Welcome!
Welcome to the February 2026 edition of the NCEO newsletter! In this issue we highlight a timely past product, two new resources, and a popular section of our website.
The first new resource shared is NCEO’s 17th Survey of States. For over 30 years, NCEO has surveyed state special education and assessment directors to identify trends and issues in statewide assessment of students with disabilities. Our other highly anticipated new resource is the proceedings from the NCEO forum held at the National Conference on Student Assessment (NCSA) in June 2025 on Assistive Technology, Alternate and Augmentative Communication, and Artificial Intelligence.
Also, as states enter testing season, we wanted to share a popular brief from our School Leader Series that provides quick access to information on what school leaders need to do before, during, and after the assessment window.
Finally, we are excited to feature our State Policies Webpage, your centralized hub for quickly locating state assessment manuals and other state accessibility information.
Kristi Liu and Andrew Hinkle – NCEO Co-Directors
New Resources
2025 Survey of States: Trends and Issues in Statewide Assessment of Students with Disabilities
How does your state’s approach to including students with disabilities in state summative assessments and annual English proficiency assessments compare to national trends? The report, 2025 Survey of States: Trends and Issues in Statewide Assessment of Students with Disabilities, summarizes survey findings from state special education and assessment directors in 45 regular and unique states.
At a Crossroads: The Intersection of AT, AAC, and AI in the Education of Learners with Varied Needs
How can state education agencies balance the convergence of assistive technology (AT), augmentative and alternative communication (AAC), and artificial intelligence (AI) while maintaining valid assessments? On June 25, 2025, nearly 40 participants from state agencies, assessment vendors, and educational organizations gathered for the annual NCEO Forum held after the National Conference on Student Assessment (NCSA). The report, At a Crossroads: The Intersection of AT, AAC, and AI in the Education of Learners with Varied Needs, captures the proceedings.
In Case You Missed It
What School Leaders Need to Do Before, During, and After the Assessment Window
During state assessment season, school leaders face a busy period of coordination and oversight. The School Leader Series Brief #4: What School Leaders Need to do Before, During, and After the Assessment Window is an essential guide for managing the many moving parts of this process. This resource, created with input from state experts, provides school leaders with a clear plan to ensure that students with disabilities take the appropriate state assessments with allowable, appropriate accessibility features and accommodations.
Find State Assessment Policies Quickly
Finding the assessment policies and accommodations manuals for state testing can often feel like a digital scavenger hunt. To simplify this process, NCEO maintains a centralized hub designed to help you quickly locate state assessment policy information. Whether you are looking for specific accommodations for an IEP meeting or researching assessment policies across the country, NCEO’s State Policies Webpage is the place to start.
The Center is supported through a Cooperative Agreement (#H326G210002) with the Research to Practice Division, Office of Special Education Programs, U.S. Department of Education. The Center is affiliated with the Institute on Community Integration at the College of Education and Human Development, University of Minnesota. Consistent with EDGAR §75.62, the contents of this report were developed under the Cooperative Agreement from the U.S. Department of Education, but do not necessarily represent the policy or opinions of the U.S. Department of Education or Offices within it. Readers should not assume endorsement by the federal government.
Project Officer: Kristen Rhoads
