Frequently Asked Questions - Using the NCAAAI to Assess LEP Students
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Using the North Carolina Alternate Assessment Academic Inventory (NCAAAI) for
Students Identified as Limited English Proficient (LEP)
October 2004
What is the NCAAAI?
Which LEP students are
eligible to participate in 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.
In order to be eligible to participate in the NCAAAI, the LEP student
must:
• be assigned in SIMS to a grade level of 3–8 or 10 or enrolled in a
course for credit that requires and End-of-Course (EOC) test
administration;
• the student scored below Intermediate High on the reading section
of the IPT to be eligible for any Reading or Math Test & any EOC;
• the student scored below Superior on writing section of the IPT for
the Writing Test; and
• be within 24 calendar months of enrollment into U. S. schools (ref.
State Board of Education Policy HSP-C-005).
• The decision must be made on a case by case basis. The NCDPI
recommends a “team” approach.
If a LEP student took the It is a local decision from year to year. The administrator, regular
EOG test last year or Grade education teacher, and ESL teacher together determine placement in a
3 Pretest this year, but is particular assessment.
within his 24-months and
meets
the
IPT
score
requirements, can he take
the NCAAAI this year?
NCDPI Division of Accountability Services/North Carolina Testing Program
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October 2004
Frequently Asked Questions - Using the NCAAAI to Assess LEP Students
If a LEP student leaves the If a LEP student leaves a school system and later returns to the same
school,
but
eventually school system, the student’s original enrollment date in any U.S. school
returns to the school, does dictates his 24-month deadline.
the “24-month clock” start
over or continue?
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.
Can
a
LEP
student
participate in a NCAAAI
that is below the student’s
assigned grade level?
The NCAAAI assessed grade level must match the student’s assigned
grade level in the school’s student information management system
(SIMS) or NCWISE. If a student has an IEP and is LEP, then the IEP
team can determine that the student be assessed below grade level.
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 be The NCAAAI is based on classroom assessment and work sampling.
Therefore, accommodations used in the classroom may be used on any
allowed on the NCAAAI?
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
completing the assessment? 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 English as a second
language (ESL) teacher or resource teacher to complete the NCAAAI.
NCDPI Division of Accountability Services/North Carolina Testing Program
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October 2004
Frequently Asked Questions - Using the NCAAAI to Assess LEP Students
When must assessors score The baseline assessment must be conducted during the first 30 calendar
days of student participation for yearlong courses or 15 calendar days for
the 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-ofgrade test in the school system. In addition to assigning scores, the
assessor completes a Final Student Profile.
Must ALL the objectives be All objectives must be scored using a whole number from the 0–8 scale
for baseline and interim and from the 1-8 scale during final scoring.
scored?
Descriptions of performance at these levels are found in the Test
Administrator’s Guide 2004-2005 and on the front of the assessment
instrument.
What evidence is required?
Assessors are required to maintain a folder of student work throughout the
school year. Materials in that folder should support the scores assigned to
each goal within the assessed grade level. Materials contained within the
student’s folder must be available for NCDPI review upon request.
Where do you place the All evidence should be placed in a student work folder that teachers,
administrators, IEP teams, and test coordinators can easily access.
evidence?
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 student work folder.
as for Reading and Math?
NCDPI Division of Accountability Services/North Carolina Testing Program
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October 2004
Frequently Asked Questions - Using the NCAAAI to Assess LEP Students
What labeling is required Evidence must support the scores assigned to each goal but are not
required to be labeled in any standard manner. Dating material is helpful
for the evidence?
and encouraged by NCDPI. LEAs may require evidence labeling.
Do students take the Grade The NCAAAI for Grade 3 serves as participation/score for the Grade 3
3 Pretest and the NCAAAI Pretest and for the Grade 3 End-of-Grade test.
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 to
levels such as grade 5 take students assigned to grade levels 4, 7, and 10 to meet state testing
the Grade 4 Writing requirements.
NCAAAI to 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 math
end after one semester?
The NCAAAI 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 calendar 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 use of the NCAAAI does not affect a student's course of study or
the NCAAAI, can the eligibility to receive a diploma.
student still receive a
diploma?
What is the HSCT of The Grade 10 High School Comprehensive Test (HSCT) of Reading and
Reading and Math?
Is Math is administered to all students in grade 10 to satisfy a Title I
there a NCAAAI for this requirement in the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001. The Grade 10
NCAAAI is an alternate assessment for the HSCT if students meet the
test?
qualifications defined in State Board Policy HSP-C-005.
NCDPI Division of Accountability Services/North Carolina Testing Program
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October 2004
Frequently Asked Questions - Using the NCAAAI to Assess LEP Students
Who is responsible for The school principal assigns the assessor. The assessor must have training
completing
the
HSCT in the content area being assessed and must work routinely with the
student during instruction. The NCDPI recommends that the regular
NCAAAI?
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 year-long 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.
In what timeline are the The timeline must match the school’s test schedule. If the course is
EOC NCAAAIs completed? completed in a semester; the NCAAAI must also be completed in a
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.
Who is responsible for The school principal assigns the assessor. The assessor must have
completing
the
EOC training in the content area being assessed and must work routinely with
the student during instruction. The NCDPI recommends that the regular
NCAAAI?
education content teacher collaborate with the ESL or resource teacher to
complete the NCAAAI.
Why doesn’t NC offer The majority of LEP students in North Carolina are instructed in English.
native language assessment? Student assessment should follow instruction. The NCAAAI allows LEP
students to respond through student work or teacher observations in
multiple methods.
NCDPI Division of Accountability Services/North Carolina Testing Program
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October 2004
Frequently Asked Questions - Using the NCAAAI to Assess LEP Students
Can
evidence
in
the If the student is being instructed in their native language in a bilingual
student’s native language be program, native language evidence can be used. Evidence of assessment
must follow the type of instruction. Students, parents, etc. cannot be
used on the NCAAAI?
allowed to translate for the student or translate the student’s work.
Transferring within North Carolina. In the event that a student
What happens if 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 LEP Students
Who is responsible
training the assessors?
for The school system test coordinator is responsible for training each
school’s test coordinator who in turn trains the assessors using the
NCAAAI Test 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.
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 test
the local level?
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 The North Carolina Standard Course of Study is used as a basis for the
NCAAAI. For more information:
used 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 scores
achievement level of I-IV are converted into achievement levels when the answer sheets are scanned.
using the NCAAAI?
If the student is working successfully on-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 and
modifications on the NCAAAI should not lower the student’s score on the
NCAAAI.
NCDPI Division of Accountability Services/North Carolina Testing Program
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October 2004
Frequently Asked Questions - Using the NCAAAI to Assess LEP Students
How is the NCAAAI used Due to the nature of the assessment, there is no retest opportunity. Student
scores (achievement levels) from the NCAAAI must be used as one
for student promotion?
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.
Are the results from the The results from the NCAAAIs are used annually in the North Carolina
NCAAAI used in the ABCs? ABC’s school accountability program as a component of each school’s
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, IEP’s and student LEP information, as well
as cumulative records.
Is it true that a student who
is LEP cannot receive a
Level III or IV on the
NCAAAI?
LEP students are assessed on grade level. If the student is working on
grade level, the student may receive a scale score of 1-8 which converts to
achievement levels of I-IV.
Can or should a school/LEA
make a “blanket decision”
to place all LEP students on
the EOG or the NCAAAI?
The decision to place students in assessments should be a shared
responsibility between administrators, regular education teachers, and
second language teachers. The decision should be made on a case by case
basis.
NCDPI Division of Accountability Services/North Carolina Testing Program
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October 2004