An Experimental Analysis of Accommodation Decisions on Large-Scale Mathematics Tests

Abstract

This article reports on an investigation of teachers and students within special education to determine the accuracy with which teachers recommend read-aloud accommodations for mathematics tests, and develop a profile of students who benefit from this type of accommodation. Students in both general (n = 973) and special education (n = 245) in elementary and middle schools from eight states were administered an accommodated and standard mathematics achievement test. Teachers were no more successful than chance at predicting which students would benefit from the accommodation. Supplementary analyses used pretest reading and mathematics achievement scores in an attempt to develop a profile of students who favored one or the other formats. The outcomes from accommodations did not necessarily match student profiles.