Every two years, NCEO surveys states to gather information on trends in the large-scale assessment of students with disabilities. The survey focuses on topics such as assessment participation and performance, accessibility features and accommodations, and alternate assessments. The next survey will be sent in the fall of 2014. The report on NCEO’s previous state survey (2012) is available at www.nceo.info/OnlinePubs/StateReports/2012_survey_of_states.html.

States are facing many new challenges as they implement college- and career-ready standards and move toward administering next-generation assessments. Many states belong to one or more assessment consortia that are developing and implementing new general assessments, alternate assessments based on alternate achievement standards, and English language proficiency assessments. All of these assessments will include students with disabilities. Some consortia are piloting or field testing their assessments this year while others are in earlier development stages. The 2014 NCEO Survey of States is designed to generate as much current information as possible, and will ask questions about these and other educational issues and topics affecting students with disabilities.

State directors of special education and state directors of assessment (or other state-designated personnel) collaborate to respond to the survey with their state’s thinking, policies, and practices for including students with disabilities in assessment systems and educational reform. The survey includes about 25 questions on the assessment consortia, college and career readiness, successful practices and recurring challenges, and a host of other topics relevant to students with disabilities.

The NCEO contact for the survey is Vitaliy Shyyan (612) 624-8561, shyya001@umn.edu. He will respond to questions and suggestions.