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Alternate Assessments DTCs

Alternate Assessments

The Alternate Assessment District Test Coordinator is responsible for the MSAA Alternate Assessments.

The State’s Alternate Assessments (MSAA Science and MSAA ELA and Mathematics) were designed for students with significant cognitive disabilities in Grades 3-8 and high school. Students must meet the eligibility requirements as determined by the student’s IEP team in order to participate in the State’s Alternate Assessments.

    The MSAA Spring 2022 Testing Window March 14 – April 29, 2022

    MSAA ELA & Mathematics - Grades 3-8 and 11

    MSAA Science - Grades 5, 8 and 11

 Test Coordinator Handbook SY2021-2022

UPDATES

REMINDER-MSAA Test Administration 2022  Submitting Incident Report Instruction 2022 (March 14  MSAA Test Administration 2022 (Feb 15)  Student Selector App Opens (Sept 29)  Important Updates Alt Assessments (Sept 20) AIMS A Sc Reporting Portal and Updates (Sept 20) 1% Cap (Threshold) Action Plan Template 2019(Jan-19)  1% Cap Action Plan Notification Delay (Jan-2019) Alternate Assessment Updates-Director's Institute 2019

Online Training

  • MSAA training modules for both TCs and TAs (2022)

Please contact us at (602) 542-8239 or at [email protected] if you have any questions.

2022-2023 Test Security Agreements

  • 2022-2023 Assessment Test Coordinator and Security Agreement
  • 2021-2022 Alternate Assessment Test Security Agreement for Test Administrator - Do not return to ADE. keep the signed form(s) at district office for 6 years.

Manuals 2021-2022

  • Test Administration Manual (TAM) 2022 

Observation/Eligibility Forms MSAA - 2022-2023

  • Alternate Assessment Eligibility Form-2022-2023
  • MSAA Observation Form-Spring 2022
  • Google form to document MSAA Observation Responses- AZ 2022

 

MSAA Reports:

The MSAA reporting portal for ELA and Mathematics will be open from July 18 - September 9, 2022 and for Science from October 17 - 28, 2022. Because the MSAA Science test is a new assessment, we will be conducting a standard setting to set cut scores and the Arizona State Board of Education must approve the cut scores before we can generate the reports. This is causing the delay with the Science reporting window this year. More information on downloading reports and receiving  hard copies of the student reports will be sent to the test coordinator prior to July 18, 2022.

  • MSAA 2022 Student Results Layout 
  • MSAA 2021 Guide for Score Report Interpretation 
  • The MSAA Parent Overview Guides (English and Spanish versions) are located on the tab labeled Parents and Students

 

Performance Level Descriptors - MSAA (ELA and Mathematics)

  • 2017 Performance Level Descriptors (PLDs) ELA
  • 2017 Performance Level Descriptors (PLDs) ELA--SPANISH
  • 2017 Performance Level Descriptors (PLDs) Mathematics
  • 2017 Performance Level Descriptors (PLDs) Mathematics--SPANISH

PRESENTATIONS

  • What About Those Dual Labeled Students -- OELAS Conference 2019
  • Academic Instruction Students with Cognitive Disabilities --Teachers Institute 2019
  • Instructional Supports and Resources-PowerPoint --Click for Recorded Webinar

 

Presentations - 2019 Webinars

  • 1% Threshold Action Plans -- 11/18/2019 Webinar
  • Arizona’s Learner Characteristics Inventory - 11/12/2019 Webinar
  • Alt Assessment Test Coordinator Role & Responsibilities -- 11/08/2019 Webinar
  • Eligibility Determination for Alternate Assessment -- 10/31/2019 Webinar

Please contact us at (602) 542-8239 or at [email protected] if you have any questions.

The MSAA Practice Site was developed as a way to become familiar with the MSAA sample items and Assessment experience.

 

The MSAA Practice Site does not require a user name or password.

IEP Teams must remember to address assessment eligibility and accommodations for the alternate assessments, MSAA Math, ELA, and Science

–MSAA (Math and ELA) assesses eligible students Grades 3–8 and Grade 11.

–MSAA (Science) assesses eligible students Grades 5, 8, and Grade11.

Specific accommodations for both instruction and the assessments also should be considered in the student’s annual IEP. Information regarding MSAA accommodations and eligibility criteria can be located on the ADE MSAA webpage under General Information.

  • Alternate Assessment Eligibility Criteria-Rev Sept 2020 (MSAA ELA, Mathematics, and Science)
  • LCI (Learner Characteristics Inventory) for Alternate Assessments Based on Alternate Academic Achievement Standards 
  • MSAA Participation Guidance Arizona - June 2021

ACTION PLANS – 1% Threshold - 

Under federal regulation, the state is required to "provide appropriate oversight to each LEA that the State anticipates will assess more than 1% of its assessed students...using alternate assessments aligned with alternate academic achievement standards." An LEA may test students who qualify for alternate assessment, even if that participation means that the LEA will exceed 1%.

Alternate Assessment Test Coordinators will be notified of your LEA's percentages and provided next steps. 

  • 11/18/2019 1% Threshold Action Plans 2019 Presentation--Click for Recorded Webinar
  • 1% Justification per District-School Year 2017-2018
  • Action Plan 1% Cap (Threshold) Template 2019
  • Notification Delay-Action Plan 1% Cap (Threshold)
  • Audio: Recorded 1% Cap (Threshold) Webinar 
  • PowerPoint Presentation - Webinar

JOIN US LIVE! The Scheduled Webinars:

The are no live webinars on schedule at this time, check later.

==========================================================================

Past Webinar Recordings and PowerPoint Presentations:

  • 11/18/2019 1% Threshold Action Plans 2019 Presentation--Click for Recorded Webinar
  • 11/12/2019 Arizona’s Learner Characteristics Inventory Presentation--Click for Recorded Webinar
  • 11/08/2019 Alternate Assessment Test Coordinator Responsibilities Presentation--Click for Recorded Webinar
  • 10/31/2019 Determining Eligibility for Alternate Assessments Presentation--Click for Recorded Webinar
  • --11/26/2019 SCORE REPORTS - Recorded Webinar will be posted soon
  • Instructional Supports and Resources-PowerPoint --Click for Recorded Webinar

Contact Information

Please contact us by emailing the Alternate Assessment inbox [email protected] or at (602) 542-8239.

Bethany Spangenberg Director of Alternate Assessment [email protected] (602) 542-4061

 

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