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005.18.32-1. Participation Guidelines for Students with Disabilities in the Regular Assessments...

AR ADC 005.18.32-1Arkansas Administrative Code

West's Arkansas Administrative Code
Title 005. Department of Education
Division 18. Special Education and Related Services
Rule 32. Appendix B. Student Participating in Statewide Assessment Guidelines for IEP Team Decision Making
Ark. Admin. Code 005.18.32-1
005.18.32-1. Participation Guidelines for Students with Disabilities in the Regular Assessments.
Currentness
The Individualized Education Program (IEP) Team must determine if a student with disabilities receiving special education and related services will participate in assessments under standardized conditions, with or without allowable accommodations or if the student will participate in the Arkansas Alternate Portfolio Assessment System. Decision-makers start from the premise that ALL students, including ALL students with disabilities, are to participate, to the extent possible, in the regular assessment rather than in the Alternate Portfolio Assessment System. Decisions about how a student will participate must be made at the IEP meeting that precedes the next school year's administration of any statewide assessment.
The Arkansas Department of Education has provided the following guidelines for Local Education Agencies to use in determining students for whom the standard assessment is inappropriate.
The IEP Team's decision-making process should be guided by the following criteria:
* The student must have a current IEP.
* The decision concerning a student's participation in statewide and district-wide assessment is an IEP Team decision and not an administrative decision.
* IEP Team decisions concerning a student's participation in statewide or district-wide assessment must be based on both current and historical data.
* Decisions regarding participation are made annually and are based on the student's curriculum, present levels of educational performance, skill levels, and learning characteristics.
* Decisions must be made at the IEP meeting that precedes the next school year's administration of any statewide assessment.
The student's IEP Team should consider these factors:
1. Can the student work independently?
2. Can the student work effectively with 25-30 other students in the room?
3. Can the student work effectively for 30-60 minutes?
4. Can the student listen to and follow oral directions?
5. Can the student use a pencil and paper testing format to answer open-ended questions or to write at least a paragraph?
6. Can the student take multiple-choice tests?
7. Can the student use a “bubble sheet” answer format?
8. Can the student operate a calculator?
9. Has the student received instruction in areas to be tested?
10. Has the student been taught to read or to use taped books?
If the IEP Team answers “NO” to any question(s) 1-10, the student's IEP Team must consider which, if any, accommodations are needed by the student.
In making a decision about how the special education student will participate in testing, the IEP Team must have addressed the following considerations:
Current with amendments received through February 15, 2024. Some sections may be more current, see credit for details.
Ark. Admin. Code 005.18.32-1, AR ADC 005.18.32-1
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