Chapter 5 – Participation of Students with Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) and 504 Plans

The sections in this chapter have been reorganized to include descriptions of assessment accommodations available to students with an Individualized Education Program (IEP) or 504 Plan, guidelines for participation in the MTAS and MDE’s procedures for monitoring administrations of the MTAS. A discussion of accommodations for English language learners has now been moved to Chapter 6. Information on ordering accommodations is available in Chapter 8.

All students are required to participate in statewide accountability assessments. There are no exemptions or waivers for students with disabilities, regardless of the nature or severity of the disability. IEP teams or 504 Plan teams determine the appropriate manner for students with disabilities to participate in statewide assessments. Students with disabilities participate in statewide assessments:

Without accommodations. With accommodations. By taking an alternate assessment for which they are eligible.

The IEP team or 504 Plan team determines which of the above options is most appropriate for the student and documents the decision in the IEP or 504 Plan. Only students with an IEP are eligible for alternate assessments such as the MTAS. The majority of students with disabilities take the statewide assessments without accommodations.

The tables in this chapter list accommodations that may be considered for students with an IEP or 504 Plan. Table 7 provides a summary of the accommodations available for Minnesota Assessments organized under the headings of presentation, timing/scheduling and response format. Table 8 explains these accommodations in more detail. Tables 7 and 8 do not provide an exhaustive list of possible testing accommodations. MDE recognizes that school personnel may consider accommodations that are not specifically addressed in this chapter yet may be entirely appropriate for a particular student and assessment. If school personnel determine the need to provide an accommodation not specifically addressed in this chapter, please notify MDE by sending an email to mde.testing@state.mn.us to verify that the accommodation will not invalidate the assessment.

Chapter 6 addresses assessment accommodations for ELLs. The summary of accommodations for this population is organized under headings indicating English proficiency level and types of linguistic supports. In cases where ELLs also have an IEP or 504 Plan, decision-makers should refer to both Chapters 5 and 6 when making decisions about appropriate assessment accommodations.

Additional information about selecting, administering and evaluating the use of accommodations can be found in the Minnesota Manual of Accommodations for Students with Disabilities in Instruction and Assessment (2008–2009). This manual is a resource for IEP teams looking at the need for and relationship among accommodations used in instruction and in assessment. A link to this manual and the companion Training Guide can be found on the NCEO related link on the Assessment and Testing > DAC Corner > Policies, Procedures and Guidelines page of the MDE Website.

Annually, the Accommodations Advisory Review Panel conducts reviews of proposed additions to the approved accommodations and non-standard test administration practices for the Minnesota Procedures Manual to ensure that accommodations and non-standard practices will not invalidate interpretations and judgments based on the resulting test score.

General Information about Accommodations for Students with IEPs or 504 PlansAccommodations are practices and procedures that provide equitable access to grade-level content for students with disabilities. Students with IEPs or 504 Plans are provided accommodations in the areas of presentation, response, setting and timing/scheduling. Accommodations are designed to allow students with IEPs or 504 Plans to show what they know and can do on the academic content standards rather than simply showing the impact of their disability.

Many accommodations provided to a student during statewide assessments must also be provided during classroom instruction, classroom assessments and district assessments. In general, new accommodations should not be introduced at the time of statewide assessments as there may be a negative impact on student performance. There are some accommodations, however, that are not practical to provide during instruction and classroom assessments, and students’ lack of prior experience with them is unlikely to hinder performance. Some examples include use of a scribe or listening to a read-aloud from a script or CD.

Note that some instructional accommodations may not be appropriate for use on certain statewide assessments. Educators should consult state policies before determining which accommodations will be provided on statewide assessments. Accommodations must be selected and implemented in ways that maintain the integrity of the assessment so that valid judgments can be made about what students know and can do.

Who May Receive an Accommodation?Only students who have an IEP or 504 Plan or are identified as LEP may receive accommodations. The student record in MARSS must be coded for special education, 504 or LEP before providing the student with an accommodation during the testing window. Specific information about accommodations for ELLs is provided in Chapter 6.

When an eligible student demonstrates the need for an accommodation, it must be provided as long as it does not invalidate the assessment.

Purpose of AccommodationsAccommodations play a key role in promoting access to the general education curriculum for students with disabilities. The purpose of accommodations is to reduce or eliminate the effects of a student’s disability on an assessment measuring academic content. Accommodations do not lower expectations for student learning.

Some students with IEPs or 504 Plans may require accommodations on state assessments to accurately measure their achievement of state content standards. These accommodations must be provided based on individual need as long as they do not invalidate the assessment and should be documented in the IEP or 504 Plan.

