Students with learning disabilities can apply for accommodations when taking the MCAS tests. It is important to specifically ask for the special ed. MCAS accommodations necessary for your student in advance since they are not always given without a request. Below is the full list of special ed. accommodations allowed for the MCAS tests:
Changes in Timing or Scheduling of the Test
1. Frequent Breaks: The test is administered in short periods with frequent breaks.
2. Time of Day: The test is administered at a time of day that takes into account the student’s medical or learning needs (IEP or 504 plan must specify time of day).
Changes in Test Setting
3. Small Group: The test is administered in a small group setting (no more than 10 students). Note: If students will also receive the accommodation of having the test read aloud or signed, no more than 5 students may be in the small group.
4. Separate Setting: The test is administered in a room other than the one used by the rest of the class.
5. Individual: The test is administered to the student individually.
6. Specified Area: The test is administered with the student seated at the front or other specified area of the room, in a study carrel, or in another other enclosed area (IEP or 504 plan must specify location).
Changes in Test Presentation
7. Familiar Test Administrator: The test is administered by a test administrator familiar to the student.
8. Noise Buffers: The student wears noise buffers, after test administration instructions have been read (music may not be played on headphones worn during MCAS testing).
9. Magnification or Overlays: The student uses magnifying equipment, enlargement devices, colored visual overlays, or specially tinted lenses (IEP or 504 plan must specify which).
10. Test Directions: The test administrator clarifies general administration instructions. No portion of the test items or reading selections (including the introduction to reading selections) may be read or signed.
11. Large Print: The student uses a large-print (18-point font) edition of the test. All answers must be transcribed verbatim from the large-print answer booklet to the student’s standard answer booklet.
12. Braille: The student uses a Braille edition of the test. All answers must be either scribed or transcribed verbatim into the student’s answer booklet, unless the student also has accommodation 23 (typed response) in his or her IEP.
13. Place Marker: The student uses a place marker.
14. Track Test Items: The test administrator assists the student in tracking test items (e.g., moving from one test question to the next) or by redirecting the student’s attention to the test.
15. Amplification: The student uses sound amplification equipment.
16. Test Administrator Reads Test Aloud (except ELA Reading Comprehension test, which is nonstandard accommodation 26): The test administrator reads the ELA Composition, Mathematics, and/or Science and Technology/Engineering test(s) aloud to the student.
• Test session(s) must be read word-for-word, exactly as written. The test administrator may not provide assistance to the student regarding the meanings of words, intent of any test item, or responses to test items. The test administrator must read in a neutral tone, with no emphasis given to any terms, passages, or response options, and with no detectable changes in inflection. The test can be read aloud in one of the following ways, which must be specified in the IEP or 504 plan:
Test administrator reads entire test session word-for-word exactly as written. OR
Test administrator reads selected words, phrases, and/or sentences as directed by the student. The student points to the word, phrase, or sentence that he or she needs read aloud.
• Test must be administered in a separate setting (accommodation 4), either individually (accommodation 5) or to a small group (2–5 students) (accommodation 3). For reading aloud to a small group, follow the procedures outlined in Appendix A of this document.
• No portion of the ELA Reading Comprehension test may be read aloud unless accommodation 26 is listed in the student’s IEP.
17. Test Administrator Signs Test: The test administrator signs the ELA Composition, Mathematics, and/or Science and Technology/Engineering test(s) to the student who is deaf or hard of hearing.
• Test sessions(s) must be signed exactly as written, except in cases when doing so would reveal an answer to a test question. When use of a sign would visually define the concept being tested (e.g., using the sign for parallel lines that demonstrates this concept visually), the term or concept must be finger-spelled. Interpreters may not provide assistance to the student regarding the meanings of words, intent of any test question, or responses to test items.
• The test must be administered in a separate setting (accommodation 4), either individually (accommodation 5) or to a small group (2-5 students) (accommodation 3). For signing the test to a small group, follow the procedures outlined in the appendix. Notes: • Under secure conditions supervised by the principal, sign interpreters may review test materials up to four days prior to test administration. Test materials may not be removed from the school.
• American Sign Language DVDs of the grade 10 Mathematics test are available.
18. Electronic Text Reader: The student uses an electronic text reader for the ELA Composition, Mathematics, and/or Science and Technology/Engineering test(s). All MCAS tests are available on a CD in the Kurzweil 3000 format. Responses to all test questions must be submitted in the student’s standard answer booklet for students using this accommodation.
Changes in How the Student Responds to Test Questions
19. Scribe Test or Use Speech-to-Text Conversion Device: The student dictates or signs responses to a scribe or uses a speech-to-text conversion device to record responses.
• The test must be administered individually in a separate setting.
• The scribe must record the student’s words exactly as dictated into the student’s answer booklet and may not edit or alter the student’s responses in any way.
• The scribe must allow the student to review and edit what has been scribed.
• When a student uses an electronic speech-to-text conversion device, the test administrator must follow the instructions for submitting typed responses described in the Principal’s Administration Manual.
• Scribes must hand write student responses.
20. Organizer, Checklist, Reference Sheet, or Abacus: The student uses a graphic organizer or checklist to answer open-response items or to respond to a writing prompt; an individualized mathematics reference sheet; or an abacus on the Mathematics tests.
21. Student Signs or Reads Test Aloud: The student may
• read the test aloud to him- or herself;
• read the test and record answers on an audio recording device and then write responses to test items while playing back the recorded segment(s) (including the ELA Composition);
• type responses and then use text-to-speech software to play back and review the typed responses (student must also have accommodation 23 on his or her IEP or 504 plan); or
• sign test items/responses onto video and then write answers while playing back the video (for a student who is deaf or hard of hearing).
22. Monitor Placement of Responses: The test administrator monitors placement of student responses in the student’s answer booklet.
23. Typed Responses: The student uses a word processing program or an Alpha-Smart (or similar electronic keyboard) to type the ELA Composition, answers to open-response questions, or answers to short-answer questions on any MCAS test.
24. Answers Recorded in Test Booklet: The student records answers directly in the test booklet or uses special paper for drafts or computation (e.g., lined or graph paper).
25. Test Administrator Reads Aloud the ELA Reading Comprehension Test.
26. Test Administrator Signs ELA Reading Comprehension Test for a Student Who Is Deaf or Hard of Hearing.
27. Calculation Devices: The student uses a calculator, arithmetic table (including addition/subtraction and multiplication/division charts), or manipulatives on the non-calculator session of the Mathematics.
28. Spell or Grammar Checking Function on Word Processor, Spell-Checking Device, or Word Prediction Software for the ELA Composition.
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