ALTERNATE ASSESSMENTS


- 2008-2009 APR Snapshot #3: AA-AAS Participation and          Performance (December 2012)

      By M. Thurlow, J. Altman, and M. Vang

An Alternate Assessment based on Alternate        Achievement Standards (AA-AAS) has been developed by each state        to measure the academic achievement of students with significant        cognitive disabilities. This brief summarizes AA-AAS data used        for Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA)        accountability. Using federally submitted data from the        2008-2009 school year, analysts at the Institute’s      National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO)        present information on the number of students participating in        the AA-AAS and the performance of those students. Published      by NCEO.

      Cost: Free. Available on the Web at http://www.cehd.umn.edu/NCEO/APRsnapshot/AAAAS/default.html



EDUCATOR EVALUATION


- Forum on Evaluating Educator Effectiveness: Critical          Considerations for Including Students with Disabilities (November      2012)

      By S. Warren, M. Thurlow, S. Lazarus, L. Christensen, A.      Chartrand, and R. Rieke

Thirty-six individuals        representing a dozen states, four testing companies, and six        other organizations participated in a forum on June 26, 2012 in        Minneapolis, Minnesota, to discuss educator effectiveness        evaluation. The forum was a pre-session to the Council of Chief        State School Officers National Conference on Student Assessment,        and was a collaboration of the Assessing Special Education        Students State Collaborative on Assessment and State Standards,        and the National Center on Educational Outcomes. Its purpose was        to address the challenging issues that exist in including        students with disabilities and their teachers in educator        evaluation systems, and to provide state representatives and        other interested parties with an opportunity to meet and share        their perspectives on this topic, particularly in light of the        changing nature of accountability systems across the United        States. This report summarizes the introductory material        provided to participants, and presents a summary of the        discussions in three facilitated topic discussion sessions        focusing on including assessment results of students with        disabilities, using IEP goals or student learning objectives,        and developing a balanced model for educator effectiveness        evaluations. Published by the Institute’s National Center on        Educational Outcomes, and the Council of Chief State School        Officers, Assessing Special Education Students State        Collaborative on Assessment and Student Standards.

      Cost: Free. Available on the Web at      http://www.cehd.umn.edu/NCEO/OnlinePubs/EdEvalForumReportDecember2012.pdf