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NCEXTEND1Alternate Assessment with Alternate

Achievement StandardsConference on Exceptional Children

November 17-18, 2008

NCDPI Division of Accountability Services

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Outline• What is an alternate assessment with alternate

achievement standards?• Who is eligible to participate in the NCEXTEND1? • What are the timelines for administration of

NCEXTEND1?• What does the NCEXTEND1 look like? Has

anything changed?• Are accommodations allowed?• How is the NCEXTEND1 scored?• How were cut scores set and what are they?• What do student results look like and how are they

used?

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What is an AA-AAS?

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What is an alternate assessment with alternate achievement standards?

• An alternate assessment is an assessment designed for the small number of students with disabilities who are unable to participate in the regular State assessment, even with appropriate accommodations.

• Alternate achievement standards refer to cut scores specific to this assessment.

http://www.ed.gov/legislation/FedRegister/finrule/2007-2/040907a.pdf

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Who is eligible?

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Who is eligible to participate in the NCEXTEND1?• Eligibility determined by IEP teams (or LEP

teams/committees)• Student-by-student

– Individual needs of student• No blanket decisions• Eligibility criteria must be considered• Must be documented• Must revisit decision annually

– Not an automatic continuation of assessment

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NCEXTEND1 Eligible Students

• The student must have a current IEP.• The student is enrolled in grades 3–8 and

10 (according to the Student Information Management System, e.g., SIMS/NCWISE).

• The student is instructed in the North Carolina Standard Course of Study Extended Content Standards in ALL assessed content areas.

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NCEXTEND1 Eligible Students

• The student has a SIGNIFICANT COGNITIVE DISABILITY (i.e., exhibits severe and pervasive delays in ALL areas of conceptual, linguistic, and academic development and also in adaptive behavior areas, such as communication, daily living skills and self-care).

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NCEXTEND1 Eligible StudentsThe vast majority of students with disabilities do

not have a significant cognitive disability. The NCEXTEND1 is NOT appropriate for students who:

• Are being instructed in ANY or ALL of the general grade-level content standards of the North Carolina Standard Course of Study;

• Demonstrate delays only in academic achievement;• Demonstrate delays due primarily to behavioral

issues;

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NCEXTEND1 Eligible StudentsThe NCEXTEND1 is NOT appropriate for students

who: (cont’d.)• Demonstrate delays only in selected areas of

academic achievement; or• If in high school, are pursuing a North Carolina high

school diploma (including students enrolled in the Occupational Course of study).

The NCEXTEND1 is designed for students who have a severe intellectual disability; it is NOT designed for students who have a specific learning disability.

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Participation by Eligibility

02468

10121416182022242628303234363840

3 4 5 6 7 8 10

Grade

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Autistic IDMI IDMO IDSE MU

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Mild Intellectual Disability

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3 4 5 6 7 8 10

Grade

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NCEXTEND1 Eligibility “Points to Ponder”

• Decisions may be due to low expectations for some students

• Decisions in early grades - what it means for future

• Misplacement of students may negatively impact proficiency levels of the population for which the assessment was designed

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• Classroom placement does not dictate assessment.

• Assessment does not dictate classroom placement.

• Appropriate placement affects all students assessed by the NCEXTEND1.

NCEXTEND1Eligibility Points to Remember

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What are the timelines?

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NCEXTEND1 Testing Window• Reading, Math, Science

– Materials delivered at least two weeks prior to test administration

– May 4 - June 19, 2009

• Writing– Materials delivered at least two weeks prior to test

administration– March 9 - March 20, 2009

• NCRegistration– Students must be registered prior to assessment and

matched with assessors– Complete student assessment history

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What does the test look like?

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Assessment Materials

• Student Test Book (each assessor)– Contains script and recording sheet

• Manipulative cards• For reading: Reading Selection Book

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Sample Elementary Mathematics Item Student Assessment Materials:

– Stimulus Card: 5 counters– Card A: 4 counters– Card B: 5 counters– Card C: 6 counters

Directions:• Present Stimulus card to student.• SAY: “Here are 5 counters.”• Present Card A, then Card B, then Card C to student.• SAY: “Which card has the same number of counters as this

card. (point to Stimulus Card). Show me the same number of counters.”

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Sample Elementary Mathematics Item Present Stimulus Card to student

SAY: “Here are 5 counters.”Present Card A, then Card B, then Card C to student.

SAY: “Which card has the same number of counters as this card. (point to Stimulus Card). Show me the same number of counters.”

