draft report from Florida task force on accommodations and access

[Gloria Pipkin <gpipkin@I-1.NET>]

Last April, in response to pressure from advocates of children with
disabilities, Jeb Bush appointed a Blue Ribbon Task Force on Accommodations
and Access for Students with Disabilities, with a charge to report their
recommendations by October 1.  That date came and went without a report, but
today one of our activists in Tallahassee posted the executive summary of
the draft report to FCAR Forum.   The tables are missing, and there are some
formatting glitches, but the gist of it is clear.

At present FCAT provides only minimal accommodations, and no diploma is
available for anyone who doesn't pass all sections of the tenth grade FCAT.

Gloria
gpipkin@i-1.net

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I have a copy of the draft recomendations from the
task force.  It is lengthly so I've only posted the
executive summary.  I think it will give you an idea
of why the findings are being delayed.  DOE is not
very happy.

Governor's Blue Ribbon Task Force on Accommodations
and Access for Students with Disabilities

Executive Summary

Pursuant to Executive Order 2001-108 issued by
Governor Jeb Bush on April 3, 2002, an 11-member Blue
Ribbon Task Force on Accommodations and Access for
Students with Disabilities held 16 days of discussions
and deliberations about  the complex issues within the
Executive Order regarding expanded accommodations for
FCAT test-takers, considering the specific
requirements for students to obtain a standard diploma
or its equivalent, or other types of certification or
diplomas. The Blue Ribbon Task Force  was also charged
to consider ways to improve access for students with
disabilities to postsecondary educational
opportunities.

The Blue Ribbon Task Force urges the Florida Board of
Education, Department of Education, Governor, and
Legislature to review these recommendations and
implement the needed changes.  Changes will involve:

 Development of policy revisions.
 Funding and other support for the development
and implementation of  alternate assessment(s), for
use by students with disabilities that leads to a
standard diploma.
 Funding enhancements for research of  new
technologies and practices to improve assessment
access including computer and web-based assessment,
and for educational support such as training and
technical assistance for educators, test
administrators, administrators, and parents.
 Broad dissemination of documents and
materials reflecting changes made with the overall
goal of expanding access to the FCAT and other
newly-developed components within the Florida
Assessment Program.
 Expanded collaboration among high schools,
colleges/universities, other post secondary programs,
parents, and students to achieve expanded post
secondary access.

The remainder of this Executive Summary provides a
summary of the recommendations  being submitted to the
Florida Board of Education and the Governor.
Recommendations are made within eight  organizational
issue areas:

. Administration and Ongoing Development/Refinement of
the FCAT;
. Access and Accommodations
. Alternate Assessments
. Graduation Requirements/Diploma Options
. Exemptions and Appeals
. Reporting of FCAT Results and Accountability
. Access to Post Secondary Education
. Educational Support, Technology, and Research

Recommendations that have an asterisk were considered
by the Blue Ribbon Task Force as needing immediate
attention and implementation by the Spring 2003
administration of the FCAT.  The Blue Ribbon Task
Force views the timeline for the other recommendations
as immediate, as well, but realize that changes will
need to be phased in and time allowed for development,
implementation, training, and impact evaluation.

A.  FCAT Administration, Test Development, and Other
Assessment Options

The Florida Legislature, Florida Board of Education,
and Florida Department of Education shall ensure that
the following are implemented:

1. The Statewide Assessment Program must be expanded
to have multiple assessment options leading to a
standard high school diploma, including the current
version of the FCAT with the broadest possible array
of reasonable accommodations, and Alternate Assessment
options for students with disabilities to demonstrate
their knowledge and/or performance related to the
Sunshine State Standards.  The proposed expanded model
for the Statewide Assessment Program is shown in
Figure 1 below.  The shaded boxes represent the
expanded options in the program.

Figure 1.0.  Expanded Options in the Statewide
Assessment Program

As shown in Figure 1, the Statewide Assessment
Program for students with disabilities in grades 3 -
10 shall be expanded to include three assessment
options leading to the standard high school diploma,
as follows:

Option l:  The current paper and pencil version of
the FCAT, without accommodations.  This option is
currently available and remains appropriate for those
students with disabilities who  can meaningfully take
the FCAT without the need for any testing
accommodations.

Option 2:  The FCAT with additional formats and
broader testing accommodations.  The creation of
additional formats of the tests such as a computer
version, and the availability of a wider array of
permissible accommodations, such as the use of
assistive technology, will meet the needs of many more
students with disabilities.  Appendix D provides
examples of proposed additional formats and
accommodations.

