Current Trends in Alternative Assessment

Group # 1Ken Arnold and Mike LittletonEDEL 635Fall 2009Radford University

Alternative AssessmentsThe alternate assessment arena is rapidly

evolving across the 50 states and the District of Columbia, reflecting the states’ responses to legislative, regulatory, technical, and methodological developments in the assessment of students with significant cognitive disabilities for federal, state, and local accountability purposes.

Legislative Background As introduced in the IDEA Amendments of

1997 (IDEA 1997), an alternate assessment is an assessment designed for children with disabilities who are unable to participate in the regular state assessment, even with appropriate accommodations (20 U.S.C. 1412(a)(16)).

Legislative BackgroundStates responded to IDEA 1997 by

implementing a variety of alternate assessment approaches, including portfolios, checklists, and individualized education program (IEP) analysis, which varied in the degree of emphasis on general education curriculum content versus a separate curriculum to develop functional skills (Thompson and Thurlow 2000).

Virginia Alternative AssessmentsIn Virginia, students with disabilities have

several options for participating in the state accountability system. They may participate in the SOL assessments without or with accommodations. In addition, students in grades 3 through 8 with disabilities that prevent them from accessing the SOL test(s) in a content area, even with accommodations, may participate in the VGLA (Virginia Grade Level Assessment).

VGLA – Virginia Grade Level Assessment

Typical characteristics of a student recommended for the VGLA include the following:

enrolled in grades 3 through 8has an IEP/504 Plan (or one is being

developed) has a disability that results in an inability to

demonstrate knowledge and skill on a multiple-choice test, even when accommodations are provided

demonstrates work on SOL that are at grade level

Virginia Alternative AssessmentsUnder the IDEIA, P.L. 108-446, and the NCLB,

P.L.107-110, students with the most significant cognitive disabilities may be assessed on state-established content standards through an alternate assessment.

The concept of aligned content level standards for students with significant cognitive disabilities has been addressed in the design and implementation of VAAP (Virginia Alternate Assessment Program).

VAAP (Virginia Alternate Assessment Program)

Typical characteristics of a student recommended for the VAAP include the following:

must have a current IEP or one is being developed;demonstrates significant cognitive disabilities;must have a present level of performance that indicates the need

for extensive, direct instruction and/or intervention in a curriculum based on ASOLs. The present level of performance or student evaluation may also include personal management, recreation and leisure, school and community, vocational, communication, social competence, and/or motor skills;

requires intensive, frequent, and individualized instruction in a variety of settings to show interaction and achievement;

and is working toward educational goals other than those prescribed for a Modified Standard Diploma, Standard Diploma,or Advanced Studies Diploma.

Virginia Alternative AssessmentsThe VSEP (Virginia Substitute Evaluation

Program) is available to students with disabilities who are enrolled in courses or who have passed courses with end-of-course SOL assessments and students in grades 9-12 who need the grade 8 literacy and numeracy certification required to earn a modified standard diploma.

VSEP (Virginia Substitute Evaluation Program)

Criteria for participation in the VSEP are as follows:The student must have a current IEP or 504 plan (or one is

being developed).The student must be enrolled in a course or has passed a

course that has an SOL EOC test and/or the student is pursuing a Modified Standard Diploma and is seeking certification to meet the literacy and/or numeracy requirements.

All accommodations on the SOL test have been considered for use with the student in the course/content submission area.

The impact of the student’s disability demonstrates to the IEP team or 504 committee that the student will not be able to access the SOL assessment(s) even with accommodations and therefore requires an alternative evaluation.

Alternative Assessment SurveyThe following survey question were posed to

twenty elementary and middle school teachers. The questions were designed to ascertain levels of involvement or issues surrounding Alternative Assessments.

Survey Question #1Which of the following best describes your

experience with Formative Alternative Assessments?

Very Experienced- 25%Experienced-45%Somewhat Experienced-20%No Experience-10%

Survey Question #2Which of the following types of Assessments

have you had experience with?

VGLA-70%VAAP-70%None-30%

Survey Question #3Which of the following best describes your

level of comfort with Alternative Assessments?

Very Comfortable -15%Comfortable-45%Somewhat Comfortable-30%Not Comfortable-10%

Survey Question #4Which of the following best describes your

understanding of Alternative Assessments?

Very Clear-20%Clear-30%Somewhat Clear-50%Not Clear-0%

Survey Question #5Which of the following best describes your

involvement with the collection of evidence for Formative Alternative Assessments?

