National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO)

Description

Provides national leadership in designing and building educational assessments and accountability systems that appropriately monitor educational results for all students, including students with disabilities and students who are English learners (ELs). NCEO has a rich set of reports and other publications on a range of topics related to educational outcomes of students. It receives funding from the federal government, states, and several other organizations.

Director
Sheryl Lazarus
Contact
Sheryl Lazarus
Website
nceo.info
Funder
Research to Practice Division, Office of Special Education Programs, U.S. Department of Education

Staff

Kristin Dean :: Director of Information Technology


Staff

Kascinda Fleming :: Research Associate


Linda Goldstone :: Research Associate


Debbie Hansen :: Office Manager


Andrew R Hinkle :: Education Program Manager 2


Staff

Lane K Holden :: Graduate Research Assistant


Shawn C Lawler :: Web Developer


Sheryl Lazarus :: Director, National Center on Educational Outcomes


Kristin K Liu PhD :: Director, TIES Center


Michael L Moore :: Editor/Writer


Darrell H Peterson :: Education Program Specialist


Staff

Marianna K Quanbeck :: Graduate Research Assistant


Staff

Virginia A Ressa :: Research Associate


Chris Rogers :: Research Fellow


Martha L Thurlow :: Senior Research Associate


Yi-Chen Wu :: Research Associate


Product

States and Districts Working Together to Make Improved Decisions about Alternate Assessment Participation and Meet the State Level 1% Threshold

This presentation, highlighting states and districts working together to make improved decisions about alternate assessment participation and meeting the state level 1% threshold, was presented at …

Published: 2020-11-11

NCEO Participation Communication Toolkit: One-Page “Ready-to-go” IEP Team Discussion Guide

This “ready-to-go” discussion guide for IEP teams is designed to provide information about the different test options for students with disabilities, and the implications of those decisions. This …

Published: 3/8/2023

NCEO Participation Communication Toolkit: Communicating about Annual State Assessment Participation for All Students: A Communication Toolkit—Photos

A collection of images that state education agencies, districts, and schools can use in social media to connect directly with families, educators, policymakers, and students. This collection of …

Published: 11/9/2021

NCEO Data Analytics: AA-AAS Participation Rate from 2007-08 to 2016-2017 (#12)

This interactive report presents data on the participation rate and percent proficient on the alternate assessment based on alternate achievement standards (AA-AAS) by grade and content across …

Published: 2020-01-22

NCEO State Surveys: 2023 Survey of States: Trends, Accomplishments, and Challenges

This report highlights the findings of the sixteenth survey of states conducted by the National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO). It has been administered for more than three decades to …

Published: January 2024

TIES Center Briefs: 10 razones para apoyar a las comunidades escolares inclusivas para todos los estudiantes

Educators, students, and families have found many compelling reasons to support inclusive education for students with and without disabilities. This Brief, translated into Spanish, delineates ten …

Published: June 2020

NCEO Reports: A Summary of the Research on the Effects of K–12 Test Accommodations: 2019 (#433)

This report provides an update on the state of the research on testing accommodations. Previous reports by the National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO) have covered research published since …

Published: May 2022

NCEO Newsletter: June 2019 issue

In this issue, we highlight sessions in which NCEO will participate during the upcoming National Conference on Student Assessment in Orlando, Florida. We also highlight recent NCEO reports, …

Published: June 2019

NCEO Participation Communication Toolkit: One-Page “Ready-to-go” Family Flyer

The purpose of this “ready-to-go” flyer is to provide concise resources about why it is so important that all students participate in state testing. Written for families, it also provides strategie…

Published: 3/8/2023

ELPA21 White Paper: Developing an Alternate ELPA21 for English Learners with the Most Significant Cognitive Disabilities

This White Paper was developed as part of the commitment of the English Language Proficiency Assessment for the 21st Century (ELPA21) project to the development and implementation of an alternate …

Published: August 2018

Educators' Thoughts on Making Decisions About Accessibility for All Students

This report describes the asynchronous online focus group activity of the Data Informed Accessibility - Making Optimal Needs-based Decisions (DIAMOND) project. The goal of conducting the focus …

Published: September 2018

Forum on Speech-to-Text and Scribing: Getting a Handle on What This Means

A report on a forum held on June 26, 2018 in San Diego, California that brought together staff from state departments of education, school districts, testing and testing-related companies, and …

Published: September 2018

NCEO Newsletter: October 2018 issue

In this issue, we highlight a report from the forum on speech-to-text and scribing that was held as a presession to the National Conference on Student Assessment. Several other NCEO reports are …

Published: October 2018

Guidance for Examining District Alternate Assessment Participation Rates

This Brief addresses important questions that arise for states as they implement federal an alternate assessment aligned to alternate achievement standards (AA-AAS) participation requirements....

Published: October 2018

TIES Center Briefs: 10 Reasons to Support Inclusive School Communities for ALL Students (#1)

Educators, students, and families have found many compelling reasons to support inclusive education for students with and without disabilities. This Brief delineates ten reasons that supporting...

Published: November 2018

TIES Center Reports: How States Interpret the LRE Clause of IDEA: A Policy Analysis (#101)

The purpose of this report is to analyze how states interpret special education regulations associated with the Individuals with Disabilities (IDEA) regulations, specifically around least restricti…

Published: November 2018

Proceedings of the 1% Cap National Convening: Supporting States in Implementing ESSA's 1% State-level Cap on Participation of Students in the AA-AAAS

This Proceedings document was developed to provide a summary of the 1% National Convening that took place Boston on October 18 and 19, 2018.

Published: December, 2018

Empowering Families Toolkit - Tool 1 Video: Why are assessments important, and why should students with disabilities participate in assessments? (Version 2/authentic video of a parent and her children)

This video was designed to help families understand why assessments are a good opportunity for their children to show what they know, and for schools to better understand their children’s needs. …

Published: 9/5/2023

TIES Center Briefs: Grading My Child with Significant Cognitive Disabilities in an Inclusive Classroom (TIES Center Brief #6)

Grades are assigned and report cards given in inclusive classrooms. It is important that thought has been given to how work from students with significant cognitive disabilities will be graded and …

Published: February 2021

Developing and Improving Modified Achievement Level Descriptors: Rationale, Procedures, and Tools

A report providing a rationale, procedures, and tools to develop and continuously improve alternate assessments based on modified achievement standards (AA-MAS) achievement level descriptors (ALDs …

Published: 2010

Rethinking Assumptions about Alternate Assessment Based on Alternate Achievement Standards

A report seeking to facilitate the process of rethinking assumptions about alternate assessments based on alternate achievement standards (AA-AAS). It presents common misperceptions, followed by …

Published: 2010

The Characteristics of Low Performing Students on Large-Scale Assessments (NCEO Brief)

A brief reporting the findings of a longitudinal analysis of three years of student-level demographic and performance data for four states: the 2004-05, 2005-06, and 2006-07 school years. Data …

Published: 2010

Improving Accommodations Outcomes: Monitoring Instructional and Assessment Accommodations for Students with Disabilities

A document presenting a five-step process for schools, districts, and states to use in monitoring accommodations for instruction and assessment. It was designed to be a companion to the "Council …

Published: 2009

Trends in the Participation and Performance of Students with Disabilities (NCEO Brief)

A brief describing the results of an analysis of trends in the public reporting of state assessment results for students with disabilities. The analysis was conducted on a compilation of publicly …

Published: 2008

Learning Opportunities for Your Child Through Alternate Assessments: Alternate Assessments Based on Modified Academic Achievement Standards

A guide helping parents of students with disabilities understand a new state alternate assessment allowable under No Child Left Behind. While few states are currently offering this assessment …

Published: 2007

Hints and Tips for Addressing Accommodations Issues for Peer Review

A report examining the key accommodations issues that have arisen for states in the recent federal standards and assessments peer review process. The report by the Institute's National Center on …

Published: 2007

A State Guide to the Development of Universally Designed Assessments

A resource guide describing universal design for assessments -- an approach to educational assessment based on principles of accessibility for a wide variety of end users. Elements of universal …

Published: 2006

Universal Design Online Manual

A tool outlining steps that states can take to ensure universal design of assessments. The recommendations can be used for both computer and paper-based assessments. The authors recommend that …

Published: 2006

How to Develop State Guidelines for Access Assistants: Scribes, Readers, and Sign Language Interpreters

A manual offering states a tool to assist in the development or enhancement of guidelines for access assistants. Whether a state already has guidelines or is just in the process of establishing …

Published: 2006

NCEO Synthesis Reports: Accommodations: Results of a Survey of Alabama Special Education Teachers (#81)

A report containing the findings from a survey of 2,336 special education teachers in the state of Alabama on making and implementing decisions about accommodations. A number of areas of strength …

Published: November 2010

NCEO Synthesis Reports: Characteristics of States' Alternate Assessments Based on Modified Academic Achievement Standards in 2009-2010 (#80)

A report tracking the characteristics of states' alternate assessments based on alternate achievement standards (AA-MAS) that the National Center on Educational Outcomes has been following since …

Published: November 2010

NCEO Synthesis Reports: Computer-Based Testing: Practices and Considerations (#78)

A report exploring the context of computer-based testing (CBT), current state computer-based tests, and considerations for students with disabilities, in part as follow-up to a similar exploration …

Published: September 2010

NCEO Synthesis Reports: Science Assessments for Students with Disabilities in School Year 2006-2007: What We Know about Participation, Performance, and Accommodations (#77)

A report documenting the inclusion of students with disabilities in state science assessments in 2006-2007, the period just before the required implementation of statewide science assessments. The …

Published: August 2010

NCEO Synthesis Reports: Earning a High School Diploma through Alternative Routes (#76)

A report based on a study examining the alternative routes to passing the high school exit exam that were available during the school year 2008-09 to students to earn a standard high school …

Published: June 2010

NCEO Synthesis Reports: States' Participation Guidelines for Alternate Assessments Based on Modified Academic Achievement Standards (AA-MAS) in 2009 (#75)

A report updating information in previous National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO) reports that, since 2007, have annually compiled, analyzed, and summarized states' participation guidelines …

Published: March 2010

NCEO Synthesis Reports: States' Accommodations Policies for Alternate Assessments Based on Modified Academic Achievement Standards (AA-MAS) in 2008-2009 (#74)

A report presenting the results of an analysis of states' accommodations policies for the Alternate Assessment based on Modified Achievement Standards (AA-MAS), and compares these policies with …

Published: March 2010

NCEO Synthesis Reports: Common Misperceptions and Research-Based Recommendations for Alternate Assessment Based on Alternate Achievement Standards (#73)

A report exploring misperceptions about assessments and the students who are assessed using Alternate Assessments based on Alternate Achievement Standards (AA-AAS). The misperceptions have been …

Published: February 2010

NCEO Synthesis Reports: Characteristics of States' Alternate Assessments Based on Modified Academic Achievement Standards in 2008 (#72)

A report describing an assessment option permitted by federal regulations that give states the flexibility to offer an alternate assessment based on modified academic achievement standards (AA-MAS …

Published: September 2009

NCEO Synthesis Reports: States' Participation Guidelines for Alternate Assessments Based on Modified Academic Achievement Standards (AA-MAS) in 2008 (#71)

A report describing an assessment option permitted by federal regulations that give states the flexibility to offer an alternate assessment based on modified academic achievement standards (AA-MAS …

Published: December 2008

NCEO Synthesis Reports: A Principled Approach to Accountability Assessments for Students with Disabilities (#70)

A 2008 report updating the National Center on Educational Outcomes' (NCEO) report from 2001 that identified principles and characteristics underlying inclusive assessment and accountability …

Published: December 2008

NCEO Synthesis Reports: 2007 State Policies on Assessment Participation and Accommodations for Students with Disabilities (#69)

A 2008 report updating the National Center on Educational Outcomes' (NCEO) report from 2006 that tracked and analyzed state policies on assessment participation and accommodations since 1992. The …

Published: December 2008

NCEO Synthesis Reports: A Brief History of Alternate Assessments Based on Alternate Achievement Standards (#68)

A 2008 report reviewing the previous 15 years of alternate assessment development, from the early 1990s through the mid-2000s, as reported by state directors of special education on the Institute's…

Published: September 2008

NCEO Synthesis Reports: States' Alternate Assessments Based on Modified Achievement Standards (AA-MAS) in 2007 (#67)

This year 2007 report summarizes publicly available information about alternates based on modified achievement standards with regard to eligibility and assessment characteristics.

Published: December 2007

NCEO Newsletter: October 2021 issue

This issue highlights the news of NCEO’s continued funding. Also announced is NCEO’s new website. It is easier to navigate and very user-friendly. Featured is NCEO’s new accommodations toolkit...

Published: 10/6/2021

Accommodations Toolkit: Test breaks: States’ Accessibility Policies, 2020

This summary of states’ accessibility policies for test breaks is part of the Accommodations Toolkit published by the National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO).

Published: 9/30/2021

1% Toolkit: Developing an Assessment Participation Action Plan: A Tool for District Leaders (NCEO Tool #14)

The purpose of this resource is to provide a tool for districts that wish to improve student assessment participation. The tool provides guidance on how district leaders can develop an assessment …

Published: April 2023

Proceedings of the NCEO Interim Assessment Convening: Measuring What Students with Disabilities Know and Can Do Using Interim Assessments

This report contains the proceeding of the Interim Assessment Convening on Measuring What Students with Disabilities Know and Can Do Using Interim Assessments that was hosted by NCEO, and held on …

Published: December 2021

NCEO Reports: The Formative Assessment Practices Landscape for Students with Disabilities: An Analysis of State Definitions and Practices, 2021 (#435)

This report outlines the approaches that state education agencies (SEAs) have taken in defining and using formative assessment practices, including practices to explicitly support students with …

Published: May 2022

Improving Instruction Briefs: Working with Language Interpreters: Information for Teachers

This Brief for teachers answers questions about working with a language interpreter for families whose children are English learners. Clear, comprehensible communication between parents and …

Published: December 2019

Examining Assigned Accommodations Over Time Through Interactive Data Analytics

This presentation, examining assigned accommodations over time through interactive data analytics, was presented at the 2021 Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) annual conference.

Published: 2021-03-08

NCEO Synthesis Reports: English Language Learners with Disabilities in State English Language Proficiency Assessments: A Review of State Accommodation Policies (#66)

This year 2007 report documents states' participation and accommodations policies for English learners with disabilities on English Language Proficiency assessments for 2005-06.

Published: December 2007

NCEO Synthesis Reports: Item-Level Effects of the Read-Aloud Accommodation for Students with Reading Disabilities (#65)

This year 2006 report examines performance of students with specific reading disabilities on math test items anticipated to be highly sensitive to accommodation effects.

Published: September 2006

NCEO Synthesis Reports: 2005 State Policies on Assessment Participation and Accommodations for Students with Disabilities (#64)

This year 2006 report analyzes states' participation and accommodation policies for students with disabilities for school year 2005, but does not determine federal compliance.

Published: September 2006

NCEO Synthesis Reports: A Comparison of IEP/504 Accommodations Under Classroom and Standardized Testing Conditions: A Preliminary Report on SEELS Data (#63)

This year 2006 report uses SEELS data to compare accommodations in IEP and 504 Plans to the accommodations that students reportedly receive in classes and on standardized tests.

Published: September 2006

NCEO Synthesis Reports: High Stakes Graduation Exams: The Intended and Unintended Consequences of Minnesota's Basic Standards Tests for Students with Disabilities (#62)

This year 2006 report examines the intended and unintended consequences of Minnesota's high stakes graduation exam on students with disabilities.

Published: August 2006

NCEO Synthesis Reports: Dealing with Flexibility in Assessments for Students with Significant Cognitive Disabilities (#60)

This year 2006 report analyzes the role of flexibility and standardization in the development of alternate assessments for students with significant cognitive disabilities.

Published: June 2006

NCEO Synthesis Reports: Effect of Minimum Cell Sizes and Confidence Interval Sizes for Special Education Subgroups on School-Level AYP Determinations (#61)

This year 2006 report studies the potential effects of minimum cell sizes and confidence interval sizes for Special Education subgroups on school-level AYP determinations.

Published: July 2006

NCEO Synthesis Reports: Alternate Assessments Measured Against Grade-Level Achievement Standards: The Massachusetts "Competency Portfolio" (#59)

This year 2006 report discusses the development and validation of Massachusett's alternate based on grade-level achievement standards and its use for accountability and diplomas.

Published: January 2006

NCEO Synthesis Reports: Access Assistants for State Assessments: A Study of State Guidelines for Scribes, Readers, and Sign Language Interpreters (#58)

This year 2005 report describes a national study on state guidelines provided for human access assistants that help provide certain accommodations to students on state assessments.

Published: December 2005

NCEO Synthesis Reports: One State's Story: Access and Alignment to the GRADE-LEVEL Content for Students with Significant Cognitive Disabilities (#57)

This year 2005 report presents a case study from the state of Massachusetts for providing students with significant cognitive disabilities with grade-level aligned content.

Published: December 2005

NCEO Synthesis Reports: 2003 State Policies on Assessment Participation and Accommodations for Students with Disabilities (#56)

This year 2005 report analyzes states' 2003 participation and accommodation policies, but does not determine whether policies complied with federal requirements.

Published: June 2005

NCEO Synthesis Reports: Expectations for Students with Cognitive Disabilities: Is the Cup Half Empty or Half Full? Can the Cup Flow Over? (#55)

This year 2004 report addresses informed decision-making on the best instruction and assessments for students with cognitive disabilities, including analyses of data and research.

Published: December 2004

NCEO Synthesis Reports: Alternative Routes to the Standard Diploma (#54)

This year 2005 report presents findings on 16 states that provided alternate routes for students to earn a high school diploma, analyzes the processes, and makes recommendations.

Published: March 2005

NCEO Synthesis Reports: Progress Monitoring in an Inclusive Standards-Based Assessment and Accountability System (#53)

This year 2004 report addresses progress monitoring for students with disabilities, discussing contextual challenges, benefits, and offering recommendations for practice.

Published: February 2004

NCEO Synthesis Reports: Washington Alternate Assessment System Technical Report on Standard Setting for the 2002 Portfolio (#52)

This year 2003 report presents information on Washington's standard setting procedure for its portfolio alternate assessment for students with significant disabilities.

Published: October 2003

NCEO Synthesis Reports: Large-Scale Assessment and Accountability Systems: Positive Consequences for Students with Disabilities (#51)

This 2004 report examines both empirical and anecdotal evidence for positive consequences of large-scale high-stakes assessments for students with disabilities.

Published: May 2004

NCEO Synthesis Reports: Measuring Academic Achievement of Students with Significant Cognitive Disabilities: Building Understanding of Alternate Assessment Scoring Criteria (#50)

This year 2003 report compares how five states addressed defining and scoring successful outcomes for students with significant disabilities on alternate assessments.

Published: June 2003

NCEO Synthesis Reports: Varied Opinions on How to Report Accommodated Test Scores: Findings Based on CTB/McGraw-Hill's Framework for Classifying Accommodations (#49)

This year 2013 report describes survey results of state education agencies on the topic of how accommodated students' scores should be reported.

Published: April 2003

NCEO Synthesis Reports: Massachusetts: One State's Approach to Setting Performance Levels on the Alternate Assessment (#48)

This year 2002 report describes Massachusetts' approach to setting standards for its alternate assessment, and provides the contextual discussions that led to decisions in their development process.

Published: November 2002

NCEO Synthesis Reports: A Report of a Standard Setting Method for Alternate Assessments for Students with Significant Disabilities (#47)

This year 2002 report presents one state's "body of work" approach in standard setting for its alternate assessment for students with significant disabilities.

Published: October 2002

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

This year 2001 report analyzes state participation and accommodation policies nationwide and presents major findings.

Published: July 2002

NCEO Synthesis Reports: Access to Computer-Based Testing for Students with Disabilities (#45)

This year 2002 report recommends a process for transforming paper and pencil tests to computer-based tests based on research, accommodation considerations, opportunities and challenges of these tests.

Published: June 2002

NCEO Synthesis Reports: Universal Design Applied to Large Scale Assessments (#44)

The purpose of this report is to explore the development of universal design and to consider its application to large scale assessments.

Published: June 2002

NCEO Synthesis Reports: Use of Alternate Assessment Results in Reporting and Accountability Systems: Conditions for Use Based on Research and Practice (#43)

This report reviews current (2002) understanding of the technical and policy considerations involved in high quality alternate assessment.

Published: May 2002

NCEO Synthesis Reports: Setting Standards on Alternate Assessments (#42)

This year 2002 report identifies common standards-setting techniques and how they might be applied to alternate assessments.

Published: April 2002

NCEO Synthesis Reports: Empirical Support for Accommodations Most Often Allowed in State Policy (#41)

This year 2001 report is a compilation of information collected from NCEO's searchable database on the accommodations that are most often allowed in state policies.

Published: November 2001

NCEO Synthesis Reports: Principles and Characteristics of Inclusive Assessment and Accountability Systems (#40)

This year 2001 report presents six core principles of inclusive assessment and accountability systems with a brief rationale and specific characteristics that reflect each principle.

Published: November 2001

NCEO Synthesis Reports: Addressing Standards and Assessments on the IEP (#38)

The purpose of this year 2001 study was to examine state Individualized Education Program (IEP) forms to determine the extent to which they include documentation of standards and assessments.

Published: April 2001

NCEO Synthesis Reports: Students with Disabilities in Standards-Based Assessment and Accountability Systems: Emerging Issues, Strategies, and Recommendations (#37)

A 2001 report that addresses emerging issues affecting students with disabilities in standards-based assessment and accountability systems. Strategies for addressing the challenges are provided

Published: February 2001

NCEO Synthesis Reports: Social Promotion and Students with Disabilities: Issues and Challenges in Developing State Policies (#34)

This 2000 policy study looks at existing and emerging state policies on social promotion to determine the extent to which students with disabilities are included or excluded.

Published: June 2000

NCEO Synthesis Reports: Neglected Numerators, Drifting Denominators, and Fractured Fractions: Determining Participation Rates for Students with Disabilities in Statewide Assessment Programs (#23)

This 1996 report provides recommendations for policymakers, local practitioners and administrators to assist reporting the participation of students with disabilities in statewide assessments.

Published: October 1996

NCEO Technical Reports: A Summary of the Research on the Effects of Test Accommodations: 2007-2008 (#56)

The use of accommodations for both instruction and assessment continues to be of great importance for students with disabilities. Numerous efforts are underway to ensure that students with disabili…

Published: May 2010

NCEO Technical Reports: States Challenged to Meet Special Education Targets for Assessment Indicator (#55)

All states are required by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) to submit Annual Performance Reports (APRs) to the federal government. The purpose of this report is to reflect …

Published: February 2010

NCEO Technical Reports: State Reports on the Participation and Performance of English Language Learners with Disabilities in 2006-2007 (#54)

A report reviewing state reports on the participation and performance of English Language Learners (ELLs) with Disabilities in 2006-2007. Previous data reports suggested that ELLs with disabilities…

Published: May 2009

NCEO Technical Reports: Achieving Transparency in the Public Reporting of 2006-2007 Assessment Results (#53)

A report summarizing States' reports on the participation and performance of students with disabilities by (a) submitting annual performance reports (APRs) to the U.S. Department of Education, and …

Published: July 2009

NCEO Technical Reports: Good News and Bad News in Disaggregated Subgroup Reporting to the Public on 2005-2006 Assessment Results (#52)

A report analyzing the public reporting of disaggregated data for students with disabilities by the National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO). This analysis, which is the 10th done by NCEO, …

Published: December 2008

NCEO Technical Reports: An Analysis of Accommodations Issues from the Standards and Assessments Peer Review (#51)

A report commissioned by the Accommodations Monitoring Study Group of the Assessing Special Education Students State Collaborative on Assessment and Student Standards. It is the second in a three- …

Published: December 2008

NCEO Technical Reports: Trends in the Participation and Performance of Students with Disabilities (#50)

A report describing the first comprehensive analysis conducted by the National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO) of trends in the public reporting of state assessment results for students with …

Published: December 2008

NCEO Technical Reports: Revisiting Graduation Requirements and Diploma Options for Youth with Disabilities: A National Study (#49)

A document reporting on National Center on Educational Outcomes' (NCEO) fourth study of state graduation requirements for students with disabilities. This national study was designed to describe …

Published: December 2007

NCEO Technical Reports: Student Think-Aloud Reflections on Comprehensible and Readable Assessment Items: Perspectives on What Does and Does Not Make an Item Readable (#48)

A document reporting on research related to large-scale assessments for students with learning disabilities in reading. The researchers examined the role of "readable and comprehensible" test …

Published: September 2007

NCEO Technical Reports: A Summary of the Research on the Effects of Test Accommodations: 2005-2006 (#47)

This year 2007 report summarizes 32 research studies on testing accommodations published in 2005-2006.

Published: August 2007

NCEO Technical Reports: Nearing the Target in Disaggregated Subgroup Reporting to the Public on 2004-2005 Assessment Results (#46)

This year 2007 report describes the public reporting of achievement data for students with disabilities published on state department of education web sites for 2004-2005.

Published: April 2007

NCEO Technical Reports: A Summary of Research on the Effects of Test Accommodations: 2002 through 2004 (#45)

This year 2006 report summarizes a review of 49 empirical research studies on test accommodations between 2002 and 2004.

Published: September 2006

NCEO Technical Reports: Using the Think Aloud Method (cognitive labs) to Evaluate Test Design for Students with Disabilities and English Language Learners (#44)

This year 2006 report describes a research study on think aloud methods used to detect design issues in large scale assessments.

Published: August 2006

NCEO Technical Reports: Uneven Transparency: NCLB Tests Take Precedence in Public Assessment Reporting for Students with Disabilities (#43)

This year 2006 report describes the extent that states publicly reported assessment data for students with disabilities for 2003-2004.

Published: March 2006

NCEO Technical Reports: Considerations for the Development and Review of Universally Designed Assessments (#42)

This year 2005 report describes the development of a form for assessment designers to use to incorporate universal design features into assessments, based on an expert Delphi validation process.

Published: November 2005

NCEO Technical Reports: Analyzing Results of Large-Scale Assessments to Ensure Universal Design (#41)

This year 2005 report illustrates one method for determining whether assessment items are functioning differentially for students with disabilities compared to their peers without disabilities.

Published: July 2005

NCEO Technical Reports: Steady Progress: State Public Reporting Practices for Students with Disabilities After the First Year of NCLB (2002-2003) (#40)

This 2005 report examines the extent to which states report to the public on the participation and performance of students with disabilities for year 2002-2003.

Published: May 2005

NCEO Technical Reports: Almost There in Public Reporting of Assessment Results for Students with Disabilities (#39)

This year 2004 report examines the extent that states reported participation and performance data for students with disabilities in the 2001-2002 school year.

