Glossary of Terms

• Annual Performance Reports
  • Participation Terms
  • Performance Terms
  • Types of Assessments
• Participation & Accommodation
  • Participation & Accommodation Terms

Annual Performance Reports Terms

Participation Terms

• Absent
  The number of students not assessed because they were absent from school when tests were administered.
• All Students
  Total number of students, including students with IEPs and students without IEPs, enrolled in the specified grade or grades on a date as close as possible to the testing date.
• Invalidating Method
  Number of students whose assessment score, due to changes in the testing materials or procedures, was deemed by a state to be not comparable to scores received by students who took the assessment without these changes (for example, non-standard accommodations).
• Invalidating Process
  Number of students whose assessment score could not be used for reporting or aggregation during a given year of administration due to problems in the testing process (e.g., students did not take all portions of the assessment, test was destroyed by scoring machine, students did not fill out answer sheet correctly).
• No Valid Score
  Number of students who did not receive a valid score plus the number who did not take a test due to parental exemption, absence, or other exemptions. The specific reasons that scores would be considered not valid vary across test administrations. Until 2005-06, students whose scores were invalidated due to changes in the testing materials or procedures were counted as having participated although their scores were to be automatically reported as being in the lowest achievement level. Starting in 2005-06, policy appears likely to require that such students will be counted as not participating in the assessment. See footnotes to tables for additional information.
• Parental Exemption
  The number of students not assessed because of parental refusal.
• Students Assessed
  Total number of students with IEPs who completed one type of assessment, such as a regular assessment, an alternate assessment, or an assessment out of grade level.
• Students Who Used Accommodations
  Number of students with IEPs who took a regular assessment with accommodations, where the accommodations are changes in test materials or procedures defined by state guidelines.
• Students with IEPs
  Number of students with IEPs enrolled in the specified grade or grades on a date as close as possible to the testing date.
• Other Exemption
  Number of students not assessed for any reason other than parental exemption or absence.

Performance Terms

• Achievement Level
  Number of students whose scores placed them within a given state-defined achievement level. Note that achievement levels differ from state to state and cannot be compared directly.
• Lowest Level Considered Proficient
  Achievement level designated by each state as "proficient." Scores at this achievement level or higher are counted by a state as proficient (and above).
• Total Tests Scored
  Number of students whose assessment results can be used for reporting performance results during a given test administration year.

Types of Assessments

• Alternate Assessment Based on Alternate Achievement Standards
  Number of students with IEPs who participated in an alternate assessment based on different achievement standards from the regular assessment during a given test administration year.
• Alternate Assessment Based on Grade Level Achievement Standards
  Number of students with IEPs who participated in an alternate assessment based on the same grade level achievement standards as the regular assessment during a given test administration year.
• Alternate Assessment Based on Unspecified Achievement Standards
  Number of students with IEPs who participated in an alternate assessment based on unspecified achievement standards. In 2002-2003, performance reporting for alternate assessments did not distinguish between (1) alternate assessments based on grade level achievement standards, (2) those based on alternate achievement standards, and (3) those that were not based on any rigorous standards setting process and could only be used to report that students had participated and received performance results. Beginning in 2003-2004, performance data are reported only for alternate assessments that states say are based on either grade level achievement standards or on alternate achievement standards.
• Assessment Taken Out of Grade Level
  Number of students with IEPs who participated in a regular assessment taken at a grade level below the grade in which the student is enrolled during a given test administration year.
• Regular Assessment
  Number of students with IEPs who participated in the regular assessment during a given test administration year with or without accommodations.

