Office of Educational Services & Support

Students in South Dakota with significant cognitive disabilities have the option of taking, as appropriately determined by their respective IEP teams, the Dakota STEP-A alternate assessment in place of the Dakota STEP statewide assessment. Up to 1.0 percent of the students meeting SD significant cognitive disability criteria and who score in the applying and/or advancing range on the alternate assessment can be reported as proficient for the purposes of calculating adequate yearly progress. Alternate assessments given that exceed this 1.0 percent at the district level will be considered not proficient. Additionally, students who take the alternate assessment who do not meet the significant cognitive disability criteria will count as non-participants for NCLB purposes and count against the participation rate for the district. The information on requesting this waiver will be sent to Superintendents and Special Education Directors in February 2008 and the application must be submitted by March 21, 2008.