NCSC Alternate Assessment on Alternate Academic...

SEB - April 24, 2015

NCSC Alternate Assessment onAlternate Academic

Achievement Standards(AA-AAS)

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Background Information

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NCSC Partner States

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Alternate Assessment Background

• States are required to have assessments to measurestudent performance for accountability purposes inMath and English Language Arts (ELA) for grades 3-8and once in high school

• There are alternate assessments for students whohave the most significant cognitive disabilities

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Alternate Assessment Background

• These assessments are linked to grade levelcontent but have different expectations forachievement

• They are referred to as alternate assessmentson alternate academic achievement standards(AA-AAS)

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What does College and CareerReadiness Mean for Students withSignificant Cognitive Disabilities?

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Which Skills Promote College andCareer Readiness?

• Communicative competence• Social skills to function well in small groups• Independent work skills• Problem Solving• Reading/Writing/Math• Knowing when and how to seek assistance

The NCSC model includes community readiness in itsdefinition of college and career readiness.

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Working towards College and CareerReadiness in English Language Arts is

Important for….

• Communicating with family, friends, supportstaff, medical personnel, co-workers, etc.

• Comparing information to make decisions(including voting)

• Self-determination and self-advocacy

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Cont….

• Traveling in the community

• Understanding books, movies, TV shows andsongs

• Attending college

• Finding and maintaining employment

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Working towards College and CareerReadiness in Math is Important for…

• Telling time

• Making and following a schedule

• Managing money

• Arranging and using transportation

• Taking medication11

Cont….

• Planning and making meals

• Shopping

• Attending college

• Finding and maintaining employment

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NCSC Model for a ComprehensiveSystem of Curriculum, Instruction and

Assessment

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NCSC Framework for Assessments,Curriculum and Instruction

• Communication = priority objective

• College and career readiness in the NCSC modelalso includes community readiness

• Post High School (HS) Life

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College

Career

Community

Communicative Competence

CurriculumCommon Standards

Learning ProgressionsCore Content Connectors

InstructionGrade-level Lessons

AccommodationsSystematic Instruction (carefully

planned sequence for instruction)

AssessmentFormative (ongoing during school

year, monitors learning)Summative (end of year or course,

evaluates learning)

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NCSC Curriculum and InstructionalResources

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• Define what students are expected to know and dofor each grade level in Math and English LanguageArts (ELA)

• Focus on what is most essential, not all that can orshould be taught or “how” to teach

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Common Core State Standards (CCSS)

Common Core State Standards (CCSS)

• Are linked to expectations for college and careersuccess

• Most states have adopted the CCSS and must provideinstruction and assessments for ALL students basedon these standards

• The other states have similar college and careerready standards and related assessments

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• Using the learning progressions framework, NCSCidentified the knowledge and skills from CommonCore State Standards needed at each grade tomake progress in later grades, but breaks theminto smaller pieces called CCCs

• CCCs are the basis for the NCSC assessment butoperate as a starting point for instruction based onthe CCSS

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Core Content Connectors (CCC)

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Core Content Connectors (CCC)

Example:

CCSS- Read closely to determine what the textsays explicitly and to make logical inferences fromit; cite specific textual evidence when writing orspeaking to support conclusions drawn from thetext.

CCC- Ask and answer questions* about key detailsin a text.

*Instead of an oral or written response, some studentsmay use picture symbols, character figures and props, etc.

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• Shows the steps students typically take to progressthrough a content area (e.g., Math) to get deeper,broader, and more sophisticated understanding;

• Represents the essential core concepts andprocesses learned in a content area (sometimescalled the “big ideas”);

• Provides a map to Individualized Education Plan(IEP) teams for what should come next as studentscontinue to move through the grades; and

• Contains progress indicators.

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Hess, Karin K., (December 2011). Learning Progressions Frameworks Designed forUse with the Common Core State Standards in English Language Arts & Literacy K-12.

