2009 State Policies on Assessment Participation and Accommodations for Students with Disabilities

Synthesis Report 83

Laurene L. Christensen • Maureen Braam • Sarah Scullin • Martha L. Thurlow

September 2011

All rights reserved. Any or all portions of this document may be reproduced and distributed without prior permission, provided the source is cited as:

Christensen, L. L., Braam, M., Scullin, S., & Thurlow, M. L. (2011). 2009 state policies on assessment participation and accommodations for students with disabilities (Synthesis Report 83). Minneapolis, MN: University of Minnesota, National Center on Educational Outcomes.

Acknowledgments

The authors wish to extend special thanks to Michael Moore for his commitment to the development of the Data Viewer, the interactive tool and database that complements this report. Michael’s ongoing efforts to revise the Data Viewer have made this report possible. Additional thanks go to Melissa Crone, who helped with the initial data collection for this project, and to Darleen Baillargeon and Gail Brinkmeier, who helped with editing and proofreading, and formatting tables for the report.


Table of Contents


Executive Summary

The National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO) has been tracking and analyzing state policies on assessment participation and accommodations since 1992. The purpose of the current analysis is to update information on these policies that was last reported by NCEO in 2008 (based on 2007 data). In addition, current state accommodations policies were analyzed by grade and content area. In this analysis, policies from all fifty states and the District of Columbia were included in the report.

The current analysis of states’ 2009 participation and accommodations policies found that state policies on participation and accommodation continue to evolve, and that they have become more detailed and specific than in previous years. Key findings from this analysis include:

  • State policies focus more on accommodations that produce valid scores.
  • There is a greater differentiation among accommodations for different groups of students (students with IEPs, students with 504 Plans, English Language Learners).
  • The Read Aloud Questions and Sign Interpret Questions accommodations continue to be controversial.
  • Accommodations policies differ significantly by content area in an increasing number of states.
  • More states have guidelines for the use of accommodations requiring a third party/access assistant (Scribe, Reader, Sign Language Interpreter).

This analysis did not attempt to determine the degree to which state policies complied with federal requirements under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) of 2004 or Title I of the 2001 reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA). Instead, it is a descriptive analysis of the written policies that states have for the participation of students with disabilities in assessments and the use of accommodations during their assessments.


Overview

Given that both the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) of 2004 and Title I of the 2001 reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) require the participation of students with disabilities in state assessments, it is important to study how they will participate, and what, if any, accommodations will be used. The National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO) has been tracking and analyzing state polices that address participation and accommodations for students with disabilities since 1992, with the most recent analysis examining 2007 policies (Christensen, Lazarus, Crone, & Thurlow, 2008). Each time that NCEO has examined state policies (Clapper, Morse, Lazarus, Thompson, & Thurlow, 2005; Lazarus, Thurlow, Lail, Eisenbraun, & Kato, 2006; Thurlow, House, Boys, Scott, & Ysseldyke, 2000; Thurlow, Lazarus, Thompson, & Robey, 2002; Thurlow, Scott, & Ysseldyke, 1995a, 1995b; Thurlow, Seyfarth, Scott, & Ysseldyke, 1997; Thurlow, Ysseldyke, & Silverstein, 1993), the policies have changed significantly. Over time, the policies have shifted from indicating an increasing number of states with policies on participation and accommodations, to a growing sophistication in states’ policies.

Since the last update, recent federal regulations have had an influence on states’ accommodations policies. The federal peer review of state standards and assessments, which was begun in 2004, has required states to have clear policies for accommodations, to document the link between instructional and assessment accommodations, to monitor the availability and use of accommodations, and to ensure that the use of accommodations results in a valid and meaningful score.

Recent changes in participation and accommodations policies include the following: (1) attention to accommodations that allow for valid scores; and (2) greater differentiation among accommodations allowed for different groups of students, such as students with Individualized Education Programs (IEPs), students with 504 plans, and English language learners.


Need to Update and Analyze

This current update, based on 2009 policies, sought to answer questions similar to those in previous examinations of state participation and accommodations policies. These questions included the following:

  • How do states reflect the participation options for students with disabilities on statewide tests?
  • Have the policies changed substantially since the 2007 update? How have the policies changed?
  • How do accommodations policies reflect current and emerging issues, including issues of validity, assistive technology accommodations, and the provision of accommodations to different student groups?

For the current report, we made several additions and adjustments to our analysis. Several new accommodations were added to the analysis, and these will be noted where they are discussed in this report.

Several changes were made to our analysis this year. First, accommodations were coded for the specific grade levels and content areas in which they were allowed. Content areas included in the analysis were Reading/English Language Arts, Math, Science, History, and Social Studies. This change revealed that there were some state policies that allowed accommodations in certain grades and content areas but not others. In addition, in the previous report we included most of the unique states in our analysis. This year, we were unable to obtain policy information from all but the District of Columbia. For this analysis, we included the District of Columbia in our tallies with the regular states. As a result, figures throughout this report reflect a total of 51 states, and comparisons between 2007 and 2009 policies accurately reflect changes in the number of state policies, including DC policies.


Process Used to Review State Policies

In general, procedures used for this analysis of states’ written participation and accommodation policies were similar to the procedures used in the past. As was the case in previous years, the information for this report was gathered through the examination and analysis of publicly available written documents. This is in contrast to other approaches that survey informed respondents and that may use a restricted list of accommodations.

Participation and accommodation policies for the 2008-09 school year were obtained from all regular states’ Web sites as of August 15, 2009. The initial compilation of data for each state was entered into an online database with a composite entry for each state, referred to as a state profile. The 2009 profiles were then compared to the 2007 profiles and changes between the two were highlighted. Hard copies of the profiles were sent to states for review. States were asked to verify the information in their profiles by indicating whether: (1) the information was accurate, (2) they needed additional information in order to decide whether the information contained in their profiles was accurate, or (3) the profiles contained inaccurate information and that changes needed to be made to the profile. If a state requested changes to the profile, we required evidence of a written document that contained the desired change before accepting the changes. State officials were able to make comments directly on the online profile, but they were also given the option to return their edited profiles to us via mail or fax. The information from the verified state profiles was then placed in the tables contained in this report. A complete list of state documents used to compile information for this report is in Appendix A.

This analysis did not attempt to determine the degree to which state policies complied with federal requirements under IDEA or ESEA. Those determinations can be made only by the appropriate federal authorities. This report is a descriptive analysis of the written policies that states have for the participation of students with disabilities in assessments and their use of accommodations during assessments.


Organization of the Report

In this update we summarize and categorize the extensive information contained in states’ participation and accommodation policies. As in past reports, presenting information in figures and tables makes it more accessible, but can sometimes obscure the underlying complexities of the individual state policies. For example, it is not apparent in any of the tables that state policies on participation and accommodations range in length from a few pages to hundreds of pages. This complexity is exacerbated by the burgeoning number of state documents addressing participation and accommodations that are currently available. Some states have policies in place with few or no related supporting documents, while others have, in addition to policies, a full complement of related materials such as procedural manuals and training guides.

This report is divided into two sections. Section 1 addresses the information gathered on participation. Section 2 contains the review of states’ accommodation policies.

Tables that detail accommodations by state are included in Appendix B of this report. Summary figures and tables are provided in the main sections of the report. A comparison was made, where possible, to similar information from previous reports. All information in this report that refers to 2007 policies was obtained from Christensen et al. (2008).

In addition to this report, all of the state policies on participation and accommodations can be accessed online with the NCEO Data Viewer, which allows users to create customized reports, including charts and maps that show state policies.


Section 1: Participation Policies

In addition to examining the specific participation criteria in the states, we examined additional testing options that were mentioned and references to circumstances in which students might not participate in assessment. For each of these participation topics, we describe the 2009 findings and then compare these to findings from 2007.

Additional Testing Options

Some state participation policies included language about additional testing options beyond the three traditional testing options (i.e., general assessment without accommodations, general assessment with accommodations, and alternate assessments). These additional testing options included Selective Participation, Combination Participation, Out-of-Level Assessments, Locally Selected Assessments, Testing with Modifications or Non-Standard Accommodations, and Testing with Unique Aggregated Accommodations. Selective Participation means that students may take certain parts of the assessment without being required to take others, such as taking the math alternate assessment and no other assessments. Combination Participation means that students may take different parts of different tests, such as taking the reading alternate assessment, the math general assessment, and the science assessment with accommodations. Out-of-Level Assessments refers to the practice of allowing a student in one grade to take an assessment designed for another (usually lower) grade. Locally Selected Assessments are defined as assessments that school district staff select for students who are unable to participate in the general assessment even with accommodations. Testing with Modifications or Non-Standard Accommodations is the term used when a state permits the administration of a test with modifications or nonstandard accommodations. These accommodations are typically considered to change what is being tested to an extent that invalidates a student’s score. Testing with Unique Aggregated Accommodations refers to the use of accommodations that may be called conditional or nonstandard, but that have no implications for scoring or aggregation.

Thirty-five states’ policies indicated that at least one additional testing option was available to students (see Figure 1). The participation policies in the remaining states did not indicate that additional testing options were available.

Figure 1. Summary of Additional Testing Options

Figure 1 Bar Chart

Figure 2 illustrates the specific type of additional testing options and the number of states that allow it. Testing with modifications or non-standard accommodations was the largest category with 21 states allowing this testing option. Combination Participation followed with 16 state policies allowing it. For example, one state policy indicated that participation by content area was allowed; therefore, when two or more content areas are being assessed, such as reading, writing, and math, the student may take the general assessment in math, and alternate assessments in reading and writing.

Details on the policies of the specific states are provided in Tables B.1 and B.2 in Appendix B.

Figure 2. Summary of Types of Additional Testing Options

Figure 2 Bar Chart

Changes Since 2007

The number of states with participation policies that specifically cite the availability or non-availability of additional testing options stayed about the same since 2007. In 2007, 20 states had one additional testing option; this number increased to 22 in 2009. However, in 2007, 17 states mentioned having two or more additional testing options, and this number decreased to 13 for 2009. The number of states that did not mention additional testing options (e.g., the policies neither permitted nor prohibited additional testing options) increased from 13 in 2007 to 16 in 2009.

In terms of the variation in types of additional testing options offered, these numbers also changed only slightly from 2009. Combination Participation decreased from 23 states mentioning this option in 2007 to 16 states in 2009. Locally Selected Assessments decreased by 2, from 3 in 2007 to 1 in 2009. The remaining types of additional testing options decreased in the number of states mentioning them in 2009. Testing with modifications decreased by 2, from 23 in 2007 to 21 in 2009. Out-of-Level Assessments remained stable from 2007-2009 as it was mentioned by 5 states. Selective Participation was included in 3 state policies in 2007; in 2009, only 2 states offered Selective Participation.

 

Circumstances in Which Students are Not Included in Any Form of Statewide Assessment

In addition to examining state policies on how students were included in statewide assessment programs, we also looked for circumstances in which students were not included in any form of state assessment.

As shown in Figure 3, 16 states permitted the exclusion of students in the case of a medical condition or illness, and 6 states permitted exclusion according to a parent exemption. Four states permitted exclusion for emotional distress, 2 states permitted exemption for disruptive behavior, and 2 states permitted exclusion for absence.

When analyzing the state policies, we considered a state to meet the requirements of exclusion prohibited if they stated that all students must participate, and no excluded groups were mentioned. Under this definition, 30 states prohibited exclusion.

