Kentucky Alternate Assessment Parent Guide
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The Kentucky Board of Education (KBE) set the goal of all schools reaching Proficiency by
the year 2014. The accountability system provides a way for measuring this goal and provides
feedback to schools on how they are progressing toward Proficiency. By state regulation (703
KAR 5:020), Kentucky's accountability system focuses primarily on schools, not individual
students. The system requires school district accountability (703 KAR 5:130) for the
education of all the students attending school in a particular district.
Who is assessed?
KCCT assesses every student in grades 3 through 8 and grades 10 through 12, in
Kentucky’s public schools. Students are tested on specific standards at various grade levels.
Students identified with educational disabilities are also assessed. Some students with
disabilities will take the assessment without accommodations, some with accommodations,
and some through an Alternate Assessment process.
More Information: You may find out more about what is specifically
tested at each grade level by going to the Kentucky Department of Education’s Web page at
http://www.education.ky.gov or call (502) 564-4394.
What is the Kentucky Alternate Assessment?
Students with the most significant cognitive disabilities may require an alternate means
of participation in the KCCT to demonstrate achievement. The Alternate Assessment is
designed to address the needs of these students by allowing greater depth of adaptations,
modifications and alternative modes of participation.
More Information: Students participate in the Alternate Assessment
either in Performance Dimension A: Attainment or Performance Dimension B: Progress.
This determination is based on a description of the student’s communication level. The
description of communication is as follows:
Performance Dimension A: Attainment should be chosen if the student’s communication is
best described by the following indicators:
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Student uses verbal or written words, signs, Braille, or language-based augmentative
systems to request, initiate, and respond to questions, describe things or events, and
express refusal.
OR
Student uses intentional communication, but not at a symbolic language level. Student
uses understandable communication through such modes as gestures, pictures,
objects/textures, points, etc., to clearly express a variety of intentions.
Performance Dimension B: Progress may be chosen if the student’s communication is best
described by the following indicators:
While students who participate in Performance Dimension B may be able to score at the
proficient level, distinguished scores are not available if this performance dimension is
chosen.
Student communicates primarily through cries, facial expressions, change in muscle
tone, but no clear use of objects/textures, regularized gestures, pictures, signs, etc., to
communicate.
Student alerts to sensory input from another person (auditory, visual, touch, movement),
BUT requires actual physical assistance to follow simple directions, or the student’s
response to sensory stimuli (e.g., sound/voice, sight/gesture, touch, movement; smell) is
unclear.
How does the Alternate Assessment look?
The Alternate Assessment has three major components:
1. Alternate Portfolio for Reading, Mathematics and Science which measures student
performance on specified standards and includes work samples. Students will be
assessed in:
reading at grades 3 – 8 and grade 10;
mathematics at grades 3 – 8 and grade 11; and
science at grades 4, 7, and 11.
2. Attainment Tasks which measure the student’s performance on completing specified
tasks/activities. Students will be assessed in:
social studies at grades 5, 8, and 11;
writing at grades 5, 8, and 12.
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3. Transition Attainment Record which measures student performance on academic skills
needed for transition. This is completed by the Admission and Release Committee
members (ARC): Students will be assessed in
reading, English, mathematics, and science reasoning at grades 8, 10, and 11.
Who decides if my child will participate in Alternate Assessment?
An Admissions and Release Committee (ARC) makes decisions about the educational
program and placement for students with disabilities. The ARC will also determine how
students with disabilities participate in state and district assessments. The ARC determines if a
student will participate in the KCCT with accommodations, without accommodations, or if
they need to be assessed through the Alternate Assessment.
How is the decision made by the ARC?
Using the Participation Guidelines for Alternate Assessment, the ARC will analyze
student information, including on-going progress data specific to the student’s present level of
performance. The Participation Guidelines contain statements that describe specific learning
aspects and characteristics. The ARC must agree to a “yes” answer and provide required
documentation for each statement from the Participation Guidelines in order to determine if
the student is eligible for participation in the Alternate Assessment. The ARC must have
specific data to evidence and support answering “yes” to each statement, including, but not
limited to: an integrated psycho-educational report, adaptive behavior rating scales, curriculum
assessments, diagnostic assessments and student work.
