SPECIALNEEDSPARENTING It Is Important to Include Students with Disabilities in MCAS BY sue lovejoy Spring can be a stressful time of year for parents, students, and teachers alike, as many public school students are  required to take the MCAS. For parents of children with special needs, navigating the maze of MCAS regulations can be overwhelming. The Federation for Children with Special Needs is a trusted resource to whom parents can turn. Bay State Parent magazine writer Sue Lovejoy attended a presentation with Federation-trained consultants Alisa Barton and Lois Goldstein. They presented the Federation's program MCAS: Access and Achievement for Students with Disabilities to the Westford Special Education Parent Advisory Council. Afterwards, Lovejoy interviewed Barton (M.Ed.) and Goldstein ((B.S.R.N.). Q: What specific advice do you have for parents of children with special needs, regarding MCAS tests? A: First of all start thinking about your child's need pertaining to MCAS testing as early as second grade, and request that accommodations that you see as necessary be included in the IEP plan, PLEP A, and MCAS accommodations page (once the child reaches grade 3 and above) and/or on the 504 plan. Familiarize yourself with the list of accommodations allowed, and sample test questions that are available on the (Massachusetts Department of Education) DOE Web site (www.doe.mass.edu/mcas/testitems.html). Believe in your child's abilities and convey that belief to your child. Help your child become aware of his/her strengths and areas for focus. Communicate to your children that they need to do their best work on the test. Why? Although the test assesses school districts and schools, it is also an assessment of the student's skills and knowledge of the curriculum, and it is a requirement for graduation from high school. Currently, all high school students must receive a competency determination in: • English Language Arts • Mathematics Beginning with the class of 2010 students must also receive a competency determination in Science and Technology/ Engineering. In 2012 a competency determination is projected to be required in History and Social Science (to receive a diploma). Q: Are students required to participate in the MCAS testing and can parents refuse to have their child participate in the MCAS? A: As required by the Education Reform Law of 1993, all students educated through the public schools must participate in the MCAS test beginning in third grade. This includes students with disabilities and students with limited English proficiency (LEP students in their first year of enrollment of a U.S. School are not required to take the English Language Arts test). Therefore, parents may not legally refuse their child's participation in the MCAS test, and may incur legal consequences if they attempt to do so. Q: What accommodations could my child, who has an IEP or 504 plan, have during the MCAS testing? A: Accommodations are intended to overcome the obstacles the disability may pose to the student in demonstrating what the student knows and is able to do. Accommodations need to be: • Based on your student's need • Documented in your student's 504 plan or IEP on both PLEP A, and the State or District-Wide Assessment page • Used routinely during classroom instruction and classroom assessment throughout the school year before and after the MCAS testing There are two kinds of accommodations: standard and non-standard. Standard accommodations can specify the timing and scheduling of the MCAS test sessions for your child; the setting in which your child takes the test; the way in which the test is presented; and/or the way in which your child responds. Some examples of standard accommodations are: • Setting could be in a small group or individually, or a specified area of the room such as in the front of the room or in a study carrel or other enclosed area • Timing could include frequent breaks  • Presentation could be directions read aloud; or test items read aloud or an electronic text reader for all sections except for the Reading Comprehension portion of the exam. • Response could be dictating answers to a scribe or into a tape recorder, or the use of a word processor with spelling and grammar check turned off • Response could also be: utilizing math formulas that have been pre-approved by the Department of Education prior to the test Some examples of non-standard accommodations are: • An electronic text reader to read the directions and test items for the Reading Comprehension test • An electronic speech-to-text software application for the Composition portion of the test • The use of a calculator, manipulatives, and/or arithmetic table • Use of a word processor with spelling and grammar check enabled, and/or word prediction function for the Composition test A few cautions about non-standard accommodations: the accommodation must be absolutely necessary for the student to participate in the MCAS testing. For example, in order to have the Reading Comprehension/ELA test read aloud both of the following must be true: • The student is a non-reader, not simply reading below grade level. AND • During routine instruction, the student accesses printed materials through a reader, audiotape, video, or other electronic format. Q: Can a student participate in the Alternative Assessment for one subject of the MCAS and the Standard MCAS paper and pencil test for another subject? A: Yes, the student may participate in the Alternative Assessment and the Standard MCAS test for different subjects, per the decision of the IEP/504 team. Q: Why is it important that all children take the MCAS test? A: Taking the MCAS test is both a right and an entitlement for each student in the public schools. It is important to participate in the MCAS test because it ensures that students will be given access to the regular curriculum as required by law. It also holds schools and school systems accountable for the effective progress of all students. Resources including staff, time, and money are allocated based on MCAS scores. As a result of all of these factors, learning improves. Q: How are MCAS test results helpful to educators of children with special needs? To parents? A: MCAS test results can be helpful to educators and parents because they provide insight into how effectively the child is accessing the general curriculum. A close analysis of the student's performance can offer data regarding specific areas of the curriculum in which the student is proficient, as well as other skills and concepts for which he needs further support or re-teaching. Q: When and how can a parent request that their child take the Alternative Assessment Portfolio? Advantages and disadvantages? A: A parent can request that their child take the MCAS - Alternative Assessment Portfolio at any time during the year through a team meeting. Each student's IEP/504 plan determines how a student will participate in the MCAS test in the coming year. The DOE reports that there are only a very small percentage of students, children with the most significant disabilities, who take part in the Alternative Assessment Portfolio. Why so few? Students who are able to take the standard MCAS test, with or without accommodations, are expected to do so. If the Alternative Assessment Portfolio is used there is a checklist on the DOE Web site ( http://www.doe.mass.edu/mcas/alt/ ), provided as suggested guidelines to assist teams in reviewing the portfolio for completeness. Q: Is there any additional information you believe is necessary for parents to know? A: MCAS is the state's measure of a child's learning under the Curriculum Frameworks. The best way parents can help their children approach MCAS testing is with the positive expectation that the results, whatever they may be, will provide valuable information that can be used to support and improve their children's education. Sue Lovejoy is a freelance writer from Holden. A Special Needs Dictionary   • Alternative Assessment: Ways of measuring student knowledge in lieu of written tests, such as the collection of student work in a portfolio. • IEP - Individualized Education Program: A document developed by a child's team of educators, parents, and specialists specifically outlining special education services. • MCAS - Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System: Tests required by the state of Massachusetts that assess student knowledge in a variety of subject areas. Test formats include short answer, multiple choice, and written composition. • PLEP - Present Levels of Educational Performance • Section 504 (Rehabilitation Act of 1973): Federal Law that prohibits discrimination against those with disabilities in private and public schools receiving federal funds. Source: www.westfordk12.us/Pages/Aboutglossary#a Parent Resources   Federation for Children withSpecial Needs www.fcsn.org/pti/topics/mcas/index.html 800-331-0688 Massachusetts Advocates for Children www.massadvocates.org/mcasbrochures 617-357-8431 x234 Massachusetts Departmentof Education www.doe.mass.edu/mcas/ 781-338-3000 Parents Place www.pplace.org/ 877-471-0980 Barton & Goldstein Educational Consultants LLC barton-goldstein@charter.net 978-877-1143