How will educators and parents understand and utilize the results of alternate assessments?
This task is as daunting as the development of the system itself. Unless this portion of the program is carried out well, the implementation period will be marked with arguments over the value of the information versus the time and effort needed to collect the information. Others may fail to see how some students with severe disabilities can demonstrate any access to the standards. We develop an overall communications strategy, and implement it in such a manner that local educators increasingly come to “own” the alternate assessment system. This strategy contains both an informational component and a participation component. By developing materials such as software and online newsletters, we show educators and parents the rationale for an alternate assessment and help them understand how to use it. Alternate assessment results can lead to transformed learning opportunities and improved student learning.