This information is summarized in Figure 3 and provided in detail by state in Appendix B, Table B.3 and B.4.

Figure 3. Summary of Circumstances in Which Students are Not Included in Any Form of Statewide Assessment

Figure 3 Bar Chart

Changes Since 2007

In 2007, one state permitted exclusion for student refusal and in 2009 no states did. The number of states that permitted exclusion for parent exemption remained at 6. Two new reasons for permitting exclusion emerged in 2009 policies: disruptive behavior (2 states) and absence (2 states).

 

Participation Decision-making Criteria—Allowed

Figure 4 summarizes the decision-making criteria that states used to determine how students with disabilities participate in statewide assessment systems. The criteria that states cited most frequently was (1) IEP Determined (51 states); (2) Instructional Relevance/Instructional Goals (39 states); (3) Current Performance/Level of Functioning (33 states); (4) Student Needs and Characteristics (28 states); (5) Level of Independence (24 states); and (6) Nature of/Category of Disability (23 states).

Additional participation criteria that states used when making participation decisions are included in Tables B.5 and B.6 in Appendix B.

Figure 4. Summary of Participation Policy Variables That Can Be Used to Make Decisions about How Students with Disabilities Will Participate in Statewide Assessment

Figure 4 Bar Chart


Changes Since 2007

Policies on variables that can be used to make decisions about how students with disabilities will participate in statewide assessments have remained relatively stable since 2007. The most commonly cited variable for decision making in 2007, IEP determined (51 states), remained the same in 2009.

Three policy variables increased in the number of states that mentioned them in policies from 2007. Degree of Adaptations Needed increased from 6 states citing this variable in 2007 to 16 states in 2009. Past Performance increased from being mentioned in the policies of 13 states in 2007 to being included in 15 states’ policies in 2009. Finally, Student Needs and Characteristics also increased from being mentioned in 11 states’ policies in 2007 to 28 states in 2009.

Five policy variables decreased in the number of states that mentioned them in their policies from 2007. Fewer states permitted consideration of Instructional Relevance/Instructional Goals, which decreased from being used in 45 states in 2007 to 39 states in 2009. Similarly, Current Performance/Level of Functioning decreased from being used for decision-making in 37 states in 2007 to being used in 33 states in 2009. Level of Independence also decreased, down from 37 states in 2007 to 24 states in 2009. Content/Purpose/Nature of Assessment was also mentioned in fewer policies (down from 8 states to 7 states). Finally, there were fewer variables in the Non-pursuit of a Standard Diploma, with only 4 states including it in 2009 versus 6 states in 2007.

 

Participation Decision-making Criteria—Not Allowed

Many states listed criteria that cannot be used to make decisions about how students with disabilities will participate in statewide assessments. As shown in Figure 5, the criteria that were most frequently cited included the following: (1) Presence or Category of Disability (23 states); (2) Cultural, Social, Linguistic, or Environmental Factors (18 states); and (3) Excessive Absences (16 states). Fourteen states had policies which stated that Low Expectations/Anticipated Low Scores may not be used to make decisions about how students with disabilities will participate in assessments. In addition, fourteen states also mentioned Instructional Program/Setting as criteria that may not be used for participation decision-making.

Detailed information on participation decision-making criteria for each state can be found in Tables B.7 and B.8 of Appendix B.

Figure 5. Summary of Participation Policy Variables That Cannot Be Used to Make Decisions About How Students with Disabilities will Participate in Statewide Assessments

Figure 5 Bar Chart

Changes Since 2007

The number of states that cited variables that cannot be used to make decisions about how students with disabilities will participate in statewide assessments seemed to decrease overall for each variable from 2007 to 2009. Variables with the greatest decreases included Excessive Absences, (down from 22 in 2007 to 16 in 2009), and Cultural, Social, Linguistic, or Environmental Factors, (down from 23 in 2007 to 18 in 2009). Receiving Special Education Services was one variable that increased, up to 9 in 2009, from 5 in 2007.


Section 2: Accommodation Policies

All states had policies that addressed issues related to the use of accommodations by students with disabilities in statewide assessments. This section of the report addresses state policy language concerning groups eligible to receive accommodations, criteria that states can and cannot use to make decisions about a student’s use of an accommodation, guidance for the use of accommodations that are not on an approved list, accommodations involving a third party to administer or record, and the use and impact of various types of accommodations.

Additional Student Groups Eligible for Accommodations

Accommodations policies may apply to students with IEPs, students with 504 plans, students who are both English language learners (ELLs) and have a disability, students who qualify for Title I services, or to all students. Many states also have separate accommodations policies for ELL students, but we did not track those policies for this report. Readers interested in learning more about ELL policies are referred to Rivera, Collum, Shafer, and Sia (2005).

Figure 6 provides information about the extent to which various categories of students, in addition to ELL students or students with disabilities, were eligible to use accommodations during statewide assessments. All states mentioned in their policies that at least one other group was eligible for accommodations. Forty-two states indicated in their policies that accommodations were to be provided to students who had a 504 plan. Another 42 states specified in their policies that English language learners were eligible for accommodations. The inclusion of ELLs as a student group was new to our report for this year.

In 2007, we began to include ELL participation in our analysis. Previously, we analyzed whether states’ special education accommodation policies addressed students who had both an IEP and were ELLs. For our analysis, we considered a state to provide accommodations for ELLs with IEPs if the state mentioned ELL accommodations within the sections of their policies on accommodations for students with disabilities. In 2009, 48 states included ELLs with IEPs as an additional group eligible for accommodations.

One state allowed all students to use any accommodations without restrictions. Fourteen states allowed all students to use standard accommodations under certain circumstances and with specific restrictions.

See Table B.9 and B.10 in Appendix B for detailed information on additional student groups eligible for accommodations in each state.

Figure 6. Summary of Additional Student Groups Eligible for Accommodations

Figure 6 Bar Chart

Changes Since 2007

Overall, the number of states mentioning additional student groups eligible for accommodations decreased from 2007 to 2009. The number of state policies that included students with a 504 plan decreased from 46 states in 2007 to 42 states in 2009. The number of states mentioning ELLs with IEPs as eligible for accommodations increased from 46 states in 2007 to 48 states in 2009. The number of states mentioning English language learners as an additional student group went from 46 states in 2009 to 42 states in 2007.

 

Accommodations Decision-making Criteria—Allowed

States have used a variety of criteria to guide the process for making decisions on student use of accommodations. According to Figure 7, the policies of 45 states indicated that the use of instructional and classroom accommodations are to be considered when making decisions. Two other criteria that many states included in their policies were accommodations that were selected based on Individual Student Needs and Characteristics (37 states) and that the accommodations maintained the Validity of the Test and Resulting Score (25 states).

Some states differentiated between the types of accommodations that may be provided on exit exams and other large-scale assessments or between norm-referenced and criterion-referenced tests. The category of Purpose/Nature of the Assessment was used to track whether different accommodations were permitted on different types of assessments in a state. In 8 states, the purpose or nature of the assessment was one of the criteria decision-making teams were asked to consider when making decisions about the use of accommodations.

See Tables B.11 and B.12 in Appendix B for more detailed information on criteria states allow for making decisions about accommodations.

Figure 7. Summary of Accommodations Policy Variables That Can Be Used to Guide the Decision-making Process for Using Accommodations During Statewide Assessment

Figure 7 Bar Chart

Changes Since 2007

Since 2007, the state policies indicating the variables that can be used to guide the decision-making process for using accommodations during assessments have generally decreased in number. Used for Classroom and Instruction decreased by 2, from being mentioned in 47 states in 2007 to 45 states in 2009. Maintains the Validity of the Test and Resulting Score also decreased, from being mentioned in 32 states’ policies in 2007 to 25 states in 2009. Purpose/Nature of the Assessment decreased from 12 in 2007 to 8 in 2009. The Length of Time Accommodation Has Been Used decreased from 14 in 2007 to 8 states in 2009. Individual Student Needs/Characteristics increased from 34 states in 2007 to 37 states in 2009.

 

Accommodations Decision-making Criteria—Not Allowed

States also prohibited basing decisions about accommodations on certain criteria (see Figure 8). Policies generally listed fewer variables that could not be used in the decision-making process as compared to the number of variables that could be used. Twelve states indicated that Administrative Convenience may not be used to make decisions about accommodations. Ten states did not permit consideration of the nature or category of a student’s disability. A few states indicated that Instructional Program/Program Setting (3 states) and Percent Time/Amount of Services Received (1 state) may not be considered when making decisions about accommodations.

State specific information, as well as information about other criteria, is provided in Tables B.13 and B.14 in Appendix B.

Figure 8. Summary of Accommodation Policy Variables That Cannot Be Used to Guide the Decision-Making Process for Using Accommodations During Statewide Assessment

Figure 8 Bar Chart

Changes Since 2007

Two categories increased in the number of states mentioning these variables in their policies: Administrative Convenience increased from 5 states in 2007 to 12 states in 2009, and Nature/Category of Disability increased from 9 states in 2007 to 10 states in 2009. The other 2 variables remained the same from 2007 to 2009.

 

Guidance for Using Accommodations That Are Not on the “Approved” List

A summary of the guidance for using accommodations that are not on an “approved” list in state accommodation policies is found in Figure 9. Twenty-nine states’ policies advised IEP team members to seek approval from the State Board or Department of Education when suggesting the use of an accommodation not specifically found on the “approved” list. A committee review of the request to use an accommodation not previously approved was indicated in 5 state policies. Five state policies required IEP team members to contact a specific individual at the state or district level when recommending a non-approved accommodation.

Detailed information for each state is located in Tables B.15 and B.16 in Appendix B.

Figure 9. Summary of Guidelines for Using Accommodations That Are Not on the “Approved” List

Figure 9 Bar Chart

Changes Since 2007

The number of state policies that required decision-making teams to seek approval from a State Board or Department of Education when inquiring about using accommodations not on the “approved” list increased from 26 states in 2007 to 29 states in 2009. The number of states that required a committee review of the accommodation in question increased by 1 state (up from 4 to 5) from 2007 to 2009. In 2007, 6 states required decision-making teams to contact a specific person at the state or district level; by 2009, the number decreased to 5 states.

 

Guidelines for the Administration of Accommodations Involving a Third Party

Information was also collected on guidelines for accommodations involving a third party. This information is summarized in Figure 10. An example of an accommodation that involves a third party would be an individual who serves as an intermediary between the student and the mode of access to the test (e.g., sign language interpreter, scribe, etc). If a decision-making team had selected Dictation of Answers as an accommodation, a state’s guidelines might then define the role of the scribe. Or, if Reading Test Items Aloud was the selected accommodation, the state may provide instructions on how to read numbers aloud and how to describe figures and diagrams on the test. For this analysis, we accepted anything the state produced as a written guideline. In other words, no quality criteria were imposed. Thirty-nine states provided written guidelines for scribes in their accommodation policies. Guidelines for readers and sign language interpreters were provided in 29 and 28 state policies, respectively.

Detailed information for each state is located in Table B.17 in Appendix B.

Figure 10. Summary of Guidelines for the Administration of Accommodations Involving a Third Party

Figure 10 Bar Chart

Changes Since 2007

The number of states that provided guidelines for accommodations involving a third party increased from 45 states in 2007 to 46 states in 2009. The number of states with guidelines for scribes decreased from 40 states to 39 states in 2009. Guidelines for readers decreased from 32 in 2007 to 29 in 2009. Guidelines for sign language interpreters increased by 1, from 27 in 2007 to 28 in 2009.

