N C

E O

National Center on Educational Outcomes

Current Status of State Alternate Assessments

And Challenges of Validating Alternate Assessments

Status based on 2003 NCEO Survey of State Special Education Directors

Martha L. Thurlow

N C

E O

National Center on Educational Outcomes

2003 State Survey

• Participants: State directors of special education assisted by other state officials representing special education, standards, assessment, and accountability

• States: All 50 states and 9 of 11 federally funded entities (unique states)

• Purpose: to provide a snapshot of new initiatives, trends, accomplishments, and emerging issues

N C

E O

National Center on Educational Outcomes

2003 State SurveyResults are presented in eight sections:• Consequences • Participation and Performance • Accommodations • Alternate Assessments • Accountability • Emerging Practices • Current and Emerging Issues • Preferred Forms of Technical Assistance

N C

E O

National Center on Educational Outcomes

Some States Have More than One Alternate Assessment

Option• 33 regular states and 5 unique states offer a single type of alternate assessment

• 8 states offer two alternate assessment options

• 3 states offer three or more options tied to their alternate assessment.

N C

E O

National Center on Educational Outcomes

N = # of states 1999 2001 2003

Functional Skills 16 4 2

State Standards 20 43 43

Developing/Revising 24 3 2

IEP Team Decides -- -- 3

Focus of Alternate Assessments Has Evolved Over Time

N C

E O

National Center on Educational Outcomes

Alternate Assessment Approaches

Rating Scale/ Checklist

30%

IEP Analysis8%

Other10%

In Revision6%

Portfolio/Body of Evidence

46%

N C

E O

National Center on Educational Outcomes

Variations in Student Performance Measures (2003)

• Independence 33 states

• Skill/competence 27 states

• Progress 21 states

• Ability to generalize 21 states

• Self-determination 12 states

• Social Relationships 9 states

N C

E O

National Center on Educational Outcomes

Variations in System Performance Measures (2003)

• Variety of Settings 23 states

• Appropriateness (e.g, age, challenge) 19 states

• Alignment to Standards 17 states

• Access to Support 12 state

• Staff Support 11 states

• Gen. Ed. Participation 6 states

• Parent Satisfaction 1 state

N C

E O

National Center on Educational Outcomes

States with a Standard-setting Process for Alternate Assessments

•

Regular States

Yes52%

No14%

Don't know10%

Other16%

Informal process

8%

N C

E O

National Center on Educational Outcomes

How many students participated in states’ alternate assessment(s) during 2000-2001 [before NCLB accountability came into force]?

N C

E O

National Center on Educational Outcomes

WA MT ND

OR

NV

CA

ID WY

UT

AZ

CO

NM

SD

NE

KS

TX

OK

MN

IA

MO

AR

LA

WI

IL

MI

OH

KY

MS

TN

FL

ALGA

SCNC

VA

PANY

ME

WV

AK

HI

VT NH

CTNJ

DEMD

0-1% (5 regular, 0 unique)

2-5% (19 regular, 0 unique)

6-10% (12 regular, 2 unique)

11-20% (1 regular, 0 unique)

> 21% (1 regular, 1 unique)

No Overall Participation Rate Data (12 regular, 6 unique)

IN

MA

RI

American Samoa

Bureau of Indian Affairs

Commonwealth N. Mariana Islands

District of Columbia

Guam

Marshall Islands

Palau

Puerto Rico

Virgin Islands

Rates are for the population of students receiving special education services at the grades assessed.

2000-2001 Alternate Assessment Participation Data

Data from States’ Biennial Performance Reports

N C

E O

National Center on Educational Outcomes

Validation Challenges (a few. . .)

NCLB is looking for specific characteristics (alignment, standards-setting procedures, comprehensiveness, validity, reliability) while: Many states are dealing with groups of students

never instructed academically before

Expectations for students are all over the place

Many states have never thought about assessing these students in a way that allows for their scores to be aggregated and reported

What to score and how to score these assessments is controversial