2006-07 Policies and Procedures for Accommodations to the Maine High School Assessment (MHSA)and Alternate Assessment to the PSAT/MHSA

Policy in PDF

The No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act mandates that all students in one high school year be included in state assessment. In addition, Maine Learning Results legislation requires that all students will be included in a State assessment at the eleventh grade level. In 2006-07 the SAT, in combination with math components scheduled for a separate administration, will be used as Maine’s High School Assessment for students in Grade 11 or in their third year of high school.  Participation in the PSAT is required for second year high school students but there will be no PSAT State Reports. Students will participate in these assessments through one of the following avenues: standard administration, administration with accommodations, or alternate assessment (Personalized Alternate Assessment Portfolio [PAAP]). Legal requirements for students identified for federally funded programs have been taken into account in the development of this document.

Policies and Procedures for the Participation of Students with Accommodations in the Maine High School Assessment

An accommodation is a change in the way an assessment is given or taken that does not alter what is being measured. These policies and procedures for accommodations are designed so that all students with unique learning needs have a fair opportunity to demonstrate what they know and are able to do on all State assessments at the high school level.  All Maine students participating in State assessments required under No Child Left Behind have access to the same accommodations, regardless of grade level.

NOTE:  Accommodations for the PSAT are contained in a separate document.

Two Categories of Accommodations for the Maine High School Assessment

The Maine High School Assessment provides the opportunity to use results in two different ways.  The first is as a measure of a student’s progress towards achievement of Maine’s Learning Results for State and Federal purposes. The second is the use of score reports on the SAT portion of the test in a student’s application for college admission. The way in which a student’s scores are reported depends on the type of accommodations used. The two types of accommodations available to Maine students are:

1. Accommodations approved only by the State of Maine.
   1. The students for whom a team has determined that accommodations are necessary, but who have not been approved for their use by the College Board, may use one or more of the accommodations listed on the last two pages of this document.
   2. The scores of students using any of the accommodations on the last two pages of this document without College Board approval will be reported for Maine Purposes Only based on Maine Achievement Standards for the Maine High School Assessment. Their scores on the SAT portion of the test can not be sent to colleges by the College Board.

Codes for these accommodations can be found on pages 6 and 7. The codes must be recorded in the student’s records as shown on page 3.

2. Accommodations approved by the College Board for an individual student
   1. Students with an identified disability who need accommodations and wish to have college reportable scores on the SAT portion of their Maine High School Assessment must file an official College Board Eligibility Form, identifying the accommodations they wish to use during the administration of the SAT. The accommodations for which a student may apply include:
   • those listed by the College Board in the Eligibility Packet,
   • those needed by individual students and allowed by the College Board but not listed in the Eligibility packet, and
   • Maine accommodations listed on pages 6 and 7, through the College Board Eligibility Form in the “Other” category.
   2. The required documentation must accompany the request for College Board approved accommodations.
   3. The College Board will determine whether the use of the accommodations requested will be approved for the use of the individual student, based on their review.
   4. The scores of all students participating in the Maine High School Assessment will be reported based on the combination of the SAT and the augmented portion of the Maine High School Assessment. The scores for those students who took the SAT portion of the Maine High School Assessment through standard administration or with accommodations approved by the College Board may also be reported to colleges.

Procedures for Determination of Need for Accommodation

All students being considered for accommodations on the Maine High School Assessment must have their individual situations reviewed by a team prior to the time of assessment. This team should include at least one of the student’s teachers, the building principal, related services personnel, the parent(s)/guardian(s) and, whenever possible, the student. If it is not possible for the parent and student to attend the meeting, they should be consulted regarding the committee’s recommendations for accommodations prior to the time of the assessment.

For a student who has an Individual Educational Program (IEP), schools are required to address needed accommodations at a Pupil Evaluation Team (PET) meeting. Membership for this meeting is prescribed in Maine Special Education Regulations, Chapter 101, part 8, November 1, 1999.

Only students with an identified disability under IDEA-2004 may be considered for accommodations for a standard SAT administration with resulting official College Board scores (See #2 above).

Those who may be considered for accommodations on the Maine High School Assessment taken for Maine Purposes Only (See #1 above) include, but are not limited to, those who 1) are ill or incapacitated in some way; 2) are Limited English Proficient (LEP); 3) have an identified disability under IDEA-2004 but have not been approved by the College Board to use accommodations; 4) are identified as having disabilities under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act; or 5) are identified by a team as needing accommodations in order to demonstrate an accurate level of academic achievement.