 

Types of Accommodations and Impact of Use

In this section of the report, the accommodations that states most often allowed, allowed with restrictions, and prohibited are reviewed. We organized the accommodations into 5 categories: presentation accommodations, equipment and materials accommodations, response accommodations, scheduling/timing accommodations, and setting accommodations.

We also analyzed how the states’ policies indicated that the accommodations were to be used: (1) Allowed (A)—if the accommodation is used, the student must be given the score she or he earned, the student’s score must be aggregated, and the score must be used for accountability purposes; (2) Unique Aggregated (UA)—an added category for those situations in which an accommodation that may be called conditional or nonstandard is used, the student is given his or her earned score, and the student’s score is aggregated and used for accountability purposes; (3) Allowed in Certain Circumstances (AC)—the accommodation is allowed on some assessments and not others; (4) Allowed with Implications for Scoring and/or Aggregation (AI)—if the accommodation is used, the student automatically receives a certain score (e.g., zero or below basic) or the score is not aggregated; and (5) Prohibited (P)—the use of this accommodation on statewide and district-wide testing is not permitted. For this analysis, we included an accommodation in our report if it was mentioned in the policies of at least 6 states.

Presentation Accommodations

Presentation accommodations alter the way in which a test is presented to a student. Table 1 provides a summary of the presentation accommodations documented in state accommodation policies. State specific detailed information about these accommodations is included in Tables B.18 through B.19 in Appendix B.

The most frequently allowed presentation accommodations were: Large Print, Braille, Sign Interpret Directions, and Read Aloud Directions. The policies of 49 states allowed the Large Print accommodation without any restrictions, and an additional state allowed the accommodation with implications for scoring. Forty-seven states permitted the use of Braille without restrictions, and one state allowed the accommodation with implications for scoring.

Read Aloud is represented in this analysis as three separate accommodations: Read Aloud Directions, Read Aloud Questions, and Read Aloud Passages. Table 1 shows the breakdown of accommodations policies for these three accommodations for Reading.

States’ policies on the Read Aloud Directions accommodation showed some variability. Fewer states (19) allowed this accommodation in Social Studies, while more states (30-38) allowed it in other content areas (see Figure 11). Only one state allowed this accommodation with implications for scoring in Reading/English Language Arts, while no states allowed it with implications for scoring in any other content area. Similarly, 1 state allowed this accommodation in certain circumstances with implications for scoring in Reading/English Language Arts, compared to no states in any other content area. A similar number of states across content areas allowed this accommodation in certain circumstances, with the most states (6) in the content area of Writing, and less states (3-4) in other content areas. No states allowed this accommodation as a unique aggregation and in certain circumstances. Three states prohibited this accommodation in Reading/English Language Arts, and 1 state prohibited this accommodation in Writing.

Table 1. Number of Regular States that Allow or Prohibit Selected Presentation Accommodationsa

Table 1 Presented as a Figure

a In addition to the presentation accommodations listed in this table, 34 states have “Other” presentation accommodations. See Table B.19 in Appendix B for details.

b A = Allowed; AC = Allowed in Certain Circumstances; AI = Allowed with Implications for Scoring; AI/AC = Allowed with Implications for Scoring and in Certain Circumstances; UA = Unique Aggregated; P = Prohibited

Note: These totals include fifty states and the District of Columbia.

Definitions:
Large Print = all parts of the assessment are in print larger than that typically used.
Braille = all parts of the assessment are presented in braille.
Read Aloud Directions = the directions portion of the assessment is read to the student.
Read Aloud Questions = the assessment items are read to the student.
Read Aloud Passages = the assessment passages are read to the student.
Sign Interpret Directions = directions portion of the assessment presented to the student via sign language.
Sign Interpret Questions = assessment items presented to the student via sign language.
Sign Interpret Passages = assessment passages presented to the student via sign language.
Native Language Translation of Directions and/or Items = directions and/or test items are translated into the student’s native language.
Read/Re-read/Clarify Directions = directions may be clarified through restatement for the student.
Visual Cues = additional visual cues are provided for students, such as arrows or stickers.
Administration by Others = someone other than regular test administrator gives test to student (e.g., special education or general education teacher).
Familiar Examiner = someone other than regular test examiner who the student knows and has worked with in the past gives the test to the student (e.g., special education teacher).
Additional Examples = in response to student request for more information or clarification, test administrator can supply additional examples to assist the student.
Teacher Highlighting = teacher uses a highlighter to highlight on test booklet (e.g., highlighting key words in directions).
Student Highlighting = student uses a highlighter to mark on test booklet.
Student Reads Test Aloud = student reads directions and/or items aloud to self.
Increased Space Between Items = more blank space is given in the test booklet between items.
Simplify/Paraphrase Directions = in response to student request for more information or clarification, test administrator can simplify or paraphrase test directions.
Tactile Graphics = graphic items in the test are given through tactile representation.
Prompt/Encourage Student = test administrator may encourage or prompt the student to continue.
Page Turner = the student receives assistance turning the pages of the test booklet.

Figure 11. State Participation Policies for the Read Aloud Directions Accommodation by Content Area

Figure 11 Bar Chart

The Read Aloud Questions accommodation was highly variable between Reading/English Language Arts and other content areas (see Figure 12). Variability of policies on this accommodation between other content areas was much lower. Eight states allowed this accommodation in Reading/English Language Arts, while a range of 18-37 states allowed it in other content areas. Five states allowed this accommodation with implications for scoring in Reading/English Language Arts, while no states had this policy for any other content area. The number of states that allowed this accommodation in certain circumstances was similar between content areas with the highest number of states (12) in Reading/English Language Arts and the fewest (6) in Social Studies. Six states allowed this accommodation in certain circumstances with implications for scoring, whereas only 2 states had this policy in Math, and 1 state had this policy in both Writing and Social Studies. Similarly, 3 states allowed this accommodation with unique aggregation and in certain circumstances in Reading/English Language Arts, while no states had this policy in any of the other content areas. Fifteen states prohibited the use of this accommodation in Reading/English Language Arts, and 1 state prohibited this accommodation in Writing.

Figure 12. State Participation Policies for the Read Aloud Questions Accommodation by Content Area

Figure 12 Bar Chart

The Read Passages Aloud accommodation was highly variable between Reading/English Language Arts and other content areas (see Figure 13). While only 2 states allowed this accommodation in Reading/English Language Arts, 7 states allowed this accommodation in Social Studies and 13-14 states allowed this accommodation in Math, Science, and Writing. In Reading/English Language Arts, 7 states allowed this accommodation with implications for scoring, whereas no states had this policy for any other content area. The number of states that allowed this accommodation in certain circumstances was similar across content areas with a range of 2-4 states. Again, there was only a slight difference between content areas in the number of states which allowed this accommodation in certain circumstances with implications for scoring, with 3 states having this policy for Reading/English Language Arts compared to 1 state for Math, and no states in any of the other content areas. One state allowed this accommodation with unique aggregation and in certain circumstances in Reading/English Language Arts, while no states had this policy in the other content areas. Fifteen states prohibited the use of this accommodation in Reading/English Language Arts, but only 1 state prohibited this accommodation in each of the other content areas.

Figure 13. State Participation Policies for the Read Aloud Passages Accommodation by Content Area

Figure 13 Bar Chart

Sign Language Interpretation is also represented in this analysis as 3 separate accommodations: Sign Interpret Directions, Sign Interpret Questions, and Sign Interpret Passages. Table 1 showed the policies for each of these accommodations. In general, 45 states permitted directions to be signed without restrictions, and 2 states indicated that directions may be signed under certain circumstances (e.g., on the math test, but not on the reading test). One state prohibited sign interpretation of directions. Thirty-nine states had some policy that allowed test questions to be signed. Of these, 18 states permitted questions to be signed without restrictions; one states’ policy about sign interpretation of questions indicated it was a unique aggregated accommodation/allowed in certain circumstances. A total of 20 states allowed questions to be signed in certain circumstances. As with the Read Aloud Accommodation, it is more controversial to sign questions than to sign directions. It is even more controversial to allow passages to be signed. Five states allowed this accommodation with no restrictions; an additional 7 states allowed passages to be signed under certain circumstances. Three states prohibited the use of signed passages as an accommodation.

Among content areas for state policies on the Sign Interpret Directions accommodation there was little variability (see Figure 14). Fewer states (25) allowed this accommodation in Social Studies, compared to a range of 42-46 states in other content areas. No states allowed this accommodation in certain circumstances in Social Studies, whereas 1-2 states had this policy in all other content areas. No states allowed this accommodation in certain circumstances with implications for scoring for any content area. However, 1 state prohibited this accommodation in each content area.

Figure 14. State Participation Policies for the Sign Interpret Directions Accommodation by Content Area

Figure 14 Bar Chart

The Sign Interpret Questions accommodation showed some variance among content areas (see Figure 15). Most of this variability was between Reading/English Language Arts and other content areas. Fifteen states allowed this accommodation in Reading/English Language Arts and 20 in Social Studies. Twenty-seven states allowed this accommodation in Writing, 31 in Math, and 32 in Science. Two states allowed this accommodation with implications for scoring in Reading/English Language Arts, and 1 state had this policy for each of the other content areas except Writing, for which no states had this policy. Three states allowed this accommodation in certain circumstances in Reading/English Language Arts and Social Studies, compared to 4 states in Science and Writing, and 6 states in Math. No states allowed this accommodation in certain circumstances with implications for any content area. Two states allowed this accommodation in certain circumstances with unique aggregation in Reading/English Language Arts, while 1 state had this policy in each of the other content areas. This accommodation is prohibited in 11 states in Reading/English Language Arts, 2 states in Writing, and no states in any other content area.

Figure 15. State Participation Policies for the Sign Interpret Questions Accommodation by Content Area

Figure 15 Bar Chart

States’ policies on the Sign Interpret Passages accommodation had some variability, mostly between Reading/English Language Arts and other content areas (see Figure 16). Only 4 states allowed this accommodation in Reading/English Language Arts compared to 6 in Social Studies, 8 in Writing, and 10 in Math and Science. Of particular note, 1 state allowed this accommodation with implications for scoring in Reading/English Language Arts while no states had this policy for any other content area. Only 1 state allowed this accommodation in certain circumstances with unique aggregation in Reading/English Language Arts. Eight states prohibited this accommodation in Reading/English Language Arts, compared to 3 states that prohibited this policy for each of the other content areas.

Figure 16. State Participation Policies for the Sign Interpret Passages Accommodation by Content Area

Figure 16 Bar Chart

Additional details about Presentation Accommodations are provided in Tables B.18A, B.18B, B.18C, and B.19 in Appendix B.

Changes Since 2007

As in 2007, the most frequently allowed presentation accommodations were Large Print, Braille, Sign Interpret Directions, and Read Aloud Directions. One change from 2007 was that more presentation accommodations were mentioned in state policies as prohibited. In 2007, only Prompt/Encourage Student and Simplify Directions were mentioned as prohibited in the policy of one state each. In 2009, accommodations were mentioned 22 times as prohibited: Read Aloud Passages (9 states),Sign Interpret Directions (1 state), Sign Interpret Passages (3 states), Native Language Translation of Directions (2 states), Native Language Translation of Questions (4 states), Native Language Translation of Passages (2 states), and Simplify/Paraphrase Directions (1 state).

