NCEO Synthesis Reports: 2001 State Policies on Assessment Participation and Accommodations (#46)

Part of the NCEO Synthesis Reports series.
Author(s)
Martha L Thurlow, Sheryl Lazarus, Sandra Thompson, Jennifer Robey

Description

This year 2001 report analyzes state participation and accommodation policies nationwide. Among the major findings are: (1) participation options beyond the usual three (participation without accommodations, participation with accommodations, alternate assessment) have become more evident -- generally these are: partial participation, additional alternate assessments, and out-of-level testing, (2)"emotional anxiety" is more frequently noted as a reason for students to not participate in assessments, (3) policies for both participation and accommodations are becoming more specific, often indicating implications for how accommodated students' scores are reported, (4) the number of states that allow accommodations for specific groups (i.e., all students and students no longer on IEPs), and (5) that most controversial accommodations continue to be read aloud, calculator, and scribe. The analyses suggest that states continued to adjust their policies to ensure that students with disabilities have opportunities to participate in statewide assessments, and at the same time to understand the meaning of the scores from their assessments.

Details

Date
July 2002 
Type
Report 
Edition
Number 46
Publisher
National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO)

Topics

  • Specific life stage
    • Children
    • Adolescents and young adults
  • Educational accountability and assessment
    • Accessibility & Accommodations
    • Assessment Participation
    • Students with Disabilities
    • Alternate Assessments