Introduction

The Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE) supports the use of appropriate testing accommodations for all District of Columbia’s students with disabilities (SWDs) and English language learners (ELLs). The 2015-2016 OSSE Testing Accommodations Manual has been created to ensure that

• Participation in assessments for SWDs and ELLs is consistent in all District of Columbia districts, schools and programs;
• Appropriate accommodations are provided to all eligible qualified students; and
• Accommodations used in assessment are also used in daily instruction.

The information and requirements described in Part I of this manual apply to students with disabilities, i.e., students who have an Individualized Education Program (IEP) or a Section 504 Plan (504 plan), in all public schools and to students in non-public settings whose education is supported by District of Columbia public funding. Part II of this manual will focus on accommodations for English language learners (ELLs), with a listing of available accommodations and applicable guidance for implementing appropriate accommodations. Part II will be released in early 2016. ELLs with disabilities are eligible for both categories of accommodations.

Part I of this manual is meant to be a guide for IEP teams and Section 504 teams as it provides an overview of each accommodation, its intended use, and eligibility criteria. Additionally, this manual connects each accommodation to its equivalent accommodation, accessibility feature, or administrative consideration specific to each DC statewide assessment (e.g., PARCC ELA/Literacy, PARCC Mathematics, DC Science Assessment). 

Additional materials and technical assistance are available to help school personnel become more familiar with information presented in this manual. Please contact the OSSE Office of Data, Accountability and Research (DAR) for further information at [email protected] or visit the OSSE Testing Accommodations website.