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 Extended
Content and Alternate Academic Achievement Descriptors and whose IEP’s indicate alternate assessment for statewide testing. The testing window for the Dakota-Step A will be February
2-March 20, 2009. 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
and Writing at grades 5, 7 and 10.
Dakota STEP-A Support Materials
Dakota STEP-A Training Resources
2009 Dakota STEP-Alt Assessment Information
Writing Alternate
- For the 2008-2009 school year, the alternate assessment for writing
will be administered at grades 5, 7 and 10.
This assessment is for students whose IEP’s indicate alternate
assessment for statewide testing. The Writing Alternate will be
based on the
Language Arts Extended Content in Writing approved Nov. 19, 2007.
-
Writing Extended Content
The testing window is February
2 - March 20, 2009.
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
|