Alabama Alternate Assessment (AAA)…

1. Alabama Alternate Assessment (AAA)… FROM THE BEGINNING March 16, 2013 Peggy Windham, Presenter

2. Alabama Alternate Assessment • Developed as requirement of IDEA • All students must be given a state assessment • Sent to vendor for report generation • Additional requirements under NCLB • Must develop guidelines for students eligible to take AAA • Must be based on extension of state content standards in reading, mathematics, and science • Must meet same technical requirements as all other assessments (i.e., validity, reliability, etc.)

3. What is the AAA? • Is a portfolio assessment • Is based on the Alabama Extended Standards in reading, mathematics, and science which were developed by a task force made up of special education teachers, regular education teachers, and administrators • Is a collection of evidence of the assessment of the student’s mastery of each extended standard

4. Who takes the AAA? • Portfolio performance assessment • Reading Grades 3-8 and 11; Reading ES taught in grads K – 2; no evidence collected • Mathematics Grades 3-8 and 11; Math ES taught in grades K-2; no evidence collected • Science Grades 5, 7, and 11; taught at all grade levels; evidence not collected except 5,7,11 • Collection of evidence of performance on the extended standards • Photographs — Teacher tests/Worksheets • Audio/video — Work Samples • Written Performance Summary • Designed for students with significant cognitive disabilities

5. Eligibility for the AAA Criteria to consider during the decision-making process regarding which assessment is appropriate • Student’s cognitive functioning • IQ of 55 and below • Curriculum • Revised 2006 Alabama Extended Standards

6. Extended Standards Complexity • The complexity taught and tested may vary by extended standard. • Within a standard all 3 pieces of evidence are collected on only one complexity level • Example: • R. ES 4.1—Complexity 3 (all 3 pieces of evidence) • R. ES 4.2—Complexity 2 (all 3 pieces of evidence) • R. ES 4.3—Complexity 4 (all 3 pieces of evidence) • R. ES 4.4—Complexity 2 (all 3 pieces of evidence) • R. ES 4.5—Complexity 1 (all 3 pieces of evidence)

7. Teaching Extended Standards and Collecting Evidence • Teachers teach the ES and collect evidence of student performance throughout the school year. • Pacing guide/lesson plans • Crate/paper box (1 per student) • Select three pieces of evidence to be scored • Three pieces of evidence are collected on every extended standard. Must cover the ES for the grade level enrolled. • Reading 3-8 and 11 • Mathematics 3-8 and 11 • Science 5, 7, and 11

8. Five Ways to SubmitScorable Evidence 1. Student worksheets/teacher tests ―10 item rule 2. Student work samples ― Something that has been manipulated (cut and paste) 3. Photograph or series of photographs ― Annotated word-for-word 4. Audio/video ― Scripted word-for-word 5. Written Performance Summary SDE form must be used

9. Student Worksheets or Teacher Tests • Original student’s work should be sent for the AAA scoring. • Teachers should indicate accuracy of student answers. • Each worksheet/test must contain at least ten (10) items. (Worksheets may be combined to total at least ten (10) items. These combined worksheets will be considered one piece of evidence.) • Must have a Body of Evidence Entry Cover (BOE) Sheet attached.

10. Student Work Samples • Original student work samples will include, but not be limited to: • Student’s written work • Student drawings • Projects • Narratives • Must have a BOE Entry Cover Sheet attached.

11. Photograph(s) • A photograph or series of photographs mustclearlyillustrate the student’s performance of the standard. • The “Task Summary” on the BOE Cover Sheet mustexplicitly summarize the pictured activity. • Let another teacher look at the picture and read the summary to see if they can tell you what activity took place. • Must have a BOE Entry Cover Sheet attached.

12. Audio/Video • A tape, CD, or DVD is acceptable. • The audio/video mustclearly illustrate the student’s performance of the standard. • The audio/video can be no more than five (5) minutes in length per piece of evidence. • Put all pieces of evidence for reading, math or science using audio/video on one to two cassette tapes/CD/DVD per subject area. • Ex: all reading on one CD, all math on one CD, all science on one CD. • Each audio/video must be accompanied by a word-for-word script. • Must have a BOE Entry Cover Sheet attached.

13. Audio/Video Restrictions • Audio cassette tape—no restrictions • Video tape/DVD—No mini DVDs, Hi8, or any small tapes. If these are used, they must be transferred to a standard tape/DVD to be submitted. • CD—no restrictions • Must include a word-for-word script

14. Written Performance Summary • This is a detailed description of the activity. • It documents, in detailed sequence, the steps or behaviors of how the student performs on the activity • All sections must be completed and the detailed summary of the student’s performance on the activity

15. Written Performance Summary • Always provide the details • Name the book that was read • Give the number of coins and which coins used • Give the words that were read • Give the letters sounded out or blended • Always include • Level of assistance and level of complexity • Participants, materials, and setting • Directions • Criteria for Success • Include any input from other adults and/or students • Please be very specific!!!

