NSCAS NSCAS Alternate Assessment 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which students are eligible to participate in the NSCAS Alternate Assessment (NSCAS-Alt)?
- Students who are learning English as a second language
- Students with the most significant cognitive disabilities (Correct answer)
- Students who have missed more than 10 days of school
- Students who score below grade level on regular NSCAS
Correct answer: Students with the most significant cognitive disabilities
NSCAS-Alt is designed specifically for students with the most significant cognitive disabilities, as identified through their Individualized Education Program (IEP).
Question 2: Which document must identify a student as eligible before they can participate in NSCAS-Alt?
- A 504 Plan
- A doctor's medical certificate
- An Individualized Education Program (IEP) (Correct answer)
- A parent permission waiver
Correct answer: An Individualized Education Program (IEP)
A student's IEP team must determine and document that the student has the most significant cognitive disability and should participate in the alternate assessment.
Question 3: What set of academic standards does the NSCAS-Alt assess?
- Nebraska College and Career Ready Standards
- Common Core State Standards
- Nebraska Extended Academic Standards (EAS) (Correct answer)
- Next Generation Science Standards only
Correct answer: Nebraska Extended Academic Standards (EAS)
NSCAS-Alt is aligned to Nebraska's Extended Academic Standards (EAS), which are derived from the general academic standards but adjusted for students with significant cognitive disabilities.
Question 4: Which content areas are assessed by NSCAS-Alt?
- English Language Arts, Mathematics, and Science (Correct answer)
- English Language Arts and Mathematics only
- Science and Social Studies only
- Mathematics, Science, and Social Studies
Correct answer: English Language Arts, Mathematics, and Science
NSCAS-Alt covers English Language Arts, Mathematics, and Science, mirroring the content areas of the general NSCAS assessment.
Question 5: How is NSCAS-Alt primarily administered to eligible students?
- Through a computer-based adaptive test
- Through a teacher-administered performance-based assessment (Correct answer)
- Through a paper-and-pencil multiple choice test
- Through a group oral examination
Correct answer: Through a teacher-administered performance-based assessment
NSCAS-Alt is a teacher-administered assessment where educators present tasks and document student responses, rather than a computer-based test.
Question 6: Under federal law, what is the approximate cap on the percentage of students who may take an alternate assessment for federal accountability purposes?
- 5% of all tested students
- 10% of all tested students
- 1% of all tested students (Correct answer)
- 3% of all tested students
Correct answer: 1% of all tested students
Federal regulations allow states to use alternate assessment scores for up to 1% of the total student population for federal accountability calculations under ESSA.
Question 7: In which grade levels is the NSCAS-Alt Science assessment administered?
- Grades 3, 5, and 8
- Grades 5, 8, and 11 (Correct answer)
- Grades 4, 8, and 10
- Grades 3, 6, 9, and 12
Correct answer: Grades 5, 8, and 11
NSCAS-Alt Science is administered in grades 5, 8, and 11, which aligns with the grade bands tested by the general NSCAS Science assessment.
NSCAS NSCAS Alternate Assessment 1
Which students are eligible to participate in the NSCAS Alternate Assessment (NSCAS-Alt)?