Option 3:  A new Alternate Assessment.  A new
Alternate Assessment leading to a standard high school
diploma must be made available to eligible students
with disabilities for whom the FCAT, even with
accommodations, is not appropriate.  Within this
component, Alternate Assessment options, such as a
portfolio assessment, juried assessment, oral or
capability focused presentations/demonstrations, etc.,
will be developed and implemented by the Department of
Education to measure the same Sunshine State Standard
benchmarks measured by the FCAT.  A more detailed
description of this component is provided in Section
C, entitled Alternate Assessment Options.

2. A State Accommodations Panel shall be created to
deal with issues related to assessment accommodations
(see Section B, Recommendations #1)

3. The current FCAT paper and pencil version shall be
modified by appropriate FCAT committees to delete
items with formats that cause the disabilities, rather
than the abilities, of students to be measured. For
example, the use of maps or graphs for visually
impaired students may not be appropriate.  In
addition, the current version of the FCAT requires
students to be able to hold a pencil, turn pages of
the test booklet, and mark on the answer sheet.  These
skills may be difficult if not impossible for some
students with physical disabilities.

4. Only options and formats within the Statewide
Assessment Program that are developed to be valid for
measuring assessment progress toward the benchmarks of
the Sunshine State Standards and that reliably measure
of student(s) with disabilities' performance shall be
administered to students with disabilities.

5. IEP or 504 Team decisions regarding a student's
participation in the current pencil and paper version
of FCAT, use of reasonable accommodations, and/or any
newly-developed alternate assessment option(s) shall
involve discussions at least annually or at the IEP or
504 team meetings with the student and the student's
parents or guardians.  These discussions should also
include implications and consequences of any decisions
that lead to non-standard diploma options.  Early
tracking of students toward a non-standard diploma
option is not appropriate.

6. Future FCAT development and refinement shall
include universal design principles that will prevent
any unintended obstacles that can invalidate test
scores of students with disabilities.  The
field-testing process and psychometric analyses for
any of the FCAT or other Statewide Assessment Program
formats must include students with disabilities and an
evaluation or determination of the impact of test
items on such students.

7. Statewide Assessment Program committees responsible
for ongoing FCAT development and selection of test
items shall include persons with disabilities and
experts knowledgeable about testing students in the
various disabilities, as defined in IDEA and Section
504, as well as those knowledgeable about assistive
technology for students with disabilities.

B.  Access and Accommodations

The Florida Legislature, Florida Board of Education,
and/or Florida Department of Education shall ensure
that the following are implemented:

1) A State Accommodations Panel shall be established
to review, consider, approve, or disapprove  new
testing accommodations requested by the IEP or 504
teams through the school districts.  The State
Accommodations Panel shall include a parent, state
testing expert, state Exceptional Student Education
(ESE) representative, researcher, teacher, assistive
technology expert, and other area or content
specialist(s) depending on the type of
accommodation(s) being considered by the Panel.
Responsibilities of the State Accommodations Panel
shall include, but not be limited to, the following:

a) Establish a timely process for decision-making
including documentation for requesting and receiving
approval/nonapproval of requested accommodation(s).

b) Approve  reasonable accommodations that are part of
the student's IEP or 504 plan unless research-based
evidence demonstrates that the accommodation
invalidates the score interpretation.  In the absence
of or conflicting research regarding the impact of any
requested accommodations, the decision of the Panel
shall favor expanded participation of the student with
a disability for whom the accommodations is requested.


c) Widely disseminate an annual update of approved and
disapproved testing accommodations to parents and
local school systems using a variety of dissemination
mechanisms, including the Department of Education
website.

d) Review annual reports required by the Department of
Education from school districts about reasonable
accommodations utilized for students with disabilities
within local school systems during any Statewide
Assessment Program component administration.

e) Eliminate the discrepancy between the reasonable
accommodations available to students in post-secondary
education that are not presently available during FCAT
administration (See Section H, Recommendation #5 -and
Section 1007.264, F.S.

2) School districts shall provide students with
disabilities any reasonable accommodation, when taking
the FCAT or any alternate assessments within the
Statewide Assessment Program, that have been included
as part of their IEP or Section 504 plan that cannot
be demonstrated by the State Accommodations Panel to
jeopardize the reliability, validity, or security of
the FCAT and that are routinely used in the classroom
(e.g., used for at least 3 months unless the student
has moved into the school district less than 3 months
ago, or there is another unusual circumstance).

