Accommodations Toolkit

SD

SD

SD

N

SD

SD

SD

N

P

P

P

P

P

P

P

P

P

N

SD

SD

N

SD

SD

SD

N

X

X

X

N

SD, E

SD, E

SD, E

N

X

X

X

N

SD

SD

SD

N

SD

SD

SD

N

SD, E

SD, E

SD, E

N

X

X

X

N

X

SD

X

SD

X

SD

N

SD

SD

SD

N

SD

SD

SD

N

2

2

11

2

2

11

2

2

10

2

2

2

2

2

2

2

2

2

Accommodation:

Multiple Days: The student is allowed more than one day to complete a test session. This accommodation should be reserved for students with significant medical, physical, mental, or behavioral conditions that prohibit their ability to test for more than small increments of time.

Accommodation:

Flexible Scheduling: Students may split a test “part” over multiple days.

The following accessibility supports are prohibited per ADE: DESE policy and should not be selected in the personal needs profile (PNP).

• Testing over Multiple Days (Breaks: Securely Extend Session over Multiple Days)

Accommodation:

Flexible Scheduling: A student with a flexible scheduling accommodation that requires more than one day to complete a FAST Reading or FAST Mathematics test session may participate in testing using paper-based test materials (student eligibility for paper-based test materials must be submitted to FDOE) using the above procedures or may test on the computer. If testing on the computer, when returning to the test the next day, students will no longer have access to previously answered responses. If a student is testing over multiple days on computer and returns after 48 hours, the test will need to be reopened.

Accommodation (Students with Disabilities):

Unique Timing and Scheduling Accommodations: In certain limited situations, permission may be granted by the MSDE for a student to have one or more of the assessments administered over one or more days. This type of administration is not typically allowed because of test security issues related to extending the test period beyond the scope of one single day. However, if a student has identified in his or her IEP or 504 Plan the accommodation 5b (Unique Timing and Scheduling Accommodations ), the MSDE will consider allowing that accommodation to take precedence over test security considerations. Please follow the process below:

• School Test Coordinators (1) complete the Application for Approval to Administer the High School Assessments over Multiple Days (a separate form for each content area test is required), (2) attach a copy of the student’s IEP as supporting documentation for the request, and (3) submit the package to the LAC in the local school system. (Special Placement Schools submit the package to the LAC of the student’s Home LEA.)
• The LAC and the local Director of Special Education review the application and IEP. If both the LAC and the Local Director of Special Education approve the request, the LAC submits the request form and attached IEP with appropriate approval signatures to the Accommodations Program Manager at the MSDE.
• Staff at the MSDE in the Division of Accountability, Assessment and Data Systems and in the Division of Special Education/Early Intervention Services review the documentation and then forward notice of their approval or denial to the LAC, who in turn forwards notice to the local school or Special Placement School, as appropriate.

Please note that the Application for Approval to Administer the High School Assessments over Multiple Days must be completed for a student whom the school deems eligible for this accommodation as soon as possible after the student’s enrollment in an HSA-related course. Waiting to submit the request until close to the approaching test date will result in possible delays in the review process. In no case will the MSDE accept for review an application for Assessment Multiple-Day Administration delivered to the MSDE less than 6 weeks prior to the start of an HSA administration. The TACM for the assessment provide a due date for each test administration. Therefore, IEP Teams and other staff must take this timeline into consideration and plan accordingly. For additional guidance, IEP Teams should refer to this tool in its entirety.

NOTE: Special permission for Multiple Days Accommodations for students who are deaf and hard of hearing who require interpretation/transliteration from an interpreter/transliterator do not require approval to administer the assessment over multiple days. However, schools must notify their LAC of such situations who in turn will notify the MSDE. The interpretation/transliteration accommodation for the deaf and hard of hearing is described in detail in Tool SWD -8 in section 6.

Designated Feature:

Multi-day Testing: For some state assessments, students may have the option to test across multiple days. If a student will require more than one day to complete any single section of an assessment, their test may be paused and exited at any point in the test. The student will be able to log back into their test at any subsequent point within the testing window to complete the session. It is important that the student’s test be paused and exited and not submitted. Refer to the Student Supports and Accommodations Table (found in this document), Testing Schedule for Summative Assessments, and Test Administration Manuals for more information.

