How Students Who Take the AA-AAAS Are Included in State Systemic Improvement Plans (SSIPs) - An Analysis of FFY 2021 SSIPs

Oct 15, 2026

In 2014, the U.S. Department of Education’s OSEP introduced Results Driven Accountability (RDA), requiring states to develop multi-year State Systemic Improvement Plans (SSIPs) tied to measurable results for children with disabilities. This report analyzes how students who take the alternate assessment based on alternate academic achievement standards (AA-AAAS), who have significant cognitive disabilities, are incorporated in SSIPs. Using FFY 2021 SSIPs submitted in February 2023, findings show limited explicit inclusion and notable gaps in assessment-related SiMR strategies.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages35

Reading Time1 h 28 min

AccessFree to download

Executive Summary

Method

Results

Infrastructure Improvements, Evidence-based Programs or Practices, and Stakeholders

Discussion

References

Appendix A: SSIP Analysis

How Students Who Take the AA-AAAS Are Included in State Systemic Improvement Plans (SSIPs): An Analysis of FFY 2021 SSIPs NCEO Report 449 NCEO Report 449 How Students Who Take the AA-AAAS Are Included in State Systemic Improvement Plans (SSIPs): An Analysis of FFY 2021 SSIPs Katherine Nagle, Sheryl S. Lazarus, Gabriella Mottesi, Mari Quanbeck, and Andrew R. Hinkle April 2025 All rights reserved. Any or all portions ofthis document may be reproduced and distributed without prior permission, provided the source is cited as: Nagle, K., Lazarus, S. S., Mottesi, G., Quanbeck, M., & Hinkle, A. R. (2025) . How students who take the AA-AAAS are included in State Systemic Improvement Plans (SSIPs): An analysis of FFY 2021 SSIPs (NCEO Report 449) . National Center on Educational Outcomes. The Center is supported through a Cooperative Agreement (\#H326G210002) with the Research to Practice Division, Office of Special Education Programs, U.S. Department of Education. The Center is affiliated with the Institute on Community Integration at the College of Education and Human Development, University of Minnesota. Consistent with EDGAR §75.62, the contents of this report were developed under the Cooperative Agreement from the U.S. Department of Education, but do not necessarily represent the policy or opinions of the U.S. Department of Education or Offices within it. Readers should not assume endorsement by the federal government. Project Officer: David Egnor In collaboration with: NCEO Core Staff Andrew R. Hinkle, Co-Director Kristi K. Liu, Co-Director Jessica Bowman Gail Ghere Linda Goldstone Michael L. Moore Darrell Peterson Mari Quanbeck Virginia A. Ressa Kathy Strunk Yi-Chen Wu National Center on Educational Outcomes University of Minnesota 2025 East River Parkway, Room 1-330 • Minneapolis, MN 55414 Phone 612/626-1530 [http://www.nceo.info](http://www.nceo.info) The University of Minnesota shall provide equal access to and opportunity in its programs, facilities, and employment without regard to race, color, creed, religion, national origin, gender, age, marital status, disability, public assistance status, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression. This document is available in alternative formats upon request. ~~Executive Summary ~~ In 2014, the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) implemented a new federal accountability framework to oversee and aid states in their execution of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). This framework, Results Driven Accountability (RDA), required states to create an extensive, multi-year strategy to improve outcomes for children with disabilities. This comprehensive plan, the State Systemic Improvement Plan (SSIP), has a particular focus on a State-identified Measurable Result (SiMR) related to student performance. Many states specified SiMRs that use assessment data as the outcome measure, but little is known about how students who participate in the alternate assessment based on alternate academic achievement standards (AA-AAAS) are included in these plans. Students who take the AA-AAAS have the most significant cognitive disabilities. To address this need, an analysis was conducted of states’ SSIPs to learn more about how students who participate in the AA-AAAS were included in SSIPs in states with assessment-related SiMRs. This report presents the findings of the analysis of states’ Federal Fiscal Year (FFY) 2021 SSIPs, submitted to OSEP in February 2023. The analysis included data from both regular states (e.g., Alabama, Wyoming) and unique states (e.g., Puerto Rico, Palau) . Results showed that in FFY 2021, only one of the 42 states with assessment-related SiMRs, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, explicitly included students who participate in the AA-AAAS in their SiMR statement. Seven states (Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Connecticut,

FAQs

What purpose does this report serve?

It examines how states’ SSIPs include students who take the AA-AAAS, focusing on those with assessment-related SiMRs. The goal is to identify patterns and gaps in inclusion.

What SSIPs and timeframe were analyzed?

The analysis used states’ Federal Fiscal Year (FFY) 2021 SSIPs submitted to OSEP in February 2023. Data include both regular states and unique states.

What did the results show about AA-AAAS inclusion in FFY 2021 SiMRs?

Only one of the 42 states with assessment-related SiMRs explicitly included AA-AAAS students in the SiMR statement. Several states used AA-AAAS results as a data source for reading or mathematics outcomes, while one state focused infrastructure improvements involving school teams.

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by Jordan Avery