Student Assessment: Department Of Education's Proposals For The Benefit Of Students With Disabilities

Students with disabilities have special education needs, especially in the assessment of their school performance. Fortunately, the U.S. Department of Education has sent some proposals that can help provide the special needs of students with disabilities involving their performance assessment.

"These proposals are part of the important work this committee is doing to ensure the law is implemented smoothly and with a focus on the most vulnerable students, consistent with the law's purpose," senior advisor Ann Whalen shared with the Department of Education. Whalen also noted that the Department's proposals aim to give accessible and inclusive assessments for students with disabilities.

One of the proposals submitted by the Department of Education is to allow states to use "computer-adaptive assessments" and to provide appropriate assessment accommodations to students with disabilities. Assessment accommodations can help students with disabilities to fully participate in grade level assessments and instruction, Reading Rockets explains.

Another proposal focuses on making sure that the achievements of students with significant behavioral and learning disabilities are assessed using an alternate academic standard. Other proposals focus on providing standardized statewide assessments that are more accessible for students.

Also included in the Department's proposals is the implementation of methods for ensuring the prevention of double testing in eight grade students. The Department also proposes that school districts be allowed to create their own assessment tests as long as they produce comparable results to the statewide exams. All of these proposals can lead to a more consistent and efficient method of assessing the performance of students with disabilities.