Mississippi

Accommodation:

Administer the test over consecutive days (Specify the number of days, i.e., two or three days).

Universal Feature:

Flexible Scheduling: Districts and schools have flexibility to schedule each content test. Each test is only a single session and can be scheduled for one or multiple days. Typical students take less than 90 minutes for each test. Additional information about scheduling can be found in the test administration manual (TAM).

Schools have the freedom to determine the best schedule for administering the test.

Accommodation (Students with Disabilities):

Multiple day test administration is a testing accommodation designed to permit students who, because of their disability-related needs, are unable to complete a State assessment in a single day or testing session. The determination of a student’s eligibility for this testing accommodation must be made, and reviewed annually, by a student’s CSE or Section 504 Committee on a case-by-case basis in consideration of the student’s unique educational needs (e.g., the student experiences fatigue due to health issues).

It is also appropriate to consider this testing accommodation for a student with a disability who has extended time as a testing accommodation in his/her IEP or 504 plan when the student is scheduled to take more than one State assessment in a single day. This recommendation must be made in consideration of the State assessment schedule for the year the student’s IEP or 504 plan will be in effect.

Accommodation:

Multiple Testing Sessions: The Multiple Testing Sessions accommodation allows the total test administration time to be divided into mini sessions as determined by the individual needs of the student.

According to a publication by the Council for Exceptional Children: “Caution: A student who must take a test over several days may experience a decline in motivation. Student absenteeism also may become a factor if several days of testing are scheduled.”

Scheduling for only one test administration: For students who are required to take only one test (e.g., the Biology EOC) during a designated testing window, the multiple testing sessions must begin on the same day as the general test administration but may continue beyond the school’s schedule for the standard test administration if the IEP or Section 504 Plan designates the sessions are to stretch across multiple days.

Scheduling for more than one test administration: For students who are required to take more than one test (e.g., EOG reading and EOG mathematics) during a designated testing window, the multiple testing sessions for the first test must begin on the same day as the general test administration but may continue beyond the school’s schedule for the standard test administration if the IEP or Section 504 Plan designates the sessions are to stretch across multiple days. If the student requires additional days to finish the first test, the student can continue to work on consecutive school days until the assessment is completed. Once the test is completed, the multiple testing sessions can begin for the next test.

For example, if the student begins mathematics on day one and needs additional days to complete the test, the student can continue working on the mathematics test on day two. If the student completes the mathematics test on day two, the student can begin the reading test on day three.

Scheduling EOG tests: When scheduling multiple testing sessions for the EOG tests, the PSU should consider scheduling the mathematics test first, followed by the reading test, because most students who use the Multiple Testing Sessions accommodation over multiple days use it on tests that measure reading comprehension. In this way, those who do not need additional days to complete the mathematics test can begin the reading test on the same day as the general test administration.

Specific procedures during the test administration and the role of the IEP team and Section 504 committee. There are several ways in which the Multiple Testing Sessions accommodation may be provided. The IEP team or Section 504 committee makes the determination and documents how this accommodation will be provided. The decision(s) must be based on the individual needs of the student and must be documented in the IEP or Section 504 Plan. For example, it may be appropriate for the student

• to begin the test on the same day as the general administration and complete the test on the subsequent school day(s);
• to begin the test on the same day as the general administration and complete the test on the makeup day;
• to test for a specified time period (e.g., fifteen minutes), then take a break (e.g., five minutes), and then test again for a specified time period, etc.;
• to complete a predetermined number of test questions (e.g., ten questions), then take a break (e.g., three minutes), and then complete the next predetermined set of test questions; or
• to use the Testing in a Separate Room accommodation so as not to disturb other students.

Information from the student’s IEP or Section 504 Plan regarding specific procedures for the provision of the Multiple Testing Sessions accommodation must be available for the test administrator on the day of testing.

When reading the instructions for the standard test administration from the test administration guide, the test administrator should omit any information regarding time limits. Otherwise, the standard instructions located in the test administration guide must be followed.

