Status of state request for waiver to exceed 1% cap on alternate assessments

[Candace Cortiella]

January 4, 2018

Here’s an update on the status of state requests for a wavier to exceed the ESSA state-level 1% cap on the number of students who can be assessed via a state’s alternate assessment on alternate achievement standards for the 2017-2018 school year:

Request approved by USED: Kentucky and Massachusetts

Requests submitted and under review: Indiana, Louisiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Hawaii, Wisconsin, Georgia, Delaware, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Maine, Mississippi and Texas.

The ESSA federal assessment regulations require states to submit a request at least 90 days in advance of the first testing window. All waiver requests must be made available for public comment prior to submission to USED.

Our Tips for Advocates provides helpful information on reviewing proposed requests as well as complete requirements. It’s online at http://www.advocacyinstitute.org/ESSA/AA-AAS.Waiver.Request.Tips.for.Advocates.pdf

(Note: There are several states that are not eligible to submit a waiver request because of the state’s failure to administer state assessments to at least 95% of all students and at least 95% of students with disabilities.)

Also available is a new study by the National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO) on State Participation Guidelines and Definitions of Alternate Assessments for Students with Significant Cognitive Disabilities – at https://nceo.umn.edu/docs/OnlinePubs/NCEOReport406.pdf

Candace Cortiella
The Advocacy Institute

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