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MSAA

The Multi-State Alternate Assessment (MSAA) is a comprehensive assessment system designed to promote increasing higher academic outcomes for students with significant cognitive disabilities in preparation for a broader array of post-secondary outcomes. The MSAA is designed to assess students with significant cognitive disability and measures academic content that is aligned to and derived from your state’s content standards. This test contains many built-in supports that allow students to take the test using materials they are most familiar with and communicate what they know and can do as independently as possible. The MSAA will be administered in ELA and Mathematics in Grades 3-8 and 11, and Science in Grades 5, 8, and 11.

In 2010 assessment was developed through the research and development done by the National Center and State Collaborative (NCSC) and will be carried forward by the MSAA State Partners. MSAA is currently administered by American Samoa, Arizona, District of Columbia, Maine, The Marianas (Guam and the Commonwealth of Northern Mariana Islands), Montana, South Dakota, Tennessee, U.S. Virgin Islands, and BIE.

For more information, please visit the MSAA States website.

MSAA Testing Window 

MSAA Spring 2022 Testing Window March 14 – April 29, 2022

  • MSAA ELA & Mathematics - Grades 3-8 and 11

  • MSAA Science - Grades 5, 8, and 11

Test Coordinator Handbook SY2021-2022

UPDATES

REMINDER-MSAA Test Administration 2022   Submitting Incident Report Instruction 2022 (March 14)  Alt Assessment 2022 Spring Admin (Feb 15) ALERT: Student Selector App Opens Oct 1 (Sept 29) 1% Cap (Threshold) Action Plan Template 2019(1-11-2019)  1% Cap Action Plan Notification Delay (1-11-2019) Alternate Assessment Updates-Director's Institute 2019

If you would like information on:

  • MSAA Accommodations 2021
  • Arizona College and Career Guidance Document 2018
  • The National Center and State Collaborative, please see this site: NCSC Partners Webpage

  • Arizona State Specific Guidance for MSAA 2022

  • Click to view Recorded Policy

  • Alternate Assessment Eligibility Criteria-Revised July 2021 (MSAA ELA and Math and AIMS A Science)
  • LCI (Learner Characteristics Inventory) for Alternate Assessments Based on Alternate Academic Achievement Standards 
  • MSAA Participation Guidance Arizona - June 2021

- Alternate Assessment based on Alternate Achievement Standards (AA-AAS)-this is a term that is used to describe an Alternate Assessment. Alternate Achievement Standards are not the same as Alternate Academic Standards.

- Alternate Achievement Standards-descriptors of how well a student may demonstrate proficiency via the alternate assessment.

- Alternate Academic Standards-standards developed for students with significant cognitive disabilities and were aligned to Arizona’s Academic Content Standards. We will only be administering field tests (MSAA Science Alternate Assessment) in grades 5, 8, and 11 in the spring of 2021. This decision will enable LEAs to focus on teaching the new 2018 Science Standards.

The following documents were developed within the NCSC project and offer Arizona Educators ideas, supports, and resources to provide instruction based on the Standards to students with significant cognitive disabilities.

  • Instructional Supports and Resources-PowerPoint --Click for Recorded Webinar
  • Scripted PowerPoint schools can use to introduce NCSC and the resources that have been developed
  • MSAA Overview of and Communication 2016
  • NCSC Wiki This site hosts the National Center and State Collaborative Resources (NCSC) that educators will need to accomplish these goals and deliver instruction aligned to the Arizona College and Career Ready Standards.
  • LASSI / MASSI WEBINARS Click on this link to access several LASSI and MASSI webinars. You will need to enter your name, email address, and answer a simple math problem. A new page will open, scroll to the bottom of the page where you will find the links to the LASSI and MASSI webinars.

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Academic Instruction Students with Cognitive Disabilities Presentation - 2019 Teachers Institute--Participants learn how to teach functional skills and academic content concurrently; and Develop an academic lesson that incorporates functional skills.

