85 / 190
1342.12 Companion
July 12, 2017
Page 85
Participation Criteria
In order for a student to qualify for the alternate assessment, the student must meet ALL of the
following criteria. If the student does not meet all of these criteria, participation in system-wide
assessment with or without accommodations is required.
1.
The student has a significant cognitive disability.
a.
The student’s disability significantly impacts intellectual functioning and adaptive
behaviors, defined as the essential skills for someone the live independently and
function safely in daily life; AND
2.
The student’s course of study is primarily being instructing using the FOCUS series of courses,
functional life skill goals, and/or adaptive behavior curriculum which are aligned to the DoDEA
College Career Ready Standards but are of reduced breadth, depth, and complexity; AND
3.
The student requires extensive direct individualized instruction and substantial supports to
achieve measureable gains in the grade and age appropriate curriculum.
Students should NOT be included in the alternate assessment based solely on the following:
1.
a disability;
2.
poor attendance or extended absences
3.
native language/social/cultural or economic difference
4.
expected poor performance on the general education assessment
5.
academic and other services student receives
6.
educational environment or instructional setting
7.
percent of time receiving special education
8.
English Language Learner (ELL) status
9.
low reading level/achievement level
10.
anticipated student’s disruptive behavior
11.
administrator decision
12.
anticipated emotional duress
13.
need for accommodations (e.g., assistive technology/AAC) to participate in assessment process
Assessment Results
The results of any alternate assessment that a student with a disability participates in are to be
maintained in the special education confidential file. The assessment protocol can be maintained in a
separate envelope behind the file, but the assessment is part of the confidential file on the student.