Relationships among teachers' perspectives, self-reported practices, and concerns related to an alternate assessment system

Abstract: A statewide survey was completed by 234 special education teachers with experience in developing assessment portfolios within the Illinois Alternate Assessment (IAA) system. Relationships between these teachers’ demographics and their perspectives, concerns, and self-reported practices related to the IAA system was identified and described. These Illinois teachers expressed less positive perspectives about their practices related to the IAA system than teachers in previous studies. Overall, they noted few benefits of the IAA system for teachers and students. Implications of these results and recommendations for educational practice and future research are discussed. The Individuals with Disabilities EducationAct of 1997 [P.L. NO. 105-17] (IDEA 997) mandates that all students with disabilities be included in the assessment process and that each state provide alternate assessment for those students who cannot participate in regular assessment. States and school districts are currently aware of the requirements of the IDEA 997 and are implementing alternate assessment systems for those students for whom the regular assessment system is not appropri-ate. The Illinois Alternate Assessment (IAA) Task Force developed the IAA system in 1999 in response to requirements stated in IDEA 997. The IAA Task Force consisted of admin-istrators, teachers, higher education personnel, and parents. The Task Force identified two purposes of the IAA: (a) to measure the progress of a small percentage of students with disabilities who could not participate in the regular statewide and/or district-wide assess-ments, even with accommodations; and (b) to ensure that the educational process of those students was included in the statewide ac-countability system at the individual, school, district, and state levels (Illinois State Board o