Beginning with school year 2004-2005, the Arkansas Comprehensive Assessment Program exams will include Grades 3, 5 and 7 in the administration of the Benchmark Exams. Students with disabilities enrolled in these grades are included in this assessment. Thus, all students enrolled in Grades 3-8 will take the Benchmark exams.
The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) require that school–aged students with disabilities participate and be accounted for in the statewide student assessment program. The Arkansas Department of Education (ADE) mandated the inclusion of students with disabilities in its statewide student assessment program beginning in 1998.
For students identified under the IDEA as special education students, each student’s Individualized Education Program (IEP) Team must determine and record on the student’s IEP for the next (upcoming) school year the manner in which the student will be assessed. This decision is determined individually using the decision-making process provided in special education rules.
Students receiving special education services are generally assessed in the same manner as students without disabilities. They take the state’s Benchmark Exam in their assigned grade under standard conditions or with approved allowable accommodations. When an IEP Team determines that the standard Benchmark Exam, given with or without accommodations, is inappropriate for a student with disabilities, an Alternate Portfolio Assessment is conducted on the student.
The ADE conducts annual training for teachers in the development of the Alternate Portfolio Assessment. Scheduled training is announced via a Director’s Memorandum and also is found on the Special Education Website Calendar of Events. That website is located at http://arksped.k12.ar.us. To facilitate teacher training, parent consent is sought for use of student Portfolio Entries. This includes portfolios for students in grades 3-8 and 11, as well as the ninth-grade mathematics portfolio. Attached to this Director’s Memo are the Portfolio Checklists associated with these assessments in obtaining written permission of a student’s parent/guardian for the use of portfolio materials by the ADE in teacher training activities. Ensure that teachers administering Alternate Portfolio Assessments to students in Grades 3-8, 11 and 9th Grade Math secure parent signatures on the appropriate Portfolio Checklist form.
Questar Educational Systems will be sending school districts a request for information on the number of students scheduled to participate in the Alternate Portfolio Assessment next school year. This information is needed so that the right amount of student portfolio materials can be provided to staff in each school district for use with identified students.
Direct questions to Tom Hicks, Special Education Office at 501.682.4221, or to Charlotte Marvel, Academic Standards and Assessment Office, 501.682.4551.