EAST PARISH SCHOOL BOARD EXCEPTIONAL STUDENT SERVICES DEPARTMENT Excellence in Education! 12732 SILLIMAN STREET. P.O. BOX 397 CLINTON, LOUISIANA 70722 PHONE: (225) 683-8582 FAX: (225) 683-8525 www.efpsb.k12.la.us SER CHANGES~ACCOMMODATIONS PAGES 2014-2015 Access for All Intended for use with all students. They are not classified as accommodations. They are intended to benefit and are available to any student at their discretion during testing. (from PARCC info) Examples include: Using a highlighter tool to shade text on the screen or having test directions read aloud and repeated as needed. Accessibility Feature Tools or preferences that are either built into the assessment system or provided externally by test administrators. These features are included in a student s 504, SPED, or ELL plans and are provided in advance for Statewide Assessments. (from PARCC info) Examples include: Masking, which allows students to cover answer options and adjusting the color contrast of the background or print. Accommodation Accommodations are intended to reduce or even eliminate the effects of a student s disability and/or English language proficiency level. Students must have a 504 Plan, SPED IEP, or ELL Plan to receive accommodations. Accommodations do NOT reduce learning expectations. (from PARCC info) Examples include: oral testing and extended time. Assistive Technology - Any item, piece of equipment or product system, whether acquired commercially off the shelf, modified, or customized, that is used to increase, maintain, or improve the functional capabilities of children with disabilities. (IDEA 2004) Examples include: text-to-speech software and a word processor. 1
The new accommodations pages will be in effect for all new IEPs as they are convened, as well as any IEP amendments that were/will be created as of mid-august and forward. If an IEP must be amended, the following statement must be made on the amendment page under accommodations: Due to a change in the format of accommodations page at the state level, previously selected and agreed upon accommodations needed to be marked in the new format during this amendment process, the integrity of the original IEP has not changed. In all sections of the new accommodations form, the accommodations are divided into three major sections. They are: Classroom, Testing, and Statewide Assessments. The Statewide Assessments section is then divided into two sections: Paper and Online. Mark the appropriate classroom and testing accommodations needed, as well as the appropriate Statewide Assessment areas by grade level and subject(s) based on each child s individual needs. 2
1. PRESENTATION ACCOMMODATIONS PAGES 1-3 Presentation Accommodations Anything that alters the format of delivery. Examples: Braille, read aloud, paper form or online assessment. I. There are 3 areas in which the accommodation of Read Aloud must be determined: a. Math Read Aloud Use for any student who needs math content read aloud. b. All Content areas Read Aloud Except Reading Comp. Use for any student who needs all content areas read aloud with the exception of reading comprehension. This will cover any class other than ELA or Math and students who will not need Reading Comprehension to be read aloud. 3
c. ELA Read Aloud-All Use for any student who needs to receive Reading Comprehension read aloud. All Content areas Read Aloud Except Reading Comp. must also be marked if additional content areas require the read aloud accommodation. Example: A student who receives all subjects read aloud including reading comprehension will have all three sections marked. Any IEP with this accommodation must have the data to justify why all content areas need to be read aloud. If a student is SLD due to math deficits, you must have strong data to support this. Data may be pulled from classroom assignments, CBM/STAR results, standardized testing, evaluation results and other valid sources. d. With the new addition of ELA Read Aloud-all as an accommodation, the accommodation will be in effect for the parish-level Benchmark Testing for proficiency using the Pre and Post-test in content area subjects. The only time that it will not be used is for benchmarking a students progress, as on the Dibels, Progress monitoring benchmarking, STAR testing, TABE, etc. These are not graded assignments, and they are only used to determine the students current functional and academic levels. II. Under each of the 3 areas (above), a determination of HOW the accommodation will be presented must be checked: a. Text to Speech A Computer generated voice is used to read aloud content. Example: Kurzweil Program. b. Human Reader A face to face person is used to read aloud content. Example: A teacher. c. Recorded Voice A human voice that has been recorded is used to read aloud content. Example: Book on tape. An IEP may have more than one choice marked if there will be options for the student. If text will be read sometimes using text-to-speech software, and sometimes using a human reader, then it would be best to mark both choices to make sure the accommodations will accurately portray the needs of the student and that the school is meeting those needs. 4
