Aligning the STAARS

Yep, that's right. I am talking about everybody's favorite topic: Statewide assessments. Here in Texas, the most recent incarnation is the STAAR or State of Texas Assessment of Academic Readiness. I do not want to debate the pros and cons of standardized testing but I do want to address some questions and concerns with regard to their implications for students with disabilities.

What is the purpose of having state and/or district wide assessments?

These assessments serve several functions including:

• measuring individual student achievement using grade-level performance standards set by the State,
• providing information in compliance with Federal laws and regulations such as the Elementary and Secondary Education Act and NCLB, and
• pinpointing the need for program improvement and accountability at the school, district and State level.

How successful they are in serving those functions is, of course, debatable.

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Why must children with disabilities be included in these assessments? 

No Child Left Behind, Section 504 and the IDEA require the inclusion of children with disabilities in all State and district-wide assessments.  The reasoning behind the requirement is best summed up by the US Office of Special Education Programs:

Too often in the past, students with disabilities were excluded from assessments and accountability systems, and the consequence was that they did not receive the academic attention they deserved. Access and exposure to the general curriculum for students with disabilities often did not occur, and there was no system wide measure to indicate whether or what they were learning. These regulations are designed to ensure that schools are held accountable for the educational progress of students with the most significant cognitive disabilities, just as schools are held accountable for the educational results of all other students with disabilities and students without disabilities. (http://www.osepideasthatwork.org/parentkit/AltAssessFAQ.asp)

How are children with disabilities included in Statewide assessments?

There are five options available to States for assessment of children with disabilities. They do not have to implement all five but the options available must enable the assessment of all children with disabilities. The options are:

1. General Grade-Level Assessment-An assessment of academic achievement developed in alignment with grade level content standards as defined by each State.

2. General Grade-Level Assessment with Accommodations-This is the same assessment but given with "appropriate accommodations" which generally include accommodations in:

• how the assessment is presented to the child,

• how the child's responses are recorded,

• where and under what conditions the child is assessed, i.e. separate room with no distractions and

• when and for how long the child is to be assessed.

Each State has its own rules on what accommodations are considered "appropriate." To find out what accommodations are permissible in your State click here.

3. Alternate Assessment Based on Grade-Level Academic Achievement Standards-this would involve situations where a child working on grade level cannot take the standard assessment even with appropriate accommodations for reasons unrelated to assessment content such as a severe physical disability.

4. Alternate Assessment Based on Modified Academic Achievement Standards (AA-MAS)-This option is for students with disabilities who are working on grade-level content that is covered on the general assessment but whose disabilities may result in their needing more time to master the content. These assessments measure a student's mastery of grade-level content, but are less difficult than grade-level achievement standards. Many states that currently offer this option are phasing it out including Texas. The STAAR Modified will no longer be offered beginning with the 2014-15 school year.

5. Alternate Assessment Based on Alternate Academic Achievement Standards (AA-AAS)-This assessment, while still aligned to grade level content, applies alternative (lower) achievement standards to determine proficiency (here in Texas this would be STAAR-Alternate). In defining alternate achievement standards States are required to use "a documented and validated standard-setting process reflecting an appropriate high expectation that will yield increased achievement" (National Center on Educational Outcomes). This option is intended only for children with the most severe intellectual disabilities. Typically, these are children who

• require substantial modifications, adaptations, or supports to meaningfully access the grade-level content, 
• require intensive individualized instruction, and 
• are unlikely to attain grade-level achievement standards, even with the very best instruction.

To find out which assessment options your state offers and the criteria necessary for each Click Here.

Who decides which assessment is right for my child with a disability?

This is a decision to be made on an individual basis by the child's IEP team (which includes parents) and reviewed annually. When making this decision, there are several factors to keep in mind:

• Deliberations should begin with the assumption the child will take the regular general assessments and work from there. IDEA requires the participation of children with disabilities in the general education curriculum to the fullest extent possible, including State and district-wide assessments. 
• If the IEP team determines a child requires appropriate testing accommodations, they must be included in the child's IEP. 
• Alternative Assessments, whether Modified or Alternative Achievement Standards, cannot be considered by the IEP team unless all eligibility criteria established by the State for participation in that Alternative Assessment option have been met. To review your State's participation criteria, see the link above.
• If a child is not taking the general assessment, the IEP must include a statement as to why s/he is to be excluded and why the alternative assessment chosen is appropriate (20 U.S.C. 1414(d)(1)(A)(VI)). 
• Be aware of your State's diploma (not graduation) requirements. Participation in Alternative Assessments may result in your child "graduating" with a Completion Certificate or IEP Diploma rather than a regular High School Diploma. (Please note, No Child Left Behind specifically requires States to ensure students taking assessments with Modified achievement standards are not precluded from attempting to meet the requirements for the regular diploma).
  

Is there a limit to the number of students a State or district can assess using modified or alternative achievement standards?

No. While there are limits to the number of proficient or advanced scores on Alternative Assessments which may be included as proficient for purposes of meeting the Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) requirements of No Child Left Behind (not to exceed 2% of all students assessed for AA-MAS &1% for AA-AAS), there is no limit placed on the number of students taking alternative assessments.\

Is your school held accountable?

Why should I care about this?

Regardless of your opinion on standardized testing, if you are a parent of a child with a disability, State and district wide assessments are a valuable tool in measuring your child's academic progress and holding the school accountable for providing the Free Appropriate Public Education to which s/he is entitled.

If your child does not meet the State criteria for Alternative Assessments, and yet is not meeting grade level academic achievement standards even with appropriate accommodations, this must be addressed in the IEP whether it be requesting further evaluation or adding to/reviewing services and/or supports the child receives.

If your child has a significant cognitive disability and qualifies to take an Alternative Assessment, be sure this is properly documented in the IEP. In Texas, the ARD committee (including parents) determine which of three complexity levels in the STAAR Alternate will be used to assess the child. The chosen level must be appropriately challenging for the child in order to accurately reflect increased achievement. If your child is unsuccessful in meeting the chosen level standards, again, this should be addressed in the IEP.

Assessments shouldn't have to be stressful for children with disabilities. If they are assessed and accommodated appropriately, it should be an opportunity for them to shine.