Description of Accommodation Categories used in Minnesota Assessments for Students with IEPs or 504 PlansThree accommodation categories are used in Minnesota:

Presentation Accommodations change how an assessment is given to a student. These include alternate modes of access that may be auditory, multi-sensory, tactile or visual.

Response Accommodations allow students to complete assessments in different ways (alternate format or procedure) or to solve or organize problems using some type of assistive device or organizer.

Timing and Scheduling Accommodations increase the allowable length of time to complete an assessment or change the way the time is organized. While extended time or frequent breaks may be specified as accommodations in a student’s IEP or 504 Plan, they are considered an accommodation only for a student taking the TEAE, which is a timed test, or when testing of a segment/section is extended

over multiple days. For all other Minnesota assessments, extended time in the same day and frequent breaks are a general practice available to all students.

General test taking practices are small changes in test administration procedures that may be provided to all students, as needed. These practices include setting accommodations such as small group or individual administration. They do not need to be documented in a student’s IEP or 504 Plan although it is recommended. See the General Information about Practices that are NOT Accommodations section later in this chapter. Who is Responsible for Making Decisions Regarding Accommodations? For students with IEPs, the IEP team is responsible for making annual assessment and accommodation decisions, which must be based on individual need in accordance with state and federal guidelines. For students with the most significant cognitive disabilities, the IEP team may determine that the MTAS is the most appropriate measure of academic skills in reading, mathematics and science. Only students with disabilities under IDEA may be considered for the MTAS. For students with disabilities under Section 504, the 504 team should determine the appropriateness of accommodations and document their decisions in the 504 Plan. Students with 504 Plans are not eligible for the MTAS, but they may take the alternate assessment in writing.

Selecting Appropriate Accommodations for Instruction and AssessmentTo assure that students with disabilities are engaged in standards-based instruction and have an opportunity to learn skills that are measured on Minnesota assessments, all members of the IEP and 504 Plan teams need to be familiar with the Minnesota Academic Standards and district academic content standards. Making appropriate accommodations decisions for instruction is facilitated by gathering and reviewing information about the student’s characteristics, identified needs and levels of performance in relation to the Minnesota Academic Standards. In essence, the process of making decisions about accommodations is one in which the IEP or 504 Plan team attempts to “level the playing field” so that students with disabilities can participate equitably in the general education curriculum.

The first question asked by those who make accommodation decisions should not be, “What accommodations are available?” This practice does not promote sound decision-making or advance equal opportunities for students to participate in the general education curriculum. Research has demonstrated that more is not necessarily better when it comes to accommodations and that providing students with accommodations that are not truly needed may have a negative impact on student performance.

The better approach when making accommodation decisions is to focus on a student’s identified needs within the general education curriculum. The decision-making process for state assessment accommodations should include at least these three factors:

1. Student characteristics (e.g., disabilities, assistive technologies used, accommodations used in classroom instruction and assessment).

2. Individual test characteristics (i.e., knowledge about what tasks are required on state assessments and allowable ways to remove physical and other barriers to a student’s ability to perform those tasks).

3. State accommodation policies for the assessment or part of an assessment and consequences of decisions.

Documenting the Use of an AccommodationMany accommodations have a special code that should be entered on the student’s answer book/document or in the online system. Districts will be able to correct code-entry errors in Test WES. Chapter 9 of this manual provides information about the process. These accommodation codes are used by MDE to help analyze test results. Individual Student Reports and Summary Reports do not mention accommodations used.

It is the IEP team’s responsibility to determine which testing accommodations are needed by a student who receives special education services. For a student who has a disability under IDEA, all needed accommodations are documented annually in the IEP prior to testing. Likewise, a 504 team should document in the 504 Plan its decision to provide an accommodation. It is recommended to list all accommodations on the IEP or 504 Plan for all assessments, including those outside the Minnesota statewide assessment system (i.e., ACT, SAT).

When Accommodations ConflictSome accommodations can be used together and others cannot. Some examples of accommodations that are not compatible are: a Braille book and a Large Print test book; a mathematics script and a mathematics script read on a CD; or a Spanish version of the mathematics BST and a large print version. Make sure pairs of accommodations that involve a translation or large print are compatible and that you fill in the accommodation codes correctly. Table 8 lists the abbreviations for these codes. Contact mde.testing@state.mn.us if you have questions.

General Information about Practices that are NOT Accommodations

General Test-Taking Practices Available to All StudentsGeneral test-taking practices are available for any student who needs them, including general education students, and are not considered accommodations. The practices listed below are considered general test-taking practices and documentation of their use is not required. The only students who may receive accommodations, which represent changes in standardized administration procedures, are students with IEPs, students with 504 Plans and students identified as LEP (see Chapter 6). Accommodations are only available for general education students when an injury prevents normal response (see Tables 7 and 8 for specifics). These practices are not considered accommodations and are allowable for all students.

