Reports
Publication prices current through December 30, 2009
Topics
- Inclusive Education
- Educational Outcomes
- Accessible Reading Assessments
- Progress Monitoring
- Residential Services
- Direct Support Professionals
Inclusive Education
Alternative Schools: Findings From a National Survey of the States (Research Report 2)
By C. Lehr, R. Moreau, C. Lange, and E. Lanners
A report based on a survey of key contacts at state departments of education knowledgeable about alternative education. It presents information about alternative schools and programs nationwide and concludes with a discussion of key issues to further examine. Topics include state level definitions, enrollment criteria, school characteristics, students served, staffing, curriculum and instruction, outcomes, special education, and the extent to which students with disabilities were enrolled. (2004) • Cost: Free, available only on the Web
Alternative Schools: Policy and Legislation Across the United
States (Research Report 1)
By C. Lehr, E. Lanners, and C. Lange
A report listing and reviewing state legislation and policy related
to alternative schools as an educational option for students who are not
successful in traditional school settings. It presents findings from 48
states in relation to enrollment criteria, alternative school definition,
funding, curriculum, staffing, and students with disabilities. Implications
of the findings are discussed in relation to historical context and current
forces shaping alternative schools. (2003) • Cost: Free, available only on the Web
Employing, Developing and Directing Special Education Paraprofessionals in Inclusive Education Programs: Findings From a Multi-Site Case Study
By G. Ghere and J. York-Barr
A report describing the systems that three school districts used to employ, develop, and direct special education paraprofessionals to work effectively in inclusive education programs. Findings cluster around six key areas: the work of paraprofessionals in inclusive education programs, the work of special educators in supporting paraprofessionals, developing the knowledge and skills of paraprofessionals, collaboration that supports special educators in directing the work of paraprofessionals, recruiting and employing paraprofessionals, and understanding paraprofessional turnover and its effects. (2003) • Cost: $10.00. Also available on the Web
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Educational Outcomes
NCEO Policy Directions
A report series addressing national policy issues related to standards, assessments, and students with disabilities. Published by the Institute’s National Center on Educational Outcomes. • Cost: Free, available only on the Web
Policy Directions Number 20: Planning Alignment Studies For Alternate Assessments Based on Alternate Achievement Standards
By S. Wakeman, C. Flowers, and D. Browder
A report providing states with information on the components to consider with an external vendor when planning a study of the alignment of alternate assessment based on alternate achievement standards (AA-AAS) with grade-level content standards. It also addresses guidance for maximizing resources spent to determine alignment of the AA-AAS. (2007)
Policy Directions Number 19: Aligning Alternate Assessments to Grade Level Content Standards: Issues and Considerations for Alternates Based on Alternate Achievement Standards
By S. Wakeman, C. Flowers, and D. Browder
A report providing states with information on issues that complicate alignment of alternate assessments based on alternate achievement standards. It also provides information on existing alignment models that can be used for alignment studies. (2007)
Additional Issues of Policy Directions
- Policy Directions Number 18: Using Systematic Item Selection Methods to Improve Universal Design of Assessments (2006)
- Policy Directions Number 17: Rethinking Basic Assumptions of Test Development: Assessment Frameworks for Inclusive Accountability Tests (2003)
- Policy Directions Number 16: Putting it All Together: Including Students with Disabilities in Assessment and Accountability Systems (2003)
- Policy Directions Number 15: Using Computer-based Tests with Students with Disabilities (2003)
- Policy Directions Number 14: Universally Designed Assessments: Better Tests for Everyone! (2002)
Archived Issues of NCEO Policy Directions
These older issues of NCEO Policy Directions have been archived because some of the information they contain may be out of date. They may still be useful for some types of research, teaching, or information gathering.
NCEO Special Reports
A collection of reports addressing educational policies, practices, and outcomes in relation to students with disabilities. Published by the Institute's National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO). • Cost: Free, available only on the Web
Improving Accommodations Outcomes: Monitoring Instructional and Assessment Accommodations for Students with Disabilities
By L. Christensen, M. Thurlow, and T. Wang
A document presenting a five-step process for schools, districts, and states to use in monitoring accommodations for instruction and assessment. It was designed to be a companion to the Council of Chief State School Officers’ Accommodations Manual: How to Select, Administer, and Evaluate Use of Accommodations for Instruction and Assessment of Students with Disabilities (2005), which applies to students with disabilities who participate in large-scale assessments and the instruction they receive. Each step provides monitoring questions to ask, current examples from states, samples of forms that might be used, a checklist for evaluating a state’s activities for each step, and space for action planning and questions. Appendices contain a glossary of terms related to monitoring and sample forms that can be adapted for use. (2009)
Thinking About the Students Who May Qualify to Participate in An Alternate Assessment Based on Modified Academic Achievement Standards (AA-MAS): A Tool for Study Groups
By S. Berndt and B. Ebben
A report describing an activity used by the Wisconsin Department of Public
Instruction to learn more about the characteristics of students who may
qualify to participate in an alternate assessment based on modified academic
achievement standards (AA-MAS). Wisconsin is a member of the Multi-State
GSEG Consortium Toward a Defensible AA-MAS, a project of the Institute’s
National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO) in collaboration with the
Departments of Education in Alabama, Hawaii, South Dakota, Tennessee, and
Wisconsin. (2008)
Trends in the Participation and Performance of Students with Disabilities
By J. Altman, M. Thurlow, and R. Quenemoen
A brief describing the results of an analysis of trends in the public
reporting of state assessment results for students with disabilities. The
analysis was conducted on a compilation of publicly reported assessment data
gathered from state Web sites and personnel during the data collection for
four previous analyses completed by the Institute’s National Center on
Educational Outcomes (NCEO). These data were supplemented with data obtained
from current state education Web sites. This trend analysis covered the
years 2001-02 to 2004-05, and examined both participation and performance.
