Criteria to Have a Readaloud Accommodation on the English Language Arts Test

Changes in Allowable Testing Accommodations on the Grades 3-8 New York State English Arts Assessments

November 2016

SPECIAL EDUCATION FIELD ADVISORY

From: Angelica Infante-Light-green

Subject: Changes in Allowable Testing Accommodations on the Grades 3-8 New York Country English language Language Arts Assessments

PDF Version of Advisory

The purpose of this memorandum is to inform yous of updates to New York State Education Department (NYSED) procedures on the permissibility of the testing accommodation "tests read" for students with disabilities on the Grades 3-8 New York State English Linguistic communication Arts Assessments (Grades 3-8 ELA Assessments). This memorandum replaces guidance previously issued by NYSED on testing accommodations for students with disabilities.

Commencement with the 2017 administration of the Grades 3-8 English Language Arts (ELA) Assessments, students with disabilities whose Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) or Section 504 Accommodations Plans (504 Plans) document that tests exist read aloud (by manner of human reader or engineering science) must be provided this testing accommodation in accordance with the specifications in the IEP/504 Programme. In previous years, simply directions were to be read to students on the Grades 3-8 ELA Assessments; no other portion of the exam was to be read aloud regardless of the circumstances. Additionally, this testing accommodation will exist provided to students upon declassification with documentation indicating the accommodation will keep.

Background
The NYSED has received numerous comments from the field, including parents, teachers, and schoolhouse administrators, expressing business concern most the impermissibility of read-aloud testing accommodations for students with significant reading-related disabilities on whatsoever portion of the Grades three-8 ELA Assessments, even when such students' IEPs or 504 Plans document "tests read" as a testing adaptation. These comments take indicated that information presented in auditory formats for some students with disabilities that severely touch on reading skills will foster more meaningful participation in the Grades 3-viii ELA Assessments, even with the use of other testing accommodations.

Consequent with federal and State laws and regulations, all students with disabilities must be held to loftier expectations and be provided meaningful opportunities to participate and progress in the full general education curriculum, including all required assessments. The Every Student Succeeds Human activity affirms that students with disabilities must exist provided the appropriate accommodations necessary to mensurate their academic achievement relative to the challenging Land academic standards.

Considerations for Recommending the Testing Accommodation "Tests Read"

The accommodation of "tests read" allows students with disabilities that limit their ability to decode print the opportunity to demonstrate content knowledge in all field of study areas by mitigating the effects of a reading or print disability. All-around such students with disabilities through auditory presentation of tests does non replace high-quality, peculiarly- designed reading pedagogy by appropriately certified and qualified teachers for such students, nor does it eliminate the demand for schools to conduct ongoing assessments i of the individual reading skills of such students, and provide connected instruction on specific reading skills. Furthermore, students with disabilities who are provided the adaptation of "tests read" on the Grades 3-viii ELA Assessments must still exist considered, equally appropriate, for academic intervention services (AIS). Evaluative and instructional information that supports the student's demand for the accommodation "tests read" may exist considered as a part of the multiple measures of student functioning that inform decisions regarding AIS for individual students. Additional guidance on the use of research-based instructional practices in reading for students with disabilities may be constitute in
NYSED'southward Quality Indicator Review and Resources Guides for Literacy bachelor at:
https://www.p12.nysed.gov/specialed/techassist/literacyQI-August2014.pdf.

The recommendation to read tests aloud to a student with a disability is a Committee on Special Education (CSE)/Section 504 Committee conclusion based on the pupil's individual inability-related needs. "Tests read" should be a low-incidence accommodation, every bit information technology is not effective or advisable for many students with disabilities.

Providing read-aloud accommodations for students who do not need them may take a negative touch on such students' examination performance. Recommending the "tests read" accommodation on tests primarily assessing reading comprehension (i.e., the Grades 3-8 ELA Assessments) may not be appropriate for students with moderate reading disabilities who may be provided the "tests read" accommodation in other content areas (due east.thou., social studies, math, or science).

