Inclusion of Students with Special Needs:

Standards and Assessment

 

Inclusive learning environments have two basic components of assessment.  The first is student academic progress that is measured by a variety of assessment procedures.  The information gathered from the assessment is used to improve students' performance and instructional programs.  The second component is the organizational assessment schools undertake to determine future changes to the learning environment.

Student Assessment and Standards

Introduction to Alternate Assessments    Nancy Arnold
Alternate Assessment Specialist for the Washington State Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction notes that the academic assessment of students with disabilities is essential and must be done appropriately and sensitively.

Assessment: A Key Component of Education Reform

Testing Students with Disabilities -- ERIC Digest

Special Education For Inclusive Classrooms: Accommodation Strategies

What Do Tests Test? A Commentary   Howard Gardner

Project Bright IDEA 1: Interest Development Early Abilities: A Model K-2 Nurturing Program - 2001-2004
Meeting standards in North Carolina.

Like It or Not, We Are Test-Driven Society in School, Work, and Government    Niki Hayes
Legislators in 25 states have passed laws requiring that standardized tests be used for accountability purposes in public schools. Educators, parents, and students are openly opposing these tests in increasing (and organized) numbers, and are demanding to know why this "test mania" is taking place in the United States.  Niki Hayes shares a brief history of testing, the effects of testing on a population and shares a method she incorporated in her counseling to help parents and students understand testing.  

The Goal is Excellence    Launa Ellison
An elementary school teacher shares how she utilizes best practices, brain research, and learning styles in achieving standards.

Working Smarter Through Collaboration: The Maryland Assessment Consortium   Jay McTighe
Jay McTighe describes an innovative collaboration of Maryland school districts. Shared knowledge supports the goal of improving classroom use of performance assessments as a part of the instructional process. Also included are some recommended assessment resources.

Lesson Study in Bellevue Schools    Ann Oxrieder
Bellevue teachers use the Lesson Study approach in working together to improve student learning and teacher assessment.

Program Assessment

The Northwest Initiative for Teaching and Learning: Learning from Our Schools
The Northwest Initiative for Teaching and Learning (NWIFTL) asks the tough questions:  What do teachers need to learn so that they can teach to Washington's new standards?  How do they organize precious resources so that staff development makes a difference to students?  And what effect is the state's drive for accountability having on teachers and students?

Keys to School Success     National Education Association
Identified factors that all high achieving schools have in common. Based on more than five years of research by the NEA.

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This information is provided by:
Office of State Superintendent of Public Instruction
Special Education
P O Box 47200
Olympia, WA 98504-7200
(360) 725-6088
Fax (360)586-1631
E-mail: dgill@ospi.wednet.edu