Very Involved-30%Involved-45%Somewhat Involved-15%Not Involved-10%

Survey Question #6Which of the following best describes your

attitude toward Formative Alternative Assessments?

Too much work for the Teacher-30%Necessary for Student Achievement-60%Neither-10%

Survey Question #7Which of the following best describes your

level of staff development concerning Alternative Assessments?

I feel I have had appropriate staff development- 20%

I do not feel I have had appropriate staff development- 80%

InterviewsMary Evans – Special Education Consulting

Teacher – Kipps Elementary School – MCPSMark Baetz – Assistant Principal / VGLA

Coordinator – Christiansburg Middle School - MCPS

Mary Evans – Consulting Teacher:Kipps Elementary School – MCPSBelieves VAAPs are a necessary for certain

students, and are effective because they show progress and mastery on aligned standards of learning.

According to the MCPS director of Special Ed., VGLAs should be used for kids who are working on grade level but have difficulty with test taking on a multiple choice test format. However, may teachers and principals want to use it for kids who are not working on grade level and/or just don’t know the content.

Interview with Mary Evans continued…Advice for future administrators:

be an active participant in the IEP decision for alternative assessment.

listen to your special education teachers, to learn about a child’s learning styles and assessment needs, and to think about long term consequences (pros and cons) in your decision making.

consider each child as an individual and not just a list of names of kids with IEPs.

do what is best for kids, and not cave to county and state pressure for testing.

put more energy and focus in to teaching kids how to be successful with taking SOL tests and not making assumptions about a students future success or lack of success while they are in elementary school.

Mark Baetz – Assistant Principal at Christiansburg Middle School“These types of Assessments help fill the gap

in learning and prevent poor results on summative assessments.”

“The extra time could be viewed as more work by some. However, the payoff for students in the end should ultimately offset this.”

Mark Baetz – Assistant Principal at Christiansburg Middle School“Regardless of the “climate du jour”, our

focus should always be on each individual child. We need to ensure that they get the best education possible. Alternative Assessment is one piece of the puzzle and, if used correctly, will enhance the opportunity for success in lieu of traditional standardized high stakes tests.”

SummaryAlternative assessment can be a very

effective use of measurement to help monitor progress for students who truly need it.

One of the major problems with alternative assessment is the confusion of just how and why students qualify.

There is also a lot of confusion that comes with who is responsible for administering alternative assessment. Classroom teachers? Special Education Teachers? Specialists within the school or division?

SummarySchool divisions are responsible for grading

their own VGLA notebooks. Many feel VGLA is ineffective because it is a

repetitive matter of having students complete an assignment over and over until they get it right. Along with concerns about the time it takes teachers to organize all of the data.

Many feel that alternative assessment is being used by school divisions to help boost SOL test data and not help the individual child.

SummaryBased on the survey data and interviews

conducted, it is clear more staff development is needed. Solid staff development would:

1) Help create a climate of understanding2) Better prepare teachers for completion of

theses assessments3) Increase student success

ISLLC Standard #1A school administrator is an educational leader

who promotes the success of all students by facilitating the development, articulation, implementation, and stewardship of a vision of learning that is shared and supported by the school community.

By ensuring the educability of all students through alternative assessments, a successful administrator ensures the essence of this standard.

ISLLC #2Advocating, nurturing, and sustaining a

school culture and instructional program conducive to student learning and staff professional growth.

Alternative Assessments require proper implementation, stewardship and professional development to ensure student success.

ISLLC #5A school administrator is an educational

leader who promotes the success of all students by acting with integrity, fairness, and in an ethical manner.

Much of the work of Alternative Assessments is conducted on the honor of school personnel.

BibliographyA Brief History of Alternate Assessments Based

on Alternate Achievement StandardsThe National Center for Educational

Outcomes. Retrieved September 30, 2009 from http://www.cehd.umn.edu/NCEO/onlinepubs/Synthesis68/Synthesis68.pdf

State Profiles on Alternate Assessments Based on Alternate Achievement Standards A Report

From the National Study on Alternate Assessments 2006-2007.

BibliographyThompson, S.J., and Thurlow, M.L. (2000). State

Alternate Assessments: Status as IDEA Alternate Assessment Requirements Take Effect (Synthesis Report 35). Minneapolis, MN: University of Minnesota, National Center on Educational Outcomes. Retrieved September 25, 2009, from http://education.umn.edu/NCEO/OnlinePubs/Synthesis35.html.

Virginia Department of Education: Virginia Grade Level Assessment. Retrieved on October 7, 2009 from www.doe.virginia.gov/VDOE/Assessment/soltests/