Transcript How Massachusetts Uses Large

How Massachusetts Uses
Large-Scale Assessment Results
to Influence Instructional Practices for
Students with Disabilities
Dan Wiener
Assessment Coordinator for Special Populations
Massachusetts Department of Education
Fully-inclusive Assessment:
What it means
Three partners agree to cooperate…
 Special education:



All students assessed on academic achievement
Schools/districts held accountable for these students
Curriculum & Instruction:

Standards adapted for a range of complexity
− Ramps, not hurdles

Assessment:

Expanded flexibility
− Accommodations, Alternate Assessments
− Test formats, Technology, Bias
Explaining it to the Public…

Understanding the probable benefits of:





Inclusive assessments and accountability
Access to academic instruction
Graduation requirement
Buy-in: stakeholders at the table
Changing the culture of:



Self-esteem
Social, behavioral, and life skills
Low expectations
…To a focus on academic goals and expectations
Questions from Parents (guaranteed verbatim)
“Couldn’t you just design an assessment my child can pass?”
 “Can I help her take the test?”
 “You‘re setting him up to fail! Why punish my child?”
And more…
 “He can’t learn math and science!”
 “She doesn’t need academics, she needs life skills!”
 “She’ll never meet the graduation requirement, so why
bother assessing her?”

THE DILEMMA:
 Special Education: What is the purpose?
 Education Reform: A better education, but must earn diploma
What Are We Measuring
Do assessment results reflect…




Student’s knowledge of academic skills and concepts
OR
The degree to which instruction has been provided
OR
Appropriateness of the assessment
OR
Severity of the student’s disability
Fix instruction and assessments (the system),
before results will be valid and useful




Teach academic learning standards
Provide ALL necessary accommodations
Provide rigorous alternate assessments linked to
grade-level academic instruction
Expand participation in alternate assessments
Finding Partners to Support States

Those who went before
 Those who collect national data
 Counterparts in other states
 A good contractor
 Diverse stakeholders in state
And,
 Coordinated state leadership

“How will we respond to our critics?”
How Do Statewide Assessments Help States?



Determine how students with disabilities participate

Are students receiving necessary accommodations?

Are the right students taking alternate assessments?
Ensure students receive standards-based instruction

All content areas

Grade-appropriate knowledge, skills, concepts, materials
Identify areas in need of support, clarification, review,
or monitoring
From a school’s perspective:
Assessment = A searchlight, a big mirror…

Do all students miss the same test questions?

What are we teaching?

Are we missing something?

Do some, not others, get instruction?

e.g., geometry, chemistry, algebra, poetry
AND

Do particular students need support?
Not-so-subtle message:
“All means ALL”
Standards are for ALL students.
Schools are accountable for ALL students.
Since ALL results count, Schools and Districts must
allocate resources equitably.
Therefore,


Include special ed faculty in curriculum discussions
Provide materials, resources, access, and opportunities to
even the most disabled students
Public Release of Test Items

Scores alone don’t tell enough

Analysis leads to improvement

Schools must know:
 How did each student answer test item?
 Which standard is aligned with each test item?

Test Item Analysis: every student, every question

Test-Wiz: free software for schools to plug-in test
results and show strengths and weakness
Use Results to Guide IEP Teams to Identify
Accommodations



How does student participate in routine instruction?
What worked on previous assessments?
Overcome factors unique to testing:


Stress, anxiety, recall, staying on task, testing
inexperience
Should state promote use of certain
accommodations?

Text-readers, graphic organizers, math reference sheets,
ASL on video
How Assessment Results
Inform State Policy
Assessment results can:

Improve state’s understanding of how
accommodations are used for routine instruction

Improve state’s process to guide IEP teams to
identify appropriate and necessary accommodations

Lead to expanded use of accommodations
Alternate Assessment

For whom is this intended?



Does the process guide instruction?





Do state policies “drive” students to take Alt
Are students prevented from taking Alt (disability type)
Required standards are assessed
Progress over time is documented
Progression of skills is described (continuum of learning)
Does it help teachers become more systematic?
Does it expand approaches to teaching & learning?

“Best day-best way”
State Graduation Requirement

Value of a “competency standard”



Focus instruction precisely where it’s needed
Incentive to continue learning beyond grade 10
Equitable and fair?
What the advocates say:
“Despite early misgivings, the MCAS and graduation
requirement have been some of the most beneficial things
ever for special education students in Massachusetts.”
--Federation for Children with Special Needs
Percent of Students who earned a Competency
Determination - Class of 2004
100
90
94
96
98
90
Percent with CD
80
77
67
70
58
60
50
40
32
30
20
10
84
75
32
%pts
27
%pts
21
%pts
14
%pts
Students with Disabilities
45
%pts
Regular Education
0
Grade 10
Test
Retest 1
Retest 2
Retest 3
Retest 4
Appeals Process (www.doe.mass.edu/mcasappeals)

“Cohort Appeal”


Compare GPA with 6+ students who took same courses
and passed the test
“Competency Portfolio”

When no cohort, submit work samples in ELA and Math
Academic Support

Tutoring for students who failed the test

MCAS support at community colleges

Financial support for schools from state legislature
Contact Information
MA Department of Education (781-338-3625)

Dan Wiener – [email protected]

DOE Website – www.doe.mass.edu/mcas