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Tools and Techniques for Improving Accommodations Outcomes

Tools and Techniques for Improving Accommodations Outcomes. Martha Thurlow and Laurene Christensen National Center on Educational Outcomes CEC Preconvention Workshop #4 April 21, 2010. Welcome and Introductions. Martha Thurlow Laurene Christensen Introduce yourself – Name State

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Tools and Techniques for Improving Accommodations Outcomes

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  1. Tools and Techniques for Improving Accommodations Outcomes Martha Thurlow and Laurene Christensen National Center on Educational Outcomes CEC Preconvention Workshop #4 April 21, 2010

  2. Welcome and Introductions • Martha Thurlow • Laurene Christensen • Introduce yourself – • Name • State • One more thing about you

  3. Goals for Today • Review five-step process for monitoring accommodations decision making and implementation • Identify strategies for improving the use of accommodations in instruction and assessment • Share tools and techniques for checking on decision making and use • Discuss how to address validity issues related to accommodations

  4. First Step – Common Terms Accommodations – Changes in materials or procedures that enable students to meaningfully access instruction and assessment. Assessment accommodations do not change the construct that is being measured. Accommodations mediate the effects of a student’s disability and donot reduce learning expectations.

  5. First Step – Common Terms Modifications – Changes in materials or procedures that enable students to access instruction and assessment. Assessment modifications do change the construct that is being measured. Modifications create challenges for assessment validityAccommodations mediate the effects of a student’s disability and donot reduce learning expectations.

  6. Another way to talk about this ------- Accommodationsremove construct irrelevant variance – that is, variability that may be systematic (e.g., the effect of the disability), but that is not what the test is intended to measure. Modifications may also remove construct relevant variance – that is, variability that may be systematic (e.g., the effect of the disability) – but in this case, it is also related to what the test is intended to measure.

  7. Accommodations are intended to produce valid measures of what a student knows and is able to do. To determine whether each is valid requires relating the accommodation to the standards and content that is being assessed.

  8. Other Terms You Use or Have Heard Standard accommodations ? Nonstandard accommodations ? Conditional accommodations ? Adaptations ? Other terms ? Share your terminology – and what might be confusing about the terms.

  9. Overview of Workshop Materials • Binder with agenda, powerpoints, resources, and exercises • Accommodations Monitoring Tool, with examples, checklists, additional resources, and glossary • Accommodations Manual, with tools • Hints and Tips • Accommodations Video • Flash Drive with materials

  10. Evidence Base for Tools and Techniques • Analyses of accommodation policies (1992-2009) and effects (1999-2008) • Accommodations for computer-based tests (2002) • Accommodations manuals projects (2005, 2009) • Principled Approach to Accountability Assessments • Peer review project • Hints and Tips Tool • Technical Report on Peer Review of Accommodations

  11. Themes from Review of Peer Comments • Selection of accommodations • Linking of instructional and assessment accommodations • Monitoring accommodations • Accommodations use allows for valid and meaningful scores Big Issue that Emerged: Monitoring accommodations

  12. Monitoring Accommodations – Overview of Tool • Developed in collaboration with CCSSO • Reviewed extensively by ASES SCASS group • Based on a review of publicly available materials • 5 Step process • Each step includes examples, a checklist, additional resources • Appendices include additional examples from states • Extensive glossary at the end

  13. Step 1: Know the Rules and Regulations for Accommodations Federal Laws that Pertain to Monitoring Accommodations • IDEA • ESEA What is monitoring?

  14. Federal Laws Pertaining to Monitoring Accommodations • IDEA (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act) • Requires students with disabilities who need accommodations to have them • Document accommodations on an IEP • Monitor the educational results for students • Ensure States follow through with the requirements of IDEA Nothing specific about monitoring accommodations.

  15. Federal Laws Pertaining to Monitoring Accommodations • ESEA (Elementary and Secondary Education Act) • Requires accommodations as necessary in order to measure student achievement • Requires accommodations use to result in a valid score Monitoring is identified in the standards and assessment peer review materials.

  16. So, what is meant by: “monitoring accommodations”?

  17. Monitoring accommodationsis a process of evaluating policies, procedures, and practices in order to ensure that a state’s assessment system is inclusive of students with disabilities and English language learners.

  18. Monitoring is about compliance • The State has analyzed the use of specific accommodations for different groups of students with disabilities and has provided training to support sound decisions by IEP teams. • The State routinely monitors the extent to which test accommodations are consistent with those provided during instruction. But, it is about more than compliance . . .