Recommended accommodations should be consistent with accommodations already being employed in the student’s instructional program. Any accommodations recommended for a student will be reflected in a statement in the cumulative folder of the student (in the IEP for a student with an identified disability under IDEA-2004). See the section on documentation for a suggested format.

Administration of Accommodations

Test Center (School) personnel should be familiar with and administer all allowed accommodations in accordance with the directions provided in trainings for SAT Test Site Supervisors and those included in the Maine High School Assessment Administrators’ Manual.

Documentation of Accommodations

Coding of Maine accommodations (see last two pages of this document) to be used by individual students will be entered by school personnel according to the directions provided by the College Board.

As stated earlier, any accommodations made for a student and the reasons for these choices must also be reflected in a statement in the student’s cumulative folder (in the IEP for a student with an identified disability). The following is a suggested statement:

This student will participate in the Maine High School Assessment with the following accommodations:
Section	Reason for Accommodation	Accommodation Code *
SAT Reading
SAT Writing
SAT Mathematics	-small group to minimize distractions for student and others -human reader to prevent low reading levels from interfering with demonstration of math skills and knowledge	P2, P3
Maine Mathematics Component	small group to minimize distractions for student and others -human reader to prevent low reading levels from interfering with demonstration of math skills and knowledge	P2, P3

* Refer to the last two pages of this document for the allowable accommodation codes for a Maine High School Assessment taken for Maine Purposes Only.

Reporting Students' Scores

Official SAT Reports

For students taking the SAT portion of the Maine High School Assessment with accommodations approved by the College Board for use by the individual, free official SAT score reports will be issued to three colleges identified by that student.

Maine Reports for All Students

All students taking the Maine High School  Assessment will be included in the school’s accountability system, and their scores will be included in the State assessment reports based on Maine’s Learning Results, regardless of the avenue of participation (standard administration, administration with accommodations (both College Board approved and Maine Only accommodations), or alternate assessment). The scores on these reports will be determined by the combination of the SAT and State components based on Maine’s   achievement standards.

Policies and Procedures for the Participation of Students in Alternate Assessment to the Maine High School Assessment and the PSAT

The very few students who will require an alternate assessment are those who need a modified measure of performance because their exceptionality is so significant that it does not allow access to the standard assessment, even with a combination of accommodations. Every effort must be made to assess students through standard administration or through administration with accommodations.

Maine’s alternate assessment at grades 10 (second year of high school) and 11 (third year of high school), the 2006-2007 Personalized Alternate Assessment Portfolio (PAAP), requires the use of Tasks linked to the student’s grade level standards which are provided in the PAAP Task Bank at mecas.org/paap/taskbank, for a student functioning up to an achievement level comparable to that of a fourth grade student. Any student participating in alternate assessment above that level may use locally adopted, adapted, or developed tasks or those provided for selected Content Standards in the PAAP Task Bank.

The Content Areas required in the PAAP are based on those measured in the standard assessments used at a student’s grade level. For those at Grade 11, the PAAP Content Areas are: Reading, Writing, Mathematics, and Science. For students at Grade 10, the PAAP Content Areas are Reading, Writing, and Mathematics.

Procedures for Determination of Need for Alternate Assessment

Students who may be considered for alternate assessment include those who have an identified significant or profound disability under IDEA-2004, those who are Limited English Proficient, or those who are identified as having disabilities under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act. Only those special education students with a significant cognitive disability may have their scores reported as proficient for AYP based on alternate standards.

All students being considered for alternate assessment must have their individual situations reviewed by a team prior to the time of assessment, allowing sufficient time for appropriate administration of the alternate assessment. This team should include at least one of the student’s teachers, the building principal, related services personnel, the parent(s)/guardian(s) and, whenever possible, the student. If it is not possible for the parent and student to attend the meeting, they should be consulted regarding the committee’s recommendations. The PAAP will require the accumulation of evidence to be gathered during most of the school year and submitted in the Spring. Student work to be included in the Grade 11 PAAP in Science may be collected over two years (second and third years of high school).Teams are encouraged to meet during the year prior to an administration year, allowing for the gathering of student work during the following school year.

