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<div><font face="Arial" size="3"><span style="font-size:12pt;">TO: All District and ESD Special Education Directors</span></font></div>
<div><font face="Arial" size="3"><span style="font-size:12pt;"> </span></font></div>
<div><font face="Arial" size="3"><span style="font-size:12pt;">The message below is being sent to you on behalf of:</span></font></div>
<div><font face="Arial" size="3"><span style="font-size:12pt;"> </span></font></div>
<div><font face="Arial" size="3"><span style="font-size:12pt;"> </span></font></div>
<div><font face="Arial" size="3"><span style="font-size:12pt;">Sarah Drinkwater, Ph.D.</span></font></div>
<div><font face="Arial" size="3"><span style="font-size:12pt;">Assistant Superintendent</span></font></div>
<div><font face="Arial" size="3"><span style="font-size:12pt;">Office of Learning/Student Services</span></font></div>
<div><font face="Arial" size="3"><span style="font-size:12pt;">______________________________________________ </span></font></div>
<div><font face="Arial" size="3"><span style="font-size:12pt;">February 24, 2014</span></font></div>
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<div><font face="Arial" size="3"><span style="font-size:12pt;"><b><i>RE: Smarter Balanced Assessment Field Test: IEP </i></b><b><i>Guidance</i></b></span></font></div>
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<div><font face="Arial" size="3"><span style="font-size:12pt;">In preparation for the Smarter Balanced Field Test that will involve students with disabilities, ODE is offering the following information based upon guidance provided by the U.S. Department of
Education:</span></font></div>
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<div><font face="Arial" size="3"><span style="font-size:12pt;">Under 34 C.F.R. § 300.320(a)(6)(i), each student’s IEP must include a statement of any individual accommodations that are necessary to measure the academic achievement and functional performance
of the child on State and district-wide assessments.</span></font></div>
<div><font face="Arial" size="3"><span style="font-size:12pt;"> </span></font></div>
<div><font face="Arial" size="3"><span style="font-size:12pt;">The Oregon Department of Education has received approval from the US Department of Education to offer double-testing flexibility as part of the Smarter Balanced Field Test. The Field Test, <u>which
will take place</u> <u>March 18 through June 6, 2014,</u> includes two tests, English language arts and Mathematics. Field test participants were selected based on a volunteer pool of schools and districts that indicated interest in one or more grade levels
taking one or both of the tests. Double testing flexibility allows schools participating in the Smarter Balanced Field Test to determine whether or not to <u>also</u> test participating students on the current state test, the Oregon Assessment of Knowledge
and Skills (OAKS), which is used for various school and district accountability purposes. At this time, 243 schools across 98 districts are enrolled in the field test.</span></font></div>
<div><font face="Arial" size="3"><span style="font-size:12pt;"> </span></font></div>
<div><font face="Arial" size="3"><span style="font-size:12pt;">If you are one of the districts that volunteered to participate in the Smarter Balanced Field Test, then for students who have an IEP and who would otherwise take the OAKS, these students may participate
in the Smarter Balanced Field Test. </span></font></div>
<div><font face="Arial" size="3"><span style="font-size:12pt;"> </span></font></div>
<div><font face="Arial" size="3"><span style="font-size:12pt;">However, the IEP team must ensure that the child’s current IEP lists accommodations that are appropriate and provided on the Smarter Balanced Field Tests. If the IEP lists accommodations that are
not provided on the Smarter Balanced Field Test, then the IEP team can amend or change the IEP to correct the accommodations following the allowable methods for changing an IEP, or determine that the student may take the OAKS using the accommodations provided
for in the current IEP and not change the IEP. </span></font></div>
<div><font face="Arial" size="3"><span style="font-size:12pt;"> </span></font></div>
<div><font face="Arial" size="3"><span style="font-size:12pt;">If you are one of the districts that volunteered to participate in the Smarter Balanced Field Test, for students who would otherwise take the Extended Assessment these students should participate
in the Extended Assessment as identified in their IEP.</span></font></div>
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<div><font size="2"><span style="font-size:10pt;"><b><i>Ruby Sandberg, Executive Assistant </i></b></span></font></div>
<div><font size="2"><span style="font-size:9pt;"><i>Oregon Department of Education</i></span></font></div>
<div><font size="2"><span style="font-size:9pt;"><i>Office of Learning l Student Services </i></span></font></div>
<div><font size="2"><span style="font-size:9pt;"><i>503-947-5738 l FAX: 503-378-5156 l </i><a href="mailto:ruby.sandberg@state.or.us"><font color="blue"><i><u>ruby.sandberg@state.or.us</u></i></font></a></span></font></div>
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<div><font size="2"><span style="font-size:9pt;"><i>The Oregon Department of Education is an equal opportunity agency and employer.</i></span></font></div>
<div><font size="2"><span style="font-size:9pt;"><i>Messages to and from this email address may be made available to the public under Oregon law.</i></span></font></div>
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