  19. Monitoring is about improving outcomes • Systematic attention to the provision of accommodations can ensure that students are able to show what they know and can do

  20. Monitoring Activities • Training for decision-making teams • Evaluating IEP team decisions about accommodations • Tracking accommodations students use for instruction and assessment • Tracking whether the use of accommodations results in a valid score for the student • Reporting the use of accommodations

  21. Discussion and Action Steps for Step 1

  22. Break!

  23. Step 2: Document Decisions about Accommodations • Keeping track of training • Keeping track of IEP decisions on accommodations • Are accommodations used for instruction consistent with those used for assessments? • Keeping track of requests for unique accommodations

  24. How are IEP teams trained? Questions to ask: • What kinds of training on accommodations are offered by the state or district? • Who attends the trainings? • How are materials made available to participants and others who might need them? • Are materials available online?

  25. IEP Team Making Decisions about Accommodations

  26. Recommendations for Training IEP Teams and Tracking Training • Your ideas? • Summarize on Flip Chart

  27. Documenting accommodations on the IEP • Are there model IEP forms for schools to use? • Does the IEP form reference current state policy in some way so that teams are aware of the consequences of their decisions?

  28. Consistency between instructional and assessment accommodations • Do IEP forms indicate instructional and assessment accommodations separately? • Does the electronic data system (if one exists) allow for matching instructional and assessment accommodations?

  29. Look at Examples of IEPs • Documentation of accommodations on IEPs? • Connection between instructional and assessment accommodations? • Ease of access to accommodations information?

  30. Michigan Example

  31. How are requests for unique accommodations recorded? 1. Do decision-making teams know how to make special requests for accommodations? • Do they know who to contact? Do they know what information should be provided to help the state make a determination? 2. Is there a clear process in place so that teams know how and when decisions on special requests will be made? 3. How are special requests tracked?

  32. Discussion and Action Steps for Step 2

  33. Lunch break!

  34. Welcome Back! • What we have done so far: • Background • Step 1 – Know rules and regulations • Step 2 – Document decisions about accommodations • What is still to come: • Step 3 – Document use of accommodations • Step 4 – Review accommodations decisions and use • Step 5 – Evaluate and report on accommodations

  35. Step 3: Document the Use of Accommodations • Documenting accommodations on student demographic sheets • Documenting inappropriate use of accommodations on test day • Documenting that students received their IEP accommodations on test day

  36. Demographic information: the bubble sheet • What information is asked for? • How are accommodations listed? • Are invalidating accommodations (modifications) noted on the bubble sheet? • What about “Other” accommodations?

  37. Information about the Student

  38. Information on accommodations

  39. Accommodations – Provided or Used?

  40. Bubble Sheets: • Strengths • Needed Improvements

  41. Documenting Inappropriate Use of Accommodations on Test Day • Testing irregularity forms • Testing certification forms • How are these forms used? • How are they reviewed? What is done with the information?

  42. Discussion and Action Steps for Step 3

  43. Step 4: Review Accommodations Decisions and Use • Direct observation on test day • Record reviews • On-site visits on a day other than test day • Interviews with students, teachers, and administrators about the use of accommodations

  44. Direct observations on test day • Is there an established process? • How are schools chosen? • Are visits announced or unannounced? • Are there requirements to prepare in advance? Example: Arkansas

  45. Record Reviews • How will records be reviewed? • How will records be selected? • How will information on accommodations be tracked?

  46. Monitoring Questions from South Dakota 1. Are the accommodations/modifications appropriate for the skill area affected by the disability (no oral testing for math disability)? Yes No If no, example: 2. Are the accommodations identified in the IEP for state and district-wide assessment provided in their instructional program? (Do they match?) Yes No If no, example: 3. Were the accommodations identified in the IEP for state and district-wide assessment “USED” during assessment administration? (compare the coding on the assessment data sheet with the assessment accommodations listed in the IEP) Yes No If no, example: 4. If the student is identified as taking an alternative assessment, does he or she meet the criterion and has it been documented on the IEP? Yes No If no, example:

  47. On-site visits • Can be for compliance, or for technical assistance and professional development • May serve as a needs assessment • May or may not include interviews with stakeholders, such as administrators, teachers, and students

  48. Utah Example

  49. South Carolina Example

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