Published: August 2004

NCEO Technical Reports: State Literacy Standards, Practice, and Testing: Exploring Accessibility (#38)

This year 2004 report reviews state reading standards and analyzes the correspondence between reading standard requirements and alternative modes of student interaction with print.

Published: May 2004

NCEO Technical Reports: Improving Validity of Large-Scale Tests: Universal Design and Student Performance (#37)

This year 2003 report presents the theoretical background and research results of an experimental study conducted using universally designed assessment features.

Published: December 2003

NCEO Technical Reports: A National Study on Graduation Requirements and Diploma Options for Youth with Disabilities (#36)

This 2003 report updates the status of states' graduation requirements and diploma options for students with disabilities after the passage of the No Child Left Behind Act.

Published: October 2003

NCEO Technical Reports: Going public: What 2000-2001 Reports Tell Us about the Performance of Students with Disabilities (#35)

This 2003 report examines the extent to which states publicly reported participation and performance for students with disabilities in statewide assessments for 2000-2001.

Published: April 2003

NCEO Technical Reports: A Summary of Research on the Effects of Test Accommodations: 1999 through 2001 (#34)

This year 2002 report summarizes 46 empirical research studies on accommodations published from 1999 through 2001 and provides recommendations for future research.

Published: December 2002

NCEO Technical Reports: Are We There Yet? Accountability for the Performance of Students with Disabilities (#33)

This year 2002 report describes state accountability systems to determine how clearly public documents articulate the inclusion of students with disabilities in accountability calculations.

Published: November 2002

NCEO Technical Reports: On the Road to Accountability: Reporting Outcomes for Students with Disabilities (#32)

This year 2001 report reviews state education documents for the year 1999-2000 to determine the public availability of key outcome information for students with disabilities.

Published: December 2001

NCEO Technical Reports: Read-Aloud Accommodations: Effects on Multiple-Choice Reading and Math Items (#31)

This 2001 report examines the effects of a read-aloud accommodation on multiple-choice reading and math items on Missouri's state tests.

Published: September 2001

NCEO Technical Reports: What Databases Tell Us about Differential Levels of Use and How to Document the Use of Accommodations (#30)

This year 2001 report presents an analysis of accommodation use data from 12 states and discusses findings in the area of use rates, use patterns, and data accuracy.

Published: August 2001

NCEO Technical Reports: Effects of a Reading Accommodation on the Validity of a Reading Test (#28)

This year 2000 report examines the effect of a read aloud accommodation on the performance of students on a reading comprehension test.

Published: December 2000

NCEO Technical Reports: Interpreting Trends in the Performance of Special Education Students (#27)

This year 2000 report examines how transitions between regular education and special education effect performance trends across grades for the special education population.

Published: October 2000

NCEO Technical Reports: Assessment Accommodations Research: Considerations for Design and Analysis (#26)

This year 2000 report provides an overview of considerations for designing and analyzing research on assessment accommodations.

Published: December 2000

NCEO Technical Reports: Where's Waldo? A Third Search for Students with Disabilities in State Accountability Reports (#25)

This year 2000 report analyzes state education reports to determine what types of information are provided on students with disabilities and makes recommendations based on findings.

Published: April 2000

Parent-Educator Toolkit: En Español: Building Successful Communication with the School Using the Multilingual Parent Educator Toolkit

The parents of English learners need to be involved in decisions about accessibility features for their children. The multilingual Parent-Educator Toolkit consists of several concise briefs to …

Published: 11/3/2022

Parent Video Series: Supporting the Learning of Children with Significant Cognitive Disabilities at Home: Helping Your Child with Checking Progress at Home

This video describes easy ways for parents to check on their child's progress in academics and behavior while learning at home. It also suggests ways to talk to the school about a child's progress …

Published: July 2021

School Leader Series: Working with IEP Teams to Make State Assessment Participation and Accessibility and Accommodations Decisions (School Leader Series Brief #3)

This resource is designed to provide guidance to school leaders about working with IEP teams to make state assessment participation and accessibility and accommodations decisions. Developed in …

Published: 9/28/2021

Parent Video Series: Supporting the Learning of Children with Significant Cognitive Disabilities at Home: Helping Your Child with Academics at Home

This video provides parents of students with disabilities, specifically those with the most significant cognitive disabilities, with tips on how to support their child’s standards-based instruction…

Published: November 2020

Accommodations Toolkit: Math Charts/Tables: States’ Accessibility Policies, 2022

This summary of states’ accessibility policies for math charts/tables is part of the Accommodations Toolkit published by the National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO).

Published: 6/8/2022

Engaging Parents of English Learners and English Learners with Disabilities

This presentation addressed engaging parents of English learners with and without disabilities. It was presented at the 2019 Minnesota Department of Education's Minnesota English Learner Education …

Published: 2019-11-22

NCEO Policy Directions: Using Growth for Accountability - Considerations for Students with Disabilities (#21)

A report providing considerations and recommendations on growth models for students with disabilities. The academic progress of students is an important indicator of educational success. For …

Published: January 2010

NCEO Policy Directions: Planning Alignment Studies For Alternate Assessments Based on Alternate Achievement Standards (#20)

A report providing states with information on the components to consider with an external vendor when planning a study of the alignment of alternate assessment based on alternate achievement …

Published: November 2007

NCEO Policy Directions: Aligning Alternate Assessments to Grade Level Content Standards - Issues and Considerations for Alternates Based on Alternate Achievement Standards (#19)

This year 2007 report describes the issues that complicate alignment studies for alternate assessments based on alternate achievement standards.

Published: November 2007

NCEO Policy Directions: Using Systematic Item Selection Methods to Improve Universal Design of Assessments (#18)

This year 2006 report provides an overview of assessment item selection methods that optimize universal design and makes recommendations.

Published: September 2006

NCEO Policy Directions: Rethinking Basic Assumptions of Test Development - Assessment Frameworks for Inclusive Accountability Tests (#17)

This year 2003 report discusses how to make assessments that meet both NCLB accountability requirements and give better performance information for students.

Published: November 2003

NCEO Policy Directions: Putting it All Together - Including Students with Disabilities in Assessment and Accountability Systems (#16)

This year 2003 report provides an overview of key components of inclusive assessment and accountability systems, and describes how they fit together into a cohesive whole.

Published: October 2003

NCEO Policy Directions: Using Computer-based Tests with Students with Disabilities (#15)

This year 2003 report presents factors to consider in the design of computer-based testing for all students, including students with disabilities and English learners.

Published: January 2003

NCEO Policy Directions: Universally Designed Assessments - Better Tests for Everyone! (#14)

This year 2002 report describes Universal Design principles and outlines seven essential elements that apply to assessment design.

Published: June 2002

NCEO Annual Performance Reports and State Performance Plans: 2007-2008 State Assessment Data

This report summarizes the 2007-2008 state assessment information that was submitted by states in their Annual Performance Reports.

Published: August 2010

NCEO Annual Performance Reports and State Performance Plans: 2006-2007 State Assessment Data

This report summarizes the 2006-2007 state assessment information that was submitted by states in their Annual Performance Reports.

Published: July 2009

NCEO State Surveys: 2009 Survey of States - Accomplishments and New Issues at the End of a Decade of Change

A 2009 report providing a snapshot of the new initiatives, trends, accomplishments, and emerging issues during this important period of standards-based education reform ...

Published: June 2010

NCEO State Surveys: 2007 Survey of States - Activities, Changes, and Challenges for Special Education

This year 2007 report summarizes a survey to states addressing accommodations, participation rates and performance of students with disabilities in statewide assessments.

Published: October 2008

NCEO State Surveys: 2005 State Special Education Outcomes - Steps Forward in a Decade of Change

This year 2003 report summarizes a survey to states addressing accommodations, participation rates and performance of students with disabilities in statewide assessments.

Published: November 2005

NCEO State Surveys: 2003 State Special Education Outcomes - Marching On

This year 2003 report summarizes a survey to states on trends and emerging issues for students with disabilities in statewide assessments.

Published: December 2003

NCEO State Surveys: 2001 State Special Education Outcomes - A Report on State Activities at the Beginning of a New Decade

This year 2001 report summarizes a survey to states on participation and performance of students with disabilities in state testing and accountability for general and alternate assessments.

Published: June 2001

NCEO State Surveys: 1999 State Special Education Outcomes - A Report on State Activities at the End of the Century

This year 1999 report summarizes a survey to states on participation of students with disabilities in state assessments, high stakes for tests, and alternate assessment development.

Published: December 1999

NCEO Limited English Proficiency Projects Reports: Grade-Level Standards-Based Science Outcomes for English Language Learners and Language Minority Students - A Review of the Literature (#6)

This year 2009 report is a literature review of peer-reviewed research on standards-based science outcomes and English learners and language minority students.

Published: April 2009

NCEO Limited English Proficiency Projects Reports: Connecting English Language Proficiency, Statewide Assessments, and Classroom Proficiency (#5)

This year 2004 study provides information on the link between teacher ratings of English learners' academic language, language proficiency tests, and standardized assessments.

Published: August 2004

NCEO Limited English Proficiency Projects Reports: Relationships Between a Statewide Language Proficiency Test and Academic Achievement Assessments (#4)

This year 2004 report compares English learner reading performance on an English language proficiency test to English learner and English fluent peer performance on academic achievement tests.

Published: August 2004

NCEO Limited English Proficiency Projects Reports: 1999-2000 Participation and Performance of English Language Learners Reported in Public State Documents and Web Sites (#3)

This 2002 report summarizes publicly reported participation and performance data for English learners on state assessments.

Published: September 2002

NCEO Limited English Proficiency Projects Reports: State and District Assessments as an Avenue to Equity and Excellence for English Language Learners with Disabilities (#2)

This 2001 report summarizes publicly reported participation and performance data for English learners on state assessments.

Published: September 2001

NCEO Limited English Proficiency Projects Reports: The Effects of a Simplified English Language Dictionary on a Reading Test (#1)

This year 2001 report examines the performance of Hmong background English learners using a monolingual English dictionary accommodation on a reading test.

Published: March 2001

NCEO English Language Learners (ELLs) with Disabilities Reports: Middle School Principals' Perspectives on Academic Standards-Based Instruction and Programming for English Language Learners with Disabilities (#22)

A report from a study following up on the findings of earlier NCEO research on instructional services and leadership for English language learners (ELLs) with disabilities. This study looked at a …

Published: September 2008

NCEO English Language Learners (ELLs) with Disabilities Reports: Delphi Study of Instructional Strategies for English Language Learners with Disabilities: Recommendations from Educators Nationwide (#21)

A report from NCEO's national research spanning seven years that has focused on identifying and validating instructional strategies for ELLs with disabilities. In recent work, educators from five …

Published: September 2008

NCEO English Language Learners (ELLs) with Disabilities Reports: Middle School Principals' Interpretation of State Policy and Guidance on Instructional Strategies for ELLs with Disabilities (#20)

A report describing how principals of successful schools translated information to teachers on designing accessible standards-based instruction for ELLs with disabilities. The study aimed to …

Published: September 2008

NCEO English Language Learners (ELLs) with Disabilities Reports: Reading, Mathematics, and Science Instructional Strategies for English Language Learners with Disabilities - Insights from Educators Nationwide (#19)

A report studying instructional strategies at middle and junior high schools. Middle school teaching and learning is especially challenging, perhaps because the curriculum places greater cognitive …

Published: September 2008

NCEO English Language Learners (ELLs) with Disabilities Reports: Standards-Based Instructional Strategies for English Language Learners with Disabilities (#18)

This year 2007 report describes the extent of instructional strategy information available to educators in states.

Published: February 2007

NCEO English Language Learners (ELLs) with Disabilities Reports: Use of Chunking and Questioning Aloud to Improve the Reading Comprehension of English Language Learners with Disabilities (#17)

This year 2006 report describes how the chunking and questioning aloud instructional strategy could improve the reading achievement of English learners with disabilities.

Published: December 2006

NCEO English Language Learners (ELLs) with Disabilities Reports: Math Strategy Instruction for Students with Disabilities who are Learning English (#16)

This year 2006 report describes the effect of a teacher-directed "think aloud" strategy with English learners with disabilities in math.

Published: November 2006

NCEO English Language Learners (ELLs) with Disabilities Reports: Large-Scale Assessments and English Language Learners with Disabilities - A Case Study of Participation, Performance, and Perceptions: "Walking the Talk!" (#15)

This year 2006 report describes issues that surround the inclusion of English learners in states' large-scale assessment programs.

Published: August 2006

NCEO Brief: Steps to Equitably Include Deaf Students in Assessments (#25)

Standardized tests have many uses in education. For example, they are used to document student achievement, measure progress, and determine readiness for postsecondary education or employment. …

Published: December 2021

NCEO English Language Learners (ELLs) with Disabilities Reports: Including English Language Learners with Disabilities in Large-Scale Assessments - A Case Study of Linguistically-Diverse Populations (#14)

This year 2006 report describes issues surrounding the inclusion of English learners with disabilities in states' large-scale assessment programs.

Published: July 2006

NCEO English Language Learners (ELLs) with Disabilities Reports: Online Survey on Instructional Strategies for English Language Learners with Disabilities (#13)

This year 2006 report describes an online survey study about instructional strategies for English learners with disabilities.

Published: January 2006

NCEO English Language Learners (ELLs) with Disabilities Reports: ELL Parent Perceptions on Instructional Strategies for their Children with Disabilities (#12)

This year 2005 report examines parents' perspectives on instructional strategies teachers use with English learners with disabilities.

Published: November 2005

NCEO English Language Learners (ELLs) with Disabilities Reports: Student Perceptions of Instructional Strategies - Voices of English Language Learners with Disabilities (#11)

This year 2005 report examines the perspective of English learners with disabilities on instructional strategies used in standards-based instruction.

Published: July 2005

NCEO English Language Learners (ELLs) with Disabilities Reports: Beyond Subgroup Reporting - English Language Learners with Disabilities in 2002-2003 Online State Assessment Reports (#10)

This year 2005 report describes the extent that states publicly reported on the participation and performance of English learners with disabilities in 2002-2003.

Published: January 2005

NCEO English Language Learners (ELLs) with Disabilities Reports: Confronting the Unique Challenges of Including English Language Learners with Disabilities in Statewide Assessments (#9)

This year 2005 report describes the challenges states have in including English learners with disabilities in statewide assessments and the solutions they have identified.

Published: June 2005

NCEO English Language Learners (ELLs) with Disabilities Reports: Policymaker Perspectives on the Inclusion of English Language Learners with Disabilities in Statewide Assessments (#8)

This year 2005 report describes how states are including English learners with disabilities in statewide assessments and supporting local schools in communicating their results to parents.

Published: August 2005

NCEO English Language Learners (ELLs) with Disabilities Reports: Educator Perceptions of Instructional Strategies for Standards-based Education of English Language Learners with Disabilities (#7)

This year 2004 report summarizes a study on teacher-identified strategies for teaching grade-level reading/English language arts, math, and science to English learners with disabilities.

Published: August 2004

NCEO English Language Learners (ELLs) with Disabilities Reports: English Language Learners with Disabilities and Large-Scale Assessments - What the Literature Can Tell Us (#6)

This year 2005 report provides a literature review of the inclusion of English learners with disabilities in statewide accountability assessments.

Published: June 2005

NCEO English Language Learners (ELLs) with Disabilities Reports: A Review of 50 States' Online Large-Scale Assessment Policies - Are English Language Learners with Disabilities Considered? (#5)

This year 2004 report describes the extent that English learners with disabilities are considered in state assessment policies.

Published: September 2004

NCEO English Language Learners (ELLs) with Disabilities Reports: 2000-2001 Participation and Performance of English Language Learners with Disabilities on Minnesota Standards-based Assessments (#4)

This year 2004 report analyzes the performance of English learners with disabilities on the Minnesota Comprehensive Assessments for 2000-2001, in grades 3 and 5.

Published: June 2004

NCEO English Language Learners (ELLs) with Disabilities Reports: Graduation Exam Participation (2000-2001) of English Language Learners with Disabilities (#3)

This year 2005 report examines the performance of English learners with disabilities on Minnesota's Basic Standards Test in 2000-2001.

Published: June 2005

NCEO English Language Learners (ELLs) with Disabilities Reports: Graduation Exam Participation and Performance (1999-2000) of English Language Learners with Disabilities (#2)

This year 2005 report examines the participation and performance of English learners with disabilities on Minnesota's Basic Standards Test in 1999-2000.

Published: May 2005

NCEO English Language Learners (ELLs) with Disabilities Reports: 1999-2000 Participation and Performance of English Language Learners with Disabilities on Minnesota Standards-based Assessments (#1)

This year 2005 report examines the participation and performance of English learners with disabilities on the 1999-2000 Minnesota Comprehensive Assessments.

Published: June 2004

NCEO Annual Performance Reports and State Performance Plans: 2004-2005 State Assessment Data

A report summarizing assessment data from State Performance Plans.

Published: June 2007

NCEO Annual Performance Reports and State Performance Plans: 2003-2004 State Assessment Data

A report summarizing assessment data from State Performance Plans.

Published: June 2006

NCEO Annual Performance Reports and State Performance Plans: 2002-2003 State Assessment Data

A report summarizing assessment data from State Performance Plans.

Published: June 2005

NCEO Annual Performance Reports and State Performance Plans: Biennial Performance Reports: 2000-2001 State Assessment Data

A report summarizing assessment data from State Performance Plans.

Published: December 2002

NCEO Synthesis Reports: Who Are the Students Who May Qualify for an Alternate Assessment Based on Modified Academic Achievement Standards (AA-MAS)? Focus Group Results (#79)

A report summarizing the results of educator focus groups conducted by one state in a consortium dedicated to studying alternate assessments based on modified achievement standards (AA-MAS) …

Published: January 2011

NCEO Technical Reports: Public Reporting of 2007-2008 Assessment Information on Students with Disabilities: Progress on the Gap Front (#57)

A report analyzing public reporting of disaggregated assessment data for elementary and secondary students with disabilities in the United States - the 12th annual report by NCEO to do so. Reportin…

Published: March 2011

Alternate Assessment Forum: Connecting into a Whole

A report summarizing the discussion sessions during the Third Annual Alternate Assessment Forum held in 2000. One hundred thirty-five representatives from 39 states plus American Samoa participated…

Published: 2000

NCEO Policy Directions: Including Alternate Assessment Results in Accountability Decisions (#13)

This year 2001 report addresses the use of alternate assessment results in School accountability systems and provides state examples.

Published: June 2002

NCEO Synthesis Reports: Models for Reporting the Results of Alternate Assessments Within State Accountability Systems (#39)

A report summarizing six models for reporting the scores of students with disabilities participating in alternate assessments that existed in the year 2001. Reporting the scores of students with …

Published: September 2001

NCEO Synthesis Reports: Appeals Processes for Students Who Fail Graduation Exams: How Do They Apply to Students with Disabilities? (#36)

A 2000 report of findings about high stakes tests for students with disabilities, and the appeals processes for those who need an alternative way of demonstrating skills. High stakes tests that...

Published: July 2000

NCEO Synthesis Reports: State Alternate Assessments: Status as IDEA Alternate Assessment Requirements Take Effect (#35)

A report describing the approaches states were taking, as of the year 2000, to alternate assessments for the small number of students with disabilities who could not participate in state and …

Published: June 2000

PARA Accessible Reading Assessment Reports: Accessible Reading Assessments for Students with Disabilities: The Role of Cognitive, Grammatical, Lexical, and Textual/Visual Features

A study examining the characteristics of reading test items that may differentially impede the performance of students with disabilities. By examining the relationship between select item features …

Published: November 2010

NCEO Technical Reports: Participation and Performance Reporting for the Alternate Assessment Based on Modified Achievement Standards (AA-MAS) (#58)

A report examining publicly-reported participation and performance data for the alternate assessment based on modified achievement standards (AA-MAS). Analysis included all states publicly reportin…

Published: April 2011

Meeting the Needs of Special Education Students: Recommendations for the Race-to-the-Top Consortia and States

A report identifying several actions for the Race to the Top assessment consortia to take to meet the needs of special education students. The actions are consistent with standards and principles …

Published: 2011

NCEO Brief: Don't Forget Accommodations! Five Questions To Ask When Moving to Technology-based Assessments (#1)

A brief -- the first in a series for the Race to the Top Assessment Consortia -- addressing the need to think carefully about accommodations when moving from paper-based assessments to technology- …

Published: April 2011

PARA Accessible Reading Assessment Reports: Studying Less-Accurately Measured Students

A report describing a small-scale study that closely examined a limited number of students to shed light on several questions. The study provided a preliminary look at the possibility of using …

Published: October 2010

PARA Accessible Reading Assessment Reports: Cognitive and Achievement Differences Between Students with Divergent Reading and Oral Comprehension Skills: Implications for Accessible Reading Assessment Research

A study examining the question, "Are there any analysis of the Woodcock-Johnson III Battery (WJ III) data that might shed light on learner characteristics that differentiate students whose measured…

Published: May 2010

PARA Accessible Reading Assessment Reports: Examination of a Reading Pen as a Partial Auditory Accommodation for Reading Assessment

A report evaluating the effectiveness of a reading pen as a Partial Auditory Accommodation for large scale reading assessments when the pen is used only to pronounce words on demand. Four research …

Published: February 2010

Hints and Tips for Addressing Accommodations Issues for Peer Review

Information and examples that states can use in responding to accommodation criteria in the Standards and Assessment Peer Review process, and to address the need for continued improvement after …

Published: 2007-04-02

PARA Accessible Reading Assessment Reports: Disabilities and Reading: Understanding the Effects of Disabilities and Their Relationship to Reading Instruction and Assessment

A report providing common ground on the issues surrounding reading and students with various disabilities to facilitate discussion of accessible reading assessment. The information in this report …

Published: March 2009

PARA Accessible Reading Assessment Reports: Exploring Factors that Affect the Accessibility of Reading Comprehension Assessments for Students with Disabilities: A Study of Segmented Text

A document reporting on a study seeking to experimentally examine factors affecting accessibility of assessments for students with disabilities. This study focused on reading comprehension assessme…

Published: January 2009

PARA Accessible Reading Assessment Reports: Examining DIF, DDF, and Omit Rate by Discrete Disability Categories

A report describing a study of differential item functioning (DIF), differential distractor functioning (DDF), and differential omission frequency (DOF) for one third grade and one fifth grade …

Published: December 2007

PARA Accessible Reading Assessment Reports: What Do State Reading Test Specifications Specify?

A report examining state assessment blueprints or test specifications for state reading assessments. The No Child Left Behind Act requires all states to assess student reading, but each state is …

Published: June 2007

PARA Accessible Reading Assessment Reports: Examining Differential Distractor Functioning in Reading Assessments for Students with Disabilities

A report examining the incorrect response choices, or distractors, of students with disabilities in standardized reading assessments. Differential distractor functioning (DDF) analysis differs …

Published: January 2007

PARA Accessible Reading Assessment Reports: Examining Differential Item Functioning in Reading Assessments for Students With Disabilities

A report examining group differences between students with disabilities and students without disabilities using differential item functioning (DIF) analyses in a high-stakes reading assessment. …

Published: January 2007

PARA Accessible Reading Assessment Reports: State Accommodations Policies: Implications for the Assessment of Reading

A report presenting the results of an analysis of the accommodations that are included in state accommodations policies and guidelines. The purpose of the analysis was to learn more about 10 …

Published: June 2006

Alternate Assessments

This page provides information on alternate assessments based on alternate academic achievement standards for students with the most significant cognitive disabilities.

Published: 2021-02-01

NCEO Reports: Diploma Options, Graduation Requirements, and Exit Exams for Youth with Disabilities: 2017 National Study (#409)

This report presents the results of a study undertaken to update what is known about the status of graduation policies across the nation. Three research questions served as the focus of this …

Published: March 2019

Empowering Families Flyer #2: What are the purposes of the different kinds of tests?

This flyer define the different types of tests and their objectives. It describes various test purposes, and their role in improving instruction and outcomes for all students. This flyer is part …

Published: August 2023

How NCLB Affects Students with Disabilities

This testimony was presented at a hearing before the Committee on Education and Labor.

Published: 2007-03-29

V1-3: Special Education Teacher Communicating with Parents

A special education teacher calls a parent to discuss how her daughter is performing in her classes. They discuss how they can work together to make sure she is completing her assignments.

Published: 2014-05-05

School Leader Series: Supporting the Inclusion of Students with Disabilities in Assessment (School Leader Series Brief #1)

This resource is designed to provide guidance to school leaders about supporting the inclusion of students with disabilities in state and district content assessments. Developed in collaboration …

Published: 9/28/2021

NCEO Synthesis Reports: Gray Areas of Assessment Systems (#32)

A 2000 paper clarifying what is meant by "gray areas of assessment" systems, the primary issues that contribute to gray areas, and providing suggestions for developing fully inclusive systems.

Published: March 2000

NCEO Technical Reports: Accountability Systems and Counting Students with Disabilities (#29)

A report examining the extent to which students with disabilities were included in accountability systems of states in which there were high stakes for educational systems. This was the first such …

Published: December 2000

NCEO Minnesota Assessment Project Reports: Effect of a Multiple Day Test Accommodation on the Performance of Special Education Students (#34)

This year 2000 report examines a multiple-day testing accommodation on reading performance of students with disabilities.

Published: December 2000

NCEO Minnesota Assessment Project Reports: Initial Perceptions of English as a Second Language Educators on Including Students with Limited English Proficiency in Minnesota's High Standards (#33)

This year 2000 report examines educator perceptions and expectations of including English learners in Minnesota's High Standards.

Published: December 2000

NCEO Minnesota Assessment Project Reports: Minnesota's Comprehensive Assessments: 1998 and 1999 Participation and Performance of Students with Disabilities (#32)

This year 2000 report examines the performance of students with disabilities on Minnesota's Comprehensive Assessments.

Published: December 2000

NCEO Minnesota Assessment Project Reports: Bilingual Accommodations for Limited English Proficient Students on Statewide Reading Tests: Phase 2 (#31)

This year 2000 report examines a bilingual side-by-side test accommodation for English learners on a reading test.

Published: August 2000

NCEO Minnesota Assessment Project Reports: Participation and Performance of Limited English Proficient Students During Second Attempts on a Graduation Exam (#28)

This year 2000 report examines the performance of English learners on Minnesota's Basic Standards Tests.

Published: June 2000

NCEO Minnesota Assessment Project Reports: Factors Related to the Performance of LEP Students on Basic Standards Tests (#27)

This year 2000 report summarizes factors affecting English learner performance on Minnesota's state assessments.

Published: July 2000

NCEO Minnesota Assessment Project Reports: Data on LEP students in State Education Reports (#26)

This year 2000 report summarizes the extent of states' public reporting of English learner data on state assessments.

Published: August 2000

NCEO Annual Performance Reports and State Performance Plans: 2005-2006 State Assessment Data

A report summarizing assessment data from State Performance Plans.

