How Might Accommodation and Accessibility Decision-Making for - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

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How Might Accommodation and Accessibility Decision-Making for English Language Proficiency Assessments be Impacted By Approaches Used with Other Assessments?

National Conference on Student Assessment San Diego, CA June 2015

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Session Abstract

With states participating in up to three different assessment consortia and/or implementing their own assessments, there is potential for confusion among the different guidelines around valid and reliable selection of accommodation and accessibility features. This session examines convergences and differences among these guidelines and their potential impact on accommodations and accessibility features selection for English language learners (ELLs) taking the ACCESS for ELLs 2.0 English language proficiency (ELP) test. State panelists will share elements of the new WIDA accommodations and accessibility guidelines, showing how they were designed to complement both consortia guidelines and unaffiliated state guidelines and areas in which the WIDA guidelines were designed to address the unique nature of the ELP construct. State representatives will also share key concepts to be integrated in Title III and Special Education trainings in order to ensure the procedures used appropriately address accommodation and accessibility requirements specific to ELP assessments.

WIDA Consortium

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Presenters

• Dan Wiener, Massachusetts Department of

Elementary and Secondary Education

• Robert Fugate, Virginia Department of

Education

• Grace Gray, Alaska Department of Education

& Early Development

• Lynn Shafer Willner, WIDA Consortium

WIDA Consortium

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2015-16 WIDA Consortium Transition to New Online ELP Assessment

5 WIDA Consortium

2008-2012: Refined SEA ELL Accommodation Guidelines for Content Area Assessment…

Directly 18 Indirectly 6 (SEAs used GW-CEEE

resources to make refinements on own)

by sharing resources 10

Influence of Guidelines Document Analyses Performed during GW-CEEE ELL Accommodation Guidelines Refinement Work

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Influence of 2009/2010 ACCESS by Design Framework

Fedorchak, Hock, Russell work with NECAP states Key points:

• Reduce post-hoc accommodation by using UDL

principles and by embedding accessibility features within items and the online interface

• Expand accessibility to move beyond focus on

IEP or ELL status to focus on diverse student needs

WIDA Consortium

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WIDA Approach to Accessibility and Accommodations

• 1. Improved

accommodation support for ELLs who have IEPs

• r 504 plans
• 2. Extended range of

accessibility supports for all ELLs taking the assessment

Accessibility Tools ¡ Test Administration Procedures ¡ Universal Design for Learning (Built into Test Directions and Items) ¡

Allowed to all ELLs Allowed only to students with IEPs or 504 plans

Accommodations

Extend ¡Accessibility ¡Support ¡to ¡All ¡ELLs ¡ Taking ¡ACCESS ¡for ¡ELLs ¡2.0 ¡

¡ ¡

PARCC

Smarter Balanced

ACT (Grades 3-8) WIDA

ELL-­‑Responsive ¡Support ¡ Direct ¡Linguis-c ¡Support ¡ Accommoda-ons ¡ Indirect ¡Linguis-c ¡Support ¡ Accommoda-ons ¡ Test ¡Administra-on ¡ Procedures ¡

Alaska, Minnesota, Virginia Accessibility Tools ¡ Test Administration Procedures ¡ Universal Design for Learning (Built into Test Directions and Items) ¡ Accommodations

Framework ¡Comparison ¡

How ¡Might ¡AccommodaGon ¡and ¡ Accessibility ¡Decision-­‑Making ¡for ¡ English ¡Language ¡Proficiency ¡ Assessments ¡be ¡Impacted ¡By ¡ Approaches ¡Used ¡with ¡Other ¡ Assessments? ¡

Accommodations Decisions on English Proficiency and Content Area Tests

Dan Wiener Administrator of Inclusive Assessment CCSSO NCSA June 2015

Topics and Perspectives

ê Massachusetts is a member of both PARCC and WIDA

• Both consortia are launching new online tests in a

predominantly paper-based state.

ê Title I vs. Title III: What’s the difference? ê What can each learn from the other re accessibility? ê Accommodations on both tests: More alike than not, with some important distinctions ê What factors have shaped state policies and decision-making on accessibility this time around? ê Focus on: online testing, extended time, and need for consistency across states

Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education

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Is ELP assessment just another ELA test?

Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education

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English Proficiency Assessments Academic Content Assessments

Grades K-12, including Listening and Speaking Grades 3-high school English language proficiency (i.e., language of content areas) is assessed ELA (Literacy) and Mathematics (i.e., knowledge of subject matter) is assessed Emphasis on vocabulary, grammar, mechanics, usage Emphasis on application of knowledge, concepts, skills Locate answers in the text Analyze, interpret, infer from text

Accommodations

• n content and ELP tests

More alike than not…with important differences:

ê Language translations not allowed for ELP, but sometimes allowed for content area tests (by state policy).