III. After completing the Classroom and Testing Columns, the appropriate Statewide Assessments must be determined. a. Choose the appropriate grade level. b. Choose the appropriate test type, whether paper or online. c. Choose the appropriate content areas. The SDE has not named a specific testing instrument for this year; therefore, we are unsure at this time how students will be tested, whether paper or online, so it is appropriate to mark both boxes so that the IEP will not have to be amended once a test has been chosen by the SDE for statewide assessment. This will also be a good idea to mark since it may vary by grade, and if a student is taking a paper test this year but an online test next year, the receiving teacher will not have to amend if both are marked. For example, if an IEP for a 3 rd grade student with Math Read Aloud marked, then Paper, Grades 3-8, Math ELA, and Science/Social Studies (if needed) AND Online Grades 3-8 Math ELA should be marked. If Text to Speech and Human Reader are chosen, then mark the boxes for each corresponding row. If there is no box under the standardized testing column, this means that the option does not exist for that particular subject/grade/test type. For example, the EOC for grades 9-12 does not have the option for text to speech or human reader. It is because the EOC has a recorded voice and does not offer text to speech or human reader as an accommodation. *Important~ Validation of the IEP does not guarantee correctness. If an IEP is held for a 4 th grade student and Grades 9-12 EOC is marked, the IEP may validate but will not be correct. IV. Items for Hearing Impaired Students. a. If a student has an interpreter, then mark interpreter. b. If a student has anything, including an interpreter, that is child specific then it must also be marked under Communication Assistance. (This means that both interpreter and communication assistance may be marked on an IEP. 5
c. There are interpreter options on the online statewide assessment, including an in-text pop-up box with an interpreter. If a student needs to use the accommodation of a human interpreter or communication assistance on the statewide assessment, there will be a checklist to determine whether the student meets the qualifications. d. DO NOT MARK Hearing Aid as an accommodation! e. If the student qualifies using the checklist provided by the statewide assessment instrument, then the scores will be valid and the parent will be notified using the statement below: f. More information will be provided to answer any individual questions as an assessment instrument has been chosen by the SDE. V. Other (Classroom only-not for state assessments) Section: a. At the end of each Category, there are two text boxes. The first is labeled, Other (Classroom only NOT for state assessments) This text box is used for any accommodation that is used in the classroom but not approved for Statewide Assessments. 6
b. Example: student/teacher created formula book for math class may be used during classroom testing but not statewide assessments. VI. Unique (Requires additional documentation and LDOE approval for use on state assessments) Section: a. The second text box is labeled, Unique - (Requires additional documentation and LDOE approval for use on state assessments) This text box is used by the school system to request the use of a special accommodation that is not already state approved. This option will be used VERY rarely and only in VERY unique situations. *This is NOT to be confused with the UNIQUE Curriculum used in SD/A Classes. b. The SER Supporting Documentation Section on the last page of the IEP now contains a new form, the Assessment Approval Form, which must be completed for this request. All unique accommodations must be approved by the LDOE PRIOR to being included on the IEP. Talk to your IEP facilitator if you feel your student would qualify for a unique accommodation. c. Any unique accommodation request must be submitted to your assigned IEP Facilitator using the Assessment Approval Form provided in SER at least 6 WEEKS prior to the beginning of the standardized testing session. d. Ex: If you would like to use the student/teacher created formula book mentioned above for a student on a statewide assessment, complete the form. DON T TYPE ANYTHING ON THE IEP IN THIS BOX UNTIL YOU HAVE RECEIVED APPROVAL FROM LDOE. e. Every IEP must be marked N/A until approval for Unique Accommodations are approved by LDOE. When and if you get approval, an amendment is necessary to add the accommodation to this section of the IEP and mark YES on the Assessment Approval Form on the Supporting documentation section of the Placement page of the IEP. 7
