Lewisville ISD SPECIAL EDUCATION

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Lewisville ISD SPECIAL EDUCATION

• ARD Committee
• Decision Making Campus Training
• 2008-2009

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Why the Change?

• Changes in IDEA 2004 require emphasis on all
  students with disabilities having access to
  general education and enrolled grade level
  standards (TEKS)
• NCLB and IDEA 2004 require enrolled grade level
  state assessment (TAKS)
• IEPs of students with disabilities must be
  written using enrolled grade level TEKS according
  to amendments to IDEA 2004 and proposed
  reauthorization of NCLB
•  

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State Assessment System Options
TAKS
TAKS-A
TAKS-M
TAKS-ALT
Participation in an alternate assessment based on
modified academic achievement standards Must
cover the same enrolled-grade level content as
the TAKS TAKS-A
Participation in an alternate assessment based on
alternate academic achievement standards
Participation in a general grade level
assessment or Participation in a general
grade-level assessment with accommodations

State presumes majority of students will take
TAKS or TAKS Accommodated.
State Assessment System Options
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TAKS
Components of the Texas Assessment Program

• The Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills
  (TAKS) measures a students mastery of the
  state-mandated curriculum, the Texas Essential
  Knowledge and Skills (TEKS).
• TAKS is administered in English for
• Grades 39 reading
• Grades 310 and exit level mathematics
• Grades 4 and 7 writing
• Grade 10 and exit level English Language Arts
  (ELA)
• Grades 5, 8, 10, and exit level science
• Grades 8, 10, and exit level social studies

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TAKS Accommodated

• TAKS includes a form called TAKS (Accommodated)
  for students served by special education who meet
  the eligibility requirements for certain specific
  accommodations. This is a general assessment
  based on the same grade-level academic
  achievement standards as TAKS.
• The TAKS (Accommodated) form includes
• format accommodations (larger font, fewer items
  per page, etc.) and
• contains no embedded field-test items.
• TAKS (Accommodated) is available and administered
  in the same grades and subjects as TAKS,
  including all retest opportunities.

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TAKS TAKS ACCOMMODATEDin Spanish

• Grades 3 6 reading
• Grades 3 6 mathematics
• Grade 4 writing
• Grade 5 science

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TAKS - Modified

• TAKSModified (TAKSM) is an alternate assessment
  based on modified academic achievement standards
  and is designed for students receiving special
  education services who meet participation
  requirements for TAKSM.
• TAKSM covers the same grade-level content as
  TAKS, but has been modified in format (larger
  font, fewer items per page, etc.) and test design
  (fewer answer choices, simpler vocabulary and
  sentence structure, etc.).
• TAKSM is not available in Spanish.
• TAKS-M is administered at the same grades and
  subjects as TAKS, with Student Success Initiative
  (SSI) retest opportunities offered beginning in
  spring 2009. Students who take TAKS-M are still
  eligible to receive the benefits of SSI such as
  accelerated instruction and remediation as
  appropriate. However, retest opportunities for
  grade 11 will not be available for TAKS-M.

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TAKS - Modified

• According to federal regulations, students who
  take TAKS-M are not held to the same graduation
  requirements as students who take TAKS.
• ARD/IEP Committees who choose TAKS-M are
  reasonably certain the student will not achieve
  grade-level proficiency within the year covered
  by their IEPs.
• Students who take TAKS-M may not graduate on the
  recommended or distinguished plan according to
  state law.

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TAKS - Alternate

• TAKSAlternate (TAKSAlt) is an alternate
  assessment based on alternate academic
  achievement standards and is designed for
  students with significant cognitive disabilities
  who meet the participation requirements.
• TAKSAlt is not a traditional paper or
  multiple-choice test. Instead, the assessment
  involves teachers observing students as they
  complete activities that link to the grade-level
  TEKS curriculum. Teachers evaluate student
  performance using the TAKSAlt rubric and submit
  results and evidence through an online
  instrument.
• TAKS-ALT is administered at the same grades and
  in the same subjects as TAKS.
• SSI and grade 11 retests are not applicable to
  this population of students or this form or
  assessment.

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Choices

• TAKS, TAKS Accommodated, and TAKS Modified may be
  taken in various subjects according to the needs
  of the student.
• TAKS-ALT is the only choice for students who meet
  the participation requirements for taking
  TAKS-ALT. It is an all or none option.

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Texas Assessment

• TAKS including TAKS Accommodated
• TAKS Modified (TAKS-M)
• TAKS Alternate (TAKS-ALT)

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Four Steps to Making Assessment Decisions and
Considering Needed Accommodations
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Assessment Decisions

• ARD Committees must choose the assessment that
  best matches the educational needs of each
  student.
• ARD Committees should promote high expectations
  in determining annual measurable goals documented
  in each students ARD/IEP.
• Academic instructional decisions documented in
  the ARD/IEP must always guide assessment
  decisions.
• Assessment decisions should be based on the IEP,
  CSR, and other relevant information.

