Formative Assessment for Students with Disabilities

(2017, December) | Useful to Parent Centers in working with educators and families of children with disabilities.

This 34-page report was commissioned by the Council of Chief State School Officers State Collaboratives on Assessing Special Education Students and Formative Assessment. The report provides teachers, both special education and general education, with an introduction to the knowledge and skills they need to implement formative assessment for students with disabilities in their classrooms. It begins with introductions to students with disabilities and to formative assessment. For students to be actively involved in their learning, they must understand a learning goal, aim for it, and use assessment evidence along the way to stay on course. Three key formative assessment questions are important for all students, including those with disabilities, as they partner with their teachers to produce successful learning outcomes:

• Where am I going?
• Where am I now?
• What do I need to do next?

The main section of the report blends the two fields into a discussion of formative assessment practices for students with disabilities, illustrated with text and video examples. The video examples all include students with disabilities, some in a regular classroom and some in a small group setting.  The strategies described are not limited to use with students with disabilities. The strategies work for all students, including those who are low-performing, with or without disabilities.

Access the report at:
http://www.ccsso.org/sites/default/files/2017-12/Formative_Assessment_for_Students_with_Disabilities.pdf