NCEO has been awarded a five-year grant by the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs, to continue its work as a national technical assistance center. Starting October 1, 2021, NCEO’s knowledge development and technical assistance activities will focus on building the knowledge of States, districts, national policymakers, and parents about assessment issues related to students with disabilities.
NCEO will work with its long-time partners, Applied Engineering Management Corporation (AEM), the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO), the National Association of State Directors of Special Education (NASDSE), and WestEd, and add one new partner, SPAN Parent Advocacy Network’s Center for Parent Information and Resources (CPIR), in its efforts to meet new objectives. Among the new areas of focus for NCEO are providing parents of children with disabilities information on the analysis and use of diagnostic, interim, and summative assessment data to inform instructional programs, improve instruction for students with disabilities, and support State implementation of state identified measureable results (SIMR).
In addition, NCEO will collect, analyze, synthesize, and disseminate evidence-based information on such topics as alternate assessments, technology-based assessments, identifying and assessing English learners with disabilities, and using assessments for instructional decision-making purposes and to ensuring implementation of SIMRs. NCEO will continue to provide leadership on the inclusion of students with disabilities, English learners, and English learners with disabilities in comprehensive assessment systems.
“We are excited about the expanded focus of the 5-year grant to continue NCEO’s activities” says NCEO director Sheryl Lazarus. “This is a wonderful opportunity to build knowledge and provide technical assistance about using assessment data to improve learning and outcomes of students with disabilities.”
NCEO’s website remains at: www.nceo.info. We look forward to an exciting and productive next five years!