More Information: Once participation in the Alternate Assessment
Program is determined, the ARC must then decide the performance dimension in which the
student will participate. Performance Dimension A: Attainment or Performance Dimension
B: Progress. This decision is based on the student’s communication level.
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When does the ARC make the decision?
The ARC meets at least annually to review the student’s educational program by
reviewing and revising the student’s IEP and determines how the student will participate in the
KCCT. Using the Participation Guidelines, the ARC must review and re-determine Alternate
Assessment participation.
Once an ARC determines a student will participate in Alternate Assessment is the
decision final?
Based upon current data at the time of the ARC, a student may initially be determined
to participate in the Alternate Assessment, however, if new data or changes with a student
occur, an ARC may reconvene and determine that a student is no longer eligible for
participation in the Alternate Assessment.
Why is my child working with the same content as children who do not have a
disability? If my child could do that, is special education necessary?
Education has made tremendous gains since the first special education law was passed
in 1975. In the 1980s, success was found in teaching students functional skills that helped
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them at home and in the community. In the 1990s, inclusion in same age classrooms helped
students improve self-determination, communication, and social skills. Assistive technology
has provided increased access to general curriculum for students with disabilities through
providing alternative means of demonstrating their understanding of concepts. Beginning in
2000 it became evident that students with the most significant disabilities could find success in
accessing academic learning. Building on these experiences the federal No Child Left Behind
Act requires that alternate assessments be based on grade level content standards.
More Information: Kentucky has held schools accountable for the
progress of all students on state standards since 1990, including students with significant
cognitive disabilities. In 2001 the federal law known as No Child Left Behind (NCLB)
required every state to develop an accountability system that includes all students to determine
how well they are educating America’s children. Kentucky’s Program of Studies helps ensure
that all students across the Commonwealth are given opportunities to learn at a high level.
Why must my child be assessed on the same grade level content standards as students
who do not have an identified disability?
There are two very important federal laws that determine how schools will be held
accountable for the education of all students in the United States, No Child Left Behind
(NCLB 2001) and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEA 2004).
Both NCLB and IDEA very clearly require high expectations for academic learning and access
to the general curriculum for every child. This sets the expectation that all students are
valuable and can learn at high levels. Recent research findings show that students with
significant cognitive disabilities can learn. The assessment information is used to assist in
improving schools and programs along with providing the best educational experience for all
students.
More Information: Instruction on grade level content standards
provides the student with the opportunity to learn concepts that can be used in many situations
along with learning more traditional functional skills. The combination of these two
opportunities creates a truly meaningful school experience. For example, as a student is
working on the standard that asks the students to analyze data, create a graph, and make an
appropriate choice using the data or graph, the student could:
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increase communication and social skills (including switches and augmentative
communication boards) while conducting a survey to collect data;
increase number sense as she enters the data on a graph (e.g., one to one
correspondence);
increase appropriate and informed decision making skills when using the data to make a
choice using the data or graph (e.g., which one has more); and/or,
increase skills that may be used for a job (e.g., entering data on a computer, using a
switch to enter data, polling people at a mall).
The students participating in the Alternate Assessment are allowed to use supports that help
them learn and be independent. These supports may include reducing the level of difficulty,
providing pictures or objects and using assistive technology.
Doesn’t my child’s IEP determine what they learn at school?
The purpose of an IEP is to ensure that your child with disabilities receives a free and
appropriate education. An Individual Education Plan (IEP) is a written plan describing the
specially designed instruction (SDI), accommodations/modifications and related services
needed to address the individual needs of your child. Specially designed instruction is defined
in IDEA as adapting the content, methodology, or delivery of instruction to address the unique
needs of the child and to ensure access to the general curriculum so that the child can meet the
educational standards within the jurisdiction of the public agency that apply to all children.
The educational standards are the content standards that Kentucky has developed for all
students and can be found in the Program of Studies and the Core Content for Assessment. As
daily instruction specific to these content standards occur within the classroom, the IEP’s
clearly defines components (i.e., present level of performance, annual goals and
objectives/benchmarks, accommodations and modifications, etc.) are necessary for ensuring
that an appropriate education occurs.
