Selecting Appropriate Students for the Virginia Grade Level Alternative VGLA

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Selecting Appropriate Students for the Virginia
Grade Level Alternative (VGLA)

• Virginia Department of Education
• Fall 2009

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Purpose of this Web Conference

• To provide professional development for Division
  Directors of Testing, Special Education Directors
  and Title III Coordinators
• To provide a training resource for local use on
  the VGLA participation criteria that can be used
  at the local level.
• To supplement local training efforts on the VGLA
  Participation Criteria.

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Selecting Appropriate Students for the Virginia
Grade Level Alternative (VGLA) Web Conference
Schedule

• Session 1 Sept. 14, 2009 930 -1100 AM
• Session 2 Sept. 15, 2009 200 330 PM
• Session 3 Sept. 21, 2009 200 - 330 PM

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New Training Format

• Web conference format replaces regional
  administrator update face-to- face workshops.
• Web conference format is a pilot.
• Feedback and evaluation is necessary to assess
  the effectiveness of the Web conference format.

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Web Conference Housekeeping

• Your phone has been muted.
• Questions may be submitted by typing your
  question into the chat window. Make sure that
  your questions are sent to Host and Presenter

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Web Conference Housekeeping

• You will need a copy of the VGLA Implementation
  Manual, 2009 2010. The manual is available
  from your Division Director of Testing or the
  Virginia Department of Educations Web site at
• http//www.doe.virginia.gov/VDOE/Assessment/home.
  shtml.

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Web Conference Topics

• VGLA Overview
• Selecting Appropriate Students with Disabilities
• Selecting Appropriate Students with Limited
  English Proficiency

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Virginia Grade Level Alternative (VGLA)

• Program Overview

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VGLA Overview

• The VGLA is an alternative to Standards of
  Learning (SOL) testing for eligible students in
  grades 3 through 8. Participants demonstrate
  individual achievement of grade level content
  standards as presented in the SOL test blueprint
  for the content area being assessed.
• VGLA Implementation Manual 2009 -2010, p. 1

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VGLA Overview

• Eligible students with disabilities must meet
  participation criteria.
• Available for students with disabilities in
  Reading, Mathematics, Science, History/Social
  Science, and Writing.

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VGLA Overview

• Eligible limited English proficiency (LEP)
  students must have a WIDA overall proficiency
  level of 1 (entering) or 2 (beginning).
• Available for students with limited English
  proficiency in Reading only.

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VGLA Overview

• Eligible students demonstrate their knowledge of
  SOL content through a Collection of Evidence
  (COE)
• The COE may include work samples, audio tapes,
  video tapes, anecdotal records, interviews, data
  charts/graphs, and captioned photographs

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VGLA Overview

• Student evidence is gathered throughout the year.
• COEs are scored at the division level using
  established rubrics and scoring rules.

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VGLA Overview

• 10 of COEs are randomly selected for audit.
• VGLA scores are used for accreditation and
  Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) calculations.

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Selecting Appropriate Students for the VGLA

• Students with Disabilities

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Selecting Appropriate Assessment Options for
Students with Disabilities

• The majority of student with disabilities are
  expected to participate in the SOL assessments
  with or without accommodations. If a student
  cannot access the SOL test(s) in a content area,
  even with accommodations, the student may be
  considered for the VGLA.

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Selecting Appropriate Assessment Options for
Students with Disabilities

• Typical Characteristics of a student with a
  disability recommended for the VGLA
• Enrolled in grades 3 through 8
• Has an IEP or 504 plan
• Has a disability that results in an inability to
  demonstrate knowledge and skill on a
  multiple-choice test, even when accommodations
  are provided
• Demonstrates work on SOL that is at grade level
• VGLA Implementation Manual 2009 -2010, p. 6

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Selecting Appropriate Assessment Options for
Students with Disabilities

