1 Pre-decisional. Updated April 17, 2013 DRAFTPARCCACCOMMODATIONS MANUALHow to Select, Administer, and Evaluate the Use of Tools and Accommodations for the Assessment of Students with Disabilities and English Learners on the PARCC End-of-Year, Performance-Based Assessment, and Mid-Year Assessment FIRSTEDITIONProduced by: Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC)
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This is the first edition of the PARCC Accommodations Manual for Students with Disabilities and English
Learners (Summer 2013). The PARCC Accommodations Manual for Students with Disabilities and English
Learners will undergo a number of iterations, as data on student performance is collected during PARCC
item development research (being conducted this spring and summer), field testing in spring 2014, and thefirst operational year of administration in school year 2014-2015. This iterative process will ensure that the
accommodations students receive on PARCC assessments provide a valid reflection of what they know and
can do and do not alter the construct of what is being assessed. Additional accommodations guidance for
the PARCC Diagnostic Assessment and Speaking and Listening Assessment is forthcoming (summer 2013).
Throughout this edition of the PARCC Accommodations Manual, attention has been given to
addressing issues related to providing accommodations on the PARCC technology platform. For individuals
who require a paper-pencil administration of the assessments, the applicable accommodations will be
provided in chart form as an appendix in summer 2013.
The states representing PARCC are fundamentally shifting how we think about testing. PARCC believes that
assessments are tools for enhancing teaching and learning, and is committed to providing all students,including but not limited to, students with disabilities, English learners, and underserved populations, with
equitable access to high-quality, twenty-first century assessments. By applying Universal Design principles,
leveraging technology, embedding accessibility supports, and allowing a broad range of accommodations,
PARCC intends to provide opportunities for the widest possible number of students to demonstrate
knowledge and skills while maintaining high expectations for all students to achieve the Common Core State
Standards (CCSS). Additionally, the claims of the PARCC summative assessments and the common policies
for accommodations, participation, and accessibility features will increase access, fidelity of implementation,
and comparability across PARCC states.
PARCC’s goals for promoting student access include:
Applying principles of Universal Design for accessible assessments throughout every stage of
developing assessment components, items, and performance tasks;
Minimizing/eliminating features of the assessment that are irrelevant to what is being measured so
that all students can more accurately demonstrate their knowledge and skills;
Measuring the full range of complexity of the standards;
Leveraging technology for delivering assessment components as widely accessible as possible;
Building accessibility throughout the test itself with no trade-off between accessibility and validity;
Using a combination of ‘accessible’-authoring and accessible technologies from the inception of
items and tasks; and
Engaging state and national experts in the development process through item review, bias and
sensitivity review, policy development and review, and research.
The draft PARCC Accommodations Manual has been created to ensure that:
Participation in the assessments is consistent across PARCC states for students with disabilities and
English learners;
Appropriate accommodations are provided to all eligible, qualified students (including students with
disabilities and English learners); and
Accommodations used on PARCC assessments are generally consistent with accommodations used
in daily instruction.
After carefully reviewing the latest research on the most effective practices for assessing diverse student
subgroups; feedback from PARCC state leads, state experts for students with disabilities, and Englishlearners; content experts; and national technical advisors on PARCC’s Technical Working Group for
Accessibility, Accommodations, and Fairness, PARCC is providing this manual containing information on the
accessibility features and accommodations that will be available during the PARCC assessments.
PARCC member states have all agreed to implement the principles, policies, and procedures set forth in the
PARCC is an alliance of states serving approximately 23 million students, working together to develop
common assessments. PARCC’s Governing Board, comprised of the K-12 chief state school officer from each
Governing State, considers input from all PARCC states and makes major policy and operational decisions on
behalf of PARCC, including decisions related to the overall design of the assessment system, PARCC’sprocurement strategy, common achievement levels for the assessments, and modifications to PARCC’s
governance structure and decision-making process as necessary. State education agency experts from all
PARCC Governing States lead the policy and content development, and management of the PARCC
assessment system.
The PARCC grant application, accepted by the U.S. Department of Education, states:
Because of their strong commitment to the Partnership‘s work, Governing States’ chief state school
officers will serve on the Partnership‘s Governing Board … and have the right to make decisions on
behalf of the Partnership on major policies and operational procedures … The Governing Board will form
design committees and other working groups necessary to carry out the Partnership‘s work, and
through the charters of these committees and the By-Laws of the Partnership, the Board will agree to
processes for adopting key policies and definitions related to governing the Partnership and designing,
developing and implementing the proposed assessment system.
Included in the key policies referenced above are:
1. A common definition of English learner;
2. A common set of policies and procedures for providing assessment accommodations for English
learners;
3. A common set of policies and procedures for providing assessment accommodations for students
with disabilities;
4. A common set of policies and procedures for participation of English learners in the assessmentsystem; and
5. A common set of policies and procedures for participation of students with disabilities in the
assessment system.
As such, PARCC has the authority to act on behalf of all its member states, as it relates to accommodation
polices and test administration procedures.
Structure of this Manual
The Manual is divided into broad sections, the first describing the use of accommodations for students with
disabilities, the second for students who are English learners (EL). The Manual consists of the following
sections:
Background and Introduction: This section is an introduction and overview of the Manual.
Section 1: PARCC Accommodations Policies and Assessment Design Overview: This section describes the
general guidelines for participation and accommodations for students with disabilities and ELs on PARCC
assessments. In addition, this section summarizes the various PARCC assessments and provides the
approaches used for universal design and embedded supports.
Section 2: Universally Designed Embedded Supports and Accessibility Features for All Students: This
section provides an overview and defines the embedded supports and accessibility features that will be
offered to all students taking the PARCC assessments.
Section 3: The Five-Step Process for Accommodations for Students with Disabilities: This section outlines a
process for selecting and implementing accommodations for assessment, as follows:
Expect Students to Achieve Grade-Level Academic Content Standards;
Learn About Accommodations for Instruction and Assessment;
Select Accommodations for Individual Students;
Administer Accommodations During Assessment; and
Evaluate and Improve Accommodations Use.
Section 4: Accommodations for Students with Disabilities Taking Computer-Delivered Assessments: This
section consists of five fact sheets, each describing the specific accommodations available to students inPARCC states for use on the PARCC assessments. The five fact sheets are organized according to the
following categories: presentation accommodations, response accommodations, timing and scheduling
accommodations, setting accommodations, and special access accommodations.
Section 5: The Six-Step Process for Accommodations for English Learners: This section outlines a six-step
process for implementing accommodations for instruction and assessment for students who are English
learners.
Expect English Learners to Achieve Grade-Level Academic Content Standards;
Learn About Accommodations for Assessment;
Select Accommodations for Assessment of Individual Students;
Document, Review and Evaluate Accommodations Decisions;
Administer Accommodations During Assessment; and
Evaluate and Improve Accommodation Use.
Section 6: Accommodations for English Learners Taking Computer-Delivered Assessments: This section
contains one fact sheet that outlines the specific accommodations available to English learners taking the
Overview of the PARCC Assessment The PARCC assessment system is designed to determine whether students are college- and career-ready or
on track, assess the full range of the CCSS, measure the full range of student performance, and provide
timely data throughout the academic year to teachers to help inform instruction, interventions, and
professional development.
There will be five components of the PARCC assessment system:
Diagnostic Assessment for ELA/Literacy and Mathematics:Optional, non-summative, early indicator
of student knowledge, flexible administration
Mid-Year Assessment for ELA/Literacy and Mathematics: Optional, non-summative, performance-
based items and tasks, emphasis on hard-to-measure standards, flexible administration
Speaking and Listening Assessment: Required, non-summative, flexible administration
Performance-Based Assessment for ELA/Literacy and Mathematics: Required, summative,
administered after approximately 75% of the school year
End-of-Year Assessment for ELA/Literacy and Mathematics: Required, summative, administered after approximately 90% of the school year
The PARCC summative assessments in English Language Arts (ELA)/Literacy and Mathematics will include arich set of performance-based tasks that address a long standing concern among educators about large scale
student assessments – which have been unable to capture some of the most important skills that we strive
to develop in students. The PARCC assessments are being carefully crafted to accomplish this important
goal. They will enable teachers, schools, students and their parents to gain important insights into how well
critical knowledge, skills and abilities essential for young people to thrive in college and careers are being
mastered. PARCC assessments in ELA/Literacy and Mathematics will be administered in grades 3-11
beginning in the 2014-2015 school year. The assessments at each grade level will assess the CCSS for that
a. Students produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style
are appropriate to the task, purpose, and audience.
(5) Conventions and Knowledge of Language (L.X.1-3)
a. Students demonstrate knowledge of conventions and other important elements of language.
(6) Research (data taken from Research Simulation Task)a. Students build and present knowledge through integration, comparison, and synthesis of ideas.
Results of the ELA/Literacy assessments will be reported in three major categories: (1) ELA/Literacy; (2)
reading and comprehending a range of sufficiently complex texts independently (reading) and (3) writing
effectively when using and/or analyzing sources (writing). ELA/Literacy results will be based on a composite
of students’ reading and writing scores.
Students will receive both a scale score and performance level scores for ELA/Literacy, and scale scores for
the reading and writing categories.