Published: April 2008

NCEO Brief: Developing Common Accommodations Policies Discussion Points for Consortia (#2)

A brief -- the second in a series for the Race to the Top Assessment Consortia -- addressing the need for the Consortia to develop shared accommodations policies. The publication presents informati…

Published: May 2011

NCEO Brief: Participation Guidelines for New Assessments: Thinking Through Their Development (#3)

A brief -- the third in a series for the Race to the Top Assessment Consortia -- addressing the need for the Consortia to develop shared assessment participation criteria for students with disabili…

Published: June 2011

NCEO Synthesis Reports: States' Participation Guidelines for Alternate Assessments Based on Modified Academic Achievement Standards (AA-MAS) in 2010 (#82)

A report updating the information gathered by the National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO) in previous reports. Since 2007, NCEO has annually compiled, analyzed, and summarized states' …

Published: May 2011

NCEO Brief: Understanding Subgroups in Common State Assessments: Special Education Students and ELLs (#4)

A brief -- the fourth in a series for the Race to the Top Assessment Consortia -- presenting information on the characteristics of special education students, English Language Learners (ELLs), and …

Published: July 2011

Parent-Educator Toolkit: Building Successful Communication with the School Using the Multilingual Parent Educator Toolkit

The parents of English learners need to be involved in decisions about accessibility features for their children. The multilingual Parent-Educator Toolkit consists of several concise briefs to …

Published: 11/3/2022

NCEO Synthesis Reports: Professional Development to Improve Accommodations Decisions - A Review of the Literature (#84)

A report summarizing the research literature for both professional development on accommodations decision making, and traditional and high-quality online teacher professional development. NCEO …

Published: August 2011

NCEO Technical Reports: 2008-09 Publicly Reported Assessment Results for Students with Disabilities and ELLs with Disabilities (#59)

A report analyzing the public reporting of assessment data for students with disabilities in K-12 schools in the United States; this is NCEO's 13th annual report on this subject. The Individuals …

Published: August 2011

PARA Accessible Reading Assessment Reports: Accommodations for State Reading Assessments: Policies Across the Nation

A report summarizing accommodation policies for the content area of reading. Because of the increase in the use of computer-based assessments, the authors also examined whether reading assessment …

Published: September 2011

NCEO Synthesis Reports: 2009 State Policies on Assessment Participation and Accommodations for Students with Disabilities (#83)

A report updating information on the state policies on assessment participation and accommodations that NCEO has been tracking and analyzing since 1992. NCEO last reported this information on …

Published: September 2011

NCEO Synthesis Reports: Characteristics of States' Alternate Assessments Based on Modified Academic Achievement Standards in 2010-2011 (#85)

A report tracking test design changes between the alternate assessment based on modified academic achievement standards (AA-MAS) and regular assessment, whether states' AA-MAS were computer-based, …

Published: September 2011

NCEO Synthesis Reports: Educating Struggling Learners: Reflections on Lessons Learned about Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment (#86)

A report presenting a first-person account of someone on the front lines of school reform, specifically focusing on inclusive assessment practices as they influence curriculum, instruction, and …

Published: December 2011

NCEO Brief: Performance of Special Education Students: Implications for Common State Assessments (#5)

A brief -- the fifth in a series for the Race to the Top Assessment Consortia -- presenting information on the performance of special education students, highlighting the range in performance of …

Published: January 2012

NCEO Data Viewer

An interactive database allowing users to access data compiled by researchers at the Institute's National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO) on students with disabilities in the U.S. educational…

Published: 2009 - Present

NCEO Technical Reports: Tennessee Special Education Teacher Survey: Training, Large-scale Testing, and TCAP-MAAS Administration (#61)

A report explaining how Tennessee developed an Alternate Assessment based on Modified Academic Achievement Standards called the Tennessee Comprehensive Assessment Program-Modified Academic Achievem…

Published: January 2012

NCEO APR Snapshot Briefs: 2008-2009 APR Snapshot #1: State Assessment Participation and Performance of Special Education Students (#1)

This year 2012 report presents participation and performance data for students with disabilities in state assessments in reading and math in grade eight.

Published: January 2012

AA-AAAS Bibliography

This searchable bibliographic database presents information related to alternates based on alternate academic achievement standards. Users may search by publication type, research type, keyword, …

Published: 2010

NCEO APR Snapshot Briefs: 2008-2009 APR Snapshot #2: Assessment Accommodations Use by Special Education Students (#2)

This year 2012 report presents accommodations data for students with disabilities in state reading and math tests for 2008-2009.

Published: January 2012

NCEO Synthesis Reports: Learning Progressions in K-8 Classrooms: How Progress Maps Can Influence Classroom Practice and Perceptions and Help Teachers Make More Informed Instructional Decisions in Support of Struggling Learners (#87)

A report describing perceptions and practices of Hawaii teachers using progress maps (learning progressions) to inform their understanding of how struggling learners progress during the school …

Published: January 2012

NCEO Technical Reports: An Evaluation of the Extent to Which Teachers Used the "IEP Quality Tutorial-South Dakota" After Training (#63)

A report discussing the use of the "IEP Quality Tutorial-South Dakota (IEPQ-SD)." During the 2010-2011 school year, the state of South Dakota piloted an online program called the "IEP Quality …

Published: April 2012

NCEO Technical Reports: Diploma Options, Graduation Requirements, and Exit Exams for Youth with Disabilities: 2011 National Study (#62)

A report documenting results from the fifth in a series of similar studies on state graduation policies and diploma options conducted by the National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO). The …

Published: April 2012

NCEO Technical Reports: Characteristics of Low Performing Special Education and Non-Special Education Students on Large-Scale Assessments (#60)

A report investigating whether the characteristics of the lowest performing students in special education differ from the characteristics of the lowest performing students who are not in special …

Published: March 2012

A Guide to Educational Acronyms: What's in the Alphabet Soup?

A resource guide providing a glossary of the "alphabet soup" of educational acronyms. NCEO developed this "acronym handbook" as a resource to define, clarify, or remind anyone involved legislative …

Published: 2012

NCEO Brief: Including Students with Disabilities in Common Non-Summative Assessments (#6)

A brief -- the sixth in a series for the Race to the Top Assessment Consortia -- addressing the Consortia's need to develop an inclusive approach to their non-summative assessments, including …

Published: July 2012

NCEO Technical Reports: Rules for Audio Representation of Science Items on a Statewide Assessment: Results of a Comparative Study (#64)

A report describing a study that investigated an online auditory feature of an assessment designed to provide students who have challenges with print reading with content information. Large-scale …

Published: June 2012

NCEO Technical Reports: Using Cognitive Labs to Evaluate Student Experiences with the Read-Aloud Accommodation in Math (#67)

A report describing a study of the read-aloud accommodation, which is frequently used on mathematics assessments. However, Individualized Education Program (IEP) teams often find it difficult to …

Published: September 2012

The Focused Approach Planning Guide: Tools to Improve Student Access

A report describing an activity conducted by the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction to refine and pilot a set of planning tools that can be used to improve access of all students, including…

Published: September 2012

NCEO Technical Reports: Test Administrators' Perspectives on the Use of the Read Aloud Accommodation in Math on State Tests for Accountability (#66)

A report describing a study conducted by NCEO, in collaboration with the South Dakota Department of Education, that used focus group methodology to look closer at what happens in the room on test …

Published: October 2012

NCEO Technical Reports: A Summary of the Research on the Effects of Test Accommodations: 2009-2010 (#65)

A report providing an update on the state of the research on testing accommodations as well as identifying promising future areas of research. Previous reports by NCEO have covered research …

Published: November 2012

NCEO Synthesis Reports: Alternate Assessments Based on Alternate Achievement Standards (AA-AAS) Participation Policies (#88)

A report focusing on participation policies for alternate assessments based on alternate achievement standards (AA-AAS). Since 1992, NCEO has analyzed participation and accommodation policies for …

Published: December 2012

NCEO APR Snapshot Briefs: 2008-2009 APR Snapshot #3: AA-AAS Participation and Performance (#3)

This year 2012 report summarizes data for students participating in Alternate Assessments based on Alternate Achievement Standards in 2008-2009.

Published: December 2012

NCEO Synthesis Reports: States' Flexibility Plans for Phasing Out the Alternate Assessment Based on Modified Academic Achievement Standards (AA-MAS) by 2014-15 (#89)

A report compiling, analyzing, and summarizing states' plans for phasing out the alternate assessment based on modified achievement standards (AA-MAS) in their approved waiver applications. The …

Published: March 2013

NCEO APR Snapshot Briefs: 2010-2011 APR Snapshot #4: State Assessment Participation and Performance of Students Receiving Special Education Services (#4)

This year 2013 report summarizes data for students taking state assessments in reading and math used for federal accountability in 2010-2011.

Published: 2013

Assessment Principles and Guidelines for ELLs with Disabilities

A report detailing the work of an Institute project called Improving the Validity of Assessment Results for English Language Learners with Disabilities (IVARED) that has identified essential …

Published: 2013

Forum on Evaluating Educator Effectiveness: Critical Considerations for Including Students with Disabilities

A report summarizing the discussion at the Forum on Evaluating Educator Effectiveness held in June 2012 in Minneapolis. Thirty-six individuals representing a dozen states, four testing companies, …

Published: 2012

Lessons Learned in Federally Funded Projects that Can Improve the Instruction and Assessment of Low Performing Students with Disabilities

A report detailing the work of researchers from projects funded by the U.S. Department of Education in 2006-2007 under three funding sources (General Supervision Enhancement Grants, Enhanced …

Published: 2013

Graduation Requirements

This page provides an overview on graduation requirements.

Published: 2021-02-01

1% Convening Webinar Training

This webinar provided information on how to be an effective facilitator at the 1% Cap National Convening.

Published: 2018-10-12

Moving Your Numbers: Moving Your Numbers: Five Districts Share How They Used Assessment and Accountability to Increase Performance for Students With Disabilities as Part of District-wide Improvement

A report examining how school districts can increase the performance of students with disabilities and other at-risk learners as part of whole-district reform efforts. It includes case studies of …

Published: 2011

Moving Your Numbers: Key Practices Guide

A guide describing six essential practices for increasing achievement of students with disabilities and other at-risk learners as part of whole-district reform efforts. All six practices are …

Published: 2012

Moving Your Numbers: State Education Agencies: The Critical Role of SEAs in Facilitating School District Capacity to Improve Learning and Achievement for Students with Disabilities

A guide offering insights into the direction state education agencies should take to more effectively support districts and schools in improving outcomes for all students.

Published: 2012

Moving Your Numbers: District Self-Assessment Guide for Moving Our Numbers: Using Assessment and Accountability to Increase Performance for Students with Disabilities as Part of District-Wide Improvement

A guide for use by district leadership teams and school-level leadership teams in gauging the district's degree of implementation and scale of actions associated with effective practices identified…

Published: 2012

Moving Your Numbers: Parent/Family Companion Guide: Using Assessment and Accountability to Increase Performance for Students with Disabilities as Part of District-wide Improvement

A guide, based on the report Moving Your Numbers: Improving Learning for Students with Disabilities as Part of District-wide Reform , providing an in-depth examination of how five school districts …

Published: 2012

Moving Your Numbers: Higher Education Guide to Moving Your Numbers: Guide for Administrator Preparation Programs

A guide connecting the report, Moving Your Numbers , to the curriculum of administrator preparation programs. It makes the connection by (1) showing how the booklet fits with curricula in such …

Published: 2012

Moving Your Numbers: Higher Education Guide to Moving Your Numbers: Guide for Teacher Preparation Programs

A guide connecting the report, Moving Your Numbers , to the curriculum of teacher preparation programs. It makes the connection by (1) showing how the booklet fits with curricula in such preparatio…

Published: 2012

Moving Your Numbers: Regional/Intermediate Unit Providers: The Critical Role of Regional Providers in Facilitating School District Capacity to Improve Learning and Achievement for Students with Disabilities

A guide, based on the Moving Your Numbers report, offering insights into the direction regional providers should take to more effectively support districts and schools in improving outcomes for …

Published: 2012

Moving Your Numbers: A Synthesis of Lessons Learned: How Districts Used Assessment and Accountability to Increase Performance for Students with Disabilities as Part of District-wide Improvement

A guide summarizing the lessons learned by school districts profiled in the Moving Your Numbers series. Moving Your Numbers features the work of ten districts with varying demographics that have …

Published: 2012

NCEO APR Snapshot Briefs: 2010-2011 APR Snapshot #5: Assessment Accommodations Use by Students Receiving Special Education Services (#5)

This year 2013 report presents accommodation and performance data for students with disabilities on general tests in grades four and eight in 2010-2011.

Published: June 2013

NCEO APR Snapshot Briefs: 2010-2011 APR Snapshot #6: AA-AAS Participation and Performance (#6)

This year 2013 report presents participation and performance data of students taking alternate assessments based on alternate achievement standards for 2010-2011.

Published: June 2013

NCEO Synthesis Reports: Accommodation Policies for States' Alternate Assessments based on Alternate Achievement Standards (AA-AAS) (#90)

A report focusing on accommodation policies for alternate assessments based on alternate achievement standards (AA-AAS). NCEO has analyzed participation and accommodation policies for students …

Published: July 2013

NCEO Participation Communication Toolkit: Customizable Participation Communication Toolkit Student Flyer

The purpose of this flyer is to provide concise resources about why it is so important that all students participate in state testing. Written for students, it also provides strategies to reduce …

Published: 2021-11-11

NCEO Newsletter: June 2013 Issue

An e-newsletter issue highlighting the whirlwind of changes affecting assessments - the CCSS, the assessment consortia, shifting assessment policies, flexibility waivers, and more - and how they …

Published: June 2013

Multi-Attribute Consensus Building Tool

A tool that can be used to help groups prioritize strategies, decisions, recommendations, or policies. It has been used by NCEO for over a decade and the use of the Multi-Attribute Consensus …

Published: September 2013

Forum on Addressing Performance Gaps of Low-performing Students: Implications for Assessment and Instruction

A report describing the facilitated discussions and the consensus reached at a forum on June 19, 2013, in National Harbor, Maryland, to discuss the performance gaps of low-performing students and …

Published: September 2013

NCEO State Surveys: 2012 Survey of States: Successes and Challenges During a Time of Change

A report providing a snapshot of new initiatives, trends, accomplishments, and emerging issues during this important period of education reform as states document the academic achievement of...

Published: September 2013

NCEO Synthesis Reports: 2012 State Policies for Accommodations Used to Deliver Assessments Orally (#91)

A report examining the wide variation across states in their accommodations policies for Human Reader, Text to Speech, and Pre-recorded Audio. The results of the analyses in the report can inform...

Published: August 2013; revised January 2014

Online Training to Improve Accommodations Decision Making

A curriculum designed to coach educators on best practices in how to select, administer, and evaluate the use of accommodations. This interactive, multi-media professional development tool contains…

Published: 2013

NCEO Newsletter: October 2013 issue

An issue highlighting findings from the 2012 survey of states, information on two new NCEO products--a tool that groups can use to build consensus on a topic, and a report covering current state …

Published: October 2013

NCEO Technical Reports: 2010-11 Publicly Reported Assessment Results for Students with Disabilities and ELLs with Disabilities (#68)

A report analyzing public reporting practices for assessment data for students with disabilities in K-12 schools in the United States. This report, which is the fourteenth of its kind by the …

Published: September 2013

Accommodations for Students with Disabilities on State English Language Proficiency Assessments: A Review of 2011 State Policies

A report documenting states' participation and accommodation policies for English language learners (ELLs) with disabilities on their English Language Proficiency (ELP) assessments. The states' …

Published: August 2013

NCEO Synthesis Reports: Results of a Cognitive Interview Study of Immediate Feedback and Revision Opportunities for Students with Disabilities in Large Scale Assessments (#92)

A report covering a study that was part of a larger research project originally designed to investigate an approach to Alternate Assessments with Modified Achievement Standards that provides …

Published: December 2013

1% Toolkit: Frequently Asked Questions on AA-AAAS (NCEO Tool #5)

The 2015 Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) 1.0% cap on state-level participation rates in the alternate assessment aligned to alternate academic achievement standards (AA-AAAS) generated questions …

Published: September 2019

NCEO Reports: State Spotlights: Reducing AA-AAAS State-Level Participation Rates to Meet the 1.0% Threshold, 2016-17 to 2017-18 (#421)

This report highlights the work of states in the National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO) 1% Community of Practice (CoP) that reduced their alternate assessment participation rates from...

Published: July 2020

Accommodations Toolkit: Word Prediction: Research

This fact sheet on word prediction is part of the Accommodations Toolkit published by the National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO). It summarizes information and research findings on word …

Published: 8/31/2021

NCEO Brief: School Psychologists’ Role in Accommodations Decision Making (#32)

Students’ learning and achievement in schools are regularly monitored formally and informally through classroom, district, and state assessments. School psychologists have a specialized understandi…

Published: July 2023

Accommodations Considerations in Pre-College and Postsecondary Assessments for Deaf Individuals

This presentation focused on accommodations considerations in pre-college and postsecondary assessments for deaf individuals. It was presented at the 2019 Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) …

Published: 2019-01-30

NCEO Newsletter: October 2022 issue

This issue highlights several new NCEO activities and products. The first is a toolkit for new state special education directors that is designed to be easy to use and help new directors (and …

Published: 10/3/2022

Accommodations Toolkit: Scribe: States' Accessibility Policies, 2021

This summary of states’ accessibility policies for scribe is part of the Accommodations Toolkit published by the National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO).

Published: 2/10/2022

NCEO Policy Directions: Successfully Transitioning from the AA-MAS to the General Assessment (#22)

A report exploring how federal policy initiatives such as the flexibility waivers for accountability are requiring that states transition away from the use of an alternate assessment based on …

Published: February 2014

IVARED Learning Module

A set of five online learning modules helping educators look at issues surrounding students who are English language learners (ELLs) with disabilities. Access to the modules is free and open to all...

Published: 2013

NCEO Newsletter: February 2014 issue

An issue highlighting the findings from NCEO's Improving the Validity of Assessment Results for English Language Learners with Disabilities (IVARED) project that led focus groups with 232 school …

Published: February 2014

NCEO Brief: Considerations for Consortia as States Transition Away from AA-MAS (#7)

A brief addressing the need for consortia to assist their member states in moving away from the alternate assessment based on modified achievement standards (AA-MAS). It focuses on key consideratio…

Published: February 2014

NCEO Newsletter: June 2014 issue

An issue highlighting some of NCEO's recent work on the survey of states which will be sent in the fall of 2014, the transition from the alternate assessment based on modified achievement standards…

Published: June 2014

NCEO Brief: Participation of ELLs with Disabilities in ELP Assessments (#8)

A brief presenting information on what is known about the participation of English language learners (ELLs) with disabilities in state English language proficiency (ELP) assessments. It highlights...

Published: May 2014

NCEO Brief: State Assessment Decision-Making Processes for ELLs with Disabilities (#9)

A brief presenting information on what is known about assessment decision-making processes for English language learners (ELLs) with disabilities. It highlights information that has been collected …

Published: June 2014

Accommodations Toolkit: Braille: Research

This fact sheet on braille is part of the Accommodations Toolkit published by the National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO). It summarizes information and research findings on braille as an …

Published: 8/31/2021

NCEO Synthesis Reports: Test Security and Students with Disabilities: An Analysis of States' 2013-14 Test Security Policies (#95)

A report analyzing how accommodated tests, and students with disabilities and the assessments they take, are addressed in state test security policies -- a subject about which little is known. This...

Published: June 2014

PARA Accessible Reading Assessment Reports: Developing and Researching an Accessible Reading Assessment for Students with Disabilities

A report documenting the Partnership for Accessible Reading Assessment's (PARA) field test to determine the degree to which its accessible reading assessment provided for accessibility, validity, …

Published: May 2012

NCEO Technical Reports: 2011-12 Publicly Reported Assessment Results for Students with Disabilities and ELLs with Disabilities (#69)

A report analyzing public reporting practices for assessment data for students with disabilities in K-12 schools in the United States -- the 15th NCEO report to do so. The publication presents …

Published: July 2014

NCEO Brief: Exploring Alternate ELP Assessments for ELLs with Significant Cognitive Disabilities (#10)

A brief presenting information on what we know about the participation of English language learners (ELLs) with disabilities in state alternate assessments based on alternate achievement standards...

Published: July 2014

Parent Training & Information Center Webinar on Alternate Assessments Based on Modified Academic Achievement Standards

A Webinar providing information about Alternate Assessments Based on Modified Academic Achievement Standards (AA-MAS) to Parent Training and Information Centers & Community Parent Resource Centers …

Published: October 9, 2007

NCEO Synthesis Reports: 2013 State Policies for Selected Response Accommodations on Statewide Assessments (#93)

A report providing information on selected response accommodations (i.e., Human Scribe, Speech to Text, Audio Transcription, Grammar Checker, Spell Checker, Calculator) that were included in state …

Published: September 2014

NCEO Synthesis Reports: A Summary of the Research on the Effects of Test Accommodations, 2011-2012 (#94)

A report providing an update on the state of the research on testing accommodations as well as to identify promising future areas of research. Previous reports by NCEO have covered research …

Published: September 2014

NCEO Newsletter: October 2014 issue

An issue highlighting the launching of the 2014 NCEO Survey of States, summaries of two new reports on accommodations on English language proficiency assessments for low-incidence disabilities, …

Published: October 2014

NCEO Synthesis Reports: States' Flexibility Waiver Plans for Alternate Assessments Based on Alternate Achievement Standards (AA-AAS) (#96)

A report compiling, analyzing, and summarizing what states said about the Alternate Assessments Based on Alternate Achievement Standards (AA-AAS) in their waiver applications. The U.S. Department...

Published: 2014

NCEO Synthesis Reports: Graduation Policies for Students with Significant Cognitive Disabilities Who Participate in States' AA-AAS (#97)

A report analyzing the graduation requirements and diploma options for students with the most significant cognitive disabilities who participate in states' alternate assessments based on alternate …

Published: 2014

Audio Support Guidelines for Accessible Assessments: Insights From Cognitive Labs

A report examining how some students, including students with print disabilities, students with low vision, and English language learners, may benefit from having test content read aloud. However,...

Published: December 2014

Sign Support Guidelines for Accessible Assessments: Insights From Cognitive Labs

A report observing that students who are deaf or hard of hearing (Deaf/HH) and communicate using American Sign Language (ASL) may benefit from sign accommodations on state assessments. However, …

Published: December 2014

NCEO Newsletter: February 2015 issue

An issue highlighting findings from a recent National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO) report on graduation requirements for students with significant cognitive disabilities who participate …

Published: February 2015

NCEO Policy Directions: Considerations When Including Students with Disabilities in Test Security Policies (#23)

A report concluding that assessments better measure what students know and can do when states and consortia thoughtfully consider how to balance test security and accessibility. Many states are …

Published: February 2015

NCEO APR Snapshot Briefs: 2011-2012 APR Snapshot #7: State Assessment Participation and Performance of Students Receiving Special Education Services (#7)

This year 2014 report presents data on eighth grade students with disabilities taking general tests used for federal accountability in 2011-2012.

Published: December 2014

NCEO Data Analytics: Graduation Policies for Students with Significant Cognitive Disabilities Who Participate in States' AA-AAS (#1)

An online, interactive brief presenting the results of NCEO's analysis of states' graduation policies for their students with significant cognitive disabilities who participate in the alternate …

Published: March 2015

NCEO Technical Reports: 2012-13 Publicly Reported Assessment Results for Students with Disabilities and ELLs with Disabilities (#70)

A report analyzing public reporting practices for assessment data for students with disabilities in K-12 schools in the United States. This report -- the 16th of its kind by the National Center on …

Published: May 2015

NCEO Newsletter: June 2015 issue

An issue providing a preview of the National Conference on Student Assessment pre-conference forum that NCEO is holding with the Assessing Special Education Students SCASS - Implementing Accessibil…

Published: June 2015

NCEO Brief: Making Accessibility Decisions for ALL Students (#11)

A Brief presenting information on steps to take in the transition from a focus on making decisions about accommodations for students with disabilities and English language learners (ELLs), to a …

Published: June 2015

NCEO Synthesis Reports: Graduation Policies for Students with Disabilities who Participate in States' General Assessments (#98)

A report detailing the results of states' 2014-15 requirements for students with disabilities who participate in the general assessment to earn a regular diploma, and comparing the requirements...

Published: July 2015

NCEO Data Analytics: 2012-13 Publicly Reported Assessment Results for Students with Disabilities and ELLs with Disabilities (#2)

An interactive, online brief analyzing public reporting practices for assessment data for students with disabilities in K-12 schools in the United States. This interactive brief is based on NCEO …

Published: August 2015

NCEO State Surveys: 2014 Survey of States: Initiatives, Trends, and Accomplishments

A report providing a snapshot of the new initiatives, trends, accomplishments, and emerging issues during this important period of education reform as states documented the academic achievement of …

Published: September, 2015

NCEO Newsletter: October 2015 issue

An issue providing a link to the new NCEO Web site, with many new topics and lots of new information, plus summaries of, and links to, several new NCEO products. Among them is the report on the …

Published: October 2015

Forum on Implementing Accessibility Frameworks for ALL Students

This report describes the panel presentations and the facilitated discussions from a June 2015 forum to discuss implementing accessibility frameworks for ALL students.

Published: October 2015

NCEO State Surveys: State Special Education Outcomes 1991: A Report on State Activities in the Assessment of Educational Outcomes for Students with Disabilities

This is NCEO's first survey of states conducted in 1991 to address the needs of state directors, policymakers and others for information about current state activities.

Published: January 1992

NCEO State Surveys: State Special Education Outcomes 1992: A Report on State Activities in the Assessment of Educational Outcomes for Students with Disabilities

A report on NCEO's second survey of states conducted in 1992 to address the needs of state directors, policymakers and others for information about current state activities.

Published: March 1993

NCEO State Surveys: State Special Education Outcomes 1993: A Report on State Activities in the Assessment of Educational Outcomes for Students with Disabilities

This is NCEO's second survey of states conducted in 1993 to address the needs of state directors, policymakers and others for information about current state activities.

Published: March 1994

NCEO State Surveys: State Special Education Outcomes 1994: A Report on How States are Assessing Educational Outcomes for Students with Disabilities

A report on NCEO's survey of states conducted in 1993 to address the needs of state directors, policymakers and others for information about current state activities.

Published: March 1995

NCEO State Surveys: 1995 State Special Education Outcomes: Longitudinal Trends in How States are Assessing Educational Outcomes for Students with Disabilities

This report presents the results of the fifth annual survey of state activities in the assessment of educational outcomes for students with disabilities.

Published: April 1996

NCEO State Surveys: 1997 State Special Education Outcomes: A Report on State Activities During Educational Reform

This report presents the results of the sixth survey of state activities in the assessment of educational outcomes for students with disabilities conducted by NCEO since 1991.

