LEP Updates:
Testing Accommodations &
Alternate ACCESS
Carrie Perkis
Division of Accountability Services
September 12, 2012
Accommodations for Students
Identified as Limited English
Proficient
Guidelines for Testing
Students Identified as Limited
English Proficient
• Document contains detailed information
on testing accommodations
• http://www.ncpublicschools.org/accounta
bility/policies/slep/
• Updated document in October 2012
LEP Students &
Accommodations
• Eligibility criteria for accommodations:
– Students scoring below Level 5.0 Bridging on
the reading subtests of the W-APT/ACCESS
for ELLs eligible to receive state-approved
LEP accommodations on state tests
State-Approved LEP
Accommodations
• Multiple Testing Sessions
• Scheduled Extended Time
• Student Reads Test Aloud to Self
• Test Administrator Reads Test Aloud (In English)
• Computer Reads Test Aloud – Student Controlled
• Word-to-Word Bilingual English/Native Language
Dictionary/Translator
Instructional Accommodations
drive
Testing Accommodations
6
Considerations for Committee
Decision-Making
Students should be using accommodations
ROUTINELY during instruction and similar
classroom assessments – accommodations
should not be a surprise on test day!
Routine use = at least 30 days
prior to test date
7
Multiple Testing Sessions
• Allows student to test in mini sessions
– More frequent breaks (e.g., every 20 minutes, every
10 questions completed)
– May test over one day or multiple days (e.g., half of
test day 1, half of test day 2)
• Must complete test within the allowed time
unless student has Scheduled Extended Time
• If breaks differ from the standard, student will
require Testing in a Separate Room
Scheduled Extended Time
• For students who need extra time to test
• LEP team documents estimated extended time,
but student is allowed as much time as needed
with this accommodation
• Student must finish the test in one day, unless
he/she also has Multiple Testing Sessions
Student Reads Aloud to Self
• Student may read the test aloud, but the
test administrator may not help or correct
errors the student makes
• Requires Testing in a Separate Room –
One-on-One accommodation
Test Administrator Reads Test
Aloud (In English)
• LEP team must document specifics - Read
Aloud Everything vs. Read Aloud by Student
Request
• Not available for EOG English Language Arts
or EOC English II
• Requires Testing in a Separate Room (one-onone or small group)
Test Administrator Reads Test
Aloud (In English), cont’d
• Test administrator should be familiar with
grade-level/course content
• Information should be read so as not to
give away the answer
– e.g., read number as 1-0-0 instead of one
hundred when place value is tested
Computer Reads Test Aloud
– Student Controlled
• Available for EOC Biology, EOC Algebra I/Integrated I,
grade 5 & 8 science EOG, NCEXTEND2 tests
• Students press audio button to hear recorded human
reader
• Students may use headphones to test in regular
setting
• Without headphones, students will require separate
setting (one-on-one)
Computer Reads Test Aloud –
Student Controlled, cont’d
• Limitation: only item stems and answer choices
read by computer (not graphs, charts, etc)
• For online tests, student may have the test read
aloud by:
– Test Administrator Reads Test Aloud
– Computer Reads Test Aloud – Student
Controlled
– Combination of the two methods
ACT, EXPLORE,
PLAN, and WorkKeys
• ACT – LEP students may only use StateAllowed accommodations. If used, ACT score
is not college-reportable
• EXPLORE/PLAN – LEP accommodations are a
local decision
• WorkKeys – LEP students may only use wordto-word bilingual dictionary
ACT, EXPLORE,
PLAN, and WorkKeys cont’d
• LEP teams may record accommodations for these
assessments on the LEP plan, or may use existing
classroom/testing accommodations documentation
to support accommodations decisions
• Accommodation policies may differ from NC
policies. LEP teams must be aware of differences
• http://www.act.org/aap/northcarolina/index.html
Alternate ACCESS
What is Alternate ACCESS?
• A new test developed specifically for
students identified as limited English
proficient with significant cognitive
disabilities
• http://www.wida.us/assessment/alternate
access.aspx
Eligibility Criteria
• Student has been identified as LEP
• Student has been identified as having one or more of
the existing categories of disabilities under IDEA (e.g.;
intellectual disabilities, autism, traumatic brain injury,
multiple disabilities, etc.)
• Student is participating in alternate curriculum and in
state-wide alternate accountability assessments
• IEP team recommended the assessment after
considering all three criteria above
Alternate ACCESS
Student Identification
• Collaboration between LEP and EC
• 3-12 – look for LEP students with NCEXTEND1
documented on IEP
• K-2 – No NCEXTEND1 documentation, will
need to consider LEP and disability status
Alternate ACCESS
Testing Details
• Alternate ACCESS is individually administered
• Testing window will be the same as ACCESS
– February 1 – March 15, 2013
• Ordering will be the same as ACCESS
• Training materials online
• Formal training to occur this winter
Questions?
Carrie Perkis
carrie.perkis@dpi.nc.gov