Georgia Alternate Assessment

Georgia Alternate Assessment2010-2011

Fall Training

Brad BryantState Superintendent of Schools

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Welcome to theGeorgia Alternate Assessment

2010-2011 Fall Training

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Welcome to the 2010-2011 GAA• This slide presentation is designed to prepare

designated trainers with the information and resources necessary to redeliver training for the 2010-2011 GAA in their schools and systems.

• Companion presentation modules are available online with information specific to various topics and audiences.

• These presentations serve as introductory components for training. Reading and understanding the GAA Examiner’s Manual, 2010-2011, is necessary to implement the portfolio process.

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Topics for Today• Recipe for Redelivery

Planning, Preparation, Delivery, and Resources for GAA Training in Systems and Schools

• A Look Back at the 2009–2010 Administration• Updates for the 2010-2011 Administration• Portfolio Validation

Ethics Test security

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Topics for Today• Peer review

How to Structure a Peer Review of the Portfolio Checklist for Teachers and Portfolio Reviewers

• Alignment Being True to the Standard Aligning to the Specific Aspects of the Element

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Topics for Today• Documentation

Completing the Entry Sheet Choosing the Appropriate Type of Evidence Annotating Evidence Documentation of Level of Independence/Prompting

• Scoring How Evidence is Considered During Scoring Understanding the Scoring Dimensions

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Recipe for Redelivery–A Guide for

GAA Trainers2010-2011Georgia Alternate

Assessment

2010-2011 GAA

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Recipe for RedeliverySystems should implement protocols that verify:

designated GAA Trainers have attended the 2010-2011 Fall GAA Training (via Elluminate),

when and by whom training is redelivered to test examiners,

all test examiners (new and returning) have been trained in GAA procedures for the current administration, and

all teachers have access to necessary professional development opportunities.

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Recipe for RedeliveryIngredients

• Planning Scheduling the training session(s) Identifying the participants

• Preparation Familiarizing yourself with materials prior to

redelivery of training Providing/preparing materials for participants

IngredientsPlanningPreparationDeliveryActivitiesResources

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Recipe for Redelivery

Ingredients

• Delivering Training Reviewing the manuals Leading activities

• Providing Resources People, materials, websites

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Recipe for Redelivery–PlanningSchedule the training session(s)

Who will be responsible for training? Will training be done at the system or school level? When and where will training be delivered? Will training occur on one date or will it be

recurring? Verify dates with the Building Administrator. Get the dates on the school/system calendar so

that necessary arrangements can be made.

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Recipe for Redelivery–PlanningIdentify the participants

It will be most effective if the training is tailored to a specific audience so focus can be placed on the important issues for each group. • Test Examiners

new teachers, returning teachers student population being assessed

• Building Administrators, Test Coordinators, Special Ed Directors

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Recipe for Redelivery–PreparationAssemble and provide training materials

appropriate to audience Manuals Administration forms PowerPoints

• Training modules Rubric Nonscorable conditions Supplemental resources Samples for interactive activities

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Recipe for Redelivery–Preparation

Review materials before training Read the manual(s) Review updated information for current admin Practice the PowerPoint presentations Plan interactive activities

• using the Planning Sheets• using documentation samples• using the provided sample entries for scoring

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Recipe for Redelivery–DeliveryDeliver training

Reference the manual• Review Table of Contents• Familiarize participants with information and

resources provided in each section• Review evidence requirements, sample entries,

Blueprint and Standards documents Use the PowerPoints as your guide

• Determine what information is most salient to given audience

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Recipe for Redelivery–DeliveryLead Activities

Using the Planning Sheet to design/record tasks Review administration forms and supplemental

resources Interactive documentation activities Interactive scoring activities Implementing the Portfolio Review Process

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Recipe for Redelivery–ResourcesProvide resources

