NEW HAMPSHIRE ALTERNATE ASSESSMENT

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NEW HAMPSHIRE ALTERNATE ASSESSMENT

• Initial Training 2007

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TODAYS AGENDA

• Review federal requirements
• Participation guidelines and timelines
• Curriculum standards and grade level differences
• Portfolio requirements by grade level
• 10 minute break
• 20 minute break-out session review exemplars and
  portfolio template
• Steps in the portfolio process
• Scoring rubric
• Resource and contact information
• Questions and answers

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FEDERAL REQUIREMENTS

• IDEIA 2004 (Individuals with Disabilities
  Education Improvement Act)
• Requires that
• Students with disabilities have access to the
  general curriculum.
• Students with disabilities participate in
  statewide assessment.
• States develop guidelines for how students will
  participate in alternate assessment.
• Every students IEP contain a statement of how
  the student will participate in statewide
  assessment.

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FEDERAL REQUIREMENTS CONT.

• NCLB No Child Left Behind
• (Elementary and Secondary Education Act)
• Requires that
• States ensure that all students have a fair,
  equal, significant opportunity to access and
  progress within the general curriculum.
• All students be assessed in Grades 3-8, and once
  in high school in relation to the states
  curriculum grade level content standards.

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NHs RESPONSE TO FEDERAL REQUIREMENTS

• NH Alternate Assessment was developed in response
  to federal requirements,
• (1998 to address IDEA)
• To address NCLB, students participating in the
• NH Alternate Assessment will be assessed in
• Grades 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8,10 11
• (school year 2007-2008)

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NHs ALTERNATE ASSESSMENT PROCESS

• NHs Alternate Assessment
• Merges assessment, curriculum, and instruction.
• Provides multiple opportunities for students to
  perform.
• Includes authentic or real-life products from
  learning.

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GUIDING PRINCIPLES FOR NH ALTERNATE ASSESSMENT

• All students can learn.
• All students need to be assessed in relation to
  curriculum standards.
• Alternate assessment should incorporate
  measurable targeted skills as they relate to the
  NH Curriculum Frameworks.
• The level of assessment participation must be
  documented on the IEP.

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GUIDELINES FOR PARTCIPATION

• Can the student participate in the general
  statewide assessment, with or
• without accommodations, or does he/she need to
  participate in NH
• Alternate Assessment?
• The student has a current IEP.
• There is documentation that the students
  cognitive ability and adaptive behavior
• Prevent him/her from achievement of the
  proficiency standards in the NH Curriculum
  Frameworks even with accommodations,
• Require instruction in multiple settings to
  acquire, generalize, and apply skills.
• There is current and longitudinal data that
  confirms the above criteria.

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PARTICIPATION INNH ALTERNATE ASSESSMENT

• Characteristics of students participating in
  alternate assessment
• Limited communication and/or limited adaptive
  skills
• Very low levels of academic achievement
• Highly specialized instruction
• Substantial supports required to access curriculum

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IMPORTANT TIMELINES

• September 30, 2007 Participation decision
• February 4 - March 7, 2008 Registration of
  students
• April 18, 2008 Last day
  to enter
• evidence
• May 2, 2008 Portfolio due to
• 
  Measured Progress

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DATA COLLECTION PERIODS

• Data Collection Period I
• September 17, 2007- November 16, 2007
• Data Collection Period II
• November 19, 2007- February 1, 2008
• Data Collection Period III
• February 4, 2008 - April 18, 2008

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PORTFOLIO REQUIREMENTS

• Student Introduction Letter
• Student Activity Schedule
• Students Sensory Access Form
• Parent Consent Form
• Review and Release Statement
• Signed Portfolio Validation Sheet
• Sensory Access Form
• Required Entries

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REQUIRED ENTRIES BY GRADE LEVEL

• Reading Standard 1 -Required for all grades
• Reading Choice Standard-Required for all grades
• Math Standard 3/4 -Required for all grades
• Math Choice Standard -Required for all grades
• Writing Standard 2 -Required for grades 4 , 7
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• Writing Choice Standard-Required for grades 4, 7
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• Science Standard 1- Required for grades 4, 8 11
• Science Choice Standard-Required for grades 4, 8
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TEN MINUTE BREAK

• After break we will review
• the portfolio template
• and exemplars.
• Please return promptly.

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WRITING AND SELECTING TARGETED SKILLS

• Targeted skills may come directly from the
  students IEP as long
• as they are measurable, and not too narrow
  or too broad.
• Targeted skills DO NOT have to be part of the
  students IEP.
• However, teams should consider writing standard
  based IEPs that include measurable targeted
  skills linked to the content standards).
• Teams should ensure that selected targeted skills
  can be taught,
• applied, and practiced in a variety of
  age-appropriate, standard
• based activities.
• Consult Content Standards section of Manual for
  assistance.

