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- Participation Matters: Talking Points for SEA Policymakers: Participation Matters: Talking Points on Accessibility and Accommodations for Statewide AssessmentsFormats: Online
This brief gives state directors, staff, and policymakers talking points and resources to advocate for assessment accessibility and accommodations for students with disabilities. It is the second brief in the "Participation Matters" series, which helps state leaders ensure accurate data collection reflecting all students' achievement.
Published: June 2026 - NCEO Style Guidelines: A Reference Tool for Writing Reports, APA Style, and NCEO Publication SpecificationsFormats: Online
This style guide was developed to help NCEO and related projects staff prepare the final copy of their documents. This style guide provides directions for creating heading levels, tables, figures, the use of color and contrast, and more. This style guide focuses on accessibility and current standards for following ADA Title II rules. Guidance is also giving for following APA standards and making PowerPoints.
Published: February 2026 - NCEO Reports: State Policies and Research on Alternate Assessment Accommodations (#446)Formats: PDF
This report presents findings from two studies examining accommodations policies and research on alternate assessments based on alternate academic achievement standards (AA-AAAS). This policy analysis and literature review revealed several key insights about accommodations for AA-AAAS, with far-reaching implications for policy, practice, and future research. These findings underscore the need for a comprehensive and coordinated approach to improving assessment practices for students with the most significant cognitive disabilities.
Published: March 2025 - NCEO Newsletter: February 2025 issueFormats: Online
NCEO’s February 2025 newsletter focuses on providing essential resources to support decision making around assessment participation. We highlight briefs on determining appropriate assessment paths for students along with tools to help teams select and implement accessibility features that best meet individual student needs. Articles also highlight some of NCEO’s newest resources on assessment participation and accessibility features decisions and a few of NCEO’s favorite resources on accessibility features. There is also an article on NCEO's presence at several major spring conferences.
Published: February 2025 - MIDAS Project Reports: A Mixed Methods Study on Teaching Students Who Moved From the AA-AAAS to General State Assessment (#102)Formats: PDF
This report presents the findings of a study that examined the successes and barriers that teachers faced when instructing students with disabilities who have moved from the alternate assessment based on alternate academic achievement standards (AA-AAAS) to the general state assessment. For this study, classroom observations and teacher interviews were conducted in three states.
Published: July 2024 - NCEO APR Snapshot Briefs: 2021-2022 APR Snapshot #31: Assessment Participation, Performance, and Assigned Accommodations for Students Receiving Special Education Services (#31)Formats: Online
This report provides a snapshot of the participation and performance of students receiving special education services on statewide reading/language arts and mathematics assessments for 2021-22. Data are provided for mathematics and reading/language arts for general and alternate assessments. This report also summarizes data on the percentage of students assigned accommodations for general assessments.
Published: 6/25/2024 - NCEO APR Snapshot Briefs: 2020-2021 APR Snapshot #30: AA-AAAS Participation and Performance (#30)Formats: 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 2020-2021 school year, information is presented on the number of students participating in the AA-AAAS and the performance of those students. Data are presented for the 50 regular states as well as the 10 unique states.
Published: December 2023 - Empowering Families Toolkit - Tool 4 Video: Understanding Test Data at SSIP Stakeholder MeetingsFormats: Free Video
This video explains how the review of test data at State Systemic Improvement Plan (SSIP) stakeholder meetings by parents and other stakeholders can support the development and implementation of plans that lead to improved outcomes for their children and all students with disabilities. The video also provides tips on how to be active participants in stakeholder meetings. This 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 Participation Communication Toolkit: Communicating about Annual State Assessment Participation for All Students: A Communication Toolkit—PhotosFormats: Word
A collection of images that state education agencies, districts, and schools can use in social media to connect directly with families, educators, policymakers, and students. This collection of images 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.
Published: 11/9/2021 
Improving Instruction Briefs: Building Successful Communication Between Parent or Guardian and Teacher: Information for Parents or Guardians (Vietnamese translation)Formats: PDFThis Brief, translated into Vietnamese, explains how parents or guardians of students who are English learners can develop successful communication with teachers. Good parent-educator communication is key to determining appropriate accessibility features and accommodations for students. This Brief was developed by NCEO’s “Improving Instruction for English Learners Through Improved Accessibility Decisions,” in collaboration with the West Virginia Department of Education.
