NCLB / Education YES! What’s New for Students With Disabilities?

1. NCLB / Education YES!What’s New forStudents With Disabilities? Michigan Department of Education

2. AYP and Students with Disabilities • Federal Rules – 1% cap – 2003 • Federal Flexibility - 2005 • Michigan was one of 3 states approved to use an existing test • New Federal Proposed Rules • Expected this fall

3. AYP and Students with Disabilities • For 2005-06 we EXPECT that: • Functional Independence assessments will count as proficient with no local cap • Participation and Supported Independence Assessments will be subject to the 1% district level cap • New applications will be needed for exception to the 1% cap

4. Adequate Yearly Progress • Achievement - Proficiency • Meet state objective or “safe harbor” target for improvement • Must meet in both Math and English Language Arts • Participation - 95% tested • Must meet in both Math and English Language Arts • Additional Academic Indicator • Graduation Rate – high schools • Attendance – elementary and middle schools

5. Student Groups for AYP • Racial/Ethnic Groups • Black or African American • American Indian or Alaska Native • Asian, Hawaiian Native, or Pacific Islander • Hispanic or Latino • White • Multiracial • Limited English Proficient • Students With Disabilities (Special Education) • Economically Disadvantaged

6. 50 “cells” for AYP

7. NCLB Regulation on Alternate Assessment • Students with the most significant cognitive disabilities. • As defined by the State • Guidelines for Participation in State Assessment for Students with Disabilities

8. NCLB Regulation on Alternate Assessment • 1% cap is the percent of alternate assessment proficient scores, based on alternate achievement standards, included in the calculation of AYP. • The cap is no more than 1% of the district enrollment. • There is NO CAP on the number tested

9. Alternate Achievement Standards • An expectation of performance that differsin the complexity for the grade level achievement standard for general education students. • ALL MI-Access assessments have alternate achievement standards.

10. 1% Cap • The 1% cap applies at the STATE and DISTRICT levels, NOT at the school building level • Schools are not limited to a 1% cap • Impacts the calculation of AYP at the school, district, and state levels • Students must be counted consistently at the state, district and school levels • Some schools may have more than 1%

11. Exceptions • The regulation provides for exceptions to the 1% cap at the state and district levels • The district must apply to the state for the exception • The state cannot approve exceptions that exceed the 1% state level cap

12. What it does NOT do • It does NOT limit the number of special education students participating in alternate assessment • Decisions MUST be based on the state’s guidelines for determining participation in state assessment for students with disabilities

13. Guidelines for Participation • For all students • General education • Special education • Section 504 • English Language Learners • Determining the Appropriate Assessment • Assessment Accommodations

14. Applying for an Exception • Explanation of circumstances that result in more than 1% of all students achieving proficiency using alternate achievement standards • Data showing incidence rates of students with most “significant” cognitive disabilities, as defined by the state • Documentation the state/district has programs that attract students with the most significant cognitive disabilities, if applicable

15. What documentation is needed? • Local policies for participation in state assessment • Information on how parents are informed that their child will be assessed based on alternate achievement standards • Documentation of the number and percent of students participating in alternate assessment • Documentation on how students with disabilities are included in the general curriculum • Documentation of efforts to develop, disseminate, and promote appropriate accommodations • Documentation of professional development opportunities efforts taken to ensure teachers know how to administer state assessments, including accommodations

16. Exception Requests • Requests received from 186 Districts • 14 Charters • 31 ISDs • Exceptions in 94 districts had impact on AYP at one or more grade ranges • Exceptions not approved for 3 districts • Remainder had: • Insufficient suppressed proficient scores; or • Made AYP without the exception

17. AYP Reminders • Students Reported in an Ungraded Setting • Adjustment for Measurement Error to Improve AYP Reliability • Small Schools • Nonstandard Accommodations

18. Scores Used for AYP • The scores of all tested students must be used in the AYP determination • Valid scores in English language arts and mathematics cannot be ignored

19. AYP Participation • Aggregate percent tested across all grades tested at the school Total Number Tested (grades 3+4) Total Number Enrolled (grades 3+4)

20. AYP Proficiency • Aggregate percent proficient across all grades tested at the school Total Number Proficient (grades 3+4) Total Number Tested (grades 3+4)

21. Age to Grade Conversion for Ungraded Students

22. Appeal Timelines • Elementary and Middle Schools • Appeal Window Opens late Spring • Appeals close 30 days later • High Schools and District AYP • Appeal Window Opens mid-June • Appeals Close mid-July

23. Appeals Issues • Demographics Mismatches • Enrollment Adjustments • Students that “exit” between count date and the end of the testing window

24. Contact Information Paul Bielawski Office of Educational Assessment and Accountability Michigan Department of Education PO Box 30008 Lansing, MI 48909 (517) 335-5784 bielawp@michigan.gov