report contains the proceedings of a forum held on June 29, 2022, in Atlanta, Georgia to discuss issues surrounding the use of personal student assistive technology and online assessment participation. A specific goal of the forum was to gather representatives from state departments of education, assessment vendors, and technology companies to discuss challenges students face when using their personal assistive technology supports to participate in online assessments and to identify possible solutions. The forum was a post-session to the Council of Chief State School Officers’ (CCSSO) National Conference on Student Assessment (NCSA) and was a collaboration of the Assessment, Standards, and Education for Students with Disabilities (ASES) Collaborative and the National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO).
Published: September 2022 - NCEO Reports: Speech-Language Pathologists’ Experiences with Accessibility and Accommodations for Students with Disabilities (#430)
This report presents the findings of a study aimed to address the gap between policy and practice for speech-language pathologists (SLPs) who serve students identified with a speech-language impairment, including other co-existing disabilities. The following research questions were addressed: (1) What factors influence how SLPs make accessibility and accommodations decisions for students with disabilities, including English learners with disabilities? (2) How do SLPs participate in the IEP team classroom and assessment accessibility and accommodations decision-making process for students with disabilities, including English learners with disabilities? And (3) Do SLPs have professional development needs about accessibility and accommodations?
Published: December 2021 
MTSS for All: Including Students with the Most Significant Cognitive DisabilitiesThe purpose of this Brief is to provide suggestions for ways in which the Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS), a framework for organizing and providing a tiered instructional continuum to support learning for all students, can include students with the most significant cognitive disabilities. Ideas for how to make MTSS fully inclusive of all students are presented following a short history of MTSS and a summary of current MTSS models.
Published: 1/23/2020
NCEO Brief: Considerations for States Providing Materials in Braille (#19)The purpose of this brief is to provide information on, and recommendations for, providing appropriate braille materials for students. In November 2012, the U.S. members of the Braille Authority of North America (BANA) voted to adopt Unified English Braille Code (UEB), with implementation of the code to begin in January 2016. Prior to that, braille materials and assessments were provided through English Braille American Edition (EBAE) a "literary" code, and Nemeth Code for Mathematics & Science Notation (Nemeth). Now, math and science materials can be created in UEB only or in Nemeth that is embedded within UEB. This brief examines why providing both options is important to designing appropriate school policies and procedures for braille users.
Published: October 2019
NCEO Brief: Students with Disabilities and Chronic Absenteeism (#15)The purpose of this Brief is to provide information about chronic absenteeism and possible implications for students with disabilities when a state selects it as a measure of school quality or student success. It highlights both the benefits and potential risks in light of requirements in the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (Section 504), and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The Brief also suggests actions that states might consider taking to address chronic absences among students with disabilities at the state and local levels as they work to include this new measure in accountability systems.
Published: April 2018
Forum on Text Readers for Everyone on All Tests: Getting a Handle on What This MeansFormats: PDFA report on a forum held on June 27, 2017 in Austin, TX that brought together staff representing state departments of education, school districts, testing and testing-related companies, and other educational organizations Texas to discuss the availability of text readers for everyone on all tests, the differences in terminology for text readers, ways to develop common language around text readers, and challenges associated with text readers. The forum was a pre-session to the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO) National Conference on Student Assessment (NCSA), and was a collaboration of the Assessing Special Education Students (ASES) State Collaborative on Assessment and Student Standards (SCASS), the English Learner (EL) SCASS, and the National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO).
Published: August 2017
NCEO Data Analytics: State Assessment Participation and Performance of Students with IEPs 2013-2014 (#5)Formats: OnlineThis interactive report presents data on the participation and performance of students 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. This interactive brief is based on "2013-2014 APR Snapshot #10: State Assessment Participation and Performance of Students Receiving Special Education Services."
Published: February 2017
NCEO Synthesis Reports: 2012 State Policies for Accommodations Used to Deliver Assessments Orally (#91)A report examining the wide variation across states in their accommodations policies for Human Reader, Text to Speech, and Pre-recorded Audio. The results of the analyses in the report can inform states and the general assessment consortia--PARCC and Smarter Balanced--as they plan for the transition to their new assessments. Among other things, the report provides an easy way to develop a crosswalk of policies on these accommodations to the new consortia policies.
Published: August 2013; revised January 2014
NCEO Synthesis Reports: Characteristics of States' Alternate Assessments Based on Modified Academic Achievement Standards in 2008 (#72)A report describing an assessment option permitted by federal regulations that give states the flexibility to offer an alternate assessment based on modified academic achievement standards (AA-MAS). This assessment option is for a small group of students with disabilities who can make significant progress but may not reach grade-level proficiency within the time period covered by their Individualized Education Program. Students who participate in an AA-MAS must have access to grade-level content. States are not required to offer this option. This report compiles, analyzes, and summarizes states' participation guidelines for the AA-MAS.
Published: September 2009
NCEO Synthesis Reports: States' Alternate Assessments Based on Modified Achievement Standards (AA-MAS) in 2007 (#67)This year 2007 report summarizes the publicly available information about alternates based on modified achievement standards (AA-MAS). It describes the formats and eligibility criteria for five states with an AA-MAS, and further information on another state intending to administer one in the 2008-09 school year. It also describes how states' AA-MAS differ from states' regular assessments, including assessment characteristics and incorporated accommodations.
Published: December 2007
NCEO Synthesis Reports: Dealing with Flexibility in Assessments for Students with Significant Cognitive Disabilities (#60)This year 2006 report presents an analysis of where flexibility is allowed or controlled (standardized) in the development of alternate assessments based on alternate achievement standards for students with significant cognitive disabilities. The authors identify key challenges in evaluating data and technical quality given the flexibility of this population's instructional goals. Further, they address specific points for policymakers and assessment leaders to consider regarding the degree of flexibility or standardization they might design into these alternate assessment systems, including clarifying state values and goals, research and development, assessment format, and evaluating technical quality.
Published: June 2006
NCEO Technical Reports: Analyzing Results of Large-Scale Assessments to Ensure Universal Design (#41)This year 2005 report illustrates one method for determining whether items on an assessment are functioning differentially for students with disabilities in comparison to their peers without disabilities. The report describes various statistical techniques used with a large statewide dataset for a mathematics assessment, and describes ways to compensate for lack of statistical power when looking at small group sizes. The report concludes that items can be flagged for review using differential functioning or other types of analysis.
Published: July 2005
NCEO Synthesis Reports: Expectations for Students with Cognitive Disabilities: Is the Cup Half Empty or Half Full? Can the Cup Flow Over? (#55)Formats: OnlineThis year 2004 report addresses making informed decisions about the best instruction and assessments for students with cognitive disabilities. It includes an analysis of nationally representative cognitive and achievement data to illustrate the dangers of blanket assumptions about appropriate achievement expectations for individuals based on his or her cognitive ability or diagnostic label. Further, the report reviews research on achievement patterns of students with cognitive disabilities and the effects of teacher expectations.
Published: December 2004
NCEO Technical Reports: Going public: What 2000-2001 Reports Tell Us about the Performance of Students with Disabilities (#35)This year 2003 report examines the extent to which states publicly reported information about students with disabilities in statewide assessments in 2000-2001. The report describes state assessment systems and examines published state department of education reports for participation and performance data disaggregated by students with disabilities. It also includes analyses of achievement gaps by content area for grades 4, 8 and 10. Recommendations on reporting are also provided.
Published: April 2003