PARCC Mathematics Assessments
The mathematics PBAs at each grade level will include both short- and extended-response questions focused
on applying skills and concepts to solve problems that require demonstration of the mathematical practices
with a focus on modeling, reasoning, and precision. The mathematics EOY assessments will be comprised
primarily of short-answer questions focused on conceptual understanding, procedural skills, and application.
The claims listed below are the claims that are driving the design of the PARCC Mathematics Assessment.
Master Claim: On Track for College and Career Readiness. The degree to which a student is college- and
career-ready (or, on-track to being ready) in mathematics. The student solves grade-level/course-level
problems in mathematics as set forth in the Standards for Mathematical Content with connections to the
Standards for Mathematical Practice.
Sub Claim A: Major Content with Connections to Practices. The student solves problems involving
the Major Content for her grade/course with connections to the Standards for Mathematical
Practice.
Sub Claim B: Additional and Supporting Content with Connections to Practices. The student solves
problems involving the Additional and Supporting Content for her grade/course with connections to
the Standards for Mathematical Practice.
Sub Claim C: Highlighted Practices MP.3, 6 with Connections to Content: expressing mathematical
reasoning. The student expresses grade/course-level appropriate mathematical reasoning by
constructing viable arguments, critiquing the reasoning of others and/or attending to precision
when making mathematical statements.
Sub Claim D: Highlighted Practice MP.4 with Connections to Content: modeling/application. Thestudent solves real-world problems with a degree of difficulty appropriate to the grade/course by
applying knowledge and skills articulated in the standards for the current grade/course (or, for more
complex problems, knowledge and skills articulated in the standards for previous grades/courses),
engaging particularly in the Modeling practice, and where helpful making sense of problems and
persevering to solve them (MP.1), reasoning abstractly and quantitatively (MP.2), using appropriate
tools strategically (MP.5), looking for and making use of structure (MP.7), and/or looking for and
expressing regularity in repeated reasoning (MP.8).
Sub Claim E: Fluency in applicable grades (3-6): The student demonstrates fluency as set forth in the
Standards for Mathematical Content in her grade.
Performance level scores will be reported according to five levels. More information about the PARCC’s
performance levels can be found by visiting http://www.parcconline.org/parcc-assessment-policies .
Use of Technology to Deliver PARCC Assessments
PARCC assessments will use a computer-based Assessment Delivery Platform that is easy for students to
learn, intuitive to use, and provides an opportunity for results to be reported quickly and accurately. The
PARCC Assessment Delivery Platform will be compliant with the new Accessible Portable Item Profile (APIP)
which will be able to read an individually-programmed student APIP Personal Needs Profile (PNP), and
provide specified accessibility features and accommodations to each student on the assessment, based on
their PNP. Although PARCC recognizes the need for the assessments to be accessible to the maximum
number of students, PARCC also acknowledges that in order to assess the full range of the CCSS, it may be
necessary to restrict some accessibility features for some test items or test sessions.
Participation Guidelines for PARCC Assessments All students, including students with disabilities and English learners, are required to participate in statewide
assessments and have his or her assessment results be part of the state’s accountability systems. Students
who are not designated by their Individualized Education Program (IEP) or 504 teams to take an alternate
assessment must participate in the PARCC ELA/Literacy (except EL students enrolled in their first year in a
U.S. school, per state policy) and Mathematics performance-based and summative assessments. Federal
laws governing student participation in statewide assessments include the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001
(NCLB), the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004 (IDEA), Section 504 of the
Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (reauthorized in 2008), and the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA)
of 1965, as amended. Specific provisions under these laws are summarized in Sections 1 and 2.
Medically-documented Absences or Medical Exemption
Students may be counted as a medically documented absence when they are absent for the entire testing
window and cannot take the assessment, including make-up dates, because of a significant medical
emergency that renders the student incapable of participating in academic activities. Determination of a
“significant medical emergency” must be made by a medical doctor and documentation must be kept at the
district. PARCC states may consult with their State’s Assessment and Accountability Office for additional
guidance.
Definitions
Three distinct groups of students may receive accommodations on PARCC assessments:
Students with disabilities who have an Individualized Education Program (IEP); Students with a Section 504 plan who have a physical or mental impairment that substantially
limits one or more major life activities, have a record of such an impairment, or are regarded as
having such an impairment, but who do not qualify for special education services; and
Students who are English Learners (EL).
The following definitions and abbreviations will help users of the Manual to understand and implement
SWD: A “student with a disability” is one who has been found eligible based on the definitions
provided by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004 (IDEA) or Section
504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (Section 504).
ELs: Students whose primary or home language is other than English and cannot perform ordinaryclasswork in English because they may have limited or no age-appropriate ability to understand,
speak, read, or write in English. EL students have traditionally been called limited English proficient
(LEP) students, and English language learners (ELL).
English as a Second Language (ESL) or English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) refers to the
classes or services received by most ELs.
Refused ESL/ESOL Services are students considered EL who are qualified to receive ESL or ESOL
services, but whose families have refused or waived such services. These students are still
considered ELs and are required to participate in the English proficiency assessments offered by
their state as well as PARCC assessments.
Former English Learners: Students who are no longer classified as ELs, but whose progress is
tracked for two years after they achieved the standards of fluency as identified on the state Englishproficiency assessment.
Students Exited from Special Education Services are students who have been determined by their
IEP team to no longer require special education services. Refer to individual state guidelines for
specific policies governing these groups of students.
General Testing Practices
Regardless of the specific assessment being administered, school staff administering PARCC assessments
must ensure that test security requirements and standardized and ethical administration of assessments are
implemented according to PARCC test administration policies and procedures. The Code of Professional
Responsibilities in Educational Measurement (National Council on Measurement in Education, 1995) states
that test administrators and others involved in assessments must:
Observe appropriate security precautions before, during, and after the administration of the
assessment;
Understand the procedures needed to administer the assessment prior to administration;
Administer standardized assessments according to prescribed procedures and conditions and notify
appropriate persons if any nonstandard or delimiting conditions occur;
Avoid any conditions in the conduct of the assessment that might invalidate the results;
Provide for and document all reasonable and allowable accommodations for the administration of
the assessment to persons with disabilities or special needs; and
Avoid actions or conditions that would permit or encourage individuals or groups to receive scores
that misrepresent their actual levels of attainment.
Failure to adhere to these practices may constitute a test irregularity or a breach of test security and must
be reported and investigated according to state and local testing policies. Additional detailed information
about test security and test administration will be included in the PARCC Test Administration Manual.
Ethical Testing Practices
Ethical testing practices must be maintained during the administration of a test. Unethical testing practices
relate to inappropriate interactions between test administrators and students taking the test. Unethical
practices include allowing a student to answer fewer questions, changing the content by paraphrasing or
offering additional information, coaching students during testing, editing student responses, or giving clues
in any way.
StandardizationStandardization refers to adherence to uniform administration procedures and conditions during an
assessment. Standardization is an essential feature of educational assessments and is necessary to produce
comparable information about student learning. Strict adherence to guidelines detailing instructions and
procedures for the administration of accommodations is necessary to ensure test results reflect actual
student learning.
Test Security
As mentioned in Step 3, test security involves maintaining the confidentiality of test questions and answers,
and is critical in ensuring the integrity and validity of a test. Test security can become a particular concern
when accessible test formats are used (e.g., braille, large print) or when someone other than the student is
allowed to see the test (e.g., interpreter, human reader, scribe). In order to ensure test security and
confidentiality, test administrators should:
1. Provide proper training in both specific test administration procedures for each testing program as
well as training in specific test security procedures for each test;
2. Keep testing materials in a secure place to prevent unauthorized access;
3. Keep all test content confidential and refrain from sharing information or revealing test content
with anyone; and
4. Return and account for all materials as instructed.
Some of the same considerations for test security apply when students are taking a technology-based
assessment. For example, ensuring that only authorized personnel have access to the test and that test
materials are kept confidential are critical in technology-based assessments. In addition, it is important toguarantee that students are seated in such a manner that they cannot see each other’s work stations, are
not able to access any additional programs or the Internet when completing the assessment, and that
students are not able to access any saved data or computer shortcuts.
In the event that a student was provided a test accommodation that was not listed in his or her IEP, 504
plan, or EL plan, or if a student was not provided a test accommodation listed in his or her IEP/504 plan/EL
plan, the school must follow each state’s policies and procedures for notifying the State Assessment office.
Accommodations
It is important to ensure that performance in the classroom and on the assessment is influenced as little as
possible by a student’s disability or linguistic/cultural characteristics that are unrelated to the content beingassessed. For PARCC assessments, accommodations are adjustments to the testing situation, test format, or
test administration that provide equitable access during assessments for students with disabilities and
students who are ELs. The administration of an assessment should not be the first time an accommodation is
introduced to the student. To the extent possible, accommodations:
Provide equitable access during instruction and assessments;
Summative assessment scores for students who receive all accommodations will be aggregated with the
scores of other students and those of relevant subgroups. These scores can be included for accountability
purposes. Confidential parent/guardian reports, non-public rosters of school- and district-level results, and
other non-public reports will include notations in cases where special access accommodations wereprovided. District and school reports available to the public will not include the notations in cases where
these accommodations were used. PARCC states will monitor the number and percentage of students using
these accommodations at the school, district, and state level.