 

Equipment and Materials Accommodations

Equipment and Materials accommodations are changes in the conditions of the assessment setting that involve the introduction of certain types of tools and assistive devices. Table 2 provides a summary of the equipment and materials accommodations documented in the regular states’ policies. Many equipment and materials accommodations are related to the presentation of the test, but some are related to response, such as using a calculator or abacus.

The most frequently allowed equipment/materials accommodations were: Magnification Equipment, Amplification Equipment, Templates, and Light/Acoustics. Forty-eight states’ policies indicated that the use of magnification equipment and amplification equipment was allowed without restrictions, with 1 additional state allowing magnification equipment with implications for scoring. Templates were allowed in 39 states, while the light/acoustics accommodation was allowed in 34 states without restrictions, and in certain circumstances in 1 state.

The Math Tables/Numberline, Abacus, Dictionary/Glossary, Calculator accommodation and Manipulatives were among the most controversial accommodations. Each of these accommodations is discussed in more detail, according to how the policies varied by content area, below. Table 2 shows the policies for these accommodations related to the math content area.

Table 2. Number of States that Allow or Prohibit Selected Equipment/Material Accommodationsa

Table 2 Presented as a Figure

a In addition to the equipment and material accommodations listed in this table, 26 states had “Other” equipment and materials accommodations. See Table B.21 in Appendix B for details.

b A = Allowed; AC = Allowed in Certain Circumstances; AI = Allowed with Implications for Scoring; AI/AC = Allowed with Implications for Scoring and in Certain Circumstances; UA = Unique Aggregated; P = Prohibited

Note: These totals include fifty states and the District of Columbia.

Definitions:
Magnification Equipment = equipment that enlarges the print size of the test.
Amplification Equipment = equipment that increases the level of sound during the test (e.g. hearing aids).
Light/Acoustics = changes to the amount or placement of lighting or special attention to the acoustics of the test setting.
Calculator = standard calculator and special function calculator.
Templates = Templates used to mark location of focus on the test.
Audio/Video Equipment = audio or video equipment.
Noise Buffer = ear mufflers, white noise, and other equipment used to block external sounds.
Adaptive or Special Furniture = any furniture the student requires (e.g., for sitting upright).
Abacus = abacus or similar counting tools.
Manipulatives = learning materials that are operated with the hands (e.g., math cubes, counters).
Adapted Writing Tools = larger diameter pencil, pencil grip, or other writing tool that has been adapted for the student.
Slant Board/Wedge = slant board or wedge.
Secure Paper to Work Area = tape, magnets, or other device to secure paper to work area.
Visual Organizers = markers, masks, and other devices to mark location of focus on test.
Color Overlay = color overlay or shield.
Assistive Technology = assistive technology (e.g., head wand, Kurzweil software).
Special Paper = any special paper, such as graph paper, scratch paper, wide-ruled paper, etc.
Math Tables/Number Line = math tables or number line, provided for, or created by, the student.
Dictionary/Glossary = dictionary or glossary in English, English/other language, or other language only.
Thesaurus = thesaurus.
Keyboard = keyboard or adaptive keyboard.
Graphic Organizers = graphic organizers created before or during the testing situation.

The Math Tables/Numberline accommodation had some variability between Math and other content areas (see Figure 17). There was almost no variability among content areas excluding Math, and few states allowed this accommodation in content areas other than Math. Specifically, this accommodation was allowed in Math for 12 states, compared to only 2 states in each of the other content areas. Four states allowed this accommodation in certain circumstances in the content area of Math. Likewise a few states allowed this accommodation with implications for scoring as well as allowed it in certain circumstances with implications for scoring in each content area. On the other hand, 3 states prohibited the use of Math Tables/Numberline in Math, and similarly, 2 states prohibited this accommodation in each of the other content areas.

Figure 17. State Participation Policies for the Math Tables/Numberline Accommodation by Content Area

Figure 17 Bar Chart

Math varied considerably from the other content areas for the Abacus accommodation (see Figure 18). This accommodation was allowed in 3-4 states for Reading/English Language Arts, Science, Writing, and Social Studies. Many more states (20) allowed this accommodation in Math. Likewise, 3-4 states allowed this accommodation in certain circumstances in content areas other than Math, while 10 states had this policy in Math. Three states allowed this accommodation in certain circumstances with implications for scoring in Math. Lastly, 1-2 states prohibited this accommodation in all content areas.

Figure 18. State Participation Policies for the Abacus Accommodation by Content Area

Figure 18 Bar Chart

The Dictionary/Glossary accommodation displayed some variance, mostly for Social Studies and other content areas (see Figure 19). There was little variability among content areas other than Social Studies. A range of 14-19 states allowed this accommodation in content areas other than Social Studies, while only 10 states allowed it in Social Studies. Likewise, a range of 9-11 states allowed this accommodation in certain circumstances for content areas other than Social Studies, whereas only 6 states allowed this accommodation in certain circumstances in Social Studies. In all content areas, only 1 state allowed this accommodation with implications for scoring. A range of 2-3 states allowed this accommodation in certain circumstances with implications for scoring across all content areas. No states allowed this accommodation in certain circumstances with unique aggregation. Lastly, 3 states prohibited this accommodation in both Reading/English Language Arts and Writing, while 1 state had this policy in Math and Science.

Figure 19. State Participation Policies for the Dictionary/Glossary Accommodation by Content Area

Figure 19 Bar Chart

There was a high amount of variability in state policies on the Calculator accommodation between content areas, particularly between Math and other content areas (see Figure 20). No states allowed this accommodation in Social Studies; 2-4 states allowed it in Reading/English Language Arts, Science, and Writing; and 14 states allowed it in Math. In addition, 3 states allowed the Calculator accommodation in Math with implications for scoring and 1 state had this policy for Science. This accommodation was allowed in certain circumstances for 1-2 states in Reading/English Language Arts, Writing, and Social Studies; 5 states in Science; and 17 states in Math. Seven states allowed this accommodation in certain circumstances with implications for scoring in Math, while 1 state had this policy in Science. Only 2 states allowed this accommodation with unique aggregation and in certain circumstances in Math. A similar amount of states (3-4) prohibited this accommodation across all content areas.

Figure 20. State Participation Policies for the Calculator Accommodation by Content Area

Figure 20 Bar Chart

Similarly to the Calculator accommodation, the Manipulatives accommodation displayed a high degree of variance between Math and other content areas (see Figure 21). In content areas other than Math, a range of 3-4 states allowed this accommodation. On the other hand, this accommodation was allowed in Math for 14 states. Two states allowed this accommodation with implications for scoring in Math, and 1 state had this policy in Science. This accommodation was allowed in certain circumstances for 2 states in all content areas other than Math, while 6 states had this policy in Math. Two states allowed this accommodation in certain circumstances with implications for scoring in Math, while 1 state had this policy in Science. This accommodation was allowed with unique aggregation and in certain circumstances for 1 state in Math. Two states prohibited this accommodation in Math and Social Studies, and 3 states had this policy in Reading/English Language Arts, Science, and Writing.

26 states permitted the use of “Other” equipment and materials accommodations that are not listed in Tables 2, such as easels and slates, pointers, and correction fluid.

Additional details about Equipment/Material Accommodations are provided in Tables B.20A, B.20B, B.20C, and B.21 in Appendix B.

Figure 21. State Participation Policies for the Manipulatives Accommodation by Content Area

Figure 21 Bar Chart

Changes Since 2007

As in 2007, the most frequently allowed equipment/materials accommodations were Magnification Equipment, Amplification Equipment, Templates, and Light/Acoustics. One change in the policies from 2007 to 2009 was an increase in the number of polices prohibited in states. In 2007, a total of 3 accommodations were prohibited in the policies of at least 1 state (Template, Math Tables/Number Line, and Thesaurus). In 2009, a total of 7 different accommodations were listed as prohibited in the policies of at least 1 state. These included Calculator (prohibited in 4 states), Abacus (prohibited in 1 state), Manipulatives (prohibited in 2 states), Math Tables/Numberline (prohibited in 3 states), Dictionary/Glossary (prohibited in 1 state), Thesaurus (prohibited in 1 state), and Graphic Organizers (prohibited in 1 state).

 

Response Accommodations

Response accommodations are changes in how a student responds to elements of the assessment process. Table 3 summarizes the response accommodations documented by the states.

The most frequently allowed response accommodations were: Brailler, Write in Test Booklets, Proctor/Scribe, and Computer/Machine. The policies of 39 states allowed the use of a Brailler without restrictions, 1 state allowed Brailler in certain circumstances, and 1 state allowed it as a unique aggregated accommodation/allowed in certain circumstances.

There was no general consensus across states for whether many of the response accommodations should be permitted in all circumstances or only with restrictions. For example, as indicated in Table 3, 51 states permitted the use of a Proctor or Scribe; however, only 35 states allowed it without restrictions. When Computers were mentioned as an allowed accommodation, it was often with special instructions regarding the availability of the spell checking function. Writing in Test Booklets was another commonly allowed accommodation; it was permitted without restrictions in 36 states, and allowed in certain circumstances in 5 states (one of these states also had implications for scoring). Other commonly mentioned response accommodations included Tape Recorders, Braillers, Pointing, and the use of a Communication Device. Twelve states allowed the use of Speech/Text Devices without restrictions, while 14 states allowed their use only in certain circumstances, and one state prohibited the use of the devices.

Response accommodations also showed variability based on content area. Controversial response accommodations by content area included Proctor, Computer or Machine, Spell Checker/Assistance, and Speech/Text Device.

Table 3. Number of States that Allow or Prohibit Selected Response Accommodationsa

Table 3 Presented as a Figure

a In addition to the response accommodations listed in this table, 30 states had “Other” response accommodations. See Table B.23 in Appendix B for details

b A = Allowed; AC = Allowed in Certain Circumstances; AI = Allowed with Implications for Scoring; AI/AC = Allowed with Implications for Scoring and in Certain Circumstances; UA = Unique Aggregated; P = Prohibited

Note: The totals in this table includes 50 states and the District of Columbia.

Definitions:
Proctor/Scribe = student responds verbally and a proctor or scribe then translates this to an answer sheet; for writing extended responses, specific instructions about how spelling and punctuation may be included.
Computer or Machine = computer or other machine (e.g., typewriter).
Write in Test Booklet = responses may be written in the test booklet rather than on answer sheets.
Tape Recorder = student’s verbal responses are tape recorded, generally for later description.
Communication Device = various devices for the student to use in giving responses (e.g., symbol boards).
Spell Checker/Assistance = spell checker as a separate device or within a word-processing program.
Brailler = device or computer that generates responses in braille.
Sign Responses to Sign Language Interpreter = responses may be given by sign language to a sign language interpreter.
Pointing = student points to response and staff member translates this onto an answer sheet.
Speech/Text Device = student’s verbal responses are transferred to text via speech/text device.
Monitor Placement of Student Responses = the test administrator or other assistant monitor’s the placement of the student’s responses on the answer sheet.

There was little variability in the Write in Test Booklet accommodation (see Figure 22). This accommodation was allowed in 25 states in social studies, and 35-37 states in each of the other content areas. Three states allowed this accommodation in certain circumstances for every content area, while 1 state allowed this accommodation in certain circumstances with implications for scoring in each content area. Interestingly, 1 state prohibited the use of the write in test booklet accommodation in writing, while no other states prohibited this accommodation in any other content areas.

