Frequently Asked Questions – Using the NCAAAI to Assess EC Students
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Using the North Carolina Alternate Assessment Academic Inventory (NCAAAI) for
Students with Disabilities (EC)
October 2004
What is the NCAAAI?
The North Carolina Alternate Assessment Academic Inventory
(NCAAAI) is an assessment in which teachers utilize a checklist to
evaluate student performance in the areas of reading and mathematics at
grades 3-8 and 10, writing at grades 4, 7, and 10, and in high school
courses in which an end-of-course test is administered. Data are
collected at the beginning of the school year or course (baseline), in the
middle (interim), and at the end of the school year or course (final).
Eligible students with disabilities and students with limited English
proficiency may participate in the NCAAAI instead of taking the
multiple-choice test as stated in State Board policy HSP-C-005. For
students with disabilities, participation must be documented in each
student’s current IEP. Students identified as limited English proficient
must meet particular criteria set forth in state policy.
Which students with disabilities Students with disabilities are eligible for the NCAAAI if they meet the
are eligible?
following criteria:
• Must have current Individualized Education Program (IEP).
• Enrolled in grades 3–8 or 10 or enrolled in a course for credit that
requires an End-of-Course test administration according to the
school information management system (e.g., SIMS/NCWISE).
• It is determined that the student, due to the nature of his/her
special needs, cannot participate in the standard administration or
administration using available accommodations for the North
Carolina Pretest at Grade 3, the North Carolina End-of-Grade
Tests Reading and/or Mathematics at Grades 3-8, the High
School Comprehensive Test at Grade 10, the Writing Test at
Grades 4, 7, or 10, and/or any state-mandated End-of-Course test.
In addition, the student is ineligible to participate in the North
Carolina Alternate Assessment Portfolio (NCAAP).
Can students with Section 504 Students with a Section 504 plan must participate in the standard test
plans participate in the administration with or without test accommodations and are ineligible
NCAAAI?
for participation in alternate assessments including the North Carolina
Alternate Assessment Portfolio (NCAAP).
NCDPI Division of Accountability Services/North Carolina Testing Program
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October 2004
Frequently Asked Questions – Using the NCAAAI to Assess EC Students
Who determines if a student In accordance with the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act
with a disability participates in (IDEA) Amendments of 1997 (Public Law No. 105-17), the
Individualized Education Program (IEP) team has the authority to
the NCAAAI?
determine the appropriate assessment for each student. The IEP team
also determines the grade level at which the student will be assessed.
All NCAAAIs for end-of-course and writing grades 4, 7, and 10 must be
on grade level.
Which guidelines do schools
follow if a student is identified
both as LEP and as a student with
disabilities with an Individualized
Education
Program
(IEP)?
Which “plan” is followed to
determine NCAAAI eligibility?
If the student is LEP and has an IEP, the IEP determines NCAAAI
eligibility. The language proficiency and timeline requirements are
secondary. The IEP is an authorized legal document and must be
followed.
If the decision to use the Student participation in state assessment must be designated on the
NCAAAI is not documented in student’s current IEP. Therefore, an assessor must not begin a NCAAAI
the student’s IEP, do assessors
begin the NCAAAI before the until it is designated on the student’s current IEP.
IEP is changed?
Can
the
NCAAAI
be The reading and math NCAAAI can be administered off-grade level to
students with disabilities. The Writing Assessment at Grades 4, 7, and
administered off-grade level?
10 and EOC NCAAAI cannot be administered off-grade level to any
students. Students solely identified as limited English proficient cannot
be administered ANY NCAAAI off-grade level including reading and
math.
Is it possible for the NCAAAI
to be administered to a student
with disabilities on-grade level
in reading and math?
A student with disabilities may participate in the NCAAAI on-grade
level in reading and math if, due to the nature of their disability, the
standard administration with or without accommodations would not be
appropriate.
Can the assessed grade level The IEP Team can make the determination to assess the child at a
be changed each year for a different grade level each year. The decision is based on the child’s
instructional and functioning levels.
student with disabilities?
NCDPI Division of Accountability Services/North Carolina Testing Program
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October 2004
Frequently Asked Questions – Using the NCAAAI to Assess EC Students
Can assessors change the
assessed grade level if it is
determined the chosen level is
too high or too low?
