Alternate Assessments Based on Modified Academic Achievement Standards (AA-MAS)

Overview

Alternate assessments based on modified achievement standards (AA-MAS) are assessments that some states may use to evaluate the performance of a small group of students with disabilities. On April 9, 2007 federal regulations on modified academic achievement standards were finalized. These regulations may lead to a wider variety of alternate assessments available to students with disabilities.

Federal legislation requires that all students, including students with disabilities, be included in accountability systems. AA-MAS is an assessment option that provides flexibility for inclusion in accountability systems that is available to some students with an IEP whose progress to date, in response to appropriate instruction, is such that those students are unlikely to achieve grade-level proficiency within the school year covered by their IEPs. Students who are assessed with this option are required to have instruction in grade-level content. States are not required to offer this option.

States considering this option need to make sure that strategies are in place to improve instruction and learning for the group of students who may be candidates for AA-MAS. Other assessment options that might be appropriate for some students with disabilities who are unable to take a state’s regular assessment with or without accommodations are alternate assessments based on grade-level achievement standards (AA-GLAS) and alternate assessments based on alternate achievement standards (AA-AAS).

NCEO Resources:

States’ Alternate Assessments Based on Modified Achievement Standards (AA-MAS) in 2007 (Synthesis Report 67) (HTML format available soon) / PDF format

Identifying Students with Disabilities who are Eligible to Take an Alternate Assessment Based on Modified Academic Achievement Standards

A Technical Design and Documentation Workbook for Assessments Based on Modified Achievement Standards

Reporting the Results of Alternate Assessments Based on Modified Academic Achievement Standards

Standards-Based Individualized Education Program Examples
(Published by Project Forum: National Association of State Directors of Special Education (NASDSE)

A Seven-Step Process to Creating Standards-based IEPs
(Published by Project Forum: National Association of State Directors of Special Education (NASDSE)

Alternate Assessments Based on Modified Academic Achievement Standards
Webinar for Parent Training and Information Centers & Community Parent Resource Centers
Conducted October 9, 2007

These Regulations allow states to develop modified academic achievement standards that are challenging for eligible students and measure a student's mastery of grade-level content, but are less difficult than grade-level achievement standards. For more information, see Special Topics on Alternate Assessments.

Federal Register April 9, 2007 Regulations

Fact Sheet: Measuring the Achievement of Students with Disabilities What families and schools need to know about modified academic achievement standards

Non-Regulatory Guidance: Modified Academic Achievement Standards-Draft (July, 2007)

Additional Title I Provisions Included in the Regulations Package on Modified Academic Achievement Standards: Non-Regulatory Guidance (July, 2007)

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This page was last updated on April 02, 2008