The goal of the analysis was to determine: (1) Whether progress has been
made by states in publicly reporting the participation and performance of
students with disabilities on state assessments, and (2) the nature of
trends in the four years of participation and performance data for students
with disabilities. This Brief is based on the 2008 report, Technical
Report 50: Trends in the
Participation and Performance of Students with Disabilities, published by NCEO. (2008)
Learning Opportunities for Your Child Through Alternate Assessments: Alternate Assessments Based on Modified Academic Achievement Standards
By C. Cortiella
A guide produced by the National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO) to help parents of students with disabilities understand a new state alternate assessment allowable under No Child Left Behind. While few states are currently offering this assessment option, some will be developing it in the coming years. Parents will need to understand what it is and how to decide if it is the right option for their child. (2007)
NCLB and IDEA: What Parents of Students with Disabilities Need to Know and Do
By C. Cortiella
A guide informing parents of students with disabilities about the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). These are two of the nation’s most important federal laws relating to public education. While NCLB seeks to improve the education of all children – especially children from low-income families – IDEA focuses on the individual child and seeks to ensure specialized services for children with disabilities so they may benefit from education. Lately, these two laws have taken on new importance to parents of students with disabilities. NCLB provisions apply to all students, including those whose disabilities require special education. So parents need to understand the requirements of NCLB. IDEA, in its latest update by Congress, has been more closely aligned with NCLB, making it equally important that parents know how the two laws work together to improve academic achievement of students with disabilities. (2006)
NCLB e IDEA: Lo que los Padres de Estudiantes con Discapacidades Necesitan Saber y Hacer
Original text by C. Cortiella; translated by M. Gonzalez
A Spanish translation of NCEO’s Special Report from 2006, NCLB and IDEA: What Parents of Students with Disabilities Need to Know and Do (above). This tool assists parents of students with disabilities in their understanding of the main provisions of NCLB and IDEA, how these laws intersect, and what the implications are for students with disabilities.
Hints and Tips for Addressing Accommodations Issues for Peer Review
By L. Christensen, K. Lail, and M. Thurlow
A report examining the key accommodations issues that have arisen for states in the recent federal standards and assessments peer review process. The report by the Institute’s National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO) was developed in collaboration with the Assessing Special Education Students (ASES) State Collaborative on Assessment and Student Standards (SCASS), and results from an analysis of peer review comments on accommodations. This publication highlights examples of assessment accommodations that were considered acceptable and unacceptable for peer review and includes NCEO recommendations for best practices with regard to assessment accommodations. (2007)
Additional Special Reports
- A State Guide to the Development of Universally Designed Assessments (2006)
- Universal Design Online Manual (2006)
- How to Develop State Guidelines for Access Assistants: Scribes, Readers, and Sign Language Interpreters (2006)
- High Stakes Testing and College Admission: A Review of Admission Policies in New Mexico (2003)
- A Self-Study Guide to Implementation of Inclusive Assessment and Accountability Systems: A Best Practice Approach (2001)
- NCEO Framework for Educational Accountability (1998)
- NCEO Framework for Educational Accountability: Postschool Outcomes (1998)
Archived Issues of NCEO Special Reports
These older issues of NCEO Special Reports have been archived because some of the information they contain may be out of date. They may still be useful for some types of research, teaching, or information gathering.
NCEO Annual Performance Reports
A series of reports summarizing assessment data from State Performance Plans. Published by the Institute's National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO). • Cost: Free, available only on the Web
Annual Performance Report: 2005-2006 State Assessment Data
By M. Thurlow, J. Altman, D. Cormier, and R. Moen
A report summarizing the 2005-2006 state assessment information that was submitted by states in their State Performance Plans. States and other educational entities receiving Part B funding under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) submitted their State Performance Plans and Section 618 Table 6 data together to the U.S. Secretary of Education on or before February 1, 2007. These plans contained information on a variety of indicators, including assessment participation and performance results for 2005-2006 state assessments. This document is a summary of the data on state large-scale assessment participation and performance. The assessment information included in the State Performance Plans of regular states and unique states subject to IDEA requirements is summarized in two sections in this report: “Participation in 2005-2006 State Assessments” and “Performance on 2005-2006 State Assessments.” (2008)
Additional Performance Reports
- NCEO State Performance Plans: 2004-2005 State Assessment Data (2007)
- NCEO Annual Performance Reports: 2003-2004 State Assessment Data (2006)
- NCEO Annual Performance Reports: 2002-2003 State Assessment Data (2005)
- NCEO Biennial Performance Reports: 2000-2001 State Assessment Data (2003)