Alternate Assessment as the "Ultimate Accommodation": Four Challenges for Policy and Practice

Abstract

Alternate assessments are intended for use with students who are unable to participate in general state and district assessment systems even with accommodations, and have been described as the "ultimate accommodation" for promoting the inclusion of students with significant disabilities in accountability systems. This article examines four challenges to be addressed in designing and implementing alternate assessments for students with disabilities: (a) deciding who should participate in alternate assessments, (b) deciding what skills and knowledge should be assessed, (c) creating reliable and valid assessments, and (d) defining proficient performance on alternate assessments.