News Brief
North Dakota Seeking Alternative Assessments for Students with Severe Challenges
KSJB-AM (ND) (07/24/2013)North Dakota Superintendent of Public Instruction Kirsten Baesler says the state will join the Dynamic Learning Maps (DLM) consortium to develop alternate state assessments for students with severe cognitive disorders (SWSCD), who represent about 1 percent of students in grades where assessments are administered. "All of North Dakota's students deserve the best learning and assessment processes we can provide them. Our statewide work group of special education teachers and program coordinators thoroughly researched the available options and believe that Dynamic Learning Maps offers the best program for our children who need an alternate assessment," she explains. In the past, the state has worked diligently to ensure SWSCD assessments are aligned appropriately and constructed to standards-based alternatives that provide valid and reliable measures of student achievement. "DLM's target student definitions align well with those historically used in North Dakota, which is especially important for this group. The tools and assessment models developed reflect a deep understanding of our students and instructional strategies that support their unique learning needs," she says.
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