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"We plant and nourish seeds of the Pines, but evaluate for signs of the Weeping Willow."

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State: Indiana

Developmental Level: Moderate-Severe Life Skills, ages 15-22

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Indiana's Expectations of Students and the I AM assessment

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A CCC decides whether each student with an IEP will participate in (general education) I-Learn testing or the alternative assessment, I AM.

The alternate assessment correlates to the Content Connectors, adopted in 2018 for students with significant intellectual disabilities. (Content Connectors replace IN State Standards.)

There are 3 qualifying factors to consider: 1. The student's disability must limit their intellectual and adaptive functioning skills. 2. The student is placed in a setting where they receive a repetitive and highly adapted curriculum. 3. The student's instruction requires modified standards and adapted materials for presenting these standards.

The I AM assessment is given in grades 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 10. All grade levels include Math and Language Arts/Reading sections, but alternate a Social Studies or Science portion if necessary.

The I AM assessment satisfies the federal law Every Child Succeeds Act (ESSA) requiring that every child in grades 3-8 and once in high school are measured on their growth in each area assessed.

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Pouring a foundation unsuitable to growth

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Math
The first math content connector listed in relation to "Number Sense and Data Analysis" is MA10.DASP.1.a.1: Graph bivariate data using scatter plots and identify possible associations between the variables.

My students' level: Currently I have 80% of students able to identify numbers up to 10. I have 20% of students able to identify numbers over 20.

Language Arts/Reading
The first language arts/math connector listed in relation to "Key Ideas and Textual Support/Vocabulary" is 9-10.LH.2.1.a.1: Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of primary and secondary sources, attending to such features as the date and origin of the information.

My students' level: Currently 10% of my students can read words in the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th Level Fry Lists.

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Equal as we walk the earth, but unique in what we bring to it.

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I've always had a strong opinion on State Testing, but always in reference to the General Education setting. I do not believe in assessing on grade level standards but believe a test reporting the growth of a student in Math and Language Arts/Reading throughout their education is appropriate.

Last year I gave the I AM test to two sophomores in my Moderate-Severe/Profound classroom. I took the First-Year Teacher I AM training, I read the I AM testing manual, I prepped with the Assistant Principal to know where and when to get the information to log in, and worked with the corporation psychologist to find a quiet, private room to administer the test. Nothing in my 19 years of pre-service and teaching experience prepared me for what I saw on the screen.

As educators, we would never condone a sophomore in high school to sit for the Indiana Bar examination, but I was forced to administer a test of near equal relation to the most protected under the law, and precious to me. In researching this topic I found no reasonable explanation for the purpose, only that it "ticks a box" for ESSA, with no regard to the appropriateness of its intent. Aside from the shame it caused students that aren't often able to distinguish 'sad' from 'happy', I was appalled to think of the amount of money planning for, administering, and grading/reporting this test requires.

This test has no impact on my daily routines in the classroom. The content connectors aren't helpful in the basic planning of the day. They are so far out of reach for my students. I understand the desire to hold teachers accountable and show student growth, but this test accomplishes neither.

We can water, talk to, and provide sun to all students; but a pine will never grow into a willow. They will both line the paths of humanity equally.

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Sources I dug into to find the root of reason. I'm still digging.

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https://www.in.gov/doe/students/assessment/i-am/
https://pdf.live/edit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.in.gov%2Fdoe%2Ffiles%2FIndiana-Alternate-Assessment-Participation-1.pdf&guid=220b4383-cda1-6109-1626-f8dc3ef972dd&installDate=101622&source=google-d_pdftab_crx

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1yq5S6QFnb_tz4rvTKiIqtD1QmFDL4qby/view

https://pdf.live/edit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.in.gov%2Fdoe%2Ffiles%2Fi-am-math-grade-10-20221122.pdf&guid=220b4383-cda1-6109-1626-f8dc3ef972dd&installDate=101622&source=google-d_pdftab_crx

https://pdf.live/edit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.in.gov%2Fdoe%2Ffiles%2Fi-am-ela-grade-10-20221122.pdf&guid=220b4383-cda1-6109-1626-f8dc3ef972dd&installDate=101622&source=google-d_pdftab_crx