Participation & Accommodation Terms

• Abacus
  abacus or similiar counting tools
• Adaptive or Special Furniture
  any furniture the student requires (e.g., for sitting upright)
• Additional Examples
  in response to student request for more information or clarification, the test administrator supplies additional examples to assist the student
• Administration by Others
  someone other than the regular test administrator gives the test to the student (e.g., special or regular education teacher)
• Allowed (A)
  if the accommodation is used, the student must be given the score she or he earned, the student’s score must be aggregated, and the score must be used for accountability purposes
• Allowed (A*)
  the accommodation is called non-standard, but the state either does not provide a definition of what non-standard means, or does not explicitly state that there are implications for scoring for using that accommodation
• Allowed in Certain Circumstances (AC)
  the accommodation is allowed on some assessments and not others
• Allowed with Implications for Scoring (AI)
  if the accommodation is used, the student automatically receives a certain score (e.g., zero or below basic) or the score is not aggregated
• Amplification Equipment
  equipment that increases the level of sound during the test (e.g., hearing aids)
• Audio/Video Equipment
  audio or video equipment
• Braille
  all parts of the assessment are presented in braille
• Brailler
  device or computer that generates responses in braille
• Calculator
  standard calculator or special function calculator
• Carrel
  the student is assessed while seated in a study carrel
• Combination Participation
  the student may take different parts of different tests, such as taking the reading alternate assessment, the math general assessment, and the science assessment with accommodations
• Communication Device
  various devices that the student uses in giving responses (e.g., symbol boards)
• Computer or Machine
  computer or machine (e.g., typewriter)
• Equipment/Material Accommodations
  changes in the conditions of the assessment setting that involve the introduction of certain types of tools and assistive devices
• Extended Time
  students take more time on the assessment than the time typically allowed
• Familiar Examiner
  someone other than the regular test examiner who the student knows and has worked with in the past gives the test to the student (e.g., special or regular education examiner)
• Individual
  student is assessed separately from other students
• Large Print
  all parts of the assessment are in large print
• Light/Acoustics
  changes to the amount or placement of lighting or special attention to the acoustics of the test setting
• Locally Selected Assessments
  assessments that the school district staff select for students who are unable to participate in the general assessment even with accommodations
• Magnification Equipment
  equipment that enlarges the print size of the test
• Manipulatives
  learning materials that are operated with the hands (e.g., math cubes, counters)
• Minimize Distractions/Reduced Noise
  the student is assessed in a quiet environment
• Multiple Sessions
  assessments generally given in a single session can be broken into multiple sessions
• Noise Buffer
  any equipment used to block external sounds (e.g., ear mufflers, white noise)
• Out-of-Level Assessment
  the practice of allowing a student in one grade to take an assessment designed for another (usually lower) grade
• Over Multiple Days
  an assessment normally administered in one day is administered over several days
• Pointing
  the student points to a response and the staff member translates this onto an answer sheet
• Presentation Accommodations
  changes in the way in which a test is presented to a student
• Proctor/Scribe
  the student responds verbally and a proctor or scribe then translates this onto an answer sheet; for extended writing responses, specific instructions about how spelling or punctuation may be used may be included
• Prohibited (P)
  the use of the accommodation on statewide and district-wide testing is not permitted
• Read Aloud Directions
  the directions portion of the assessment is read to the student
• Read Aloud Questions
  the assessment items are read to the student
• Read/Re-read/Clarify Directions
  directions may be clarified through restatement for the student
• Response Accommodations
  changes in how a student responds to elements of the assessment
• Scheduling/Timing Accommodations
  changes in the timing or scheduling of an assessment
• Seat Location/Proximity
  the student is assessed in a specifically designated seat location, usually in close proximity to the test administrator
• Selective Participation
  students may take certain parts of the assessment without being required to take others, such as taking the math alternate assessment and no other assessments
• Separate Room
  the student is assessed in a separate room
• Setting Accommodations
  changes in the test location or environment
• Sign Interpret Directions
  the directions portion of the assessment is presented to the student via sign language
• Sign Interpret Questions
  the assessment items are presented to the student via sign language
• Small Group
  the student is assessed in a small group separate from other students
• Special Education Classroom
  the student is assessed in a special education classroom
• Spell Checker/Assistance
  a spell checker in the form of a separate device, within a word-processing program, or within print materials (e.g., glossary, dictionary)
• Student's Home
  the student is assessed at home, usually when out of school for illness or other reasons
• Templates/Graph Paper
  place markers or templates used to mark a location of focus on the test
• Testing with Modifications or Nonstandard Accommodations
  accommodations that are typically considered to change what is being tested to an extent that invalidates a student’s score
• Time Beneficial to Student
  the assessment is administered at a time that is most advantageous to the student
• Visual Cues
  additional visual cues are provided for the student, such as arrows or stickers
• With Breaks
  time away from the test that is allowed during tests typically administered without breaks, sometimes with conditions about when this can occur (e.g., not within subtests) and how long they can be
• Write in Test Booklet
  responses may be written in the test booklet rather than on answer sheets