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The National Center and State Collaborative (NCSC) is applying the lessons learned from the past decade of research on alternate assessments based on alternate achievement standards (AA-AAS) to develop a multi-state comprehensive assessment system for students with significant cognitive disabilities. The project draws on a strong research base to develop an AA-AAS that is built from the ground up on powerful validity arguments linked to clear learning outcomes and defensible assessment results, to complement the work of the Race to the Top Common State Assessment Program
(RTTA) consortia.
Our long-term goal is to ensure that students with significant cognitive disabilities achieve increasingly higher academic outcomes and leave high school ready for postsecondary options. A well-designed summative assessment alone is insufficient to achieve that goal. Thus, NCSC is developing a full system intended to support educators, which includes formative assessment tools and strategies, professional development on appropriate interim uses of data for progress monitoring, and management systems to ease the burdens of administration and documentation. All partners share a commitment to the research-to-practice focus of the project and the development of a comprehensive model of curriculum, instruction, assessment, and supportive professional development. These supports will improve the alignment of the entire system and strengthen the validity of inferences of the system of assessments.
The contents of this entry point draft were developed as part of the
National Center and State Collaborative under a grant from the
Department of Education (PR/Award #: H373X100002, Project Officer,
Susan.Weigert@Ed.gov
). However, the contents do not necessarily represent the policy of the Department of Education and no assumption of endorsement by the Federal government should be made.
The University of Minnesota is committed to the policy that all persons shall have equal access to its programs, facilities, and employment without regard to race, color, creed, religion, national origin, sex, age, marital status, disability, public assistance status, veteran status, or sexual orientation.
These materials and documents were developed under the National Center and State
Collaborative (NCSC) General Supervision Enhancement Grant and are consistent with its goals and foundations. Any changes to these materials are to be consistent with their intended purpose and use as defined by NCSC.
This document is available in alternative formats upon request.
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NCSC is a collaborative of 15 states and five organizations.
The states include (shown in blue on map): Arizona, Connecticut, District of Columbia,
Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Louisiana, Nevada, Pacific Assessment Consortium (PAC-6) 1 ,
Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, and Wyoming.
Tier II states are partners in curriculum, instruction, and professional development implementation but are not part of the assessment development work. They are (shown in orange on map): Arkansas, California, Delaware, Idaho, Maine, Maryland, Montana,
New Mexico, New York, Oregon, and U.S. Virgin Islands.
1 The Pacific Assessment Consortium (including the entities of American Samoa, Commonwealth of the
Northern Mariana Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Guam, Republic of Palau, and Republic of the
Marshall Islands) partner with NCSC as one state, led by the University of Guam Center for Excellence in
Developmental Disabilities Education, Research, and Service (CEDDERS).
3

The five partner organizations include: The National Center on Educational Outcomes
(NCEO) at the University of Minnesota, The National Center for the Improvement of
Educational Assessment (Center for Assessment), The University of North Carolina at
Charlotte, The University of Kentucky, and edCount, LLC.
150 Pillsbury Drive SE
207 Pattee Hall
Minneapolis, MN 55455
Phone: 612-708-6960
Fax: 612-624-0879 www.ncscpartners.org
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5

1. Read closely to determine what the text says explicitly and to make logical inferences from it; cite specific textual evidence when writing or speaking to support conclusions drawn from the text.
2. Determine central ideas or themes of a text and analyze their development; summarize the key supporting details and ideas.
3. Analyze how and why individuals, events, and ideas develop and interact over the course of a text.
Reading Standards for Informational Text
Grade 9-10 students:
1. Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.
CCCs
910.RI.b1 Use two or more pieces of evidence to support inferences, conclusions, or summaries.
910.RI.b2 Determine which piece(s) of evidence provide the strongest support for inferences, conclusions, or summaries in a text.
Grade 11-12 students:
1. Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text, including determining where the text leaves matters uncertain.
CCCs
1112.RI.b1 Use two or more pieces of evidence to support inferences, conclusions, or summaries or text.
1112.RI.b2 Determine which piece(s) of evidence provide the strongest support for inferences, conclusions, or summaries in a text.
Grade 9-10 students:
2. Determine a central idea of a text and analyze its development over the course of the text, including how it emerges and is shaped and refined by specific details; provide an objective summary of the text.
CCCs
910.RI.b3
Determine the central idea of a text.
910.RI.b4
Determine how the central idea develops.
910.RI.b5
Determine how key details support the development of the central idea of a text.
910.RI.b6 Provide/create an objective summary of a
Grade 11-12 students:
2. Determine two or more central ideas of a text and analyze their development over the course of the text, including how they interact and build on one another to provide a complex analysis; provide an objective summary of the text.
CCCs
1112.RI.b3
Determine two or more central ideas of a text.
1112.RI.b4
Determine how the central ideas develop.
1112.RI.b5
Determine how key details support the development of the central idea of a text.
1112.RI.b6 Provide/create an objective summary of a
Core Content Connectors by Common Core State Standards, Reading Standards for Informational Text Grades 9-12 6

