This new report, A Summary of the Research on the Effects of K–12 Test Accommodations: 2023 (NCEO Report 451), presents a synthesis of the research literature published in 2023 on testing accommodations for U.S. elementary and secondary students with disabilities. Research on assessment accommodations is fundamental to guarantee educational measurement and accountability systems that accurately capture what students with disabilities know and can do. High-quality evidence about accommodation effectiveness and implementation is essential for making valid decisions about instruction and assessment. NCEO has reported on accommodations research since 1999.

Assessment accommodations play a crucial role in ensuring valid measurement of academic achievement for students with disabilities, as mandated by federal legislation, including the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). These accommodations, defined as changes in assessment materials or procedures that do not alter the construct being measured, are essential for providing students with disabilities appropriate access to assessments while maintaining test score validity and reliability.

Overall, research on K-12 assessment accommodations in 2023 showed a shift from comparing test scores to examining implementation practices and stakeholder perspectives (primarily teachers and students), reflecting a focus on real-world challenges. Technology-based accommodations like magnification devices and text-to-speech were frequently studied. The studies reviewed showed that accommodations were most effective when tailored to individual needs. Findings also showed that teachers often lacked training despite feeling supported in decision making.