People, contact information• Deborah Houston, GaDOE Assessment Division

[email protected] (404) 657-0251

• Kayse Harshaw, Division for Special Education [email protected](404) 463-5281

• Questar GAA Customer Service [email protected] free (866) 997-0698

mailto:[email protected]



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Recipe for Redelivery–ResourcesProvide resources

Websites, links• GAA Resources, GAA Presentations, Curriculum Access for SWSCD

Gadoe.org, Curriculum, Testing, GAA• Georgia Performance Standards, Frameworks

Georgiastandards.org

• GAA Resource Boardhttp://admin.doe.k12.ga.us/gadoe/sla/agps.nsfContact Kayse Harshaw for login and password

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A Look Back at the 2009-2010 Administration

of the GAA

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A Look Back at 2009-2010

• Congratulations on a very successful administration of the 2009-2010 GAA!

• Each administration has shown marked improvements in the quality of the portfolio entries. Instructional activities were well thought out and

purposeful for the students.

2009-2010

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GAA Portfolios Submitted

• 11,620 portfolios were submitted in 2009-2010 compared to 10,933 for 2008-2009. This table provides a breakdown, by grade, including the total number of entries for both 2008-2009 and 2009-2010.

Grade2008-2009 Portfolios Submitted

2009-2010 Portfolios Submitted

2008-2009 Total Entries




K 475 407 1900 16281 1054 1137 4216 45482 1061 1122 4244 44883 1022 1163 6132 69784 1020 1132 6120 67925 1112 1200 6672 72006 1286 1217 7716 73027 1201 1342 7206 80528 1559 1487 9354 8922

11 1203 1413 7218 8478

10993 11620 60778 64388 60778 64388

10664

53724

10360

50418

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2009-2010 GAA Portfolios• In general, the portfolios were complete and well

executed.• It was apparent that emphasis continues on

training as well as on utilizing the manual.• The portfolios provided valuable information as to

areas of focus for upcoming training. Training will continue to focus on alignment,

documentation, and evidence requirements.

• Across all grades and content areas, the vast majority of students met or exceeded expectations as demonstrated by their Performance Level Indicator.

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2009-2010 GAA Portfolios• Number and percent of Nonscorables went down in all

categories as compared to all previous administrations.There continue to be decreases in both number and percent

of nonscorables seen in all categories. Analysis of nonscorables provides invaluable information

for the focus of future professional development (especially in those areas that increased or remained the same).

• These decreases can be attributed to both the experience of 4 years of administration and the focus on training and peer review of portfolios.

Continued emphasis on Peer Review is critical.

Frequency of Nonscorablesby Number and Percent

2009-2010NS Code Frequency Percent of NS Percent of all entries

ME 204 4.30% 0.32%

ES 86 1.81% 0.13%

NA 2574 54.30% 4.00%

IE 1679 35.42% 2.61%

IT 196 4.14% 0.30%

OG 1 0.02% ≈ 0.00%

IS 0 0.00% 0.00%

Total 4740 100.00% 7.36%

4,740 of 64,388 entries received NS codes

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2009-2010 GAA Portfolios• The portfolios provided valuable information as to areas

of focus for ongoing professional development. Alignment Documentation Evidence Requirements Portfolio Review and Ethics

• Training and support will continue to be provided in the form of: GAA Fall Workshops, Webinars focusing on GAA administration as well as access to

the curriculum, the GAA Resource Board, and portfolio review by peers and Building Administrators.

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Updates for the 2010-2011

Administration of the GAA

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Updates for 2010-2011• The following information is NEW for the

2010-2011 administration of the GAA. It is vital that all test examiners review and understand these changes prior to administering the assessment. Assessment of grades 1 and 2 Changes impacting the grade 11 GAA Collection Periods Entry Sheets Optional Annotation Page

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Updates for 2010-2011Grades 1 and 2 will not be assessed

on the 2010-2011 GAA• As a result of funding reductions, the CRCT will

not be administered in grades 1 and 2; therefore, the GAA for grades 1 and 2 is not required. Please note: if local districts mandate an

assessment for grades 1 and 2, an alternate assessment must be provided for students with significant cognitive disabilities.