Presentationo Test Monitor repeats test directions as written.

o Student uses a highlighter, color overlay, marker, or magnifier.o Test Monitor reads the writing prompt aloud to a student.o Any monitor screen size and resolution may be used for computer-delivered assessments.

Settingo Assessment is administered in a special setting (e.g., certain lights, acoustics).o Student is tested individually or in a small group setting (the size of group should be determined.

locally based on what best meets student needs). Timing/Scheduling

o Testing time in same day is extended (not applicable to TEAE, a timed test).o The time of day assessment is given is changed.

Response Formato Student uses a calculator (except where specifically prohibited).o Student writes responses directly in the test book and transcribes those responses from the test book

onto the regular, scannable answer book/document.o Student uses an abacus (except where specifically prohibited).

May modifications be made for any students taking Minnesota Assessments? The Basic Skills Tests may be modified only for some students with an IEP or section 504 accommodation Plan. When the BSTs were introduced in 1996, the IEP Team or 504 Team was able to make adjustments in the testing conditions or even in the test itself as long as test security was not compromised. These adjustments, called modifications, change the meaning of the test score. No modifications are available for the MCA. For more information on modifications for the BST, see the 2004–05 Guidelines for Accommodations found at: http://education.state.mn.us/mdeprod/groups/Assessment/documents/Publication/000782.pdf.

The Graduation-Required Assessments for Diploma allow for a student to achieve the statewide standard at an individually modified level of difficulty.  A Minnesota alternate assessment must be used when an IEP team chooses to replace the GRAD.  Adoption of modifications for a student must occur concurrently with the adoption of transition goals and objectives as required by Minnesota Statutes, section 125A.08, paragraph (a), clause (1).  The student’s IEP or section 504 must define an appropriate assessment of the statewide standard at a modified level of difficulty.  Achievement of the individually modified standard shall be certified through documented student performance of the defined assessment.

Accommodations for Diploma Tests

Minnesota students may take up to three kinds of statewide tests: those that are part of the Title I accountability system, those that are part of the Title III accountability system and those that are required for a diploma. For students who first entered grade 8 in 2005–06 or later, the assessments required for a diploma are the GRAD. For students who first entered grade 8 before 2005–06, the assessments required for a diploma are the BST. The content of this chapter so far has applied to all of these tests.

Accommodations for the Reading, Mathematics and Written Composition GRAD Accommodations that are available for the Reading GRAD are large print, Braille, 12 pt font accommodated test books, made tape, scribe and translate directions.  The Mathematics GRAD accommodations are large print, Braille, 12 pt font accommodated test books, script, scribe, translate directions and an accommodated computer delivered version of the test.  The writing test has large print, Braille, translated directions, scribe and computer-assisted response.

Accommodations for the Reading and Mathematics BST RetestsThere are some accommodations (test books being translated into Hmong, Somali, Spanish and Vietnamese) that are available only for the BSTs and are not available for the other Minnesota assessments. Beginning April 1 of a BST student’s senior year, a student can have any accommodation without having an IEP or 504 Plan. This policy remains in effect for the length of time that a student needs to pass the BST test or the BST is offered. All of the accommodations and modifications in the 2004–05 Guidelines for Accommodations continue to apply to students who were in grade 8 prior to 2005–06 (see pages 10–11 for details and related information). A copy can be found at: http://education.state.mn.us/mdeprod/groups/Assessment/documents/Publication/000782.pdf.

Table 7. Summary of Accommodations for Minnesota Assessments for Students with IEP or 504 Plan 1, 2

ACCOMMODATIONS FOR STUDENTS WITH IEP OR 504 PLAN

Code for

answer book

Order from

Pearson

Presentation Assistive Technology for computer-delivered assessments ATBraille edition of assessment BR XLarge print test book 18 or 24 XMade tape (with transcription into test book) MTMathematics scripts presented in English to student via CD MC X

Mathematics and Science scripts presented to student in sign language (OL code only applies to BST)

OA orOL

Mathematics and Science scripts read in English to student MS XMathematics (MTELL) and Science online audio MC XNoise buffer (e.g., earplugs, headphones, white noise) OA

Voice feedback device (whisper phone) OASegmented test book (BST only) SS XSigned interpretation of test directions and writing prompts TDTemplates to reduce visual print, low vision aids OA

12 pt Font Accommodated Test Book (GRAD Retest Only) 12 X

Timing/Scheduling

Extended testing time (considered an accommodation for TEAE and when testing is extended over multiple days)

