Alternate Assessments Based on Modified Academic Achievement Standards

1. Alternate Assessments Based on Modified Academic Achievement Standards Fen Chou, Ph.D. Louisiana Department of Education GSEG Project Kick-off Meeting January 16, 2008

2. What is LAA 2? LEAP Alternate Assessment, Level 2, • Designed for students with persistent academic disabilities • Mandated by federal and state law: all students must be assessed and must be included in the accountability system • State board action required development of a “2%” assessment • The first operational test given spring 2006

3. Which students take LAA 2? • with persistent academic disabilities • served under IDEA • in grades 4–11 • meet the participation criteria Note: Participation criteria form on the LDE Web site (www.louisianaschools.net)

4. What subjects are tested? In spring 2008, students will be tested • Grades 4–10 • English Language Arts • Mathematics • Grades 4, 8, 11 • Science • Social Studies

5. How was LAA 2 developed? Committees of Louisiana educators • Identified the range of abilities/capabilities of LAA 2 population • Defined appropriate grade-level expectations regarding breadth and depth • Identified a range of appropriate sample items taken from general assessment item banks • Reviewed proposed assessment design and made recommendations regarding: • Content depth, breadth, and complexity • Item types (MC and CR) • Test length and format • Test accommodations

6. LAA 2 Items • Selected from general assessment item banks • Reviewed by LDE staff: assessment development and special populations • Prior review of items by Content and Bias Committees

7. How is LAA 2 likegeneral assessments? • LAA 2 • Is based on Louisiana content standards (but reduces the range and depth of GLEs) • Includes both multiple-choice and constructed-response questions • Uses the same item pool • Requires the same procedures for test administration and test security • Results reported by Achievement Levels (e.g., Basic)

8. How does LAA 2 differ from general assessments? • LAA 2 has • fewer questions • less reading • less writing • a modified format • fewer questions per page • more white space • larger font

9. Most Significant Format ChangesEnglish Language Arts • Using Information Resources • General Assessments • one resource packet with about 4 to 6 sources • 5 MC items and 2 CR items • Questions follow all resource materials. • LAA 2 • one resource packet with about 4 to 6 sources • 5 MC items and 1 CR items • Question is adjacent to the related resource.

10. Most Significant Format ChangesEnglish Language Arts • Proofreading • General Assessments • short passage to edit • 8 MC items • Student refers to underlined parts in a passage to edit, followed by MC items corresponding to the underlined portions. • LAA 2 • 8 MC items • Each item is a sentence (taken from a short passage) with an underlined part to edit followed by 4 answer options.

11. Alignment of Achievement Levels: General Assessments and LAA 2

12. Questions? • Fen Chou Louisiana Dept. of Education 225-342-3415 Fen.Chou@la.gov