3) Sufficient information and training shall be
provided for parents, teachers, other IEP and 504 team
members, and assessment personnel regarding the
selection of reasonable assessment accommodations and
the State Accommodations Panel process of approving
additional accommodations.

4) School districts shall be monitored to assure that
they offer and implement reasonable testing
accommodations that are included within student IEPs
and 504 plans.

5) Rule 6A-l.0943 l(a), F.A.C., shall be modified to
clarify that all students, including those with
disabilities, must participate in the Statewide
Assessment Program.

6) School districts shall  monitor rates of students
with and without disabilities taking the FCAT.  To the
extent that there are significant discrepancies,
school districts should implement strategies to
encourage increased participation rates for students
with disabilities.



C.  Alternate Assessment Options

The Florida Legislature, Florida Board of Education,
and/or Florida Department of Education shall ensure
that the following are implemented:

1) As described in recommendation #1 of Section A, the
Statewide Assessment Program shall be expanded to
include Alternate Assessment options for students with
disabilities to demonstrate the knowledge and skills
of the Sunshine State Standards for a standard high
school diploma.  The new state Alternate Assessment
leading to a standard diploma will have the following
features:

. The Alternate Assessment will be a state uniform
system of assessing the achievement and progress of
students with disabilities in grades 3-10 for whom the
FCAT, even with expanded accommodations and formats,
is not appropriate.

. The Alternate Assessment leading to a standard
diploma will measure the same areas in reading and
math in grade 10 as the FCAT.

. Because having only one alternate assessment option
will not likely be adequate given the broad range of
disabilities, ages, and information that need to be
addressed, the Alternate Assessments shall include
various options, such as the following:
a. Portfolio or juried assessment that contain a
collection of the student's work;
b. Interviews and/or presentations that allow a
student to verbalize or demonstrate capability to
express their knowledge;
c. Projects that include demonstration of skills and
knowledge;
d. Experiments that test how well a student
understands scientific concepts; and/or
e. Constructed responses that require a student to
produce his or her own answer rather than select from
an array of answers.

. Alternate Assessments will be developed, field
tested, validated, and implemented by the Department
of Education, using  established guidelines and
standards for sound test development and
administration.

. Each Alternate Assessment option will have specific
criteria for what is addressed, how it is measured,
observed and documented, and how it is scored.  The
Department of Education will develop the scoring
process and scoring rubrics appropriate to each type
of assessment, grade level, and content area (reading,
mathematics, writing, and science).  The Department of
Education will be responsible for scoring to ensure
consistency across all schools and districts.

. Students who are eligible to participate in the
Alternate Assessments will have to demonstrate the
same high levels of performance expected of other
students for pupil progression and to meet the
requirements for graduation.  Therefore, scores on the
Alternate Assessments that are comparable to specific
FCAT Achievement Levels for pupil progression in
grades 3-10, and for graduation, will have to be
established by the Department of Education.

. Because it is important that students with
disabilities not be penalized or stigmatized for
participating in the Alternate Assessment option
leading to a standard diploma, this option must be
evaluated by a method that is equal to and
indistinguishable from the system used for the FCAT.

. Students who participate in the Alternate Assessment
option leading to a standard diploma within the
Statewide Assessment Program must be eligible for all
of the programs, services, and activities as students
who participate in the FCAT.

. Student's IEP or 504 team will determine if it is
appropriate for the student to participate in the
Alternate Assessment, and which mode or option (e.g.,
portfolio or juried assessment) should be used.

2) Sufficient information and training shall be
provided for parents, teachers, and other IEP and 504
team members and assessment personnel regarding
newly-developed Alternate Assessments leading to a
standard high school diploma.

3) School districts shall inform IEP and 504 team
members, including parents, regarding the alternate
assessment options within the Statewide Assessment
Program and the related implications.

D.   Graduation Requirements and Diploma Options

The Florida Legislature, Florida Board of Education,
and/or Florida Department of Education shall ensure
that the following are implemented:

1) Rule  6A.1.09.431, F.A.C., shall be amended to
allow students with cognitive or other learning
deficits to be eligible for consideration of the
special exemption from the graduation test for a
standard diploma to demonstrate their knowledge and
skills of the grade level benchmarks of the Sunshine
State Standards-See Section E, Recommendation #1.

