Testing Accommodations: What Are They and How Are They Implemented

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Testing Accommodations What Are They and How
Are They Implemented?

• Pam Biggs
• NCDPI Division of Accountability Services

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What are Assessment Accommodations?

• Changes in the administration of an assessment,
  such as setting, scheduling, timing, presentation
  format, response mode, or others
• Accommodations are used for equity, not
  advantage, and serve to level the playing field

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What are Assessment Accommodations?

• To be appropriate, assessment accommodations must
  be identified in the students Individualized
  Education Program (IEP), Section 504 plan, or LEP
  documentation and used regularly during
  instruction and similar classroom assessments
• Assessment accommodations must also be used in
  instruction, but not all instructional
  accommodations are appropriate assessment
  accommodations

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Instructional vs. Testing Accommodations
INSTRUCTIONAL
TESTING
Mark in Book
Graphic Organizers
Extended Time
Scaffolding
Large Print
Peer Tutor
Testing in Separate Room
Teacher Notes
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Who is Eligible for Accommodations?

• A student with disabilities who has a current
• Individualized Education Program (IEP) or
• Section 504 Plan
• A student identified as LEP who has scored below
  Superior in Reading on the most recent
  administration of the IPT (for writing
  assessment, student must have scored below
  Superior in Writing on the IPT)

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Who Determines Accommodations?

• For a student with disabilities
• IEP Team
• Section 504 Committee
• For a student identified as limited English
  proficient
• School-based team/committee

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Examples of Accommodations for Students with
Disabilities and Students Identified as LEP
STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES
Assistive Technology Braille Edition Dictation
to a Scribe Large Print
Edition Sign Language Interpreter


Dictionary/ Electronic

Translator
STUDENTS IDENTIFIED AS LEP
Read Aloud (Math) Multiple
Test Sessions Extended Time Separate Room
Read Aloud
to Self
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Types of Accommodations

• Modified Test Formats
• Assistive Technology (AT) Devices and Special
  Arrangements
• Special Test Environments

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Modified Test Formats
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AT Devices and Special Arrangements
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Special Test Environments
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Top 5 Most Frequently Used Accommodations on EOG

• 1. Scheduled Extended Time
• 2. Testing in a Separate Room
• 3. Test Administrator Reads Test Aloud (Math)
• 4. Student Marks Answers in Test Book
• 5. Multiple Testing Sessions

Based on Green Book data from 2004-05
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Documentation of Accommodations

• All testing accommodations must be documented in
• IEP
• 504 Plan or
• LEP documentation
• Whatever is documented must be used on day of
  test
• Helpful to provide school TC with copy of
  documentation form

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Documentation Forms

• Sample EC documentation forms may be found on the
  web
• www.ncpublicschools.org/policies/tswd
• Forms available in Excel and PDF formats
• LEP documentation forms are created by LEA

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NCTP Table 2 Grades 3-8 and 10 Tests
Space to List Accommodation Specifics
Complete for those tests required at that grade
level
Blacked out spaces indicate accommodation would
invalidate the test results or that a particular
alternate assessment is unavailable for that test
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NCTP Table 3 End-of-Course Tests
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NCTP Table 1 Tests Required for Graduation
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Scheduled Extended Time

• The students IEP, Section 504 Plan, or
  appropriate LEP documentation should specify an
  estimated amount of extra time the student will
  require
• Breaks at standard intervals specified in Test
  Administrators Manual unless student also has
  Multiple Testing Sessions
• Student must be allowed bathroom and lunch breaks
• If testing continues past lunch, student must not
  communicate with other students during lunch

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Scheduled Extended Time

• If student does not also have Testing in a
  Separate Room as an accommodation, he/she would
  begin the test in his/her appropriate testing
  location
• If test is not complete after standard test
  administration time, student should be moved to
  different location to complete test

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Scheduled Extended Time

• If students estimated time is over, but is
  working diligently, let him/her continue
• Must complete in one day if used without Multiple
  Testing Sessions
• Testing must be complete prior to normal
  afternoon dismissal
• Documentation may be written in terms of minutes
  (extra 30 minutes) or as multiple of test time
  (1.5 x)

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Testing in a Separate Room

• One-on-one or Small Group
• Must be designated on documentation
• MUST be used if students receive one or more of
  the following accommodations
• Assistive Technology that reads test aloud
  (without use of headphones)
• Student Reads Test Aloud to Self
• Test Administrator Reads Test Aloud

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Testing in a Separate RoomOne-on-One

• Really 21
• Only one student per testing location
• All standard testing procedures must be followed
• MUST be used if student uses the following
• Assistive Technology that reads test aloud
  (without use of headphones)
• Dictation to a Scribe
• Student Reads Test Aloud to Self accommodation