Published: November 1997

NCEO Synthesis Reports: Assessing Educational Outcomes: State Activity and Literature Integration (#1)

The purpose of this 1991 document is to provide a synthesis of information that is available in the current literature in outcomes indicators in general, and research conducted in special education.

Published: July 1991

NCEO Synthesis Reports: Synthesis Report Update 1992: Policy Groups and Reports on Assessing Educational Outcomes (#2)

The purpose of this report is to provide an update to information presented in Synthesis Report #1.

Published: April 1992

NCEO Synthesis Reports: Responses to Working Paper 1 Conceptual Model of Educational Outcomes for Children and Youth with Disabilities (#3)

This synthesis paper represents the input of over 60 respondents to NCEO's Working Paper 1, "A Conceptual Model of Educational Outcomes for Children and Youth with Disabilities."

Published: June 1992

NCEO Synthesis Reports: Testing Accommodations for Students with Disabilities: A Review of the Literature (#4)

This report is a review of literature (1993) pertaining to testing accommodations for people with disabilities.

Published: March 1993

NCEO Synthesis Reports: Can "All" Ever Really Mean "All" in Defining and Assessing Student Outcomes? (#5)

This report explores what what "all" means in defining student outcomes in educational assessment systems.

Published: March 1993

NCEO Synthesis Reports: Implications of Outcomes-Based Education for Children with Disabilities (#6)

This report discusses Outcomes-based education (OBE) and its implications for students with disabilities.

Published: April 1993

NCEO Synthesis Reports: Views on Inclusion and Testing Accommodations for Students with Disabilities (#7)

This monograph represents the culmination of an effort to obtain expert opinions about the challenges of inclusion and accommodations, and presents papers written by experts in the field.

Published: September 1993

NCEO Synthesis Reports: Synthesis Report Update 1993: Recent Activities in National Goals, Standards, and Tests (#8)

This report updates major recent (1993) national initiatives in the areas of (a) the national education goals, (b) standards, and (c) national testing for students with disabilities.

Published: September 1993

NCEO Synthesis Reports: Outcome-Based Education: Its Relevance to State and National Decision Making (#9)

This report was developed to propose a framework for applying an outcome-based approach throughout the education system for students with disabilities.

Published: October 1993

NCEO Synthesis Reports: The Effects of Standards and Assessment on Students in Special Education (#10)

In this report, the author examines accountability and assessment issues that are relevant to students in special education.

Published: October 1993

NCEO Synthesis Reports: National Goals, National Standards, National Tests: Concerns for All (Not Virtually All) Students With Disabilities? (#11)

This report provides an analysis of inclusion as it relations to national goals, national standards, and national tests for students with disabilities.

Published: November 1993

NCEO Synthesis Reports: Implementation of Alternative Methods for Making Educational Accountability Decisions for Students with Disabilities (#12)

This report examines some of the issues and challenges in gathering data for purposes of making accountability decisions for students with disabilities (1994).

Published: March 1994

NCEO Synthesis Reports: Making Decisions About the Inclusion of Students with Disabilities in Large-Scale Assessments: A Report on a Working Conference to Develop Guidelines on Inclusion and Accommodations (#13)

This report is a summary of a meeting held in Washington, D.C. on March 9-10, 1994 on the challenges faced in making decisions about inclusion and accommodations for students with disabilities.

Published: April 1994

NCEO Synthesis Reports: Opportunity-to-Learn Standards (#14)

This report provides an overview of the use of the term "Opportunity to learn (OTL) standards in recent (1994) legislation, alternative perspectives on OTL standards, and state practices.

Published: July 1994

Supporting English Language Learners Through Improved Accessibility Decision Making

These online professional development modules on accessible instruction and assessment were designed for distinct audiences of elementary teachers and secondary teachers. The modules use a collabor…

Published: 2019-06-01

V3-2: Implementing Instructional Accommodations

The special education and math teacher develop a plan to implement and evaluate a student's accommodations for instruction.

Published: 2014-05-05

Accommodations Toolkit: Recorded Oral Delivery: Research

This fact sheet on recorded oral delivery is part of the Accommodations Toolkit published by the National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO). It summarizes information and research findings on …

Published: 4/5/2022

Successfully Transitioning Away from the 2% Assessment: Frequently Asked Questions

This set of Frequently Asked Questions represent commonly asked questions about the rollback of the regulation that allowed the alternate assessment based on modified achievement standards (AA-MAS).

Published: July 2014

NCEO Synthesis Reports: Science Alternate Assessments based on Alternate Achievement Standards (AA-AAS) During School Year 2014-2015 (#99)

A report that analyzes the characteristics of states' science alternate assessments based on alternate achievement standards (AA-AAS)in 2014-2015.

Published: November 2015

NCEO Synthesis Reports: Recommendations for Making Decisions About the Participation of Students with Disabilities in Statewide Assessment Programs: A Report on a Working Conference to Develop Guidelines for Statewide Assessments and Students with Disabilities (#15)

This report is a summary of a meeting held in the Washington, DC area on May 17 and 18, 1994. This report proposes a set of recommendations for making participation and accommodation decisions.

Published: July 1994

NCEO Synthesis Reports: Synthesis Report Update 1994: Reports on the Status of Education, Desired Outcomes, and Reform Initiatives (#16)

This report examines national activities by highlighting 40 reports that reflect the array of reform initiatives underway in 1995.

Published: January 1995

NCEO Synthesis Reports: A Compilation of States' Guidelines for Including Students with Disabilities in Assessments (#17)

This report provides a listing of states' written guidelines on the participation of students with disabilities in assessments (1993).

Published: February 1995

NCEO Synthesis Reports: A Compilation of States' Guidelines for Accommodations in Assessments for Students with Disabilities (#18)

This report provides a listing of states' written guidelines on accommodations, modifications, and adaptations of assessments for students with disabilities (1993).

Published: March 1995

NCEO Synthesis Reports: A Perspective on Education and Assessment in Other Nations: Where Are Students with Disabilities? (#19)

The purpose of this 1995 report is to address the status of students with disabilities in international comparison assessments and in the assessments used in other nations.

Published: April 1995

NCEO Synthesis Reports: High School Graduation Requirements: What's Happening for Students with Disabilities? (#20)

This 1995 report examines documentation from state departments of education on high school graduation requirements for students in general, and for student with disabilities.

Published: May 1995

NCEO Synthesis Reports: Why We Can't Say Much About the Status of Students with Disabilities During Education Reform (#21)

This 1995 report synthesizes results of NCEO activities that focused on determining if analysis of data collection programs could produce policy-relevant reports on the status youth with disabilities.

Published: August 1995

NCEO Synthesis Reports: A Disability Perspective on Five Years of Education Reform (#22)

This report provides a summary of policy trends of the five years preceding 1995, focusing on the implications of policy shifts for the educational outcomes of students with disabilities.

Published: December 1995

NCEO Synthesis Reports: Questions and Answers: Tough Questions about Accountability Systems and Students with Disabilities (#24)

This 1996 report provides answers to some of the most commonly asked questions addressing the participation of students with disabilities in educational accountability systems.

Published: September 1996

NCEO Synthesis Reports: Assessment Guidelines that Maximize the Participation of Students with Disabilities in Large-Scale Assessments: Characteristics and Considerations (#25)

This 1996 report provides characteristics and considerations on assessment guidelines that maximize the participation of students with disabilities in large-scale assessments.

Published: October 1996

NCEO Synthesis Reports: High Stakes Testing for Students: Unanswered Questions and Implications for Students with Disabilities (#26)

This 1997 literature review looks at existing research on the effects of high stakes tests on students, with particular attention to students with disabilities.

Published: January 1997

NCEO Synthesis Reports: Issues and Considerations in Alternate Assessments (#27)

This 1997 report describes and discusses issues around the design of alternate assessments for students with disabilities.

Published: January 1997

NCEO Synthesis Reports: Putting Alternate Assessments into Practice: What to Measure and Possible Sources of Data (#28)

This 1997 report highlights four information-gathering procedures that might be used in alternate assessments.

Published: September 1997

NCEO Synthesis Reports: State Assessment Policies on Participation and Accommodations for Students with Disabilities: 1997 Update (#29)

This 1997 report summarizes states' policies on the participation of students with disabilities in large-scale assessment, and the accommodations available for those students.

Published: September 1997

NCEO Synthesis Reports: Enhancing Communication: Desirable Characteristics for State and School District Educational Accountability Reports (#30)

A report summarizing a 1997 meeting of a study group to develop a list of necessary, desirable, and succinct characteristics of good state and district educational accountability reports.

Published: January 1998

NCEO Synthesis Reports: Status of the States in the Development of Alternate Assessments (#31)

This 1999 report describes the results of an online survey to assess the status of states in the development of alternate assessments to be in place by July 1, 2000.

Published: April 1999

NCEO Data Analytics: State Assessment Participation and Performance of Students with IEPs, 2020-2021 (#19)

This interactive report presents data on the participation and performance of students receiving special education services in statewide assessments used for Elementary and Secondary Education Act …

Published: January 2024

NCEO Data Analytics: Graduation Policies for Students with Disabilities Who Participate in States' General Assessments (#3)

A report presenting the results of a study looking at coursework and exit exam requirements for students with IEPs compared to students without IEPs. This relates to the larger issues of graduation…

Published: November 2015

NCEO Synthesis Reports: State Participation and Accommodation Policies for Students with Disabilities: 1999 Update (#33)

This 2000 report summarizes states' policies on the participation of students with disabilities in large-scale assessment, and the accommodations in state policies as available for those students.

Published: April 2000

Lessons Learned About Instruction from Inclusion of Students with Disabilities in College and Career Ready Assessments

This Brief provides information and suggestions for SEAs and other technical assistance providers with challenges identified by the teachers related to college- and career-ready (CCR) standards.

Published: January 2016

White Paper on English Language Learners with Significant Cognitive Disabilities

This White Paper provides ELPA21 states with recommendations for ways to include their ELLs with the most significant cognitive disabilities in an assessment of their English language proficiency.

Published: January 2016

NCEO Newsletter: February 2016 issue

In this issue new products and activities are highlighted. New products include a Brief developed in collaboration with the National Center for Systemic Improvement ...

Published: February 2016

NCEO Reports: 2013-14 Publicly Reported Assessment Results for Students with Disabilities and ELLs with Disabilities (#401)

This is the seventeenth report NCEO that describes how states publicly report online assessment data for students with disabilities in K-12 schools in the United States.

Published: February 2016

NCEO Reports: Principles and Characteristics of Inclusive Assessment Systems in a Changing Assessment Landscape (#400)

This document is the fourth in a series of Principles documents produced by the National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO). NCEO revisited and revised its 2008 Principles for inclusive...

Published: February 2016

Parent Spotlight: Parent Spotlight on Accommodations for Students with Disabilities

This booklet was written to provide information to parents and others about accommodations for students with disabilities.

Published: April 2014

Parent Spotlight: Parent Spotlight on Common Core State Standards and Students with Disabilities

This booklet was written to provide information to parents and others about Common Core State Standards for students with disabilities.

Published: April 2014

Parent Spotlight: Parent Spotlight on IEPs and Common Core State Standards and Assessments

This booklet was written to provide information to parents and others about Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) and the newly adopted academic standards, the Common Core State Standards.

Published: April 2014

Parent Spotlight: Parent Spotlight on 504 Plans and Common Core State Standards and Assessments

This booklet was written to provide information to parents and others about 504 accommodation plans and the newly adopted academic standards, the Common Core State Standards.

Published: April 2014

Parent Spotlight: Enfoque de los Padres de Familia en Adaptaciones para Estudiantes con Discapacidades

Este folleto fue redactado para proveer informacion a los padres de familia y a otros con respecto a las adaptaciones para estudiantes con discapacidades.

Published: April 2014

Parent Spotlight: Enfoque de los Padres de Familia en los Estándares Académicos Esenciales del Estado y Estudiantes con Discpacidades

Este folleto fue redactado para proveer información a los padres de familia y a otros con respecto a los Estándares Académicos Esenciales del Estado para estudiantes con discapacidades.

Published: April 2014

Parent Spotlight: Enfoque de los Padres de Familia en los Planes IEP y los Estándares Académicos Esenciales y las Evaluaciones del Estado

Este folleto fue redactado para proveer información a los padres de familia y a otros con respecto a los Programas Individualizados de Educación (IEPs por sus siglas en inglés) y los estándares …

Published: April 2014

Parent Spotlight: Enfoque de los Padres de Familia en los Planes 504 y los Estándares Académicos Esenciales y las Evaluaciones del Estado

Este folleto fue redactado para proveer información a los padres de familia y a otros con respecto a los planes de adaptaciones 504 y los estándares académicos recientemente adoptados llamados …

Published: April 2014

Lessons Learned About Assessment from Inclusion of Students with Disabilities in College and Career Ready Assessments

The new large-scale assessments rolled out by consortia and states are designed to measure student achievement of rigorous college- and career-ready (CCR) standards. Recent surveys of teachers in...

Published: March 2016

NARAP Reports: Accessibility Principles for Reading Assessments

A report presenting evidence-based principles for making large scale assessments of reading proficiency more accessible for students who have disabilities that affect reading, while maintaining a …

Published: September 2009

TARA Reports: Students with Visual Impairments and Assistive Technology: Results from a Cognitive Interview Study in Five States

The purpose of this study was to better understand use of assistive technology in instruction and assessment by students with visual impairments. The aim was to gather information that would be …

Published: August 2009

NARAP Reports: Defining Reading Proficiency for Accessible Large-Scale Assessments: Some Guiding Principles and Issues

The National Accessible Reading Assessment Projects (NARAP) is a collaboration of two projects funded by the U.S. Department of Education to conduct research and development on accessible reading …

Published: February 2006

TARA Reports: Survey of Teachers of Students with Visual Impairments: Students Served and Their Access to State Assessments of Reading

The purpose of this study was to determine the perceptions of teachers on a number of aspects related to reading. This survey targeted specifically teachers of students with visual impairments ( …

Published: August 2009

TARA Reports: Field-based Perspectives on Technology Assisted Reading Assessments: Results of an Interview Study with Teachers of Students with Visual Impairments (TVIs)

The purpose of this study was to gather information to inform the design and development of a technology-assisted reading assessment for students with visual impairments or blindness.

Published: August 2009

Parent-Educator Toolkit: Accessibility Features and Accommodations

Parents of English learners need to be involved in decisions about accessibility features for their children. This Toolkit created by the Improving Instruction project provides several concise …

Published: March 2021

Successfully Making Decisions about the Use of Scribing and Speech-to-Text

This presentation addressed how to successfully make decisions about using scribes and speech-to-text. It was presented at the 2019 Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) annual conference.

Published: 2019-02-01

NCEO Out-of-Level Testing Project Reports: Past and Present Understandings of Out-of-Level Testing: A Research Synthesis (#1)

This year 2000 report presents the historical background of out-of-level testing and addresses how it was studied, the rationale for its use, and missing information in the literature.

Published: May 2000

NCEO Out-of-Level Testing Project Reports: How Out-of-Level Testing Affects the Psychometric Quality of Test Scores (#2)

This year 2000 report presents a review and analysis of the psychometric literature on the topic of out-of-level testing.

Published: August 2000

NCEO Out-of-Level Testing Project Reports: Test Publishers' Views on Out-of-Level Testing (#3)

This year 2000 report describes findings from a study conducted with test publishing companies on the topic of out-of-level testing.

Published: November 2000

NCEO Out-of-Level Testing Project Reports: States' Out-of-Level Testing Policies (#4)

This year 2001 report describes the out-of-level testing policies of 12 states that allow students with disabilities to test of out of level on large-scale assessments.

Published: June 2001

NCEO Out-of-Level Testing Project Reports: Testing Students Out of Level in Large-Scale Assessments: What States Perceive and Believe (#5)

This year 2001 report describes a study conducted to capture state-level perspectives on out-of-level testing in states that allow this in their assessment policies.

Published: March 2001

NCEO Out-of-Level Testing Project Reports: Test and Measurement Expert Opinions: A Dialogue About Testing Students with Disabilities Out of Level in Large-Scale Assessments (#6)

This year 2002 report summarizes the discussion of two focus groups composed of test and measurement experts held to address out-of-level testing concerns.

Published: March 2002

NCEO Out-of-Level Testing Project Reports: A Follow-Up Web-Based Survey: Test and Measurement Expert Opinions on the Psychometric Properties of Out-of-Level Tests (#7)

This year 2002 report summarizes the results of a web-based survey on out-of-level testing reflecting the perspective of test and measurement experts.

Published: July 2002

NCEO Out-of-Level Testing Project Reports: Scale Score Comparability Across Two Levels of a Norm-Referenced Math Computation Test for Students with Learning Disabilities (#8)

This year 2002 report summarizes a small-scale comparability study of students with learning disabilities taking a norm-referenced test in math computation on grade level and out-of-level.

Published: March 2002

NCEO Out-of-Level Testing Project Reports: Testing Students with Disabilities Out of Level: State Prevalence and Performance Results (#9)

This year 2003 report describes a study of three states' out-of-level participation and performance data.

Published: October 2003

NCEO Out-of-Level Testing Project Reports: Reporting Out-of-Level Test Scores: Are These Students Included in Accountability Programs? (#10)

This year 2003 report describes the extent of out-of-level test scores being publicly reported in state accountability documents for years 1999-2001.

Published: October 2003

NCEO Out-of-Level Testing Project Reports: Understanding Out-of-Level Testing in Local Schools: A First Case Study of Policy Implementation and Effects (#11)

This year 2004 report presents a case study in one local educational agency looking at specific effects of testing students with disabilities out-of-level.

Published: September 2004

NCEO Out-of-Level Testing Project Reports: Understanding Out-of-Level Testing in Local Schools: A Second Case Study of Policy Implementation and Effects (#12)

This year 2004 report presents a second case study in a local educational agency looking at specific effects of testing students with disabilities out-of-level.

Published: September 2004

NCEO Out-of-Level Testing Project Reports: Rapid Changes, Repeated Challenges: States' Out-of-Level Testing Policies for 2003-2004 (#13)

This year 2004 report compares a 2003-2004 policy review on out-of-level testing implementation in states with a prior 2000-2001 review.

Published: September 2004

NCEO Out-of-Level Testing Project Reports: States' Procedures for Ensuring Out-of-Level Test Instrument Quality (#14)

This year 2004 report describes how states ensure technical adequacy of their out-of-level tests, drawing from technical documentation and state level assessment interviews.

Published: September 2004

NCEO Out-of-Level Testing Project Reports: Educators' Opinions About Out-of-Level Testing: Moving Beyond Perceptions (#15)

This year 2004 report documents the arguments given in favor of and against out-of-level testing among teachers and administrators.

Published: September 2004

NCEO Minnesota Assessment Project Reports: Input from the Field on Assessing Students with Disabilities in Minnesota's Basic Standards Exams (#1)

This year 1996 report summarizes survey data on the inclusion of students with disabilities in Minnesota's Basic Standards Tests.

Published: August 1996

NCEO Minnesota Assessment Project Reports: Input from the Field on Assessing Students with Limited English Proficiency in Minnesota's Basic Requirements Exams (#2)

This year 1996 report summarizes survey data on the inclusion of English learners in Minnesota's Basic Standards Tests.

Published: August 1996

NCEO Technical Reports: State Practices in the Assessment of Outcomes for Students with Disabilities (#1)

This year 1991 report provides survey results on what states and territories were doing related to outcomes assessment during the years of 1991 to 1995.

Published: October 1991

NCEO Technical Reports: Inclusion of Students with Disabilities in National and State Data Collection Programs (#2)

This year 1992 report summarizes the extent to which individuals with disabilities were represented in national and state data collection programs.

Published: March 1992

NCEO Data Analytics: State and National Demographic Information for English Learners (ELs) and ELs with Disabilities, 2012-13 (#4)

This interactive report presents data that states have submitted on the five languages most frequently used by English learners (ELs) in each state, the percent of identified ELs receiving...

Published: April 2016

NCEO Newsletter: June 2016 issue

This issue is packed with events and activities in which NCEO is involved this spring. One big event was the launching of the NCEO Facebook page. Please visit and like NCEO! Some new reports and …

Published: June 2016

White Paper on Common Accessibility Language for States and Assessment Vendors

This White Paper by DIAMOND project staff addresses the issue that different test platforms use different terminology for the accessibility features and accommodations that they offer to students, …

Published: June 2016

NCEO Reports: Principios y Características de Sistemas Inclusivos de Evaluación en un Escenario de Evaluación Cambiante (#400 Spanish)

This document is the fourth in a series of Principles documents produced by the National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO). NCEO revisited and revised its 2008 Principles for inclusive...

Published: January 2016

NCEO Reports: A Summary of the Research on the Effects of Test Accommodations: 2013-2014 (#402)

This report provides an update on the state of the research on testing accommodations as well as to identify promising future areas of research. Previous reports by NCEO have covered research...

Published: May 2016

What Have We Learned About Student Characteristics, Accommodations, and AA-MAS?

The National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO) and a consortium of five states joined together to form the Multi-state GSEG Toward a Defensible Alternate Assessment Based on Modified...

Published: April 2010

NCEO Reports: 2015-16 High School Assessment Accommodations Policies: An Analysis of ACT, SAT, PARCC, and Smarter Balanced (#403)

This report provides a snapshot of how accommodations were included in policies across ACT, SAT, PARCC, and Smarter Balanced during the 2015-16 school year.

Published: July 2016

Training Guide for Minnesota Manual of Accommodations for Students with Disabilities in Instruction and Assessment: A Guide to Selecting, Administering, and Evaluating the Use of Accommodations

This training guide is designed as a companion to the Minnesota Manual of Accommodations for Students with Disabilities in Instruction and Assessment and the Procedures Manual for the Minnesota …

Published: August 2009

Minnesota Manual of Accommodations for Students with Disabilities in Instruction and Assessment: A Guide to Selecting, Administering, and Evaluating the Use of Accommodations

This manual presents a five-step process for Individualized Educational Program (IEP) teams, 504 Plan committees, general and special education teachers, administrators, and district level...

Published: August 2009

NCEO Technical Reports: Experts' Opinions on National Math Standards for Students with Disabilities (#3)

This year 1992 report presents survey results on national math standards and students with disabilities with eleven experts in mathematics education, special education and assessment.

Published: September 1992

NCEO Technical Reports: Experts' Opinions about the Appropriateness and Feasibility of National Math Standards (#4)

This year 1993 report presents survey results on the appropriateness and feasibility of the National Math Standards in relation to instruction of students with disabilities.

Published: February, 1993

NCEO Technical Reports: IEPs and Standards: What They Say for Students with Disabilities (#5)

This year 1993 report presents a study comparing the IEPs of students with mild disabilities to national and locally defined standards for mathematics.

Published: May 1993

NCEO Technical Reports: The Identification of People With Disabilities in National Databases: A Failure to Communicate (#6)

This year 1993 report presents an analysis of how people with disabilities were identified in 19 national databases and provides suggestions for improvement.

Published: September 1993

NCEO Technical Reports: Matching Information in National Data Collection Programs to a Model of School Completion Outcomes and Indicators (#7)

This year 1994 report compares information in national data collection programs with NCEO's Outcomes and Indicators for Students Completing School and provides recommendations.

Published: January 1994

NCEO Technical Reports: Availability of Data on School Completion Outcomes and Indicators (#8)

This year 1994 report examines the extent that indicators, in the model of outcomes and indicators developed by NCEO, were found in states at the school completion level.

Published: January 1994

NCEO Technical Reports: Matching State Goals to a Model of School Completion Outcomes and Indicators (#9)

This year 1994 report presents a conceptual model of school completion indicators developed by NCEO and stakeholders and compares identified indicators to models developed by states.

Published: February 1994

NCEO Data Analytics: Number and Percentage of Students with Disabilities by Disability Category from 2005-06 to 2020-21 (#17)

This interactive report presents information on the percentage of students with disabilities ages 6-17, and the percentage of these students by category for school years 2005-06 to 2020-21. …

Published: April 2023

Accommodations Toolkit: Manipulatives: States' Accessibility Policies, 2021

This summary of states’ accessibility policies for manipulatives is part of the Accommodations Toolkit published by the National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO).

Published: 2/10/2022

NCEO Reports: 2021-22 Participation Guidelines and Definitions for Alternate Assessments Based on Alternate Academic Achievement Standards (#440)

This report provides an update to previous analyses of the guidelines, definitions, and criteria states have developed for making decisions about alternate assessment based on alternate academic …

Published: June 2023

NCLB e IDEA: Lo que los Padres de Estudiantes con Discapacidades Necesitan Saber y Hacer

A Spanish translation of a guide informing parents of students with disabilities about the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).

Published: August 2006

NCLB and IDEA: What Parents of Students with Disabilities Need to Know and Do

A guide informing parents of students with disabilities about the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).

Published: August 2006

NCEO Technical Reports: Secondary Analysis of State Assessment Data: Why We Can't Say Much About Students with Disabilities (#10)

This year 1994 report summarizes NCEO's attempt at producing a report on the status of students with disabilities from the secondary analysis of state collected achievement data.

Published: August 1994

NCEO Technical Reports: Disability Summary Analyses of Select National Data Collection Programs (#11)

This year 1995 report presents disability summaries that document the amount and nature of information on individuals with disabilities in select national data collection programs.

Published: August 1995

NCEO Technical Reports: Matching State Goals to a Model of Outcomes and Indicators for the Post-School Level (#12)

This year 1995 report describes the extent of correspondence between state articulated student outcomes and the outcomes in a model developed by the National Center on Educational Outcomes.

Published: August 1995

NCEO Technical Reports: Matching State Goals to a Model of Outcomes and Indicators for Age 3 (#13)

This year 1995 report describes the extent of correspondence between age 3 state articulated student outcomes and age 3 outcomes in a model developed by the National Center on Educational Outcomes.

Published: August 1995

NCEO Technical Reports: Matching State Goals to a Model of Outcomes and Indicators for Age 6 (#14)

This year 1995 report describes the extent of correspondence between age 6 state articulated student outcomes and age 6 outcomes in a model developed by the National Center on Educational Outcomes.

Published: August 1995

NCEO Technical Reports: Matching State Goals to a Model of Outcomes and Indicators for Grade 4 (#15)

This year 1995 report describes the extent of correspondence between grade 4 state articulated student outcomes and grade 4 model outcomes developed by the National Center on Educational Outcomes.

Published: September 1995

NCEO Technical Reports: Matching State Goals to a Model of Outcomes and Indicators for Grade 8 (#16)

This year 1995 report describes the extent of correspondence between grade 8 state articulated student outcomes and grade 8 model outcomes developed by the National Center on Educational Outcomes.

Published: October 1995

NCEO Technical Reports: Matching Information in National Data Collection Programs to a Model of Post-School Outcomes and Indicators (#17)

This year 1995 report describes the extent of correspondence on post-school outcomes between national data collection programs and the National Center on Educational Outcomes' model of outcomes.

