TIER 2-ALTERNATE ASSESSMENT SELF-REFLECTION TOOL - LEA Tier 2 Alternate Assessment

Oct 10, 2026

Uploaded by SANS

TIER 2-ALTERNATE ASSESSMENT SELF-REFLECTION TOOL supports local education agencies (LEAs) identified as Tier 2 under the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) 2025-2026 Alternate Assessment Reduction Plan. The tool helps LEAs verify alignment with federal regulations and state guidelines for alternate assessment participation, including review of policies, procedures, and practices. It guides data analysis across intellectual, adaptive, and communication domains; staff training; and IEP team decision-making processes to reduce overidentification and ensure eligibility criteria are met.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryExam

FormatPDF

Pages3

Reading Time8 min

AccessFree to download

Data Analysis

Intellectual Functioning Data

Adaptive Functioning Data

Communication Skills Data

Policies, Procedures, and Practices

Alignment to state alternate assessment guidelines

Review and accuracy of required data

Review of IEP content

Staff Training

Implementing alternate assessment

Linking standards to DLM Essential Elements

IEP Team Decision-Making Process and IEP Documentation

TIER 2-ALTERNATE ASSESSMENT SELF-REFLECTION TOOL 100 North First Street Springfield, Illinois 62777 SPECIAL EDUCATION DEPARTMENT The Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) alternate state accountability assessment is aligned to the DLM-AA Essential Elements, which are aligned to the Illinois Learning Standards. The Every Student Succeeds Act ( ESSA) places a 1% threshold on the number of students who may participate in alternate assessments. ISBE has devised the 2025-2026 Alternate Assessment Reduction Plan, which is a tierbased plan for local education agencies ( LEAs) who exceed the 1% threshold. Based on this reduction plan, LEAs identified as Tier 2 must complete the Tier 2 Alternate Assessment Self-Reflection Tool. The purpose of the tool is to ensure LEAs evaluate their alignment with federal regulations and state guidelines by reviewing policies, procedures, and practices for determining which students should participate in the alternate assessment. The tool is designed to support LEAs in their data review process and to ensure students who are identified to participate in the alternate assessment meet the criteria set in the ISBE Alternate Assessment Participation Guidelines. Additional resources can be found on the following webpages: Alternate Assessment Participation-1% Threshold and Dynamic Learning Maps Alternate Assessment (DLM-AA) . School District Information | NAME OF SCHOOL DISTRICT | SCHOOL YEAR | | --- | --- | | Data Analysis | | | | --- | --- | --- | | The LEA reviewed data from a variety of sources, including but not limited to the data sources below, to determine a students’ participation in alternate assessment.
1. Intellectual Functioning Data
a. Verbal and Non-Verbal Intelligence
b. Thinking, Reasoning, and Problem-Solving Skills
c. Executive Functioning/Attention/Memory
d. Learning Skills
2. Adaptive Functioning Data
a. Adaptive Behavior Skills
b. Conceptional Skills
c. Social Skills
d. Practical Skills
3. Communication Skills Data
a. Expressive Communication Skills
b. Receptive Communication Skills | Yes | No | | Policies, Procedures, and Practices | | | | --- | --- | --- | | The LEA has written policies, procedures, and practices that align to state alternate assessment guidelines, including evaluation factors to consider for alternate assessment participation. | Yes | No | | The LEA has written policies, procedures, and practices for ensuring that LEA staff understand, adhere to, and implement state guidelines and tools for determining alternate assessment participation. | Yes | No | | The LEA has written policies, procedures, and practices which ensure staff routinely review/analyze assessment data (e.g. , Illinois Report Card, Pearson Portal, and/or SIS) to identify patterns and trends that would indicate overidentification and/or disproportionality in one or more subgroups. | Yes | No | | The LEA has written policies, procedures, and practices in place to ensure that all required data reported to ISBE are accurate, reliable, and timely. | Yes | No | | The LEA has written policies, procedures, and practices for reviewing IEP content of students who are participating in alternate assessment. The IEP includes detailed data evidence, student’s primary disability category, utilizing ISBE Alternate Assessment Participation Guidelines Form and/or Alternate Assessment Eligibility Criteria: Decision-Making Companion Tool, and review of all relevant IEP sections which determine participation in alternate assessment. | Yes | No | | The LEA has written policies, procedures, and practices that evaluate the effectiveness of instructional programs for students with the most significant disabilities. | Yes | No | | Staff Training | | | | | | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | LEA staff are routinely trained on effectively implementing the alternate assessment, including utilizing accessibility features available. | | | | | |

FAQs

What is the purpose of the Tier 2 Alternate Assessment Self-Reflection Tool?

It ensures Tier 2 LEAs evaluate alignment with federal regulations and state guidelines for determining which students participate in the alternate assessment, including reviewing policies, procedures, and practices.

Which data domains does the tool reference for participation decisions?

It includes intellectual functioning, adaptive functioning, and communication skills data, covering subareas such as executive functioning/attention/memory and expressive/receptive communication.

How does the tool address IEP team eligibility and documentation?

It requires that alternate assessment eligibility is determined by the IEP team, not solely by disability category or IQ, and it emphasizes IEP documentation that correlates student needs to DLM Essential Elements and annual goals.

Oct 10, 2026

Uploaded by SANS