16. The Three Levels of Assistance • 1. Independently—the student performs the task without prompting or support. The cognition of the task is performed entirely by the student. • 2. Prompting—the student is provided cues by the teacher or aide (oral cues, repeat or additional directions, and/or gestures that initiate or sustain a task). The cognition of the task is performed entirely by the student.

17. Levels of Assistance • 3. Support—the student receives direct assistance to achieve the skill. The cognition of the task is not performed by the student alone; however, the task is notcompleted by the teacher. This assistance is more than prompting. • The teacher may assist the student in completing the task. • Hand-over-hand is notsupport (teacher is performing cognition)

18. Minimum Evidence • Alabama Alternate Assessment(AAA) Minimum Evidence Per Extended Standard Online at www.alsde.edu click on: • Home; click on offices • Click on Office of Student Learning • Assessment • Publications • AAA information

19. Good Instruction vs. Good Assessment • Lesson Plans • Based on content standards with individual student needs in mind • Instruction • Simple and concise with possible demonstration of what is expected • Practice • Student will practice what is expected many times • Assess Pre-test if needed • Test student on mastery of content standard • Collect 3 best pieces of evidence

20. Common Misunderstandings • Expecting Level III proficiency to be the same as Level 3 complexity • Showing progress over time • Showing evidence during the teaching of each skill • Showing one piece of evidence at the beginning of teaching the skill, one at the middle of teaching the skill, and one at end of teaching the skill • Showing multiple trials by the student on the same evidence

21. Common Misunderstandings • Using different complexities within a standard • Including directions in the level of assistance • The teacher completing the task for the student • Using hand-over-hand as “support”

22. Evidence Alignment • The evidence must be aligned to the extended standard. • The activity must relate to the extended standard. Evidence that does not relate/not aligned to the standard will be given a score of “zero”. The link between the evidence and the extended standard must be clear.

23. USING THE MINIMUM EVIDENCE

24. USING THE MINIMUM EVIDENCE

25. Aligned and Valid

26. Alignedand Valid

27. Aligned and Valid

28. Aligned and Valid

31. Participate in an activity matching pictures of multiple meaning words With at least 10 different words in sentences across the pieces of evidence R. ES 5.1 Identify words with more than one meaning. Use multiple meaning words in sentences Student reads word and associates the word with meaning. (bat-flies, bat-baseball) With at least 10 different words across the pieces of evidence Identify words with more than one meaning Student is asked to find the pictures that match the word the teacher gives them. (bat-flies, bat-baseball) With at least 10 different matches across the pieces of evidence Match pictures of multiple meaning words Student participates by watching another student match pictures and multiple meaning words. Participate in an activity matching pictures of multiple meaning words With a different activity per piece of evidence

32. Support

33. Independent

34. Touch Math

35. Show Work

36. Student Registration All students who are being assessed by the AAA MUST have this item checked on the second page of the IEP that states: • SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONAL FACTORS: Items checked "YES" will be addressed in this IEP: Is the student working toward alternate achievement standards and participating in the Alabama Alternate Assessment? Item MUST be checked YES! If the AAA box is not checked “YES” on the student’s IEP, he/she will not be picked up by the testing company as a student being assessed by AAA. The pre-labels will be made according to this information. Also make sure the State Testing pages indicate AAA as the state assessment. • STI/INOW demographics must be accurate. Make sure the student is in the correct grade in INOW.

37. Curriculum for the AAA • All extended standards (ES) for the grade- level of enrollment according to STI must be taught and tested. • Each ES contains 4 complexity levels. The highest level of complexity the student is expected to achieve should be selected.

38. Spring 2013 AAA • The AAA is administered in reading in Grades 3-8 and 11 only. • The AAA is administered in mathematics in Grades 3-8 and 11 only. • The AAA will be administered in science in Grades 5, 7 and 11 this spring. • The testing window for the 2013 AAA is April 15, 2013 through May 3, 2013.

39. Scoring • Qualifications of scorers • Must have a college degree • Trained on the population and expectations for students participating • Trained on the Alabama Extended Standards for the grade level scoring • Trained on the Minimum Evidence Required

40. Scoring • Individuals must qualify to serve as scorer. • Individual is trained and will score specific grade or grade range. • There is a 10% percent read-behind (like the ARMT open-ended items). • There is retraining of individuals, if necessary. • Reliability statistics are computed. • SDE staff assist in training. • SDE staff is conferenced in on unusual evidence.

41. Scoring • Rubric • Alignment • Complexity—one to four points • Assistance—one to three points • Content mastery • 0 points for 0-24% • 1 point for 25-49% • 2 points for 50-74% • 3 points for 75-100%

42. Scoring • Student 1 • Complexity (Level 3) 3 points • Assistance (Support) 1 point • Mastery (25-49%) 1 point • Total Score 5 points • Student 2 • Complexity (Level 2) 2 points • Assistance (Independent) 3 points • Mastery (75-100%) 3 points • Total Score 8 points

43. Have a Great Year!