DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
P.O.
SUPTS. MEMO NO. 36
February 9, 2007
INFORMATIONAL
|
TO: |
Division
Superintendents |
|
FROM: |
Billy K.
Cannaday, Jr. Superintendent
of Public Instruction |
|
SUBJECT: |
Impact
of the Nonstandard Read-aloud/Audio Accommodation on the Reading Test on the
Calculation of Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) |
Informational
Superintendents Memo No. 235, dated October 27, 2006, communicated guidelines
for the use of the read aloud/audio accommodation on the Standards of Learning
(SOL) reading assessment and the Virginia Grade Level Alternative (VGLA) for
reading. According to this memo,
students with visual impairments and those with specific disabilities that
severely limit or prevent them from decoding text at any level of difficulty as
determined by a diagnostic tool are allowed to have a read aloud or audio
accommodation as a standard accommodation. A passing score for these students would
count for all purposes.
The
memo further states that for the spring 2007 test administration students with
disabilities who do not meet these criteria may use the read aloud/audio
accommodation on the statewide reading tests as a nonstandard
accommodation. These students would
count as non-participants and as failing in the calculation of AYP.
Recently,
the United States Department of Education (USED) provided clarification about
the inclusion of scores for students using the nonstandard read aloud/audio accommodation on the statewide reading
tests in the calculation of AYP. For the
calculation of AYP for the 2007-2008 school year based on assessments
administered in 2006-2007, students who are provided the nonstandard read-aloud
or audio accommodation and pass the reading test will not be counted as
failures for the school in the calculation of AYP. However, these students will
be counted as non-participants in AYP calculations. A student's passing score
will count for all other purposes including accreditation and verified credit.
Detailed
instructions for coding the test records of students who are provided the
nonstandard read-aloud or audio accommodation on the reading test will be
provided to your Division Director of Testing.
If you have questions, please contact the Division of Assessment and
Reporting at darfax@doe.virginia.gov or
call (804) 225-2102.
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