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Updates for 2010-2011Changes to the Grade 11 GAA• Beginning with the 2010-2011 administration, access

courses taken by students with significant disabilities will be incorporated into the GAA in high school.

• The grade 11 GAA has been expanded to serve as the high school alternate assessment program, covering content from both the GHSGT and EOCT. Eight (8) entries total will be submitted for the grade 11

GAA.• 2 ELA entries: Reading/American Literature and Communications• 2 Mathematics entries: Mathematics I and Mathematics II• 2 Science entries: Biology and Physical Science (NEW)• 2 Social Studies entries: U.S History and Economics (NEW)

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Updates for 2010-2011

Changes to the Grade 11 GAA–retest opportunities• The new graduation requirements allow for GAA

retest opportunities. Students entering grade 11 in 2010-2011 will

have their first retest opportunity in Fall of the 2011-2012 school year.

There will be two retests opportunities per year (Fall and Spring).

The student will retest only in the content area(s) in which he/she was not proficient.

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Collection Periods• The required number of days between collection

periods has been changed from 21 to 14 calendar days.

• Primary Evidence for Collection Period 1 must now be dated a minimum of 14 calendar days before the date of Primary Evidence for Collection Period 2.

• Evidence must still represent 2 distinct collection periods. All Collection Period 1 tasks must be completed before

Collection Period 2 tasks are begun.

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Entry Sheets

• Entry sheets required for the GAA will no longer be provided in the portfolio binders but will be available from the System Test Coordinator upon request.

• Hard copies of the forms for the 2010-2011 administration will still be available via request to the System Test Coordinator (STC).

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Updates for 2010-2011Optional Annotation Page• An optional annotation page has been provided in

the Tips and Tools section of the 2010-2011 GAA Examiner’s Manual (see pg. 59) available to download from the GAA website.

• Any annotation page included by the teacher or at the behest of the system is acceptable.

• An annotation page is included at the discretion of the teacher and is not required.

• This optional form is not necessary so long as pertinent information is included on the evidence.

OptionalEvidence

AnnotationSheet

Optional

This Annotation Sheet isan optional form and may be included at the discretion of the teacher. A separate annotation page is not necessary so long as the pertinent information has been included somewhere within the evidence.

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Portfolio Validation, Ethics, and

Test Security

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Portfolio Validation

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Portfolio Validation• The portfolio validation process requires signature on

the Validation Form which authenticates the student work included in the portfolio.

• This form is a required document that must be completed and signed by both the Building Administrator and the person responsible for submitting the portfolio. Refusal to sign the Validation Form is NOT an option

• This is a secure document which will be checked upon receipt.

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Portfolio Validation• By signing the Validation Form, both the Building

Administrator and the person responsible for submitting the portfolio attest: The contents of the portfolio are the work of the

student. No evidence was fabricated, altered, or modified. Portfolio evidence is an accurate depiction of

student’s involvement and achievement/progress in tasks.

All procedures and protocols have been followed.

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Portfolio Validation• Violation of any of the aforementioned requirements

for compiling student work for the GAA may result in the portfolio being invalidated and could result in additional actions or consequences.

• Should the Building Administrator, Portfolio Reviewer, or STC discover any irregularities, the portfolio can be returned to the teacher for correction.

• If it is too late in the process or not feasible to return the portfolio to the school/teacher, an Irregularities Form must be completed by the System Test Coordinator alerting the GaDOE to the problem.

Validation FormThe Validation Form has been improved to address certain unethical issues that should never occur during the assembly of a student’s portfolio.

Validation Form• The teacher/test examiner must provide a signature to certify the contents of the portfolio

as the work of the student. For all entries submitted by the examiner

• In the case of transfer students, the teacher certifies that, for all entries that they are responsible for submitting, the work is that of the student.