Figure 22. State Participation Policies for the Write in Test Booklet Accommodation by Content Area

Figure 22 Bar Chart

In states’ policies on the use of the Proctor accommodation, the most variation occurred between Social Studies and the other content areas (see Figure 23). There was little variability across content areas other than Social Studies. Fewer states (22) allowed this accommodation in Social Studies, whereas more states (32-36) allowed this accommodation in each of the other content areas. One state allowed this accommodation with implications for scoring in Social Studies, compared to 2 in Reading/English Language Arts, Math and Science, and 4 in Writing. Three states allowed this accommodation in certain circumstances in Social Studies compared to 6-7 states for the other content areas. Allowing this accommodation in certain circumstances with implications for scoring was similar across content areas with 2-3 states allowing this accommodation in each content area. Four states prohibited this accommodation in Writing.

Figure 23. State Participation Policies for the Proctor Accommodation by Content Area

Figure 23 Bar Chart

Some variability existed in the Computer or Machine accommodation (see Figure 24). This accommodation was allowed in Social Studies in only 18 states, while it was allowed for a range of 31-35 states for each of the other content areas. This accommodation was allowed under certain circumstances in Reading/English Language Arts for 9 states. Fewer states (4-5) allowed this accommodation under certain circumstances for the other content areas. This accommodation was allowed in certain circumstances and with implications for scoring in 1-3 states. This accommodation was allowed with unique aggregation and in certain circumstances for 1 state in each content area. Likewise, this accommodation was prohibited in 1 state in each content area.

Figure 24. State Participation Policies for the Computer or Machine Accommodation by Content Area

Figure 24 Bar Chart

The Spell Checker/Assistance accommodation varied somewhat in how the policies differed across content areas (see Figure 25). A range of 7-13 states allowed this accommodation in each of the content areas. Consistently, 1 state in each content area allowed this accommodation with implications for scoring. A range of 3-5 states allowed the Spell Checker/Assistance accommodation across content areas. A range of 1-3 states allowed this accommodation with implications for scoring across content areas. One state allowed this accommodation in certain circumstances with unique aggregation in Reading/English Language Arts. A larger number of states (12-18) prohibited this accommodation in Reading/English Language Arts, Math, Science, and Writing. Only 5 states prohibited this accommodation in Social Studies.

Figure 25. State Participation Policies for the Spell Checker/Assistance Accommodation by Content Area

Figure 25 Bar Chart

There was a small amount of variability across content areas in state policies on the Speech/Text Device accommodation (see Figure 26). Fewer states (13-15) allowed this accommodation in Reading/English Language Arts, Writing, and Social Studies, while more states (20) allowed this accommodation in Math and Science. One state allowed this accommodation with implications for scoring in Writing, while 2 states had this policy in Reading/English Language Arts. This accommodation was allowed in certain circumstances by 5-6 states in Reading/English Language Arts, Math, Science, and Writing. Only 2 states had this policy in Social Studies. One state allowed this accommodation with unique aggregation and in certain circumstances. This policy was prohibited in 1-3 states in each content area.

Figure 26. State Participation Policies for the Speech/Text Device Accommodation by Content Area

Figure 26 Bar Chart

Thirty states included “Other” response accommodations in their policies. Some of the “Other” responses included: students can respond in languages other than English, which is translated into English by a scribe, the answer sheet is in large print or has large margins, or the student hand writes answers on a separate piece of paper.

For additional information on these accommodations as well as more detailed information on the response accommodations, see Tables B.22A, B.22B, and B.23 in Appendix B.

Changes Since 2007

As in 2007, Brailler, Write in Test Booklets, Proctor/Scribe, and Computer/Machine were the most frequently allowed response accommodations. In general, most response accommodations stayed about the same in the number of states allowing their use. One accommodation, Sign Responses to Sign Language Interpreter decreased from being allowed without restrictions in 18 states in 2007 to being allowed without restrictions in 14 states in 2009. More response accommodations were prohibited in 2009 than in 2007. In 2007, 1 response accommodation (Spell Checker/Assistance) was prohibited by 1 state. In 2009, 3 response accommodations (Computer/Machine, Spell Checker/Assistance, and Speech Device) were prohibited. Computer/Machine and Speech Device were prohibited by 1 state, respectively. Spell Checker/Assistance was prohibited by 16 states.

 

Scheduling/Timing Accommodations

Scheduling/Timing accommodations are changes in the timing or scheduling of an assessment; these accommodations are summarized in Table 4. The most frequently allowed accommodations in this category were Testing with Breaks, Extended Time, and Time Beneficial to Student. Forty-two states allowed Testing with Breaks with no restrictions, 1 state allowed this accommodation in certain circumstances, 1 state allowed it with implications for scoring, and 1 state’s policy reflected it as a unique aggregated accommodation/allowed in certain circumstances. The Extended Time accommodation was allowed without restrictions in 38 states. This accommodation was allowed in certain circumstances in 4 states, allowed with implications for scoring in 2 states, and allowed as a unique aggregated accommodation in certain circumstances in 2 states. The Time Beneficial to Student accommodation was permitted without restrictions in 37 states, with another 2 states allowing this accommodation in certain circumstances. Two states prohibited Testing Over Multiple Days; no other scheduling and timing accommodations were prohibited by any state.

Eight states listed “Other” scheduling/timing accommodations that were not listed in Table 4. Among these “Other” accommodations were fewer achievement subtests in a given day (2 states), testing outside the official testing window (2 states) and allowing the student to terminate testing when he or she can no longer continue (2 states).

Additional information on these other accommodations as well as detailed information about the Scheduling/Timing accommodations can be found in Tables B.24 and B.25 in Appendix B.

Table 4. Number of States that Allow or Prohibit Selected Scheduling/Timing Accommodationsa

Table 4 Presented as a Figure

a In addition to the scheduling/timing accommodations listed in this table, 10 states had “Other” scheduling/timing accommodations. See Table B.25 in Appendix B for details.

b A = Allowed; AC = Allowed in Certain Circumstances; AI = Allowed with Implications for Scoring; AI/AC = Allowed with Implications for Scoring and in Certain Circumstances; UA = Unique Aggregated; P = Prohibited

Note: Totals include 50 states and the District of Columbia.

Definitions:
Extended Time = student may take longer than the time typically allowed.
With Breaks = time away from test allowed during tests typically administered without breaks, sometimes with conditions about when this can occur (e.g., not within subtests) and how long they can be.
Multiple Sessions = assessments generally given in a single session can be broken into multiple sessions.
Time Beneficial to Student = administered at a time that is most advantageous to the student.
Over Multiple Days = administered over several days when the assessment is normally administered in one day.
Flexible Scheduling = the order of subtests may vary from the typical order of subtests.

Changes Since 2007

As in 2007, the most frequently allowed Scheduling/Timing accommodations were: With Breaks, Time Beneficial to Students, and Extended Time. The number of states allowing the Extended Time accommodation increased from 34 states allowing the accommodations in 2007 to 38 states mentioning the accommodation as allowed in 2009. Time Beneficial to Students also increased, from 35 states allowing the accommodation in 2007, to 37 states allowing it in 2009. The accommodation Over Multiple Days changed somewhat. The number of states allowing this accommodation with no restrictions decreased from 19 in 2007 to 15 in 2009. However, the number of states that allowed the accommodation in certain circumstances increased from 3 in 2007 to 5 in 2009. Other Scheduling/Timing accommodations remained about the same from 2007 to 2009.

 

Setting Accommodations

Setting accommodations are changes in the test location or environment. These accommodations include Individual or Small Group Administration, Administration in a Separate Room or Carrel, and the Proximity of the Student’s Seat to the Test Administrator. The results of our analysis for are displayed in Table 5.

The most frequently allowed setting accommodations were: Small Group, Individual, Carrel, and Seat Location/Proximity. Forty-eight states permitted testing of students in Small Group settings with no restrictions, and 47 states allowed the use of the Individual accommodation without restrictions. Testing in a Carrel was indicated as allowed in the policies of 37 states. Seat Location/Proximity was considered an allowable accommodation in 35 states. Testing in the Student’s Home was more controversial. This accommodation was allowed without restrictions in 18 states’ policies, and allowed in certain circumstances in the policies of 2 states. One state indicated that this accommodation could be used with implications for scoring and aggregation.

It is important to note that even though we documented that only 5 states allowed the testing of students in the Special Education Classroom, and 1 additional state allowed this setting accommodation in certain circumstances, the policies of many additional states implied this accommodation was permitted. It is likely that individualized or small group testing occurred in the special education classroom, but unless a policy explicitly stated that testing in the special education classroom was allowed as an accommodation, we did not mark it as allowed in this report.

Eight states listed “Other” setting accommodations in their policies, such as testing with the teacher or test administrator facing the student (2 states) and in the general education classroom with adjustments (2 states).

Additional information on these “Other” setting accommodations can be found in Table B.26 and B.27 in Appendix B.

Table 5. Number of Regular States that Allow or Prohibit Selected Setting Accommodationsa

Table 5 Presented as a Figure

a In addition to the setting accommodations listed in this table, 7 states had “Other” setting accommodations. See Table B.27 in Appendix B for details.

b A = Allowed; AC = Allowed in Certain Circumstances; AI = Allowed with Implications for Scoring; AI/AC = Allowed with Implications for Scoring and in Certain Circumstances; UA = Unique Aggregated; P = Prohibited

Note: These totals include 50 states and the District of Columbia.

Definitions:
Individual = individual assessed separately from other students.
Small Group = student assessed in small group separate from other students.
Carrel = student assessed while seated in a study carrel.
Separate Room = student assessed in a separate room.
Seat Location/Proximity = student is assessed in a specifically designated seat location, usually in close proximity to the test administrator.
Minimize Distractions = student is assessed in a quiet environment.
Student’s Home = student assessed at home, usually when out of school for illness or other reasons.
Special Education Classroom = student is assessed in the special education classroom.
Increase/Decrease Opportunity for Movement = student is assessed in an environment that allows for increased or decreased opportunity for movement (e.g., the student may be allowed to walk around).
Physical Support = student is provided physical support during assessed.
Hospital = student is assessed in a hospital.
Non-school Setting = student is assessed in a non-school setting.

Changes Since 2007

As in 2007, the most frequently allowed setting accommodations were: Individual, Small Group, and Carrel. Similar to 2007 most of the accommodations in the setting accommodations were not controversial; in addition, these accommodations changed only slightly from 2007, with some accommodations, such as Hospital decreasing slightly (down 1 from 2007). Others increased slightly, such as Minimize Distractions (up 3, from 21 in 2007 to 24 in 2009).


Discussion

State policies on participation and accommodations have continued to change. All states now have accommodations posted publicly online. These materials included a wide variety of documents, including policies and procedures, handouts for parents, and training materials.

The 2009 policies on participation and accommodation for students with disabilities may reflect changes that states have made as part of the ongoing peer review process for standards and assessments that began in 2004, and is required for states to receive Title I funds under ESEA (Christensen, Lail, & Thurlow, 2007; Thurlow, Christensen, & Lail, 2008). In this peer review process, policies for participation and accommodation were included, and many states had outstanding issues in these areas and have been working to address them.

Since 2007, state policies for participation and accommodations have continued to evolve. Specifically, states have refined their criteria for participation decisions and guidelines for the administration of accommodations. In addition, there have been overall increases and decreases in the use of particular accommodations.

