Accommodations Manual

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Accommodations Manual
S T U D E N T A S S E S S M E N T D I V I S I
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December2007
S T U D E N T A S S E S S M E N T D I V I S I
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Highlights of 2008 Changes
December2007

• Accommodations Manual
• Contains information about accommodations for
  TAKS, TAKS (Accommodated), and TAKS-M
• Beginning in 2008, information about
  accommodations will be collected on the answer
  documents
• Accommodations will be categorized in four ways
  Presentation (P), Response (R), Setting (S),
  Timing and Scheduling (T)
• An Accommodations Request Form (ARF) should be
  used to request specific accommodations that are
  not listed in this manual or for those that
  require submission and approval of a request
• An ARF should contain objective evidence about
  why the student needs the accommodation
• All accommodations must be routinely used in the
  classroom and documented in the IEP/IAP for
  students served by special education/504 services

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Accommodations Manual
December2007

• Calculators
• TAKS
• No changes to policies
• TAKS (Accommodated)
• Not allowed at grades 3-6
• May be allowed at grades 7 and up with submission
  and approval of ARF
• TAKS-M
• May be allowed at grades 3-6 with submission and
  approval of ARF
• Allowed at grades 7 and up
• Graphing calculators must be provided at grades
  9, 10, and exit level/Grade 11 mathematics for
  TAKS, TAKS (Accommodated), and TAKS-M. A student
  may also use a four-function calculator in
  addition to the graphing calculator on TAKS
  (Accommodated) and TAKS-M.

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Accommodations Manual
December2007

• Spelling Assistance
• (tests with written responses only)
• TAKS
• No changes to policies
• TAKS (Accommodated)
• Not allowed at grade 4
• May be allowed at grades 7 and up with submission
  and approval of ARF
• TAKS-M
• May be allowed at grade 4 with submission and
  approval of ARF
• Allowed at grades 7 writing, 10 and 11 ELA

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Accommodations Manual
December2007

• Supplemental Aids
• Must be a tool and not a source of direct
  answers, meaning that the student must use the
  aid to figure out the answer, NOT just look at
  the aid to find the answer
• TAKS
• No changes to policies
• TAKS (Accommodated)
• May be allowed for any grade or subject with the
  submission and approval of an ARF
• TAKS-M
• Allowed for any grade and any subject

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Examples of NON-ALLOWABLE supplemental aids
At grade 8 this labeled map provides direct
answers for items assessing westward expansion
and/or significant dates. This map does not
contain material tested at grades 10 and 11 so it
would be allowed but would not be helpful to a
student. It may even confuse the student.
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Examples of NON-ALLOWABLE supplemental aids
This is a portion of a supplemental aid that
lists the presidents in order and their
significant contributions. It would not be
allowed because 1) relative and absolute
chronology are assessed and 2) accomplishments of
some presidents, such as Abraham Lincoln, are
assessed.
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Examples of NON-ALLOWABLE supplemental aids
This list of strategies to complete the reading
test would not be allowed on any assessment. The
strategies are too specific and are not
applicable to all types of questions or passages.
In addition, this process would greatly increase
the amount of time it would take for the student
to complete each passage and associated
questions.
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Examples of NON-ALLOWABLE supplemental aids
This graphic organizer for written composition is
not allowed because it forces the student to
respond to the prompt only in one way. This
could be a disadvantage for a student when
responding to a prompt that does not lend itself
to this format.
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Examples of NON-ALLOWABLE supplemental aids
This graphic would not be allowed at grades 4-6
because the TEKS specifies that the student will
identify and describe right, acute, and obtuse
angles. So the student only has to find if the
angle given on the test question looks like one
of these pictures to answer the question. This
skill is not tested at grade 3 so would not be
helpful to a student. It may even confuse a
student. This would be considered a tool and not
a source of direct answers at grades 7-Exit/11.
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Examples of NON-ALLOWABLE supplemental aids
This multiplication chart is a source of direct
answers. The student only has to copy the answer
from the chart.
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Accommodations Manual
December2007

• Extended Time (multiple days to test)
• An ARF must be submitted and approved for this
  accommodation for TAKS, TAKS (Accommodated), and
  TAKS-M
• This requirement does not apply to the Dyslexia
  Bundled Accommodations at grades 3-8 TAKS and
  TAKS (Accommodated) reading
• The ARF must include objective evidence showing
  that the student can be successful on the
  assessment only with multiple days to test
• The school is responsible for maintaining test
  security if this accommodation is approved

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