Signature required

Validation Form• The Building Administrator is required to check the appropriate box and

sign the form verifying that he/she has reviewed the contents of the portfolio.

• Should the Test Examiner be unable to validate either the contents or the procedures used in compiling the portfolio, it is required that the System Test Coordinator be notified and appropriate action taken.

Signature required

Validation Form• Two Validation Forms, one from the sending school/system

and one from the receiving school/system, must be submitted for students transferring between Georgia schools.

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Ethics Portfolio InvalidationsImplementation

Considerations

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Ethics• The Georgia Alternate Assessment is a state and federally

mandated assessment for students with significant cognitive disabilities who have met the participation guidelines and have been determined appropriate for the assessment by their IEP teams.

• This assessment must adhere to all of the protocols and procedures required for the general assessments.

• A breach of any of the validation or security policies constitutes both a procedural and ethical violation necessitating an investigation and possible consequences.

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Invalidations• The majority of portfolios submitted for the 2009-

2010 GAA were compiled following prescribed policies and procedures and the evidence submitted represented authentic student work.

• There was a significant increase, however, in the number of portfolios that were invalidated for this administration. This is cause for concern.

• Potential causes and contributing factors must be considered to ensure that this trend does not continue.

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Invalidations

• Irregularities and questions about evidence authenticity were sometimes discovered and self-reported by schools and/or systems. brought to light during portfolio review process noted by Building Administrators during validation

process reported, sometimes anonymously, by various

school personnel

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Invalidations

• Had these irregularities been discovered, addressed, and corrected prior to portfolio submission, it would have been unnecessary to report it to the state so long as it was dealt with at the school/system level.

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Invalidations• Issues regarding evidence authenticity and possible

fabrication were also discovered during scoring. Representatives of the GaDOE along with a group of

specially trained Team Leaders recognized incidents of questionable evidence and practices.

• Problems most frequently reported include: dates changed, covered over with White-out or collection

period labels, or erased; observation and interview forms with identical information

attributed to multiple students; Identical permanent products attributed to multiple

students (not group work).

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Implementation Considerations• Principals are critical!

The GAA must be given the same consideration, resources, and support provided for all programs.

• Teachers need support Planning time needs to be scheduled; substitutes provided Collaboration with general ed teachers and content

experts to understand curriculum standards Collaboration with other special educators to

discuss/share/review aligned tasks Professional development concerning curriculum access

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Implementation Considerations• Training and support will continue to be

provided on the state level in the form of: GAA Fall Workshops via Elluminate, Webinars focusing on GAA administration as well

as access to the curriculum, the GAA Resource Board, and portfolio review by peers and building

examiners.

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Test Security

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Test Security• While the GAA materials themselves are not

considered secure materials, student work and entries are secure once they have been chosen as assessment evidence and placed in the GAA portfolio binder.

• Maintaining security of all student materials is crucial to obtaining valid and reliable assessment results.

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Test Security• Given the unique features of the GAA (such as the

test window), test security must be considered and attended to throughout the school year and not just during the portfolio submission phase.

• Content entries are considered secure once they are included in the assessment binder.

• The assessment binder should not be removed from the school building, except when sign-out procedures are in effect for the purpose of peer reviews.

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Test Security• Once compiled into the portfolio, student work and

materials being used for the purposes of the GAA must be kept in locked storage in the classroom– except during use.

• Access to those materials must be restricted to authorized individuals only.

• It is the direct responsibility of all individuals who administer the assessment to follow security procedures and protect the integrity of the assessment process.

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Test Security• Any action which compromises assessment security

or leads to the invalidation of an individual student’s or a group of students’ test scores will be viewed by the Georgia Department of Education (GaDOE) as inappropriate use or handling of tests and will be treated as such.

• Any concern regarding test security must be reported to GaDOE immediately.

• Assessment Administration Division staff members are available to help system personnel develop and implement appropriate assessment security procedures.