• Selecting the appropriate assessment options for
  students with disabilities is always the
  responsibility of the students IEP team or 504
  committee.
• VGLA Implementation Manual 2009 -2010, p. 2

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Selecting Appropriate Assessment Options for
Students with Disabilities

• Decisions about participation are made on a
  test-by-test basis.
• VGLA Implementation Manual 2009 -2010, p. 8

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Preparing for the IEP/504 Meeting

• Inform parents (and other team members) about the
  VGLA, Include
• General Overview information
• Participation Criteria
• VGLA Implementation Manual 2009 -2010, p. 8

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Preparing for the IEP/504 meeting

• Determine how the student accesses SOL content
  and demonstrates skills and knowledge.
• Select a specific content area
• Gather class work and assessment samples using
  the multiple choice format and class work
  assessment samples and in other formats
• VGLA Implementation Manual 2009 -2010, p. 8

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Preparing for the IEP/504 meeting

• Reading Class Work Samples
• (Multiple Choice Format)
• Multiple choice worksheet in which student reads
  passage and selects the cause-and-effect
  relationships from 4 answer options.
• Worksheet in which student selects the conclusion
  to a story given 4 answer options

• Reading Assessment Samples
• (Multiple Choice Format)
• Unit test in multiple choice format on cause and
  effect relationships.
• Multiple choice pop quiz on drawing conclusions.

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Preparing for the IEP/504 meeting

• Reading Class Work Samples
• (Alternative Format)
• Cause and effect graphic organizer created after
  reading a biography of a famous person.
• An original conclusion written after reading a
  short story.

• Reading Assessment Samples
• (Alternative Format)
• Short answer unit test on cause and effect.
• Power point presentation showing three different
  conclusions to a short story.

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Preparing for the IEP/504 meeting

• Gather information from the educational record
• Evaluation reports
• Eligibility minutes
• Current IEP (Present Level of Performance)
• VGLA Implementation Manual 2009 -2010, p. 8

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Preparing for the IEP/504 meeting

• Become Familiar with Special Test
• Accommodations.
• Review SOL test accommodations that
• have been used and their impact.
• Determine if all possible SOL test a
• accommodations have been examined.
• VGLA Implementation Manual 2009 -2010, p. 6

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Preparing for the IEP/504 meeting

• Secure a copy the SOL test blueprint for the
  specific course. The test blueprint indicates the
  SOL knowledge and skills that students who are
  participating in VGLA are expected to
  demonstrate. Blueprints are available at
• www.doe.virginia.gov/VDOE/Assessment/soltests/.
• VGLA Implementation Manual 2009 -2010, p. 8

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During the IEP/504 Meeting

• Review and discuss the VGLA participation
  criteria using the information gathering as the
  basis for discussion.
• To qualify for the VGLA the students IEP/504
  committee must answer YES to the following 3
  questions for each content area considered.

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VGLA Participation Criteria

• 1. Does the student have a current IEP/504 plan
  or is one being developed?
• 2. Does the student demonstrate his/her
  individual achievement of the SOL content by
  means other than multiple-choice test format?
• 3. As a result of a disability, is the student
  unable to demonstrate his/her individual
  achievement on the SOL test for the assigned
  course and grade level using available
  accommodations and/or formats?
• VGLA Implementation Manual 2009 -2010, p. 5

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VGLA Participation Criteria

• 1. Does the student have a current IEP/504
  plan or is one being developed?

• The IEP/504 teams response to this question can
  be determined by a review of
• Education records including IEP or 504 Plan

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VGLA Participation Criteria

• 2. Does the student demonstrate his/her
  individual achievement of the SOL content by
  means other than multiple-choice test format?

• The IEP/504 teams response to this question can
  be determined by a review of
• Multiple-choice class work samples
• Multiple-choice assessments
• Class work sample in other formats
• Assessments in other formats

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VGLA Participation Criteria

• 3. As a result of a disability, is the student
  unable to demonstrate his/her individual
  achievement on the SOL test for the assigned
  course and grade level using available
  accommodations and/or formats?