Published: October 1995

NCEO Technical Reports: An Analysis of State Approaches to Including Students with Disabilities in Assessments Implemented During Educational Reform (#18)

This year 1997 report evaluates states' policies on the inclusion, accommodations and reporting of students with disabilities in statewide assessments.

Published: September 1997

NCEO Technical Reports: An Analysis of Inclusion of Students with Disabilities in State Standards Documents (#19)

This year 1998 report reviews state accountability documents from 48 states and Washington DC, specifically analyzing how students with disabilities are represented, and provides recommendations.

Published: January 1998

NCEO Technical Reports: State Accountability Reports: What are States Saying about Students with Disabilities? (#20)

This year 1998 report reviews state accountability documents from 48 states and Washington DC, specifically analyzing how students with disabilities are represented, and provides recommendations.

Published: May 1998

NCEO Technical Reports: An Analysis of Perceived Desirability, Feasibility, and Actual Use of Specific Criteria for Large-Scale Assessment and Accountability Systems (#21)

This year 1998 report describes national survey results on the desirability, feasibility and use of criteria for large-scale assessment and accountability systems for students with disabilities.

Published: July 1998

NCEO Technical Reports: Desired Characteristics for State and School District Educational Accontability Reports (#22)

This year 1998 report presents a study of stakeholders' views of desirable characteristics of performance reports for all students, including students with disabilities, and gives recommendations.

Published: November 1998

NCEO Technical Reports: Educational Results for Students with Disabilities: What Do the Data Tell Us? (#23)

This year 1998 report presents an analysis of state performance reports, focusing on how students with disabilities are doing nationally on assessments of academic content and nonacademic measures.

Published: December 1998

NCEO Technical Reports: State Graduation Requirements for Students With and Without Disabilities (#24)

This year 1999 report documents graduation requirements based on a survey study of assessment directors of 50 states and the District of Columbia for students with and without disabilities.

Published: April 1999

NCEO Policy Directions: Guidelines for Inclusion of Students with Disabilities in Large-Scale Assessments (#1)

This year 1994 report makes recommendations for guidelines and monitoring practices that promote the full participation of students with disabilities in large-scale assessment programs.

Published: May 1994

NCEO Policy Directions: Students with Disabilities and Educational Standards: Recommendations for Policy and Practice (#2)

This year 1994 report describes types of education standards and summarizes issues in applying these standards to all students, including students with disabilities.

Published: May 1994

NCEO Policy Directions: Educational Accountability for Students with Disabilities (#3)

This year 1994 report outlines steps educators can take towards an inclusive accountability system with consistent procedures for all students, including students with disabilities.

Published: November 1994

NCEO Policy Directions: Opportunity to Learn Standards (#4)

This year 1995 report gives recommendations on reasonably including students with disabilities in opportunity-to-learn standards.

Published: January 1995

NCEO Policy Directions: Alternate Assessments for Students with Disabilities (#5)

This year 1996 report describes options for developing alternate assessments for students unable to participate in district and state assessments used for accountability purposes.

Published: October 1996

NCEO Policy Directions: Increasing the Participation of Students with Disabilities in State and District Assessments (#6)

This year 1997 report identifies considerations and makes recommendations for increasing the participation of students with disabilities in state and district assessments.

Published: May 1997

NCEO Policy Directions: Providing Assessment Accommodations for Students with Disabilities in State and District Assessments (#7)

This year 1997 report identifies issues to address in facilitating the provision of appropriate accommodations in state and district assessments.

Published: June 1997

NCEO Policy Directions: Reporting Educational Results for Students with Disabilities (#8)

This year 1997 report emphasizes the importance of public reporting of results for students with disabilities and summarizes principles of good reporting practices.

Published: July 1997

NCEO Policy Directions: Out-of-Level Testing: Pros and Cons (#9)

This year 1999 report gives the history and arguments for and against the use of out-of-level testing and identifies key issues to consider before implementing this policy.

Published: April 1999

NCEO Policy Directions: Diploma Options and Graduation Policies for Students with Disabilities (#10)

This year 2000 report identifies key issues to answer on graduation policies for students with disabilities and provides suggestions for fair and inclusive diploma options and policies.

Published: January 2000

NCEO Policy Directions: Non-Approved Accommodations: Recommendations for Use and Reporting (#11)

This year 2000 report is intended to help states and districts address the use and reporting of data from assessments taken with non-approved accommodations.

Published: May 2000

NCEO Policy Directions: Recommendations for Addressing Standards and Assessments on State and District IEP Forms (#12)

This year 2001 report makes recommendations for IEPs to reflect high standards-based goals and services for students with disabilities.

Published: March 2001

NCEO APR Snapshot Briefs: 2013-2014 APR Snapshot #10: State Assessment Participation and Performance of Students Receiving Special Education Services (#10)

This report provides a snapshot of the participation and performance of student receiving special education services in statewide assessments used for ESEA) accountability.

Published: August 2016

NCEO Minnesota Assessment Project Reports: Focus Group Input on Students with Disabilities and Minnesota's Basic Standards Tests (#3)

This year 1996 report summarizes focus group input on the participation of students with disabilities on Minnesota's Basic Standards Tests.

Published: August 1996

NCEO Minnesota Assessment Project Reports: Focus Group Input on Students with Limited English Proficiency and Minnesota's Basic Standards Tests (#4)

This year 1996 report summarizes focus group input on the participation of English learners on Minnesota's first Basic Standards Test administration.

Published: August 1996

NCEO Minnesota Assessment Project Reports: Accommodations for Students with Disabilities: Guidelines from States with Graduation Exams (#5)

This year 1996 report reviews state accommodation policies for students with disabilities on high stakes tests.

Published: August 1996

NCEO Minnesota Assessment Project Reports: Accommodations for Students with Limited English Proficiency: Analysis of Guidelines from States with Graduation Exams (#6)

This year 1996 report reviews high stakes graduation testing guidelines and summarizes accommodation trends for English learners.

Published: August 1996

NCEO Minnesota Assessment Project Reports: Resources: Students with Disabilities in National and Statewide Assessments (#7)

This year 1996 report provides an annotated review of the literature on issues in assessing students with disabilities.

Published: August 1996

NCEO Minnesota Assessment Project Reports: Resources: Limited English Proficient Students in National and Statewide Assessments (#8)

This year 1996 report provides an annotated review of the literature on issues in assessing English learners.

Published: August 1996

NCEO Minnesota Assessment Project Reports: A Review of the Literature on Testing Accommodations for Students with Disabilities (#9)

This year 1996 report reviews literature on testing accommodations for students with disabilities.

Published: August 1996

NCEO Minnesota Assessment Project Reports: Input from the Field on the Participation of Students with Limited English Proficiency and Students with Disabilities in Meeting the High Standards of Minnesota's Profile of Learning (#10)

This year 1996 report summarizes educator input on the participation of English learners and students with disabilities in Minnesota's Profile of Learning classroom assessments.

Published: August 1996

NCEO Minnesota Assessment Project Reports: A Review of the Literature on Students with Limited English Proficiency and Assessment (#11)

This year 1997 report reviews literature on best practices for assessing English learners.

Published: August 1997

NCEO Minnesota Assessment Project Reports: High School Graduation Requirements in the U.S. for Students with Limited English Proficiency (#13)

This year 1997 report examines graduation requirements for the 50 states and summarizes how these policies apply to English learners.

Published: September 1997

NCEO Minnesota Assessment Project Reports: Special Education Teacher Responses to the 1997 Basic Standards Testing (#14)

This 1997 report examines the participation and accommodations decision-making for students with disabilities on the Minnesota Basic Standards Test.

Published: September 1997

NCEO Minnesota Assessment Project Reports: Educators' Responses to LEP Students' Participation in the 1997 Basic Standards Testing (#15)

This year 1997 report examines participation and accommodations decision-making for English learners on Minnesota's Basic Standards Test.

Published: October 1997

NCEO Minnesota Assessment Project Reports: Cambodian, Hmong, Lao, Spanish-Speaking, and Vietnamese Parents and Students Speak Out on Minnesota's Basic Standards Tests (#12)

This year 1997 report summarizes views of English learners and their parents on participation in Minnesota's Basic Standards Tests.

Published: May 1997

NCEO Minnesota Assessment Project Reports: Participation and Performance of Students with Disabilities: Minnesota's 1996 Basic Standards Tests in Reading and Math (#16)

This year 1998 report summarizes the participation and performance of students with disabilities on Minnesota's Basic Standards Tests in 1996.

Published: October 1998

NCEO Minnesota Assessment Project Reports: Participation and Performance of Students from non-English Language Backgrounds: Minnesota's 1996 Basic Standards Tests in Reading and Math (#17)

This year 1999 report summarizes data for students from non-English language backgrounds taking Minnesota's Basic Standards Tests in 1996.

Published: January 1999

NCEO Minnesota Assessment Project Reports: Participation and Performance of Students Receiving Special Education Services on Minnesota's Basic Standards Tests: Reading and Math, 1996 through 1998 (#18)

This year 1999 report summarizes data for students with disabilities on Minnesota's Basic Standards Tests from 1996 to 1998.

Published: April 1999

NCEO Minnesota Assessment Project Reports: Limited English Proficient Students' Participation and Performance on Statewide Assessments: Minnesota Basic Standards Reading and Math, 1996-1998 (#19)

This year 1999 report summarizes data for English learners taking the Minnesota's Basic Standards Tests from 1996 to 1998.

Published: September 1999

NCEO Minnesota Assessment Project Reports: Participation and Performance of Limited English Proficient Students: Minnesota Comprehensive Assessments in Reading and Math, 1998-99 (#24)

This year 2000 report summarizes data for English learners taking Minnesota's Comprehensive Assessments in 1998-1999.

Published: January 2000

NCEO Minnesota Assessment Project Reports: 1999 Report on the Participation and Performance of Limited English Proficient Students on Minnesota's Basic Standards Tests (#30)

This year 2000 report builds on previous reports examining the participation and performance rates of LEP eighth grade students on Minnesota's Basic Standards Tests. This report covers the testing …

Published: August 2000

NCEO Minnesota Assessment Project Reports: 1999 Report on the Participation and Performance of Students with Disabilities on Minnesota's Basic Standards Tests (#29)

This year 2000 report examines the participation and performance of students with disabilities on the Basic Standards Tests since the first statewide administration in 1996, across grades 8 …

Published: July 2000

NCEO Minnesota Assessment Project Reports: Student Perspectives on the Use of Accommodations on Large-scale Assessments (#35)

A report from the past Minnesota Assessment Project, a federally funded effort awarded to the Minnesota Department of Children, Families and Learning from the U.S. Department of Education, Office …

Published: December 2000

NCEO Minnesota Assessment Project Reports: Unintended Consequences of the Minnesota Basic Standards Tests: Do the Data Answer the Questions Yet? (#23)

This year 2000 report reviews the effects of statewide testing policies in published research compared to local level perceptions.

Published: January 2000

NCEO Minnesota Assessment Project Reports: Initial Perceptions of Educators as They Work Toward Including Students with Disabilities in Minnesota's High Standards (#25)

This year 2000 report examines educator perceptions on including students with disabilities in Minnesota's High Standards.

Published: July 2000

NCEO Maryland/Kentucky State Assessment Project: A Comparison of State Assessment Systems in Maryland and Kentucky with a focus on the participation of students with disabilities (#1)

A report from the past Maryland-Kentucky-NCEO Assessment Project, a federally funded effort supported, in part, by a grant to the Maryland State Department of Education.

Published: November 1996

NCEO Maryland/Kentucky State Assessment Project: Reporting School Performance in the Maryland and Kentucky Accountability Systems: What Scores Mean and How They Are Used (#2)

A report from the past Maryland-Kentucky-NCEO Assessment Project, a federally funded effort supported, in part, by a grant to the Maryland State Department of Education.

Published: September 1997

NCEO Maryland/Kentucky State Assessment Project: Performance Trends and Use of Accommodations on a Statewide Assessment: Students with Disabilities in the KIRIS On-Demand Assessments from 1992-93 through 1995-96 (#3)

A report from the past Maryland-Kentucky-NCEO Assessment Project, a federally funded effort supported, in part, by a grant to the Maryland State Department of Education.

Published: April 1998

NCEO Maryland/Kentucky State Assessment Project: Characteristics of Students Who Participate in Kentucky's Testing System Under Various Conditions (#4)

A report from the past Maryland-Kentucky-NCEO Assessment Project, a federally funded effort supported, in part, by a grant to the Maryland State Department of Education.

Published: August 1999

NCEO Maryland/Kentucky State Assessment Project: Accommodations, Modifications, and Alternates for Instruction and Assessment (#5)

A report from the past Maryland-Kentucky-NCEO Assessment Project, a federally funded effort supported, in part, by a grant to the Maryland State Department of Education.

Published: December 1999

NCEO Maryland/Kentucky State Assessment Project: Instructional and Assessment Accommodations in Maryland (#6)

A report from the past Maryland-Kentucky-NCEO Assessment Project, a federally funded effort supported, in part, by a grant to the Maryland State Department of Education.

Published: December 1999

NCEO Maryland/Kentucky State Assessment Project: Instructional and Assessment Accommodations in Kentucky (#7)

A report from the past Maryland-Kentucky-NCEO Assessment Project, a federally funded effort supported, in part, by a grant to the Maryland State Department of Education.

Published: January 2000

Linking Inclusion to Conclusions: An Empirical Study of Participation of Students with Disabilities in Statewide Testing Programs (Oregon Report 1)

A report from the past Oregon Assessment Project, a federally funded effort.

Published: October 1997

Accommodations Toolkit: Small Group and Individual Administration: States’ Accessibility Policies, 2022

This summary of states’ accessibility policies for small group and individual administration is part of the Accommodations Toolkit published by the National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO).

Published: 6/8/2022

Accommodations and the Performance of All Students on Rhode Island's Performance Assessment (Rhode Island Report 1)

A report from the past Rhode Island Assessment Project, a federally funded effort.

Published: June 1999

Issues and Consequences for State-Level Minimum Competency Testing Programs (Wyoming Report 1)

A report from the past Wyoming Assessment Project, a federally funded effort.

Published: January 1999

Crosswalk of Title I and IDEA Assessment and Accountability Provisions for Students with Disabilities

This year 2001 Crosswalk of Title I and IDEA Assessment and Accountability Provisions for Students with Disabilities is a resource to help State and district staff understand these complementary …

Published: February 2001

Accountability for the Results of Educating Students with Disabilities: Assessment Conference Report on the New Assessment Provisions of the 1997 Amendments to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act

A year 1998 conference report on the assessment provisions of the 1997 Amendments to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act.

Published: April 1998

Forum on Common Language for States and Assessment Vendors

A report on a forum held on June 20, 2016 in Philadelphia that brought together states, assessment vendors, and other educational stakeholders to address the need for developing a common language …

Published: August 2016

CCSSO Accessibility Manual: How To Select, Administer, And Evaluate Use Of Accessibility Supports For Instruction And Assessment Of All Students

The Council of Chief State School Officers' (CCSSO's) Accessibility Manual: How to Select, Administer, and Evaluate Use of Accessibility Supports for Instruction and Assessment of All Students …

Published: August 2016

NCEO Minnesota Assessment Project Reports: Bilingual Accommodations for Limited English Proficient Students on Statewide Reading Tests: Phase 1 (#20)

This year 1999 report examines the feasibility and desirability of offering English learners a reading test with bilingual test items and answer choices.

Published: October 1999

NCEO Minnesota Assessment Project Reports: Feasibility and Practicality of a Decision Making Tool for Standards Testing of Students with Disabilities (#21)

This year 1999 report summarizes a feasibility and practicality study for a decision-making tool for testing students with disabilities.

Published: December 1999

NCEO Minnesota Assessment Project Reports: Feasibility and Practicality of a Decision Making Tool for Standards Testing of Students with Limited English Proficiency (#22)

This year 1999 report describes an accommodation decision-making tool for educators and examines the tool's feasibility.

Published: December 1999

NCEO APR Snapshot Briefs: 2011-2012 APR Snapshot #9: AA-AAS Participation and Performance (#9)

This report summarizes Alternate Assessment based on Alternate Achievement Standards (AA-AAS) data used for Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) accountability.

Published: June 2016

Accountability for the Results of Educating Students with Disabilities

This report from 1998 describes the findings of a conference NCEO convened to define issues and develop recommendations related to state and district-wide assessments and accountability needed to …

Published: April 1998

Forum on Alternate Assessment and "Gray Area" Assessment

This year 1999 report presents the proceedings of a pre-conference session at the National Conference on Large-Scale Assessment that took place June 1999, where consensus emerged that it is not …

Published: July 1999

Self-Study Guide for the Development of Statewide Assessments that Include Students with Disabilities

This year 1996 self-study guide is designed to help state education agency (SEA) staff evaluate and revise their assessment policies and procedures in a way that promotes the participation of all …

Published: 1996

NCEO Framework for Educational Accountability

This 1998 paper describes a revised framework for educational accountability, which started with outcomes and indicators. The revised framework can be adapted for system-wide or individual accounta…

Published: May 1998

NCEO Framework for Educational Accountability: Post-School Outcomes

This 1998 document extends the NCEO Framework for Educational Accountability, focusing on outcomes and indicators for the post-school individual, and examines the relationship between these …

Published: October 1998

Educational Policy Reform Research Institute Reports: Topical Review One: Creating Performance Goals and Indicators in Special Education (#1)

This topical review addresses performance goals and indicators for special education. It is part of a series developed by the Educational Policy Reform Research Institute (EPRRI), which is...

Published: January 2002

Educational Policy Reform Research Institute Reports: Topical Review Two: High Stakes: Exit Documents and Students with Disabilities (#2)

This topical review examines the traditional role of the high school diploma in the current context of standards-based reform as it relates to students with diverse educational needs, and students...

Published: October 2002

Educational Policy Reform Research Institute Reports: Topical Review Three: Reporting on the State Assessment Performance of Students with Disabilities (#3)

The purpose of this year 2001 topical review is to provide a comprehensive account of reporting the performance of students with disabilities on state assessments.

Published: December 2001

Educational Policy Reform Research Institute Reports: Topical Review Four: Emerging State-Level Themes: Strengths and Stressors in Educational Accountability Reform (#4)

The purpose of this year 2005 topical review is to present the Educational Policy Reform Research Institute's (EPRRIʼs) state-level qualitative research findings.

Published: May 2005

Educational Policy Reform Research Institute Reports: Topical Review Five: Preparing Educators to Teach Students with Disabilities in an Era of Standards-based Reform and Accountability (#5)

This year 2003 topical review addresses the knowledge and skills needed by teachers to effectively promote the achievement of students with disabilities within the current era of standards-based …

Published: July 2003

Educational Policy Reform Research Institute Reports: Topical Review Six: Accountability for All: Results from a Study on Accountability Policies Affecting Students with Disabilities Educated in Special Schools and Settings (#6)

This year 2004 topical review examines the current state of accountability policies that impact students with disabilities who are educated in special schools and settings.

Published: September 2004

Educational Policy Reform Research Institute Reports: Topical Review Seven: Accountability for Students with Disabilities Who Receive Special Education: Characteristics of the Subgroup of Students with Disabilities (#7)

This year 2006 topical review is one of two that synthesize a set of analyses and studies that have been conducted under the auspices of the Educational Policy Reform Research Institute (EPRRI). …

Published: September 2006

Educational Policy Reform Research Institute Reports: Topical Review Eight: The Role of Accommodations in Educational Accountability Systems (#8)

This year 2005 topical review addresses the use of accommodations for students with disabilities on state-wide tests and their implications for educational accountability systems.

Published: December 2005

Educational Policy Reform Research Institute Reports: Profiles of Reform: Four States' Journeys to Implement Standards-Based Reform with Students with Disabilities

This year 2007 report is a synthesis of research conducted in four states and eight districts by the Educational Policy Reform Research Institute (EPRRI) to investigate and describe the impact of …

Published: March 2007

NCEO APR Snapshot Briefs: 2011-2012 APR Snapshot #8: Assessment Accommodations Use by Students Receiving Special Education Services (#8)

This report provides a snapshot of the participation and performance of student receiving special education services in statewide assessments used for ESEA) accountability.

Published: May 2016

NCEO APR Snapshot Briefs: 2013-2014 APR Snapshot #11: Assessment Accommodations Use by Students Receiving Special Education Services (#11)

This report provides a snapshot of the participation and performance of student receiving special education services in statewide assessments used for ESEA) accountability.

Published: September 2016

Accommodations Toolkit: Clarify/Simplify/Repeat Directions: States' Accessibility Policies, 2023

This summary of states’ accessibility policies for clarify/simplify/repeat directions is part of the Accommodations Toolkit published by the National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO).

Published: 1/18/2024

Guidance for Participation and Disproportionality Video Training Module

This is a video training to help guide states in looking at disproportionality among students participating in state alternate assessments. It presents four guiding principles in making a distincti…

Published: 2019-06-01

NCEO Brief: Teacher Perceptions and Perspectives on the Selection and Implementation of Accommodations (#34)

Many students with disabilities use accessibility features and accommodations during instruction and when taking assessments. It is important to consider teacher perceptions and experiences when …

Published: February 2024

NCEO Reports: Status of State-Defined Alternate Diplomas in 2018-19 (#416)

The purpose of this report is to summarize the status of state-defined alternate diplomas in the 50 U.S. states three years after the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESSA) indicated that …

Published: September 2019

Accommodations Toolkit: Familiar Proctor/Test Administrator: States’ Accessibility Policies, 2023

This summary of states’ accessibility policies for familiar proctor/test administrator is part of the Accommodations Toolkit published by the National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO).

Published: 3/5/2024

Improving Instruction Briefs: Building Successful Communication Between Parent or Guardian and Teacher: Information for Parents or Guardians (Arabic translation)

This Brief, translated into Arabic, explains how parents or guardians of students who are English learners can develop successful communication with teachers. Good parent-educator communication is …

Published: June 2020

Accommodations Toolkit: Test breaks: Research

This fact sheet on test breaks is part of the Accommodations Toolkit published by the National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO). It summarizes information and research findings on the use of …

Published: 9/30/2021

NCEO Newsletter: October 2016 issue

This issue highlights the news of NCEO's continued funding. It also summarizes several new reports. These include a report on the pre-session to the National Conference on Student Assessment, a...

Published: October 2016

NCEO APR Snapshot Briefs: 2013-2014 APR Snapshot #12: AA-AAS Participation and Performance (#12)

This report provides information on the number of students participating in the Alternate Assessment based on Alternate Achievement Standards (AA-AAS) and the performance of those students.

Published: October 2016

Literature on Early Literacy Instruction in Four Languages (Chinese, Korean, Navajo, Russian)

This year 2003 report reviews literature on evidence-based research for teaching reading to Chinese, Korean, Navajo, and Russian children.

Published: October 2003

Diplomas that Matter: Ensuring Equity of Opportunity for Students with Disabilities

To try to understand the diploma options available for students with disabilities, Achieve and the National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO) partnered to analyze the diplomas available in …

Published: November 2016

Considerations for Developing State-Defined Alternate Diplomas for Students with Significant Cognitive Disabilities

This Brief describes the criteria that must be met for a State-defined alternate diploma to meet federal requirements for inclusion in the Title I Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate (ACGR).

Published: November 2016

Variables Used by States in the Calculation of Annual Measureable Achievement Objectives (AMAOs) for Title III Reporting

The purpose of this report is to present information on the approaches used by states to calculate each of three annual measurable achievement objectives (AMAOs) related to the language acquisition...

Published: December 2016

National Center on Educational Outcomes YouTube Channel

A YouTube channel displaying videos created by the National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO), which works with states across the country to provide leadership to include students with disabili…

Published: 2014

National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO) Website

A website presenting NCEO, which is a federally-funded technical assistance center that supports states and districts on issues related to inclusive assessments, particularly for students with...

Published: 2000

NCEO Reports: Providing English Language Development Services to English Learners with Disabilities: Approaches to Making Exit Decisions (NCEO Report 404)

The purpose of this report is to provide a baseline report, prior to the passage of the Every Student Succeeds Act, on factors that affect decisions to exit English learners (ELs) with disabilities...

Published: January 2017

NCEO Newsletter: February 2017 issue

In this issue, new NCEO activities and products are highlighted. NCEO is excited to be collaborating with the University of Texas in the new National Deaf Center on Postsecondary Outcomes (see New...

Published: February 2017

Informe sobre el desarrollo de un lenguaje común de la accesibilidad para los estados y proveedores de evaluaciones

Spanish translation of the report, "White Paper on Common Accessibility Language for States and Assessment Vendors."

Published: February 2017

Testimony of Martha Thurlow, Director, National Center on Educational Outcomes Before the Committee on Education and the Workforce, United States House of Representatives

This testimony was presented at the Hearing on NCLB and the Inclusion of Students with Disabilities in the Accountability and Assessment Systems, before the Committee on Education and the Workforce…

Published: 2004-03-03

NCEO Data Analytics: State Assessment Participation and Performance of Students with IEPs 2013-2014 (#5)

This interactive report presents data on the participation and performance of student receiving special education services in statewide assessments used for Elementary and Secondary Education Act...

Published: February 2017

Moving Your Numbers Website

A website presenting Moving Your Numbers, which provides examples of real districts -- from small rural communities to large urban centers -- that are positively affecting the performance of all...

Published: 2012

NCEO Brief: Strategies for Meeting the 1% State-level Cap on Participation in the Alternate Assessment (#12)

The purpose of this Brief is to assist states in identifying strategies to use to meet the state 1% cap on participation in the alternate assessment.

Published: April 2017

NCEO Reports: 2014-15 Publicly Reported Assessment Results for Students with Disabilities and ELs with Disabilities (#405)

This is the eighteenth report by the National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO) that describes how states publicly report online assessment data for students with disabilities in K-12 schools...

Published: May 2017

NCEO Newsletter: June 2017 issue

The June issue of NCEO's e-newsletter highlights recent webinars, products, and upcoming activities.

Published: June 2017

Forum on Text Readers for Everyone on All Tests: Getting a Handle on What This Means

A report on a forum held on June 27, 2017 in Austin, TX that brought together staff representing state departments of education, school districts, testing and testing-related companies, and other …

Published: August 2017

NCEO Brief: Meeting the Needs of ELs with Disabilities in Your State: Making EL Exit Decisions (#13)

The purpose of this Brief is to highlight the numbers and characteristics of English learners (ELs) with disabilities and current decision-making processes for exiting these students from EL …

Published: September 2017

NCEO State Surveys: 2016 Survey of States: State Activities Amid Evolving Educational Policies

A report providing a snapshot of the new initiatives, trends, accomplishments, and emerging issues during a period of new education laws and initiatives. This is the fifteenth such survey of …

Published: September 2017

NCEO Newsletter: October 2017 issue

The October issue of NCEO's e-newsletter highlights new publications, new center funding, and upcoming activities.