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NCEXTEND1Assessed Content Areas• All or nothing - all assessed content areasGrade 3 Pretest Reading, MathematicsGrade 3 Reading, MathematicsGrade 4 Reading, Mathematics, WritingGrade 5 Reading, Mathematics, ScienceGrade 6 Reading, MathematicsGrade 7 Reading, Mathematics, WritingGrade 8 Reading, Mathematics, ScienceGrade 10 Reading, Mathematics, Writing,

Science

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Are accommodations allowed?

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• Accommodations ARE allowed– General allowable state

accommodations (e.g., multiple testing sessions, Braille editions, etc.)

NCEXTEND1Accommodations

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• Other accommodations allowed specific to NCEXTEND1– Texturizing pictures as routinely done for

instruction– Substituting actual objects for pictures as

routinely done for instruction– One switch or two switch response

• Test administrator points to each answer choice and student responds yes/no

– Calculators• Unless directions specifically state “no

calculators allowed”

NCEXTEND1Accommodations

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• For accommodations not listed in test materials:– NCEXTEND1 Accommodation

Notification Form must be submitted to the NCDPI • Located in NCEXTEND1 web application

NCEXTEND1Accommodations

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• Invalid Accommodations– Reading aloud specific selections and test

items that are designated as independent reading for students

– Dictate to scribe for specific item(s) that are designated as independent writing for students

– Providing actual objects other than those depicted on student cards

– Paraphrasing or rewording required scripts

NCEXTEND1Accommodations

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How is the test scored?

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How is the test scored?

• Assessors are given instructions on scoring for each item

• Each assessor independently rates each students’ performance on each item

• Assessors’ ratings are totaled and summed across items

• Range of possible scores – 0 to 30 (reading & mathematics)– 0 to 14 (writing)– 0 to 24 (science)

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How do we set cut scores?

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• Cut scores were set using contrasting groups data and reasoned judgment

• Contrasting groups– All teachers who administered the

NCEXTEND1 filled out survey questions

– Used those results to make a line in the distribution of scores where proficient would be

NCEXTEND1Cut Scores

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• Reasoned Judgment– Based on discussions with

stakeholders and examination of current and historical data

• Cuts will serve as interim for 07-08 and 08-09; validation standard setting study will occur in summer ‘09

NCEXTEND1Cut Scores cont’d.

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What are the results & how are they used?

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NCEXTEND12007-08 Scores

Percent Proficient

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5

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55

60

65

Grade 3 Grade 4 Grade 5 Grade 6 Grade 7 Grade 8 Grade 10

Reading Math Science Writing

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Reading Performance Comparison by Disability Classification

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101520253035404550556065707580859095

3 4 5 6 7 8 10

Grade

Perc

ent o

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dent

s Pro

ficie

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AU IDMI IDMO IDSE MU

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Math Performance by Disability Classification

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101520253035404550556065707580859095

100

3 4 5 6 7 8 10

Grade

Perc

ent o

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dent

s Pro

ficie

nt

AU IDMI IDMO IDSE MU

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Science Performance by Disability Classification

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

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55

60

65

70

75

80

5 8 10

Grade

Perc

ent o

f Stu

dent

s Pr

ofic

ient

AU IDMI IDMO IDSE MU

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Writing Performance by Disability Classification

05

101520253035404550556065707580859095

100

4 7 10

Grade

Perc

ent o

f Stu

dent

s Pro

ficie

nt

AU IDMI IDMO IDSE MU

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0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24 26 28 300

10

20

3040

50

60

7080

Perc

ent o

f Stu

dent

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Total Score

Reading Grade 3

Reading Without IDMI Grade 3 Reading With IDMI Grade 3

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0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24 26 28 300

102030405060708090

100

Num

ber

of S

tude

nts

Total Score

Math Grade 3

Math Without IDMI Grade 3 Math With IDMI Grade 3

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0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24 26 28 300

10

20

30

40

50

60N

umbe

r of

Stu

dent

s

Total Score

Reading Grade 10

Reading Without IDMI Grade 10 Reading With IDMI Grade 10

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0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24 26 28 300

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80N

umbe

r of

Stu

dent

s

Total Score

Math Grade 10

Math Without IDMI Grade 10 Math With IDMI Grade 10

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Using NCEXTEND1Results

• No NCEXTEND1 scores are used in ABCs growth

• Reading, Mathematics, & Science scores count in ABCs performance composite

• Reading & Mathematics count in AYP calculations

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Resources

• NCDPI Website: http://www.ncpublicschools.org/accountability/policies/tswd/ncextend1

• Testing Students with Disabilities Publications

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Questions?