text.
Grade 9-10 students:
3. Analyze how the author unfolds an analysis or series of ideas or events, including the order in which the points are made, how they are introduced and developed, and the connections that are drawn between them.
CCCs
910.RI.c1 Analyze key points throughout a text to determine the organizational pattern or text structure.
910.RI.c2 Identify connections between key points. text.
Grade 11-12 students:
3. Analyze a complex set of ideas or sequence of events and explain how specific individuals, ideas, or events interact and develop over the course of the text.
CCCs
1112.RI.c1 Analyze key points throughout a text to determine the organizational pattern or text structure.
1112.RI.c2 Analyze a complex set of ideas or sequence of events and explain how specific individuals, ideas, or events interact and develop over the course of the text.
4. Interpret words and phrases as they are used in a text, including determining technical, connotative, and figurative meanings, and analyze how specific word choices shape meaning or tone.
5. Analyze the structure of texts, including how specific sentences, paragraphs, and larger portions of the text (e.g., a section, chapter, scene, or stanza) relate to each other and the whole.
6. Assess how point of view or purpose shapes the content and style of a text.
Reading Standards for Informational Text
Grade 9-10 students:
4. Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative, connotative, and technical meanings; analyze the cumulative impact of specific word choices on meaning and tone (e.g., how the language of a court opinion differs from that of a newspaper).
Grade 11-12 students:
4. Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative, connotative, and technical meanings; analyze how an author uses and refines the meaning of a key term or terms over the course of a text (e.g., how Madison defines faction in Federalist No. 10).
Core Content Connectors by Common Core State Standards, Reading Standards for Informational Text Grades 9-12 7

CCCs
910.RWL.d3 Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text including figurative
(i.e., metaphors, similes, and idioms) and connotative meanings.
910.RWL.d4 Analyze the use of figurative, connotative or technical terms on the meaning or tone of text.
Grade 9-10 students:
5. Analyze in detail how an author’s ideas or claims are developed and refined by particular sentences, paragraphs, or larger portions of a text (e.g., a section or chapter).
CCCs
910.RI.c3 Analyze in detail how an author’s ideas or claims are developed.
910.RI.c4 Identify key sentences or paragraphs that support claims.
Grade 9-10 students:
6. Determine an author’s point of view or purpose in a text and analyze how an author uses rhetoric to advance that point of view or purpose.
CCCs
910.RI.c5 Determine the author’s point of view or purpose in a text.
910.RI.c6 Determine/identify the specific language/words that the author uses to advance the point of view or purpose.
CCCs
1112.RWL.d3 Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text including figurative
(i.e., metaphors, similes, and idioms) and connotative meanings.
Grade 11-12 students:
5. Analyze and evaluate the effectiveness of the structure an author uses in his or her exposition or argument, including whether the structure makes points clear, convincing, and engaging.
CCCs
1112.RI.c3 Analyze the structure an author uses in his or her exposition or argument.
1112.RI.c4 Evaluate the effectiveness of the structure an author uses in his or her exposition or argument, to determine whether the structure makes points clear, convincing.
Grade 11-12 students:
6. Determine an author’s point of view or purpose in a text in which the rhetoric is particularly effective, analyzing how style and content contribute to the power, persuasiveness, or beauty of the text.
CCCs
1112.RI.d1 Determine the author’s point of view or purpose in a text.
1112.RI.d2 Determine what arguments the author makes.
Core Content Connectors by Common Core State Standards, Reading Standards for Informational Text Grades 9-12 8

910.RWL.c3 Develop and explain ideas for why authors made specific word choices within text.
1112.RI.d3 Determine/identify the specific language/words that the author uses that contribute to the power, persuasiveness or beauty of the text.
1112.RWL.c3 Develop and explain ideas for why authors made specific word choices within text.
7. Integrate and evaluate content presented in diverse media and formats, including visually and quantitatively, as well as in words.
8. Delineate and evaluate the argument and specific claims in a text, including the validity of the reasoning as well as the relevance and sufficiency of the evidence.
9. Analyze how two or more texts address similar themes or topics in order to build knowledge or to compare the approaches the authors take.
Reading Standards for Informational Text
Grade 9-10 students:
7. Analyze various accounts of a subject told in different mediums (e.g., a person’s life story in both print and multimedia), determining which details are emphasized in each account.
CCCs
910.RI.e1 Analyze various accounts of a subject told in different mediums (e.g., a person’s life story in both print and multimedia), determining which details are emphasized in each account.
Grade 9-10 students:
8. Delineate and evaluate the argument and specific claims in a text, assessing whether the reasoning is valid and the evidence is relevant and sufficient; identify false statements and fallacious reasoning.
Grade 11-12 students:
7. Integrate and evaluate multiple sources of information presented in different media or formats (e.g., visually, quantitatively) as well as in words in order to address a question or solve a problem.
CCCs
1112.RI.e1 Integrate and evaluate multiple sources of information presented in different media or formats (e.g., visually, quantitatively) as well as in words in order to address a question or solve a problem.
Grade 11-12 students:
8. Delineate and evaluate the reasoning in seminal U.S. texts, including the application of constitutional principles and use of legal reasoning (e.g., in U.S. Supreme Court majority opinions and dissents) and the premises, purposes, and arguments in works of public advocacy (e.g., The Federalist, presidential addresses).
Core Content Connectors by Common Core State Standards, Reading Standards for Informational Text Grades 9-12 9