Universal Design
Universal Design describes a framework for curriculum design, instructional processes, and assessments that
provides all students with equal opportunities to learn and to demonstrate what they have learned. The
purpose of Universal Design is to provide access to the greatest number of students during instruction and
assessment, and to minimize the need for individualized design or accommodations. Based on neurological
research, Universal Design acknowledges that learning is different for each individual, and that for optimal
learning to occur, a range of methods and materials are needed to implement, support, and measurelearning. Universal Design builds flexibility for learners into the curriculum and assessments at the
development stage, which enhances teachers’ ability to make adjustments for a broad range of learners
during classroom instruction. All learners are intended to benefit from Universal Design, including students
who are gifted and talented; ELs, students with physical, cognitive, and/or sensory disabilities; students with
emotional or language/learning disabilities; learners with more than one of these characteristics; and
students without disabilities. Universal Design for learning is analogous to Universal Design in architecture,
where for example, ramps and curb cuts designed for people in wheelchairs are also considered essential for
people without disabilities, such as parents pushing strollers or people moving heavy furniture.2
The principles of Universal Design for assessment are described by Thurlow, et al.,
Universally designed assessments are designed and developed from the beginning to allowparticipation of the widest possible range of students, and to result in valid inferences about
performance for all students who participate in the assessment. Universally designed assessments are
based on the premise that each child in school is a part of the population to be tested, and that testing
results must not be affected by disability, gender, race, or English language ability. Universally designed
assessments are not intended to eliminate individualization, but they may reduce the need for
accommodations and various alternative assessments by eliminating access barriers associated with the
tests themselves.3
Universal Design emphasizes that in order to increase access, assessment designers cannot use a “one size
fits all” approach, but must make available opportunities for choice and create multiple alternatives and
approaches for individuals to express their knowledge. Using these principles, item writers consider the full
range of students in the assessment population and develop items, tasks, and prompts that measure the
desired construct for the greatest number of students without the need for accommodation or adaptation.
Guided by Universal Design, assessment developers design the assessment to meet the specific needs of as
2 Maryland State Board of Education. (2011). “A Route for Every Learner Report.”
3Thompson, S. J., Johnstone, C. J., & Thurlow, M. L. (2007). Universal design applied to large scale assessments (Synthesis Report
44). Minneapolis, MN: University of Minnesota, National Center on Educational Outcomes. Retrieved [April 1, 2013], from the World
many students as possible and minimize the number of necessary accommodations, while acknowledging
that the need for accommodations cannot be eliminated entirely.
PARCC has included the following Universal Design requirements for item development in the PARCC
Accessibility Guidelines:
The item or task takes into consideration the diversity of the assessment population and the need to
allow the full range of eligible students to respond to the item/stimulus.
Constructs have been precisely defined and the item or task measures what is intended.
Assessments contain accessible, non-biased items.
Assessments are designed to be amenable to accommodations.
Instructions and procedures are simple, clear, and intuitive.
Assessments are designed for maximum readability, comprehensibility, and legibility.4
The item or task material uses a clear and accessible text format.
The item or task material uses clear and accessible visual elements (when essential to the item).
The item or task material uses text appropriate for the intended grade level. Decisions will be made to ensure that items and tasks measure what they are intended to measure
for EL students with different levels of English proficiency and/or first language proficiency.
All accessibility features have been considered that may increase access while preserving the
targeted construct.
Multiple means of presentation, expression, and engagement have been considered with regard to
individual items/tasks for both SWDs and ELs.
Changes to the format of an item will be considered that do not alter the item/task meaning or
difficulty.
In addition to the Universal Design requirements, PARCC has provided item developers with comprehensive
accessibility guidelines for writing items that are bias-free, sensitive to diverse cultures, stated clearly, of appropriate linguistic complexity, and consistently formatted.
Universal Design may provide educators with more valid inferences about the achievement levels of SWDs
and ELs, as well as the achievement of their peers.
Universal Design cannot eliminate the need for accommodations and alternate assessments. However,
universally designed general assessments may reduce the need for accommodations and alternate
assessments.
4Thompson, Johnstone, & Thurlow (2002). The National Center for Educational Outcomes (NCEO).
Universally Designed Embedded Supports and Accessibility Features
What are Universally Designed Embedded Supports and Accessibility Features?
Through a combination of Universal Design principles and computer embedded supports, PARCC intends to
design an assessment system that is inclusive by considering accessibility from the beginning of initial designthrough item development, field testing, and implementation, rather than trying to retrofit the assessments
for SWDs and ELs. While accommodations may be needed for some SWDs or EL students to demonstrate
what they know and can do, Universally Designed embedded supports and accessibility features may
minimize the need for accommodations during testing and further provide inclusive, fair, and accurate
testing for the diversity of students being assessed.
For both instruction and assessment, there are resources and strategies that are allowable for all students
and therefore are classified as embedded supports or accessibility features, rather than accommodations.
These practices should be used whenever possible for all students.
What are Embedded Supports? An embedded support is a tool, support, scaffold, or preference that is built into the assessment system that
can be activated by any student at his or her own discretion. Embedded supports are Universal Design
features that are expected to benefit a diversity of students and are available to all students, either
onscreen, stored in a toolbar, or accessible through a menu or control panel, as needed. Examples of
embedded supports are provided in Table 1 below.
What are Accessibility Features?
Like embedded supports, accessibility features are available to all students (i.e., not limited to students with
IEPs, 504 plans, or ELs), but will be selected and “turned on” by a school-based educator prior to the
assessment, based on each student’s Personal Needs Profile (PNP). Accessibility features should be selected
by school-based educators (e.g., classroom teachers, and staff members of IEP teams, 504 plan teams, EL
teams – if applicable) based on individual need and with input from the student and parent, where
applicable. Based on each student’s individual needs, a PNP is created for each student to ensure that the
student receives appropriate access without the distraction of other tools and features that are not required
by the student. Although a school-based educator will enable specific accessibility features for students, the
student will decide whether or not to use the feature. Accessibility features will be readily available on the
computer-delivered testing platform.
Individualizing access needs for the assessment provides increased opportunities for each student to
accurately demonstrate knowledge and skills, and will reduce the chances of giving students incorrect
accommodations or supports on the day of the test. Examples of accessibility features are provided in Table
2 below.
What are Accommodations?
Accommodations are assessment practices and procedures that change the presentation, response, setting,
and/or timing and scheduling of assessments that are intended to provide equitable testing conditions for
SWDs. Additional information on accommodations for SWDs and ELs can be found in Sections 3 and 5,
Step 1: Expect all Students with Disabilities to Achieve Academic Grade-Level
Content Standards
In accordance with IDEA, PARCC expects that all students who are not taking an alternate assessment will be
included in the PARCC assessments. The PARCC assessment system sets and maintains high expectations
that all students will have access to the full range of grade-level CCSS, including the difficult-to-measure
standards.
Several laws require the participation of SWDs in standards-based instruction and assessment initiatives.
These include federal laws such as the reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act
(ESEA) and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004 (IDEA).
The Elementary and Secondary Education Act
Stronger accountability for educational achievement results is one of the four basic education reform
principles contained in the ESEA. This law and its provisions require public accountability at the school,
district, and state levels for all SWDs. ESEA explicitly calls for the participation in such assessments of allstudents [Sec. 1111 (3) (C) (i)]. The term “such assessments” refers to a set of high-quality, yearly student
academic assessments. It also requires that these assessments provide for the reasonable adaptations and
accommodations for SWDs – as defined under Section 602(3) of IDEA – necessary to measure the academic
achievement of such students relative to state academic content and state student academic achievement
standards [Sec. 1111 (3) (C)(ii)].
The April 2007 regulations on alternate assessments based on modified achievement standards included the
following statements about accommodations:
… a State’s (or in the case of district-wide assessments, an LEA’s) guidelines must require each child to
be validly assessed and must identify, for each assessment, any accommodations that would result in an
invalid score. Consistent with Title I … a student taking an assessment with an accommodation that
invalidates the score would not be reported as a participant under the IDEA. (U.S. Department of
Education, 2007, p. 17750)
Through the ESEA federal legislation, in addition to other state and local district initiatives, assessments
aimed at increasing accountability provide important information with regard to:
How successful schools are including all students in standards-based education;
How well students are achieving standards; and
What needs to be improved upon for specific groups of students.
There are several critical elements in the ESEA that hold schools accountable for educational results:
Academic content standards (what students should learn) and academic achievement standards
(how well students should learn the content) form the basis of state accountability systems.
State assessments are the primary (though not necessarily exclusive) tool for determining whether
schools have been successful in having students attain the knowledge and skills defined by the
States must provide assessments in reading/language arts and mathematics for all students,
including SWDs, in grades 3-8 and once in high school. (Note: PARCC summative assessments include
yearly ELA/Literacy and Mathematics End-of-Year and Performance-Based Assessments in grades 3-
11.)
The accountability system is intended to measure the improvement of schools, districts, and statesin achieving standards for all students and designated subgroups each year.
Schools, districts, and states are held accountable for improvements on an annual basis through
public reporting and ultimately through consequences if accountability goals are not achieved.
Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004
IDEA specifically governs services provided to SWDs. IDEA requires the participation of SWDs in state and
district-wide assessments. Specific IDEA requirements include:
Children with disabilities are included in general state and district-wide assessment programs, with
appropriate accommodations, where necessary [§ 612 (a) (16) (A)]. The term ‘individualized education
program’ or ‘IEP’ means a written statement for each child with a disability that is developed,reviewed,
and revised in accordance with this section and that includes … a statement of any individualmodifications in the administration of state or district-wide assessments of student achievement that
are needed in order for the child to participate in such assessment; and if the IEP team determines that
the child will not participate in a particular state or district-wide assessment of student achievement (or
part of such an assessment), a statement of why that assessment is not appropriate for the child; and
how the child will be assessed [§ 614 (d) (1) (A) (V) and VI)].
