New York State Alternate Assessment

1
New York State Alternate Assessment
Candace Shyer Bureau Chief, Test
Development Office of Standards, Assessment and
Reporting
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USDE Peer Review

• In response to a 2005-06 review of the NYS
  testing program by the USDE, NYSAA was
  restructured for 200607
• Stakeholder groups were assembled by SED to
  conduct a review of the core curriculum and
  general education assessment blueprints for ELA,
  math, science, and social studies
• These groups determined priorities for NYSAA
  based on the core curriculum, assessment
  blueprints, and developmental applicability for
  students with severe cognitive disabilities
• NYSAA alternate grade level indicators (AGLIs)
  are now linked to grade level content standards
• The content assessed in NYSAA is clearly related
  to the grade level content however it is reduced
  in scope and complexity
• Alignment study and standard setting are scheduled

3
Whats the same?

• Limited to students with severe cognitive
  disabilities same definition
• CSE decision
• IEP wording re assessment
• Procedural validity
• Measures are Independence and Accuracy

4
Whats the same? (contd)

• Datafolio assessment
• Required documentation for NYSAA datafolios
  remains the same
• Types of verifying evidence are the same however
  evidence must support data for last two dates
  documented on Data Summary Sheet
• Same definition for who is eligible to take
  NYSAA- student with severe cognitive disability

5
Whats Changed?
Then
Now

• 1 year later than peers
• Alignment to Learning Standards
• Alternate Performance Indicators (APIs)
• Open selection of APIs within content areas
• Evidence varies by Grade Assessed
• Green and Black Book, NYSAA Resource Guides and
  old materials

• Same age as peers
• Alignment to Grade Level Expectations
• Alternate Grade Level Indicators (AGLIs)
• Mandated selections of material within content
  areas
• Standardized evidence formula 232
• NYSAA Administration Manual, NYSAA Frameworks and
  new materials

6
Key Dates 2006-07

• June Title I Peer Assessment Review
• July-October Redesign of NYSAA
• November Materials Shipped, On-line
• November Training of AATN Turnkey Trainers
• December Local District Training by AATN
• Jan 2-March 9 Administration Period
• April 9-May 11 Regional Scoring
• June 4-15 Standard Setting
• Summer-Fall nySTART Reports Results

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Mandated Content Areas

• Chronological age chart dictates content areas to
  assess
• Performance expectations vary by grade, so key
  ideas/ strands/ units used for assessment vary by
  grade
• Prescribed by the NYSAA Test Blueprints

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Process for Grade Level Alignment

• State Test Blueprint priorities grade by grade
• Core Curriculum components reviewed for
  corresponding performance expectations
• Grade-level performance expectations were
  distilled to their Essences
• Alternate Grade Level Indicators (AGLIs) for each
  set of Essences reflect entry points to the main
  ideas of the curriculum at each grade level

9
Where is all this going?

• This is the next evolutionary step for special
  education
• Defines access to general education curriculum by
  grade and essences
• The content assessed in NYSAA is clearly related
  to the grade level content however it is reduced
  in scope and complexity
• Raises academic expectations for students with
  severe cognitive disabilities
• Assures that all students count

10
Key Dates 2007-08

• March 2007 Revision Workgroup Adds More Sample
  Tasks
• April-June 2007 iEnrollment for Verification of
  Sites to Receive Fall Training Materials
• August 2007 Materials Shipped, On-line
• September 2007 Training of AATN Turnkey
  Trainers
• September-October 2007 Local District Training
  by AATN

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Key Dates 2007-08 (contd)

• October 1, 2007-February 8, 2008 Administration
  Period
• January 2008 Benchmarking
• February 2008 LSET Survey Available On-line
• March 2008 Training of SSC Turnkey Trainers
• June 2008 Standard Setting

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References

• Peer Review letter, June 2006 www.ed.gov/admins/le
  ad/account/nclbfinalassess/index.html
• Memo re Ungraded, August 2006 www.vesid.nysed.gov
  /specialed/publications/policy/ungraded.htm
• Memo re NYSAA, August 2006 www.vesid.nysed.gov/sp
  ecialed/alterassessment/changesadmin.htm
• Guide re Accommodations and Testing, May 2006
  www.vesid.nysed.gov/specialed/publications/policy/
  testaccess/ policyguide.htm
• Guide re Sample IEP Guidance Document, May 2005
  www.vesid.nysed.gov/specialed/publications/policy/
  iep/memo1205.htm
• Alternate Assessment Web Page www.vesid.nysed.gov/
  specialed/alterassessment/home.html

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Resources

• NYSAA Regional Lead Trainers
• NYSAA Training Specialists
• NYSED Office of Standards, Assessment and
  Reporting (OSAR) Victoria Ferrara
• vferrara_at_mail.nysed.gov