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Portfolio Review Process

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Portfolio Review• The importance of peer review during and after

completion of a portfolio cannot be overstated! Missing forms/pieces of evidence Incomplete Entry Sheet Lacking documentation Ineligible dates Inappropriate materials Alignment issues

• It is critical that the peer review process go beyond counting pieces of evidence and consider all of the portfolio requirements.

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Portfolio ReviewPortfolio review by the teacher should be an ongoing process. Have I selected the best standard and element for this student?

• Does he seem engaged?• Is he making progress?

Are the tasks and materials appropriate?• Is he able to demonstrate what he knows?• Can he communicate with a reliable response?

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Structuring a Portfolio Review

Who should conduct the portfolio review? Trained GAA Administrator Designated GAA Trainer Core Access Teacher School Test Coordinator SPED Coordinator Building Administrator

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When should the review be conducted? 1st Review: mid-administration, after Collection

Period 1 evidence has been compiled Final Review: before submission, after all evidence

has been compiled and organized in the portfolio binder

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Structuring a Portfolio ReviewSteps to complete a peer review of the portfolio:

1. Carefully review the Entry Sheet Student name Teacher name Required standard Eligible standard Strand, standard, element match up Characteristic of Science Task Descriptions

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2. Consider all aspects of the evidence requirements

All four pieces of evidence align to standard and element Primary and Secondary for each collection period 14 calendar days from Primary to Primary Type of evidence is the best choice to clearly

demonstrate the student response Grade-appropriate materials

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Structuring a Portfolio Review3. Review documentation to ensure that all necessary

annotation has been provided somewhere within the evidence

Name (Who) Dates (When) Task (What) Setting (Where) Student performance (How well) Interactions (With Whom and Describe) Independence (Prompts) Collection period labels (Optional)

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Structuring a Portfolio Review4. Date and sign Checklist for Teachers and

Portfolio Reviewers 5. Validation Form must be signed by Building

Administrator and Person Responsible for Submitting the Portfolio

6. Recommend and verify that the Release to use Portfolio for Training has been signed and included in portfolio

Checklist for Teachers and

Portfolio Reviewers

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The Checklist for Teachers and Portfolio Reviewers is provided in the portfolio binder to ensure that all procedures and requirements have been satisfied before the portfolio is submitted.• The checklist can be part of the portfolio validation process as the reviewer signs and dates the form after each content area entry is checked.• It is recommended that the portfolio be reviewed twice - once after the first collection period has been completed, and again before the portfolio is submitted.• The GAA Evidence Checklist, specific to each type of evidence submitted, can be found in the GAA Examiner’s Manual.

The GAA Validation Form will be provided in the portfolio binder to verify that all requirements and procedures have been followed and that the contents are the work of the student being assessed.

• This is an important step– the signatures validate the contents of the portfolio.

• Be certain that signatures have been obtained from both the person submitting the portfolio and the Building Administrator.

• For transfer students, Validation Forms must be submitted by both the sending and the receiving school/system.

Required signature

Required signature

Administrator checks

one box

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AlignmentDocumentationEvidence Considerations

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Alignment

7171

Instruction should be adjusted during the school year based on student performance on the GAA and other formative assessments.

Don’t wait until reports arrive in June to reevaluate the most appropriate mode of instruction and/or assessment for the individual student.

How does the GAA connect to daily practice?

“We will lead the nation in improving student achievement”

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Aligning Assessment TasksInstruction and assessment should promote individual student growth through alignment to the academic content via alternate achievement standards.

• Alternate achievement standards are decreased in depth, breadth, and complexity, but still demonstrate a clear connection to the academic content standards.

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Alignment• Consider alignment first and foremost when

designing instructional tasks. The instructional task must be true to the standard. The task must address the distinct characteristics of

the element. The task must be appropriately challenging for the

individual student. All four tasks, though distinct events, must provide

evidence of what the student knows and can do across the same skill.