In addition, 34 CFR § 300.160(b)(2)(i), (ii) states that:
The States (or in the case of a district-wide assessment, the LEA’s) guidelines must identify only those
accommodations for each assessment that do not invalidate the score; and instruct IEP teams to select,
for each assessment, only those accommodations that do not invalidate the score.
For more information, see http://www.ed.gov/policy/.
Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973
Section 504 prohibits discrimination against individuals with disabilities who seek access to programs and
activities provided by entities that receive financial assistance from the federal government, including
organizations that receive U.S. Department of Education funding. In the public school setting, SWDs
protected by Section 504 have the right to the aids and services required to meet their educational needs to
the same extent as other students. The Act states that:
No otherwise qualified individual with a disability in the United States, as defined in
§ 705(20) of this title, shall, solely by reason of her or his disability, be excluded from participation in, bedenied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any program or activity receiving Federal
financial assistance or under and program or activity conducted by any Executive agency.
In school settings, Section 504 legislation guarantees and protects the rights of SWDs who may not have an
IEP, but are still considered individuals with disabilities. The definition of an SWD is much broader under
Section 504 than it is under the IDEA. Under Section 504, in order for a student to have a qualifying
disability, a student must have a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major
Any physiological disorder or condition, cosmetic disfigurement, or anatomical loss affecting one ormore of the following body systems: neurological; musculoskeletal; special sense organs;
respiratory, including speech organs; cardiovascular; reproductive; digestive; genito-urinary; hemic
or lymphatic; skin; and endocrine; or
Any mental or psychological disorder, such as mental retardation, organic brain syndrome,
emotional or mental illness, and specific learning disabilities. 34 C.F.R. 104.3 (j)(2)(i)
Definition of Major Life Activity
Major life activities include functions such as caring for one’s self, performing manual tasks, walking, seeing,
hearing, speaking, breathing, learning, and working. Additional examples provided in the 1990 ADA
amendment are eating, sleeping, standing, lifting, bending, reading, concentrating, thinking, and
communicating.
Determining Substantial Limitation
The determination of a substantial limitation must be made on a case-by-case basis. No one measure,
formula, or scale should be used; instead, a group of knowledgeable persons should draw upon a variety of
information in making the determination (34 C.F.R. 104.35 (c). An impairment is considered transitory if it
has an actual or expected duration of 6 months or less.
Note that as of 2009, “mitigating measures” (e.g., medication, medical supplies) may not be considered in
the determination of whether a student has a qualifying disability, with the exception of “ordinary glasses or
contact lenses.”
Finally, the law excludes any students engaging in the illegal use of drugs from 504 protections.
For more information on Section 504, see: http://ed.gov/policy/rights/reg/ocr/edlite-34cfr104.html#S3 and
Including All Students with Disabilities in State Accountability Assessments The laws described above require that all SWDs be administered state assessments, either with or without
accommodations, or through an alternate assessment. The results of those assessments are intended to
hold schools accountable for the academic performance of all students. It is important that IEP and 504
teams actively engage in a planning process that includes:
Participation of SWDs in the PARCC assessments at the grade level at which they are enrolled;
Assurance of the provision of accommodations to facilitate student access to grade-level standards
and state assessments; and
Use of alternate assessments based on the content standards, where necessary to assess the
achievement of students with the most significant cognitive disabilities.
Equal Access to Grade-Level Content
The CCSS are educational targets for students to learn at each grade level. Teachers should regularly ensure
that students are working toward grade-level learning standards by using a range of instructional strategies
based on students’ individual needs, strengths, and challenges. Providing accommodations during
instruction and assessments is also likely to promote equal access to grade-level content. To accomplish the
goal of equal access:
Regular collaboration should occur between general and special educators to maximize and ensurethe student’s access to grade-level standards;
Every member of the IEP and 504 team should be familiar with CCSS; and
Every member of the IEP and 504 team should be familiar with the PARCC test administration
procedures and the PARCC Accommodations Manual ;
All SWDs should have access to grade-level academic learning standards. Most of these students will be able
to achieve these standards when the following three conditions are met:
1. Instruction is provided by teachers who are qualified to teach the CCSS and who know how to
differentiate instruction for diverse learners.
2.
IEPs and 504 plans for SWDs are developed to ensure the provision of specialized instruction (e.g.,specific reading skills, strategies for “learning how to learn”).
3. Appropriate accommodations are provided to help students access grade-level content contained in
the CCSS.
The Common Core State Standards can be accessed here: http://www.corestandards.org/
The PARCC Model Content Frameworks can be accessed here: http://www.parcconline.org/parcc-model-
content-frameworks
Step 2: Learn About Accommodations for Students with Disabilities
What are Accommodations?
Accommodations are practices and procedures that change presentation, response, setting, and/or
timing/scheduling of assessments and are intended to provide equitable access during instruction and
assessments for SWDs. A brief description of each category is described below:
Presentation accommodations include allowable changes in the method or format in which the test
or test questions are provided to the student. These may include, for example, the use of braille or
sign interpretation of test items.
Response accommodations include allowable changes in the method used by the student to
provide responses to test questions. These may include dictating responses to a scribe or using a
braille note-taker.
Timing and Scheduling accommodations include extending the duration of time allowed for testing,
allowing a student to take frequent breaks, or to take the test at a certain time of day.
Setting accommodations include changes to the location or conditions in which the test is
administered, including separate location or group size.
Refer to Section 3, PARCC Fact Sheets SWD-1 through SWD-5 for specific examples of accommodations
Accommodations are intended to reduce or even eliminate the effects of a student’s disabilityin allowing
them to demonstrate their knowledge and skills; however, they do not reduce learning expectations. IEP and
504 team members should attempt whenever possible to provide the same accommodations for classroom
instruction, classroom assessments, and PARCC assessments. Some accommodations, however, may beappropriate only for instructional use and not for use on standardized assessments. Please refer to the
accommodations Fact Sheets SWD-1 through SWD-5 for those accommodations that are allowable on
PARCC assessments. There may be consequences (e.g., lowering or not counting a student’s test score) for
the use of some accommodations during PARCC assessments. It is important for educators to become
familiar with the PARCC accommodations policies.
Typically, accommodation use is not limited only to school. Students who use accommodations will generally
also need them at home, in the community, and perhaps as they get older, in postsecondary education and
at work. The use of accommodations for instruction, assessment, and daily life are closely and integrally
linked with one another.
Modifications vs. Accommodations
Using modifications on the PARCC assessments may result in invalid scores for a student. Modifications refer
to changes in the procedures for administering assessments, including alterations to the test itself, that
result in scores that cannot be compared with those of other students because they have fundamentally
reduced learning expectations for the student, rather than allowing the student to meet the same learning
outcomes as other students. Modifications can increase the gap between the achievement of SWDs and
expectations for proficiency at a particular grade level. Using modified, as opposed to accommodated,
instruction and assessments may result in adverse effects on the student throughout his or her educational
career.
Examples of modifications include:
Requiring a student to learn less material (e.g., fewer objectives, shorter units or lessons, fewer
pages or problems) and be assessed on less content matter;
Reducing assignments and assessments so a student only needs to complete a limited number of
problems or items;
Revising assignments or assessments to make them easier (e.g., deleting half of the response
choices on a multiple-choice test so that a student selects from two options instead of four); or
Giving hints, clues, or other coaching that directs the student to correct responses on assignments
and tests.
Providing modifications to students during classroom instruction and/or classroom assessments may have
the unintended consequence of reducing their opportunities to learn critical content. If students have nothad access to the assessed content, they will be at a disadvantage on the test and may be at risk of not
meeting graduation requirements. Providing a student with a modification during a PARCC assessment
may constitute a test irregularity and result in an invalidated score (i.e., the score will not be counted)
and/or an investigation by the state into the school’s or district’s testing practices.
The special education teacher plays an important role in providing information on how to match the learning
characteristics of SWDs to the appropriate instructional and testing accommodations, ensuring that the
student is able to demonstrate his or her knowledge and skills without barriers or restrictions due to his or
her disability. In collaboration with general educators and related service providers, special educatorsrecommend and implement appropriate instructional accommodations that help SWDs achieve the CCSS
and yield relevant information on which accommodations may be needed on assessments.
Related Service Providers
Related service providers, such as speech-language pathologists, school psychologists, physical therapists,
and occupational therapists, serve vital roles in supporting the education of SWDs in school environments.
As members of IEP and 504 teams, related service providers use their unique expertise and perspectives to
provide SWDs and their teachers access to appropriate learning strategies and tools in pursuit of important
learning outcomes.
Parents/Guardians Typically, accommodation use is not limited to school. Students who use accommodations will often need
them at home, in the community, and as they get older, in postsecondary education and at work. For this
reason, parents can be helpful in planning and selecting accommodations for use with the student.