If the student requires additional time beyond the total time designated in the test administration guide, the IEP team or Section 504 committee should consider the provision of the Scheduled Extended Time accommodation. If the student is not also provided the Scheduled Extended Time accommodation, the student is expected to complete the test within the maximum test administration time designated in the test administration guide. For the Multiple Testing Sessions accommodation, the maximum test administration time is divided into mini sessions based on the decision and documentation of the IEP team or Section 504 committee.

Students with the Multiple Testing Sessions accommodation whose testing breaks differ from those designated in the test administration guide must also be provided the Testing in a Separate Room (one-on-one or small group) accommodation. However, consideration must be taken so that only students with the same Multiple Testing Sessions comprise the small groups using the Testing in a Separate Room (small group) accommodation. Students who are in a small group together with the Multiple Testing Sessions accommodation must have the same amount of work and break times (e.g., a three-minute break every 30 minutes).

Accommodation (Students with Disabilities):

Administer Test Over Several Sessions or “Chunking” (except writing tasks/sections): The test may be separated into smaller sections and administered over several days within the state testing window. Student may only work in one separated section at a time and may not go to previous sections or work ahead. (S4) must be selected for this accommodation.

It is best practice to determine the amount of questions a student will answer before the testing session begins. For example, the student will only work on questions 1-10 in the first chunk of time. Once they end that session they will not be able to go back to the questions from that session.

This is not exclusive to paper/pencil testing. This accommodation can be provided in the online testing platform through the use of a proctor password. Please note that a student may not go back and visit previously viewed items once they exit the testing platform.

Accommodation (English Learners):

Administer Test Over Several Sessions or “Chunking” (except writing tasks/sections): The test may be separated into smaller sections and administered over several days within the state testing window. Student may only work in one separated section at a time and may not go to previous sections or work ahead. (S4) must be selected for this accommodation.

Designated Feature:

Extra Day: This designated support allows a student an extra day to complete an assessment.

Submit an Accommodation Request Form to Texas Education Agency (TEA) if the student:

• routinely and effectively uses this designated support during classroom instruction and classroom testing;
• is unable to use the make-up policy to complete the test;
• is unable to effectively use any of the accessibility features (e.g., tools to minimize distractions, individual administration, reminders to stay on task) or locally approved designated supports (e.g., Individualized Structured Reminders) to address this need; and
• meets at least one of the following criteria:
  • the student has a severe impairment in vision (e.g., uncorrected vision, nystagmus, qualifies for special education services with a Visual Impairment [VI]);
  • the student has a hearing impairment;
  • the student has a severe physical disability or medical condition that limits the amount of time the student is able to continue working due to severe fatigue or decreased energy and stamina;
  • the student has a severe behaviorally or emotionally disabling condition, the manifestation of which makes him or her unable to continue working for a prolonged period of time or during certain times of the day; or
  • the student is identified with an autism spectrum disorder and will be unable to complete the assessment in one day due to severe behavioral or emotional reactions (i.e., perseveration, physical harm to self or others, a breakdown of self-control from overstimulation or too much input) that cannot be appropriately managed without an additional day of testing.

Universal Feature:

Assessments and activities that require focused attention should be scheduled for the time of day when a student is most likely to demonstrate peak performance. To reduce fatigue and increase attention, activities or some tests can be administered over multiple days (e.g., completing a portion each day).

Accommodation:

Multiple Test Sessions: Students with disabilities who require multiple test sessions, when the test will be completed in two or more school days, are to be administered a paper test. When administering a paper test, care must be taken to ensure that the student is exposed only to those test items in the portion of the paper test that he/she is attempting that day. Previously completed items and items not yet accessed must be sealed to prevent accidental exposure to the student.

NOTE: The short-paper component of the Writing assessment, whether administered in paper or online, must be completed in one school day and does not qualify for multiple test sessions; however, the student may be given breaks under secure conditions.

Accommodation:

Flexible Scheduling–Limited Timed Testing: Students can take the test broken into shorter timeframes and taken over two days. Limited time per day testing/multiple day testing. Scheduling changes can be helpful for students on medications that affect their ability to stay alert or who have more productive times of the day.

Notes for implementation:

• Students must complete each section of the test once it is started.
• Students will need to be assigned to a separate room or location to prevent distractions. (T10)
• Decisions about how to schedule must be made on a case-by-case basis for each individual student—not by any category of students—keeping in mind the disability involved.