Alternate Assessments in Reading and Math: Development and Validation for Students with Significant Disabilities‪.‬

The statutory provisions on general state- and districtwide assessments from the IDEA Amendments of 1997 included the provision that "(1) Children with disabilities are included in general State and districtwide assessment programs, with appropriate accommodations and modifications in administration, if necessary; and (2) As appropriate, the State or LEA--(A) develops guidelines for the participation of children with disabilities in alternate assessments for those children who cannot participate in State and districtwide assessment programs; (B) develops alternate assessments; and (C) beginning not later than July 1, 2000, conducts the alternate assessments" ([section] 300.138; Part B) utilizing statistically sound regular and alternate assessments ([section] 300.139). While IDEA '97 stipulates participation, the regulations do not provide "specific direction to states about what an alternate assessment is, what it should look like, or how it should be scored or reported, nor does it specify the type or number of alternate assessment participants" (Thompson & Thurlow, 2000, p. 1). According to Thompson and Thurlow, a majority of states' alternate assessments are tied to their academic content standards and are designed as substitutes to the states' standard large-scale tests. Thompson and Thurlow also report that the most common alternate assessment approach uses portfolios reflecting the collection of evidence as functional indicators on the student's progress toward state standards. However, not all states have chosen to use a portfolio-base as their alternate assessment, and this study describes the results from a nonportfolio approach.