Modified Assessment Option for Students with Disabilities

Students with learning disabilities may be assessed based on modified achievement standards, say new U.S. Department of Education regulations.

On April 9, the U.S. Department of Education announced new guidelines for assessing students with learning disabilities under No Child Left Behind (NCLB). The new regulation gives states the option to assess students based on modified academic achievement standards. The standards must still challenge the students assessed, but will be less difficult than grade-level achievement standards. This assessment option will only be available to children who already receive special education services, such as an Individualized Education Program (IEP), under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). They're expected to be in place in most states by the 2008-08 school year.

For more information, read the Q & A prepared by the National Center for Learning Disabilities.