OA

Response FormatAnswer orally or point to answer3 SCAssistive Technology (for computer-delivered tests) ATBraille writers ATLarge print answer book (grade 4 and above for Reading and Mathematics) OA XScratch paper or graph paper (allowed for MTELL, Science MCA, TEAE writing and GRAD retest) OA

Scribes (with transcription into answer book or into online test) 3 SCVoice-activated computer ATWord processor or similar assistive device3 CA

Other AccommodationsIf an IEP or 504 team decides to use an accommodation not on this list, contact MDE at mde.testing@state.mn.us. OA

1 Accommodations are available for Minnesota Assessments unless otherwise specified. Table 8 contains detailed explanations of each accommodation. Accommodations must be documented by the IEP or 504 team before testing 2 Coding of accommodations for the MTAS is not required. Accommodation is integral to the MTAS, and adaptations to meet individual student needs are allowed. For information on allowable administration activities, see the MTAS Task Administration Manual or Chapter 3 of this Procedures Manual.3 In some cases, a general education student with an injury that prevents normal responding may be allowed to use this response format. The instance must be documented on the Test Administration Report.

Table 8. Accommodations Explained

Explanation of Accommodations for Students with IEP or 504 Plan

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Assistive Technology for computer-delivered assessments refers to technology that is used to maintain, increase or improve the functional capabilities of students with disabilities who take computer-delivered assessments. If other forms of assistive technology are needed, contact MDE at mde.testing@state.mn.us.

x x AT

Braille note-taking devices may be used by students competent in their use as determined by the IEP or 504 Team. School testing personnel must transfer answers to a scannable answer book. See word processors, computers or similar computerized devices below for information on using spellcheckers and transfer of student answers to answer book or online at the end of this table.

x x x x x BR

Braille versions are available to students who are blind or partially sighted and are competent in the Braille system, as determined by the student’s IEP Team. Student responses may be recorded in one of the following ways: In the answer book by a proctor. In the test book by the student. With a typewriter or word processor by the student. Dictated to a scribe by the student. Braille writer, slate and stylus used by the student.A regular-print version of the Braille tests for paper and pencil tests will be provided at the time of testing to test administrators or proctors working with students. Test administrators or proctors will need to view a computer screen for online tests. See Transfer of Student Answers to Answer Book or Online System in this chapter.

x x x x x BR

Extended testing time (same day) for the TEAE is available to LEP-identified students with an IEP or 504 Plan. Other LEP-identified students must finish the segment(s) in the time allowed.

x N/A

Extended testing is considered an accommodation for assessments when testing is extended over multiple days (not available for TEAE). Follow the guidelines below related to testing over multiple days: Breaks must be logical. Students may not return to items completed on the previous day. For paper-and-pencil assessments:

Students must complete all questions associated with a given passage for reading. The last math item completed must be the last item on the right-hand page so the next item is not visible.

For grades 4-8 and high school, students must seal the pages completed in the test book at the end of the testing session for the day. For grade 3, pages cannot be sealed so test monitors should ensure that student does not review items completed on the previous day.

For online assessments: Students should complete all items associated with a scenario in the Science

MCA and MTELL. The test monitor should resume the student’s test on the question following

the last item the student completed at the end of the day and ensure that the student does not review items completed on the previous day by using the back button or via the review screen.

GRAD retests are one segment and must be administered in one day.

x x x OA

Large Print Answer Books may be provided for students who need more space to accommodate their large handwriting when completing constructed-response items. Contact Pearson (1-888-817-8659) for information about these special order materials. Also, see Transfer of Student Answers to Answer Book or Online System in this chapter.

x x x x x OA

Explanation of Accommodations for Students with IEP or 504 Plan

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Large Print Test Books are for students with low vision who need a large-print test

book to see the test items. For students without low vision, a large print test book may be provided if IEP or 504 Plan specifies it. If the student writes responses directly in the test book/document, then the transfer of answers must be documented (including the names of school personnel involved) on the Test Administration Report. Answers must be transferred accurately. Responses to the Written Composition GRAD prompts must be written in pencil. See the Assessment Manual for directions on how schools should return secure test material that will not be scored (e.g., used Large Print Test Books) to Pearson. Also, see Transfer of Student Answers to Answer Book or Online System in this chapter.

x x x x x18or24

Magnification or low-vision aids may be provided as documented in an IEP or 504 Plan. Examples of low-vision aids are magnifying glasses, electronic magnifiers, cardboard cut-outs and colored paper. Although magnifiers are allowable to general education students, it is encouraged to document the use for students on an IEP or 504 Plan.