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Testing in a Separate RoomSmall Group

• IEP or Section 504 Plan may designate maximum
  group size
• NCDPI does not mandate a maximum group size
  HOWEVER, it is a SMALL group
• Test administrator and proctor required
• Test administrators and proctors must follow same
  guidelines/procedures as standard administration

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Test Administrator Reads Test Aloud

• Valid accommodation for tests that do not measure
  reading comprehension
• Each students IEP/504 Plan/LEP documentation
  must state how test is to be read aloud
• For example
• Everything
• By student request
• Everything but numbers

EC
LEP
BOTH
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Administrative Procedures

• Students should be in test groups based on how
  test is to be read
• Must be in small group or one-on-one
  administrations (this must also be in
  documentation)
• One-on-One suggested for Online Test of Computer
  Skills

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Administrative Procedures

• Test administrator must have a copy of the test
  to read from
• May repeat instructions and test questions as
  many times as needed
• Test items and answer choices must be read in a
  consistent manner

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Administrative Procedures

• Fractions, greater/less than signs, equal signs,
  exponents, etc. should be read in same manner as
  routinely used in classroom
• EXCEPT
• if reading it that way provides the student with
  the answer

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Example 1

• The students count 149 balls in the gym. What is
  another way of writing the number of balls in the
  gym?
• A fourteen nine
• B one forty-nine
• C one hundred forty-nine
• D one hundred fourteen nine

Grade 3 Math Sample Test Item
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Example 1 Should be read as

• The students count one-four-nine balls in the
  gym. What is another way of writing the number of
  balls in the gym?
• A fourteen nine
• B one forty-nine
• C one hundred forty-nine
• D one hundred fourteen nine

Grade 3 Math Sample Test Item
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Example 2

• What is the standard form of 7,000 800 20
  5?
• A 7,285
• B 7,825
• C 7,852
• D 7,528

Grade 3 Math Sample Test Item
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Example 2Should be read as

• What is the standard form of seven-comma-zero-zero
  -zero plus eight-zero-zero plus two-zero plus
  five?
• A seven-comma-two-eight-five
• B seven-comma-eight-two-five
• C seven-comma-eight-five-two
• D seven-comma-five-two-eight

Grade 3 Math Sample Test Item
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Student Marks Answers in Test Book

• Students full name and second identifier (e.g.,
  student ID or date of birth) must be legible on
  cover of test book
• Student should not have answer sheet during
  actual testing
• If all students in group have this accommodation,
  omit directions on filling in answer choices on
  answer sheet

EC
LEP
BOTH
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Student Marks Answers in Test Book

• After completion of testing
• Staff member must transfer students answers to
  multiple-choice test questions to the appropriate
  answer sheet
• 2nd staff member must check the transcription to
  verify accuracy
• Both people must sign outside of test book

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Multiple Testing Sessions

• How test administration is to be divided must be
  documented
• More frequent breaks
• Over multiple days
• If student does not also have Scheduled Extended
  Time, total administration time should be limited
  to that in TAM.

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Multiple Testing SessionsExample 1
John can complete a test in the standard
administration time. However, he needs breaks
more frequently than those designated in the Test
Administrators Manual.
EC
LEP
BOTH
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Multiple Testing Sessions Example 1
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Multiple Testing SessionsExample 2
Sasha requires the test to be divided over two
days. She will need additional time beyond that
allowed in a standard test administration. Her
LEP documentation lists the following
accommodations Testing in a Separate Room,
Scheduled Extended Time (Extra 20 minutes), and
Multiple Testing Sessions (2 days).
EC
LEP
BOTH
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Multiple Testing SessionsExample 2
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Student Reads Test Aloud to Self Accommodation

• New for 2005-06 school year
• Use of whisper-phone is included in this
  accommodation and must follow the same guidelines

EC
LEP
BOTH
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Student Reads Test Aloud to Self Accommodation

• Requires one-on-one administration
• Test administrator proctor per student
• No other students in room
• If student misreads part of reading comprehension
  test, test administrator or proctor may NOT
  correct student

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Other AccommodationsStudents with Disabilities

• IEP team/Section 504 committee determines
  appropriate accommodations
• Check to see if on approved list (pg.
  D1.02-1.04 of Testing Students with Disabilities)
• If not on list (and for AT devices not
  specifically described in document) Accommodation
  Notification Form must be completed
• Discuss with Local Test Coordinator

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Questions?
Teacher
School Test Coordinator
LEA Test Coordinator
RAC
NCDPI