News
Contact: Gail Ribalta
210.558.1902
gribalta@edvanceresearch.com
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: April 24, 2008
REL Southwest Research REVEALS Challenges of alternative assessments
San Antonio The Regional Educational Laboratory Southwest (REL Southwest),
run by Edvance Research (formerly run by SEDL), has released research that examines
the policies, practices and impact of alternative assessments in the five-state
region covered by REL Southwest: Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas.
A primary goal of both the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB) and the Individuals
with Disabilities Act of 2004 (IDEA) is to include more students with significant
cognitive disabilities in state and district accountability. This research provides
a view of alternative assessments in the Southwest region. Alternative assessments
for special education students in the Southwest Region states http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/edlabs/projects/project.asp?id=73
Key findings include:
- Given the range of student cognitive and physical disabilities that are included
in the special education definition, a one-size alternative assessment will not
fit all.
- The academic achievement of students with the most significant cognitive disabilities
has been underestimated by traditional paper-and-pencil tests.
- Across the five REL Southwest states, definitions and parameters for eligibility
differ substantially.
REL Southwest, at Edvance Research, is one of ten educational laboratories in the
Regional Educational Laboratory Network (REL Network), under the Institute of Education
Sciences (IES) of the U.S. Department of Education. REL Southwest serves the states
of Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas and works for the benefit
of over 7 million students and 500,000 teachers in approximately 14,500 schools
in grades pre-kindergarten through college in this five-state region.
The REL Network encompasses ten geographical regions that span the nation with its
primary mission being to serve the educational needs of designated regions. The
REL Network uses applied research, development, dissemination, and training and
technical assistance to bring the latest and best research and proven practices
into school improvement efforts.
http://edlabs.ed.gov/RELSouthwest
Educators in the southwest region may obtain technical assistance through the REL
Reference Desk by calling 1-877-EDVANCE (1-877-338-2623) or e-mailing
RELinfo@edvanceresearch.com.
Founded in 2005, Edvance Research, Inc. is a research enterprise with a mission
to be a leader in the advancement of rigorous research, specializing in the education
arena. The company is headquartered in San Antonio, Texas. www.edvanceresearch.com