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Assessment Decisions

• Assessment decisions for each subject area test
  should be considered separately.
• Exception
• TAKS-ALT A student who meets the participation
  requirements will take TAKS-ALT for all subjects
  required for the enrolled grade.

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Step

• Review the students current information to
  determine the students present level of
  functioning.
• Information to review includes
• IEP
• CSR
• Strengths/weaknesses in relation to TEKS
• Other relevant info including work samples,
  informal teacher assessments, norm-referenced and
  criterion-referenced tests, diagnostic testing,
  or data collections recording forms.

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Step

• Determine how the student receives TEKS
  instruction and the students level of
  performance on the grade-level curriculum.
• Using the information collected in Step 1, the
  ARD Committee must determine the students
  individual skills and level of progress in the
  TEKS for the students enrolled grade.
• The ARD Committee should also look carefully at
  the extent of the TEKS curriculum modifications
  that have enabled the student to progress.

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Step continued

• Determine how the student receives TEKS
  instruction and the students level of
  performance on the grade-level curriculum.
• The ARD Committee must determine if the student
  accessed the TEKS through accommodations and/or
  modification or through prerequisite skills.
• Using this information, the ARD Committee will
  determine if TAKS, TAKS Accommodated, TAKS-M or
  TAKS-ALT is the appropriate assessment for the
  student.

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Step

• Determine the appropriate assessment for the
  student
• TAKS or TAKS Accommodated
• TAKS Modified
• or TAKS Alternate
• After considering how the student functions and
  participates in the grade-level TEKS curriculum,
  the ARD Committee can determine the most
  appropriate assessment.
• Participation in the general assessment (TAKS)
  should be the first consideration when determine
  the appropriate assessment for a student.

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Step continued

• Determine the appropriate assessment for the
  student TAKS, TAKS Accommodated, TAKS Modified,
  or TAKS Alternate.
• For cases in which an alternate assessment is
  considered to be the best option for a student,
  the ARD Committee must review the specific
  participation requirements outlined for both
  TAKS-M and TAKS-ALT.

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Step continued

• Determine the appropriate assessment for the
  student TAKS, TAKS Accommodated, TAKS Modified,
  or TAKS Alternate.
• Decisions regarding assessment should be made
  based on the type of instruction the student is
  receiving and the accommodations and/or
  modification the student requires in order to be
  successful.
• Assessment decisions should not be made solely on
  disability category or placement and neither are
  they determined administratively rather, they
  are determined by the ARD Committee.

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Step

• Document the appropriate assessment along with
  all allowable or approved accommodations that the
  student will need during testing.
• Must document in the ARD/IEP
• Why the student cannot participate in TAKS
• Why the selected alternate assessment is
  appropriate and
• What accommodations are necessary to measure the
  students academic achievement and functional
  performance.

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Step continued

• Document the appropriate assessment along with
  all allowable or approved accommodations that the
  student will need during testing.
• TEA has developed questions to help guide
  appropriate campus and district level staff with
  the selection of appropriate accommodations for
  students who need them.
• The accommodations needed for testing should be
  accommodations that the student receives
  routinely in class and are listed in the ARD/IEP
  as instructional accommodations.
• Adding a test accommodation that is not routinely
  used in class may prove to be more confusing than
  helpful for a student.

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Considering Needed Accommodations

• Detailed information regarding allowable
  accommodations for specific assessments.
• If the ARD Committee determines that a student
  requires the submission and approval of an
  Accommodation Request Form the ARD Committee must
  document the accommodation in the ARD/IEP and
  note that its use is contingent upon approval by
  TEA.
• Only accommodations routinely used will be
  considered for review by TEA.
• The ARF must state why it is needed in relation
  to the students disability.

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Accommodations

• It is important that accommodations are put in
  place based upon individual student need.
• Students have to become self-advocates so it is
  essential that they help identify what they need
  and ask for it.
• Specific forms provide guidance on involving
  students in selection of appropriate and
  necessary accommodations.

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LEP Students in Special Education

• ARD Committee and LPAC are required to
  collaborate to ensure that issues related to both
  the student disability and language proficiency
  are carefully considered.
• Some LEP students may qualify for a LEP exemption
  from TAKS including TAKS Accommodated or TAKS
  Modified during their first 3 years in U.S.
  schools.
• LPAC and ARD Committees work in conjunction to
  determine LEP exemptions eligibility by using the
  criteria defined in the LPAC Manual.
• The exemption must be documented in the students
  ARD/IEP document and in the students permanent
  record file.