• Bilingual word-to-word dictionaries not allowed for ELP
• For ELP, ASL not allowed and Braille somewhat controversial

ê Reading aloud to students

• Reading test: Allowed for some students on content test,

but not for ELP

• Number of oral repetitions may be a consideration (for Listening

and Speaking tests)

ê Untimed vs. timed: the trade-off

• Balance needs of some students vs. time away from instruction

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Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education

Sample ACCESS Reading Test Item (Grade 2-3: Language of Math)

Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education

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• WIDA

Sample Test Item

Why do the children multiply by 2?

Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education

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Sample ACCESS Reading Item (Grade 6-8: Language of Science)

• WIDA

Sample Test Item What happens after rain falls to the Earth’s surface?

Innovative Accommodations for English Learners on PARCC

ê PARCC Mathematics tests can be read aloud to any student, including ELLs

• Eliminates the need to read text in Math word problems
• Verbal and listening skills develop earlier than literacy.

ê English learners can:

• have a scribe for Math test responses.
• have directions clarified in their native language.
• use approved bilingual word-to-word dictionaries

(from annually updated list available at:

www.doe.mass.edu/mcas/testadmin/lep-bilingual-dictionary.pdf)

ê Timed tests, but extended time for students with disabilities and English learners.

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What Have We Learned About Accessibility?

ê New tests provide an opportunity to “reset the clock” on accommodations policies.

• Incorporate the lessons of ~20 years of testing

ê Computer-based testing provides new possibilities and choices, but…

• Schools that lack sufficient technology, or do not teach

technology skills, will be left behind.

ê Possible financial benefits for consortium members, and opportunities to share with like-minded professionals, but also significant loss of control ê Potential for using embedded and external assistive technologies, but challenges remain

Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education

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What do new ELP and content tests have in common?

The number of accommodations is shrinking!

Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education

ê Increased choices and options for most students

• Online or paper—matching students to the right format.

ê Changing perspectives on accommodations

• Availability: Online tools and variations in test administration

for all students (parallel accessibility features on paper tests)

• Self-determination: Students select which tools to use, even

as they test.

• Flexibility: Schools decide whether to test students in separate

rooms, in smaller groups, and individually.

• Respect for students: Students take breaks during testing;

adults redirect students’ attention to test.

• Consistency: Consortium members all follow the same

accessibility policies.

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MA Department of Elementary and Secondary Education – Student Assessment (781-338-3625)

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Dan Wiener – dwiener@doe.mass.edu

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General Inquiries – mcas@doe.mass.edu

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ESE Website – www.doe.mass.edu

Contact Information

Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education

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How to Train on ELP Assessment Accommodations:

Building on What We Learned from Training

• n Accommodations for LEP Students for

the the Virginia Statewide Content Assessments

Robert Fugate, LEP Assessment Specialist
 Virginia Department of Education

How can the procedures for determining appropriate accommodations for LEP students on statewide content assessments inform the process for determining appropriate accommodations for LEP students on an ELP assessment?

Question

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Training Module Design for Accommodations for LEP Students on Statewide Content Assessments

The Virginia Department of Education training includes nine modules:

• 1. Anticipatory Activities
• 2. An Overview of Assessment Participation

and Testing Accommodations Available to LEP Students

• 3. The LEP Committee
• 4. LEP Students: A Broad Overview
• 5. Evidence-Based Decision Making and

Developing an LEP Student Profile

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Training Module Design for Accommodations for LEP Students on Statewide Content Assessments, cont.

• 6. Matching Testing Accommodations to LEP

students and to Statewide Assessments by Content Area

• 7. Determining Testing Accommodations for LEP

Students on Statewide Assessments

• 8. Implementing Testing Accommodations for LEP

Students on Statewide Assessments

• 9. Developing an LEP Student Assessment

Participation Plan

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Training Module Design for Accommodations for LEP Students on Statewide Content Assessments, cont.

This brings us back to the question: How can the procedures for determining appropriate accommodations for LEP students on statewide content assessments inform the process for determining appropriate accommodations for LEP students on an ELP assessment?

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Determining Appropriate Accommodations for LEP Students

• n an ELP Assessment
• LEP committee and IEP/504 team should jointly

determine accommodations on statewide content assessments and the ELP assessment.

• Accommodations on the ELP assessment are only

for LEP students with a disability, also known as dually identified students.

• The dually identified LEP student’s characteristics

both as an English learner as well as a student with a disability should be considered.

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Are all accommodations in IEP or 504 Plan allowed for the ELP assessment?

Apply to Statewide Content Assessments Apply to ELP Assessment

• Is the accommodation documented in

the student IEP or 504 Plan?

• Has the accommodation been provided
• n a regular basis during content

instruction and testing?

• Is the accommodation providing equal

access or does it provide an unfair advantage?

• Is the accommodation documented in

the student IEP or 504 Plan by language domain?

• Does the accommodation modify the

construct by providing support with the ELP construct?

• Has the accommodation been provided
• n a regular basis during ESL

instruction and ESL classroom testing by language domain?

• Has the student tried sample items for

the language domain with and without the accommodation?

• Is the accommodation providing equal

access or does it provide an unfair advantage?

Example: Read-Aloud Accommodation

• n the ELP Assessment

Factors to Consider

• What has been student’s experience with the

accommodation during instruction?