Published: October 2017

Educators' Experiences With and Attitudes Toward Accessibility Features and Accommodations

A report from the DIAMOND project that explores the results of an online survey about educators' familiarity with and attitudes toward accessibility features and accommodations.

Published: September 2017

Instructing and Assessing English Learners with Significant Cognitive Disabilities

The purpose of this report is to identify an evidence base on best practices in English language arts instruction for English learners (ELs) with significant cognitive disabilities whose family may...

Published: September, 2015

NCEO Reports: Alternate Assessments for Students with Significant Cognitive Disabilities: Participation Guidelines and Definitions (#406)

This report documents the status of states' assessment participation guidelines and definitions of students with the most significant cognitive disabilities that were in place just prior to the …

Published: December 2017

NCEO Newsletter: February 2018 issue

2018 greetings from NCEO. In this issue, a new webpage on the NCEO website is highlighted, as well as a new report on states' alternate assessment based on alternate achievement standards (AA-AAS)...

Published: February 2018

NCEO Brief: Using Local Assessment Data to Measure Progress Toward the State-Identified Measurable Result (SIMR) (#14)

The purpose of this Brief is to outline key strategies for the collection, analysis, and use of local assessment data to monitor progress toward the (State-Identified Measurable Result)SIMR.

Published: February 2018

NCEO APR Snapshot Briefs: 2014-2015 APR Snapshot #13: State Assessment Participation and Performance of Students Receiving Special Education Services (#13)

This report provides a snapshot of the participation and performance of student receiving special education services in statewide assessments used for Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA)...

Published: May 2017

NCEO APR Snapshot Briefs: 2014-2015 APR Snapshot #14: Assessment Accommodations Use by Students Receiving Special Education Services (#14)

This report provides information on the number and performance of students with disabilities using accommodations on the general statewide assessment used for ESEA accountability.

Published: July 2017

Data Informed Accessibility: A Review of the Literature

The purpose of this literature review is to: (a) summarize the shift that has occurred in approaches to accessibility in testing (including the paradigm shift of what accessibility for all students…

Published: September 2017

NCEO Brief: Students with Disabilities and Chronic Absenteeism (#15)

This Brief is provides information about chronic absenteeism and possible implications for students with disabilities when a state selects it as a measure of school quality or student success.

Published: April 2018

NCEO APR Snapshot Briefs: 2014-2015 APR Snapshot #15: AA-AAS Participation and Performance (#15)

This report summarizes AA-AAS data used for Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) accountability. Using federally submitted data from the 2014-2015 school year, we present information on …

Published: November 2017

Educators' Perspectives on Classroom Implementation of Accessibility Features and Accommodations

A report from the DIAMOND project on phone interviews conducted with educators to highlight effective practices being used to implement accessibility features and accommodations in their classrooms.

Published: May 2018

NCEO Newsletter: June 2018 issue

In this issue, we highlight several upcoming events, plus a couple of new reports available from NCEO. First, the upcoming pre-conference session to the National Conference on Student Assessment...

Published: June 2018

NCEO Data Analytics: State Assessment Participation and Performance of Students with IEPs, 2014-2015 (#6)

This interactive report presents data on the participation and performance of students receiving special education services in statewide assessments used for Elementary and Secondary Education Act...

Published: June 2018

NCEO Data Analytics: State Assessment Participation and Performance of Students with IEPs, 2015-2016 (#7)

This interactive report presents data on the participation and performance of students receiving special education services in statewide assessments used for Elementary and Secondary Education Act...

Published: July 2018

NCEO Reports: 2015-16 Publicly Reported Assessment Results for Students with Disabilities and ELs with Disabilities (#407)

This is the nineteenth report by the National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO) that describes how states publicly report online assessment data for students with disabilities in K-12 schools...

Published: July 2018

NCEO Reports: A Review of the Literature on Measuring English Language Proficiency Progress of English Learners with Disabilities and English Learners (#408)

The purpose of this literature review was to identify evidence-based practices used (or recommended for use) to measure progress of English learners (ELs) with disabilities on English language...

Published: July 2018

NCEO APR Snapshot Briefs: 2015-2016 APR Snapshot #16: State Assessment Participation and Performance of Students Receiving Special Education Services (#16)

This report provides a snapshot of the participation and performance of students receiving special education services in statewide assessments used for Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA …

Published: July 2018

NCEO APR Snapshot Briefs: 2015-2016 APR Snapshot #18: AA-AAS Participation and Performance (#18)

This report summarizes Alternate Assessment based on Alternate Achievement Standards (AA-AAS) data used for Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) accountability to measure the academic …

Published: July 2018

NCEO APR Snapshot Briefs: 2015-2016 APR Snapshot #17: Students in Special Education Receiving Assessment Accommodations (#17)

This report provides information on the number of students with disabilities receiving accommodations and the performance of these students on the general statewide assessment used for Elementary …

Published: July 2018

Accessible Instruction and Assessment for Students with Disabilities

This presentation, focusing on accessible instruction and assessment for students with disabilities, was presented at the 2020 Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) annual conference.

Published: 2020-02-07

Parent Video Series: Supporting the Learning of Children with Significant Cognitive Disabilities at Home: Helping Your Child with Writing at Home

This video describes practical ways to support students with significant cognitive disabilities as they grow in their writing skills. It also describes the types of supports a parent can ask for …

Published: July 2021

NCEO Reports: 2016-17 Publicly Reported Assessment Results for Students with Disabilities and ELs with Disabilities (#411)

This is the 20th report by the National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO) that describes how states publicly report assessment data for students with disabilities in K-12 schools in the United …

Published: October 2019

School Leader Series: Understanding the Consequences of Assessment Participation Decisions for Students with Disabilities (School Leader Series Brief #2)

This resource is designed to provide guidance to school leaders about understanding the consequences of assessment participation decisions for students with disabilities. Developed in collaboration…

Published: 9/28/2021

NCEO APR Snapshot Briefs: 2016-2017 APR Snapshot #21: AA-AAS Participation and Performance (#21)

This report summarizes Alternate Assessment based on Alternate Achievement Standards (AA-AAS) data used for Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) accountability to measure the academic …

Published: July 2019

Accommodations Toolkit: Color Contrast: States’ Accessibility Policies, 2023

This summary of states’ accessibility policies for color contrast is part of the Accommodations Toolkit published by the National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO).

Published: 1/18/2024

Educator Evaluation

This page provides a brief overview on educator evaluation.

Published: 2021-02-01

V3-1: Selecting Instructional Accommodations

A special education and math teacher discuss "barriers" that may prevent a student from accessing math instruction. They identify possible instructional accommodations for the student including …

Published: 2014-05-05

How Do We Lower our Alternate Assessment Participation Rate? Five States Share their Stories

This presentation featured five states addressing how to lower alternate assessment participation rates. It was presented to the U.S Departments of Education’s Office of Elementary and Secondary …

Published: 2020-08-20

Accommodations Toolkit: Spell Check: Research

This fact sheet on spell check is part of the Accommodations Toolkit published by the National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO). It summarizes information and research findings on the use of …

Published: 10/18/2022

Empowering Families Flyer #4: How is test data used at SSIP stakeholder meetings?

This flyer explains how the review of test data at State Systemic Improvement Plan (SSIP) stakeholder meetings by parents and other stakeholders can support the development and implementation of …Published: August 2023

Accommodations Toolkit: Calculator: States' Accessibility Policies, 2023

This summary of states’ accessibility policies for calculator is part of the Accommodations Toolkit published by the National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO).

Published: 1/18/2024

Accommodations Toolkit: Familiar Proctor/Test Administrator: Research

This fact sheet on familiar proctor/test administrator is part of the Accommodations Toolkit published by the National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO). It summarizes information and research …

Published: 9/30/2021

TIES Center Reports: Using Systems Change Efforts to Implement and Sustain Inclusive Education Practices in General Education Settings for Students with the Most Significant Cognitive Disabilities: A Review of the Literature (#102)

This report presents the findings from a literature review that examined how systems change efforts can guide initiatives to increase and sustain the placement of students with the most significant…

Published: June 2019

Planning for Successfully Including and Accommodating Your Students in Assessments

This presentation addresses how to plan successfully to include and accommodate your students in assessments. It was presented at the 2019 Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) annual conference.

Published: 2019-02-02

NCEO Data Analytics: 2016-17 Publicly Reported Assessment Results for Students with Disabilities and ELs with Disabilities (#11)

This interactive report presents data on public reporting practices for assessment data for students with disabilities in K-12 schools in the United States.

Published: 2020-01-06

NCEO APR Snapshot Briefs: 2020-2021 APR Snapshot #28: State Assessment Participation and Performance of Students Receiving Special Education Services (#28)

This report provides a snapshot of the participation and performance of students receiving special education services in statewide assessments used for Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA …

Published: December 2023

Improving Instruction Briefs: Accessibility Features and Accommodations: Information for Parents or Guardians (Traditional Chinese translation)

This Brief, translated into Traditional Chinese, explains accessibility features and accommodations for parents or guardians of students who are English learners, and also provides guidance on how …

Published: June 2020

Accommodations Toolkit: Magnification: Research

This fact sheet on magnification is part of the Accommodations Toolkit published by the National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO). It summarizes information and research findings on the use …

Published: 6/8/2022

1% Toolkit: Reasons Why Students with Disabilities Should Take State Tests: A Customizable Template for a Flyer for Parents and Families (NCEO Tool #9)

This resource was developed by NCEO to identify and describe reasons why students with disabilities should take state tests. The purpose of the tool is to provide a concise resource that administra…

Published: January 2021

NCEO Data Analytics: State Assessment Participation and Performance of Students with IEPs, 2018-2019 (#16)

This interactive report presents data on the participation and performance of students receiving special education services in statewide assessments used for Elementary and Secondary Education Act …

Published: January 2023

1% Toolkit: Start with the End in Mind: An Infographic to Guide Decisions about Student Participation in the Alternate Assessment (NCEO Tool #7)

This Infographic to Guide Decisions about Student Participation in the Alternate Assessment tool is designed to provide guidance about IEP team decision making for a student’s participation in the …

Published: May 2020

Pros and Cons of Alternate Diplomas: Benefits for Student Transition Success?

This presentation describes the pros and cons of alternate diplomas, focusing on possible benefits for students to have successful transition experiences. It was presented at the 2019 Council for …

Published: 2019-01-30

Accommodations Toolkit: Highlighting: States' Accessibility Policies, 2021

This summary of states’ accessibility policies for highlighting is part of the Accommodations Toolkit published by the National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO).

Published: 4/5/2022

Parent Video Series: Supporting the Learning of Children with Significant Cognitive Disabilities at Home: Helping Your Child with the Foundations of Reading at Home

This video describes ways parents of students with disabilities can help their child with the foundations of reading while at home. The video discusses why it is important to focus on foundations …

Published: March 2021

Accommodations Toolkit: Preferential Seating: Research

This fact sheet on preferential seating is part of the Accommodations Toolkit published by the National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO). It summarizes information and research findings on …

Published: 12/14/2021

Accommodations Toolkit: Student Reads Aloud to Self: Research

This fact sheet on student reads aloud to self is part of the Accommodations Toolkit published by the National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO). It summarizes information and research findings…

Published: 9/30/2021

What New Special Education Directors Need to Know about Academic Assessments

The purpose of this toolkit is to provide easy access to information that will help special education directors fulfill their role in ensuring the participation of students with disabilities in …

Published: June 2022

Accommodations Toolkit: Human Read-Aloud: Research

This fact sheet on human read-aloud is part of the Accommodations Toolkit published by the National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO). It summarizes information and research findings on the …

Published: 4/5/2022

Accommodations Toolkit: Large Print: Research

This fact sheet on large print is part of the Accommodations Toolkit published by the National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO). It summarizes information and research findings on the use of …

Published: 6/08/2022

Improving Instruction Briefs: Building Successful Communication Between Teacher and Parent or Guardian: Information for Teachers

This Brief for teachers answers questions about communicating with parents or guardians for whom communicating in English is a challenge. Good parent-educator communication is key to determining …

Published: December 2019

Guidance for Examining District Alternate Assessment Participation Rates

This document provides states with effective and technically defensible practices for monitoring participation rates for alternate assessments at the district level to comply with the federal 1% …

Published: 2018-10-01

Accommodations Toolkit: Recorded Oral Delivery: States' Accessibility Policies, 2021

This summary of states’ accessibility policies for recorded oral delivery is part of the Accommodations Toolkit published by the National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO).

Published: 4/5/2022

Hearing on ESEA Reauthorization: Standards and Assessments

This testimony was presented at a Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee (HELP) United States Senate Hearing.

Published: 2010-04-28

Accommodations Toolkit: Word Prediction: States’ Accessibility Policies, 2020

This summary of states’ accessibility policies for word prediction is part of the Accommodations Toolkit published by the National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO).

Published: 8/31/2021

Successfully Making and Implementing Participation and Accommodations Decisions for English Learners with Disabilities

This presentation addressed how to successfully make and implement participation and accommodation decisions for English learners with disabilities. It was presented to the U.S Departments of …

Published: 2020-08-27

Student Demonstrations of their Use of Accessibility Features and Accommodations

This report presents information from a study by the Data Informed Accessibility—Making Optimal Needs-based Decisions (DIAMOND) project that examined classroom use of accessibility features and …

Published: June 2019

NCEO Reports: 2017-18 Publicly Reported Assessment Results for Students with Disabilities and English Learners with Disabilities (#419)

This is the 21st report by the National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO) that describes how states publicly report assessment data for students with disabilities in K-12 schools in the United …

Published: December 2020

NCEO Brief: Alternate Interim Assessments for Students with the Most Significant Cognitive Disabilities (#23)

This Brief offers preliminary guidance for the development of interim assessment options for students with the most significant cognitive disabilities. There are federal requirements that all...

Published: May 2021

Empowering Families Toolkit

This Empowering Families Toolkit was developed by National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO) to provide accessible materials for parents about topics related to assessment-related State …

Published: August 2023

NCEO Reports: Students with Disabilities in Educational Policy, Practice, and Professional Judgment: What Should We Expect? (#413)

This report provides a cross-disciplinary look at educational policy, practice, and law related to expectations for students with disabilities. It addresses three questions critical to a discussion…

Published: May 2019

IEPs for Students Who Participate in the Alternate Assessment

This presentation, focusing on IEPs for students who participate in the alternate assessment, was presented at the Ohio OCALICON autism and disabilities international conference.

Published: 2020-11-11

Accommodations Toolkit: Calculator: Research

This fact sheet on calculator is part of the Accommodations Toolkit published by the National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO). It summarizes information and research findings on the use of a …

Published: 2/10/2022

NCEO Brief: Understanding the Characteristics of English Learners with Disabilities to Meet Their Needs During State and Districtwide Assessments (#24)

The purpose of this Brief is to highlight available federal data about the characteristics of English learners with disabilities, including how the population has changed over time. Understanding …

Published: 10/26/2021

Improving Instruction Briefs: Working with Language Interpreters: Information for Parents or Guardians (Arabic translation)

This Brief, translated into Arabic, answers questions about working with a language interpreter that parents or guardians of students who are English learners might have. Clear, comprehensible …

Published: June 2020

Using Online Professional Development Modules to Learn about Accessibility Features and Accommodations

This presentation explored using online professional development modules to learn about accessibility features and accommodations. It was presented at the 2018 Minnesota Department of Education's …

Published: 2018-11-17

School Leader Series: What School Leaders Need to do Before, During, and After the Assessment Window (School Leader Series Brief #4)

This resource is designed to provide guidance on what school leaders need to do before, during, and after the assessment window. Developed in collaboration with CCSSO, the Assessment, Standards, …

Published: 9/28/2021

NCEO Parent Fact Sheets: State Testing of Your Child Who is an English Learner (Parent Fact Sheet #4)

This Fact Sheet summarizes the resources that are available specifically to students who are English learners who take state tests. The more parents know about these test resources, the more they …

Published: 8/14/2023

What New Special Education Directors Need to know about academic assessments toolkit

This presentation provides information about a toolkit that will help special education directors fulfill their role in ensuring the participation of students with disabilities in assessments. The …

Published: 9/27/2022

V4-1: Preparing for Assessment Accommodations

The special education and math teacher talk about a student's accommodations needs for an upcoming state test.

Published: 2014-05-05

Accommodations Toolkit: Clarify/Simplify/Repeat Directions: Research

This fact sheet on  clarify/simplify/repeat directions is part of the  Accommodations Toolkit published by the National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO). It summarizes information and research...

Published: 12/14/2021

English Learners (ELs)

This page provides an overview on the student population of English learners.

Published: 2021-02-01

Accommodations Toolkit: Assistive Technology: States’ Accessibility Policies, 2023

This summary of states’ accessibility policies for assistive technology is part of the Accommodations Toolkit published by the National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO).

Published: 1/18/2024

Strategies for Meeting Requirements for Alternate Assessments and WIOA

This presentation discussed strategies for meeting requirements for alternate assessments and WIOA. It was presented at the 2019 Office of Special Education Programs’ Leadership Conference.

Published: 2019-07-22

Improving Instruction Briefs: Building Successful Communication Between Parent or Guardian and Teacher: Information for Parents or Guardians (Vietnamese translation)

This Brief, translated into Vietnamese, explains how parents or guardians of students who are English learners can develop successful communication with teachers. Good parent-educator communication…

Published: June 2020

1% Toolkit: IEP Team Resource: Making Decisions about Participation in the Alternate Assessment (NCEO Tool #10)

This IEP team resource is designed to support IEP team members, including teachers, school psychologists, English language development specialists, speech language therapists, occupational therapis…

Published: January 2021

NCEO Parent Fact Sheets: Engaging Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Families (Fact Sheet #5 - Educator)

This Fact Sheet provides educators with strategies that will help them engage culturally and linguistically diverse families and their children. These strategies can help overcome the challenges …

Published: 9/21/2023

NCEO Brief: Getting Ready for the 2021-22 School Year: Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Testing Children with Disabilities (#26)

As states, districts, and schools plan to return for the 2021-22 school year, questions are raised about whether and how to test children with disabilities, including children with the most...

Published: August 2021

CCSSO Accessibility Manual: How To Select, Administer, And Evaluate Use Of Accessibility Supports For Instruction And Assessment Of All Students

The Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO) Accessibility Manual: How to Select, Administer, and Evaluate Use of Accessibility Supports for Instruction and Assessment of All Students …

Published: May 2021

The Increasing Population—English Learners with Disabilities

This presentation, highlighting the increasing population of English learners with disabilities, was presented at the 2021 Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) annual conference

Published: 2021-03-08

A Framework for Making Decisions about Participation in a State’s Alternate ELP Assessment (NCEO Report 426)

This report provides information on how to identify which English learners who may have a most significant cognitive disability are eligible to take an alternate English language proficiency (alt- …

Published: 10/28/2021

NCEO Newsletter: June 2020 issue

This newsletter highlights several new resources that address various aspects of distance learning, including a new brief on formative assessment strategies to improve distance learning outcomes …

Published: June 2020

Meeting the Educational Needs of ELs with Significant Cognitive Disabilities

This presentation addressed how to meet the educational needs of English learners with significant cognitive disabilities. It was presented at the 2019 Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) …

Published: 2019-02-01

NCEO Newsletter: October 2019 issue

This newsletter includes articles on a variety of topics. First, a Brief on examining disproportionality is highlighted, including ideas for looking at data when sample sizes are small; this brief …

Published: October 2019

NCEO Brief: The Basics of Accommodations and Modifications (#33)

The purpose of this Brief is to clarify what accommodations and modifications are for both instruction and assessment for students with disabilities. We also disentangle the use of the term “ …

Published: January 2024

1% Toolkit: Who Should Participate in Your State’s Alternate Assessment? A Slide Presentation Tool for Administrators (NCEO Tool #6)

This Slide Presentation tool is designed to support the needs that administrators have for brief but substantive information about who should participate in the state’s alternate assessment on...

Published: May 2020

V4-3: Involving Students for Assessment Accommodations

A student and her special education teacher talk about the use of a read aloud accommodation in math on the state test.

Published: 2014-05-05

A State Guide to the Development of Universally Designed Assessments

Test design strategies for accurately measuring the knowledge and skills of a diverse student population from test conceptualization and item construction, to field-testing, item reviews, statewide…

Published: 2006-09-01

NCEO APR Snapshot Briefs: 2020-2021 APR Snapshot #29: Students in Special Education Assigned Assessment Accommodations (#29)

This report provides information on the number of students with disabilities assigned accommodations and the performance of these students on the general statewide assessment used for Elementary …

Published: December 2023

NCEO Reports: A Summary of the Research on the Effects of K–12 Test Accommodations: 2021 (#438)

This report provides an update on the state of the research on testing accommodations. Previous reports by the National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO) have covered research published since …Published: February 2023

NCEO Newsletter: February 2021 issue

This issue highlights a new video series for parents of students with significant cognitive disabilities. The videos focus on various aspects of supporting the learning of their children at home. …

Published: February 2021

TIES Center Reports: Instructional Practices for Students with the Most Significant Disabilities in Inclusive Settings: A Review of the Literature (#104)

The purpose of this literature review is to extend previous literature reviews to bring the review of literature up-to-date on pedagogical practices for students with the most significant disabilit…

Published: 3/10/2020

Improving Instruction Briefs: Working with Language Interpreters: Information for Parents or Guardians (Simplified Chinese translation)

This Brief, translated into Simplified Chinese, answers questions about working with a language interpreter that parents or guardians of students who are English learners might have. Clear, …

Published: June 2020

NCEO Participation Communication Toolkit: Customizable Participation Communication Toolkit Educator Flyer

The purpose of this flyer is to provide concise resources about why it is so important that all students participate in state testing. Written for teachers, it also provides strategies to reduce …

Published: 2021-11-11

How to Develop State Guidelines for Access Assistants: Scribes, Readers, and Sign Language Interpreters

A structured tool to assist in the development or enhancement of guidelines for access assistants (i.e., scribes, readers, sign language interpreters, page turners, transcribers, language translato…

Published: 2006-06-01

V4-4: Planning for Assessment Accommodations with Students

A special education teacher explains to a student receiving a read-aloud accommodation in math what will happen on test day.

Published: 2014-05-05

NCEO Parent Fact Sheets: Participating in What your Child is Being Taught and is Learning in School (Parent Fact Sheet #2)

This Fact Sheet helps parents improve two-way communication with teachers, including guidance for families with students with disabilities and English learners. This Fact Sheet provides to help …

Published: 8/14/2023

1% Toolkit: Disproportionality in the Alternate Assessment Calculator: A Tool for State and Local Education Agencies (NCEO Tool #12)

This Brief explains a tool that State and Local Education Agencies (SEAs and LEAs) can use to examine disproportionality with respect to student group participation in their alternate assessment …

Published: January 2023

Universal Design of Assessments

This page provides an overview on universal design for assessments.

Published: 2021-02-01

Using Local Assessment Data to Measure Progress Towards The State-Identified Measurable Results (SIMR)

Participating states Louisiana, Guam, and Kansas address: Data use practices at the state, district, and local levels, Stakeholders involvement, and Advice they have to offer other states based on …

Published: 2018-05-22

NCEO Reports: Text-to-Speech Accommodation Policies in 2018-19 (#417)

The purpose of this report is to provide an updated review of state text-to-speech (TTS) policies across general assessments of reading, writing, mathematics, and science. TTS refers to technology …

Published: August 2020

Accommodations Toolkit: Screen Reader: States’ Accessibility Policies, 2023

This summary of states accessibility policies for screen reader is part of the Accommodations Toolkit published by the National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO).

Published: 11/8/2023

NCEO APR Snapshot Briefs: 2018-2019 APR Snapshot #26: Students in Special Education Assigned Assessment Accommodations

This brief provides information on the number of students with disabilities assigned accommodations and the performance of these students on the general statewide assessment used for Elementary …

Published: October 2022

NCEO Reports: A Summary of the Research on the Effects of K–12 Test Accommodations: 2020 (#436)

This report provides an update on the state of the research on testing accommodations. Previous reports by the National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO) have covered research published since …

Published: September 2022

Improving Instruction Briefs: Working with Language Interpreters: Information for Principals

This Brief for principals answers questions about working with a language interpreter for families whose children are English learners. Clear, comprehensible communication between parents and …

Published: December 2019

Accommodations Toolkit: Extended Time: States' Accessibility Policies, 2023

This summary of states’ accessibility policies for extended time is part of the Accommodations Toolkit published by the National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO).

Published: 3/5/2024

NCEO Newsletter: February 2022 issue

This issue highlights (1) information about a participation communication toolkit that NCEO recently released with customizable resources, sample social media posts, and other resources that can …

Published: February 2022

Testimony of Rachel Quenemoen, Before the Committee on Education and the Workforce, United States House of Representatives

This testimony was presented at the Hearing on No Child Left Behind: Ensuring High Academic Achievement for Limited English Proficient Students and Students with Disabilities, before the Committee …

Published: 2006-07-26

Improving Instruction Briefs: Accessibility Features and Accommodations: Information for Parents or Guardians (Simplified Chinese translation)

This Brief, translated into Simplified Chinese, explains accessibility features and accommodations for parents or guardians of students who are English learners, and also provides guidance on how …

Published: June 2020

Accommodations Toolkit: Highlighting: Research

This fact sheet on highlighting is part of the Accommodations Toolkit published by the National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO). It summarizes information and research findings on the use of …

Published: 4/5/2022

Making Decisions for Everyone Training Module

This online professional development module gives educators the knowledge and tools they need to make, implement, and evaluate sound decisions about accessibility features for students in their …

Published: 2019-01-06

Accommodations Toolkit: Color Contrast: Research

This fact sheet on color contrast is part of the Accommodations Toolkit published by the National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO). It summarizes information and research findings on the use …

Published: 10/18/2022

Meeting Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) and Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) Requirements: Alternate Assessments and Inclusion of All Students

This presentation addressed how to meet Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) and Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) requirements on alternate assessments and inclusion of all students. …

Published: 2020-07-15

TIES Center Reports: Communication Competence in the Inclusive Setting: A Review of the Literature (#103)

This report presents findings from a literature review that was conducted to identify evidenced-based approaches to supporting the development of communicative competence for K-8 students in …

Published: June 2019

Students With Disabilities

This page provides an overview on the population of students with disabilities.

Published: 2021-02-01

NCEO Data Analytics: State Assessment Participation and Performance of Students with IEPs, 2017-2018 (#15)

This interactive report presents data on the participation and performance of students receiving special education services in statewide assessments used for Elementary and Secondary Education Act …

Published: January 2023

Accommodations Toolkit: Extended Time: Research

This fact sheet on extended time is part of the Accommodations Toolkit published by the National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO). It summarizes information and research findings on the use …

Published: 9/13/2021

NCEO Reports: The Relationship between Student Placement and AA-AAAS Participation Rates (#439)

This report presents the findings of a study that looked at the relationship between states’ percentage of students participating in the alternate assessment based on alternate academic achievement…

Published: June 2023

TIES Center Reports: A Literature Review of School-Wide Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports for Students with Extensive Support Needs (#106)

This report presents the findings of a literature review to summarize the current literature of School-wide Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS), a multi-tiered framework that …

Published: August 2022

A Truly Inclusive Society: Encouraging the Ability in Disability

This testimony was presented at a congressional briefing to the Helsinki Commission (Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe).