2) Until Rule  6A.109.431, F.A.C., has been modified,
the Department of Education shall broadly interpret
learning disabilities to be a type of physical
disability and, therefore, eligible for the current
special exemption for the class of 2003 (See Section
E, Recommendation #2).

3) Multiple formats and options, including alternate
assessments that lead to a standard diploma as well as
a special diploma, shall be provided within the
Statewide Assessment Program. (See Section A,
Recommendation #1).

4) Opportunities for remediation shall be provided by
school districts for students with disabilities so
that they have opportunities to obtain the knowledge
and skills necessary to pass the high school
assessment graduation requirement regardless if the
FCAT or an Alternate Assessment is used to demonstrate
skills and competencies related to the Sunshine State
Standards.

5) The current state exemption Rule, 6A - 1.09.431,
F.A.C. permitting exemptions shall be expanded to
allow students with disabilities, who have moved to
Florida during their senior year and have not had
sufficient time to develop effective FCAT taking
strategies, to be exempted from taking the FCAT as a
graduation requirement and to demonstrate high level
reading and math standard through an alternate
assessment.

6) Greater explanations regarding the array of
graduation options, their requirements, and
advantages/disadvantages shall be widely disseminated
to parents and school personnel.

E.  Exemptions from Graduation Test Requirements and
Other Appeals Processes

The Florida Legislature, Florida Board of Education,
and/or Florida Department of Education shall ensure
that the following are implemented:

1) The current rule regarding exemptions from the
graduation test requirement contained in Rule
6A-1.09431, F.A.C., shall be amended to allow students
with learning process deficits and cognitive deficits
to request an exemption to the graduation assessment
requirements.  This rule should be amended in a timely
manner so that there is no harm to students with
disabilities graduating in 2003.  While the rule is
being amended, the Department should broadly interpret
the current exemption rule to consider students with
learning disabilities as having a physical disability
and, therefore, eligible for an exemption.

2) A well-defined, more formalized, and
well-communicated appeals process shall be developed
and implemented in a fair and timely manner so that
students with disabilities may appeal certain issues
and decisions   Examples of issues and decisions that
may be appealed include, but are not limited to, to
the following:
a. Denial of eligibility for an alternate assessment
leading to a standard or special diploma;
b. Type of alternate assessment to be used;
c. Scoring process;
d. Disapproval of a testing accommodation(s);
e. Failure to implement an approved accommodation;
and/or
f. Use of FCAT score for promotion.

F.  Reporting of FCAT Results and Accountability

The Florida Legislature, Florida Board of Education,
and/or Florida Department of Education shall ensure
that the following are implemented:

1) School districts shall be held accountable for the
academic progress of all students and for any needed
remediation for students who do not meet grade level
benchmarks relative to the Sunshine State Standards.
Therefore, consistent with No Child Left Behind,
assessment scores for all students with disabilities
shall be included in the Statewide Assessment Program
in Florida's reporting procedures as well as
accountability system.  To that end, Rule 6A-1.09982,
F.A.C shall be amended.

2) Until broader assessment accommodations have been
provided and additional Alternate Assessment options
leading to a standard high school diploma have been
developed and implemented within the Statewide
Assessment Program, public schools should not be
penalized within the accountability system, based on
the scores of students with disabilities.

3) A methodology shall be developed for reporting
student scores in a manner that ensures score
comparability across assessment options and formats
within the Statewide Assessment Program.

4) A more comprehensive and diagnostic reporting
system of FCAT scores is needed to include statistical
data such as item analysis so that instructional
targets for remediation can be easily identified.

5) Technical support and guidelines for test score
interpretation and use shall be developed for parents,
teachers, and educators in order to facilitate and
promote the proper use of test data to identify
students' strengths and weaknesses and target
instruction.

6) General and special education teachers must  work
closer together within school districts in utilizing
the reports/results of the FCAT and alternate
assessment results to develop and implement needed
remediation for students with disabilities.

7) The assessment scores of students with disabilities
shall not be singled out or flagged in the Statewide
Assessment Program  regardless of the assessment
format used (i.e., FCAT or an alternate assessment
leading to a standard high school diploma).

8) The consequences, including unintended outcomes of
including and reporting on all students within a
single accountability system, shall be monitored
within the school districts, including but not limited
to the levels of  ESE identification, changes in
placement toward more segregated options, and
increased dropout rates.

9) Web-based assessment shall be explored in order to
improve the efficiency and timeliness for reporting
FCAT and other State Assessment Program reports to
local school districts, as well as to support early
identification, planning, and provision of remediation
services.

