Welcome

Welcome to the fall NCEO e-newsletter. In this issue, we highlight the findings from the 2012 survey of states—many interesting findings! Also, look for information on two new NCEO products—a tool that groups can use to build consensus on a topic, and a report on current state policies on accommodations for delivering assessments orally. We also highlight an innovative online training for educators to improve decisions made about accommodations for individual students. Finally, we highlight three manuals developed collaboratively by states, CCSSO, and NCEO, and published by CCSSO, to help guide accommodations decision making. As always, we welcome feedback and ideas about what you would like to see in future issues of NCEO’s e-newsletter.

2012 Survey of States: Successes and Challenges During a Time of Change

NCEO just published its  thirteenth survey of states, the  2012 Survey of States: Successes and Challenges During a Time of Change. This report provides a snapshot of new initiatives, trends, accomplishments, and emerging issues. …

read entire article here…

New Consensus Building Tool

The Multi-Attribute Consensus Building (MACB) method has been used by NCEO for over a decade to help groups prioritize strategies, decisions, recommendations, and policies based on participants’ perceptions. We make this tool available for your use. …

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Accommodations Used to Deliver Assessments Orally

There is wide variation across states in their accommodations policies for Human Reader, Text to Speech, and Pre-recorded Audio. A new NCEO report on this topic is now available: 2012 State Policies for Accommodations Used to Deliver Assessments Orally. …

read entire article here …

Empowering Educators to Improve Accommodations Decision Making through Innovative Online Training

NCEO recently rolled-out online training on accommodations decision making. The training includes case-based video clips, and contains five interactive, multi-media professional development modules. Educators are coached on best practices in how to select, administer, and evaluate the use of accommodations. …

read entire article here…

New CCSSO Accommodations Manuals

We highlight three Accommodations Manuals the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO) developed collaboratively by states, CCSSO, and NCEO. The manuals address assessment accommodations for students with disabilities, English language learners (ELLs), and ELLs with disabilities.

read entire article here …

The Center is supported through a Cooperative Agreement (#H326G110002) 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. The contents of this report were developed under the Cooperative Agreement from the U.S. Department of Education, but does not necessarily represent the policy or opinions of the U.S. Department of Education or Office within it. Readers should not assume endorsement by the federal government.

Project Officer: David Egnor

Welcome

Welcome to the first NCEO e-newsletter. In this issue, we highlight the whirlwind of changes that we are all experiencing – the CCSS, the assessment consortia, shifting assessment policies, flexibility waivers, and more – and how they all relate to students with disabilities. We welcome feedback and ideas about what you would like to see in future issues of this quarterly e-newsletter.

A Time of Change: Transition and Transformation

Understanding how to best instruct and assess students with disabilities remains a challenge. During this time of change there are both opportunities and difficulties.

Many states are transitioning to Common Core State Standards, and all students need to be college and career ready by the time they leave high school. Consortia of states have joined together to develop next generation regular and alternate assessments based on alternate achievement standards (AA-AAS)—as well as English language proficiency tests.

Read entire story here …

NCSA Pre-Conference Forum Registration Now Open

Join NCEO and the ASES SCASS for a lively discussion on Addressing Performance Gaps of Low Performing Students during a pre-session to the National Conference on Student Assessment (NCSA).

Considerations for the instruction and assessment of low-performing students with disabilities, English language learners, and other struggling learners will be addressed by a panel of speakers representing state agencies, higher education and teacher preparation, district-level administration, and parents.

Read entire story here …

States Plans for Phasing Out the AA-MAS

NCEO recently published a report, States’ Flexibility Plans for Phasing Out the Alternate Assessment Based on Modified Academic Achievement Standards (AA-MAS) by 2014-15, that compiled, analyzed and summarized states’ transition plans.

Read entire story here …

Improving the Instruction and
Assessment of Low-Performing Students

Understanding how to instruct and assess low-performing students, both with and without disabilities, remains a challenge. National experts recently conducted a number of studies that can help answer key questions about instructing and assessing these students. NCEO published a white paper, Lessons Learned in Federally Funded Projects that Can Improve the Instruction and Assessment of Low Performing Students with Disabilities , that presents the findings and lessons learned from 14 projects involving 26 states.

Read entire story here …

The Center is supported through a Cooperative Agreement (#H326G110002) 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. Opinions expressed herein do not necessarily reflect those of the U.S. Department of Education or Offices within it.