Published: 2018-09-24

Assessment Today: How We Got Here and Where We are Going

In this presentation Dr. Martha Thurlow, Executive Director of the National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO) traces the history of the inclusion of students with disabilities in large-scale …

Published: 2016-06-30

V5-1: Evaluating Assessment Accommodations

The special education teacher meets with the teacher who administered a student's assessment accommodation to discuss the student's test day experience.

Published: 2014-05-05

Parent-Educator Toolkit: En Español: Working with Your Child's Teacher Using the multilingual Parent Educator Toolkit

The parents of English learners need to be involved in decisions about accessibility features for their children. The multilingual Parent-Educator Toolkit consists of several concise briefs to …

Published: 11/3/2022

NCEO APR Snapshot Briefs: State Assessment Participation and Performance of Students Receiving Special Education Services (#22)

This report provides a snapshot of the participation and performance of students receiving special education services in statewide assessments used for Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA …

Published: February 2021

Empowering Families Flyer #1: Why are assessments important?

This flyer was designed to help families understand why assessments are a good opportunity for their children to show what they know, and for schools to better understand their children’s needs. …

Published: August 2023

Accommodations Toolkit: Assistive Technology: States’ Accessibility Policies, 2022

This summary of states’ accessibility policies for assistive technology is part of the Accommodations Toolkit published by the National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO).

Published: 10/18/2022

Standards and Accountability

This page provides an overview on standards and accountability.

Published: 2021-02-01

Standards-Based IEPs

This page provides information on standards-based IEPs.

Published: 2021-02-01

NCEO APR Snapshot Briefs: 2020-2021 APR Snapshot #30: AA-AAAS Participation and Performance (#30)

This report summarizes Alternate Assessment based on Alternate Academic Achievement Standards (AA-AAAS) data used for Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) accountability. Using federally …

Published: December 2023

Guidance for Participation and Disproportionality

A video training module on guidance for examining participation rates and disproportionality by the National Center for the Improvement of Educational Assessment and the National Center on Educatio…

Published: 2019-08-01

NCEO Reports: Revisiting the Meaning of “Reduced Depth, Breadth, and Complexity” for AA-AAAS (#441)

Alternate assessments aligned to alternate academic achievement standards (AA-AAAS) are designed and implemented for students with the most significant cognitive disabilities. Historically, these …

Published: January 2024

Policy Pushing Measurement Expertise for the Inclusion of ALL Students in Testing for Accountability

This presentation addressed the role of policy in pushing measurement expertise for the inclusion of all students in testing for accountability. It was presented at the 2020 National Council on …

Published: 2020-09-11

Parent-Educator Toolkit: Working with Your Child's Teacher Using the multilingual Parent Educator Toolkit

The parents of English learners need to be involved in decisions about accessibility features for their children. The multilingual Parent-Educator Toolkit consists of several concise briefs to …

Published: 11/3/2022

NCEO Reports: Test Security and Students with Disabilities: An Analysis of States’ 2020-21 Test Security Policies (#434)

This report provides a snapshot of how accommodated tests for students with disabilities, accessibility, alternate assessments, and other related issues were addressed in states’ test security …

Published: December 2021

Accommodations Toolkit: Speech-to-Text: States' Accessibility Policies, 2021

This summary of states’ accessibility policies for speech-to-text is part of the Accommodations Toolkit published by the National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO).

Published: 2/10/2022

1% Toolkit: A Five-Step Process for Developing and Reviewing District Justifications for Exceeding 1.0% AA-AAAS Participation (NCEO Tool #8)

The 2015 reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, known as the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), includes a 1.0% threshold on state-level participation rates in the alternate…

Published: June 2020

NCEO Reports: State Requirements for Test Administrators, Proctors, and Accommodations Providers Who Administer Tests to Students with Disabilities, English Learners, and English Learners with Disabilities (#437)

To help ensure that assessments are properly administered, states have developed policies about who can administer or proctor assessments, and the training they must have. This report presents the …

Published: 11/16/2022

Understanding English Learner Accommodations : Electronic Translators

The video describes one of the testing accommodations allowed for English learners on West Virginia state assessments. It describes the West Virginia policy on using an electronic translator as an …

Published: 11/3/2022

TIES Center Briefs: Understanding the Role of Paraprofessionals in Your Child’s Education in Inclusive Classrooms (TIES Center Brief #7)

Paraprofessionals should be available to students with significant cognitive disabilities in the inclusive classroom. Depending on each student’s needs, paraprofessionals may provide supports, …

Published: 11/1/2021

Accommodations Toolkit: Human Read-Aloud: States' Accessibility Policies, 2021

This summary of states’ accessibility policies for human read-aloud is part of the Accommodations Toolkit published by the National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO).

Published: 4/5/2022

NCEO Newsletter: June 2022 issue

The June 2022 issue of NCEO's Newsletter highlights NCEO's latest products and publications, and upcoming conferences that include NCEO staff.

Published: 6/1/2022

Evidence Base on Assessment Accommodations for English Learners

This brief summarizes the findings of a 2010-2018 literature review on assessment accommodations conducted by the Improving Instruction for English Learners through Improved Accessibility Decisions…

Published: July 2020

Partnering with Parents of English Learners (ELs) and ELs with Disabilities during the COVID-19 Pandemic

This presentation on partnering with parents of English learners with and without disabilities during the COVID-19 Pandemic. It was presented at the 2020 Minnesota Department of Education's …

Published: 2020-11-20

NCEO Reports: 2018-19 Participation Guidelines and Definitions for Alternate Assessments based on Alternate Academic Achievement Standards (#415)

The purpose of this report is to provide an update on state participation criteria and guidelines for alternate assessments based on alternate academic achievement standards (AA-AAAS). In this …

Published: October 2019

Accommodations Toolkit: Braille: States’ Accessibility Policies, 2020

This summary of states’ accessibility policies for  braille  is part of the  Accommodations Toolkit   published by the National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO).

Published: 8/31/2021

Accommodations Toolkit: Braille: States’ Accessibility Policies, 2023

This summary of states’ accessibility policies for braille is part of the Accommodations Toolkit published by the National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO).

Published: 2/29/2024

Newsletters

This page provides links to NCEO’s E-newsletters from 2013 to the present.

Published: 2021-02-01

What Does Meaningful Accessibility Really Mean?

This report contains the proceedings of a forum held on June 28, 2023 in New Orleans, Louisiana to discuss issues surrounding meaningful accessibility of assessments. The forum was a post-session …

Published: November 2023

NCEO Reports: The Role of Assessment Data in State Systemic Improvement Plans (SSIPs): An Analysis of FFY 2018 SSIPs (#425)

This report presents the findings of an analysis of states’ FFY 2018 State Systemic Improvement Plans (SSIPs), submitted to the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Special Education Programs …

Published: February 2021

NCEO Data Analytics: State Assessment Participation and Performance of Students with IEPs, 2016-2017 (#10)

This interactive report presents data on the participation and performance of students receiving special education services in statewide assessments used for Elementary and Secondary Education Act …

Published: December 2019

State Defined Alternate Diplomas

Sheryl Lazarus presented "State Defined Alternate Diplomas” in an NCEO and NTACT webinar.

Published: 2017-11-17

Making and Implementing Accessibility and Accommodations Decisions in Assessment and Instruction for English Learners

This presentation focused on how to make and implement accessibility and accommodations decisions in assessment and instruction for English learners. It was presented at the 2019 National Conferenc…

Published: 2019-06-25

What Alternate Assessments and Diplomas Really Mean for Students with Significant Disabilities

This presentation addressed what alternate assessments and diplomas really mean for students with significant disabilities. It was presented at the 2020 Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) …

Published: 2020-02-07

Improving Instruction Briefs: Working with Language Interpreters: Information for Parents or Guardians (Vietnamese translation)

This Brief, translated into Vietnamese, answers questions about working with a language interpreter that parents or guardians of students who are English learners might have. Clear, comprehensible …

Published: June 2020

NCEO Brief: Including Students with Disabilities in K-2 Academic Assessments (#28)

This Brief provides an overview of issues related to the inclusion of students with disabilities and English learners with disabilities in early grade (i.e., K-2) assessments. State academic …

Published: November 2022

Assessment SSIPs/SIMRs

Published: 2021-02-01

Accommodations Toolkit: Noise Reduction: States' Accessibility Policies, 2021

This summary of states’ accessibility policies for noise reduction is part of the Accommodations Toolkit published by the National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO).

Published: 2/10/2022

Assessment Participation of Students with Disabilities

This page has links to states with assessment participation policies that include information on students with disabilities.

Published: 2021-02-01

Accommodations Toolkit: Manipulatives: Research

This fact sheet on manipulatives is part of the Accommodations Toolkit published by the National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO). It summarizes information and research findings on the use …

Published: 2/10/2022

NCEO Newsletter: February 2020 issue

Published: February 2020

Improving Instruction Briefs: Building Successful Communication Between Parent or Guardian and Teacher: Information for Parents or Guardians (Simplified Chinese translation)

This Brief, translated into Simplified Chinese, explains how parents or guardians of students who are English learners can develop successful communication with teachers. Good parent-educator …

Published: June 2020

Graduation Requirements for Students with Disabilities

This page has links to state policies on graduation requirements and diplomas that address students with disabilities.

Published: 2021-02-01

Accommodations Toolkit: Text-to-Speech (Computer-Generated Voice): States’ Accessibility Policies, 2020

This summary of states’ accessibility policies for computer-generated text-to-speech is part of the Accommodations Toolkit published by the National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO).

Published: 8/31/2021

Accommodations Toolkit: Large Print: States’ Accessibility Policies, 2022

This summary of states’ accessibility policies for large print is part of the Accommodations Toolkit published by the National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO).

Published: 6/8/2022

NCEO Participation Communication Toolkit: Communicating about Annual State Assessment Participation for All Students: A Communication Toolkit

This communications toolkit was developed by the National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO) to identify and describe reasons why all students, including students with disabilities, English …

Published: 2023-03-09

NCEO APR Snapshot Briefs: 2018-2019 APR Snapshot #25: State Assessment Participation and Performance of Students Receiving Special Education Services

This report provides a snapshot of the participation and performance of students receiving special education services in statewide assessments used for Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA …

Published: October 2022

NCEO Participation Communication Toolkit: One-Page “Ready-to-go” Student Flyer

The purpose of this “ready-to-go” flyer is to provide concise resources about why it is so important that all students participate in state testing. Written for students, it also provides strategie…Published: 3/8/2023

NCEO Reports: A Summary of the Research on the Effects of K–12 Test Accommodations: 2017 (#418)

The purpose of this report is to provide a synthesis of the research on K-12 testing accommodations. In this report, we summarize the research published in 2017. 

Published: August 2020

Learning Modules on English Learners (ELs) with Disabilities

This free training helps educators look at important issues surrounding students who are ELs with disabilities. Participants follow the story of Emma, a middle school student with a learning …

Published: 2013-06-06

Alternate Interim Assessments for Students with the Most Significant Cognitive Disabilities

This video offers preliminary guidance for the development of interim assessment options for students with the most significant cognitive disabilities. There are federal requirements that all …

Published: July 2021

NCEO Reports: Using Interim Assessments to Appropriately Measure What Students with Disabilities Know and Can Do: Advisory Panel Takeaways and NCEO Recommendations (#427)

A report on a virtual meeting NCEO held on February 16 and 17, 2021 of an Interim Assessment Advisory Panel to tap into the panel members’ collective knowledge about using interim assessments to …

Published: May 2021

V2-3: General Education Teacher Communicating with Parents

A math teacher calls a parent to discuss a student's difficulties in the classroom. They talk about the possible use of accommodations to help the student succeed in the classroom.

Published: 2014-05-05

Trends in Accommodations and Accessibility Features English Learners Received on Statewide Assessments

This presentation addressed trends in accommodations and accessibility features received by English learners in statewide assessments. It was presented at the 2019 National Association for Bilingua…

Published: 2019-03-07

NCEO Reports: 2018-19 Publicly Reported Assessment Results for Students with Disabilities and English Learners with Disabilities (#428)

This is the 22nd report by the National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO) that describes how states publicly report assessment data for students with disabilities in K-12 schools in the United …

Published: December 2021

ELs with Disabilities

This page provides an overview on the student population of English learners with disabilities.

Published: 2021-02-01

Improving Instruction Briefs: Building Successful Communication Between Parent or Guardian and Teacher: Information for Parents or Guardians

This Brief for parents or guardians of students who are English learners answers questions about communicating with teachers when English is a challenge, and the benefits of successful communicatio…

Published: December 2019

V2-1: Discussing Common Misperceptions about Accommodations

A special education teacher and math teacher discuss common misperceptions about accommodations. The special education teacher explains how accommodations "level the playing field" for students …

Published: 2014-05-05

Universal Design Online Manual

Steps that states can take to ensure universal design of computer and paper-based assessments. Including any step in the design and review of tests may improve the design features of a state …

Published: 2006-09-01

V2-2: Identifying Students' Accommodation Needs

A special education teacher interviews a student to learn more about her academic strengths and weaknesses. The special education teacher introduces the idea of using the read-aloud accommodation …

Published: 2014-05-05

Accommodations Toolkit: Scribe: Research

This fact sheet on scribe is part of the Accommodations Toolkit published by the National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO). It summarizes information and research findings on the use of a …

Published: 2/10/2022

NCEO Brief: Guidance for Examining Disproportionality of Student Group Participation in Alternate Assessments (#18)

The purpose of this brief is to examine disproportionality with respect to student group participation in Alternate Assessments aligned with Alternate Academic Achievement Standards (AA-AAAS). It …

Published: August 2019

NCEO Reports: Speech-Language Pathologists’ Experiences with Accessibility and Accommodations for Students with Disabilities (#430)

This report presents the findings of a study aimed to address the gap between policy and practice for speech-language pathologists (SLPs) who serve students identified with a speech-language …

Published: December 2021

1% Toolkit: Data Analysis and Use Planning Tool for Examining AA-AAAS Participation: Addressing the Percentage of Students Participating in the Alternate Assessment (NCEO Tool #2)

This Data Analysis and Use Planning Tool is designed to help states and districts develop a plan for analyzing and using their AA-AAAS data as part of their efforts to meet the 1.0% cap on state- …

Published: September 2019

Formative Assessment

This page provides information on formative assessment.

Published: 2021-02-01

NCEO Brief: Related Services Providers: Important Contributors to the Accommodations Decision-Making Process (#27)

Related service providers include speech-language pathologists, audiologists, psychologists, and physical and occupational therapists who provide specialized support to students with disabilities. …

Published: December 2021

Accommodations Toolkit: Signed Administration: States’ Accessibility Policies, 2022

This summary of states’ accessibility policies for signed administration is part of the Accommodations Toolkit published by the National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO).

Published: 6/8/2022

NCEO History

This page describes the people involved in the beginning of NCEO’s work and the breadth and growth of that work over the years.

Published: 2021-02-01

Parental Expectations on the Post-school Outcomes for English Learners with Disabilities

This presentation, focusing on parents’ expectations about post-school outcomes for English learners with disabilities, was presented at the 2021 National Association for Bilingual Education (NABE …

Published: 2021-04-28

V5-2: Meeting with Featured Student after Assessment Accommodation

A special education teacher interviews a student after the state test. The student shares her perspective on whether the accommodation "worked."

Published: 2014-05-05

NCEO APR Snapshot Briefs: 2018-2019 APR Snapshot #27: AA-AAAS Participation and Performance

This report summarizes Alternate Assessment based on Alternate Academic Achievement Standards (AA-AAAS) data used for Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) accountability. Using federally …

Published: December 2022

NCEO Brief: Considerations for States Providing Materials in Braille (#19)

The purpose of this brief is to provide information on, and recommendations for, providing appropriate braille materials for students. In November 2012, the U.S. members of the Braille Authority …

Published: October 2019

Predictors of Participation of Transition Planning Participation and Future Goal Aspirations for Secondary ELs with Disabilities

This presentation discussed predictors of participation of transition planning participation and future goal aspirations for secondary English learners with disabilities. It was presented at the …

Published: 2019-11-19

NCEO Newsletter: February 2019 issue

In this newsletter, we highlight several publications that have been released since our October, 2018 newsletter. They include a brief on approaches to examining district alternate assessment …

Published: February 2019

Accommodations Toolkit: Extended Time: States’ Accessibility Policies, 2020

This summary of states’ accessibility policies for extended time is part of the Accommodations Toolkit published by the National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO).

Published: 9/13/2021

What do Teachers Know About Accessibility Features and Accommodations for English Learners?

This presentation discussed what teachers know about accessibility features and accommodations for English learners. It was presented at the 2019 Minnesota Department of Education's Minnesota …

Published: 2019-11-22

V1-2: Teachers Working Together to Identify Student Needs

A special education teacher and math teacher discuss the possible need for accommodations for a student. They discuss how the student is performing in class and what strategies they have tried to …

Published: 2014-05-05

College- and Career-Ready Standards

This page provides an overview on college and career ready standards.

Published: 2021-02-01

NCEO Reports: A Review of the Literature on Computerized Speech-to-Text Accommodations (#414)

This literature review describes what research conducted between 2008 and 2018 tells the field about the use of computerized speech-to-text (STT) technology tools by K-12 and post-secondary …

Published: August 2019

Alternate Assessments for Students with Disabilities

This page has links to state policies on state alternate assessments based on alternate academic achievement standards for students with the most significant cognitive disabilities.

Published: 2021-02-01

Accommodations Toolkit: Noise Reduction: Research

This fact sheet on noise reduction is part of the Accommodations Toolkit published by the National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO). It summarizes information and research findings on the use …

Published: 2/10/2022

Empowering Families Flyer #3: What is the SSIP, and why do it?

This flyer provides a family-friendly definition of the State Systemic Improvement Plan (SSIP) and explains how states, educators, and families can work together to ensure their SSIP addresses the …

Published: August 2023

Developing and Improving Modified Achievement Level Descriptors: Rationale, Procedures, and Tools

Procedures and tools to develop and continuously improve achievement level descriptors for alternate assessments based on modified achievement standards (AA-MAS). This is an archived report …

Published: 2010-06-01

State Public Assessment Reports for Students with Disabilities

This page has links to state pages with assessment reports that include disaggregated data for students with disabilities.

Published: 2021-02-01

NCEO Brief: Pre-assessment to Plan Instruction for Students with Disabilities During Distance Learning (#21)

Distance learning, whether completely remote or in combination with classroom experiences, can pose challenges for teachers, students, and families. Pre-assessment to plan instruction can help …

Published: December 2020

Improving Instruction Briefs: Accessibility Features and Accommodations: Information for Parents or Guardians

This Brief explains accessibility features and accommodations for parents or guardians of students who are English learners, and also provides guidance on how to talk to teachers to help their …

Published: December 2019

NCEO Reports: The 95 Percent State Assessment Participation Requirement: Current Landscape, State Challenges, and Recommended Strategies (#429)

This report provides an overview of federal statutory language on student participation in state summative assessments used for accountability as well as the participation requirements for states …

Published: 9/30/2021

Accommodations Toolkit: Math Charts/Tables: Research

This fact sheet on math charts/tables is part of the Accommodations Toolkit published by the National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO). It summarizes information and research findings on the …

Published: 6/8/2022

Improving Instruction Briefs: Accessibility Features and Accommodations: Information for Parents or Guardians (Spanish translation)

This Brief, translated into Spanish, explains accessibility features and accommodations for parents or guardians of students who are English learners, and also provides guidance on how to talk to …

Published: June 2020

NCEO Parent Fact Sheets: Getting Help for Your Child When Taking State Tests (Parent Fact Sheet #1)

This Fact Sheet summarizes the purpose of state tests, and describes test resources that students may need. This Fact Sheet also provides parents with tips on how to work with teachers to access …

Published: 8/14/2023

Accommodations Toolkit: Student Reads Aloud to Self: States’ Accessibility Policies, 2020

This summary of states’ accessibility policies for student reads aloud to self is part of the Accommodations Toolkit published by the National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO).

Published: 9/30/2021

Accommodations Toolkit: Magnification: States’ Accessibility Policies, 2023

This summary of states’ accessibility policies for magnification is part of the Accommodations Toolkit published by the National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO).

Published: 3/5/2024

V3-4: Evaluating Instructional Accommodations

The special education teacher and math teacher share what they have learned about the use of an instructional accommodation for a student. They examine progress monitoring data to assess if her …

Published: 2014-05-05

Policy History

This page describes the important policy milestones related to students with disabilities in education over time.

Published: 2021-02-01

MTSS for All: Including Students with the Most Significant Cognitive Disabilities

The purpose of this Brief is to provide suggestions for ways in which the Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) can include students with the most significant cognitive disabilities. 

Published: 1/23/2020

Accommodations Toolkit: Clarify/Simplify/Repeat Directions: States' Accessibility Policies, 2021

This summary of states’ accessibility policies for clarify/simplify/repeat directions is part of the Accommodations Toolkit published by the National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO).

Published: 12/14/2021

Parent Video Series: Supporting the Learning of Children with Significant Cognitive Disabilities at Home: Helping Your Child with Reading at Home

This video describes ways parents of students with significant cognitive disabilities can help their child expand reading skills while at home. The video discusses why it is important to focus on …

Published: March 2021

Accommodations Toolkit: Color Contrast: States’ Accessibility Policies, 2022

This summary of states’ accessibility policies for color contrast is part of the Accommodations Toolkit published by the National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO).

Published: 10/18/2022

Forum on Education for Each and Every Student: Perspectives on Universal Design in 2021

This report contains the proceedings of a virtual forum held on July 14, 2021 to discuss perspectives on universal design. The forum brought together state education agency (SEA) staff, universal …

Published: December 2021

Teachers' and Students' Experiences with Accessibility Features and Accommodations in the Classroom

This presentation, addressing teachers’ and students’ experiences with accessibility features and accommodations in the classroom, was presented at the 2021 Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) …

Published: 2021-03-08

V5-3: Improving Assessment Accommodations

The special education teacher meets with the district test coordinator. They talk about the student's experience on test day and possible changes to make next year.

Published: 2014-05-05

NCEO Reports: A Literature Review on Evidence-Based Literacy Assessment and Instruction Practices for English Learners with Significant Cognitive Disabilities (#422)

This report summarizes a comprehensive investigation of research published between 2000–2018 on evidence-based literacy assessment and instruction practices for English learners with the most …

Published: November 2020

NCEO Participation Communication Toolkit: Customizable Participation Communication Toolkit IEP Team Discussion Guide

This discussion guide for IEP teams is designed to provide information about the different test options for students with disabilities, and the implications of those decisions. This resource also …

Published: 2021-11-11

Improving Instruction Briefs: Building Successful Partnerships Between the School Principal, Families, and Communities: information for Principals

This Brief for principals answers questions about communicating with parents or guardians for whom communicating in English is a challenge. Good parent-educator communication is key to determining …

Published: December 2019

NCEO Reports: A Summary of the Research on the Effects of K–12 Test Accommodations: 2018 (#423)

The purpose of this report is to present a synthesis of the research on test accommodations for U.S. elementary and secondary students (K–12) published in 2018. The academic literature described …

Published: February 2021

TIES Center Briefs: Providing Meaningful General Education Curriculum Access to Students with Significant Cognitive Disabilities (TIES Center Brief #4)

This brief addresses the question of what access to and progress in the general education curriculum means for students with the most significant cognitive disabilities. It provides examples of …

Published: August 2020

Improving Instruction Briefs: Working with Language Interpreters: Information for Parents or Guardians (Spanish translation)

This Brief, translated into Spanish, answers questions about working with a language interpreter that parents or guardians of students who are English learners might have. Clear, comprehensible …

Published: June 2020

Accommodations for Students with Disabilities Bibliography

This searchable bibliographic database presents research on accommodations for students with disabilities. You can perform a basic search by keywords related to the accommodation, test content …

Published: 2010

Accommodations Toolkit: Tactile Graphics: Research

This fact sheet on tactile graphics is part of the  Accommodations Toolkit . It summarizes information and research findings on the use of tactile graphics as an accessibility feature or...

Published: 8/31/2021

NCEO Participation Communication Toolkit: Participation Communication Toolkit Slide Deck Template

This customizable slide presentation is designed to support the needs of state education agency staff, and district and school administrators for brief but substantive information district and …

Published: 11/9/2021

TIES Center Briefs: Developing IEPs that Support Inclusive Education for Students with the Most Significant Cognitive Disabilities (#3)

​This Parent Brief focuses on developing Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) that support inclusive education for students with the most significant cognitive disabilities. 

Published: 2/5/2020

Accessibility and Accommodations for ELs with Disabilities

This page has links to state content test and English language proficiency assessment accessibility and accommodation policies that address English learners (ELs) with disabilities.

Published: 2021-02-01

Accommodations Toolkit: Tactile Graphics: States’ Accessibility Policies, 2020

This summary of states’ accessibility policies for tactile graphics is part of the Accommodations Toolkit published by the National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO).

Published: 8/31/2021

NCEO Reports: Updated Assessment Principles and Guidelines for English Learners with Disabilities (#424)

This updated report, originally published in 2013, presents five core principles of valid assessments for English learners with disabilities, along with a brief rationale and specific guidelines...

Published: August 2020

TIES Center Briefs: Communication Supports for Students with Significant Cognitive Disabilities: What Parents Need to Know (TIES Center Brief #9)

This Brief describes how families and other members of Individualized Education Program (IEP) teams can help students get the supports they need to build their communicative competence in inclusive…

Published: June 2022

Using Online Modules to Learn about Accessibility Features and Accommodations

This presentation focused on using online modules to learn about accessibility features and accommodations. It was presented at the 2019 National Association for Bilingual Education (NABE) annual …

Published: 2019-03-08

TIES Center Briefs: Taking the Alternate Assessment Does NOT Mean Education in a Separate Setting! (#2)

This Parent Brief describes how participation in the alternate assessment does not automatically mean that a student is in a different instructional setting from his or her same-age peers without …

Published: May 2019

IEP Monitoring by States of Alternate Assessment Participation Decisions

This presentation shares results from a national survey of leaders in the special education and assessment offices of SEAs, and reviews three states’ approaches and procedures for monitoring AA- …

Published: 9/27/2022

NCEO Brief: Five Formative Assessment Strategies to Improve Distance Learning Outcomes for Students with Disabilities (#20)

The purpose of this Brief is to describe the use of formative assessment processes with students with disabilities during distance learning. Formative assessment is important for all kinds of …

Published: May 2020

1% Toolkit: State-District Data Display Templates: Addressing the Percentage of Students Participating in the Alternate Assessment (NCEO Tool #3)

This State-District Data Display Templates tool is designed to provide states and districts with templates to display their data, with the end goal being to support an examination of the displayed …

Published: September 2019

NCEO Data Analytics: Percent of ELs with Disabilities from 2013-14 to 2016-17 (#9)

This interactive report presents information on the percent of students with disabilities ages 6-17 who are also English learners (ELs), and the proportion of these students by category for school …

Published: May 2019

Additional Educators’ Perspectives on Classroom Implementation of Accessibility Features and Accommodations

A second report from the DIAMOND project on phone interviews conducted with educators to highlight effective practices being used to implement accessibility features and accommodations in their …

Published: April 2019

"Welcome to NCEO" Video

This short video provides an overview of the National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO).