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Linguistically Accommodated Testing

• LEP exempt students must participate in LAT
  administrations in designated grades and
  subjects.
• LEP exempt immigrants receiving special education
  services are able to receive accommodations that
  address both their special education needs and
  needs as recent immigrant English Language
  Learners.
• ARD must document LAT decisions in the
  students IEP
• LAT administrations are available for
• Grades 3-8 reading and grade 10 ELA
• Grades 3-8 and 10 mathematics
• Grades 5, 8, and 10 science

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LAT

• Spanish version administrations are available for
  LAT administrations of TAKS including TAKS
  Accommodated.
• LAT administrations of TAKS-M are not available
  in Spanish.
• Spanish version LAT forms are available in large
  print. With the exception of TAKS-M, Braille
  versions of LAT administrations are not
  available.
• Neither LEP exemptions nor LAT administrations
  apply to recent immigrants who qualify for
  TAKS-ALT.

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LEP Exemptions for Students Receiving Special
Education Services

• The linguistic accommodations used in LAT
  administrations must be consistent with the
  linguistic accommodations used with the student
  in routine reading/ELA, mathematics, and science
  instruction and testing. ARD Committees and
  LPACs must work in conjunction on decisions
  regarding LAT assessments and accommodations.
• For a LEP exempt recent immigrant receiving
  special education services, the ARD Committee
  must document LAT decisions in the students
  ARD/IEP and the LPAC must document decisions in
  the students permanent record file.
• It is important to note that LEP students who do
  not qualify for an exemption on the basis of
  limited English proficiency are subject to the
  same assessment requirements as non-LEP students.

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TELPAS

• Texas English Language Proficiency Assessment
  System (TELPAS) measures the learning of English
  according to a second language acquisition
  continuum that reflects distinct stages of second
  language development.
• TELPAS is composed of holistically rated
  assessments and multiple-choice assessments.
• The TELPAS holistically rated assessments are
  based on student observations and written work.
• These assessments are administered for
• Grades K-1 listening, speaking, writing, and
  reading
• Grades 2-12 listening, speaking, and writing
• LEP students in sp ed should be observed and
  rated in a domain if their IEP includes TEKS
  instruction on at least a K level.
• The TELPAS multiple-choice reading assessments
  for grades 2-12 will be administered as an online
  testing program beginning in spring 2009.

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Student Success Initiative

• Components
• Texas Reading Initiative
• Texas Mathematics Initiative
• Grade advancement requirements in
• Grade 3 reading
• Grade 5 reading and mathematics
• Grade 8 reading and mathematics

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Student Success Initiative

• Students who take TAKS including TAKS
  Accommodated, and TAKS-M are part of the SSI
  grade advancement requirements.
• TAKS-ALT will continue to be unaffected by the
  SSI requirements.
• English language learners who participate in LAT
  are not subject to SSI requirements.

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Student Success Initiative

• Non-exempt English language learners who take
  TAKS including TAKS Accommodated or TAKS-M are
  subject to the SSI grade advancement
  requirements.
• In the case of a LEP student receiving special
  education the ARD Committee and LPAC must
  collaborate to determine appropriate assessment
  options.

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Student Success Initiative

• A student who takes TAKS including TAKS
  Accommodated or TAKS-M is allowed three testing
  opportunities to meet the passing standard.
• If the student does not meet the passing
  standard, a Grade Placement Committee (GPC) is
  formed to develop an accelerated instruction plan
  (AIP) and make promotion decision for the
  student.
• For students receiving special education the ARD
  Committee serves as the GPC.

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Assessment Instruction Cycle
Student enters cycle
This approach focuses ARD committee on TEKS and
achievement relative to that cycle
Instruction in grade-level content is critical to
ensure that students who participate in alternate
assessments based on modified academic
achievements standards are prepared to
demonstrate their mastery of grade-level content
and can move closer to grade-level achievement.
Major Concepts
August 2007
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For further information contact

• LISD Special Education Department at 469-713-5203
  or
• Email questions to spedquestions_at_lisd.net

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References

• Final Regulations Title I Improving the
  Academic Achievement of the Disadvantaged
  Individuals with Disabilities Education Act
  (IDEA) Assistance to States for the Education
  of Children with Disabilities (http//www.ed.gov/n
  ews/pressreleases/2007/04/04042007.html)
• Modified Academic Achievement Standards
  Non-Regulatory Guidance (http//www.ed.gov/news/pr
  essreleases/2007/04/04042007.html)
• Measuring the Achievement of Students with
  Disabilities What families need to know about
  modified academic achievement standards
  (http//www.ed.gov/news/pressreleases/2007/04/0404
  2007.html)
• ARD Committee Decision Making Process for the
  Texas Assessment Program 08-09
  http//www.tea.state.tx.us/student.assessment/
• 2008-2009 Accommodations Manual
  http//www.tea.state.tx.us/student.assessment/