x x x x x OA

Noise buffers reduce noise distractions for the student taking the test. Noise buffers may include individual study carrels, headsets, earplugs, individual portable buffers set on the student’s desk or an audio player that generates white noise or instrumental music. Audio players must be school-owned and the audio must be provided by the school. The noise buffer can be accessed through headphones or in an individual setting.

x x x x OA

Scratch paper is only available for students with IEP or 504 Plans. Other students should use the margins and other white space in the test book, but grade 3 students should be very careful not to write over the bubble areas of the MCA or TEAE Reading. (Exception: students taking the MTELL, Reading and Mathematics GRAD retests, Science MCA or TEAE Writing may use scratch paper.)

x x x x OA

Scribes may be provided to students in those rare instances when visual or motor difficulties, including injuries, prevent them from writing their answers. The student’s IEP must document the need for a scribe, except in injury situations. The students should be competent in the use of scribes as determined by the student’s IEP or 504 team. Scribes must be impartial and experienced in transcription. Students must be given time, if desired, to edit their document. Students do not need to spell out words or provide punctuation. See Transfer of Student Answers to Answer Book or Online System in this chapter. Scribes for online will navigate (scroll, enter multiple-choice responses, figural responses and constructed responses) for students who are unable to work on a computer. Contact mde.testing@state.mn.us with questions.

x x x x x SC

Scripts and accommodated audio for MTELL, Science MCA and Mathematics GRAD retest may be provided to students whose IEP or 504 Plan specifies them. Accommodated audio is incorporated into the accommodated form of each test. A student who needs the script or accommodated audio in conjunction with the computer-delivered assessment must be assigned an accommodated form during test session set-up in PearsonAccess.

x xMCor

MS

Script on CD or read to student for Math MCA may be provided to students with disabilities as documented in the IEP or 504 Plan. Mathematics scripts are keyed to a Form 1 test book which must be ordered from Pearson. Note: Pearson supplies CDs for mathematics accommodations. District Assessment Coordinators making audio copies of the CD must follow the MDE policy on Copying Audio Accommodation from CDs found in Appendix B of this manual and submit their duplication plans to mde.testing@state.mn.us for approval.

x

MCor

MS

Segmented test books (BST only; MCAs are already segmented) may be ordered for students who are unable to take the entire test in one sitting. These tests may be administered only during the designated test day or as specified on the student’s IEP.

x x SS

Explanation of Accommodations for Students with IEP or 504 Plan

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Signed Interpretation of the Mathematics or Science MCA, MTELL and Mathematics GRAD retest scripts may be provided for deaf or hard-of-hearing students. The CD or its script must be used for administration to maintain the validity of the test, which will use Form 1 or an accommodated form for online. Only the literal interpretation is acceptable. (OL code only applies to BST.)

x x OA/OL

Signed Interpretation of test directions and writing prompts may be provided for deaf or hard-of-hearing students. x x x x x TD

Tape recorders may be used by the student to record and edit answers if the student is unable to mark a scannable answer book. See Transfer of Student Answers to Answer Book or Online System in this chapter.

x x x x SC

Tape recording and other pre-writing strategies are available in individual testing settings. Students may record their ideas to assist in pre-writing organization. The students may replay their dictation as they organize their compositions. See Transfer of Student Answers to Answer Book or Online System in this chapter.

x x x SC

Tape recording a reading test may be done in individual testing settings. The student may read the reading test into a tape recorder. The student may replay the tape as the test is taken.

x x MT

Templates to reduce visual print field may be used by students competent in their use. Templates are not available from the state. x x x x x OA

12 pt Font Accommodated Test Book (GRAD retest only) may be used by students with IEPs or 504 Plans whose disability prevents them from accessing the content of the assessment on a computer. Requests for this accommodation must be based on IEP team determination rather than student or administrator preference, and must be accompanied by justification on the order form in Appendix A. Requests for 12 pt must be submitted one month prior to testing to allow for processing.

x x 12

Voice-activated computers may be used by students who are competent in their use as determined by the student’s IEP or 504 team. The student must be given the time needed to edit the documents. Follow the instructions below when submitting written compositions (essays or responses to a constructed response item) that are produced by voice-activated computers: Print the essay. Tape the essay into a scannable answer book so it fits within the text boxes

provided. The essays must be trimmed to fit completely within the text box provided in order for the essay to be scanned.

Submit the scannable answer book with the other documents to be scored and flag it with a sticky note.

Fill out a Test Administration Report indicating that these steps have been taken. Include the names of school personnel involved.