When determining the appropriateness of providing the "tests read" accommodation to individual students with disabilities on the Grades 3-8 ELA Assessments, the post-obit questions should exist considered (Run across Attachment: Testing Accommodation Decision- Making Tool for "Tests Read"):

• Is there evaluative data indicating that, fifty-fifty after explicit and systematic reading
instruction, the pupil's disability precludes or severely limits the student's ability to decode impress?

• Has the educatee been provided systematic, explicit, research-based reading interventions to improve decoding skills?

• If the educatee is bullheaded or visually dumb, is he or she learning to read braille?

• If the student is blind or visually impaired, has information technology been adamant that his or her disability precludes or severely limits the ability to access and/or develop proficiency in braille?

• If the student is deafened or difficult of hearing, is there show demonstrating that the pupil's disability precludes or severely limits his or her ability to decode printed text (possibly due to other co-occurring disabilities or long-term linguistic communication deprivation in early on childhood) 2?

• Is there evidence that demonstrates the educatee'southward admission to and/or performance on impress-based tasks improves when information is presented to the educatee in auditory formats (past manner of homo reader or the utilise of assistive technology)?

• Does the student utilize read-aloud accommodations during education or classroom testing (past way of man reader or the use of assistive technology)?

• Is the student provided instructional materials in auditory formats?

• Has the pupil provided input to inform specific recommendations related to the "tests read" testing accommodation?

Documentation of "Tests Read" on an IEP/504 Programme

If "tests read" is recommended past a educatee's CSE/Section 504 Committee every bit a testing accommodation for a student with a disability in grades three through 8, the student's IEP/504 Plan must signal whether or not it is appropriate to provide this adaptation on tests of reading comprehension (such as, the Grades 3-viii ELA Assessments) due to the student'south unique, disability-related needs. Testing accommodations, including "tests read," should non exist recommended in a test-specific manner, but should describe the weather condition and types of tests in which an accommodation must or must not be provided. Equally with all IEP/504 Program recommendations, testing accommodations must be reviewed at least annually and revised every bit necessary to see the changing needs of each student. It is disquisitional
that a student's testing accommodations are recommended based on electric current data
related to his or her present levels of operation.

The post-obit examples, although not exhaustive, illustrate how "tests read" may be documented on an IEP/504 Plan for individual students with disabilities in grades 3-viii based on the unique needs of each student.

Sample documentation of testing conditions appropriate for a pupil with a inability that
severely limits or precludes the ability to decode print who would receive the "tests read" accommodation on the Grades 3-viii ELA Assessments:

Testing Accommodation	Testing Conditions	Implementation Specifications
Examination read	For all State and local tests, including tests of reading comprehension	Text-to-speech software may be used to provide this accommodation.

Sample documentation of testing conditions appropriate for a student with a disability that moderately impacts the ability to decode print who would not recieve the "test read" accommodation on the Grades 3-eight ELA Assessments:

Testing Accommodation	Testing Weather	Implementation Specifications
Tests read	For all State and local tests, except examination of reading comprehension	Human reader

Thank you for your attention to this of import matter. Questions regarding this
memorandum may exist directed to the Office of Special Education Policy Unit of measurement at (518) 473-2878 or speced@nysed.gov.

Attachment-Testing Accommodation Decision-making Tool for "Tests Read"

1 For local assessments, screenings, or private evaluations designed to measure specific reading skills for the purposes of determining eligibility for services or informing reading instruction, reading such assessments to students may not yield valid results and may bear upon the student's identification for appropriate services.

two If the answer to this question is "yes," and the student also understands sign language, the CSE may consider using a sign interpreter to translate text as a testing accommodation.

westhadioncoulne37.blogspot.com

Source: https://www.p12.nysed.gov/specialed/publications/testing-accommodations-ela-grades-3-8.htm

Share this post