Published: July 2021

1% Toolkit: District Dialogue Guide: Addressing the Percentage of Students Participating in the Alternate Assessment (NCEO Tool #4)

As part of its efforts to meet the 1.0% cap on state-level participation in the alternate assessment aligned to alternate academic achievement standards (AA-AAAS), NCEO’s Peer Learning Group 1 ( …

Published: Sun Sep 22 2019

NCEO Newsletter: June 2021 issue

In this issue, we highlight several new resources on using interim assessments to measure what students with disabilities know and can do. We also provide information on NCEO presentations at …

Published: 2021-05-30

Empowering Families Toolkit - Tool 1 Video: Why are assessments important, and why should students with disabilities participate in assessments? (Version 2/authentic video of a parent and her children in Spanish)

This video was designed to help families understand why assessments are a good opportunity for their children to show what they know, and for schools to better understand their children’s needs. …

Published: 9/5/2023

Accommodations Toolkit: Text-to-Speech (Computer-Generated Voice): Research

This fact sheet on text-to-speech is part of the Accommodations Toolkit published by the National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO). It summarizes information and research findings on the use …

Published: 8/31/2021

Improving Instruction Briefs: Building Successful Communication Between Parent or Guardian and Teacher: Information for Parents or Guardians (Spanish translation)

This Brief, translated into Spanish, explains how parents or guardians of students who are English learners can develop successful communication with teachers. Good parent-educator communication …

Published: June 2020

Parent Video Series: Supporting the Learning of Children with Significant Cognitive Disabilities at Home: Helping Your Child with Communication at Home

This video describes ways that parents with students with disabilities can help support their child’s communication development at home, and provides sources for more information.

Published: November 2020

NCEO Newsletter: February 2024 issue

NCEO’s February 2024 newsletter features several NCEO resources that address English learners with disabilities. The number of school-age English learners with disabilities is increasing, and …

Published: February 2024

Trends in Accommodations Assigned to English Learners with Disabilities for Statewide Assessments

This presentation focused on trends in accommodations assigned to English learners with disabilities for statewide assessments. It was presented at the 2019 Minnesota Department of Education's …

Published: 2019-11-22

NCEO Data Analytics: Percent of Students with Disabilities by Disability Categories for 2005-06 to 2016-17 (#8)

This interactive report presents data on the number and percent of students receiving special education services by trends over time, category, and by state. The U.S. Department of Education …

Published: February 2019

Empowering Families Toolkit - Tool 2 Video: What are the purposes of different tests, and how are they used in the SSIP?

This video discusses different types of tests and their objectives. It describes various test purposes, and their role in improving instruction and outcomes for students with disabilities through …

Published: 9/5/2023

Parent Video Series: Supporting the Learning of Children with Significant Cognitive Disabilities at Home: Helping Your Child with Routines at Home

This video helps support parents of students with disabilities in establishing routines at home, in order to promote better behaviors and communications. It also provides other sources for more …

Published: November 2020

The Growing Population of ELs with Disabilities in the United States

This presentation, about the growing population of English learners with disabilities in the United States, was presented at the 2021 National Association for Bilingual Education (NABE) annual …

Published: 2021-04-27

Universal Design and Assessments

This presentation shares information about an updated state guide to universally designed assessments. The purpose of the guide is to provide states with strategies for designing tests from the …

Published: 8/24/2021

Accommodations Toolkit: Familiar Proctor/Test Administrator: States’ Accessibility Policies, 2020

This summary of states’ accessibility policies for familiar proctor/test administrator is part of the Accommodations Toolkit published by the National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO).

Published: 9/30/2021

Accommodations Toolkit: Assistive Technology: Research

This fact sheet on assistive technology is part of the Accommodations Toolkit published by the National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO). It summarizes information and research findings on …

Published: 10/18/2022

Parent Video Series: Supporting the Learning of Children with Significant Cognitive Disabilities at Home: Helping Your Child with the Foundations of Math While at Home

This video describes ways parents of students with disabilities can help their child with the foundations of math while at home. The video discusses why it is important to focus on foundations of …

Published: March 2021

Improving Instruction Briefs: Building Successful Communication Between Parent or Guardian and Teacher: Information for Parents or Guardians (Traditional Chinese translation)

This Brief, translated into Traditional Chinese, explains how parents or guardians of students who are English learners can develop successful communication with teachers. Good parent-educator …

Published: June 2020

NCEO Brief: Meeting the 1% AA-AAAS Participation Requirement (#29)

Up to 1.0% of the total tested state student population in a subject area may participate in the alternate assessment based on alternate academic achievement standards (AA-AAAS). This Brief …

Published: March 2023

Improving Instruction Briefs: Working with Language Interpreters: Information for Parents or Guardians (Traditional Chinese translation)

This Brief, translated into Traditional Chinese, answers questions about working with a language interpreter that parents or guardians of students who are English learners might have. Clear, …

Published: June 2020

Accommodations Toolkit: Spell Check: States’ Accessibility Policies, 2022

This summary of states’ accessibility policies for spell check is part of the Accommodations Toolkit published by the National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO).

Published: 10/18/2022

Accommodations Toolkit: Speech-to-Text: Research

This fact sheet on speech-to-text is part of the Accommodations Toolkit published by the National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO). It summarizes information and research findings on the use …

Published: 2/10/2022

General Assessments of Academic Content

This page provides information on state general content assessments.

Published: 2021-02-01

Accommodations Toolkit: Paper Format: States’ Accessibility Policies, 2022

This summary of states’ accessibility policies for paper format is part of the Accommodations Toolkit published by the National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO).

Published: 10/18/2022

Successfully Instructing and Assessing Students who Take the Alternate Assessment (and Those Who Used to Take the Alternate)

This presentation addresses how to successfully instruct and assess students who currently take alternate assessments or used to take them. It was presented at the 2020 Inclusive Education Leadersh…

Published: 2020-11-11

A Summary of the Research on Test Accommodations for English Learners and English Learners with Disabilities: 2010-2018

The purpose of this literature review is to examine the published English learner (EL) accommodations literature between 2010 and 2018 to provide an updated overview of research trends on this …

Published: 1/8/2020

NCEO Parent Fact Sheets: State Testing of Your Child with a Disability (Parent Fact Sheet #3)

This Fact Sheet summarizes the resources that are available specifically to students who have a disability, an Individualized Education Program (IEP), or a 504 plan when they take state tests. The …Published: 8/14/2023

NCEO Participation Communication Toolkit: One-Page “Ready-to-go” Educator Flyer

The purpose of this “ready-to-go” flyer is to provide concise resources about why it is so important that all students participate in state testing. Written for teachers, it also provides strategie…

Published: 3/8/2023

Improving Instruction Briefs: Accessibility Features and Accommodations: Information for Parents or Guardians (Arabic translation)

This Brief, translated into Arabic, explains accessibility features and accommodations for parents or guardians of students who are English learners, and also provides guidance on how to talk to …

Published: June 2020

NCEO Reports: State Approaches to Monitoring AA-AAAS Participation Decisions (#432)

This report presents the findings of a survey of states that examined the policies, practices, and procedures State Education Agencies (SEAs) used to monitor IEPs for participation decision making …

Published: April 2022

Empowering Families Toolkit - Tool 1 Video: Why are assessments important, and why should students with disabilities participate in assessments? (Version 1/professionally recorded)

This video was designed to help families understand why assessments are a good opportunity for their children to show what they know, and for schools to better understand their children’s needs. …

Published: 9/5/2023

Using Formative Assessment Strategies During Hybrid and Distance Education

This presentation addressed using formative assessment strategies during hybrid and distance education. It was presented at the 2020 National Association of State Directors of Special Education ( …

Published: 2020-09-24

Accommodations Toolkit: Multiple Days: Research

This fact sheet on testing over multiple days is part of the Accommodations Toolkit published by the National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO). It summarizes information and research findings …

Published: 8/31/2021

NCEO Participation Communication Toolkit: One-Page “Ready-to-go” Policymaker Flyer

The purpose of this “ready-to-go” flyer is to provide concise resources about why it is so important that all students participate in state testing. Written for policymakers, it also provides …

Published: 3/8/2023

Online Modules Demonstration on Accessibility Features and Accommodations for Educators

This presentation, showing an online modules demonstration on accessibility features and accommodations for educators, was presented at the 2020 Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) annual …

Published: 2020-02-06

Empowering Families Toolkit - Tool 4 Video: Understanding Test Data at SSIP Stakeholder Meetings

This video explains how the review of test data at State Systemic Improvement Plan (SSIP) stakeholder meetings by parents and other stakeholders can support the development and implementation of …

Published: 9/5/2023

Test Security

This page provides information on test security for assessments.

Published: 2021-02-01

NCEO APR Snapshot Briefs: 2017-2018 APR Snapshot #23: Students in Special Education Assigned Assessment Accommodations (#23)

This APR Snapshot Brief provides information on the number of students with disabilities assigned accommodations and the performance of these students on the general statewide assessment used for …

Published: March 2021

TIES Center Briefs: Debunking Myths about Inclusive Education for Students with the Most Significant Cognitive Disabilities (TIES Center Brief #8)

Controversy often surrounds the inclusion of students with the most significant cognitive disabilities in the general education classroom and curriculum. This is the case even though the Individual…

Published: 2/22/2022

State Public Assessment Reports for ELs with Disabilities

This page has links to state pages with assessment reports that include disaggregated data for English learners with disabilities.

Published: 2021-02-01

NCEO Participation Communication Toolkit: Customizable Participation Communication Toolkit Family Flyer

The purpose of this flyer is to provide concise resources about why it is so important that all students participate in state testing. Written for families, it also provides strategies to reduce …

Published: 2021-11-11

NCEO Data Analytics: Number and Percentage of English Learners with Disabilities by Disability Category, 2012-13 to 2020-21 (#18)

This interactive report presents information on the percentage of students with disabilities ages 6-21 who are also English learners (i.e., English learners with disabilities), and the proportion …Published: March 2023

Improving Instruction Briefs: Working with Language Interpreters: Information for Parents or Guardians

This Brief for parents or guardians of students who are English learners answers questions about working with a language interpreter. Clear, comprehensible communication between parents and …

Published: December 2019

1% Toolkit: Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) for Students with the Most Significant Cognitive Disabilities (NCEO Tool #15)

The purpose of this tool is to provide information on the Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) for students with the most significant cognitive disabilities for parents in the form of (a) a fact …

Published: November 2023

Considerations for Monitoring Accommodations on the Alternate Assessment

This presentation described considerations for monitoring accommodations on the alternate assessment. It was presented at the 2019 National Conference on Student Assessment (NCSA) annual conference…

Published: 2019-06-24

NCEO Newsletter: October 2020 issue

This issue highlights translations of several NCEO and affiliated center products. One or more publications are now available in each of the following languages: Arabic, Traditional Chinese, …

Published: October 2020

1% Toolkit: Developing a 1% Cap Waiver or Waiver Extension Request (NCEO Tool #1)

The Every Student Succeeds Act allows for states to request a waiver from the 1% cap on alternate assessment participation requirements. Waiver request requirements are described in this Tool (the …

Published: September 2019

A Truly Inclusive Society: Encouraging the Ability in Disability

This testimony was presented at a congressional briefing to the Helsinki Commission (Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe).

Published: 2018-09-24

English Language Proficiency (ELP) Assessments

This page provides information on English language proficiency assessments.

Published: 2021-02-01

NCEO Brief: Interim Assessment Practices for Students with Disabilities (#22)

This Brief contains a scan of the interim assessment landscape, and is focused on the availability of documentation supporting the appropriateness of these assessments for students with disabilitie…

Published: April 2021

Accommodations Toolkit: Preferential Seating: States' Accessibility Policies, 2021

This summary of states’ accessibility policies for preferential seating is part of the Accommodations Toolkit published by the National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO).

Published: 12/14/2021

NCEO Reports: A Summary of the Research on Effects of Test Accommodations: 2015-2016 (#412)

The purpose of this report is to present a synthesis of the research on test accommodations published in 2015 and 2016. We summarize the research to review current research trends and enhance …

Published: November 2019

Improving Instruction Briefs: Accessibility Features and Accommodations: Information for Parents or Guardians (Vietnamese translation)

This Brief, translated into Vietnamese, explains accessibility features and accommodations for parents or guardians of students who are English learners, and also provides guidance on how to talk …

Published: June 2020

TIES Center Briefs: Providing Access to School-Wide Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports for Students with Significant Cognitive Disabilities (TIES Center Brief #10)

Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) is an evidence-based approach used to promote inclusive environments and prevent and decrease challenging behavior for all students. However, …

Published: 7/7/2022

NCEO APR Snapshot Briefs: 2016-2017 APR Snapshot #20: Students in Special Education Assigned Assessment Accommodations (#20)

This brief provides information on the number of students with disabilities assigned accommodations and the performance of these students on the general statewide assessment used for Elementary …

Published: July 2019

What Do You Wish Your Colleagues Knew About Making Content Accessible for ELs?

This presentation addressed making academic content accessible for English learners. It was presented at the 2019 Minnesota Department of Education's Minnesota English Learner Education conference …

Published: 2019-11-22

Online Training to Improve Accommodations Decision Making

This free training includes case-based video clips for five interactive, multi-media professional development modules. Educators are coached on best practices in how to guide, select, administer, …

Published: 2011-06-01

NCEO Newsletter: June 2023 issue

In this issue, we highlight some new NCEO products, as well as several upcoming events. The first article is about two new tools that can be used to develop state and district assessment participat…

Published: June 2023

Accommodations Toolkit: Paper Format: Research

This fact sheet on paper format is part of the Accommodations Toolkit published by the National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO). It summarizes information and research findings on the use of …

Published: 10/18/2022

Used vs. Assigned Accommodations and Accessibility Features for English Learners with Disabilities on Statewide Assessment

This presentation addressed the difference between used vs. assigned accommodations and accessibility features for English learners with disabilities on statewide assessment. It was presented at …

Published: 2020-02-27

Assessment SSIPs/SIMRs State Policies Webpage

This page includes links to state policies for Assessment ​State Systemic Improvement Plans (SSIPs)/State Identified Measurable Result (SIMRs).

Published: 2021

Accommodations Toolkit: Screen Reader: Research

This fact sheet on screen reader is part of the Accommodations Toolkit published by the National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO). It summarizes information and research findings on the use …

Published: 11/8/2023

NCEO Brief: Gaps in the Accommodations Research Literature (#31)

Federal and state policymakers, as well as educators, rely on the accommodations research literature to evaluate how accommodations should be used to improve accessibility for students with …

Published: April 2023

Multi-Attribute Consensus Building Tool

This tool gives step-by-step guidance on how to conduct a Multi-Attribute Consensus Building (MACB) session with educators, administrators, parents, advocates and other stakeholders. MACB is a …

Published: 2013-09-01

Understanding English Learner Accommodations : Translated Test Directions

The video describes one of the testing accommodations allowed for English learners on West Virginia state assessments. It describes the West Virginia policy on using translated test directions as …

Published: 11/3/2022

NCEO Data Analytics: Percentage of Students with IEPs Who Were Assigned Accommodations from 2007-08 to 2016-17 (#13)

This interactive report presents data on the number and percentage of students receiving special education services who were assigned accommodations for the state general assessments used for …

Published: May 2020

NCEO Newsletter: February 2023 issue

This issue highlights a disproportionality calculator tool that can be used to examine disproportionality with respect to student subgroup participation in the alternate assessment; a brief on …Published: 1/30/2023

NCEO Newsletter: October 2023 issue

Effective communication is a cornerstone for fostering collaboration, understanding, and ultimately, student success. Recognizing the importance of communication, we are featuring in this newslette…

Published: October 2023

Challenges Teachers Experience in Making Decisions about Accessibility Options in Instruction and Assessment

This presentation addressed challenges teachers experience in making decisions about accessibility options in instruction and assessment. It was presented at the 2019 American Education Research …

Published: 2019-04-07

1% Toolkit: Developing an Assessment Participation Action Plan: A Tool for State Leaders (NCEO Tool #13)

The purpose of this resource is to provide a tool for states that wish to improve student assessment participation. The tool provides guidance on how state leaders can develop an assessment …

Published: April 2023

NCEO Reports: Guidebook to Including Students with Disabilities and English Learners in Assessments (#420)

This report provides 10 lessons about how to ensure inclusive assessment practices for students with disabilities and English learners. In addition to the 10 lessons, it provides foundational …

Published: June 2020

Accommodations Toolkit: Small Group and Individual Administration: Research

This fact sheet on small group and individual administration is part of the Accommodations Toolkit published by the National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO). It summarizes information and …

Published: 6/8/2022

Reconsiderandolas expectativas para los estudiantes con discapacidades (NCEO Brief #17) (Spanish)

The purpose of this brief (translated in Spanish) is to summarize some of the past exclusionary practices that resulted from low expectations for students with disabilities, and how those were …

Published: July 2020

NCEO Brief: Suggestions for Aligning Alternate Achievement Standards with WIOA (#16)

This Brief provides information on alternate achievement standards and the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) of 2014, and makes several suggestions about ways to show that a student …

Published: January 2019

Empowering Families Toolkit - Tool 3 Video: What is the SSIP, and why do it?

This video provides a family-friendly definition of the State Systemic Improvement Plan (SSIP) and explains how states, educators, and families can work together to ensure their SSIP addresses the …

Published: 9/5/2023

Guidance for examining disproportionality of student group participation in alternate assessments

This document examines disproportionality with respect to student group participation in Alternate Assessments aligned with Alternate Academic Achievement Standards (AA-AAAS). This paper is a …

Published: 2019-08-01

NCEO Brief: Suggestions for Involving Students in Selecting and Implementing Accommodations (#30)

This Brief provides an overview of how students’ insights on the usefulness and feasibility of various accessibility features and accommodations should be taken into account when identifying …

Published: January 2023

NCEO APR Snapshot Briefs: 2016-2017 APR Snapshot #19: State Assessment Participation and Performance of Students Receiving Special Education Services (#19)

This report provides a snapshot of the participation and performance of students receiving special education services in statewide assessments used for Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA …

Published: July 2019

1% Toolkit: Student Profiles for Alternate Assessment Decision Making (NCEO Tool #11)

Most states and districts provide training that aims to help individualized education program (IEP) teams make appropriate decisions about student participation in the alternate assessment. Some …

Published: March 2021

Trends in Participation, Performance, and Accommodations Received by Special Education Students

This presentation described trends in participation, performance, and accommodations received by special education students. It was presented at the 2019 National Council on Measurement in Educatio…

Published: 2019-04-04

NCEO APR Snapshot Briefs: 2017-2018 APR Snapshot #24: AA-AAAS Participation and Performance (#24)

This report summarizes AA-AAAS data used for Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) accountability.

Published: January 2021

Accommodations Toolkit: Magnification: States’ Accessibility Policies, 2022

This summary of states’ accessibility policies for magnification is part of the Accommodations Toolkit published by the National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO).

Published: 6/8/2022

Forum on States and Districts Working Together on the 1.0% Threshold

A report on a forum held on June 26, 2019 in Orlando, Florida to discuss how states and districts can work together to meet the 1.0% threshold on participation in the alternate assessment aligned …

Published: September 2019

TIES Center Reports: Separate School Placement Trends by Category and Age for Students with Extensive Support Needs (#105)

The purpose of this report is to examine the trends across the country over the past decade related to the placement of students with extensive support needs (ESN) in separate schools.Published: 8/1/2022

NCEO Participation Communication Toolkit: Customizable Participation Communication Toolkit Policymaker Flyer

The purpose of this flyer is to provide concise resources about why it is so important that all students participate in state testing. Written for policymakers, it also provides strategies to …

Published: 2021-11-11

NCEO Data Analytics: Participation Rate for 2007-08 to 2016-17 (#14)

This interactive report presents the annual performance data for students with disabilities on state assessment data for 2007-08 to 2016-17 which were analyzed to investigate trends in participatio…

Published: September 2020

The Focused Approach Planning Guide: Tools to Improve Student Access

This is a set of planning tools that can be used to improve access of all students, including low-performing students with disabilities, to grade-level content.

Published: 2012-09-01

NCEO Reports: Universal Design and K-12 Academic Assessments: A Scoping Review of the Literature (#442)

This report summarizes an investigation of literature published in 1985-2023 on universal design (UD) of large-scale assessments. State education agencies, K-12 assessment vendors, teacher trainers…

Published: February 2024

Assistive Technology Interoperability with Online Assessment Platforms and Other Technology Products and Services: Making it All Work!

This report contains the proceedings of a forum held on June 29, 2022, in Atlanta, Georgia to discuss issues surrounding the use of personal student assistive technology and online assessment …

Published: September 2022

Understanding English Learner Accommodations : Bilingual Word to Word Dictionaries

The video describes one of the testing accommodations allowed for English learners on West Virginia state assessments. It describes the West Virginia policy on using bilingual word to word dictiona…

Published: 11/3/2022

NCEO Brief: Revisiting Expectations for Students with Disabilities (#17)

The purpose of this brief is to summarize some of the past exclusionary practices that resulted from low expectations for students with disabilities, and how those were addressed in policies …

Published: May 2019

TIES Center Briefs: The General Education Curriculum - Not an Alternate Curriculum! (Brief #5)

This parent brief was developed to help parents determine whether their child with significant cognitive disabilities is provided meaningful access to the general education curriculum. It addresses…

Published: August 2020

Thinking About the Students Who May Qualify to Participate in An Alternate Assessment Based on Modified Academic Achievement Standards (AA-MAS): A Tool for Study Groups

A tool to learn more about the characteristics of students who may quality to participate in an alternate assessment based on modified academic achievement standards (AA-MAS). This is an archived …

Published: 2010-12-01

Accommodations Toolkit: Multiple Days: States’ Accessibility Policies, 2020

This summary of states’ accessibility policies for testing over multiple days is part of the Accommodations Toolkit published by the National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO).

Published: 8/31/2021

V3-3: Individualized Education Program (IEP) Team Meeting

An Individualized Education Program (IEP) team meeting is held at school. The student's mother, teachers, and the school principal talk about the read-aloud accommodation for math and how it will …

Published: 2014-05-05

NCEO Reports: An Updated State Guide to Universally Designed Assessments (#431)

This Guide is an update to the State Guide to Universally Designed Assessments that was originally published by NCEO in 2006. It provides a brief overview of what a universally designed assessment …

Published: February 2022

Parent Video Series: Supporting the Learning of Children with Significant Cognitive Disabilities at Home: Helping Your Child with the Foundations of Communication at Home

This video provides parents and siblings of students with disabilities with tips on how they can support the development of communication skills of their child (or sibling) at home, and provides …

Published: November 2020

Accommodations Toolkit: Calculator: States' Accessibility Policies, 2021

This summary of states’ accessibility policies for calculator is part of the Accommodations Toolkit published by the National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO).

Published: 2/10/2022

Bibliographies

This page highlights two searchable bibliographic resources available on NCEO’s website. One focuses on alternate assessments based on alternate academic achievement standards for students with …

Published: 2021-02-01

Accommodations Toolkit: Signed Administration: Research

This fact sheet on signed administration is part of the Accommodations Toolkit published by the National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO). It summarizes information and research findings on …

Published: 6/8/2022

NCEO Reports: Guidance Manuals for Educators of English Learners with Disabilities: Ideas and Lessons from the Field (#410)

This report describes ideas and lessons learned from leaders who developed state education agency guidance manuals for identifying, assessing and referring English learners (ELs) to special …

Published: April 2019

Parent Video Series: Supporting the Learning of Children with Significant Cognitive Disabilities at Home: Helping Your Child with Math While at Home

This video describes ways parents of students with significant cognitive disabilities can help expand their child’s math skills at home. The video discusses why it is important to focus on math at …

Published: March 2021

Accommodations for English Learners Bibliography

This searchable bibliographic database presents research on English learner accommodations. You can perform a basic search by keywords related to the accommodation, test content area, or student …

Published: 2018

Exploring IEP Transition Planning Experiences and Future Goal Aspirations of ELs and non-ELs with Disabilities

This presentation on IEP transition planning experiences and future goal aspirations of English learners and non-English learners with disabilities was presented at the 2020 National Association …

Published: 2020-02-28

Topics

  • Education practices (K12 and transition)
    • Dropout prevention and student engagement
    • Inclusive education
    • Academic standards
    • Family engagement
    • Assistive/adaptive technology
    • Instructional strategies
    • Literacy
    • Paraprofessional and teacher development
    • Student learning strategies
    • Transition planning
    • IEP development
    • Accommodations and supports
  • Community life
    • Civil rights
    • Self-advocacy and self-determination
  • Specific life stage
    • Children
    • Adolescents and young adults
  • Culture and diversity
    • Cultural competence
    • English language learners (ELLs)
    • Immigrants
  • Employment and postsecondary education
    • Preparing for postsecondary education
  • Educational accountability and assessment
    • Accommodations and supports
    • Accountability
    • Assessment (large-scale, alternate)
    • Diplomas and Graduation Requirements
    • IDEA
    • State Performance Plans and Annual Performance Reports (SPP/APR)
    • Evaluation of education programs
    • Progress monitoring
    • Assessment of individuals
    • Public reporting
    • Quality outcomes
    • English Learners with Disabilities
    • Accessibility & Accommodations
    • Assessment Participation
    • Assessment Reporting
    • Blind/Visual Impairments
    • College & Career Ready Standards
    • Content Areas
    • Deaf/Hearing Impairments
    • Educator Evaluation
    • English Learners
    • Flexibility Waivers
    • Instruction
    • Intellectual/Cognitive Disability
    • Learning disabilities
    • Out-of-Level Testing
    • Parents & Families
    • Policy
    • Standards and Accountability
    • Standards-based IEPs
    • State Surveys
    • Students with Disabilities
    • Teacher Evaluation
    • Technology-based Assessments
    • Test Design
    • Test Security
    • Universal Design
  • Specific disability
    • Autism spectrum disorder (ASD)
    • Emotional/behavioral disorder (EBD)
    • Hearing and/or vision loss
    • Intellectual/developmental disability (IDD)
    • Learning disabilities
    • Mental health and/or chemical dependency
    • Other health impairment
    • Physical disability

Activities

  • Research
  • Training and professional development
  • Technical assistance
  • Evaluation
  • Dissemination