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THE CONTENT STANDARDS SECTION OF THE
EDUCATORS MANUAL INCLUDES

• All standards in Reading, Writing, Math Science
• Critical functions for each standard
• Suggested targeted skills that relate to the
  standard.
• Suggested activities (3) for 2 targeted skills
  per standard.
• Plenty of room to add your own ideas.

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ENTRY COVER SHEETS

• Required for each entry.
• Guide to the entry for the scorer. Where items
  can located within the entry.
• Checklist for the team when developing
  completing the entry.

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GRAPH OR CHART

• For each targeted skill there must be ONE graph
  or chart showing progress over the three data
  collection periods.
• Each data collection period must have a minimum
  of 3 data points--a total of nine.
• The graph or chart must contain a brief
  description of the tasks/ activities upon which
  the data is based.
• Extensive progress is evidenced when the
  students progress exceeds the initial criteria.

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CONNECTIONS AND ACCESS TO THE GENERAL CURRICULUM

• Each data collection period must contain 2 graded
  work samples that show application of the
  targeted skill in an age-appropriate, standards
  based activity, a total of 6 work samples per
  entry.
• .
• Three different standard-based activities is
  considered extensive evidence.

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WORK SAMPLES

• Worksheets
• Captioned photos of student engaged in the
  activity
• Captioned photos of materials
• Data sheet with one days data highlighted
• Video or audio clip
• Which
• Show application of the targeted skill in an
  age-appropriate, standards based activity
• Are dated and fall within the data collection
  periods
• Are scored according to the measurement criteria
  of the targeted skill
• Include a description of where with whom the
  learning took place
• Demonstrate what supports were utilized during
  the activity

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GENERALIZED PERFORMANCE

• Where and with whom is the student using the
  targeted skill?
• Specialized settings
• Integrated settings
• Community settings
• Regular classroom
• With typical peers and/or natural supports

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SUPPORTS

• The degree of match between the independence of
  the student the level of assistance needed to
  learn, perform or maintain skill.
• (Must be clearly documented!)
• Material Supports
• Appropriate accommodations, modifications,
  assistive technology
• Natural supports supports normally present in
  the general education setting and/or community
  setting (general education teacher, librarian,
  typical peers, cashier, etc.)
• Typical peers
• Peer tutoring

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EVIDENCE OF SELF-DETERMINATION

• Self-determination is defined as the opportunity
  to make choices, plan, monitor, and self-evaluate
  in relation to the chosen targeted skill.
• Each data collection period should contain one
  piece of evidence documenting the opportunity for
  self-determination.
• The documentation must relate to one of the work
  samples within each data collection period.
• Student level of participation in
  self-determination must be clearly documented

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TIPS FROM SCORERS

• Use the required standard for your first entry
  and a different (choice) standard for the second
  entry
• Targeted skill must connect to the standard
  (refer to manual for examples of targeted skills)
• Write targeted skill in measurable terms (i.e., 4
  out of 5 trials, 80accuracy,etc.)
• Establish a baseline. First data point can not
  exceed the goal
• Use the same measurement criteria on the chart or
  graph as stated in the targeted skill
• Each data point must include a date within the
  data collection period, a description of the
  activity, and student performance on the targeted
  skill using the identified measurement criteria

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TIPS FROM SCORERS CONT.

• Date and score all work samples
• Work samples must demonstrate application of the
  targeted skill
• Use a variety of activities to demonstrate the
  targeted skill 3 different activities is
  considered extensive
• Specify where the student is working special
  education or general education setting
• Specify who the student is working with general
  education teacher or special education teacher,
  typical peer or identified peer, etc.
• Specify supports the student utilized in the
  activity- think about people, materials and
  technology
• Access and utilize natural supports whenever
  possible (general education teachers, typical
  peers, etc.)

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CONTACTS

• Contact Information for
• The Department of Education
• Measured Progress
• Alternate Assessment Coaches
• Located on page 4 of the Educators Manual

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WEB RESOURCES FOR PORTFOLIO DEVELOPMENT

• Go to www.measuredprogress.org to access Measured
  Progress ProFile software.
• Click on K-12 Assessments
• Select Clients from the drop down menu under
  Quick Links.
• Click on New Hampshire under Current Special
  Education Clients.
• Scroll to the bottom of the page and select a
  Measured Progress ProFile version to download.
• (see demonstration)

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QUESTIONS ANSWERS