 

Participation Policies

Participation policies continue to evolve and change, although they have remained generally stable since 2007. Participation changes have appeared to be primarily fine-tuning of policies.

One important change in participation policies from 2007 was that the number of states allowing additional testing options decreased. For example, in 2007, 3 states allowed Selective Participation; in 2009, only 2 states had this participation option. Similarly, in 2007, 23 states had the Combination Participation option. In 2009, only 16 states had this option in their policies. Locally Selected Assessments decreased from 3 states having this option in 2007 to 1 state providing it in 2009. Testing with Modifications or Non-Standard Accommodations decreased by 1 state for 2009.

States have continued to clarify and specify when and how students with disabilities participate in statewide assessment. For example, most states in 2007 included instructional relevance and goals as criteria for making participation decisions. However, other variables decreased in the number of states mentioning them. For example, making decisions based on the Content, Purpose, or Nature of the assessment was indicated in fewer policies in 2009 than in 2007. Likewise, basing decisions on Student Needs and Characteristics decreased from 2007 levels.

Another noteworthy change was the number of states that mentioned guidelines for administration of accommodations involving a third party/access assistant. Although this increase was slight, the vast majority of states had some level of information for third party/access assistants to use when administering accommodations. This increase in the number of states with policies for each type of access assistant administration (i.e., Scribe, Reader, and Sign Language Interpreter) indicates that states understand the importance of providing instructions to scribes, readers, and sign language interpreters so that the test is administered appropriately, and provides a valid score for the student.

 

Accommodations Policies

Historically, accommodations have sometimes been seen as a way to enable some students with disabilities to participate in statewide assessments. There was often little consideration of when it was appropriate to use a given accommodation (Clapper, Morse, Lazarus, Thompson, & Thurlow, 2005; Lazarus, Thurlow, Lail, Eisenbraun, & Kato, 2006). That approach has been changing for some time now, and states continue to make progress in this direction. In 2007, we saw some states directing more attention to the validity of accommodation use through the category of the Unique Aggregated Accommodation. In these states, policymakers recognized that some accommodations are valid for a small group of students who may need them (e.g., a student who is unable to decode text), but that these accommodations may have been overused in the past. By allowing them as what we have called a Unique Aggregated Accommodation, students who need these accommodations are able to use them and thus receive a valid score for the assessment.

States have continued to explore whether it is appropriate for students who meet certain eligibility criteria to receive a specified bundle of accommodations. This may be the case for the read aloud accommodation, in which state policies indicated that the accommodations must be given in an individual or small group setting. However, other states have developed more integrated policies. For example, Texas bundled three accommodations (orally reading all proper nouns associated with each passage before students begin individual reading, orally reading all questions and answer choices to students, and extending the testing time over a 2-day period) for Grade 3, Grade 4, and Grade 5 students with dyslexia.

The Read Aloud Questions accommodation has remained controversial, and there is little consensus among states as to when and how this accommodation should be used. In this analysis, however, we were able to examine the Read Aloud Questions accommodation policies according to content area, and by breaking down the policies by content area, we were able to see that although states were not in agreement about using this accommodation for Reading/English Language Arts, there was some consensus about using the accommodation for other content area assessments.

Technology-related accommodations continued to be used, and many of them were controversial. More states allowed certain technology-based accommodations as an alternative to (or in addition to) accommodations that serve a similar purpose but require the use of a third party to administer. This was only the second report to track Assistive Technology. In 2007, 11 states allowed the use of Assistive Technology without restriction; an additional 11 states allowed its use in certain circumstances, with implications for scoring, or as a unique accommodation. These numbers have increased in 2009, with 16 states allowing Assistive Technology as an accommodation without restriction, and 10 states allowing the accommodation in certain circumstances. One additional state allowed Assistive Technology with scoring implications, and 2 states allowed this accommodation in certain circumstances and with scoring implications. This overall increase in the mention of Assistive Technology in state accommodation policies was a recognition of the growing importance of technology in assessment. As more states move to computer testing environments, these accommodations will be important to consider.

The overall number of prohibited accommodations continues to be on the rise in state policies. In our last analysis (Christensen et al., 2007) we found that the number of prohibited accommodations had more than doubled since 2005. In the 2009 policies, we again found a significant number of prohibited accommodations, particularly accommodations that were mentioned as prohibited for one content area but not another. Using clear language about the expectation for how an accommodation should or should not be used, such as mentioning that an accommodation is prohibited for a certain assessment, can be helpful for decision-making teams.

 

Conclusion

Accommodations continue to play an important role in helping students with disabilities access statewide assessments in order to show what they know and are able to do. State policies on accommodations continue to evolve and change, to reflect the most current thinking and research on accommodations. For example, more attention is currently being given to ensuring that accommodations use not only gives the student access to the assessment but also results in a valid score for that student. States are able to reflect not only federal regulations, but also current thinking on accommodations, as they continue to hone and improve their policies.

As many states move toward Common Core standards and assessments aligned to those standards, it will be vital to revisit accommodations policies for students with disabilities. Through that work, accommodations policies will likely change again, as states continue to strive toward ensuring that students with disabilities are able to show what they know and can do on statewide assessments.


References

Christensen, L. L., Lail, K. E., & Thurlow, M. L. (2007). Hints and tips for addressing accommodations issues for peer review. Minneapolis, MN: University of Minnesota, National Center on Educational Outcomes.

Christensen, L. L., Lazarus, S. S., Crone, M., & Thurlow, M. L. (2008). 2007 state policies on assessment participation and accommodations for students with disabilities (Synthesis Report 69). Minneapolis, MN: University of Minnesota, National Center on Educational Outcomes.

Clapper, A. T., Morse, A. B., Lazarus, S. S., Thompson, S. J., & Thurlow, M. L. (2005). 2003 state policies on assessment participation and accommodations for students with disabilities (Synthesis Report 56). Minneapolis, MN: University of Minnesota, National Center on Educational Outcomes.

Individuals with Disabilities Act. (2004). Public Law 108-446. Washington, DC: U. S. Government Printing Office.

Lazarus, S. S., Thurlow, M. L., Lail, K. E., Eisenbraun, K. D., & Kato, K. (2006). 2005 state policies on assessment participation and accommodations for students with disabilities (Synthesis Report 64). Minneapolis, MN: University of Minnesota, National Center on Educational Outcomes.

No Child Left Behind Act (2001). Public Law 107-110. Washington, DC: U. S. Government Printing Office.

Rivera, C., Collum, E., Shafer, L., & Sia Jr., J. K. (2005). An analysis of state assessment policies addressing the accommodation of English language learners. In Rivera (Ed.), A national review of state policy and practice for English language learners. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Inc.

Thurlow, M., L., Christensen, L. L., & Lail, K. E. (2008). An analysis of accommodations issues from the standards and assessments peer review (Technical Report 51). Minneapolis, MN: University of Minnesota, National Center on Educational Outcomes.

Thurlow, M., House, A., Boys, C., Scott, D., & Ysseldyke, J. (2000). State participation and accommodation policies for students with disabilities: 1999 update (Synthesis Report 33). Minneapolis, MN: University of Minnesota, National Center on Educational Outcomes.

Thurlow, M., Lazarus, S., Thompson, S., & Robey, J. (2002). 2001 state policies on assessment participation and accommodations (Synthesis Report 46.) Minneapolis, MN: University of Minnesota, National Center on Educational Outcomes.

Thurlow, M. L., Scott, D. L., & Ysseldyke, J. E. (1995). A compilation of states’ guidelines for accommodations in assessments for students with disabilities (Synthesis Report 18). Minneapolis: University of Minnesota, National Center on Educational Outcomes.

Thurlow, M. L., Scott, D. L., & Ysseldyke, J. E. (1995). A compilation of states’ guidelines for including students with disabilities in assessments (Synthesis Report 17). Minneapolis: University of Minnesota, National Center on Educational Outcomes.

Thurlow, M., Seyfarth, A., Scott, D., & Ysseldyke, J. (1997). State assessment policies on participation and accommodations for students with disabilities: 1997 update (Synthesis Report 29). Minneapolis, MN: University of Minnesota, National Center on Educational Outcomes.

Thurlow, M. L., Ysseldyke, J. E., & Silverstein, B. (1993). Testing accommodations for students with disabilities: A review of the literature (Synthesis Report 4). Minneapolis: University of Minnesota, National Center on Educational Outcomes.


Appendix A

State Documents Used in Analysis of Participation and Accommodation Policies

Alabama

Alabama State Department of Education - Alabama Student Assessment Program Policies and Procedures
for Students of Special Populations

ftp://ftp.alsde.edu/documents/91/PoliciesAnd%20Procedures_SpecialPopulations_Revised0307.PDF

Alaska

CCSSO; Alaska Department of Education and Early Development - CCSSO Accommodations Manual - Adapted for Alaska
http://www.eed.state.ak.us/tls/assessment/accommodations/accommodationsmanual_july2008.pdf

Arizona

Arizona Department of Education - Testing Accommodations: Guidelines for 2008-2009
http://www.ade.state.az.us/standards/AIMS/Administering?TestingAccommdoations2008-09.pdf
Arizona Department of Education - Eligibility Determination Form Alternate Assessments
http://www.ade.state.az.us/ess/SpecialProjects/aims-a/EligibilityDeterminationForm.pdf

Arkansas

Arkansas Department of Education - Modifications used in the Classroom and Accommodations used on State Assessments
http://arkansased.org/testing/pdf/assessment_accommodations.pdf
Arkansas Department of Education - 2008-2009 Arkansas Alternate Portfolio Assessment Participant Validation
Form Students with Disabilities: Grades 3-8 and 11

http://arkansased.org/testing/pdf/alt_gr3-8_11_valid08-09.pdf

California

California Department of Education - Testing Variations, Accommodations, and Modifications
http://www.cde.ca.gov/ta/tg/sa/
California Department of Education - Appendix A- Eligibility to Participate in STAR by Taking the CAPA
http://www.cde.ca.gov/ta/tg/sr/capa.asp
California Department of Education - CAPA Core Adaptations
http://www.cde.ca.gov/ta/tg/sr/coreadaptations.asp
California Department of Education - California Modified Assessment Participation Criteria
http://www.cde.ca.gov/ta/tg/sr/participcriteria.asp
California Department of Education - Understanding 2009 STAR Program Tests
http://www.cde.ca.gov/ta/tg/sr/documents/stardistsch09.pdf

Colorado

Colorado Department of Education - Colorado Accommodations Manual
http://www.cde.state.co.us/cdeassess/documents/csap/manuals/2009/2008-2009_CO_Accomm_Man.pdf
Colorado Department of Education - Student Assessment System: Procedures Manual for CSAP, CSAPA, CELApro
http://www.cde.state.co.us/cdeassess/documents/csap/manuals/2009/2008-2009_Procedures_Manual.pdf

Connecticut

Connecticut State Department of Education, Bureau of Student Assessment and Bureau of Special Education
Assessment Guidelines for Administering the Connecticut Mastery Test, Connecticut Academic Performance Test and CMT/CAPT Skills Checklist

http://www.csde.state.ct.us/public/cedar/assessment/agl/resources/agl_12_edition-final-11-19-07.pdf

Delaware

Delaware Department of Education - Guidelines for Inclusion of Students with Disabilities and English Language Learners
http://www.doe.k12.de.us/aab/files/2008-2009%20GF1%20v5.pdf
Delaware Department of Education - Delaware Accommodations Fact Sheets
http://www.doe.k12.de.us/aab/files/Fact%20sheets%20%20accommodations.pdf