Note: See Computers and Statewide Assessments in this chapter.

x x x x AT

Voice feedback devices or whisper phones are allowed for students with an IEP or 504 Plan. These devices allow students to vocalize as they read and work problems. The use of whisper phones must not be audible to other students.

x x x x x OA

Explanation of Accommodations for Students with IEP or 504 Plan

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Word processors, computers or similar computerized devices may be used if the IEP or 504 team determines that a student needs it.* For example, a student may use a portable note taker such as an Alphasmart or related program (such as a spellchecker or word prediction software or device) commonly used in a student’s academic setting if it is included in the IEP and the student has demonstrated competency in its use. However, for the Written Composition GRAD, spelling and grammar are dimensions considered in the scoring rubric. If support programs such as spellcheckers or word prediction are used, the writing test has been modified, and the student will pass with an individual passing score. The district will maintain records of students with individual passing scores.

Use of talking features on computer/portable note taker is allowable if the IEP or 504 Plan specifies it and it is used with headphones or in an individual setting to play back text the student has entered. The test monitor is responsible for monitoring the student who is using the talking feature; only the student’s original writing may be entered and played back. The student may not enter any portion of the passage or test items.

When submitting student responses produced by word processors (an essay from the Written Composition GRAD, constructed responses from an MCA):

Print a copy of the student’s writing. Tape the copy into a scannable answer book so it fits within the text boxes

provided. The copy must be trimmed to fit completely within the text box provided in order for the essay to be scanned by Pearson. Only the writing that is inside the box will be scored.

Submit the scannable answer book with the other documents to be scored and flag it with a sticky note.

Fill out a Test Administration Report with the names of school personnel involved, indicating that these steps have been taken.

See Computers and Statewide Assessments and Transfer of Student Answers to Answer Book or Online System in this chapter.

x x x x x CA

* In some cases a general education student with an injury may be allowed to use a word processor. These cases must be documented in the Test Administration Report.

Computers and Statewide Assessments The student’s IEP or 504 team determines the student’s need for computer-assisted testing for presenting test items, collecting student responses or both. These decisions should be documented in the IEP or 504 Plan. When a computer is provided, take the following actions: Lock out Internet access. Lock out calculators for the portions of the tests where calculators are not allowed. When multiple students are involved, use headphones in an open space.

Computer lab connections must allow individual students to test at their own pace and return to previous items where allowed.

Transfer of Student Answers to Answer Book or Online SystemStudent responses must be transcribed, without edits, to the regular scannable answer book using a #2 pencil or in the online system for an online test. Be sure to check that all answers are transcribed exactly as the student responded. Give the student a chance to edit if desired and when allowed. Testing personnel must fill in student demographic information on the answer book. Students using a Large Print or Braille test book must be assigned an accommodated form because a scribe will enter the student’s answers into the accommodated form; see specific instructions for transcribing answers online in the MTELL or Science Test

Monitor Directions. Transcription of answers must be documented (including the names of school personnel involved) on the Test Administration Report.

Assessment and Accommodation Information for Students Taking the Minnesota Test of Academic Skills (MTAS)—Alternate Assessment

Both NCLB and IDEA 2004 require that all students with disabilities be administered the assessments districts use to hold schools accountable for the academic performance of students. IEP team members are required to engage in a planning process that addresses: Provision of accommodations that facilitate student access to grade-level instruction and Minnesota

Assessments. Provision of accommodations that remove barriers and provide access to statewide assessment options. Use of alternate assessments to assess the academic achievement of students with the most significant

cognitive disabilities.

All Minnesota students, including students with disabilities, must participate in statewide and district-wide assessments. There are some students with significant cognitive disabilities for whom the assessment designed for the general population, even with accommodations, is not an appropriate measure of academic performance. IEP teams decide if a student with significant cognitive disabilities is eligible to take the MTAS by applying the criteria outlined in the next section and in the Decision-Making Process for IEP Teams flowchart. The MTAS is an alternate assessment based on alternate achievement standards (AA-AAS), and is sometimes referred to as the “1% test” because up to 1 percent of a district’s proficient scores of the general population in the grade levels assessed on reading and mathematics assessments may come from students scoring proficient on the MTAS. However, if an IEP team says a student meets the criteria to take the MTAS, the student should take it. There is no limit on the number of students in a school or district that can take the MTAS.

In April 2007, federal NCLB policy was refined to allow states the option to develop alternate assessments based on modified achievement standards (AA-MAS). This flexibility is intended for students with persistent academic difficulties. These assessments must be based on the full range of grade-level academic content standards assessed in the general statewide assessments. Minnesota is currently participating in two multi-state, grant-funded projects to investigate effective ways to measure the knowledge, skills and abilities of students with persistent academic difficulties on academic content standards. An operational AA-MAS is not yet available in Minnesota. Field testing for the AA-MAS, which will be called the MCA-Modified, will occur in the spring of 2010. A number of Reading and Mathematics MCA forms will include modified items. These forms will be administered to students selected by MDE. Data from this field test will be used in constructing an operational assessment anticipated to begin in spring 2011. For additional information, refer to the Alternate Assessments section of the MDE Website. (http://education.state.mn.us > Accountability Programs > Assessment and Testing > Assessments > Alternate Assessments)The assessment options available in 2009-2010 to students with disabilities include the MCA, with or without accommodations, and the MTAS (for students with the most significant cognitive disabilities).

