Researchers Warn of Possible Pitfalls In Spec. Ed. Testing

By Joetta L. Sack

Vancouver, British Columbia

Some types of alternative assessments and accommodations for special education students may present problems as states hurry to create new accountability systems, researchers warned here at the Council for Exceptional Children's recent annual conference.

Under the 1997 amendments to the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, states and districts must include students with disabilities in their assessments, to the extent appropriate, and report the students' scores. States have until July 1 to come up with guidelines for alternative-assessment systems for students who are deemed unable to take the regular tests even with accommodations.

Martha Thurlow, a co-director of the National Center on Educational Outcomes, based at the University of Minnesota, said more states are looking at implementing "out of level" testing for special education students, in which they would take tests designed for students at different grade levels, usually lower ones. Other states are considering extending the same rewards and punitive measures called for under "high stakes" tests for general education students to special...