For students with disabilities, assessed grade levels for students
following a traditional or year-round school schedule may be adjusted
only within the first thirty calendar days of student participation in the
NCAAAI. Follow the guidelines in the NCAAAI Test Administrator’s
Guide 2004-2005. The Writing Assessment at grades 4, 7, and 10 and
EOC NCAAAIs may not be administered off-grade level and therefore
may not be changed during the year or course.
Can a student participate in
the NCAAAI for one content
area, and the standard
administration state test for
another content area?
A student may participate in the NCAAAI for one content area and
participate in the EOG or EOC multiple choice test for another content
area. For example, a student may participate in the Grade 4 NCAAAI
for writing and reading, but take the regular EOG grade 4 Math test with
accommodations.
Can
accommodations
allowed on the NCAAAI?
be The NCAAAI is based on classroom assessment and work sampling.
Therefore, accommodations used in the classroom may be used on any
provided evidence. The use of basic accommodations should not lower
the student’s score on the NCAAAI.
Who
is
responsible
for The school principal assigns the assessor. The assessor must have
training in the content area being assessed and must work routinely with
completing the assessment?
the student during instruction. The NCDPI recommends that the regular
education content teacher collaborate with the English as a Second
Language (ESL) or resource teacher to complete the NCAAAI.
When must assessors score the The baseline assessment must be conducted during the first 30 calendar
days of student participation for yearlong courses or 15 calendar days for
NCAAAI?
semester-long courses. In addition, the assessor completes a Baseline
Student Profile. The assessor must schedule an interim assessment
period that allows for a 30-calendar-day window for completion for
yearlong courses or a 15-calendar-day window for semester-long
courses. This must be at a midpoint month between the baseline
assessment and the final assessment. There is no Student Profile for the
interim assessment. The final spring assessment scores must be
completed within the final 30 calendar days of the school year or course.
The LEA test coordinator must set a completion date by which the
scannable student information sheets must be returned to the district
office. Final scores must be completed prior to the local deadline for
returning the scannable sheets. The date should mirror the date for
administration of the end-of-course or end-of-grade test in the school
system. In addition to assigning scores, the assessor completes a Final
Student Profile.
NCDPI Division of Accountability Services/North Carolina Testing Program
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October 2004
Frequently Asked Questions – Using the NCAAAI to Assess EC Students
Must ALL the objectives be Yes. All objectives within a grade level must be scored using a whole
number from the 0-8 scale for baseline and interim and 1-8 scale for
scored?
final scoring. Descriptions of performance at these levels are found in
the Test Administrator’s Guide 2004-2005. In rare cases where a
student’s disability prohibits the assessment of an objective, NA may be
used. An example would be concerning objectives regarding “Phonemic
Awareness” for students who are deaf. N/A cannot be used for an entire
category, goal, or section. If N/A is used for any one objective,
appropriate documentation must be provided as to why it is deemed not
applicable.
What evidence is required to Assessors are required to maintain a folder of student work throughout
support scores assigned by the the school year. Materials in that folder should support the scores
assigned to each goal within the assessed grade level. Materials
assessor?
contained within the student’s folder must be available for NCDPI
review upon request.
Where do
evidence?
you
place
the All evidence should be placed in a student work folder that teachers,
administrators, IEP teams, and test coordinators can easily access.
Materials should be available for NCDPI review upon request.
Can one work sample be used The NCDPI recommends that assessors use work samples that can
to support more than one support more than one objective in the assessed curriculum. Assessors
do not have to have work samples for every objective.
objective?
Can one piece of evidence be If one piece of evidence can be used for both reading and math, the
used in multiple content assessor simply needs to place a copy of the evidence in the NCAAAI
NCAAAI assessments such as student work folder.
for Reading and Math?
What labeling is required for Evidence must support the scores assigned to each goal but are not
required to be labeled in any standard manner. Dating material is
the evidence?
helpful and encouraged by NCDPI. LEAs may require evidence
labeling.
NCDPI Division of Accountability Services/North Carolina Testing Program
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October 2004
Frequently Asked Questions – Using the NCAAAI to Assess EC Students
What evidence is required for
students participating in the
NCAAAI for writing Grades
4, 7 and 10, but who are
clearly working below grade
level?
If the student is working below grade level for writing, the NCDPI would
expect that the final score would be below 5 (on the 1-8 scale) because a
student working below grade level cannot be scored “proficient” at grade
level. The assessor must submit evidence of student performance even if
the evidence is below grade level. The student must be scored compared
to the grade level competencies for writing.
Do students take the Grade 3
Pretest and the NCAAAI for
the Grade 3 End-of-Grade
Test?
