Policy 6460 – Testing/Assessment

The District shall establish and maintain a program of testing for the purposes of diagnosis, assessment, instruction and accountability. The testing program will provide:

  • an assessment of the educational program of the District for purposes of reporting the overall status of the District and charting the growth of its students, by grade level and by school from year to year.
  • appropriate reports to the School Board, parents/guardians and the public, disaggregating all test data by ethnicity, gender, special education, and socio-economic status.
  • District and building Report Cards including disaggregated data by student group as required by federal law.
  • interpretation and use by teachers, administrators and other professional staff members so that the test findings will influence the positive educational growth and development of individual students.
  • data for planning effective teaching and curriculum development and reform.
  • World language versions of widely recognized tests, when available and necessary.

Academic testing in the District may include, but not necessarily be limited to: standardized achievement tests, behavior assessments, performance assessment measures, language proficiency assessments and subject area diagnostic tests. Decisions regarding the testing of students with disabilities as defined under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), students covered by Section 504 of the Vocational Rehabilitation Act, or English Language Learners (ELL) shall be made on an individual basis in accordance with established procedures and applicable state and federal laws.

The District shall not discriminate in the methods, practices and materials used for testing and evaluating students on the basis of sex, race, national origin, religion, color, ancestry, creed, sexual orientation or physical, mental, emotional or learning disability or handicap. This does not, however, prohibit the use of special testing materials or techniques to meet the individual needs of the students. Discrimination complaints shall be processed in accordance with established procedures.

Testing and evaluation of students to determine eligibility for special education programming shall be governed by the Individual Educational Program Team process. The Individual Education Program (IEP) Team shall ensure the testing and evaluation materials and procedures used for the purpose of evaluation and placement of children with disabilities are selected and administered so as not to be racially or culturally discriminatory.

State and federal education laws require identification and annual assessments of Limited English Proficient (LEP), also known as English Language Learners (ELLs) be conducted to determine student’s English language proficiency. The assessment team is governed by federal and state regulations.

Upon the written request of a student’s parent/guardian/caregiver, and in accordance with federal and state laws, a student shall be excused from taking a state-required test with the exception of the annual English language proficiency examination for English Language Learners (ELLs). These students are required to have their English language proficiency level tested annually with no exceptions.

LEGAL REF.:

  • Wisconsin Statutes
    • Sections 115.77(1m)(bg) [Testing of students with disabilities]
    • 115.78(2) (Individualized education program (IEP) requirements)
    • 115.78(2) (Assessment tools and strategies for students with disabilities)
    • 118.13 [Student discrimination prohibited]
    • 118.30 [Student assessment; state requirements]
    • 121.02(1)(r) & (s) [State required tests]
  • Wisconsin Administrative Code
  • PI 8.01(2)(r) & (s) [Rules implementing testing standards; policy/procedure requirement related to the testing of students with disabilities and ELL students]
  • PI 9.03(1) [Student nondiscrimination policy requirement]
  • PI 13.03 [Identification of ELL students]
  • PI 13.05 and 13.09 (ELL policy requirements related to student testing)

CROSS REF.:

  • 2110, Benchmarks
  • 5110, Equal Educational Opportunities
  • 6100, Mission, Principles, Goals, Results
  • 6330, Curriculum Development and Improvement
  • 6421, Programs for Students with Disabilities
  • 6452, Student Progress Reporting
  • 6634, Assistive Technology
  • Special Education Program and Procedure Manual
  • Bilingual-Bicultural (ELL) Program Plan
  • Section 504 Educational Program Plan
  • LAP Program Plan

ADMINISTRATIVE REGULATIONS: None

AFFIRMED: November 13, 1990

REVISED:

  • September 24, 1991
  • October 12, 1993
  • September 14, 1999
  • January 29, 2002
  • August 26, 2008
  • April 23, 2012