CCCs
910.RI.d1 Identify claims and arguments made by the author.
910.RI.d2 Delineate/trace the authors argument and specific claims.
910.RI.d3 Evaluate the argument/claims that the author makes to determine if the statements are true or false.
910.RI.f1 Delineate the argument and specific claims in two or more texts on related topics.
910.RI.f2 Assess the validity of the arguments across texts on related topics.
Grade 9-10 students:
9. Analyze seminal U.S. documents of historical and literary significance (e.g., Washington’s Farewell Address, the Gettysburg Address, Roosevelt’s Four Freedoms speech, King’s "Letter From Birmingham Jail"), including how they address related themes and concepts.
CCCs
910.RI.e2 Identify central ideas and concepts in seminal U.S. documents of historical and literary significance (e.g., Washington’s Farewell Address, the Gettysburg Address, Roosevelt’s Four Freedoms speech, King’s ―Letter from Birmingham Jail).
910.RI.e3 Analyze how seminal U.S. documents of historical and literary significance (e.g., Washington’s
Farewell Address, the Gettysburg Address,
Roosevelt’s Four Freedoms speech, King’s ―Letter from Birmingham Jail), address similar central ideas.
CCCs
1112.RI.d4 Identify claims made by the author as being fact or opinion.
1112.RI.d5 Distinguish reliable sources from non-reliable.
1112.RI.d6 Evaluate the premises, purposes, argument that the author makes.
1112.RI.f1 Delineate the premises, purposes, argument and specific claims in two or more texts on related topics.
1112.RI.f2 Assess the validity of the premises, purposes, arguments across texts on related topics.
Grade 11-12 students:
9. Analyze seventeenth-, eighteenth-, and nineteenth-century foundational U.S. documents of historical and literary significance (including The Declaration of Independence, the
Preamble to the Constitution, the Bill of Rights, and Lincoln’s
Second Inaugural Address) for their themes, purposes, and rhetorical features.
CCCs
1112.RI.e2 identify central ideas and concepts in seminal
U.S. documents of historical and literary significance
(e.g., Washington’s Farewell Address, the Gettysburg
Address, Roosevelt’s Four Freedoms speech, King’s
―Letter from Birmingham Jail).
1112.RI.e3 Analyze seminal U.S. documents of historical and literary significance (e.g., Washington’s Farewell
Address, the Gettysburg Address, Roosevelt’s Four
Freedoms speech, King’s ―Letter from Birmingham Jail), address similar central ideas.
Core Content Connectors by Common Core State Standards, Reading Standards for Informational Text Grades 9-12 10

10. Read and comprehend complex literary and informational texts independently and proficiently.
Reading Standards for Informational Text
Grade 9-10 students:
10. By the end of grade 9, read and comprehend literary nonfiction in the grades 9 –10 text complexity band proficiently, with scaffolding as needed at the high end of the range. By the end of grade 10, read and comprehend literary nonfiction at the high end of the grades 9 –10 text complexity band independently and proficiently.
CCCs
910.HD.a1 Read or be read to a variety of texts including historical novels, periodicals, classical dramas or plays, poetry, novels written by international authors, fiction and nonfiction novels.
910.HD.e1 Read challenging grade appropriate texts.
910.RI.a1 Use a variety of strategies to derive meaning from a variety print/non-print texts.
Grade 11-12 students:
10 By the end of grade 11, read and comprehend literary nonfiction in the grades 11 –CCR text complexity band proficiently, with scaffolding as needed at the high end of the range. By the end of grade 12, read and comprehend literary nonfiction at the high end of the grades 11 –CCR text complexity band independently and proficiently.
CCCs
1112.HD.a1 Read or be read to a variety of texts including historical novels, periodicals, classical dramas or plays, poetry, novels written by international authors, fiction and nonfiction novels.
1112.HD.e1 Independently read challenging grade appropriate texts.
1112.RI.a1 Use a variety of strategies to derive meaning from a variety of print/non-print texts.
Core Content Connectors by Common Core State Standards, Reading Standards for Informational Text Grades 9-12 11