Identifying Errors in Reporting Grade Levels for Students with Disabilities

The November 2005 memorandum entitled Interim Supplemental Guidelines for Participation of Students with Disabilities in State Assessments for 2005-06 (http://www.p12.nysed.gov/specialed/publications/policy/interimguidelines.htm) from James A. Kadamus and Rebecca Cort provided guidance on determining which students with disabilities should be considered ungraded. It also provided guidance on testing those students. All students who took the NYSAA or who were determined by the district committee on special education to be ungraded must have repository records that show their grade level to be “ungraded” at the time of assessment. Some districts incorrectly reported these students as graded. These students are counted as “not tested” in the Accountability Verification Report because their grade did not match the assessment grade level that was reported for them.

For example, Sample Student 1 below was reported as a grade 6 student (Assessed Grade = 06), but the student is an ungraded student with disabilities who was correctly tested on the Grade 5 ELA NYSTP assessment because her date of birth is 03/16/1993 and she was not a NYSAA-eligible student. According to the Kadamus/Cort memo, non-NYSAA eligible students born between July 1, 1992 and June 30, 1993 were required to take the Grade 5 ELA NYSTP assessment in 2005–06. This student’s grade level must be changed to ungraded. If it is not changed, the student will be counted as “Not Tested.”

Sample Student 2 was reported as a grade 3 student (Assessed Grade = 03), but the student is an ungraded student with disabilities who was correctly not tested because his date of birth is 01/30/1997 and he is a NYSAA-eligible student. According to the Kadamus/Cort memo, NYSAA-eligible students born after June 30, 1996 were not required to take any State assessments in 2005–06. This student’s grade level must be changed to ungraded. If it is not changed, the student will be counted as “Not Tested.”

Sample Student 3 was reported as a grade 4 student (Assessed Grade = 04), but the student is an ungraded student with disabilities who was correctly tested on the Grade 3 Mathematics NYSAA because his date of birth is 12/18/1995 and he is a NYSAA-eligible student. According to the Kadamus/Cort memo, NYSAA-eligible students born between July 1, 1995 and June 30, 1996 were required to take the Grade 3 Mathematics NYSAA in 2005–06. This student’s grade level must be changed to ungraded. If it is not changed, the student will be counted as “Not Tested.”

SCHOOL DISTRICT ACCOUNTABILITY STUDENT DETAIL REPORT
000000000000
School Year 2005-06		Report Run on:			Dec 21, 2006		10:17:11 AM
Subject ELA		Total Student Count: 002
All Grades
Participation Rate Enrollment
Students with Disabilities
Student:	SAMPLE STUDENT 1 (Not NYSAA)			Ethnicity:	White				Accountable Assmt:	Grade 6 ELA
Student ID:	000000001			LEP:					Part Rate District:	Y
Alternate ID:	0000000001			LEP Duration:					Part Rate School:	Y
Assessed Grade:	06			Disability:	Mental Retardation				Cont Enroll District:	N
Date of Birth:	03/16/1993			NYSAA Eligible:					Cont Enroll School:	N
Gender:	Female			Econ Disad:	Y
District	School		Grade	Entry Date	Exit Date	Exit Reason		Assessment	Score	Performance Level
DISTRICT NAME	SCHOOL NAME		06	09/07/2005	06/30/2006	End of School Year		Grade 5 ELA	602	Level 1
Student:	SAMPLE STUDENT 2 (NYSAA not tested)			Ethnicity:	White				Accountable Assmt:	NYSAA: Grade 3 ELA
Student ID:	000000002			LEP:					Part Rate District:	Y
Alternate ID:	0000000002			LEP Duration:					Part Rate School:	Y
Assessed Grade:	03			Disability:	Mental Retardation				Cont Enroll District:	N
Date of Birth:	01/30/1997			NYSAA Eligible:	Y				Cont Enroll School:	N
Gender:	Male			Econ Disad:	Y
District	School		Grade	Entry Date	Exit Date	Exit Reason		Assessment	Score	Performance Level
DISTRICT NAME	SCHOOL NAME		03	09/07/2005	06/30/2006	End of School Year

Student:	SAMPLE STUDENT 3 (NYSAA tested)		Ethnicity:	White			Accountable Assmt:	NYSAA: Grade 4 Math
Student ID:	000000003		LEP:				Part Rate District:	Y
Alternate ID:	0000000003		LEP Duration:				Part Rate School:	Y
Assessed Grade:	04		Disability:	Mental Retardation			Cont Enroll District:	N
Date of Birth:	12/18/1995		NYSAA Eligible:	Y			Cont Enroll School:	N
Gender:	Male		Econ Disad:
District	School	Grade	Entry Date	Exit Date	Exit Reason	Assessment	Score	Performance Level
DISTRICT NAME	SCHOOL NAME	04	09/06/2005	06/30/2006	End of School Year	NYSAA: Grade 3 Math		NYSAA-Level 4

These changes must be submitted to the Level 1 Repository Operator by 4:00 p.m. on Friday, December 22. The change will be reflected in the final Accountability Status Report available on nySTART on January 3, 2007.