Alternate districtwide assessments are available for the 2025-26 school year for students with the most significant cognitive disabilities as an alternative to participating in the DC CAPE and ACCESS assessments.
For more information on the District’s alternate assessments, visit OSSE's webpage.
Eligibility for participation in any alternate assessment for the 2025-26 school year begins with LEAs completing the appropriate documentation in the Special Programs database. During the IEP development process, or through an IEP amendment, Individualized Education Program (IEP) teams are to carefully review the OSSE’s participation criteria to identify individual students for whom it may be most appropriate to participate in the alternate assessment program.
The following documents will assist IEP Teams to determine eligibility for DC Alternate Assessments.
- 2025-26 Alternate Assessment Eligibility Process Memo
- Updated 2023 Office of the State Superintendent of Education Guidance: Students with Significant Cognitive Disabilities
- Participation Criteria
For technical assistance with the Alternate Assessment MSAA Quickbase application or Qlik, contact your LEA Data Liaison.
Timeline for the Alternate Assessment Eligibility Process for the 2025-26 School Year
|
Task |
Timeline |
System |
|
LEAs add or update documentation for alternate assessment applications in the Special Programs database. |
Start of School Year – Oct. 14 |
Special Programs Database |
|
LEAs can view the roster of students with alternate assessment applications on file in the Alternate Assessment Quickbase application. |
Sept. 30 – Oct. 14 |
Quickbase
Qlik
|
|
Final deadline for LEAs to update alternate assessment applications and supporting documentation. |
Oct. 14, 2025 |
Special Programs Database |
|
OSSE reviews documentation in Special Programs for eligibility determinations. |
Oct. 15 – Nov. 20, 2025 |
Special Programs Database |
|
Initial eligibility determinations made available to LEAs. |
Nov. 21, 2025 | Alternate Assessment Quickbase Application |
| Final deadline for late applications. | Nov. 21, 2025 | Special Programs Database |
| LEAs may appeal initial eligibility determinations in Quickbase and submit additional evidence in Special Programs. | Nov. 21 - Dec. 5, 2025 |
Alternate Assessment Quickbase Application; Special Programs Database |
| OSSE reviews appeals documentation and eligibility applications for transfer students or students who have new disability determinations. | Dec. 6, 2025 – Jan. 6, 2026 | Alternate Assessment Quickbase Application; Special Programs Database |
| Final Eligibility Determinations available to LEAs. | Jan. 7, 2026 | Alternate Assessment Quickbase Application |
For general questions about participation criteria or eligibility determinations, please contact [email protected]. Questions or guidance about specific students should be submitted via an OST ticket in order to protect student personally identifiable information.
Archive
2022-23 Alternate Assessment Participation Criteria and Forms
2023-24 Alternate Assessment Participation Criteria and Forms
2024-25 Alternate Assessment Participation Criteria and Forms
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