If participation on the NCAAAI is documented prior to the administration
of the Grade 3 Pretest, the NCAAAI for Grade 3 serves as the
participation/score for the Grade 3 Pretest and for the Grade 3 End-ofGrade test.
Can students in other grade The NCAAAI for writing grades 4, 7 and 10 must only be administered
levels such as grade 5 take the to students assigned to grade levels 4, 7, and 10 to meet state testing
Grade 4 Writing NCAAAI to requirements.
meet
student
promotion
requirements for students who
failed the grade 4 writing test
or were formally exempt?
Do the Writing Grades 4, 7
and 10 NCAAAIs end on the
writing test date in March?
Does the NCAAAI for the
HSCT
in
reading
and
mathematics end in April?
The NCAAAI’s process requires data collection at intervals during the
entire school year. Therefore, it does not fit into the same schedule as the
regular assessments. It is not finalized until the last month of school
depending on local requirements. Baseline data collection should take
place during the first 30 days of student participation. Interim data
collection should be done during a LEA designated window at the
midpoint of student participation. Final data collection should be done
during the final 30 days of the year or course.
If a student participates in the The use of the NCAAAI does not affect a student's course of study or
NCAAAI, can the student still eligibility to receive a diploma.
receive a diploma?
What is the HSCT of Reading The Grade 10 High School Comprehensive Test (HSCT) of Reading and
and Math?
Is there a Math is administered to all students in grade 10 to satisfy a Title I
requirement in the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001. The NCAAAI is
NCAAAI for this test?
an alternate assessment for the HSCT for students in Grade 10 if
students meet the qualifications defined in State Board Policy HSP-C005.
NCDPI Division of Accountability Services/North Carolina Testing Program
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October 2004
Frequently Asked Questions – Using the NCAAAI to Assess EC Students
Should students in the
Occupational Course of Study
(OCS) participate in the High
School Comprehensive Test
(HSCT)?
Who
is
completing
NCAAAI?
OCS students must participate in the High School Comprehensive Test
(HSCT) of Reading and Math at Grade 10 due to a federal Title I
requirement. The student's IEP determines if the student will participate
in the HSCT multiple-choice standard test administration or in the
NCAAAI or NCAAP. OCS students are not required to participate in the
Grade 10 Writing Assessment.
responsible
for The school principal assigns the assessor. The assessor must have
the
HSCT training in the content area being assessed and must work routinely with
the student during instruction. The NCDPI recommends that the regular
education content teacher collaborate with the ESL or resource teacher
to complete the NCAAAI.
If the school is on a semester
schedule, under what timeline
is the HSCT of Reading and
Math NCAAAI completed?
The Grade 10 NCAAAI is an alternate assessment for the High School
Comprehensive Test (HSCT) of Reading and Math and must be
administered as a yearlong assessment. Content areas may be assessed
each semester using different assessors.
If a grade 10 student is not
enrolled in a reading or math
course this year and will use
the NCAAAI, what does the
school do to fulfill the
requirement?
The school principal assigns the assessor. The assessor must have
training in the content area being assessed and must work routinely with
the student during instruction. The NCDPI recommends that the regular
education content teacher collaborate with the ESL or resource teacher
to complete the NCAAAI.
Who
is
completing
NCAAAI?
responsible
for The school principal assigns the assessor. The assessor must have
the
EOC training in the content area being assessed and must work routinely with
the student during instruction. The NCDPI recommends that the regular
education content teacher collaborate with the ESL or resource teacher
to complete the NCAAAI.
In what timeline are the EOC The timeline must match the school’s test schedule. If the course is
completed in a semester; the NCAAAI must also be completed in a
NCAAAIs completed?
semester. If the course has an “A” section and a “B” section, such as
Algebra IA and Algebra IB, the NCAAAI is completed throughout the
series (both courses) and finalized during the completion of the series.
NCDPI Division of Accountability Services/North Carolina Testing Program
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October 2004
Frequently Asked Questions – Using the NCAAAI to Assess EC Students
Who is responsible for training The school system test coordinator is responsible for ensuring that each
assessor is appropriately trained on using the NCAAAI Test
the assessors?
Administrator’s Guide 2004-2005 which explains “how to complete the
NCAAAI”. Any curriculum support or classroom assessment support
must be provided through staff development in the school or school
system.
