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- NCEO Reports: Test Security and Students with Disabilities: An Analysis of States’ 2020-21 Test Security Policies (#434)
This report provides a snapshot of how accommodated tests for students with disabilities, accessibility, alternate assessments, and other related issues were addressed in states’ test security policies for 2020-21. Strong test security policies and procedures are needed to help ensure the integrity and validity of state assessments, yet some test security measures may affect accessibility. There is a need for thoughtful consideration of ways in which possible test security measures may affect accessibility, and how to balance test security and accessibility. This report is an update of an analysis NCEO of 2013-14 test security policies.
Published: December 2021 - Proceedings of the NCEO Interim Assessment Convening: Measuring What Students with Disabilities Know and Can Do Using Interim Assessments
This report contains the proceeding of the Interim Assessment Convening on Measuring What Students with Disabilities Know and Can Do Using Interim Assessments that was hosted by NCEO, and held on July 26 and 27, 2021. The purpose of the Convening was to share information about how to enable the participation of all students with disabilities, including students with the most significant cognitive disabilities and English learners with disabilities, in interim assessments in ways that support obtaining valid results of what they know and can do. The Convening also provided an opportunity for State education agency (SEA) teams to develop goals and action items, based on the opportunities and challenges identified, that would result in more valid measurement of what students with disabilities know and can do at both the SEA and local education agency (LEA) levels. This Proceedings document was developed to provide a summary of the Convening. It includes appendices and links to resources that were shared by states and others at the Convening.
Published: December 2021 - NCEO Reports: 2018-19 Publicly Reported Assessment Results for Students with Disabilities and English Learners with Disabilities (#428)
This is the 22nd report by the National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO) that describes how states publicly report assessment data for students with disabilities in K-12 schools in the United States. The purpose of this report is to examine the extent to which states reported 2018–19 assessment data for students with disabilities “to the public with the same frequency and in the same detail as it reports on the assessment of nondisabled children,” as required by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). It also describes how states report assessment participation and performance data to the public online. It summarizes these data for grades 4 and 8, and high school, with additional analyses that focus on average performance gaps across years. The report also summarizes the extent to which states report participation and performance for English learners (ELs) with disabilities and examines public reporting of accommodations.
Published: December 2021 - NCEO Brief: Steps to Equitably Include Deaf Students in Assessments (#25)
Standardized tests have many uses in education. For example, they are used to document student achievement, measure progress, and determine readiness for postsecondary education or employment. However, deaf students often do not have equitable access to standardized tests. This Brief is jointly written by the National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO) and the National Deaf Center on Postsecondary Education (NDC). It provides three key steps to support deaf students in standardized testing.
Published: December 2021 - Accommodations Toolkit: Preferential Seating: States' Accessibility Policies, 2021Formats: Online
This summary of states’ accessibility policies for preferential seating is part of the Accommodations Toolkit published by the National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO).
Published: 12/14/2021 - Accommodations Toolkit: Preferential Seating: ResearchFormats: Online
This fact sheet on preferential seating is part of the Accommodations Toolkit published by the National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO). It summarizes information and research findings on the use of preferential seating as an accessibility feature or accommodation.
Published: 12/14/2021 - Accommodations Toolkit: Clarify/Simplify/Repeat Directions: States' Accessibility Policies, 2021Formats: Online
This summary of states’ accessibility policies for clarify/simplify/repeat directions is part of the Accommodations Toolkit published by the National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO).
Published: 12/14/2021 - Accommodations Toolkit: Clarify/Simplify/Repeat Directions: ResearchFormats: Online
This fact sheet on clarify/simplify/repeat directions is part of the Accommodations Toolkit published by the National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO). It summarizes information and research findings on the use of clarify/simplify/repeat directions as an accessibility feature or accommodation.
Published: 12/14/2021 - NCEO Participation Communication Toolkit: Customizable Participation Communication Toolkit Educator FlyerFormats: Word
The purpose of this 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.