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What do we mean by Alignment?Alignment is the match between the written, taught, and tested curriculum.¹

In order for an instructional task to be considered aligned, it must demonstrate a clear connection to the academic content standard and element being tested.

1. Diane Browder, 2006

Curriculum Standard

Instruction Assessed Task

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Alignment at the Standard Level• Be True to the Standard

The curriculum standards are the goals for instruction, learning and assessment.

Achievement of the concepts and skills inherent in the elements leads to the achievement of the overall standard.

Although tasks for assessment must align to the distinct aspects of the element, they must do so under the umbrella of the standard.

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Alignment at the Element Level•Address the distinct characteristics of the element.

What are the specific components that make-up the element ?• focus on the language/terminology as written

What are some prerequisite skills to give the student access to the element?

Look to the GA Frameworks* for guidance to understanding the enduring concepts and essential components targeted by the standards and elements.

*https://www.georgiastandards.org/Frameworks.

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Alignment- Listening/Speaking/Viewing

Example: Standard: ELA11LSV1– The student participates in student-to-

teacher, student-to student, and group verbal interactions.Element: c– responds to question with appropriate information The essence of this standard is reciprocal interaction between

the student and another person. The essence of the element is the response to questions. The skill assessed must demonstrate the student’s ability to

respond to questions via reciprocal interaction between the student and teacher/ another student/ group.

All 4 pieces of evidence must align to the standard and element.

Consider the following examples:

The student is responding to questions via his voice output device.

Does this task align to the standard and element?

YES

ELA11 LSV1

Teacher annotatio

n recognizes

the require

ment that th

e

essence of the element is

the

reciprocal interactio

n.

Does this task align to the standard and element?

NO. The task was completed independently with no reciprocal interaction.

Although th

e student is

responding

to te

st questio

ns. the annotatio

n clearly

states that t

here w

as no intera

ction.

NOT ALIG

NED–DO NOT U

SE

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Alignment- Designing Tasks

• As teaching academic curriculum through the academic content standards and elements becomes more a part of daily instruction, lesson plans are being designed that provide access to the curriculum while still embedding the student’s IEP goals.

• But Alignment MUST come first!

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Alignment- Designing Tasks• Creating instructional units and activities that can

be used for multiple students is encouraged.• However, the activities must be tailored to the

needs and the abilities of the individual student.• As such, be certain that the task is still the best

choice for the individual student and that the evidence submitted clearly aligns to the academic content standard and element.

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DocumentationCompleting the Entry SheetChoosing the Type of EvidenceAnnotating Evidence

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Completing the Entry Sheet

• The Entry Sheet serves as the Table of Contents which organizes the entry.

• The Entry Sheet must be filled out completely and accurately in order for the entry to be scorable.

• An electronic version of the Entry Sheet with drop-down boxes will be available online. Instructions for completing the electronic Entry Sheet

will be provided online along with the Entry Sheet.

2010-2011 GAA

Entry Sheet

2010-2011 GAA

Entry Sheet(page 2)

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Completing the Entry Sheet• It is of utmost importance that the Entry Sheet be

filled out completely with all required information. Dates recorded for the tasks on the Entry Sheet must match

those found on the evidence. Task descriptions written on the Entry Sheet must be the

same as those submitted as evidence. A Characteristic of Science must be recorded on the

Science Entry Sheet and be clearly documented in the evidence.

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Completing the Entry Sheet

• Should any of the necessary fields be completed incorrectly, the entry could receive a lower score or be nonscorable.

• The Entry Sheet is NOT the place to include annotations about student performance, prompting, settings, or interactions.

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Choosing the Appropriate Type of Evidence

• The type of evidence submitted should be the best means through which to demonstrate the student’s knowledge and skills.

• Primary Evidence must SHOW the student’s responses during and at the completion of the instructional activity.

• At least one piece of evidence for each collection period must be a Primary type of evidence.