District of Columbia

Department of Education - Chapter Three Participation Guidelines
http://www.indi.uky.edu/ilssa/dc-cas-alt/administrationGuide/20082009TeacherManual/chapter3.pdf
Department of Education - Appendix: A Participation Guidelines and Learner Characteristic Inventory
http://www.ihdi.uky.edu/ilssa/dc-cas-alt/administrationGuide/20082009TeacherManual/appendixA.pdf
Department of Education - Approved Accommodations
http://www.ctb.com/ncmedia/6784/approved-accommodations_for_students_with_disabilities_08.pdf

Florida

Florida Department of Education - Test Accommodations for Students with Disabilities 2003 FCAT
www.fldoe.org/ese/pdf/fcatasd-chart1.pdf
Florida Department of Education - Planning FCAT Accommodations for Students with Disabilities
www.fldoe.org/ese/fcat/fcat-tea.pdf
Florida Department of Education - Descriptions of FCAT Accommodations,
http://www.fldoe.org/ese/pdf/descfcat.pdf
Florida Department of Education - Florida Alternate Assessment Participation Checklist
http://www.fldoe.org/asp/altassessment.asp

Georgia

Georgia Department of Education - Student Assessment Handbook
http://www.doe.k12.ga.us/DMGetDocument.aspx/Student%20Assessment%20Handbook%202008-2009.pdf?p=6CC6799F8C1371F6E6F831068DAF4D53C727B818AEEBF7BBAE804ABFD452AA7A&Type=D
Georgia Department of Education - Accommodations Manual
http://www.doe.k12.ga.us/DMGetDocument.aspx/Accommodation%20Manual%20August%2008.pdf?p=6CC6799F8C1371F6D1C69D60E4029F1085A5BB31C1B556F24ADBA65C89A3BD77&Type=D

Hawaii

Department of Education, State of Hawaii - Slides for Student Participation and Accommodations Handbook
http://sao.k-12.hi.us/assessment/hawaiistateassessment/spring09/spring%202009%20HSA%20RM%20
Student%20Population.pdf

Department of Education, State of Hawaii - Hawaii State Reading and Mathematics Assessments: Student Participation and Accommodations Handbook

Idaho

Idaho State Department of Education - Test Coordinator’s Guide for Federal and State Assessments 2008-2009
http://www.boardofed.idaho.gov/saa/documents/TC_Updates/TC_GuidewithISAT_FINAL0808.pdf

Illinois

Illinois Board of Education - Guidance: Illinois Board of Education Assessment Accommodations Students with Disabilities: IEP and 504, 2008-2009 Year.
http://www.isbe.state.il.us/asseessment/pdfs/guidance_IEP_504.pdf

Indiana

Indiana Department of Education - Indiana Statewide Test for Educational Progress-Plus 2008-2009 ISTEP+ Program Manual
http://www.doe.in.gov/istep/docs/2008-09-ISTEPProgramManual.pdf

Kansas

Kansas State Department of Education - Statewide Assessments Participation for Students with Disabilities IEP Team Decision Flowchart
http://www.ksde.org/Portals/0/Special%20Education%20Services/assmts/Kamm/Eligibility.pdf
Kansas State Department of Education - Accommodations Manual: How to Select, Administer, and Evaluate Accommodations for Instruction and Assessment
http://www.ksde.org/default.aspx?tabid=2371
Kansas State Department of Education - Kansas Guidelines for Use of a Scribe
http://www.ksde.org/Default.aspx?tabid=2372
Kansas State Department of Education - 2009 Accommodations List
http://www.ksde.org/Default.aspx?tabid=2372
Kansas State Department of Education - Read-Aloud and KCA Voice 2009 Policy
http://www.ksde.org/Default.aspx?tabid=2372
Kansas State Department of Education - 2008-09 Kansas Assessment Examiner’s Manual: Writing
http://www.ksde.org/Default.aspx?tabid=2374
Kansas State Department of Education - 2008-09 KAMM Assessment Examiner’s Manual: History/Government, Mathematics, Science, Reading
http://www.ksde.org/Default.aspx?tabid=2374
Kansas State Department of Education - 2008-09 Kansas Assessment Examiner’s Manual: History/Government, Mathematics, Science, Reading
http://www.ksde.org/Default.aspx?tabid=2374

Kentucky

Kentucky Department of Education - Inclusion of Special Populations: In the state-required assessment and accountability programs 703 KAR5:070
http://www.education.ky.gov/NR/rdanlyres/43445640-02B0-4911-AFF7-2225760B646F/0/inclusionsDocument.pdf

Louisiana

Louisiana Department of Education - Special Populations and Accommodations
http://www.doe.state.la.us/lde/uploads/12625.pdf
Louisiana Department of Education - District and School Test Coordinator’s Manual, Spring 2009
http://www.doe.state.la.us/lde/saa/2221.html
Louisiana Department of Education - LEAP and GEE Special Populations and Accommodations
http://www.doe.state.la.us/lde/uploads/12522.pdf
Louisiana Department of Education - LAA 2 Testing with accommodations
http://www.doe.state.la.us/lde/uploads/12521.pdf
Louisiana Department of Education - LEAP Alternate Assessment Level 1, (LAA 1) Participation Criteria
http://www.doe.state.la.us/lde/uploads/4797.pdf

Maryland

Maryland State Department of Education - Maryland Accommodations Manual
http://www.marylandpublicschools.org/NR/rdonlyres/840EFBB6-CD7D-404E-8ATI-E978F6D508AA/16337/MDAccommodationsManual_21108.pdf
Maryland State Department of Education - Maryland Accommodations Manual
http://www.marylandpublicschools.org/NR/rdonlyres/840EFBB6-CD7D-404E-8ATI-E978F6D508AA/16337/MDAccommodationsManual_21108.pdf

Massachusetts

Massachusetts Department of Education - Requirements for the Participation of Students with Disabilities in MCAS
http://www.doe.mass.edu/mcas/participation/sped.pdf

Michigan

Michigan Department of Education - Assessment Accommodation Summary Table
http:www.michigan.gov/documents/exhibit_B_Accommodations_table_127886_7.pdf
Michigan Department of Education - Spring 2009 Michigan Merit Examination (MME) Accommodations Summary Table
http:www.michigan.gov/documents/mde/mme_2008_accomms_summary_table_2007-11-06_2_214855_7.pdf
Michigan Department of Education - MEAP Access Modified Full Independence Coordinator and Assessment Administrator Manual
http:www.michigan.gov/documents/mde/09_meap_access_pilot_caam_011309final_263081_7.pdf

Minnesota

Minnesota Department of Education - 2008-09 Procedures Manual - Chapter 5 - Accommodations
http://education.state.mn.us/mde/accountability_programs/assessment_and_testing/dac_corner/policies
_procedures_guidelines/index.html

Minnesota Department of Education - Minnesota Manual of Accommodations
http://cehd.umn.edu/nceo/teleconferences/tele16/mnmanualofaccommodationspdf.pdf
Minnesota Department of Education - Individual Education Plan (IEP) Team Guide to Statewide Assessments for 2008-2009
http://education.state.mn.us/mde/learning-support/special-education/evaluation_program_planning_supports/statewide_assessment_for_students_disabilities/index.html

Mississippi

Mississippi Department of Education - Testing Accommodations Manual
http://www.mde.k12.ms.us/acad/osa/specpop.html
Mississippi Department of Education - Testing Students with Disabilities Regulations
http://www.mde.k12.ms.us/acad/osa/testing_students_with_disabilities_regulations.pdf

Missouri

Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education - Test Coordinator’s Manual
http://dese.mo.gov/divimprove/assess/map/documents/tcm_2009.pdf
Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education - Missouri Accommodations Manual (Powerpoint)
http://www.dese.mo.gov/divimprove/assess/tech/accommodationsmanualpowerpoint.pdf
Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education - Appendix: Accommodation Codes
http://www.dese.mo.gov/divimprove/assess/documents/accommodations-codes-09.pdf
Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education - Form D-Part 1: State Assessments
http://www.dese.mo.gov/divspeced/compliance/iep/index.html

Montana

Montana Office of Public Instruction - The Montana Comprehensive Assessment System Test Administrator’s Manual
http://www/opi.mt.gov/pub/pdf/assessment/crt/ta/09crttestadminmanual.pdf
Montana Office of Public Instruction - CRT Accommodation Manual
http://www.opimt.gov/pub/pdf/assessment/crt/ta/09accommanual.pdf
Montana Office of Public Instruction - MontCAS Phase 2 Criterion-References Test Accommodations
http://www.opi.mt.gov/pdf/assessment/crt/crtaccmmodations.pdf

Nebraska

Nebraska Department of Education - STARTS Alternate Standards and Assessments for Students with Disabilities
http://www.nde.state.ne.us/SPED/documents/alternateassessmentmanual5-15-07_001.pdf
Nebraska Department of Education - Accommodations Guidelines
http://www.nde.state.ne.us/assessment/documents/accommodationsmanual.pdf

Nevada

Nevada Department of Education - Procedures for the Nevada Proficiency Examination Program 2008-2009
http://nde.doe.nv.gov/assessment/NPEP/NPEP_0809_all-sections.pdf
Nevada Department of Education - Nevada Criterion-Referenced Test Administrator’s Manual
http://nde.doe.nv.gov/assessment/crt_grade_3-8_TAM_2007.pdf
Nevada Department of Education - Nevada High School Proficiency Examination Test Administrator’s Manual
http://nde.doe.nv.gov/assessment/NPEP/HSPE_RETEST_TAM.pdf
Nevada Department of Education - Section 504 Accommodations Form
http://nde.doe.gov/assessment/NPEP/504_accommodations_form_0708.doc
Nevada Department of Education - IEP Accommodations Form
http://nde.doe.gov/assessment/NPEP/IEP_accommodations_form_0708.doc

New Hampshire

New Hampshire - New England Common Assessment Program - Accommodations, Guidelines, and Procedures: NH Version 3
http://www.ed.state.nh.us/education/doe/organization/curriculum/NECAP/documents/NECAP-NHAccommodationsTrainingGuideNHVersion2008-2009.pdf
New Hampshire - New England Common Assessment Program - Principal/Test Coordinator Manual Grades 3-8 & 11
http://www.ed.state.nh.us/education/doe/organization/curriculum/NECAP/documents/FINAL2008-09Principal-TestCoordinatorManual8.18.08.pdf
New Hampshire - Fall Statewide Assessment Participation Guidelines for Grades 2-8: Fall NECAP and School Year NH-Alt
http://www.ed.state.nh.us/education/doe/organization/curriculum/NECAP/documents/Grades2-8ParticipationFall2008-final9-29-2008.pdf
New Hampshire - Fall Statewide Assessment Participation Guidelines for High School: Fall NECAP and School Year NH-Alt
http://www.ed.state.nh.us/education/doe/organization/curriculum/NECAP/documents/Grade11ParticipationFall2008-final9-29-2008.pdf
New Hampshire - Decision Making Worksheet: Participation of Students with Disabilities in Statewide Assessment
http://www.ed.state.nh.us/education/doe/organization/curriculum/NECAP%20AH%20Assessment/2007-2008%20AH/documents/NH-AHParticipationDecisionWorksheet.doc

New Jersey

State of New Jersey Department of Education - Accommodations and Modifications of Test Administration Procedures for Statewide Assessments
http://www.state.nj.us/education/specialed/accom900.htm

