Longitudinal Study of Assessment Participation: Tracking Consistency and Transitions Between General and Alternate Assessments for Students with Disabilities

Abstract

The 2015 reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act put a 1% cap on participation in the alternate assessment based on alternate academic achievement standards (AA-AAAS) for students with the most significant cognitive disabilities. To meet the 1% alternate assessment participation cap, some students were transitioned from the alternate assessment to the general assessment; a transition in which many special and general educators still need to prepare. The purpose of this study was to examine the state assessment data over time to identify the assessment participation patterns for students with disabilities in both reading and math assessments. The longitudinal dataset included demographic and assessment data for students in grades 3-8 with 5 years of testing records, which were used to examine the assessment participation patterns over time. Results showed that some students have been transitioned between general and alternate assessments over time. Additionally, the performance data showed students who were proficient in AA-AAAS in Year 1 were more likely to be transitioned to the general assessment than those who were not proficient in AA-AAAS in Year 1.