Learning Progressions Framework(LPF)

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Content Modules

https://wiki.ncscpartners.org/index.php/Content_Modules 27

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Graduated Understandings

https://wiki.ncscpartners.org/index.php/Graduated_Understandings29

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Instructional Families

https://wiki.ncscpartners.org/index.php/Instructional_Families31

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Element Cards

https://wiki.ncscpartners.org/index.php/Element_Cards33

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Curriculum Resource Guides

https://wiki.ncscpartners.org/index.php/Curriculum_Resource_Guides35

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Universal Design for Learning

https://wiki.ncscpartners.org/index.php/Curriculum_Resource_Guides37

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LASSIs and MASSIs

https://wiki.ncscpartners.org/index.php/Curriculum_Resource_Guides39

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Instructional Resource Guide

https://wiki.ncscpartners.org/index.php/Curriculum_Resource_Guides41

Survey of Learner Characteristics forStudents Taking an AA-AASFrom 18 NCSC States during the 2010-2011 or 2011-2012 academicyear

• 65% of students could read written text orBraille at some level

• 42% of students performed computation (somewith a calculator)

• 69% used symbolic language (verbal or writtenwords, signs, Braille, or language-basedaugmentative systems) to communicate

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All curriculum and instructionalresources available at https://wiki.ncscpartners.org

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NCSC Assessment

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Assessment Participation Guidelines

• There will be a NCSC AA-AAS in Math and one inELA, which includes both reading and writing,for grades 3-8 and 11

• The IEP team will determine, on an individualbasis, whether a student will take the NCSC AA-AAS

• If a student doesn’t meet the AA-AAS criteriafor both Math and ELA, he/she may not beeligible for either NCSC AA-AAS 45

Format

• Approximately 30 items for each subject

• These 30 items will cover approximately 10 CCCs

• Most of the assessment items ask the student toselect the correct response (e.g., multiplechoice)

• Some items will require the student to constructa response (e.g., write a short answer or use analternate way to respond or use picturesymbols)

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Technology• This will be an online testing program.

• Some students will use the online testingprogram directly on the computer.

• For other students, the teacher may print outtesting materials and enter student responsesinto the computer.

• The assessment will have built-in supports toprovide students with the opportunity to respondindependently. 47

Length of Assessment

• Expected testing time will be approximately 1.5– 2 hours for each assessment (Math and ELA)

• Each student’s assessment can be completed inmultiple smaller time slots over a 2-monthperiod to meet the student’s needs

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Relationship of Items toGrade Level Content

• About 75% of the assessment items are closelylinked to the grade-level content

• About 25% are a farther link to the grade-levelcontent to allow students who are just beginningto work with the academic content show whatthey know and can do

• In the first years of the new assessment manystudents will likely answer questions and dotasks that are less complex, but increasecomplexity as instruction improves 49

Exceptional Circumstances

• There will be policies and criteria for dealingwith rare situations where it may not beappropriate to administer or continue anassessment

• When these policies are used there will berequirements for data collection in order to flagthe need for interventions to address unmetinstructional needs (e.g., related services orinstructional supports)

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Review of NCSC webpage

• NCSC Curriculum and Instruction Resources

• Core curriculum and instruction resources on apublic wiki (https://wiki.ncscpartners.org),created to host the materials that educators willneed to deliver instruction aligned to theCommon Core State Standards (CCSS). Thematerials are grouped in three categories, two ofwhich are ready for use:

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Review of NCSC webpage

• Curriculum Resources - What to Teach(reference materials created to reinforceeducators' understanding of curriculum content)

• Instructional Resources - How to Teach(reference materials created to supportclassroom teaching)

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Resources

• http://www.ncscpartners.org/ link to NCSCwebpage

• https://wiki.ncscpartners.org/index.php/Language_Arts_Sample_Systematic_Instruction_Script_(LASSIS):_Elementary_Vocabulary_and_Acquisition#BUILD_ESSENTIAL_UNDERSTANDING:_Teaching_Story_Elements

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SEB Update

• Jacqueline Denton – Interim Director, SpecialEducation Bureau

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IDEA Application

• DUE April 27th by COB– Application and Documents must be submitted

in WebEPSS– ALL FY 14 Past Due documents and required

FY 15 documents must be included to approveapplications.

• Remember approval is needed to release your IDEAfunds

– Contact your EA for questions and support toensure that your application is approved

– *Intended notification of approval date June 5

STARS Update for EOY

• No duplicates• CEIS Data• ECOs• Don’t wait – enter data as available

€ Overdue Evals and IEPS

€ Ind. 6

€ Ind. 13

• No waivers required– Do your SY 15-16 projections for FTE needs

Other Things Happening

• AU Project – new schools• Modules – CCSC• WIOA Collaboration with BME• Collaboration with BME• PreK RRT – PD Through the Year