As members of the IEP or 504 Team, parents participate actively in the development, review, approval, and
revision of their child’s IEP or 504 plan. Parents are familiar with the strengths and needs of their child and
can provide valuable information to enhance discussions about the appropriateness of selected instructional
and test accommodations. Parents also have information and perspectives on the strategies their child uses
routinely to complete homework assignments and other tasks around the home. To enable parents to
participate in meaningful discussions, it is important that they have information about the:
Need and rationale for testing accommodations;
Types of available test accommodations and how tests will be administered; and
Purpose of tests, what they measure, and how the results will be used.
Students
Students can provide valuable information to the IEP or 504 Team on their strengths and areas of challenge,
the effectiveness of the accommodations they use, and their degree of comfort in using them. This
information can greatly assist team decision making regarding which accommodations to recommend.
Consistent with the requirements of the federal IDEA law, a student must be invited to the IEP meeting if
transition services are discussed and may be invited to participate in team meetings at a younger age, as
required by individual state policy or law.
Including students in decision making will enhance their self-advocacy, their understanding of the need for
the accommodation, and may result in an increased willingness to use the accommodation consistently.
Students can also signal when they are outgrowing the need for an accommodation.
Documenting Accommodations on a Student’s IEP
For SWDs served under IDEA, determining appropriate instructional and assessment accommodations
should not pose any particular problems for IEP teams that follow good IEP practices. With information
obtained from the required summary of the student’s “present levels of academic achievement and
functional performance,” the decision of identifying and documenting accommodations should be a fairly
straightforward process. The term “present levels of achievement and functional performance” refers to a
federal requirement in which IEP team members must state “how the child’s disability affects the child’s
involvement and progress in the general education curriculum—the same curriculum as nondisabledchildren” [Sec. 614 (d) (1) (A) (i) (I)].
There are potentially three areas in which accommodations can be addressed in the IEP:
1. “Participation in Assessments” [Sec. 612 (a) (16)]. This section of the IEP documents
accommodations needed to facilitate the participation of SWDs in State and district assessments.
2. “Consideration of Special Factors” [Sec. 614 (d) (3) (B)]. This is where communication and assistive
technology supports are considered.
3. “Supplementary Aids and Services” [Sec. 602 (33) and Sec. 614 (d) (1) (A) (i)]. This area of the IEP
includes “aids, services, and other supports that are provided in regular education classes or other
education related settings to enable SWDs to be educated with nondisabled students to the
maximum extent appropriate.
Documenting Accommodations on a Student’s 504 Plan
Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, specifies that no one with a disability can be excluded from
participating in federally-funded programs or activities, including elementary, secondary, or postsecondary
schooling. “Disability” in this context refers to a “physical, sensory, or mental impairment, which
substantially limits one or more major life activities.” This can include physical impairments; illnesses or
injuries; communicable diseases; chronic conditions like asthma, allergies and diabetes; and learning
problems. A 504 plan spells out the modifications and accommodations that will be needed for these
students to have an opportunity to perform at the same level as their peers, and might include such things
as wheelchair ramps, blood sugar monitoring, interpreting/transliteration services, preferential seating, an
extra set of textbooks, a peanut-free lunch environment, home instruction, or a tape recorder or keyboardfor taking notes.
Each student who meets the eligibility guidelines for accommodations under Section 504 will have a Section
504 plan developed for him/her to use in school. The plan specifies the nature of the impairment, the major
life activity affected by the impairment, accommodations necessary to meet the student’s needs, and the
person(s) responsible for implementing the accommodations. It is recommended that accommodations be
listed separately in the 504 plan for instruction and for assessments, since they may differ or be allowed for
one and not the other.
Involving Students in Selecting, Using, and Evaluating Accommodations
It is critical for SWDs to understand their disabilities and learn self-advocacy strategies for success in schooland throughout life. Some students have had limited experience expressing personal preferences and
advocating for themselves. Speaking out about preferences, particularly in the presence of “authority
figures,” may be new and challenging for some students, one in which they may need guidance and
feedback. Teachers and other team members can play a key role in working with students to advocate for
themselves in the context of selecting, using, and evaluating accommodations. The more students are
involved in the accommodation selection process, the more likely the accommodations will be used,
especially as students reach adolescence and the desire to be more independent increases. Students need
Decision-Making Process Factor #2: Individual Test Characteristics: Questions to GuideAccommodations Selection
After considering student characteristics, it is important to look at the task(s) students are being asked to do
on the various State and district assessments. Below are more questions to ask:
What are the characteristics of the test my student needs to take? Are the test tasks similar to
classroom assessment tasks or does the student have the opportunity to practice similar tasks prior
to testing?
Does the student use an accommodation for a classroom task that is allowed for similar tasks on the
PARCC tests?
Are there other barriers that could be removed by using an accommodation that is not already
offered or used by the student?
Decision-Making Process Factor #3: PARCC Accommodations Policies: Maintaining Validity of
Assessments
When selecting accommodations for a student on PARCC assessments, it is important to keep in mind both
the accommodation policies needed to maintain the validity of an assessment and the consequences of the
decisions made about accommodations. If the IEP team determines that a student should use a certain
accommodation during an assessment, but the student refuses to use the accommodation, the validity of
the assessment may be compromised.
The school-based team may want to discuss whether and how their decisions about accommodations for
assessments will affect postsecondary education, training, and/or employment. IEP and 504 teams shouldconsider the long-term consequences related to a student’s use of accommodations. For example,as SWDs
begin to make postsecondary choices, the availability (or lack of availability) of certain accommodations
outside the K-12 school environment may factor into the accommodations decisions made for the student
during high school. As the student transitions to adult life, the accommodations available for education
training and employment will be those permitted under the Federal Rehabilitation Act and Americans with
Selecting accommodations for instruction and assessment is the responsibility solely of a student’s IEP or
504 team. Teams should use the questions below to guide the selection of appropriate accommodations for
SWDs:
What are the student’s learning strengths and areas requiring further improvement?
How do the student’s learning needs affect the achievement of grade level CCSS?
What specialized instruction (e.g., learning strategies, organizational skills, reading skills) does the
student need to achieve grade-level CCSS?
What accommodations will increase the student’s access to instruction and assessment by
addressing the student’s learning needs and reducing the effect of the student’s disability?
What accommodations are regularly used by the student during instruction and assessments?
Does the student need a new accommodation; does an existing accommodation need to be
implemented differently?
What are the results for assignments and assessments when accommodations were used and were
not used? What is the student’s perception of how well an accommodation “worked”?
Are there effective combinations of accommodations?
What difficulties did the student experience when using accommodations?
What are the perceptions of parents, teachers, and specialists about how the accommodation
worked?
Should the student continue to use an accommodation, are changes needed, or should the use of
the accommodation be discontinued?
Of the accommodations that match the student’s needs, consider:
Whether the accommodation is respectful of a student’s age and grade (e.g., older students mayprefer to receive a verbatim reading accommodation via technology as opposed to a human
reader);
Student’s willingness to learn to use the accommodation;
Explicit instruction in how to use the accommodation in classroom and testing settings; and
Conditions for use of the accommodation on PARCC assessments.
Plan how and when the student will learn to use each new accommodation. Be certain there is ample time
to learn to use instructional and assessment accommodations before an assessment takes place. Finally,
plan for the ongoing evaluation and improvement of the student’s use of identified accommodations.
Step 4: Administer Accommodations during Assessment
Accommodations during Instruction
An accommodation should not be used only on assessments, but should be in routine use during instruction
both before and after testing. IEP and 504 teams should also ensure that SWDs have ample opportunities to
become familiar with the technological aspects of the assessment process, and administer all practice tests
using the PARCC computer-delivered testing platform. Increasingly, educators need to provide opportunities
Planning and Administering Accommodations during PARCC Assessments
Planning for Test Day
Once decisions have been made about providing accommodations to meet individual student needs, thelogistics of providing the actual accommodations during PARCC assessments must be coordinated well
ahead of the test administration. It is important to engage the appropriate personnel to plan the logistics
and provision of assessment accommodations on test day. Students, the accommodations they require, test
locations, and staff responsible for administering tests with accommodations should be compiled and listed
on a spreadsheet, chart, or table. It is not uncommon for special educators, to be given the responsibility for
arranging, coordinating, and providing assessment accommodations for SWDs in a school and to assist
general educators to understand how to properly provide particular accommodations. It is essential for
team members to know and understand the requirements for providing accommodations on PARCC
assessments; for example, staff administering accommodations, such as reading aloud the test or scribing
responses, must adhere to specific guidelines so that student scores are valid. Test administrators should
also anticipate whether a student will be allowed extra time to complete the test once the official testing
time is ended and where the student will continue to work.
For the computer-delivered PARCC assessments, members of the IEP or 504 team will need to program a
student’s PNP ahead of time to “turn on” all necessary accessibility supports and accommodations.
Providing such accommodations through the testing platform can guarantee that the provision of
accommodations is standardized from one student to the next and that errors in providing accommodations
on test day are minimized. Finally, it is important to monitor the provision of accommodations on test day to
ensure that accommodations are delivered as required and that the technology is operating appropriately.
Individuals Eligible to Provide Accommodations (“Accommodators”)
Refer to your state policy for guidance as to which individuals may provide accommodations to students
during testing.
Accommodations Monitoring
PARCC states differ as to how accommodations data collection and monitoring occurs. In some PARCC
states, representatives may visit schools to monitor testing procedures and observe the use of
accommodations to ensure they are implemented appropriately. In other states, reports of test
administration and accommodations discrepancies result in internal investigations. In still other states,
districts require their own trained staff to observe and report on accommodations provided during
instruction and assessment.
