An assessment used with significantly cognitively disabled students, that measures the student's proficiency on the general curriculum against alternate achievement standards. Students taking the Alternate Assessment are on the non-diploma track.
An assessment designed for the small number of students with disabilities who are unable to participate in the regular state assessment, even with appropriate accommodations. An alternate assessment is not one particular format of assessment. Rather, an alternate assessment might include materials collected under several circumstances, including, but not limited to, (a) teacher observation of the student, (b) samples of student work produced during regular classroom instruction that demonstrate mastery of specific instructional strategies in place of performance on a computer-scored multiple choice test covering the same content and skills, or (c) standardized performance tasks produced in an "on demand" setting, such as completion of an assigned task on the test day. U. S. Department of Education. (2003, Dec. 9). Title I—Improving the academic achievement of the disadvantaged; Final rule, 68 Fed. Reg. 236.
An instrument used in gathering information on the standards-based performance and progress of students whose disabilities preclude their valid and reliable participation in general assessments. Alternate assessments measure the performance of a relatively small population of students who are unable to participate in the general assessment system, with or without accommodations as determined by the IEP Team.
An evaluative or diagnostic procedure or process that varies from the usual, customary, or standardized way a measurement is derived, either by some special accommodation made to the assessee or by alternative methods designed to measure the same variable(s), 4-6, 484-485
a different measure of the educational progress of students who cannot take part in the regular assessment, even with the help of accommodations
an assessment designed for students with disabilities who are unable to participate in a general assessment, even when accommodations or modifications are provided
an assessment specifically designed for students who cannot meaningfully participate in a traditional paper and pencil test
The assessment procedure that is used for a student with a disability who does not participate in the statewide assessment program. This assessment is identified and documented on the student's individual educational plan ( IEP). Examples of alternate assessments used in Florida include the Alternate Assessment for Special Diploma, the Performance Assessment System for Students with Disabilities (PASSD), and the Brigance Inventories. Visit the Panhandle Area Educational Consortium (PAEC) website at http://www.paec.org/AboutPAEC/departments/alternateassessment/ for information about the Florida Alternate Assessment Report.
An assessment that is substituted for a system- or district-wide assessment. It is used with students who cannot participate in the system- or district-wide assessment with or without accommodations. The alternate assessment ensures that all children are represented in the system- and district-wide accountability systems.
Assessment the substitutes for a general state or district-wide assessment, intended for the small number of students with disabilities whose IEPs specify that the regular assessment would not be appropriate. These are students for whom the regular assessment, even with accommodations, provides insufficient opportunity to demonstrate their knowledge and skills. IDEA requires that alternate assessments be developed and available by July 1, 2000. For most states, the form and substance for alternate assessments are currently being developed. Sometimes the terms "alternate" and "alternative" are used interchangeably.
An assessment that is an alternate to an assessment that is more widely used. In Indiana, IASEP is an alternate to the more widely used ISTEP
Assessment of children with disabilities who cannot participate, even with accommodations, in state or district-wide assessment programs. It is a common assessment that can be administered to students with a unique array of educational goals. Increases capacity of large-scale accountability. Alternate assessments typically involve a student creating a response or set of responses rather than selecting one from a group. Portfolio has become a typical term associated with alternate assessment. Students are required to demonstrate knowledge and skills through a set of tasks.
