ERIC Number: EJ885534
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2005-Jun
Pages: 24
Abstractor: ERIC
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0077-5762
EISSN: N/A
When One Size Does Not Fit All--The Special Challenges of Accountability Testing for Students with Disabilities
Pullin, Diana
Yearbook of the National Society for the Study of Education, v104 n2 p199-222 Jun 2005
Current national efforts at education reform rely largely on the use of standardized testing, the cornerstone of federal education policy as a result of the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) of 2001, with its requirements for regular testing of all students and demonstrations of adequate yearly progress on tests by all schools. The challenges associated with test-driven education reform are considerable. For the population of students with disabilities, their schools and families, and educators, as well as the testing industry, these reforms present even more significant challenges. This article assesses the impact of accountability testing of students with disabilities and the use of test data concerning these students. The history of educating students with disabilities, the social and educational policy goals for these students, and the legal provisions for these students create a unique set of challenges for accountability testing. These challenges are exacerbated by the limited research available to inform the implementation of these initiatives. And as the stakes and visibility of current testing programs increase, the challenges of teaching and testing students with disabilities become clearer and the uses and misuses of data concerning these students become more significant. (Contains 5 notes.)
Descriptors: Testing Programs, Federal Legislation, Educational Improvement, Federal Programs, Standardized Tests, Disabilities, Educational Change, Educational Indicators, Accountability, Special Needs Students, Public Policy, United States History, Educational History, Individualized Education Programs, Alternative Assessment, Scoring, Data Analysis, Scores, Disability Identification, Educational Environment, High Stakes Tests, Court Litigation, Academic Achievement
Wiley-Blackwell. 350 Main Street, Malden, MA 02148. Tel: 800-835-6770; Tel: 781-388-8598; Fax: 781-388-8232; e-mail: cs-journals@wiley.com; Web site: http://bibliotheek.ehb.be:2429/WileyCDA/
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Evaluative
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Laws, Policies, & Programs: Americans with Disabilities Act 1990; Individuals with Disabilities Education Act; No Child Left Behind Act 2001; Rehabilitation Act 1973 (Section 504)
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A