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878 results.
  • NCEO Annual Performance Reports and State Performance Plans: Biennial Performance Reports: 2000-2001 State Assessment Data
    Formats: PDF

    A report summarizing assessment data from State Performance Plans.

    Published: December 2002
  • NCEO Technical Reports: A Summary of Research on the Effects of Test Accommodations: 1999 through 2001 (#34)
    Formats: Online, PDF

    This year 2002 report summarizes 46 empirical research studies on accommodations published between 1999 through 2001. The report describes the characteristics of the studies: purpose, type of assessment and content, participants, research design, findings, and limitations. Observations from the analysis are given with recommendations for future research, including considerations in assessment design and standardization (i.e., universal design) to reduce the need for accommodations.

    Published: December 2002
  • NCEO Synthesis Reports: Massachusetts: One State's Approach to Setting Performance Levels on the Alternate Assessment (#48)
    Formats: Online, PDF

    This year 2002 report describes Massachusetts' approach to setting performance levels on its Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System (MCAS) Alternate Assessment. The state's portfolio approach was based on "expanded" state standards describing academic outcomes appropriate for students with significant disabilities. The report explains the technical phase of standard setting and describes the context of earlier conversations and theoretical debates that came before their decisions in the development process of the alternate assessment. The report further describes how performance levels were calibrated between the alternate and general assessments, due to the alternate being used for high school diploma requirements, and the ways performance levels in each strand were combined to produce an overall performance level.

    Published: November 2002
  • NCEO Technical Reports: Are We There Yet? Accountability for the Performance of Students with Disabilities (#33)
    Formats: Online, PDF

    This year 2002 report identifies and describes state accountability systems to determine the degree that public documents clearly articulate whether students with disabilities are included in accountability calculations. Primary indicators addressed in state systems included student performance on statewide assessments, Performance growth, attendance rates, and dropout rates. The review found that only a handful of states clearly counted all students with disabilities in accountability determinations for schools.

    Published: November 2002
  • Educational Policy Reform Research Institute Reports: Topical Review Two: High Stakes: Exit Documents and Students with Disabilities (#2)
    Formats: PDF

    This year 2002 topical review examines the traditional role of the high school diploma in the current context of standards-based reform as it relates to students with diverse educational needs, and students with disabilities in particular.

    Published: October 2002
  • NCEO Synthesis Reports: A Report of a Standard Setting Method for Alternate Assessments for Students with Significant Disabilities (#47)
    Formats: Online, PDF

    This year 2002 report presents one state's use of the "body of work" approach toward standard setting to determine performance level cut scores for an alternate assessment developed for students with the most significant disabilities. It describes the rationale and design the state used in its portfolio assessment, followed by a detailed description of the standard setting process, including information on time and resource constraints, areas of potential contamination and bias in the approach, and the importance of range-finding and pin-pointing phases for this approach.

    Published: October 2002
  • NCEO Limited English Proficiency Projects Reports: 1999-2000 Participation and Performance of English Language Learners Reported in Public State Documents and Web Sites (#3)
    Formats: PDF

    This year 2002 report summarizes data publicly reported on state education department websites on the participation rate and performance of English learners for 1999-2000.

    Published: September 2002
  • NCEO Out-of-Level Testing Project Reports: A Follow-Up Web-Based Survey: Test and Measurement Expert Opinions on the Psychometric Properties of Out-of-Level Tests (#7)
    Formats: Online

    This year 2002 report presents results of a survey conducted with researchers, academicians, and others with expertise in testing theory and large-scale assessment on the topic of out-of-level testing. The report summarizes both quantitative and qualitative analyses of the survey data. The report concludes by recommending further areas of research to guide the development of out-of-level testing policies and practices.

    Published: July 2002
  • NCEO Synthesis Reports: 2001 State Policies on Assessment Participation and Accommodations (#46)
    Formats: Online

    This 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 Policy Directions: Including Alternate Assessment Results in Accountability Decisions (#13)
    Formats: Online

    This year 2002 report addresses policy options for including the results of alternate assessments in school accountability systems and provides examples of approaches used in several states.

    Published: June 2002
  • NCEO Policy Directions: Universally Designed Assessments - Better Tests for Everyone! (#14)
    Formats: Online, PDF

    This year 2002 report describes the principles of Universal Design and summarizes seven essential elements of universal design that apply to assessment development.

    Published: June 2002
  • NCEO Synthesis Reports: Access to Computer-Based Testing for Students with Disabilities (#45)
    Formats: Online, PDF

    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 Synthesis Reports: Universal Design Applied to Large Scale Assessments (#44)
    Formats: Online, PDF

    The purpose of this report is to explore the development of universal design and to consider its application to large scale assessments. Building on universal design principles presented by the Center for Universal Design, seven elements of universally designed assessments are identified and described in report paper.

    Published: June 2002
  • NCEO Synthesis Reports: Use of Alternate Assessment Results in Reporting and Accountability Systems: Conditions for Use Based on Research and Practice (#43)
    Formats: Online

    This report reviews current (2002) understanding of the technical and policy considerations involved in high quality alternate assessment. Based on research from early implementation and what are considered to be best practice approaches, this synthesis describes five steps in alternate assessment test development processes that allow interpretation and use of results in reporting and accountability.

    Published: May 2002
  • NCEO Synthesis Reports: Setting Standards on Alternate Assessments (#42)
    Formats: Online

    This year 2002 report identifies common standards-setting techniques and how they might be applied to alternate assessments. The techniques addressed are: reasoned judgment, contrasting groups, modified Angoff, bookmarking or item mapping, body of work, and judgmental policy capturing.

    Published: April 2002
  • NCEO Out-of-Level Testing Project Reports: Scale Score Comparability Across Two Levels of a Norm-Referenced Math Computation Test for Students with Learning Disabilities (#8)
    Formats: Online

    This year 2002 report summarizes a small-scale comparability study with students with learning disabilities taking the MAT/7 norm-referenced math computation test on-grade and out-of-level. The report includes qualitative feedback from students on both assessment conditions, and addresses limitations of the study.

    Published: March 2002
  • NCEO Out-of-Level Testing Project Reports: Test and Measurement Expert Opinions: A Dialogue About Testing Students with Disabilities Out of Level in Large-Scale Assessments (#6)
    Formats: Online

    This year 2002 report summarizes the discussion of two focus groups composed of test and measurement experts held to address out-of-level testing. The report summarizes the concerns raised and concludes that studies are needed to determine the differential results of out-of-level test scores compared to on-grade level test scores.

    Published: March 2002
  • Educational Policy Reform Research Institute Reports: Topical Review One: Creating Performance Goals and Indicators in Special Education (#1)
    Formats: PDF

    This year 2002 topical review addresses performance goals and indicators for special education. It is part of a series developed by the Educational Policy Reform Research Institute (EPRRI), which is investigating issues related to accountability and special education. This review looks at how to create valid and measurable indicators of key features of special education that can be used to gauge effectiveness as well as target improvement strategies.

    Published: January 2002
  • Educational Policy Reform Research Institute Reports: Topical Review Three: Reporting on the State Assessment Performance of Students with Disabilities (#3)
    Formats: PDF

    The purpose of this year 2001 topical review is to provide a comprehensive account of reporting the performance of students with disabilities on state assessments.

    Published: December 2001
  • NCEO Classroom-Based Assessment Project: Using a Curriculum-Based Instructional Management System to Enhance Math Achievement in Urban Schools
    Formats: PDF

    A report from NCEO's Classroom-Based Assessment Project.

    Published: December 2001