NAP- Neighborhood Alliance of Pawtucket

Criteria For Alternate Assessment of Students

Nov 1st online registration

Criteria for Participation in the Rhode Island Alternate Assessment System (RIAA)
Revised May 2006

Student Name: ______________________DOB____________IEP DATE _________

The IEP (Individualized Education Plan) team, including the parents /guardians, determines on an individual basis how a child with an IEP participates in state assessment. This determination should be made at every annual IEP review. For some children, this determination is that the student will participate in the state assessment with or without accommodations.

If the team determines that the general assessment, i.e., New England Common Assessment Program, may not be the most appropriate means of assessment for a particular child, the team must discuss the participation criteria for alternate assessment. Only those students who meet all the criteria and factors may participate in RIAA. If the team cannot answer ‘yes’ to all the criteria and factors, they must determine what accommodations are necessary for the student to participate in the state assessment. The team may refer to the NECAP accommodations manual for further information in this area. IEP teams must document assessment decisions on the IEP form. If a student will not be participating in the state general assessment but in the alternate assessment, the reason(s) why must be stated on the IEP form.

IEP teams are encouraged to continue making ongoing decisions about students; however, the participation criteria review deadline for the RI Alternate Assessment is September 15th of that school year. This assures that the student participates in the state assessment in the most appropriate manner. Students who meet the participation criteria for alternate assessment will be assessed in grades 2-8 and 10. Students should not be assigned a grade that is more than two years below or above the typical grade of their chronological peers, or be assigned a grade, which is outside of the grade range of students in the school that he or she is being instructed. IEP teams should refer to the district’s retention/promotion policies when making grade changes. In addition, the team must assure that the grade designation matches with the school’s official assessment roster used for testing purposes. It should be noted that ‘Current Grade’ on the IEP front page is the grade of the student at the time of the IEP meeting and should be considered a reference when determining assessment participation for students. For example, if a student’s IEP team meeting is held in May and the student is a fifth grader at the time of the meeting, that grade designation in written on the front of the IEP. The student advances to the sixth grade the following academic year unless the student is retained by a district’s retention policy.

To verify that a child should participate in RIAA, the IEP team must review all important information about the child over the years and in a variety of settings (i.e.: home, school, community), and determine and document that the child meets the following criteria and team decision making factors.



Criteria for Participation in the Rhode Island Alternate Assessment System (RIAA)
Revised May 2006

PARTICIPATION CRITERIA

YES CRITERIA NO DOCUMENTATION must be provided for each criteria
Student has a disability that significantly impacts cognitive function and adaptive behavior.
The student’s instruction is aligned to the RI Alternate Grade Span Expectations, includes academic skills, and short-term objectives/ benchmarks.
The student is unable to apply academic skills in home, school and community without intensive, frequent and individualized instruction in multiple settings.


TEAM DECISIONS



YES
FACTORS
NO
The decision to administer the RIAA is not based solely on the fact that the student has an IEP.
The decision to administer the RIAA is not based solely on the fact that the student’s instructional reading level is below grade level expectations.
The decision to administer the RIAA is not based solely on the fact that the student is not expected to perform well on state assessment.
The decision to administer the RIAA is not based on the fact that the student is expected to experience distress under testing conditions.
The decision to administer the RIAA is not based on the fact that the student has excessive or extended absences.
The decision to administer the RIAA is not based on the fact that the student has a visual or auditory disability, emotional-behavioral disabilities, specific learning disabilities, or social, cultural, economic or language differences.



Barrie Grossi
Personnel Development
RITAP
401 222 8996



October 23, 2006

To: Directors of Special Education, Principals and Out-placement Administrators

From: Mary Ann Snider, Director
Office of Assessment and Accountability

Kenneth G. Swanson, Director
Office of Special Populations

Subject: Rhode Island Alternate Assessment

We are writing to clarify some of your concerns about eligibility for the Rhode Island Alternate Assessment (RIAA). We understand that there has been some confusion regarding the eligibility requirements for participation and that this confusion has led to inconsistency across IEP team decisions at the elementary, middle, and high schools.

Eligibility for the RIAA is an IEP team decision, which is based on the eligibility criteria outlined in the attached document. It is not based solely on the cognitive ability of the student and therefore IQ score alone should not be the basis for decision. IEP teams need to consider all of the criteria for eligibility. In addition, eligibility is not based on the placement of students in self-contained classrooms.

Online student registration will be available Wednesday, November 1 through Friday, December 8, 2006. Please ensure that appropriate eligibility decisions have been made regarding all students. Although time is limited every effort should be made to hold IEP meetings for the appropriate students. Please remember that if neither a parent nor guardian can attend, they may participate through other methods such as a conference telephone call.

If you have any further questions please contact either Cynthia Corbridge at 222-8497 or cynthia.corbridge@ride.ri.gov or Phyllis Lynch at 222-4693 or phyllis.meloro@ride.ri.gov .

Email us
cynthia.corbridge@ride.ri.gov