Making Assessment Decisions for Students with the Most Significant Cognitive Disabilities

It is the IEP team’s responsibility to make annual decisions about student participation in the MTAS, an alternate assessment for students with the most significant cognitive disabilities. Decisions about how a student will participate in statewide testing must be made on an individual basis and should be made separately for each subject-area test. The information below and the flow chart on the following page are designed to help IEP teams select an assessment that most appropriately measures the student’s progress toward state standards. In addition, the glossary at the end of this manual contains frequently used terminology from this section. This information is also available in the IEP Team Guide to Participation in

The careful use of this document will help IEP teams ensure that participation decisions are NOT made based on the following factors:

▪ The student’s disability category. ▪ Placement.▪ Participation in a separate, specialized curriculum. ▪ The expectation that the student will receive a low score on the MCA.▪ Language, social, cultural or economic differences.▪ A concern for Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) calculations.

the MTAS on the Alternate Assessment section of the MDE Website . (http://education.state.mn.us > Accountability Programs > Assessment and Testing > Assessments > Alternate Assessments)

The MTAS may be appropriate for a student with a significant cognitive disability if all of the following requirements have been met:

1. The IEP team first considered the student’s ability to access the Minnesota Comprehensive Assessment (MCA), with or without accommodations.

2. The IEP team reviewed the student’s instructional program to ensure that the student is receiving instruction linked to the general education curriculum to the extent appropriate. If instruction is not linked to the general education curriculum, then the IEP team must review the student’s goals and determine how access to the general curriculum will be provided.

3. The IEP team determined the student’s cognitive functioning to be significantly below age expectations. The team also determined that the student’s disability has a significant impact on his or her ability to function in multiple environments, including home, school and community.

4. The IEP team determined that the student needs explicit and intensive instruction and/or extensive supports in multiple settings to acquire, maintain and generalize academic and life skills in order to actively participate in school, work, home and community environments.

5. The IEP team documented, in the IEP, reasons the MCA would not be an appropriate measure of the student’s academic progress and how the student would participate in statewide testing.

The IEP team discusses the appropriateness of the MCA, with or without accommodations, as a measure of the student’s academic progress. Has the IEP team determined that the student’s cognitive disability precludes his or her participation in the MCA?

NO

The student takes the MCA, with or without accommodations.

Review the student’s goals and revise the student’s instructional program to provide instruction in the general curriculum that is appropriate for the student.

The student does not meet requirements for participation in the MTAS. The IEP team considers accommodations that the student may need to participate in the MCA.Does the student’s disability have a significant impact on his/her ability to function in multiple environments?

The student is appropriately assessed with the MTAS.

Does the student need explicit and intensive instruction and/or extensive supports in multiple settings to acquire, maintain and generalize academic and life skills that allow him or her to participate actively?

Is the student’s cognitive functioning significantly below age expectations?

Document reasons the MCA is not an appropriate measure of academic progress for this student and how this student will participate in statewide testing.

YES

YES NO

YES NO

YES NO

YES NO

Review the student’s instructional program. Is the student receiving instruction linked to the general education curriculum to the extent appropriate?

Decision-Making Process for IEP Teams

IEP teams may use this decision-making process when selecting appropriate assessments for students with significant cognitive disabilities.

MTAS Field Audits

Each year, MDE employs field auditors to observe MTAS administrations in selected schools. Release of the limited student information provided to the auditors during the course of their observations is allowed without consent under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA).

Purpose The primary purpose of MTAS field auditors is to gather evidence to evaluate the validity and reliability of the assessment. Since the assessment is scored by the test administrator at the school site, it is critical that the test administrator be properly trained in the assessment and be able to apply that training consistently when assessing each student. Likewise, it is critical to the state that all test administrators are applying this training consistently across the state. MTAS field auditors serve as evidence-gatherers: their job is to obtain evidence that will determine: 1) the extent to which the training of the administration was properly implemented; and, 2) the consistency of the administration for students across the state.

Qualifications of MTAS Field AuditorsMTAS field auditors are current or retired licensed teachers or administrators who have experience with students with disabilities in an educational setting and at least three years of classroom experience.

