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 the following:

• 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 II of this manual apply to ELLs taking content-specific statewide assessments. The accommodations for ELLs detailed here may not be appropriate for an English language proficiency test, such as World-Class Instructional Design and Assessment (WIDA) ACCESS 2.0, because it focuses on language proficiency rather than content area knowledge and skills. For more information regarding accommodations on English language proficiency tests, visit the WIDA website.

Part II of this manual provides an overview of each accommodation for ELLs, 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.

Overview of District of Columbia Statewide Assessments

The District of Columbia administers multiple assessments annually in accordance with DC and federal law. These statewide assessments are an important source of data on students’ progress and performance relative to DC’s educational standards. In the 2014-15 school year, DC transitioned to a system of Next Generation Assessments that will continue to be used in the 2015-16 school year. These new assessments are aligned to the Common Core State Standards and Next Generation Science Standards, which have been adopted by the DC State Board of Education. These assessments are also technology- and computer-enhanced. This was a major transition, but one that allows DC students to demonstrate their knowledge in a more accurate and engaging way. The Next Generation Assessment transitions include:

• Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC)
• DC Science Assessment
• Alternate Assessments (NCSC and DC Science Alternate)

For more information, visit the OSSE Statewide Assessments website.