Alternate Assessment
The amended Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEA 04 - P.L. 105-17) and "No Child Left Behind Act" of 2001 requires that all students, including those with disabilities, participate in state and district wide assessment programs. There are several ways in which students with disabilities can participate in assessments. These often are divided into three categories: (1) assessments taken in the same way as other students take them, (2) assessments taken with accommodations, and (3) alternate assessments. A small percentage of students with disabilities may need to participate in an alternate state or district assessment because they are working in grade level alternate content standards.
Currently the alternate assessments available to school and facilities are the Dakota STEP-A (Alternate) and the
Writing Alternate. Information about participation and accommodations must be documented in the student's IEP that precedes the actual administration of the assessment.
Dakota STEP – A
The Dakota STEP-A is available for students who
have a significant cognitive disability and are working in the Alternate Content Standards and whose IEP’s indicate alternate assessment for statewide testing. The testing window for the Dakota-Step A will be February
4-March 14, 2008. This administration is prior to the Dakota STEP testing window in order to alleviate the workload for special education staff who administer both assessments. The test contains a rating
form, and Supporting Evidence that is used to support the ratings
given on the rating form. The rating forms are aligned to the Alternate Content Standards and are grade specific, focusing on reading and math.
at grades 3-8 & 11, with the addition of Science at grades 5, 8, & 11.
Dakota STEP-A administration training 2008:
- January 14, Rapid City
- January 15, Chamberlain
- January 16, Aberdeen
- January 17, Sioux Falls
Dakota STEP-A Resources
Practice Scoring and Improving Evidence Submissions
Rater Two Training Materials
Writing Alternate
The testing window is February
4 - March 14, 2008.
The Writing Alternate will be shipped with
the Dakota STEP-A and returned to Harcourt with the STEP-A assessment.
Writing Alternate Directions
Historical Perspective
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