More Information: An IEP is not intended to be the student’s entire
educational program. Instead it is the support program that students need to access to ensure
progress in the general curriculum. The IEP is developed by the Admissions and Release
Committee (ARC) as a record of decisions made by its members. The IEP is a plan of action
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and a commitment of the resources identified within the program. The ARC membership
consists of the following members: parents; teacher(s), both general and special; chairperson;
and the student if appropriate. By state and federal requirements, the IEP must be developed
during the ARC meeting. The IEP should determine the necessary special education and
related services as well supports that the student requires when learning the general curriculum
content. For additional information, you may contact your local Special Education
Cooperative and/or The Kentucky Department of Education, Division of Exceptional Children
Services at (502) 564-4970.
Does the Alternate Assessment limit the help that my child receives?
The teacher should provide the student with the help needed in order to learn the
required skills in the curriculum. However, that instruction should be shaped over time to help
the student move toward a greater level of independence. So when it comes time to assess the
student can do work independently.
More Information: The Alternate Assessment allows for whatever
assistance the student needs during instruction. Assistance in the form of prompts and cues are
allowed during the assessment sessions when they do not directly guide the student to the
correct answer. An example of an allowable use of prompting would be a tap on the elbow to
prompt the student to begin work, support the student’s arm to allow for intentional
movement, etc. An example of a prompt that is not allowable would be a teacher touching the
correct answer as the teacher asks a question.
Is my child allowed to use any modifications in the Alternate Assessment?
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The Alternate Assessment allows the student to use supports (modifications,
adaptations, and assistive technology) during instruction and during assessment. Providing
supports allows the student to learn content that is age appropriate, interesting and challenging.
The only time this is not allowable is when the support directly guides the student to the
correct answer. An example of an allowable support would be to color code so that the student
knows to start with the green and end with the red. An example of a support that is not
allowable would be to color code the correct answer green and the incorrect answer red.
Can my child receive a diploma if they participate in the Alternate Assessment?
The ARC must determine if a student’s demonstrated cognitive ability and adaptive
behavior prevents completion of the general education course of study even with program
modifications and/or accommodations. The ARC using a variety of data and information such
as the Participation Guidelines for the Alternate Assessment, psycho-educational integrated
report, student work, student observations and any other relevant information makes this
determination. If this is the case, the ARC must determine the student would not be able to
earn a high school diploma and would therefore receive a Certificate of Attainment as stated
in Kentucky Regulations 704 KAR 3:305. Student in the Alternate Assessment program are
eligible to receive a Certificate of Attainment.
When does my child have the opportunity to work on functional life skills listed on the
IEP?
All teachers should look at the functional application of all learning. This is especially
true for the student with significant cognitive disabilities. Functional skills can be embedded
in much of the academic instruction. When an IEP skill cannot be taught within the academic
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instruction, time should be set aside to teach this skill as necessary. Once a student has
completed the state alternate assessment required in 12
th
grade the student can then
concentrate solely on transition into life skills.
More Information: Following the grade level standards that are
designed for all students to help ensure that a sequence of skills are taught as the student
moves from elementary to middle and on to high school, teachers can individualize the
instruction and expectations to meet the needs of the student while following the curriculum.
As teachers individualize the instruction and expectations they can emphasize functional and
IEP skills. For example, when elementary student is learning about measurement of liquids,
the student can learn to measure liquids for cooking or doing laundry. When a middle school
class is studying fiction and nonfiction, the student can learn to identify nonfiction materials
(e.g., cookbooks, newspapers, etc.) and fiction (novels on tape). When high school students
are studying about chemical reactions the student is able to focus on which household
chemicals to avoid mixing.
What happens if it is determined that my child needs to stay at a grade more than one
year?
The student would be recorded in that grade again on the school records and would
participate in the grade level alternate assessment again.
More Information: Retaining a student is an ARC decision and
should be made on an individual basis, not as a school policy (e.g., a school keeps all students
an extra year at any given grade level). When the student completes all high school
assessments then the student can use the remaining years, through age 21, to work on
transition life skills.
A few notes from teachers in Kentucky…
Some teachers in Kentucky have already reported that their students have
surpassed expectations.
“He (the science teacher) is visiting my room and suggested the stages of
meiosis because he knows the process and knew my kids could do this. As
special teachers we are really learning a lot of material! We are surprising
ourselves and our students are also surprising us.”
- High School Teacher
“This adaptation thing is FUN!!! We are really coming up with some
innovative ways to teach REAL content!!! (for really involved kids!) Hope to
see you soon to share ideas!!!!”
