Impact of ESSA on Alternate Assessment Access for English Learners with Significant Cognitive Disabilities

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session Friday 11:45 am - Gold 4
  In Roundtable Session: Language Assessment for Students with Disabilities

Abstract

The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) mandates that states identify English learners with the most significant cognitive disabilities and administer alternate assessments, limiting participation to 1% of all students. Using 2016-2017 to 2023-2024 data from 11 states in the Dynamic Learning Maps (DLM) alternate assessment system, this study examines ESSA’s impact on access to alternate assessments by comparing trends in characteristics and performance between students with the most significant cognitive disabilities who were ever classified as English learners (ever-ELs) and those never classified as ELs (never-ELs). Ever-EL students were more often placed in separate educational settings and rated lower by educators, despite having their DLM scores comparable to never-ELs. Findings have implications for identifying and equitably serving this underserved population.

Authors

• Nami Shin, University of Kansas

• Meagan Karvonen, University of Kansas

• Melissa L. Gholson, University of Kansas