This accommodations manual presents a five-step process for Individualized Educational Program (IEP) teams, 504 plan committees, general and special education teachers, administrators, and district level assessment staff to use in the selection, administration, and evaluation of the effectiveness of the use of instructional and assessment accommodations by students with disabilities.  The guidance in the manual pertains to students with disabilities who participate in large-scale assessments and the instruction they receive.  The manual is designed such that personnel can insert state-specific information and policies related to content standards, assessments, and accommodations. ...

Goals for school improvement are based on State and local assessment results and the indicator systems of which they are a part.  These results reveal overall learning, conditions that affect learning, and discrepancies in learning between content areas, groups of students, and grade levels.   Using this information, the school determines what needs to be improved, who needs to improve, and how that improvement might beaccomplished.  This Web tool provides guidance through the steps of data-based decision-making processes and access to useful examples, real school stories, and the best available tools and resources to help schools build effective data-based decision making ...

The Council of Chief State School Officers has offered a series of quarterly audioconferences for State education agency staff  who administer the 21st Century Community Learning Centers and Supplemental Educational Service  programs.  The purposes of these calls are (a) to foster continuous dialogue between States around the role of State education agencies in supporting high-quality, extended learning opportunities and (b) to build awareness of extended learning initiatives that have successfully increased student academic achievement and fostered additional positive outcomes for children and youth.  Transcripts, PowerPoints, and links to papers are included.  (CCSSO ...

This resource is a link to a website intended to assist state education agency personnel make decisions and implementation plans associated with moving from a paper and pencil testing environment to a computer-based testing environment. Once you enter the site information is provided about the purpose of the tool, how to create a login and password for the tool, and directions for using the tool. The link to the tool is imbedded in this online document. In addition, this site also provides an annotated bibliography regarding online assessment