Accommodations for students with disabilities are intended to provide students effective and equitable access to grade-level or course curriculum and assessments. For the purposes of the statewide assessments, students needing accommodations due to a disability include:

• Students with an identified disability who receive special education services and meet established eligibility criteria for certain accommodations
• Students with an identified disability who receive Section 504 services and meet established eligibility criteria for certain accommodations
• Students with a disabling condition who do not receive special education or Section 504 services but meet established eligibility criteria for certain accommodations

 

For students who receive special education or Section 504 services, the decision for a student to use accommodations during the statewide assessments is made by the ARD committee or Section 504 placement committee. In those rare instances where a student does not receive services but meets the eligibility criteria because of a disabling condition, the decision about using accommodations on the statewide assessments is made by the appropriate team of people at the campus level, such as the Response to Intervention (RTI) team or student assistance team.

 

New organization for accommodation policy: *Accessibility Features *Designated Supports *Designated Supports Requiring TEA approval

Accessibility Features

• Previously referred to as “allowable test administration procedures and materials”
• Include things that may be provided to students based on their needs
• Available to any student who regularly benefits from the use of these procedures or materials during instruction
• Student cannot be required to use them during testing

 

Accessibility Features are the following:

• Scratch paper (or any medium that can be erased or destroyed)
• Color overlays or online color setting
• Blank place markers or online guideline tool
• Magnifying devices or online zoom feature
• Highlighters (including online tool), colored pencils, or crayons
• Tools to minimize distractions or to help maintain focus (e.g., stress ball, headphones, instrumental music)
• Individual or small-group administrations
• Reminding students to stay on task
• Signing test administration directions
• Translating test administration directions
• Bilingual dictionary (word-to-word translations; no definitions or examples) for mathematics, science, and social studies assessments
• Read test aloud to self (e.g., PVC pipe, recording device)
• Reading aloud or signing the expository or persuasive writing prompt
• Reading assistance on the grade 3 mathematics test

 

General Information Policy

Accommodations = Designated Supports

• Should be individualized to address the specific needs of each student
• Might be appropriate for classroom use but might not be appropriate or allowed for use on a state assessment
• Should be evaluated regularly to determine effectiveness and to help plan for accommodations the student will need each year
• Should be documented in the appropriate student paperwork if student meets the eligibility criteria (i.e., ARD, 504, ISAC- RtI committee, LPAC)

• Are not necessary for every student
• Are not changes to the performance criteria or the content
• Are not intended to provide an advantage to a student
• Should not be provided to a student without evidence of effectiveness from year to year

 

Routinely: The student should routinely receive the accommodation during classroom instruction and testing. The student has used the accommodation often enough that he or she is comfortable using it on the day of the state assessment. This does not necessarily mean that the accommodation must be used every day during instruction.

Independently: The student should be able to use the accommodation independently, when applicable, during the state assessment. For accommodations where independence is applicable, there should be no need for teacher assistance when using the accommodation.

Effectively: Educators should collect and analyze data pertaining to the use and effectiveness of accommodations (e.g., assignment/test scores with and without the accommodation, observational reports). This data will show whether the student still needs the accommodation or whether it is now unnecessary.

Designated Supports are the following:

• Basic Transcribing
• Amplification Devices
• Dictionary
• Projection Devices
• Braille
• Manipulating Test Materials
• Individualized Structured Reminders
• Extra Time
• Oral/Signed Administration
• Large Print
• Content Supports – online version only (pop-ups and rollovers)
• Language and Vocabulary Supports – online version only (pop-ups and rollovers)
• Supplemental Aids
• Spelling Assistance
• Calculation Devices
• Math Manipulatives

 

Click the link below to go to the State Assessment page on the Texas Education Agency website. The page provides specific eligibility rules for each accommodation as well as resources.