Published: 2021-11-11 - NCEO Participation Communication Toolkit: Customizable Participation Communication Toolkit Family FlyerFormats: Word
The purpose of this 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.
Published: 2021-11-11 - NCEO Participation Communication Toolkit: Customizable Participation Communication Toolkit IEP Team Discussion GuideFormats: Word
This 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.
Published: 2021-11-11 - NCEO Participation Communication Toolkit: Customizable Participation Communication Toolkit Policymaker FlyerFormats: Word
The purpose of this 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.
Published: 2021-11-11 - NCEO Participation Communication Toolkit: Customizable Participation Communication Toolkit Student FlyerFormats: Word
The purpose of this 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.
Published: 2021-11-11 - NCEO Participation Communication Toolkit: Participation Communication Toolkit Slide Deck TemplateFormats: PPT
This customizable slide presentation is designed to support the needs of state education agency staff, and district and school administrators for brief but substantive information district and school administrators can use when communicating with educators, policymakers, families, and other stakeholders about why it is so important that students participate in state assessments. 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. The slides may be customized. The slide deck 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 - 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 - TIES Center Briefs: Understanding the Role of Paraprofessionals in Your Child’s Education in Inclusive Classrooms (TIES Center Brief #7)
Paraprofessionals should be available to students with significant cognitive disabilities in the inclusive classroom. Depending on each student’s needs, paraprofessionals may provide supports, including supports for instruction, communication, or movement. The purpose of this Brief is to address what qualities, knowledge, and skills paraprofessionals must have; what paraprofessionals should be expected to do; and what supports paraprofessionals need for success. This Brief also provides examples of appropriate use of paraprofessionals in inclusive classrooms and some red flags that might indicate a need to adjust paraprofessional support or training.
Published: 11/1/2021 - A Framework for Making Decisions about Participation in a State’s Alternate ELP Assessment (NCEO Report 426)
This report provides information on how to identify which English learners who may have a most significant cognitive disability are eligible to take an alternate English language proficiency (alt-ELP) assessment. It does so by summarizing federal assessment requirements for English learners with the most significant cognitive disabilities, describing characteristics of students in this population, offering a framework for identifying students who are eligible to participate in the alt-ELP assessment, and incorporating a list of recommended resources for more information.
Published: 10/28/2021 - NCEO Brief: Understanding the Characteristics of English Learners with Disabilities to Meet Their Needs During State and Districtwide Assessments (#24)
The purpose of this Brief is to highlight available federal data about the characteristics of English learners with disabilities, including how the population has changed over time. Understanding the characteristics of English learners with disabilities is critical to ensuring that their needs are met appropriately during the assessment process. Three characteristics are highlighted: (a) percentage of all students with disabilities identified as English learners, (b) disability categories of English learners with disabilities, and (c) classroom placements of English learners with disabilities. The implications of these characteristics for assessment are discussed in this Brief.
Published: 10/26/2021 - NCEO Newsletter: October 2021 issueFormats: Online
This issue highlights the news of NCEO’s continued funding. Also announced is NCEO’s new website. It is easier to navigate and very user-friendly. Featured is NCEO’s new accommodations toolkit which provides easy to use research summaries and policy analyses for select accommodations. This issue also summarizes a report on the 95% state assessment participation requirement, and provides an overview of a brief that contains frequently asked questions (FAQs) on testing children with disabilities during the 2021-22 school year.
Published: 10/6/2021 - NCEO Reports: The 95 Percent State Assessment Participation Requirement: Current Landscape, State Challenges, and Recommended Strategies (#429)
This report provides an overview of federal statutory language on student participation in state summative assessments used for accountability as well as the participation requirements for states requesting waivers from the 1% threshold on participation in the alternate assessment based on alternate academic achievement standards (AA-AAAS). It also includes a review of why it is important that students participate in testing, the reasons why some states have found it challenging to meet the 95% participation rate, and the extent to which states have met federal testing participation requirements.
Published: 9/30/2021