• The IEP/504 teams response to this question can
  be determined by a review
• Accommodations used on previous SOL test(s)
• Impact on performance of accommodations used on
  previous SOL test(s)
• Review list of available accommodations that have
  not be considered or used.

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Documenting Participation

• IEP team decisions must be documented in the
  students IEP.
• 504 team decisions must be documented in the
  students 504 plan.

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Remember!

• VGLA participation must be made by a thoughtful
  and well-prepared IEP/504 team. Unilateral
  decisions outside of the IEP/504 team process are
  inappropriate.
• The IEP/504 team must use the VGLA participation
  criteria and student data (i.e. class work
  samples, assessment samples, educational records,
  accommodation history).

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• Questions
• Sharon E. Siler
• Team Lead, Alternative Assessment
• Virginia Department of Education
• [phone]
• Student_Assessment_at_doe.virginia.gov

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Selecting Appropriate Students for the VGLA

• Students with limited English proficiency (LEP)

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LEP Students within the State Accountability
System

• Eligible LEP students may take the SOL reading
  test with or without accommodations or the VGLA
  reading assessment.
• VGLA Implementation Manual 2009-2010, p. 2
• Eligible LEP students may take VGLA reading up to
  three consecutive years
• Virginia Board of Education Consolidated State
  Application Amended Accountability Workbook, 5.4,
  p. 59

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Procedures for the VGLA

• Examine How the Student Accesses SOL Content and
  Demonstrates Skills and Knowledge
• For LEP students, the LEP team must consider the
  students English language proficiency levels to
  determine if the VGLA is appropriate for the
  reading assessment.
• VGLA Implementation Manual 2009-2010, p. 8

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Determining Eligibility

• The LEP team must determine if the VGLA is an
  appropriate option for the reading assessment for
  students who meet the eligibility criteria.
• Based on the WIDA English language proficiency
  levels, limited English proficient (LEP) students
  in grades 3 through 8 who have an overall
  proficiency level of 1 (entering) or 2
  (beginning) are eligible to participate in the
  VGLA for the reading assessment only.
• VGLA Implementation Manual 2009-2010, pp. iii, 1
  and 2

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Determining Eligibility
School divisions have the flexibility to
consider the ACCESS for ELLs test composite
score and a body of evidence when determining the
students English language proficiency
level. VGLA Implementation Manual 2009-2010, p.
5
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Identifying Students

• Typical characteristics of an LEP student
  recommended for the VGLA reading include the
  following
• enrolled in grades 3 through 8
• has an LEP Student Assessment Participation Plan
  (or one is being developed) (Appendix B)
• has an overall proficiency level of 1 (entering)
  or 2 (beginning) based on the WIDA English
  language proficiency levels
• demonstrates work on SOL that is at grade level
• VGLA Implementation Manual 2009-2010, p. 6

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Documenting Participation

• For eligible LEP students participating in VGLA
  reading, the LEP Student Assessment Participation
  Plan should be helpful in identifying the
  students current English language proficiency
  level (Appendix B).
• VGLA Implementation Manual 2009-2010, p. 8

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Special Accommodations

• In considering possible participation in the
  VGLA, the LEP team needs to be sure that all
  possible SOL test accommodations have been
  examined within the students program in order to
  provide access to content and assessment within
  the specific SOL course.
• VGLA Implementation Manual 2009-2010, p. 6
• Additional information about test accommodations
  is located within LEP Students Guidelines for
  Participation in the Virginia Assessment Program,
  available at http//www.doe.virginia.gov/VDOE/Asse
  ssment/LEPStudentsparticipationguidelines.pdf
  (currently being revised).

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• Questions
• Robert Fugate
• LEP Assessment Specialist
• Virginia Department of Education
• [phone]
• Student_Assessment_at_doe.virginia.gov