<html>
<head>
<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=us-ascii">
<meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Exchange Server">
<!-- converted from rtf -->
<style><!-- .EmailQuote { margin-left: 1pt; padding-left: 4pt; border-left: #800000 2px solid; } --></style>
</head>
<body>
<font face="Calibri" size="2"><span style="font-size:11pt;">
<div>To: Assessment Advisory Committee</div>
<div>Subject: Accommodations transition plan</div>
<div> </div>
<div>In preparation for integrating the Smarter Balanced assessments into the Oregon statewide assessment system, we here at ODE request your review of the following proposed accommodations transition plan. Concurrent with your review, we will also be sharing
with our Accommodations Panel for their feedback.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>Background: When we transition to the Smarter Math and ELA assessments in 2014-15, ODE will need to find a way to integrate our existing test administration policies with Smarter’s; this integration will include our accessibility policies. At our last
Assessment Advisory Committee meeting, the committee recommended adopting the Smarter Test Administration Manual as the base document since it addresses the core assessments, adding in Oregon-specific appendices to address OAKS Science, Social Sciences, and
the ELPA. The purpose behind this recommendation is to streamline the policies (and supporting documentation) for the field and avoid the complexities of maintaining a parallel system. </div>
<div> </div>
<div>Proposal: Consistent with this general recommendation from the Assessment Advisory Committee, we would like to propose the following approach:</div>
<ol style="margin:0;padding-left:36pt;">
<li>ODE proposes to streamline Oregon’s accessibility policies for 2014-15 by adopting Smarter’s terminology and applying it to our existing accessibility supports for Science, Social Sciences, the ELPA, and work samples. This means that instead of using the
terms “accommodations,” “restricted resources,” and “allowable resources,” we would use the terms (and definitions) established by Smarter: “accommodations,” “designated supports,” and “universal tools.”</li><li>Given that Smarter’s definition of (and eligibility criteria for) accommodations is more restrictive than Oregon’s current definition, applying only to students on an IEP or 504 Plan, ODE also proposes to examine with a fresh eye under which Smarter category
each of Oregon’s existing supports most appropriately belongs. This might mean that many of the supports which are currently labeled as “accommodations” in Oregon’s current terminology may instead become “designated supports,” leaving only a small handful of
supports labeled as “accommodations,” consistent with Smarter’s definition (e.g., Braille, ASL interpretation, etc). </li><li>To streamline documentation, ODE also proposes to use Smarter’s Usability, Accessibility, and Accommodations Guidelines as the base document for Oregon’s accessibility policies, adding in Oregon-specific appendices to cover the extra-Smarter assessments
(Science, Social Sciences, ELPA, work samples). As part of this streamlining process, we would also propose to migrate what we currently refer to as “allowable resources” out of the Test Administration Manual where they currently reside into the Oregon-specific
appendices to the Smarter Guidelines. </li></ol>
<div> </div>
<div>Next steps: </div>
<ul style="margin:0;padding-left:36pt;">
<li>Please submit your feedback on the proposals above by <b>Wednesday, March 5</b>.</li><li>If neither the Accommodations Panel nor the Assessment Advisory Committee express strong concerns with this proposed approach, ODE’s next step will be to begin mapping out what Smarter category each of our current Science, Social Sciences, ELPA, and work
samples supports belong to and identifying any particular policy questions that arise through that process. </li><li>ODE will then present the next stage of this transition (hopefully with at least rough mock-ups or drafts) our in-person meeting on March 25.</li></ul>
<div> </div>
<div>Thanks for your consideration,</div>
<div> </div>
<div><font face="Arial"><b>Holly Carter</b><font face="Calibri"> <br>
</font><font face="Calibri" size="2" color="#595959"><span style="font-size:10pt;">Assessment Policy Analyst<br>
</span></font></font></div>
<div><font size="2" color="#595959"><span style="font-size:10pt;">Office of Learning | Inst., Stand., Asmt, &Acc. Unit | Oregon Department of Education</span></font></div>
<div><font size="2" color="#595959"><span style="font-size:10pt;">Phone: 503.947.5739<font face="Arial"> | Fax:</font><font face="Franklin Gothic Medium"> </font>503.378.5156<font face="Arial"> | </font><font face="Wingdings">*</font>holly.carter@state.or.us
</span></font></div>
<div> </div>
</span></font>
</body>
</html>