California

When are students tested? 1
Annually, 2nd through 11th grades
12th grade - voluntary

What subjects are tested? 1
Language Arts
Mathematics
Reading
Writing / Written Expression
Science
History / Social Science
Health Careers - voluntary
Business - voluntary
Agriculture - voluntary

What types of questions are used? 1
Multiple choice
Short written response
Extended written response
Performance tasks

How are test results used? 1
Student diagnosis
Student awards or recognition
School performance reporting
Merit diplomas

What tests are used? 1
Stanford Achievement Test, 9th Edition (grades 2- 11)
Golden State Exams (honors exams) (grades 8 - 12) - voluntary
Assessments in Career Education (grades 9 - 12) - voluntary
 

Are students with disabilities exempt? 2, 3
Exemptions given as determined by IEP team.
Exemptions given upon parental request.

What accommodations are available so that students with disabilities can participate? 2
List of types of accommodations approved by state Department of Education.
No accommodations available for Golden State Exams.

How are scores of students with disabilities reported? 2
School, district, and statewide reports combine ("aggregate") scores of students with disabilities who take the tests under standardized conditions with scores of students without disabilities, and separate ("disaggregate") the scores of students with disabilities who take the tests under non-standardized conditions.
 
 
 Footnotes:

1 Source: PEER Project Survey to expand and update information from Annual Survey of State Student Assessment Programs: Data on 1995-96 Statewide Student Assessment Programs. (Fall 1996). Council of Chief State School Officers.

2 Source: PEER Project review of state policy documents. Documents provided by the National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO). Information confirmed and updated by the PEER Project through direct communication with state officials.

3 NOTE: The IDEA Amendments of 1997 require that all students be included in statewide assessments.


California Department of Education
Special Education Division
515 L Street, Suite 270
Sacramento, CA 95814
916-657-2451 California Department of Education
916-445-4613 Special Education Division
916-327-3516 Fax
www.cde.ca.gov/index.asp
Contact: Alice Parker, Director of Special Education
aparker@cde.ca.gov
Gwen Stephens, State Assessment Directory
916-657-3011, Fax: 916-657-4964

California Parent Centers on Disability
TASK
100 West Cerritos Ave.
Anaheim, CA 92805
714-533-8275
714-533-2533 Fax
taskca@aol.com
Contact: Joan Tellefsen

DREDF
2212 Sixth Street
Berkeley, CA 94710
510-644-2555 TDD
1-800-466-4232
510-841-8645 Fax
dredf@dredf.org
Contact: Diane Lipton

Vietnamese Parents of Disabled Children
314 Gina Dr.
Carson, CA 90745-3617
310-370-6704
310-542-0522 Fax
chutran@juno.com
Contact: The-Luyen Chu

Exceptional Parents Unlimited
4120 N. First St.
Fresno, CA 93726
209-229-2000
209-229-2956 Fax
epu1@cybergate.com
Contact: Marian Karian

Loving Your Disabled Child
4715 Crenshaw Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90043
213-299-2925
213-299-4373 Fax
lydc@pacbell.net
Contact: Theresa Cooper

Parents of Watts
10828 Lou Dillon Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90059
213-566-7556
213-569-3982 Fax
Contact: Alice Harris

TASK, San Diego
3750 Convoy St., Suite 303
San Diego, CA 92111-3741
619-874-2386
619-874-2375 Fax
Contact: Richard Miller

Family Network of California
594 Monterey Blvd.
San Francisco, CA 94127-2416
415-841-8820
415-841-8824 Fax
Contact: Lois Jones

Support for Families of Children with Disabilities
2601 Mission #710
San Francisco, CA 94110-3111
415-282-7494
415-282-1226 Fax
sfcdmiss@aol.com
Contact: Juno Duenas

Matrix
555 Northgate Drive, Suite A
San Rafael, CA 94903
415-499-3877 Voice
415-499-3854 TDD
1-800-578-2592
415-507-9457 Fax
matrix@marin.k12.ca.us
marin.org/edu/matrix
Contact: Deidre Hayden

Parents Helping Parents
3041 Olcott St.
Santa Clara, CA 95054-3222
408-727-5775 Voice
408-727-7655 TDD
408-727-0182 Fax
info@php.com
www.php.com
Contact: Mary Ellen Peterson

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