Step 5: Evaluate and Improve Accommodations Use
Collecting and analyzing data on the use and effectiveness of accommodations are necessary to ensure the
meaningful participation of SWDs in State and district assessments. Data on the use and impact of
accommodations during assessments may also reveal questionable patterns of accommodation use, as well
as support the continued use of some accommodations or rethinking others. Examination of the data may
also indicate areas in which the IEP and 504 teams and/or test administrators need additional training and
Observations conducted during test administration, interviews with test administrators, and talking with
students after testing is likely to yield data that can be used to guide the formative evaluation process at the
school or district level and at the student level. Information on the use of accommodations is collected
through coding on the test answer documents along with other demographic information. Accommodation
information can be analyzed in different ways. The following questions should guide data analysis at theschool, district, and student level.
Questions to Guide Evaluation of Accommodation Use at the School and District Level
1. Are there policies to ensure ethical testing practices, the standardized administration of
assessments, and that test security practices are followed before, during, and after the day of the
test?
2. Are there procedures in place to ensure test administration procedures are not compromised with
the provision of accommodations?
3. Are students receiving accommodations as documented in their IEP and 504 Plans?
4. Are there procedures in place to ensure that test administrators adhere to directions for the
implementation of accommodations?
5. How many students with IEPs or 504 plans are receiving accommodations?
6. What types of accommodations are provided and are some used more than others?
7. How well do students who receive accommodations perform on State and district assessments? If
students are not meeting the expected level of performance, is it due to the students not receiving
access to the necessary instruction, not receiving the accommodation, or using accommodations
that were not effective?
Questions to Guide Evaluation at the Student Level
1. What accommodations are used by the student during instruction and assessments?
2. What are the results of classroom assignments and assessments when accommodations are used
versus when accommodations are not used?
a. If a student did not meet the expected level of performance, is it due to not having access tothe necessary instruction, not receiving the accommodations, or using accommodations that
were ineffective?
3. What is the student’s perception of how well the accommodation worked?
4. What combinations of accommodations seem to be effective?
5. What are the difficulties encountered in the use of accommodations?
6. What are the perceptions of teachers, parents, and others about how the accommodation appears
to be working?
These questions can guide an ongoing (formative) evaluation process on the accommodations used by
individual students, as well as at the school and district levels. Student-level questions are typically
addressed by the IEP team, while school and district level questions can be addressed by a committeeresponsible for continuous improvement efforts. It is critical that, to the extent possible, all individuals
involved in accommodations delivery be involved in gathering information and making subsequent
Accommodations and Accessibility Features for Students with Disabilities Taking Computer-
Delivered Assessments
While the Universal Design of PARCC assessments, including the embedded features and accessibility
supports, are expected to increase access for most students, many SWDs may need additional
accommodations when taking the PARCC assessments. IEP or 504 team members are responsible for makingdecisions about which accommodations the student will need, as well as which accessibility features must
be selected for a student’s PNP. All students will have a PNP that specifically indicates all of the accessibility
features and/or accommodations are required by a student during PARCC assessments. Please refer to
Section 2 for a description of embedded supports and accessibility features available on computer-
delivered PARCC assessments.
Presentation Accommodations
What are Presentation Accommodations?
Presentation accommodations alter the method or test format used to administer a PARCC assessment to a
student, including auditory, tactile, visual, and/or a combination of these, rather than having the studenttake the test in the same format as other students.
Who Can Benefit from Presentation Accommodations?
Students who benefit most from presentation accommodations are those with disabilities that affect
reading standard print, typically as a result of a physical, sensory, cognitive, or specific learning disability.
Accommodations Codes
Each accommodation will be assigned a code for use in data gathering and analysis. Further guidance will be
included in subsequent editions of the Manual.
Fact Sheet SWD-1 provides a list of presentation accommodations for SWDs on the PARCC End-of-Year,
Performance-Based Assessments, and Mid-Year Assessments that describe changes in the assessment
format and method in which the assessment is administered.
Fact Sheet SWD-1: Presentation Accommodations for Students with Disabilities
Accommodation Administration Guidelines
Assistive Technology Guidelines will be provided in fall 2013.
Braille Edition of ELA/Literacy and Mathematics
Assessments (Hard-copy, (ELA/Literacy and
Mathematics) and Refreshable (ELA/Literacy
only )
For students with visual impairments, a contracted
braille8 form will be provided.
Closed-Captioning of Video For students who are deaf or hard-of-hearing,
multimedia on the ELA/Literacy assessments will have
an option for captioned text to be turned on.
Descriptive Video For students who are blind or visually impaired,
multimedia (i.e., video) on the ELA/Literacy
assessments will include narrated audio description
of key visual elements.
8The use of uncontracted braille is under discussion among PARCC states.
Fact Sheet SWD-4: Setting Accommodations for Students with Disabilities
Accommodation Administration Guidelines
Adaptive or SpecializedFurniture Student uses specified desk, table, chair, or other adaptive furniturewhile testing.
Separate or Alternate
Location
The test is administered in a location other than the one used by the
rest of the class or in a specified location within or outside the test
setting.
Small Group The test is administered in a small group setting (guidance determined
by state policy). Note: If students will also receive the accommodation of
having the test read aloud or translated into sign language, a smaller
group is recommended. If this accommodation will be administered in a
location other than the one used by the rest of the class, the student’s
IEP or 504 plan must also include “separate or alternative setting.”
Special Lighting The test is administered in a location with specified lighting conditions.
Specified Area or
Preferential Seating
The test is administered with the student seated at the front or in
another specified area of the room, in a study carrel, or in another
enclosed area (IEP or 504 plan must specify the location and any
specialized equipment, as needed).
Special Access Accommodations for Students with Disabilities9
Please be aware that the selection process for the following “special access accommodations” differs from
the process used to select accommodations listed on Fact Sheet SWD-1 through Fact Sheet SWD-4. Fact
Sheet SWD-5 provides guidance on additional “special access” accommodations that expand access to the
test for a small number of SWDs in the areas of reading, writing, and calculating who require additional
supports and who meet certain criteria and who will participate in the PARCC End-of-Year, Performance-
Based Assessments, and Mid-Year Assessments. The accommodations listed below neither change theconstruct measured by the test, nor the claims of PARCC tests (for example, that a student can “read and
comprehend a variety of texts independently”) when they are used only by the very small number of
students who are unable to access the tests and/or provide responses without their use, and who use these
accommodations routinely during instruction.
Use of any of the accommodations listed below during instruction (for example, a calculator) does not
necessarily assure their appropriateness for use on the PARCC tests. IEP/504 teams must carefully review
the criteria described below for each of the following accommodations and consider whether the student
meets all of the criteria. Documentation of the student’s inability to perform the skill in question must be
kept on file at the school or district in the form of evaluation summaries from locally administered diagnostic
assessments, which may be requested subsequently by the State.
If an accommodation listed on Fact Sheet SWD-5 is given to a student who meets all criteria, the results will
be included with the scores of other students who have taken the assessment. A notation will be provided
that a Special Access Accommodation was given on all confidential score reports for the student. If a Special
Access Accommodation is given to a student who does not meet the criteria, the results will not be counted
as a valid score.
9Administrative guidelines for the special access accommodations will be released in summer 2013.
Accommodation Administration Guidelines Proposed Decision-Making Guidance for IEP
or 504 Teams
Based Assessment entering part of a word. A physical disability that severely limits
or prevents the student from writing or
keyboarding responses;OR
A disability that severely limits or
prevents the student from recalling,
processing, and expressing written
language, even after varied and repeated
attempts to teach the student to do so.
Before listing the accommodation in the
student’s IEP/504 plan, teams are instructed
to consider whether:
The student receives ongoing, intensiveinstruction, and/or research- or
evidence-based intervention in language
processing and/or recall, as deemed
appropriate by the IEP/504 plan team;
AND
The student has access to written
expression during routine instruction
through the use of word prediction
software, except when the student is
receiving direct writing instruction.
AND
The student’s inability to express in
writing is documented in evaluation
summaries from locally administered
diagnostic assessments.
Unique Accommodations10
PARCC has developed a comprehensive list of accommodations, supports, and accessibility features that are
designed to increase access for all students to PARCC assessments and that result in valid, comparable
assessment scores. However, students may require additional accommodations that are not found on Fact
Sheets SWD 1-5, or a student who does not have an IEP or 504 plan may require an accommodation as a
result of a recently-occurring accident or illness. PARCC states will review requests for unique
accommodations in their respective states on an individual basis and will provide approval after determiningwhether the accommodation would result in a valid score for the student. Unique accommodations require
written approval from each state’s office of student assessment upon completion and receipt of a Unique
Accommodation Request Form. The unique accommodation must be submitted to the state by the principal
(or designee) in sufficient time to ensure that a state response is received prior to the start of testing, as
determined by individual state policy.
10A sample unique accommodation request form will be released in summer 2013.
schema, adding that ELs should be eligible for other assessments “until such students have achieved English
language proficiency” (U.S. Congress, 1994, Sec. 1111 ([b][3][C][ix][III]).
