Appendix A

Sample Letter Sent to Assessment Directors

February 26, 2007

The National Center on Educational Outcomes is examining states’ public reports on 2005-2006 school year assessment results. Our goal is to (a) identify all components of each state’s testing system, (b) determine whether each state reports disaggregated test results for students with disabilities, (c) describe the way participation and performance information is presented, and (d) describe how states report results for students who took the test with accommodations or modifications.

We have reviewed your Web site for test information, including both participation and performance data on your statewide assessments. Enclosed are tables highlighting our findings from that review. A blank field indicates that we did not find information reported by grade level in that area. Please verify all included information and provide us with information that we could not find on your Web site. Specifically, please return the tables that we have attached, noting your changes to them. Also, if there is additional publicly reported information available for your state, please provide us with the public document and/or Web site that contains the accurate information. Address your responses to Deb Albus via fax at (612) 624-0879 or via mail to the letterhead address.

If you have any questions about our request, please call Deb Albus at (612) 626-0323 or email: albus001@umn.edu. If we do not hear from you by March 23, 2007, we will assume there is no additional publicly available information.

Thank you for taking the time to provide this information.

Sincerely,

 

Martha Thurlow
Director

Deb Albus
Research Fellow


Sample State Tables

ALABAMA, 2005-2006

Table 1: Tests Administered and Results Found

Please review this table for its accuracy, make any changes (if necessary), and fill in any blank fields.

Test

Grades Tested

Subject Areas

Is Disaggregated Info for Students with Disabilities Reported? (Yes/No)

Is this test part of the state accountability system? (Yes/No)

Participation

Performance

Direct Assessment of Writing (DAW) [CRT]

5, 7, 10

Writing

Yes

Yes

Yes

Alabama High School Graduation Exam (AHSGE) [EXIT]

11, 12

Reading, Language, Math, Science, Social Studies

Yes

Yes

Yes

Stanford Achievement Test, 10th ed. (SAT-10) [NRT]

3 - 8

Reading, Language, Math, Science (5,7), Social Studies (6)

Yes

Yes

No

Alabama Reading and Mathematics Test (ARMT) [CRT]

3 - 8

Reading, Math

Yes

Yes

Yes

Alabama Alternate Assessment (AAA)

AAS*

1 - 12

Reading, Math

Yes

Yes

Yes

*AAS=based on alternate achievement standards; GLAS=based on grade level achievement standards

 

Table 2: Participation Information for Students with Disabilities

Please review this table, which describes the way in which participation data are publicly reported in your state. A "Y" indicates information is reported in this way. Please add a "Y" if you know of any other method of participation reporting, and please provide us with the information that is reported in that way (either a hard copy or a Web link).

Test

Number of Students Tested

Number of Students

Not Tested

Percent of Students Tested

Percent of Students Not Tested

Number and/or Percent Exempt or Excluded

Number and/or Percent Absent

 

Enrollment

DAW

Y

AHSGE

Y

SAT-10

Y

ARMT

Y

AAA

Y

 

Table 3: Performance Information for Students with Disabilities

Please review this table, which describes the way in which performance data are publicly reported in your state. A "Y" indicates information is reported in this way. Please add a "Y" if you know of any other method of performance reporting, and please provide us with the information that is reported in that way (either a hard copy or a Web link).

Test

Percent in Each Achievement Level

Percent in Each PR* Group

Percent Proficient

Percent Not Proficient

Number Proficient

Number Not Proficient

Average Percentile Rank

DAW

Y

AHSGE

Y

SAT-10

Y

ARMT

Y

AAA

Y

*=Percentile Rank

 

Table 4: Accommodations

We are interested in examining if and how states report information about students who take assessments using accommodations. Please change our responses (if necessary) to reflect information that is reported for your state. If you do make changes, please provide us with the information (either a hard copy or a Web link).

Tests Reporting Data on Accommodations

Accommodation Categories

Is Disaggregated Info for Students Using Accommodations Reported? (Yes/No)

For Whom?

Participation

Performance

None