Published: June 2020
Improving Instruction Briefs: Building Successful Communication Between Parent or Guardian and Teacher: Information for Parents or Guardians (Spanish translation)Formats: PDFThis Brief, translated into Spanish, explains how parents or guardians of students who are English learners can develop successful communication with teachers. Good parent-educator communication is key to determining appropriate accessibility features and accommodations for students. This Brief was developed by NCEO’s “Improving Instruction for English Learners Through Improved Accessibility Decisions,” in collaboration with the West Virginia Department of Education.
Published: June 2020
Improving Instruction Briefs: Building Successful Communication Between Parent or Guardian and Teacher: Information for Parents or Guardians (Traditional Chinese translation)Formats: PDFThis Brief, translated into Traditional Chinese, explains how parents or guardians of students who are English learners can develop successful communication with teachers. Good parent-educator communication is key to determining appropriate accessibility features and accommodations for students. This Brief was developed by NCEO’s “Improving Instruction for English Learners Through Improved Accessibility Decisions,” in collaboration with the West Virginia Department of Education.
Published: June 2020
Improving Instruction Briefs: Building Successful Communication Between Parent or Guardian and Teacher: Information for Parents or Guardians (Simplified Chinese translation)Formats: PDFThis Brief, translated into Simplified Chinese, explains how parents or guardians of students who are English learners can develop successful communication with teachers. Good parent-educator communication is key to determining appropriate accessibility features and accommodations for students. This Brief was developed by NCEO’s “Improving Instruction for English Learners Through Improved Accessibility Decisions,” in collaboration with the West Virginia Department of Education.
Published: June 2020
Improving Instruction Briefs: Building Successful Communication Between Parent or Guardian and Teacher: Information for Parents or Guardians (Arabic translation)Formats: PDFThis Brief, translated into Arabic, explains how parents or guardians of students who are English learners can develop successful communication with teachers. Good parent-educator communication is key to determining appropriate accessibility features and accommodations for students. This Brief was developed by NCEO’s “Improving Instruction for English Learners Through Improved Accessibility Decisions,” in collaboration with the West Virginia Department of Education.
Published: June 2020
NCEO APR Snapshot Briefs: 2016-2017 APR Snapshot #21: AA-AAS Participation and Performance (#21)Formats: OnlineThis report summarizes Alternate Assessment based on Alternate Achievement Standards (AA-AAS) data used for Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) accountability to measure the academic achievement of students with significant cognitive disabilities. Using federally submitted data from the 2016-2017 school year, we present information on the number of students participating in the AA-AAS and the performance of those students.
Published: July 2019
Supporting English Language Learners Through Improved Accessibility Decision MakingFormats: OnlineThese online professional development modules on accessible instruction and assessment were designed for distinct audiences of elementary teachers and secondary teachers. The modules use a collaborative decision-making process among educators, parents, and students who are English learners, to decide appropriate accessibility features and accommodations for individual students, and guides K-12 teachers to facilitate and document high quality decision making about accessible instruction and assessment for English learners.
Published: 2019-06-01
NCEO APR Snapshot Briefs: 2015-2016 APR Snapshot #18: AA-AAS Participation and Performance (#18)Formats: OnlineThis report summarizes Alternate Assessment based on Alternate Achievement Standards (AA-AAS) data used for Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) accountability to measure the academic achievement of students with significant cognitive disabilities. Using federally submitted data from the 2015-2016 school year, we present information on the number of students participating in the AA-AAS and the performance of those students.
Published: July 2018- NCEO APR Snapshot Briefs: 2013-2014 APR Snapshot #12: AA-AAS Participation and Performance (#12)Formats: Online
This 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 Data Analytics: Graduation Policies for Students with Disabilities Who Participate in States' General Assessments (#3)Formats: OnlineA report presenting the results of a study looking at coursework and exit exam requirements for students with IEPs compared to students without IEPs. This relates to the larger issues of graduation rates and requirements for earning a regular diploma -- issues that interest states as they work to ensure their students are ready for college and career when they leave school with a diploma.
Published: November 2015- NCEO APR Snapshot Briefs: 2008-2009 APR Snapshot #1: State Assessment Participation and Performance of Special Education Students (#1)Formats: Online
This year 2012 report summarizes the participation and performance of eighth grade students with disabilities, in reading and math assessments used for federal accountability in the 2008-2009 school year.
Published: January 2012