MSAA Reports
The MSAA reporting portal for ELA and Mathematics is open July 17 - September 8, 2023. Reports are available at the District of Attendance (DOA), so your tuitioned-out and privately placed students will not be included in your reports. Please work with the DOA to get the results.
MSAA reports are available to District Test Coordinators in the MSAA system using the same login credentials as during the assessment window. Accounts have been created for new Alternate Assessment Test Coordinators. It is important to download all reports during the reporting window since the reports will not be available after the window closes. Please also share the results with your teachers.
Hard copies of student reports for ELA and Mathematics have been shipped. Test coordinators must ensure one copy is sent home to the parent/guardian and the other is placed in the secure student file.
The MSAA reporting portal for Science will be open October 16 - 27, 2023. The standard setting to set cut scores and approval by the Arizona State Board of Education must occur before we can generate the reports. This is causing the delay with the Science reporting window this year.
Alt ELPA Reports
As a new assessment, we will also be conducting a standard setting to set cut scores for Alt ELPA. This process will delay the Alt ELPA reporting window this year. The Alt ELPA reporting window is tentatively scheduled for September 2023. More information will be sent to Alternate Assessment Test Coordinators when it is available.
Eligibility Determination and Student Selector Application
Alternate Assessment eligibility determinations are made annually at the students' IEP meeting. The current IEP must document all areas of student needs, including evidence of a significant cognitive disability, plans for learning academic content aligned with grade level standards, extensive supports, and English language acquisition needs for English learners. The eligibility determination form, which is part of the IEP, must synthesize the information as it pertains to assessment participation. Eligibility for these students should be made early in the school year, even if the annual IEP is due later in the year. IEP teams must also determine Alternate Assessment eligibility for English learners with the most significant cognitive disabilities for participation in Alt ELPA.
Please notify your teachers early so that they are prepared to give the Alternate Assessment Test Coordinator their lists of eligible students this fall. Eligible students participate in MSAA ELA and Math (Grades 3-8 and Grade 11), MSAA Science (Grades 5, 8, and 11), and Alt ELPA (Grades K-12). All students must be identified for participation in all Alternate Assessments (MSAA and Alt ELPA) using the Student Selector Application, which is open October 2 - November 30, 2023.
Change in District Test Coordinator (DTC)
If at any point during the school year there is a change in the District Test Coordinator (DTC), the DTC Test Security Agreement will need to be submitted and approved. Please fill out the form, including the required signatures, and send the completed form to Testing@azed.gov.
1% Threshold
Under federal regulation, the State is required to "provide appropriate oversight to each LEA that the State anticipates will assess more than 1.0% of its assessed students...using alternate assessments aligned with alternate academic achievement standards." An LEA may test students who qualify for Alternate Assessment, even if that participation means that the LEA will exceed 1%. This is then addressed with the Action Plan that the LEA develops and submits to ADE as part of the monitoring requirement. Notifications and instructions for the 2022 administration have been sent to Alternate Assessment Test Coordinators. Monitoring activities for the 1% Threshold for the 2023 administration will begin in the fall. The 1% Threshold does not apply to Alt ELPA.
Alt ELPA Reminders
ADE partners with other states in the Collaborative for the Alternate Assessment of English Learner Proficiency (CAAELP). This has been an exciting opportunity to develop a high-quality Alternate English Language Proficiency assessment, Alt ELPA. Eligible students must meet alternate assessment participation criteria. Alternate Assessment Test Coordinators will register students using the Student Selector Application from October 2 - November 30, 2023. Registration instructions will be available in the Alternate Assessment Test Coordinator Handbook.
The Alt ELPA is aligned to Alternate English Language Proficiency Standards. Please work with your EL coordinator to support English language proficiency instruction for students with the most significant cognitive disabilities using these standards.
Project TIES Resources
The TIES Center has published several resources to support teachers of students with the most significant cognitive disabilities within any Least Restrictive Environment (LRE). The website includes general resources for parents and provides guidance for implementing inclusion practices. We encourage you to check out these resources and the other great support documents the TIES Center has available.
MSAA Instructional Supports
The MSAA website is up and running with resources for families, educators, and students. There are supporting documents for Alternate Assessments, instructional resources, Core Content Connectors (CCCs), and much more! Resources are updated periodically and are free to all. 