NCLB Education YES Whats New for Students With Disabilities

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NCLB / Education YES!Whats New forStudents
With Disabilities?

• Michigan Department of Education

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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

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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

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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

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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

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50 cells for AYP
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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

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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

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Alternate Achievement Standards

• An expectation of performance that differs in the
  complexity for the grade level achievement
  standard for general education students.
• ALL MI-Access assessments have alternate
  achievement standards.

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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

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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

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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 states guidelines
  for determining participation in state assessment
  for students with disabilities

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Guidelines for Participation

• For all students
• General education
• Special education
• Section 504
• English Language Learners
• Determining the Appropriate Assessment
• Assessment Accommodations

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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

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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

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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

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AYP Reminders

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

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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

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AYP Participation

• Aggregate percent tested across all grades tested
  at the school
• Total Number Tested (grades 34)
• Total Number Enrolled (grades 34)

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AYP Proficiency

• Aggregate percent proficient across all grades
  tested at the school
• Total Number Proficient (grades 34)
• Total Number Tested (grades 34)

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Age to Grade Conversion for Ungraded Students
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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

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Appeals Issues

• Demographics Mismatches
• Enrollment Adjustments
• Students that exit between count date and the
  end of the testing window

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Contact Information

• Paul Bielawski
• Office of Educational Assessment and
  Accountability
• Michigan Department of Education
• PO Box 30008
• Lansing, MI 48909
• [phone]
• bielawp_at_michigan.gov