NOTE: You are submitting an application for this accommodation. There is no guarantee of approval. N/A must be checked for the Assessment Approval Form in the Supporting Documentation section, even if you are submitting a request. You will NOT mark Yes unless LDOE approval has been obtained. 2. RESPONSE ACCOMMODATIONS PAGES 4 & 5 Response Accommodations This allows for alternate methods of providing responses. Examples: Answers recorded, transferred answers. Many Assistive Technology items are found under this section: a. Continue to mark accommodations as you normally would; however, if there is a diamond anywhere along the row for an accommodation, it may only be selected after the completion of the Assistive Technology Consideration Checklist and approval by the AT team. Some Notes: i. Text to speech can be Kurzweil, PixWriter, Word Talk, online readers. If required for standardized testing then must have AT Eval. 8
ii. Magnification/Enlargement Device must come through AT if it is anything other than changing the features for magnification within Windows (ie magnifying mouse, View, magnification sheets, bar magnifiers, etc.) iii. Braille Must have VI or AT determination iv. Utilize graphic/pictorial mode materials, large print, change background font and colors - If this can be met through Microsoft Windows Accessibility, this does not require AT referral. If it requires specific computer software or additional devices, must have AT referral. v. Voice Output Device - Can check without an AT referral if the student is using 1-4 location/button device for general class participation. If it's needed for statewide assessment an AT referral is required. Anything higher than a 4 location must have an AT referral. Anything that is child specific and needed for statewide assessment should also have "communication device" checked. vi. Word Processor Can only be checked if using classroom computer. Anything portable must come through AT or OT. If a student has equipment from the OT, then on the AT consideration checklist, note on the bottom of the first page that he/she receives equipment from OT. vii. Braille Note-taker Must have VI or AT determination viii. Eye gaze communication system Must have AT referral b. The ONLY items with a diamond symbol that may be checked without an AT Evaluation and approval are the accommodations listed in the Computation Devices (Except on specific fluency items) Section. This section includes calculators, 9
manipulatives/timers/abacas, and Multiplication Chart/Hundreds Chart/Number Line. Additionally, PECS based system cannot be named on the IEP, BUT "picture based communication system" can and both that accommodation and functional communication books are low tech supports that may be mentioned in the IEP with no AT referral. The only other exceptions to this rule are noted above. Any materials or devices that are available within the school would not require an AT Referral. c. EFPS DOES NOT NAME SPECIFIC PROGRAMS OR BRAND NAMES OF DEVICES TO BE USED IN THE SCHOOLS ALTHOUGH THE NEW ACCOMMODATIONS PAGES HAVE THESE OPTIONS. The specific items NOT allowed to be marked are: PECS, hearing aid, Intellikeys Keyboard, Big Keys Keyboard, KinderBoard Keyboard, Switch Interface Pro, Headmouse Extreme, Roller Plus Joystick, Roller II Joystick, BIGtrack Trackball, Notepad, and Content Mastery Center. For Response Accommodations, the options for Student writes on test does not have the option available for Statewide Assessments. This may be handled through Transferred Answers, since the student would write on the test and the tester or proctor would then transfer to the testing instrument. 3. TIMING AND SCHEDULING ACCOMMODATIONS - PAGE 6 Timing and Scheduling Accommodations - Changes the allowable length of time, the time of day, or how the time is organized. Examples: Extended time, frequent breaks. Continue to mark accommodations as you normally would. 4. SETTING ACCOMMODATIONS - PAGE 7 Setting Accommodations Any change to the setting, including grouping. Examples: Small group or individual testing or specific room requirements. Continue to mark accommodations as you normally would. 10
The EFP Exceptional Student Service Department has completed a one-page accommodation form which will include all accommodations for classroom and testing sections only. The Statewide Assessment section is only needed for testing coordinators. This form MUST be used to hand out to all teachers and service providers to ensure that accommodations are met. Please do not use another form that your school may have created. It is very important that the form includes all required components. The form will be sent out by email as well as added to the forms section of the SPED website this week. The form may either be printed and hand written, or used in word as a form and be typed on directly. 11