1

State Policy Considerationsfor Assessing Students Whose

Disabilities Affect Reading

Daniel WienerAdministrator of Inclusive Assessment

Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education

2

Who Are the Students?Individuals with… blindness or visual impairments specific learning disabilities (e.g., dyslexia) speech and language impairments stress disorders, TBI, ADHD deafness (with and without other disabilities) intellectual disabilities

for whom… the disability greatly limits or prevents the skill of decoding

even after ongoing attempts to teach the student to read read-aloud accommodation is provided for routine instruction no other means of access to the test exists

3

4

The problem:A small but significant number of students are prevented from demonstrating knowledge and skills on general assessments using “acceptable” accommodations.But what alternatives exist?•Alternate assessments based on alternate or modified achievement standards are inappropriate.

Student may be working at or near grade-level Student doesn’t need a modified assessment, only an

accommodation to access the highest achievement standards•Alternate assessments based on grade level achievement standards are inappropriate.

Student doesn’t need an alternate format—he can take a test! We learn what we already know: The student cannot decode!

Students are caught between assessments

5

“We Have a Definite Type of Situation”

--Broadway Danny RoseIn states where the read-aloud accommodation on the ELA test is not allowed:

If the student participates with the necessary accommodation… Results are invalidated; student counted as a non-participant and non-

proficient If the student participates without the necessary accommodation…

Access to assessment is effectively blocked Counted as a participant, but presumably, score will be non-proficient

6

The challenge that won’t go away!

Most states claim their ELA reading tests measure comprehension, interpretation, and analysis

Most ELA reading tests do not measure reading fluency, spelling, letter/phoneme/word recognition though these skills are included in most state standards

So, When the disability itself becomes the barrier to

accessing the higher-level skills…Why not let those students show what they know?

7

Rationale for Allowing ELA Read-aloud

Accommodations should improve our interpretation of test results (Sireci, 2006) Why tell parents what they already know? Inform them, instead, how well their child

comprehends text with necessary accommodation Increasing use of technology has expanded

options for accessing text Definition of “literacy” is broadening, though

still contested What does the test itself measure?

Questions of validity persist (on both sides)

8

In the End… What are consequences for a student who

is inappropriately assessed? What do we learn about their

performance? Should states with high stakes

graduation tests be especially worried if this accommodation is NOT allowed? (Hint: YES!)

9

States Must Explain Their Policy to the Public

What the ELA test measures Why accommodation should be allowed for a

limited number of students under certain conditions

Define specific criteria for its use Not simply for a student reading below grade level

What the results mean Not saying their kids can read Not saying schools shouldn’t continue teaching reading But test result does provide information used to make

valid inferences about what a student knows What consequences, if any, for student

10

Implications for States That Allow the Read-aloud Accommodation…

State should… Explain and be prepared to defend its policy, its criteria for

using the accommodation, and the validity of results Provide districts their data on use of the accommodation

(monitor and track) Explain (or notate) the results of accommodated tests Ask schools to document continued efforts to teach such

students to read Consider reconfiguring the ELA test itself to include a

section that only measures decoding