Adopted: MSBA/MASA Model Policy 615
Orig.
1997
Revised: Rev. 2022
615 TESTING ACCOMMODATIONS, MODIFICATIONS, AND
EXEMPTIONS FOR IEPS, SECTION 504 PLANS, AND LEP STUDENTS
I. PURPOSE
The purpose of the policy is to provide
adequate opportunity for students identified as having individualized education
program (IEP), Rehabilitation Act of 1973, § 504 accommodation plan (504 plan),
or English Learner (EL) needs to participate in statewide assessment systems
designed to hold schools accountable for the academic performance of all
students.
II. GENERAL STATEMENT OF POLICY
A. Minnesota Test of Academic Skills
(MTAS)
1. The school district will utilize the
existing annual review of IEPs or 504 plans to review, on a case-by-case basis,
and determine how a student with a disability will participate in statewide
testing.
2. Participation decisions will be made
separately for mathematics, reading, and science. The assessment options are the Minnesota
Comprehensive Assessment (MCA) and the MTAS.
3. Eligibility Requirements
a. The following requirements must be met
for a student with a significant cognitive disability to be eligible for the
MTAS:
(1) The IEP team must consider the student’s
ability to access the MCA, with or without accommodations;
(2) The IEP must review the student’s
instructional program to ensure that the student is receiving instruction
linked to the general education curriculum to the extent appropriate. If instruction is not linked to the general
education curriculum, the IEP team must review the student’s goals and determine
how access to the general curriculum will be provided;
(3) The IEP team determined the student’s
cognitive functioning to be significantly below age expectations. The team also determined that the student’s
disability has a significant impact on his or her ability to function in multiple
environments, including home, school, and community;
(4) The IEP team determined that the student
needs explicit and intensive instruction and/or extensive supports in multiple
settings to acquire, maintain, and generalize academic and life skills in order
to actively participate in school, work, home, and community environments;
(5) The IEP team must document, in the IEP,
reasons the MCA is or is not an appropriate measure of the student’s academic
progress and how the student would participate in statewide testing.
b. MTAS participation decisions must not
be made on the following factors:
(1) Student’s disability category;
(2) Placement;
(3) Participation in a separate, specialized
curriculum;
(4) An expectation that the student will
receive a low score on the MCA;
(5) Language, social, cultural, or economic
differences;
(6) Concern for accountability calculations.
B. Alternate ACCESS for ELs
1. The school district will utilize the
existing annual review of IEPs or 504
plans to review, on a case-by-case basis, and determine how an
identified EL student with a disability will participate in statewide testing.
2. Eligibility Requirements
a. The student must be identified as EL in
MARSS in order to take an English language proficiency assessment.
b. The student must have a significant
cognitive disability. If the student has
been identified as eligible to take the MTAS in mathematics, reading, or
science, the student meets this criterion.
c. For students in grades that the MTAS is
not administered:
(1) the student must have cognitive
functioning significantly below age level;
(2) the student’s disability must have a
significant impact on his or her ability to function in multiple environments,
including home, school, and community; and
(3) the student needs explicit and intensive
instruction and/or extensive supports in multiple settings to acquire,
maintain, and generalize academic and life skills in order to actively participate in school, work, home, and
community environments.
d. The IEP team must consider the
student’s ability to access the ACCESS, with or without accommodations.
e. The IEP team must document, in the IEP,
reasons the MCA is or is not an appropriate English language proficiency
assessment for the student.
3. Alternate ACCESS participation
decisions must not be made on the following factors:
a. Student’s disability category;
b. Participation in a separate,
specialized curriculum;
c. Current level of English language
proficiency;
d. The expectation that the student will
receive a low score on the ACCESS for ELs;
e. Language, social, cultural, or economic
differences;
f. Concern for accountability
calculations.
C. EL Students New to the United States
EL students new to the United States will
take all assessments, including all academic assessments (math, reading, and
science), as well as the English Language Proficiency Assessment (ACCESS).
III. DEFINITION OF TERMS
See the current “Procedures Manual for the
Minnesota Assessments” which is produced by the Minnesota Department of
Education and available through minnesota.pearsonaccessnext.com.
IV. GRANTING AND DOCUMENTING ACCOMMODATIONS,
MODIFICATIONS, OR EXEMPTIONS FOR TESTING
See
Chapter 5 of the current “Procedures Manual for the Minnesota Assessments” and 2020-21 Guidelines for Administration of
Accommodations and Linguistic Supports http://minnesota.pearsonaccessnext.com/resources/resources-training/manuals/Guidelines%20for%20Accomm_2020-21.pdf
V. RECORDS
All test accommodations, modifications, or
exemptions shall be reported to the school district test administrator. The school district test administrator shall
be responsible for keeping a list of all such test accommodations,
modifications, and exemptions for school district audit purposes. Testing results will be documented and
reported.
Legal References: Minn. Stat. § 120B.11 (School District
Process for Reviewing Curriculum, Instruction, and Student Achievement;
Striving for the World’s Best Workforce)
Minn. Stat. § 120B.30 (Statewide Testing and
Reporting System)
Minn. Stat. § 125A.08 (Individualized
Education Programs)
Minn. Rules Parts 3501.0640-3501.0655
(Academic Standards for Language Arts)
Minn. Rules Parts 3501.0700-3501.0745
(Academic Standards for Mathematics)
Minn. Rules Parts 3501.0820 (Academic
Standards for the Arts)
Minn. Rules Parts 3501.0900-3501.0955 (Academic
Standards in Science)
Minn. Rules Parts 3501.1300-3501.1345
(Academic Standards for Social Studies)
Minn. Rules Parts 3501.1400-3501.1410
(Academic Standards for Physical Education)
Eligibility
Requirements for the Minnesota Test of Academic Skills (MTAS), https://education.mn.gov/mdeprod/groups/educ/documents/hiddencontent/mdaw/mda2/~edisp/006087.pdf
Alternate ACCESS for
ELLs Participation Guidelines,
https://education.mn.gov/mdeprod/groups/educ/documents/hiddencontent/mdaw/mdq5/~edisp/049763.pdf
Cross References: MSBA/MASA Model Policy 104 (School
District Mission Statement)
MSBA/MASA Model Policy 601 (School District
Curriculum and Instruction Goals)
MSBA/MASA Model Policy 613 (Graduation
Requirements)
MSBA/MASA Model Policy 614 (School District
Testing Plan and Procedure)
MSBA/MASA Model Policy 616 (School District
System Accountability)