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Choosing the Appropriate Type of Evidence• It is vital that the type of evidence used is the

appropriate choice to clearly demonstrate the student’s response.

• It is important that the criteria for the type of evidence has been met and that all necessary information has been documented. It is not recommended that worksheets or captioned

photos be used to document “verbal” responses• this makes them more like an observation than a Primary type of

evidence and puts excessive burden on the teacher in his/her documentation.

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Annotating Evidence • Complete and thorough documentation of evidence

is critical! Incomplete, ineffective, or generic documentation can

result in lower scores or in the entry being Nonscorable. The student’s response must be clearly and specifically

evaluated or graded. If the correctness of the student response cannot be

verified, the entry will receive the Nonscorable Code of IE (Insufficient Evidence).

Information regarding the nature of the task, the setting in which it was completed, any interactions that occurred during the task, and the type and frequency of prompting must be included.

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Annotating Evidence

The following information must be documented somewhere within the entry for each piece of evidence:

the student's name (Who) and date (When) description of task–documented on Entry Sheet (What) the setting in which the task was completed (Where) specific evaluation of student response (How Well) interactions that occurred during the task (With Whom) Independence–type and frequency of prompting

(Prompts)

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Annotating EvidenceWho: the student’s name

must be on each piece of evidencealways refer to the student by name, not “the student” or

“students”

What: specific description of the task what was the student asked to do?do not be vague or overly general in the description

Where: setting in which the task was completedmust be purposeful for the particular task

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Annotating EvidenceWhen: date each piece of evidence

record the date on which the task was completed, even if the task took multiple days to complete

for Data Sheets, a minimum of 3 distinct dates are required for scoring

How Well: evaluate the student’s performancedocument the questions or actions asked of the student

and his/her actual responsesgrade, score, evaluate, or provide an answer key so that

the student’s performance can be clearly determined

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Annotating EvidenceWith Whom: describe the interaction

with whom did the student interact during the task and what was the nature of the interaction

reciprocal communication should be specifically documented

Prompts: Level of Independenceprompting should be documented only if it guides the student

to the correct answer (e.g., directions and encouragement are not considered prompting)

annotate both the type (e.g., physical, gestural, model, verbal) and frequency (e.g., continuous, frequent, limited, independent) of prompting provided

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Annotating Evidence• Prompting– The amount of support the student requires

and is given to accurately complete a task For the purpose of the assessment, prompting refers only

to that which leads the student to the correct answer. Do not include task instructions, encouragement, or

behavioral interventions when documenting prompting. Document the Type of Prompt provided (verbal, gestural,

model, physical, etc.) Document the frequency of prompting (continuous,

frequent, limited, none/independent, etc.) Documentation of Prompting should include a description

of reciprocal interaction when appropriate.

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Annotating Evidence• Level of Independence

Increased independence, whether during academic or functional tasks, is a primary goal for our students and an effective way through which to demonstrate Achievement/Progress.

Tasks should be designed to demonstrate the highest level of independent response of which the student is capable.

If the student can demonstrate a differentiated response via eye gaze, gesture, vocalization, or assistive technology, the student’s performance should be a reflection of that independent response before full physical prompting is employed.

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Documentation of InteractionsInteraction: The reciprocal exchange/communication between

the student being assessed and others which occurs during the instructional activity. This can include:

• peers (both with and without disabilities)• instructional personnel (including the special education

teacher, para-pro, general education teachers, OT, PT, Speech Therapist, or anyone else who provides regular support and instruction to the student)

• school staff (principal, nurse, cafeteria worker, etc.)• community members (job supervisor, neighbor, bus driver,

wait staff, cashier, etc.)

