The Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE) is committed to ensuring that statewide assessments are accessible to the widest possible number of students, including but not limited to students with disabilities (SWDs), English learners (ELs), and ELs with disabilities.

Students who take statewide assessments may use a wide array of accessibility features, which are tools or supports that increase access to test content and are available for use by all students who need them. Examples include: highlighter, answer masking, color/contrast. Some accessibility features need to be selected in advance in a student’s assessment registration profile for planning purposes.

Similarly, administrative considerations may be granted to any student who may need them, at the discretion of school leaders. Administrative considerations are decisions made about a student’s testing environment (e.g., small group testing, special seating arrangements, or frequent breaks).

In addition to accessibility features and administrative consideration for all students, OSSE supports the use of appropriate testing accommodations for all District of Columbia’s SWDs, ELs, and ELs with disabilities. OSSE has developed guidance to ensure that:

• Participation in assessments for SWDs and ELs 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.

Testing Accommodations and Accessibility Features Resources

OSSE Testing Accommodations Guide

• 2024-25 OSSE Testing Accommodations Guide

Request Forms for 2024-25 Assessment Administration

• Statewide Assessments Emergency Accommodation Request Form
• Statewide Assessments Unique Accommodation Request Form
• Statewide Assessments Medical Exemption Form
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WIDA ACCESS for ELLs Accommodations

• ACCESS for ELLs Checklists for Test Coordinators & Test Administrator
• WIDA Accessibility and Accommodations Manual

District of Columbia Comprehensive Assessments of Progress in Education (DC CAPE) Accommodations

The DC CAPE Accessibility Features & Accommodations Manual and the Accessibility Decision-Making Supplement are documents that provide guidance to districts and decision-making teams to ensure that the DC CAPE summative assessments provide valid results for all participating students. These documents are available on the Pearson Support Portal.

MSAA Accommodations

• MSAA Test Administrator Manual

NAEP Accommodations

• NAEP Inclusion Policy and Guidelines

Archive Accommodations Studies

OSSE is committed to ongoing evaluation of accommodations available to students with disabilities and Limited English Proficient (LEP) students. As a part of this effort, OSSE commissioned a study in 2009 on the use of accommodations by students with disabilities on the annual statewide assessment. The detailed report is available upon request. However, a summary of findings from the report is available.