New Mexico

New Mexico Public Education Department Assessment and Accountability Division - Testing Accommodations
http://sde.nm.us/assessmentaccountability/assessmentevaluation/d108/new%20 mexico%20statewide%20assessment%20program%202007-2008%20
New Mexico Public Education Department - The New Mexico Alternate Performance Assessment: New Mexico’s Alternate Assessment Based on Alternate Achievement Standards
http://www.ped.state.nm.us/ayp2007/press/alternative%20assessment_AYPMediaTraining7-25-07.pdf
Harcourt Assessment - New Mexico English Language Proficiency Assessment Accommodations for Students with Disabilities
http://www.ped.state.nm.us/bilingualmulticultural/d108/nmelpa2006accommodations.pdf

New York

New York State Education Department - New York State Alternate Assessment Possible Test Accommodations Listed on the NYSSA Student Page
http://www.emsc.nysed.gov/osa/nysaa/2008-09/nysaa-accom.pdf
New York State Education Department - Frequently Asked Test Accommodations Questions about the New York State Alternate Assessment
http://www.emsc.nysed.gov/osa/nysaa/accom07-08.pdf
New York State Education Department - Test Access and Accommodations for Students with Disabilities
http://www.vesid.nysed.gov/specialed/publications/policy/testaccess/manual506.pdf

North Carolina

North Carolina State Board of Education - Testing Students with Disabilities
http://www.dpi.state.nc.us/docs/accountability/policyoperations/tswd/0809tswd.pdf

North Dakota

North Dakota Department of Education -
http://www.dpi.state.nd.us/speced/resource/alternate/comparison.pdf
North Dakota Department of Education - Assessment Flowchart for IEP Team Decisions
http://www.dpi.state.nd.us/speced/resource/alternate/iepflowchart.pdf
North Dakota Department of Public Instruction - Appendix D. Testing Guidelines for Students with Disabilities
http://www.dpi.state.nd.us/testing/assess/manual08.pdf

Ohio

Ohio Department of Education - Statewide Assessment Accommodations
http://education.ohio.gov/GD/Templates/pages/ODE/ODEdetail.aspx?page=3&TopicRelationID=967&contentID=47700&content=59102
Ohio Department of Education Office of Assessment - Assessment Rules Book
http://education.ohio.gov/GD/Templates/pages/ODE/ODEdetail.aspx?page=3&TopicRelationID=9&contentID=43712&content=52186
Ohio Department of Education, Office for Exceptional Children - Guidelines for Participation in Ohio’s Alternate Assessment
http://education.ohio.gov/GD/Templates/pages/ODE/ODEdetail.aspx?page=3&TopicRelationID=229&ContentID=8695&content=56186
Ohio Department of Education - Decision Making Framework
http://education.ohio.gov/GD/Templates/pages/ODE/ODEdetail.aspx?page=3&TopicRelationID=229&ContentID=8695&content=56186
Ohio Department of Education - Ohio Achievement and Graduation Tests
http://education.ohio.gov/GD/Templates/pages/ODE/ODEdetail.aspx?page=3&TopicRelationID=229&ContentID=8695&content=56186

Oklahoma

Oklahoma Department of Education - Assessment
http://www.sde.state.ok.us/curriculum/speced/assessment.html
Oklahoma Department of Education - General Guidance
http://www.sde.state.ok.us/acctassess/pdf/forms/eo1_test_prep.pdf
Oklahoma Department of Education - Test Preparation Manual
http://www.sde.state.ok.us/acctassess/pdf/forms/omaap_test_prep.pdf
Oklahoma Department of Education - Criteria Checklist for Assessing Students with Disabilities on State Assessments
http://www.sde.state.ok.us/acctassess/pdf/forms/omaap/criteria_check.pdf
Oklahoma Department of Education - Oklahoma Test Preparation Manual
http://www.sde.state.ok.us/acctassess/pdf/forms/drc_test_prep_manual.pdf

Oregon

Oregon Department of Education - 2007-2008 Accommodations Table - Knowledge and Skills Test Administration
http://www.ode.state.or.us/teachlearn/testing/manuals/tables/ks-accomtable_0708_may-2.pdf
Oregon Department of Education - 2007-2008 Accommodations Tables - Writing Test Administration
http://www.ode.state.or.us/teachlearn/testing/manuals/tables/wr-accomtable_0708_feb-4.pdf
Oregon Department of Education - 2007-2008 Modifications Table
http://www.ode.state.or.us/teachlearn/testing/manuals/tables/asmtksmodtable0708.pdf
Oregon Department of Education - Decision Process for Adaptations to become Accommodations
http://www.ode.state.or.us/opportunities/grants/sig/statewide-assessment/accommodations.pdf

Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania Department of Education - 2007 Accommodations Guidelines
http://www.pde.state.pa.us/a_and_t/lib/a_andt/accommodationsforallstudents2007.pdf
Pennsylvania Department of Education - The 2008-2009 Pennsylvania System of School Assessment Handbook for Assessment Coordinators
http://www.pde.state.pa.us/a_and_t/lib/a_and_t/2009-Handbook-for-assess-coor-and-Admin.pdf
Pennsylvania Department of Education - 2008 Accommodations Guidelines
http://www.pde.state.pa.us/a_and_t/lib/a_and_t/2008AccommodationsGuidelines.pdf

Rhode Island

New England Common Assessment Program - New England Common Assessment Program: Accommodations, Guidelines, and Procedures
http://www.ride.ri.gov/assessment/DOCS/NECAP/AccommodationsTrainingGuide.pdf
New England Common Assessment Program - New England Common Assessment Program: Principal/Test Coordinator Manual
http://www.ride.ri.gov/assessment/DOCS/NECAP/Test_admin/2008_TESTAdminManuals/2008-09_TestCoordinatorManual.pdf
Rhode Island Department of Education - 2008-09 RIAA Administration Manual - Chapter Seven: Eligibility and Registration
http://www.ride.ri.gov/assessment/DOCS/Alternate/FAQ_2008.pdf
Rhode Island Department of Education - Memo subject: Participation Criteria for the RI Alternate Assessment
ttp://www.ride.ri.gov/assessment/DOCS/Alternate/3.09_lettercriteria_RIAA_Participation.pdf

South Carolina

South Carolina Department of Education - Testing Students with Disabilities FAQ
http://ed.sc.gov/agency/accountability/assessment/old/assessment/programs/AMC/documents/
IEPteam_FAQ_0307.pdf

South Carolina Department of Education - Customized Materials for PACT, HSAP, and EOCEP
http://ed.sc.gov/agency/accountability/assessment/old/assessment/programs/AMC/documents/
customizedmat_final.pdf

South Carolina Department of Education - Appendix C Testing Students with Documented Disabilities - End of Course Examinations
http://ed.sc.gov/agency/accountability/assessment/old/assessment/publications/documents/TAM.pdf
South Carolina Department of Education - Appendix C Testing Students with Documented Disabilities - High School Assessment Program
http://ed.sc.gov/agency/accountability/assessment/old/assessment/publications/documents/TAMFall08.pdf
South Carolina Department of Education - Appendix C Testing Students with Documented Disabilities - Palmetto Achievement Challenge Tests
http://ed.sc.gov/agency/accountability/assessment/old/assessment/publications/documents/2008TAM.pdf

South Dakota

South Dakota Department of Education - South Dakota Test of Educational Progress - 2009 Test Coordinator Handbook
http://doe.sd.gov/octa/assessment/dakSTEP/documents/SD09_TCH_Cr05.pdf
South Dakota Department of Education - South Dakota Test of Educational Progress - 2009 Test Coordinator Handbook
http://doe.sd.gov/octa/assessment/dakSTEP/documents/SD09_TCH_Cr05.pdf
South Dakota Department of Education - DACS Testing Instructions Manual
http://doe.sd.gov/octa/assessment/dacs/manual.asp

Tennessee

Tennessee Department of Education - 2008-2009 TCAP Accommodations for Students with Disabilities
http://tennessee.gov/education/speced/doc/930008accominstruct.pdf
State of Tennessee Department of Education - TCAP-ALT PA Teacher’s Manual 2008-2009
http://tennessee.gov/education/speced/doc.80608TCAPTeachManualFin.pdf
TN Department of Education - 2008-2009 TCAP-Alt Participation Guidelines

Texas

Texas Education Agency - Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills - Alternate
http://www.tea.state.tx.us/student.assessment/resources/taksalt/training/participation_requirements
_july_2007.pdf

Texas Education Agency - Texas Education Agency
http://www.tea.state.tx.us/student.assessment/resources/conferences/tac/2008/accommodations
_for_all_students.pdf

Texas Education Agency - Texas Student Assessment Program Accommodations Manual
http://www.tea.state.tx.us/student.assessment/admin/accommManual_2008_09.pdf

Utah

Utah State Office of Education - Utah Performance Assessment System for Students
http://www.schools.utah.gov/assessment/documents/special_needs_accommodations_policy.pdf

Vermont

New England Common Assessment Program - New England Common Assessment Program: Accommodations, Guidelines, and Procedures
http://www.maine.gov/education/lsalt/necap/accommodations_guide_0807.pdf
New England Common Assessment Program - New England Common Assessment Program: Accommodations, Guidelines, and Procedures
http://www.maine.gov/education/lsalt/necap/accommodations_guide_0807.pdf

Virginia

Virginia Department of Education - Guidelines for Administering the Read-Aloud Accommodation for Standards of Learning Assessments
http://www.doe.virginia.gov/VDOE/Assessment/Assess.pdf/readaloudguidelines.pdf
Virginia Department of Education - Procedures for Participation of Students with Disabilities in Virginia’s Accountability System
http://www.doe.virginia.gov/VDOE/Assessment/Participation_guidelines_for_SWD.pdf

West Virginia

West Virginia Department of Education - 2008-2009 West Virginia Guidelines for Participation in State Assessments
http://wvde.state.wv.us/oaa/pdf/participation%20Guidelines%202009FINALCOPY_MG_May13_09.pdf
West Virginia Department of Education - West Virginia Alternate Performance Task Assessment (APTA)
http://wvde.state.wv.us/oaa/pdf/2009%20APTA%20Examiners%20Manual%202009%20rev%20203-16-09.pdf

Wisconsin

WI Department of Public Instruction - The Assessment Accommodations Matrix
http://dpi.wi.gov/oea/pdf/accomm08.pdf
WI Department of Public Instruction - WI Alternate Assessment For Students with Disabilities
http://dpi.wi.gov/oea/wau.gov
WI Department of Public Instruction - Including students with special needs in state assessments
http://dpi.wi/gov/oea/specneed.html
WI Department of Public Instruction - Frequently Asked Questions
http://dpi.wi.gov/oea/faqwaa.html

Wyoming

Wyoming Department of Education - Wyoming Accommodations Manual for Instruction and Assessment
http://www.k12.wy.us/SAA/Paws/paws_alt/docs/accommodationsmanual.pdf
Wyoming Department of Education - Guidelines for Participation in Wyoming’s Alternate Assessment
http://www.k12.wy.us/SAA/paws_alt/information/guidelines%20for%20participation%20in%20wyoming’s%20alternate%20assessment.pdf
Wyoming Department of Education - 2009 PAWS Standard Accommodations
http://www.k12.wy.us/SAA/paws_info/docs/PAWs_accommodations.pdf

 


Appendix B

Participation and Accommodation Guidelines by State