2010-2011 APR Snapshot #6:
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Grades 3 - High School Math. Click images to enlarge.
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States varied in their rates of students receiving special education services, from 10% to 19% of the total student population, so it is important to look at participation rates based on the total student population as well. These rates for the grade 8 AA-AAS for reading in all 50 states are presented in Figure 2. States typically assessed less than two percent of their total student population (including both students with disabilities and students without disabilities) using the AA-AAS for reading. Similar participation rates existed for grade 8 AA-AAS for mathematics when viewed in terms of the total student population.
Figure 2. Participation Rates
for Grade 8 Reading AA-AAS (Based on All
Grade 8 Students)
The majority of unique states (n = 6) reported participation rates (based on total population of students), ranging from as high as 1.2% to as low as 0.1%. The unique states are not included in Figure 2, but are included in data tables available at www.nceo/info/APRbriefs/data.
Grades 3 - 7 and High School Reading. Click the images to enlarge.
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Grades 3 - High School Math. Click images to enlarge.
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Figure 3 shows reading AA-AAS participation rates (based on the total population of all students) for grade 4 and grade 8. Across all the states, an average of one percent of the total population of students participated in the AA-AAS in each grade. Differences between the two grades did not show any consistent trends. Fewer than one-half of the states (n = 15) reported higher rates in grade 8 than in grade 4, whereas more than one-half (n = 34) reported higher rates in grade 4 than in grade 8. One state showed no difference between grades 4 and 8. Similar results were found for the mathematics AA-AAS.
The six unique states that reported reading AA-AAS data also showed no differences between the two grades. Half (n = 3) showed a slightly higher participation rate in grade 4 than in grade 8. Although the unique states are not shown in Figure 3, their data are available at www.nceo/info/APRbriefs/data.
Grades 3 - 7 and High School Reading. Click the images to enlarge.
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Grade 8 vs HS |
Grades 3 - High School Math. Click images to enlarge.
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Proficiency
Figure 4 shows the rates of students proficient or above on the AA-AAS for grade 8 reading. Proficiency rates ranged from less than 10% to almost 100% of students participating in the AA-AAS. In 9 states, more than 90% of the students in the AA-AAS were proficiency or above. In only 5 states were less than 30% of students in the AA-AAS considered proficient. Similar percentages of grade 8 students were proficient or above in the mathematics AA-AAS.
Figure 4. Proficiency Rates for Grade 8
AA-AAS Reading
Five of the unique states reported proficiency rates for students in grade 8 for reading and math. In reading, rates of students proficient or above varied from 17.7% to 67.4%, while the rates of students proficient or above in math varied from 22.2% to 61.6%. Proficiency data for the unique states are available at www.nceo/info/APRbriefs/data.
Grades 3 - 7 and High School Reading. Click the images to enlarge.
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Grades 3 - High School Math. Click images to enlarge.
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Figure 5 provides a comparison of the percentage of students proficient on the AA-AAS in grade 8 for reading and mathematics. A majority of states (n=27) reported higher proficiency rates for the reading AA-AAS compared to the math AA-AAS; 22 states had higher rates of proficiency on the math AA-AAS. One state did not report proficiency data for its AA-AAS.
Figure 5. Proficiency Rates for Grade 8 AA-AAS Reading and Math
Half of the unique states (n = 5) reported proficiency rates for both reading and math in grade 8. The majority of the unique states (n = 4) showed a higher proficiency rate for reading compared to math. The unique states are not included in Figure 5, but their data are available at www.nceo/info/APRbriefs/data.
Grades 3 - 7 and High School. Click the images to enlarge.
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Conclusions
The data presented in this report represent a snapshot of the participation and performance of students with disabilities who participate in the Alternate Assessment based on Alternate Achievement Standards (AA-AAS). To some extent, variability in the participation and performance rates reflects the differences in the states’ AA-AAS themselves, including where the proficient cuts were set.
The participation rates described in this report are fairly consistent across states, with a few exceptions. This is generally true regardless of the grade level or whether the content area is reading or mathematics. Participation rates for the AA-AAS tend to be slightly higher than one percent of the total population of students (or about 10 percent of all students with disabilities). In addition, the proficiency rate does not appear to be influenced by the percentage of students participating in the AA-AAS. The percentages of students deemed proficient or above on the AA-AAS are extremely variable across states, with a preponderance of states having quite high rates of students considered proficient or above. This is true regardless of grade or content area assessed, although rates were slightly higher for reading compared to mathematics.
According to the U.S. Department of Education (2007), holding students who qualify for the AA-AAS to high expectations greatly increases the learning opportunities provided to those students. It is important to keep these expectations in mind when examining proficiency rates of students with significant cognitive disabilities. The fact that the rates of students proficient or above on the AA-AAS were considerably higher than for students with disabilities in the regular assessment (see Vang & Thurlow, 2013) is a concern, and suggests that the achievement standards to which students with significant cognitive disabilities are held may not be rigorous enough.
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Resources
Kearns, J. F., Towles-Reeves, E, Kleinert, H. L, Kleinert, J. O., & Thomas, M. K. (2011). Characteristics of and implications for students participating in alternate assessments based on alternate achievement standards. Journal of Special Education, 45(1), 3-14.
Quenemoen, R. (2008). A brief history of alternate assessments based on alternate achievement standards (Synthesis Report 68). Minneapolis, MN: University of Minnesota, National Center on Educational Outcomes.
Quenemoen, R., & Thurlow, M. (2007). Learning opportunities for your child through alternate assessments. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services.
Vang, M., & Thurlow, M. (2013). 2010-2011 APR snapshot #4: State assessment participation and performance of students receiving special education services. Minneapolis, MN: University of Minnesota, National Center on Educational Outcomes. Available at: http://www.cehd.umn.edu/NCEO/APRsnapshot/brief4/default.html