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Documentation of InteractionsInteraction In order to demonstrate Generalization, annotation of

interaction must describe the nature of the interaction.• the interaction must occur during the instructional task• who said what to whom in reference to the task• do not provide a list of all the people with whom the student

has interacted without describing how that interaction occurred during the instructional task

• differentiate between prompting and interaction whenever possible

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GAA Scoring ProceduresHow evidence is considered during scoring

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Scoring the GAA Portfolios

Evidence has been compiled, Entry Sheets have been completed, and the entries have been organized.

Portfolios have undergone peer review and have been determined to be ready for submission.

Binders have been packed in boxes and sent from the School to the System Test Coordinator and on to Questar.

It’s time for scoring.

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How Evidence is Considered During Scoring

• Each type of evidence, whether Primary or Secondary, has specific requirements that must be met in order to be scorable.

• Explanations and samples of each type of evidence are included in the 2010-2011 GAA Examiner’s Manual on pages 15-35.

• Be certain to review the samples and evidence requirements with both new and returning test examiner’s during training.

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• Recommendations as to when and how to use each type of evidence can be found on pages 16 and 17 of the manual.

• Use the GAA Evidence Checklist during training in order to familiarize test examiners with the conditions that must be met for each type (found on pages 55-57 of the manual).

• Nonscorable entries due to insufficient evidence can be avoided by following the evidence requirements.

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Areas to focus on during training:• Observation and Interview Forms must be written to

describe the specific responses and level of performance for each individual student.

• If documenting a group activity, be specific about what was asked of the individual student, how and in what manner he/she responded, and whether his/her response was correct.

• Annotation that is too generic or non-specific could result in the entry being nonscorable.

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GAA Scoring Dimensions• GAA Portfolios are scored for 4 discrete dimensions

Fidelity to StandardContextAchievement/ ProgressGeneralization

• Scoring is holistic – all pieces of evidence are considered and the totality of the information we have about the student’s achievement is used to make scoring decisions.

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Scoring the GAAFidelity to Standard assesses the degree to which the student’s work addresses the grade-level standard to which it is aligned.Does the instructional activity demonstrate a clear

connection to the standard and element? Is the student work focused on academic content at a very

introductory level considering the student’s grade level? Is the student work focused on academic content at or

approaching the student’s grade level?Does the student work address all aspects of the

element?

107

Scoring the GAAContext assesses the degree to which the student work exhibits the use of grade-appropriate materials in a purposeful and natural/real-world application.Are all the materials grade appropriate? Is the instructional activity a purposeful means through which the

student can learn and demonstrate what they know and can do? Is the student working in a simulated (practice) situation? (Almost

all classroom instruction is considered “simulated.”) Is the student working in a real-world (following a list to purchase

groceries) or natural situation (working in the general education classroom on the same activity as general education peers)?

108

Scoring the GAAAchievement/Progress assesses the increase in the student’s proficiency of skill across the two collection periods.Are the skills assessed across the collection periods similar

enough to reliably assess progress? Is there an increase in accuracy from one collection period

to another? Is there an increase in independence from one collection

period to another? Is there an increase in the complexity of the tasks from

one collection period to another?

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Scoring the GAAGeneralization assesses the student’s opportunity to apply the learned skill in other settings and/or with various individuals in addition to the teacher or paraprofessional.In what meaningful settings is the student

performing the activities? (The setting should be purposeful for the instructional task.)

With whom and it what way is the student interacting during the standards-based instructional activity?

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Contact InformationQuestions About Test Administration

Call: GaDOE Assessment Administration Division Toll free (800) 634-4106

Call: Deborah Houston, Assessment Specialist (404) 657-0251

Email: [email protected]

111

Contact InformationFor information about access to the GPS for students with significant cognitive disabilities

Contact: Kayse HarshawDivision for Special Education Services

Call: (404) 463-5281 E-Mail: [email protected]

112

Contact InformationQuestions About

Materials, Distribution, or Collection

Call: Questar’s GAA Customer Service Toll free (866) 997-0698

Email: Questar’s GAA Customer Service [email protected]

Documents

Georgia Alternate Assessment