For a student who has an Individual Educational Program (IEP), schools are required to address the need for the alternate assessment at a Pupil Evaluation Team (PET) meeting. Membership for this meeting is prescribed in Maine Special Education Regulations, Chapter 101, part 8, November 1, 1999.

The recommendation for a student to take an alternate assessment will be reflected in a statement in the cumulative folder of the student (in the IEP for a student with an identified disability). See the section on documentation below for a suggested format.

Administration of Alternate Assessment

Trained school personnel should administer PAAPs at the high school level in accordance with Maine’s Personalized Alternate Assessment Portfolio (PAAP) Training Manual, available at www.mecas.org/paap/manual. Schools that have students requiring alternate assessments who are in out-of-school in-state placements must assure that all information regarding the administration and submission of PAAPs is forwarded to the students’ schools/programs.

Documentation of Alternate Assessment

At the time of the PAAP Registration (October 13  – February 2 for 2006-07), students at grades 10 and 11 or in their second or third years of high school who are participating in the Maine High School Assessment or PSAT through alternate assessment must be registered online at the Measured Progress Web Site (http://iservices.measuredprogress.org). The reasons for the use of this assessment option (i.e., SPED, LEP or 504) should be documented in the school’s MEDMS system for each student.

As stated earlier, the PAAP provided to a student and the reasons for this option must also be reflected in a statement in the cumulative folder of the student (in the IEP for a student with an identified disability under IDEA-2004). The following is a sample documentation format:

This student will participate in an alternate assessment to the Maine High School Assessment.
Section	Reason for Alternate Assessment Example(s)	Student Designation: LEP, 504, IEP* *Identify specific disability from Chapter 101, part 3.
Reading	PAAP	IEP, 01
Writing	PAAP	IEP, 01
Mathematics	PAAP	IEP, 01
Science	PAAP	IEP, 01
	-The PET has identified alternate assessment (PAAP) as the appropriate avenue for participation in the Maine assessments for the third year high school for this student because her school program is individualized at a level approximately 6 years below her grade placement.

Note: Guidance on PAAP development, content, and scoring is available annually through a series of regional workshops and online information. For details, please refer to the DOE web site at: www.mecas.org/paap/registration. 

Alternate Assessment Scoring and Reporting of Student Scores

The alternate assessment contractor, Measured Progress, will arrange for pickup of PAAPs on April 6, 2007. PAAPs received at Measured Progress after April 9th, 2007 will not be scored and the students for whom a late alternate assessment is submitted will be counted as non-participants in the Maine High School Assessment  for AYP reporting.

All state assessment reports, including PAAP score reports, will be sent to schools by Measured Progress.

Note: Refer to the last two pages of this document for the allowable State accommodations.

Approved Accommodations for the Maine High School Assessment Use of These Accommodations without College Board approval through the Eligibility process will Result in Scores Reportable for Maine Purposes Only

All accommodations used must: not change what is being measured, be approved for individual students by a team, and be a regular part of the student's daily instruction.

Code	Accommodations Category	Details on Delivery of Accommodations
T.	Timing        Tests were administered:
MT1.	with time extended beyond standard administration (same day).	Extended time may be needed by students who are unable to meet time constraints, are easily fatigued, or unable to concentrate for the length of time allotted for test completion. Testing may be extended until student can no longer sustain the activity.
MT2.	with time extended beyond standard administration (several days).
MT3.	with multiple or frequent breaks.	Multiple or frequent breaks may be required by students whose attention span, distractibility, or physical condition, require shorter working periods.
MT4.	at a time of day or a day of the week most beneficial to the student.	Individual scheduling may be used for students whose school performance is noticeably affected by the time of day or day of the school week on which it is done.
MT5.	using flexibility in the order in which content area tests are given.	Flexibility in the order of presentation may be used, for example, to build confidence in the student by testing those content areas in which they are strongest first, or to alleviate concerns by allowing them to complete the content area about which they are most apprehensive first.
S.	Setting                  Tests were administered:
MS1.	in school site other than regular classroom.	Students may be tested in an alternative site to reduce distractions for themselves or others, or to increase physical access to special equipment.
MS2.	in out-of-school setting by school personnel.	Out-of-school testing may be used for students who are hospitalized or unable to attend school.
P.	Presentation    Tests were administered:
MP1.	individually.	Individual or small group testing may be used to minimize distractions for students whose test is administered out of the classroom or so that others will not be distracted by accommodations being used (ex., dictation).
MP2.	in a small group.
MP3.	using a human reader	A human reader may be used for a student whose inability to read would hinder performance. A Reader's Script will be provided based on registration with this accommodation. NOTE:  When used for the Reading Passages, MP3 becomes a modification that is not allowed on other State assessments.
MP4.	using sign language (not allowed for reading passages).	Trained personnel may use sign language to administer the test for deaf or hearing impaired students, with the exception of the reading passages. Sign language may be used only for questions and directions in the reading sessions.
MP5.	with opportunity for student to move, stand, and/or pace during assessment.	This opportunity may be used in a setting other than the classroom for a student who cannot focus when seated for sustained periods of time.
MP6.	using alternative or assistive technology that is part of the student's communication system.	The test may be presented through his/her regular communication system to a student who uses alternative and assistive technology on a daily basis.
MP7.	by school personnel known to the student other than the student's classroom teacher (e.g., ESL Title I, Special Education)	The test administrator may be a member of the staff who works with the student from time-to-time or on a daily basis, but is not the student's regular teacher for general curriculum.

