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MEAP Accommodations
from The Assist, April 2003
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If IEP Teams
determine that their student should participate in one or more
of the Michigan Educational Assessment Program (MEAP)
assessments, they will need to decide whether or not the
student—because of his or her disability—needs assessment
accommodations. Keep in mind that some accommodations are
considered “standard” while others are considered “nonstandard.”
Why does it matter? Because when nonstandard
accommodations are used, the student’s score is NOT eligible for
Merit Awards or endorsements. In addition, the student's
score will count as a zero or "not proficient" in Adequate
Yearly Progress calculations. OSE/EIS wants to make sure that
IEP Teams are fully aware of these ramifications.
Also remember that READERS, AUDIOTAPES, and SIGNING ARE NO
LONGER CONSIDERED STANDARD ACCOMMODATIONS for the reading
component of the English Language Arts MEAP assessment. This
change went into effect in the 2002/2003 school year. The
article below provides a full listing of both standard and
nonstandard accommodations, which IEP Teams may want to refer to
during their team meetings. This list also can be obtained on
the MDE web site www.mi.gov/mde
and in the Draft Guidelines for Determining
Participation in State Assessment for Students with
Disabilities.
As indicated in the MEAP Coordinator Manual, all questions
related to assessment accommodations for students with
disabilities should be e-mailed to Peggy Dutcher, Coordinator,
State Assessment for Students with Disabilities, at
dutcherp@mi.gov.
STANDARD ACCOMMODATIONS
Scheduling
• Provision of additional testing time
• Allowance of frequent or extended supervised breaks
• Administration of the test at a time most beneficial to the
student, with appropriate supervision by a school district
professional
Location
• Provision for test administration at home or in a care
facility with appropriate supervision by a school district
professional
• Provision for distraction-free space or alternate location
(e.g., study carrel, front of classroom)
The following test accommodations will be considered “standard
accommodations” for Michigan Merit Award purposes.
• Placement of student where he/she is most comfortable (e.g.,
front of room, back of room)
• Administration of test in a special education classroom
• Provision for individual test administration (supervised)
• Provision of special lighting
• Provision of adaptive or special furniture
• Provision for freedom to move, stand or pace during an
individualized test administration
• Provision of special acoustics
• Provision for test administration in a small group
• Provision of soft, calming music to minimize distractions
• Placement of teacher/proctor near student
Assistance with Test Directions
• Reading directions to student
• Re-reading of directions for each subtask, as required
• Use of directions that have been highlighted
• Simplification of language in directions (paraphrase)
• Emphasis on verbs in directions
• Provision for student restatement of directions in his/her own
words
• Use of sign language or oral interpreters for directions and
sample items
• Clarification of directions by asking students to restate them
Assistance During Assessment
• Administration of test by special education teacher or
similarly qualified person
• Reading of assessment content and questions to student (except
for the reading test)
• Signing of assessment content and questions to student (except
for the reading test)
• Use of page-turner
• Recording of student responses (writing or audiotape)
Equipment and Assistive Technology
• Use of talking calculator (mathematics test only)
• User of sign language to indicate student response, except for
constructed response items • Use of text-talk converter (except
for the reading test)
• Use of visual magnification devices
• Use of auditory amplification devices
• Use of masks, overlays or markers to maintain place
• Use of tape recorder for use of audiotape version of tests
(except for the reading test)
• Use of Braille writer for recording responses
• Use of communications device to indicate responses
• Use of calculator (mathematics assessments only)
• Use of rulers as provided by Michigan Educational Assessment
Program
• Use of pencils adapted in size or grip
• Use of list of formulae as provided by Michigan Educational
Assessment Program
• Use of noise buffers
• Use of computer or word processing equipment (spell check,
thesaurus and grammar check must be disabled)
• Use of bilingual translation dictionary
• Use of Braille ruler
• Use of acetate colored shield to reduce glare and increase
contrast
• Use of voice-activated word processor (except for writing
assessment)
• Use of devices or equipment to secure paper to desk
Test Format
• Use of lined or grid paper for recording answers
• Provision of Braille or large print editions of the
assessments
• Permission to mark answers in test booklet, to be transferred
to answer document by teacher or proctor
• Use of computer for task presentation
• Communication of test questions by audiotape (except for the
reading test)
• Use of scribe for constructed response items (student must
indicate punctuation and spell all key words)
• Permission to accomplish subtests in different order
Accommodations not on this list will be considered
“nonstandard,” and MEAP test scores accomplished by use of
nonstandard accommodations will not be considered eligible
scores for Michigan Merit Award purposes. Examples of such
nonstandard accommodations would include the following:
NONSTANDARD ACCOMMODATIONS
• Any accommodation not included as a standard accommodation
that violates the Michigan Merit Award Test Administration
Ethics Procedure
• Use of a calculator on any MEAP assessment other than
mathematics assessments
• Use of electronic spell checkers, thesaurus or grammar check
• Use of a dictionary, thesaurus or spelling book for
mathematics, science, social studies or reading assessments
• Any test administration not directly supervised by a school
district professional
Accommodations not included on the Standard Accommodations list,
which, in the opinion of school officials, parents, teachers, or
other interested parties, do not violate the MEAP Test
Administration Ethics policy and do not interfere with the
intent of the assessments, may be approved by the Michigan Merit
Award executive director, pending review by the Michigan Merit
Award Board.
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