Which accommodations can students use during Aimsweb and Performance Series testing? See the links below for more information:
AIMSweb Benchmark Testing: Text Enlargement
A question came up recently regarding the appropriateness of using materials with enlarged text for AIMSweb benchmark testing.
Although many accommodations are not appropriate for benchmark testing as they can compromise the standardized procedures, enlargement of text for students with mild visual impairments does not invalidate the standardized procedures.
See the text below from the M-COMP Administration and Technical Manual:
(Entire Manual is here: http://www.aimsweb.com/uploads/M-COMP%20Manual.pdf)
From page 11:
Testing Students With Special Accommodations
“Some examples of special accommodations include (a) increasing the amount to test-taking time for a particular student, (b) having a student practice the test beforehand, or (c) providing feedback during the testing process to a student about whether an answer is correct or incorrect.
These accommodations are changes in the way the test was standardized, and should not be allowed. Like all standardized tests, using M–COMP probes with some students may be inappropriate because the demands of the test do not match the capabilities of a specific student. For example, because M–COMP requires pencil-paper test taking skills, students with severe motor problems may not be appropriate candidates for M–COMP use. Although the stratified sample includes students with disabilities, those students were administered the test in the standardized manner, with no special accommodations. For students with mild visual impairments, text enlargement may be an appropriate accommodation as it does not invalidate the standardized procedures.” (emphasis added)
Using Audio CDs and Read Alouds for the HSGQE
Important HSGQE News!
For the upcoming HSGQE testing in April, CD recordings of the test questions for the writing and math tests are available to order from the state. These audio CDs are ordered several months before testing begins, and it is important that accommodations are properly documented in student IEPs so that we have an accurate count when ordering materials from the state.
There are a number of high school students who have an accommodation in their IEPs for “Reading or signing math, science or writing test questions on the state required examinations to the student.” If you have students who need test questions read aloud, and for whom CD recordings of the test would be appropriate, please make sure that the accommodations box for “Using test contractor audio version of the HSGQE writing and mathematics tests,” is checked on the IEP.
If this accommodation is necessary and the box is not already checked on the student’s IEP, you will need to do an amendment to add the accommodation. For students who are first-time HSGQE testers, this box may not have been checked on previous IEPs.
If the student needs a person to read the test questions aloud (rather than using an audio recording), then “Reading or signing, math, science or writing items…” would be the appropriate accommodation to select. For the HSGQE, non-certified staff (ex. paraprofessionals) can act as readers or scribes but they must be directly supervised by a certified proctor.
Accommodations used for testing MUST correspond with those that are used on a regular basis in the classroom. New or unfamiliar accommodations