NCLB stipulates that every child be assessed in grades 3-8 and once in high school. (Note: For the PARCC
assessment system, there will be yearly end-of-year/end-of-course assessments for grades 3-11). Thisincludes all ELs, even those who have recently enrolled in a U.S. school (i.e., within the last 12 months). The
results of these assessments are used for “determining the yearly performance of the State and of each local
educational agency and school in the State.” Thus, states must include ELs in their large-scale assessments of
academic achievement in reading/language arts, mathematics, and science. Title I of NCLB specifically
declares that states must:
Include all students in their State assessment system (§1111(b)(3)(C)(v)(II)(ix)(I)),
Beginning immediately when the student enrolls in school (§1111(b)(3)(C)(x)),
using tests in the students’ home languages if possible (§1111(b)(6) & §1111(b)(3)(C)(ix)), and
Provide “reasonable accommodations on assessments administered to students with limited English
proficiency, including, to the extent practicable, assessments in the language and form most likelyto yield accurate data on what students know and can do in academic content areas” (emphasis
added, §1111(b)(3)(C)(ix)(III)).
Civil Rights Legislation and Court Cases Ensuring Equal Access for ELs
Lau v. Nichols (1974). The Office of Civil Rights established a policy for the provision of equal educational
opportunities for ELs. This policy was described in a memorandum in 1970:
Where the inability to speak and understand the English language excludes national origin minority
group children from effective participation in the educational program offered by a school district, the
district must take affirmative steps to rectify the language deficiency in order to open its instructional
program to these students.
This memorandum does not tell districts what steps they must take to ensure the equal opportunities for
ELs. However, it does state that the law is violated if:
Students are excluded from effective participation in school because of their inability to speak and
understand the language of instruction;
National origin minority students are inappropriately assigned to special education classes because
of their lack of English skills;
Programs for students whose English is less than proficient are not designed to teach them English
as soon as possible, or if these programs operate as a dead end track; or
Parents whose English is limited do not receive school notices or other information in a language
they can understand.
This OCR policy was tested in the Supreme Court Case, Lau v. Nichols. In 1974, the Supreme Court upheld
this policy, supporting the premise that if students cannot understand the language of instruction, they do
not have access to an equal opportunity education. The Supreme Court said the following:
There is no equality of treatment merely by providing students with the same facilities, textbooks,
teachers, and curriculum; for students who do not understand English are effectively foreclosed from
any meaningful education.
All students in the United States, regardless of native/home language, have the right to a quality education.An equal education is only possible when students are able to understand the language of instruction.
The Lau remedies, later withdrawn after the Equal Education Opportunity Act (EEOA) was passed in 1974,
became the basis for much of current EL law. In addition to requiring separate classes to be created for
students less than proficient in the English language, communication between students’ parents and the
school was to be required to be conducted in a language understood by the parents.
Castañeda v. Pickard (1981). On June 23, 1981, the Fifth Circuit Court issued a decision that is the seminal
post-Lau decision concerning education of language minority students. The case established a three-part
test to evaluate the adequacy of a district’s program for EL students:
1. Is the program based on an educational theory recognized as sound by some experts in the field or
is considered by experts as a legitimate experimental strategy?
2. Are the programs and practices, including resources and personnel, reasonably calculated to
implement this theory effectively?
3. Does the school district evaluate its programs and make adjustments where needed to ensure
language barriers are actually being overcome?
Including ELs in State Accountability Assessments
Federal law requires that all students be administered assessments intended to hold schools accountable for
the academic performance of all students. ELs in PARCC states are required to take PARCC End-of-Year and
Performance-Based Assessments in English language arts and mathematics assessments. ELs whose parents
have waived services are still required to participate in state assessments and are eligible to receive ELaccommodations allowed on PARCC assessments.
Recently-Arrived EL Students
Federal 2007 non-regulatory guidance on the Assessment and Accountability of Recently Arrived and
Former Limited English Proficient (LEP) Students clarifies the definition of a recently-arrived EL:
The regulations define a recently arrived LEP student as a LEP student who has attended schools in the
United States for less than 12 months … During the period within which an LEP student may be a recent
arrival to the United States (during his/her first 12 months attending schools in the U.S.) a State may
exempt such a student from one administration of the State’s reading/language arts assessment. (p.4)
PARCC member states currently implement the policy on first-year ELs with minor variations. Most, but not
all, PARCC states allow ELs in their first year in a U.S. school to be exemptedone time from taking the PARCC
ELA/Literacy (reading and/or writing) assessments. Recently arrived ELs are required to participate in
Mathematics assessments, but states may exclude their results from accountability determinations for their
first year in a U.S. school. Therefore, districts should make a reasonable effort to determine the extent of
enrollment of an EL student in a U.S. school (both inside and outside of their state) and whether the student
Step 2: Learn About Different Supports Available to All Students and to ELs on
PARCC Assessments
What are Accommodations for ELs?
Accommodations are practices and procedures that provide equitable access during instruction and
assessments for ELs and provide a valid means for ELs to show what they know and can do.
Accommodations are intended to provide support to students with developing English language proficiency
in the classroom and on state assessments in terms of their access to instructional or test content,
interactions with content, and response to content. Once an EL becomes English proficient, the
accommodation may no longer be necessary.
Effective accommodations for ELs should meet three conditions:
Reduce the linguistic load necessary to access the content of the curriculum or assessment;
Do not alter what is measured by the test (i.e., the construct), or the test itself. As a result,
accommodated scores of students receiving accommodations should be included and reportedtogether with scores of students not receiving accommodations; and
Address the unique linguistic and socio-cultural needs of an EL student by reducing the effects of
English language skills on the student’s overall performance on the assessment (i.e., “construct
irrelevant variance”) (Acosta, Rivera, & Shafer Willner, 2008, p. 38).
Accommodations provide ELs either with (a) direct linguistic support by adjusting the language in which the
instruction or assessment is delivered; or (b) indirect linguistic support by adjusting Instructional or
assessment conditions. As ELs become more proficient in English, their need for accommodations will
decrease. The use of accommodations ensures that developing English language proficiency does not
prevent ELs from demonstrating their knowledge of the content and should not reduce learning
expectations or access to complex academic language associated with any content area.
Accommodations should be used in both specialized language instruction but also during content area
instruction in reading, writing, mathematics, science, etc., to ensure that ELs have the tools and support
necessary to access grade-level content area instruction. The accommodations provided to a student for
classroom instruction and local assessments should be generally consistent with accommodations provided
on PARCC and other state assessments, to the extent that the accommodation is permitted on those tests.
Eligibility for EL Accommodations
Students currently classified as EL (using their respective state education agency’s criteria for classifying ELs)
are eligible to receive accommodations designated for ELs on PARCC assessments. Accommodations used
for classroom instruction and assessments may include a full range of supports and strategies that promotean individual EL student’s progress and achievement. The PARCC Accommodations Manual describes those
accommodations and supports that are permitted for use by EL students on the PARCC End-of-Year and
Performance-Based Assessments in ELA/Literacy and Mathematics assessments.
Reminders:
ELs with IEPs are eligible to receive both EL accommodations and accommodations determined for
SWD by their IEP/504 team found in Section 1 of this manual. Each accommodation decision must
be made based on the needs of the individual student.
Students for whom a district elects to provide EL support, but who are not officially classified as EL,
are not eligible for EL accommodations or exemptions for any statewide assessments.
Students not receiving language support program services due to parent/guardian refusal, but whoare classified as EL, are considered eligible for PARCC testing accommodations.
Modifications
Modifications involve changes in the conditions under which a student takes an assessment that result in
unacceptable changes to the test itself, or what the test measures, and are therefore not permitted on
PARCC assessments. For example, simplifying the language on the PARCC assessments for an EL, or
reordering the test questions, are modifications that may not be used for any student on the PARCC tests. A
modification fundamentally changes the test score interpretation and comparability because such a
modification changes the fundamental nature of the construct being measured. As a result, a student
receiving a modification will not be counted as a participant in the assessment for the purposes of
accountability, and the assessment will not be considered valid.
Other examples of modifications during PARCC testing include:
Clarifying or paraphrasing test items;
Answering questions about test items or coaching students during the test;
Defining words or paraphrasing the test for the student;
Using dictionaries that provide definitions (i.e., rather than a word-to-word dual-language
dictionary); and
Allowing the student to complete the assessment in a language other than English.
General Test Administration Procedures for ELs
Test administration practices may be adjusted at the discretion of the school administrator that result in
appropriate and common-sense test administration procedures for students. On the day of the assessment,
for example, administrators may need to adjust the scheduling or setting in which the assessment is given,
based on the needs of a particular student or group of students in the school (which may include EL
students); or the scheduling needs of the school; or allocating school resources effectively in order to
administer specific accommodations. Altering general test administration practices are not considered
accommodations and should not affect the construct being tested.
Because general test administration practices are not specific to ELs’ linguistic needs, they are not
considered accommodations, and may include any of the following:
Providing distraction-free space or alternate, supervised location for a student who may disruptother students (flexible setting);
Designating a different location for a small group of students; and
Using a familiar test administrator to administer the test to a group of students.
Step 3: Select Assessment Accommodations for English Learners
Effective decision making by a student’s educators (or team of educators, if appropriate) regarding the
provision of appropriate test accommodations for an EL student begins well before the day of the
assessment. Once eligibility for accommodations has been established, as noted in Step 2, the selection of
accommodations should be based on the guidance in this section. Determining appropriate linguistic
support for ELs during routine classroom instruction and assessment is facilitated by gathering andreviewing information about the student and the student’s level of performance in relation to district and
state academic standards. The process of determining the amount and types of instructional and assessment
support involves attempts by members of the educational team to “level the playing field” for the student so
that he or she can participate in the general education curriculum and assessments, as follows.