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MSAA Practice Site/SAMPLE ITEMS

  • MSAA Practice Site This site does not require a user name or password.
  • MSAA Sample Items Overview 2016 with Annotations

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WRITING Scoring Rubrics

  • Grade 3-5 Writing Rubric 
  • Grade 6-8 Writing Rubric
  • Grade 11 Writing Rubric

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NCSC Instructional Resources & Supports (Binders)

How to teach State Standards to Students Who Take the Alt. Assessment 03-06-17 Updated Links

ELA -NCSC Instructional Resources for English Language Arts

Teacher binder for ELA – Click on the ELA link NCSC Instructional Resources for English Language Arts and copy the following pages: 130-144 (graduated Understanding/Instructional Families); 150-182 (Element Cards); and 545-572 (Instructional Resource Guide)

Mathematics -NCSC Instructional Resources for Mathematics 

Teacher binder for Mathematics – Click on the Math link NCSC Instructional Resources for Mathematics, and copy the following pages: 19-43 (Instructional Resources Guide); 98-111 (Graduated Understandings/Instructional Families); and 116-147 (Element Cards)

For both ELA and Mathematics, print the Graduated Understandings/Instructional Families and Element Cards in color since color bands are used.

  • Arizona Academic Standards-linking document ELA - K-5
  • Arizona Academic Standards-linking document ELA - 6-8
  • Arizona Academic Standards-linking document ELA - HS 
  • Arizona Academic Standards-linking document-MATH - K-5
  • Arizona Academic Standards-linking document-MATH - 6-8
  • Arizona Academic Standards-linking document-MATH - HS 

NCSC Instructional Resource Guide

  • Alternate Assessment Test Coordinators

MSAA Reports

The MSAA reporting portal for ELA and Mathematics will be open from July 18 - September 9, 2022 and for Science from October 17 - 28, 2022. Because the MSAA Science test is a new assessment, we will be conducting a standard setting to set cut scores and the Arizona State Board of Education must approve the cut scores before we can generate the reports. This is causing the delay with the Science reporting window this year. More information on downloading reports and receiving  hard copies of the student reports will be sent to the test coordinator prior to July 18, 2022.

  • MSAA 2021 Guide for Score Report Interpretation
  • MSAA 2021 Student Results Layout District Reports
  • The MSAA 2021 Parent Overview Guides (English and Spanish versions) are located on the tab labeled “Parents and Students”

 

Performance Level Descriptors - MSAA (ELA and Mathematics)

  • 2021 Performance Level Descriptors (PLDs) ELA
  • 2021 Performance Level Descriptors (PLDs) ELA--Spanish
  • 2021 Performance Level Descriptors (PLDs) Mathematics
  • 2017 Performance Level Descriptors (PLDs) Mathematics--Spanish

2022-2023 Test Security Agreements

  • 2022-2023 Assessment Test Security Agreement for District Test Coordinator
  • 2021-2022 Alternate Assessment Test Security Agreement for Test Administrator - Do not return to ADE. keep the signed form(s) at district office for 6 years.

Eligibility / Observations  Forms MSAA

  • Alternate Assessment Eligibility Form 2021-2022 
  • MSAA Observation Form-Spring 2022
  • Google form to document MSAA Observation Responses- AZ 2022

MSAA–ELA and Mathematics and MSAA Science

  • MSAA training modules for both TCs and TAs (available Feb 28, 2022) 
  • TAM (Test Administration Manual) for MSAA 2022 

2021 Assessment Administration Guidance

The Assessment Unit has developed these 2021 guidance documents to help you prepare for in-person testing.

  • Statewide Assessment Creative Solutions for Test Administration
  • Alternate Assessment Test Administration Guidance

  • MSAA Practice Site This site does not require a user name or password.
  • MSAA Sample Items Overview 2016 with Annotations

PRESENTATIONS

  • What About Those Dual Labeled Students -- OELAS Conference 2019
  • Academic Instruction Students with Cognitive Disabilities --Teachers Institute 2019

Presentations - 2019 Webinars

  • Accommodations -- Webinar
  • 1% Threshold Action Plans -- 11/18/2019 Webinar
  • Arizona’s Learner Characteristics Inventory -- 11/12/2019 Webinar
  • Alt Assessment Test Coordinator Role & Responsibilities -- 11/08/2019 Webinar
  • Eligibility Determination for Alternate Assessment -- 10/31/2019 Webinar

Please contact us at (602) 542-8239 or at [email protected] if you have any questions.

Webinars for Test Coordinators: Please visit the Test Coordinators (TCs) page under the "Alternate Assessment"tab:

  • Link to the TCs page

Please contact us by emailing the Alternate Assessment inbox [email protected] or at (602) 542-8239.

Bethany Spangenberg

Director of Alternate Assessment

[email protected] (602) 542-4061

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