ILSSA-IA

Iowa has made significant progress improving its accountability system for students with significant cognitive impairments in the last few years. Under the leadership of the Iowa Department of Education and in partnership with ILSSA and NCEO the state's alternate assessment has created a scoring rubric, trained teachers and begun collection of baseline data, consistent with federal and state legislation. Equally important is a policy shift to reflect initiatives and practices associated with alternate assessment implementation. Changes that have occurred in the past few years are an increased emphasis on demonstrations of student performance rather than reliance on teacher compilations of evidence alone, an increase in the consistency and validity of assessment evidence and data, increased interest in improved instruction and access to the grade level appropriate, general curriculum As such, the Inclusive Large Scale Standards and Assessment (ILSSA) group from the University of Kentucky is pleased to submit this proposal to continue working jointly to improve the alternate assessment process in Iowa. Proposed activities are directed to improving the instructional practices of teachers, improving the consistency of technical assistance and professional development among AEAs across the state and building the capacity of the AEAs to implement the alternate assessment process. This proposal is organized to follow the outline suggested in the RFP. Further, it is written to build upon work completed in previous contracts between the Iowa Department of Education and ILSSA to ensure that Iowa's alternate assessment steadily builds on the vision first created during the 2001-2002 school year.