Sampling Procedure for Site SelectionThe sampling of schools selected for review is developed primarily to reduce the administration load for test administrators. MDE is committed to administering a test that has sufficient technical merit – including the validity and reliability of the assessment. If trained field auditors were not used, MDE would have to establish another means of verifying the administration and scoring of the assessment are comparable across the state. Several methodologies can be used to collect this evidence. Some assessment systems require that the administrations be videotaped. The videos are then submitted to a third party – often the testing contractor – to be rescored for verification. Other performance task assessments require the student to be doubled-scored: one score comes from the trained test administrator and the second score comes from a trained colleague. Minnesota has chosen an approach that combines statistical procedures for the selection of schools along with a process of standardizing the training of the third-party scoring: the field auditor.

Field auditors serve the role of second raters for administration and scoring of the MTAS at the school level. Their role is similar to that of “back-readers” on writing assessments or responses to open-ended questions. They verify the training and application of the scoring process for the test administrator, recommend retraining or note potential issues or areas of emphasis that should be addressed for a particular test administrator, school, district or the state as a whole.

Procedure for Selecting School SitesMinnesota selects its school sites for an MTAS audit with the goal of 10 percent of the school sites being observed and audited; this read-behind ratio is standard in large-scale assessment. School sites are selected within 10 central cities that are frequently used for other training efforts by the MDE Division of Research and Assessment:

Roseville MarshallMankatoRochesterThief River Falls

BemidjiMoorheadDuluthSt. CloudInternational Falls

Random Selection for the Current School Year Within the 80-mile radius for each of the 10 central cities, school sites are selected under the following criteria:

1. At least two students took the MTAS in the previous school year at that school. (Goal: MTAS administrations occur in this school.)

2. At least six schools in each geographic region should be selected if available. (Goal: At least 10 percent of MTAS sites are observed in the geographic region.)

3. Two school types per region are observed: elementary, middle, high school. If individual schools are not available (e.g., an out-state geographic region has predominantly K-12 schools), then grade bands 3-5, 6-8, and 10-11 should be treated as separate school sites.

4. Schools visited in the previous year’s audit procedure are omitted unless identified for systemic selection as described below (i.e., a school will be visited at most every other year). This is to reduce repeated burden and intrusion on a particular school site.

Systemic Selection for the Current School Year Within the 80-mile radius for each of the 10 central cities, school sites are selected under the following criteria in rank order:

1. A previous audit visit found non-adjacent score discrepancies for one or more test administrators. 2. A previous audit visit found one or more misadministrations of the MTAS.3. When selected for an audit in the previous school year, the school refused access to the field auditor

or did not cooperate with appropriate requests for information.4. When selected for an audit in the previous school year, the school was excused because of a

demonstrated hardship. 5. A data audit at MDE after administration found the number of students participating in the MTAS to

be outside four standard deviations for schools of similar size. 6. Other concerns, as identified by the MDE through observation or data audit.

Selected School Site ParticipationSchools selected for an audit are required to participate in the process. Schools may not opt out of the protocol once selected. It is the responsibility of the school and district administration to provide full cooperation and access to those components related to the field auditor’s review. Schools or staff that refuse access to the field auditor or cooperation with appropriate requests for information may jeopardize: 1) the results of student scores for the selected school (e.g., scores may be invalidated by the MDE); or, 2) the district’s ability to engage in actions related to accountability (e.g., appeals during the Adequate Yearly Progress review may be refused). Any school that refuses access to the field auditor or cooperation with appropriate requests for information will be automatically selected for review the following year and may not request to be excused in that following year.

Schools that are selected for a review may request to be excused from the audit process for that year because of unexpected circumstances beyond their control. This request must demonstrate overwhelming evidence of the hardship that would be placed upon students or staff due to a visit from a field auditor. This request must be submitted to MDE by March 31 of the current school year for review. After review, any school that is excused because of a demonstrated hardship will be automatically selected for review the following year and may not request to be excused in that following year.

School Notification ProcessThe Director of Research and Assessment at MDE will send the district superintendent, district assessment coordinator (DAC) and special education director a letter via email indicating a school or schools selected for an MTAS administration observation within the district. The DAC must provide the schedule of MTAS administrations at the selected schools following the instructions and by the date indicated in the letter. If the DAC does not provide the schedule of MTAS administrations by the due date, the school will be included in the list of schools identified for systemic selection. Once field auditors have the schedules for selected schools, they will notify DACs of the date and time of their visit.

Following the observation, MDE will contact the test administrator if non-adjacent scores were assigned by the test administrator and field auditor and the student’s score on a given task has been changed to the score assigned by the field auditor. DACs and test administrators will be notified if the field auditor observes a misadministration of the assessment.