• Does the accommodation provide equal access

rather than an unfair advantage to the student?

• Does the accommodation address the student’s

characteristics as both an English learner and a student with a disability?

• Does the accommodation maintain the validity of

the ELP assessment?

Key Reminders for the LEP Committee and the IEP/504 Team

• The LEP committee and the IEP/504 team

should work collaboratively to determine the accommodations for a dually identified LEP student on the ELP assessment.

• Accommodations must not violate the ELP

assessment construct or provide an unfair advantage to the dually identified LEP student.

• Specifically identified accommodations in the

dually identified LEP student’s IEP/504 plan may not be available or appropriate for the ELP assessment.

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For Information on the Virginia Department of Education Training on Testing Accommodations for Limited English Proficient Students on Virginia Statewide Assessments, please contact:

Robert Fugate LEP Assessment Specialist Virginia Department of Education Robert.Fugate@doe.virginia.gov (804) 225-2102

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Considerations ¡When ¡Training ¡for ¡ Different ¡Assessments ¡

Grace Gray Alaska Department of Education CCSSO NCSA June 2015

Alaska ¡

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Alaska ¡Demographics ¡

¡ 2011 ¡NAEP ¡Grade ¡4 ¡Reading ¡ Student ¡Ethnicity ¡

Caucasian ¡ Black ¡ Hispanic ¡ Asian ¡ American/ ¡ Pacific ¡ Islander ¡ Am ¡ Indian/ ¡ Alaska ¡ Na-ve ¡ Two ¡or ¡ More ¡ Races ¡

Na-onal ¡ Public ¡ 52% ¡ 16% ¡ 23% ¡ 5% ¡ 1% ¡ 2% ¡ Alaska ¡ 50% ¡ 4% ¡ 6% ¡ 8% ¡ 23% ¡ 8% ¡

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The Achievement and Assessment Institute (AAI) at the University of Kansas developed a custom assessment that measures the Alaska English Language Arts & Mathematics Standards adopted in 2012 Alaska is a member of the WIDA Consortium at the University of Wisconsin, which provides the ACCESS for ELLs assessment to measure the English language proficiency of Alaska’s ELL students.

Framework ¡Crosswalk ¡ ¡

Alaska ¡Measures ¡of ¡Progress ¡(AMP) ¡ Accessibility ¡and ¡AccommodaGon ¡ Framework ¡for ¡ALL ¡students: ¡ ¡

• ­‑Computer-­‑based ¡test ¡

¡

• ­‑Content ¡Assessment ¡

¡

• ­‑Developed ¡using ¡Universal ¡Design ¡

¡

• ­‑Uses ¡‘Educator ¡Portal’ ¡for ¡seUng ¡up ¡

tesGng ¡and ¡a ¡test ¡engine ¡(KITE) ¡for ¡ tesGng ¡ ¡

• ­‑Provides ¡student ¡access ¡using ¡supports: ¡
• Embedded ¡supports: ¡highlighter, ¡

strike ¡out ¡ ¡

• Non-­‑embedded: ¡scratch ¡paper ¡

WIDA ¡ACCESS ¡2.0 ¡Accessibility ¡and ¡ AccommodaGon ¡Framework ¡for ¡ALL ¡ELLs ¡ ¡ ¡

• ­‑Computer-­‑based ¡ ¡

¡

• ­‑English ¡language ¡proficiency ¡assessment ¡

¡

• ­‑Developed ¡using ¡Universal ¡Design ¡

¡

• ­‑Uses ¡the ¡WIDA ¡Assessment ¡

Management ¡System ¡for ¡seUng ¡up ¡ tesGng ¡and ¡a ¡test ¡engine ¡(INSIGHT) ¡for ¡ tesGng ¡

• ­‑Provides ¡student ¡access ¡using ¡supports: ¡
• Embedded ¡supports: ¡highlighter, ¡

screen ¡magnifier ¡

• Non-­‑embedded: ¡audio ¡aids ¡

Other ¡Challenges ¡to ¡Training ¡in ¡ Alaska ¡

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Diverse ¡Populations ¡& ¡Environments ¡

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District ¡Training ¡on ¡Accommodations ¡

EED ¡Offers ¡a ¡variety ¡of ¡PL ¡formats ¡

• Live ¡and ¡recorded ¡Webinars ¡ ¡ ¡
• Par-cipa-on ¡Guidelines ¡and ¡

Handbook ¡

• Face-­‑to-­‑Face ¡trainings ¡
• Toolkits ¡and ¡training ¡modules ¡
• LiveBinder: ¡provides ¡a ¡

facilitator ¡script, ¡PPT ¡and ¡ ac-vi-es ¡for ¡training ¡

• Links ¡to ¡important ¡online ¡

training ¡& ¡resources ¡

CommunicaGon ¡

• Superintendent ¡
• Technology ¡Director ¡
• ELP ¡Coordinator ¡
• Special ¡Educa-on ¡Director ¡
• Classroom ¡teachers ¡
• Students ¡and ¡families ¡

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A strategic communication plan is essential for success!

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DISCUSSANT REMARKS

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