School-Based Educators
Decisions about testing accommodations for ELs should be made by more than one individual in a
school/district. A group of individuals familiar with the student (e.g., in some states, an EL team) could be
convened to identify the appropriate accommodations for each EL student. The educators working with the
student are also responsible for documenting accommodations made available to the student.
Individuals involved in the decision-making process may include:
ESL/bilingual teachers;
General educators who work with the student (content area teachers);
School/district ESL/bilingual coordinator;
School/district test coordinators;
School administrators;
Guidance counselor;
Students (especially at middle and high school levels); and
Parents.
The group should:
Discuss which accommodations might assist a student during daily instruction in the classroom;
Determine which accommodations to “try out” with the student during instruction in each content
area;
Document and evaluate the effectiveness of the accommodations used over time;
Make adjustments to the use of accommodations for the future; and
Determine which of the accommodations used effectively in the classroom should be used on
PARCC tests, provided they are allowed on the tests.
This selection process is described in detail below.
Steps for Selecting Accommodations for ELs
Educators responsible for selecting accommodations for ELs can use the guidance found in this section to
assign accommodations to ELs. The group of educators should also review and select accessibility features
available to the EL student on the computer-delivered PARCC assessments. To be effective, accommodations
must address the unique needs of the students for whom they are provided and should assist the student in
overcoming the linguistic barriers that prevent him or her from learning in the classroom and accessing the
Students who have just arrived in the United States need to gain familiarity with U.S. testing
practices and expectations.
Anxiety can increase the student’s “affective filter” and adversely impact test performance.
Older students may refuse an accommodation because they do not want to draw attention to being
singled out for special attention in front of classmates.
The following are considered effective approaches for selecting accommodations based on the background
factors listed above:
Include the student in the process of assigning accommodations to ensure that the student
understands the accommodation and its use. (See Tool EL-2 Accommodations from the Student’s
Perspective.)
Provide test preparation activities prior to the assessment if the student is unfamiliar with
standardized or computer-based testing.
Provide opportunities for use of the accommodations prior to the assessment.
When appropriate, administer tests in alternate settings with specialized personnel, and/or in smallgroups. Such test administration adjustments may be helpful in increasing the student’s level of
comfort, facilitating test administration and ensuring more accurate test results.
Step 4: Document, Review, and Evaluate Accommodations Decisions
PARCC states recommend that documentation of the assigned accommodation(s) for individual students is
included in each student’s school folder. Educators may wish to use one of the following to identify specific
accommodations to be provided during PARCC testing:
EL plan excerpt;
Individual EL Accommodation Form (information forthcoming); and School or district-designed EL accommodation form.
Keep a school summary of EL accommodations on file at school for use by test administrators. You may
wish to use one of the following:
School EL Assessment Accommodations Plan; and
School- or district-designed summary spreadsheet.
Be sure to complete all required documentation on the student profile.
Complete the required information indicating the accommodations actually used by the student onthe test.
Educators may wish to document accommodations decisions for each student on Accommodations
Documentation Forms, which are placed in the student’s folder.
Remember:
Giving more accommodations is not always an effective approach; in fact, too much of the wrong
type of support can actually hinder student performance. Assign accommodations that fit student’s
individual needs and then double check their use during classroom instruction and assessment to
ensure they make sense.
ELs are not a homogeneous group, and no single set of accommodations will fit all ELs. Test
accommodations and test administration practices must be customized to the different needs,backgrounds, and English language proficiency levels of these students.
Accommodations should facilitate the process of an EL demonstrating what he or she knows.
Accommodations should not provide the student with an unfair advantage or interfere with the
validity of the test by changing what the test measures.
Accommodations for the PARCC assessments must be generally consistent with the
accommodations used by the student during classroom instruction and assessments.
The preceding guidelines support good decision-making practices and are likely to result in the selection of
accommodations that provide equitable access during instruction and assessments for ELs.
English Learners Who Have a Disability
The Individualized Education Program (IEP) or 504 plan team should collaborate with school EL professionals
to determine the English language development needs of an EL with an identified disability. For example, an
EL with a learning disability that affects his/her language acquisition may need support from both EL and
special education staff.
The EL and the IEP or 504 team should meet to:
Determine the appropriate accommodations that address the student’s linguistic needs and
disability;
Discuss the effective implementation of the accommodations; and
Determine the effectiveness of such accommodations.
Making decisions in isolation can result in an inappropriate accommodations plan and/or inconsistent use of
accommodations for the student. Section 1 describes the process for considering accommodations for SWD.
An EL who also has either an IEP or 504 plan must also receive specific accommodations listed in the plan
based on accommodations allowed for SWD on PARCC tests, as described in Section 1.
Unique Accommodations
PARCC has developed a comprehensive list of accommodations, supports, and accessibility features that are
designed to increase access for all students to PARCC assessments and that result in valid, comparable
assessment scores. However, students may require additional accommodations that are not found in Fact
Sheet EL-2. PARCC states will review requests for unique accommodations in their respective states on anindividual basis and will provide approval after determining whether the accommodation would result in a
valid score for the student. Unique accommodations require written approval from each state’s office of
student assessment upon completion and receipt of a Unique Accommodation Request Form. The unique
accommodation must be submitted to the state by the principal (or designee) in sufficient time to ensure
that a state response is received prior to the start of testing, as determined by individual state policy.
Step 5: Administer Accommodations to English Learners
Planning for Test Day
Once decisions have been made about providing accommodations to individual EL student, the logistics of
providing the actual accommodations during state and district assessments should be coordinated,identifying eligible students, and where and with whom they will take each assessment. It is important to
identify the appropriate personnel ahead of time who will administer the tests and provide the
accommodations on test day, and ensure that they understand the test administration procedures and
requirements for providing accommodations. Test administrators should know which students will be given
extended time to complete the test and where students will be sent to complete the tests after the
conventional testing time. Staff administering accommodations, such as reading to a student or scribing
student responses, must follow specific guidelines so that student scores will be valid. All test administrators
must become familiar with the PARCC Test Administration Manual and with general test administration
guidelines and procedures outlined in Section 1 of this manual.
Step 6: Evaluate and Improve Accommodation Use
Collecting and analyzing data on the use and effectiveness of accommodations is necessary to ensure the
meaningful participation of ELs in state and district-wide assessments. Data on the use and impact of
accommodations during assessments may indicate support for the continued use of some accommodations
or the rethinking of others. Systematic collection and review of data may also reveal questionable patterns
of accommodation use and may indicate areas in which the educators selecting EL accommodations and test
administrators need additional training and support.
In addition to collecting information about the use of accommodations within the classroom, information
should be gathered on the implementation of accommodations during assessment. Observations conducted
during test administration, interviews with test administrators, and talking with students after testing
sessions will likely yield information that can be used to guide the formative evaluation process at the schoolor district level and at the student level.
Gathering information on accommodations may be easier for a technology-based assessment
platform when the accommodations are “programmed” into the system. However,educators selecting EL
accommodations, schools, and districts should decide in advance what questions should be answered
through the collection of accommodations data in order to apply resources efficiently.
Here are some questions to guide data analysis at the school and district level and the student level.
Questions to Guide Evaluation of Accommodation Use at the School or District Level
1. Do school and district policies ensure ethical testing practices, standardized administration of
assessments, and adhering to test security practices before, during, and after the day of the test?
2. Are there procedures in place to ensure that test administrators adhere to directions for the
implementation of accommodations and that administration procedures are not compromised
during the provision of accommodations?
3. Are ELs receiving the accommodations selected by their group of educators responsible for selecting
Fact Sheet EL-2. Allowable Accommodations for ELs on PARCC Assessments14
Fact Sheet EL-2 provides a list of EL accommodations allowed on PARCC assessments, cross-referenced with(a) ELP level of the student, (b) literacy development in English and/or the native language, and (c) other
considerations that may impact effective use of the accommodation.
The fact sheet below lists the accommodations available to EL students which, along with the accessibility
features described in Section 2, should be considered by the student’s group of educators responsible for
selecting EL accommodations using the five-step process for selecting accommodations for ELs.
Accommoda-
tions Content Area
Most likely to benefit
ELs at this ELP Level
(Refer to Table EL-1)Administration Directions/Requirements
Beginning Inter-
mediate
dvanced
English/
Native
Language
Word-to-
Word
Dictionary
ELA/Literacyand
Mathematics
• •
Limitations:
Only dictionaries that include word-to-
word translations are allowed.
Dictionaries that include definitions or
pictures are not allowed.
Dictionary should not be used for the first
time during testing.
Administrative Considerations:
Designated personnel in the school system
must check the dictionary or electronic
translator (not embedded into platform)
prior to testing to make sure that the
dictionary or electronic translator does not
contain student or teacher writing or
14The policy regarding the translation of PARCC assessments into languages other than English is still being discussed among
PARCC states. Conflicting laws, regulations, and/or policies exist among PARCC states as to whether they will allow, require, or
prohibit translations of state assessments. PARCC’s policy concerning translations will be included in the first edition of the
Manual in summer 2013.
KEY for Fact Sheet EL-2 below:
Highly recommended for use by ELs at this English language proficiency level
Recommended for use by ELs at this English language proficiency level May not be appropriate for students at this ELP level