Assessing Special Education Students

Publications and Products Meetings The Assessing Special Education Students (ASES) SCASS addresses the inclusion of students with disabilities in large-scale assessment, standards, and accountability systems and the effects of these systems on related educational reform efforts. ASES capitalizes on the synergy of the shared efforts of member states to improve practices for students with disabilities and accomplishes this mission in these areas by (1) increasing awareness among state education agency staff of issues, trends, promising practices, and resources, (2) development and/or review of potential policy statements that can be adapted or adopted by state and federal agencies and (3) developing other products, research, and resources useful for reference or adaptability to state educational agencies. ACCOMPLISHMENTS TO DATE The ASES SCASS has been carefully monitoring the implementation of No Child Left Behind and the reauthorization of IDEA 1997 for impacts on states and students with disabilities. SCASS resources include Development of an accomodations manual Updated glossary on assessment terminology (fall, 2003) "Training District and State Personnel on Accommodations: An ASES SCASS Study of State Practices, Challenges, and Resources" (fall 2003) Matrix of guidelines for assessment participation decisions Paper addressing issues surrounding the comparability of student test performance when accommodations have been used Paper on the implications of including scores from students with disabilities in aggregated results vs. reporting the scores separately with recommendation "Critical Questions to Ask When Interpreting or Reporting Trends in the Large Scale Test Performance of Student with Disabilities," by Jim Ysseldyke and John Bielinski Much of the ASES work is accomplished through three study groups based on annual goals: Research Study Group - Develops and promotes SEA-driven research agendas on inclusive standards, assessment, and accountability including cross-state alternate assessments study; research on high-stakes exit exams and accommodations; updating research priorities survey; and collaboration in the TILSA Enhanced Assessment Alignment Study. Policy to Practice Study Group - Develops products for state use including an updated comprehensive glossary of assessment terminology. Additional activities focus on decision-making regarding aggregating and reporting data across testing conditions and using data for accountability purposes at the student, state, district, and state levels. Communication and Personnel Development Study Group - Defines key skills and competencies needed by various audiences and develops training materials for state adaptation and conducts surveys and research. STAFF CONTACT Sandra Hopfengardner Warren, Coordinator, 252-258-9819, sandra_h_warren[at]hotmail.com PARTICIPATING STATES IN 2006-2007 Alaska Georgia North Carolina Rhode Island Arkansas Iowa Nebraska South Carolina California Kansas New Hampshire South Dakota Colorado Kentucky New Mexico Texas Connecticut Louisiana Ohio Utah Delaware Maryland Oregon Washington Florida Michigan Pennsylvania Wyoming

Council of Chief State School Officers
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document last updated 3/4/2008