AASCD
Purpose of Assessment
Ohio’s Alternate Assessment for Students with the most Significant Cognitive Disabilities (AASCD), or alternate assessment, is the federally required state assessment for students with the most significant cognitive disabilities. The alternate assessment is based on Ohio's Learning Standards- Extended (OLS-E). It allows a very small population of students with the most significant cognitive disabilities to demonstrate their knowledge and skills on an appropriate assessment.
Students who take the AASCD must have an IEP and the AASCD must be identified as the State test that the student must take. To guide and support individualized education program (IEP) teams in determining whether a student is most appropriately assessed with an alternate assessment, the Ohio Department of Education, in consultation with parents, teachers, administrators and other stakeholders, has developed a new Alternate Assessment Participation Decision-Making Tool. The new tool does not replace the existing alternate assessment decision-making framework. The tool does however, clarify and set specific criteria that students must meet for each criteria in the framework. This tool is required. Moving forward, IEP teams must use the tool each time the team is considering participation in the alternate assessment.
The AASCD will be administered by grade level. Students in grades 3, 4, 6 and 7 will be assessed in English language arts and mathematics. Students in grades 5 and 8 will be assessed in English language arts, mathematics and science. Students taking the HS-AASCD will be assessed in English language arts, mathematics, science and social studies.
Students taking the AASCD assessments will receive a scale score and performance level. The performance levels indicate how often and accurately a student demonstrates the knowledge and skills being tested. Performance levels on the AASCD are Limited, Basic, Proficient, Accelerated, or Advanced. Students are expected to demonstrate skills at a proficient level or higher.