Approved Accommodations for the Maine High School Assessment (continued) Use of These Accommodations without College Board approval through the Eligibility process will Result in Scores Reportable for Maine Purposes Only
Code	Accommodations Category	Details on Delivery of Accommodations
MP8.	using large print version of assessment.	A  20 pt. photo-enlarged print version of the SAT will be supplied based on registration with this accommodation.
MP9.	using Braille version of assessment.	A braille version of the SAT will be supplied based on registration with this accommodation.
MP10.	with student use of a bilingual dictionary as needed.	Dictionaries used must be approved by ESL/bilingual program staff. The student may have the dictionary available for individual use as needed.
MP11.	using "sheltered English" content for an LEP student in a manner that does not compromise test integrity.	Simplification of content specific terms (ex., congruent, parallel, setting, character) is NOT allowed. Such simplification would change what is being measured. Guidance identifying those terms will be provided.
MP12.	using a cassette version of the test.	A cassette version of the SAT will be supplied based on registration with this accommodation.
R.	RESPONSE Tests were administered:
MR1.	using a scribe or recording device (oral dictation to a scribe or a recording device is NOT allowed for the Writing session ).	The student may dictate answers to trained personnel or record answers in an individual setting so that other students will not benefit by hearing answers or be otherwise disturbed. Recorded answers must be scribed prior to the return of test materials.
MR2.	using alternative or assistive technology/devices that are part of the student's communication system.	The technology is used to permit the student to read and/or respond to the test. In addition to computers, such devices might include, for example, text enlargers, speech-to-text, amplification devices, Dynaboxes, etc. Speech-to-text may not be used for the Writing session.
MR3.	other assistive devices.	To enable a student to organize thinking, focus, and/or use a device that serves as a specific strategy related to a test item, other assistive devices may be used. They might include such things as templates, graphic organizers, arithmetic tables (only in the calculator allowed session of the Mathematics test), noise buffers, place markers, carrels, etc.
MR4.	with student use of a word processor.	A student may use a word processor. When used for the Writing session, spell check, grammar check, and word prediction programs should be turned off.
MR5.	with student use of a brailler.	A student may use a braillewriter, a slate and stylus, and/or an electronic brailler to respond to questions. Responses would need to be recorded in standard format by a scribe.
MR6.	with student use of visual aids.	Visual aids include any optical or non-optical devices used to enhance visual capability. Examples include magnifiers, special lighting, markers, filters, large-spaced paper, color overlays, etc.
MR7.	with student use of a bilingual dictionary as needed.	Dictionaries used must be approved by ESL/bilingual program staff. The student may have the dictionary available for individual use as needed.
MR8.	using administrator verification of student understanding following the reading of test directions.	After directions have been read, the test administrator may ask the student what he/she has been asked to do. If directions have been misunderstood by the student, the directions may be paraphrased or demonstrated. Test items may not be paraphrased or explained.
NOTE:  Due to federal regulations under No Child Left Behind, local word-for-word translation into native language is no longer an allowable accommodation.
O.	Other	(must be documented and submitted to the Department of Education in advance) Contact Linda Parkin, Alternate Assessment Coordinator Linda.Parkin@maine.gov