G.  Post Secondary Opportunities

The Florida Legislature, Florida Board of Education,
and/or Florida Department of Education shall ensure
that the following are implemented:

1. Adequate funding shall be provided to participating
agencies to support effective transition processes
such as attending IEP meetings, adult evaluations,
counseling, supported employment, and transfer of
assistive technology.

2. Consistent with the requirements of IDEA, the
process of accessing VR supports and services must
begin early enough to ensure that application,
eligibility determination, and IPE development occur
prior to students with disabilities exiting high
school.

3. Transition IEPs must contain a statement regarding
how any participating agency will meet financial
responsibilities in the provision of transition
services.

4. Information regarding IDEA requirements that allow
students with disabilities to remain in school until
their 22nd birthday shall be widely disseminated to
parents, school personnel, and stakeholders.  This
additional time in school can allow students to pass
the FCAT or an Alternate Assessment leading to a
standard high school diploma and further help the
student prepare for post-secondary options and receive
needed transition support.

5. In order to provide a smooth transition of
accommodations (i.e., a seamless system) for students
with disabilities), accommodations for students with
disabilities within the Statewide Assessment Program
leading to a high school diploma shall be aligned with
assessment accommodations in post secondary
programs-see Section B, Recommendation #1e.

6. Interagency agreement between the VR and
Exceptional Student Education within the Department of
Education as well as the Department of Education and
other agencies providing transition shall be developed
and/or finalized and signed.  The agreement must also
specify how various agreements will cooperate to
deliver needed services for students with
disabilities.

7. An appeals process, similar to that available in
the community colleges for associate degree or
non-degree programs shall be implemented within the
Florida universities to allow students with
disabilities entrance according to specific criteria
even though they have not passed the FCAT or received
a high school diploma.  Such an appeals process shall
be consistently disseminated to high school and
post-secondary educators, parents, and students with
disabilities.

8. Current and any future definitions/eligibility
criteria for learning disabilities shall be aligned
across Exceptional Student Education and VR.

9. A work group of representatives of community
colleges, universities, and school districts shall be
convened to re-examine the current guidelines being
used by community colleges and universities for the
necessary post-secondary education evaluation needed
by students with disabilities (i.e.,  "recent
evaluation").

10. School districts and post-secondary institutions
shall collaborate in effective transition IEP
development to support individual student access to
post-secondary education.

11. A review shall be conducted to determine if
publicly-funded post secondary scholarships  (e.g.,
Bright Futures) and financial aid programs have fair
and open eligibility requirements to prevent
discrimination against students with disabilities.

12. The provisions of Section 6A.1007.264 F.S.,
pertaining to allowable course substitutions for
admission to post-secondary programs shall be broadly
disseminated to parents and school district personnel.

13. Section 1007.264, F.S. shall be amended to
include all disability areas, consistent with current
policy and practice.

14. The ALA program shall be expanded to support
students in all disability categories.

15. Guidance shall be provided to school districts to
facilitate the transfer of assistive technology within
the transition planning process from high school to
post-secondary programs.

H. Educational Support, Technology, and Research

The Florida Legislature, Florida Board of Education,
and/or Florida Department of Education shall ensure
that the following are implemented:

1) Funding shall be provided for development and
deployment of computer and web-based options to the
FCAT and Alternate Assessments.  Such development must
comply with Section 508, Ticket to Work and Work
Incentives.

2) Adequate Supplemental Academic Instruction funds
and/or other state and federal funds shall be provided
to ensure that remediation activities are provided for
students with disabilities who are not meeting grade
level benchmarks of the Sunshine State Standards.

3) Funding shall be provided for research to develop
an alternate assessment for students with disabilities
leading to a standard diploma.

4) Collaborative training shall be funded and
implemented for all stakeholders on the Statewide
Assessment Program, including Alternate Assessments
leading to standard and special diploma options, IEP
decision making, reasonable accommodations, exemptions
and appeals, and transition to post-secondary
education options.

5) Sufficient training shall be provided for testing
administrators and related staff regarding the proper
administration of all Statewide Assessment Program
options/formats.

6) All institutions of higher education and
organizations shall routinely collect and report data
regarding scholarships, financial aid, and reasonable
course substitutions for college/university admission
received by students with disabilities.

=====

He who allows oppression, shares the crime --Erasmus Darwin [grandfather of
Charles]

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