Special education teacher perceptions of changes in student outcomes due to current assessment practices

Abstract

The national movement towards standards-based public school education and accountability has deeply affected the professional lives of America‟s educators. As states have wrestled with complex issues surrounding instruction and assessment, researchers have developed measures to monitor the attitudes and beliefs of those who teach America‟s students. To that end, this research used interview methods to investigate special education teacher perceptions of the effects of statewide assessment and accommodations on student academic outcomes. Participants included 10 elementary and middle school special education teachers. Results indicated that teachers shared common perceptions related to the value and fairness of accountability assessment, including the use of accommodations, and that these feelings influenced educator decision making,assessment viability, and a desire for new and more effective instruments.