What happens if a student Transferring within North Carolina. In the event that a student
participating in the NCAAAI transfers to another North Carolina school
transfers out of the school?
system, the original school must complete the information in the transfer
section on the back of the inventory. The inventory must be complete
and up-to-date and the assessor and principal must sign attesting to this.
The school then returns it to its school system test coordinator. The
school system test coordinator must ship the entire student envelope to
the receiving school system test coordinator within 30 days of receiving
a written request. The original school system test coordinator must use a
receipted method to ship the secure NCAAAI envelope to the school
system test coordinator at the student’s new school system. The
NCAAAI is to be continued at the new school. The student work folder
must also be sent to the new school, though this may be sent in the same
manner as the student’s cumulative records. This process should be
followed each time a student transfers.
Transferring out of North Carolina. In the event that a student
participating in the NCAAAI transfers out of North Carolina, the
assessor must correctly code on the student’s scannable student
information sheet the reason why the inventory is incomplete. The
school system test coordinator must be notified. The assessor gives the
scannable student information sheet to the school system test
coordinator at the end of the course, for scanning purposes. Every
academic inventory must be accounted for even if the assessments are
incomplete and stored in a secure location for at least six months
following the submission of student scores.
Transferring into North Carolina during the School Year. If a student
transfers to the school system from out-of-state during the school year
and it is determined that the student will participate in the NCAAAI, the
school must begin an inventory immediately, but no later than 30
calendar days of the decision if the student is enrolled in a yearlong
course, or 15 days if it is a semester course. Baseline data must be
completed for every student, regardless of the month of enrollment,
during the first month of participation for yearlong courses or 15 days
for semester courses. Once baseline data is complete, an interim data
collection date will be scheduled.
NCDPI Division of Accountability Services/North Carolina Testing Program
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October 2004
Frequently Asked Questions – Using the NCAAAI to Assess EC Students
Is a new NCAAAI required Yes. The decision is made annually whether or not an eligible student
will be assessed using the NCAAAI. If the decision is made to use the
each school year?
NCAAAI, a new inventory is started.
Who, when, where, and how The school district test coordinator is responsible for ordering, receiving,
are the NCAAAI materials and distributing the NCAAAI materials. Materials are ordered based on
the needs of the district. The materials are made available for download
distributed?
and print and may be ordered from the NCDPI/Testing Section secure
website.
What is a reasonable date for The school system test coordinator is responsible for setting a local
collection of the NCAAAI at deadline date for return of the NCAAAIs for review. The date should
mirror the date for administration of the end-of-course or end-of-grade
the local level?
test in the school system. Test coordinators should not require the
NCAAAIs any earlier than one month prior to the end of school to obtain
valid scores and equitable results that are comparable to the results of the
standard EOC and EOG test administration.
.
Which Course of Study is used The North Carolina Standard Course of Study is used as a basis for the
NCAAAI. More information can be found at the following:
for the NCAAAI?
http://www.learnnc.org/dpi/instserv.nsf
Can a student receive an The scale score range of 1–8 is the same for all students. The scale
achievement level of 1-4 using scores are converted into achievement levels when the answer sheets are
the NCAAAI?
scanned. If the student is working on assigned grade level using grade
level text, the student may receive a final scale score of 1–8 that converts
to achievement levels of I-IV. The use of basic accommodations on the
NCAAAI should not lower the student’s score on the NCAAAI.
How is the NCAAAI used for Due to the nature of the assessment, there is no retest opportunity.
Student scores (achievement levels) from the NCAAAI must be used as
student promotion?
one criteria for making student promotion/retention decisions. Other
criteria may include: (1) student work samples, (2) other test data, (3)
information supplied by the parents, (4) for students with disabilities,
information that is included in the students' IEPs, and (5) other
information that verifies that a student is at grade level.
NCDPI Division of Accountability Services/North Carolina Testing Program
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October 2004
Frequently Asked Questions – Using the NCAAAI to Assess EC Students
Are the results from the The results from the NCAAAIs are used annually in the North Carolina
ABC’s school accountability program as a component of each school’s
NCAAAI used in the ABCs?
performance composite
What
happens
to
the
NCAAAI at the end of the
school year and how should
the NCAAAI be stored?
The school system determines where the NCAAAIs will be securely
stored. As with any state assessment, NCAAAIs must be securely stored
for at least six months. If the school system is selected to participate in
the NCDPI audit, NCDPI will visit selected schools to review NCAAAI
folders, student work folders, and student IEP information, as well as
cumulative records.
NCDPI Division of Accountability Services/North Carolina Testing Program
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October 2004