Date: January 28, 2008
Dear County and District Superintendents, Charter School Administrators, Principals, Special Education Local Plan Area Directors, California High School Exit Exam (CAHSEE) District Coordinator, and Nonpublic School Directors:
Assisting Students with Disabilities Pass the California High School Exit Examination (CAHSEE) by Providing Accommodations/Modifications and Special Education Supports and Services
This is the first year that students with disabilities must meet the CAHSEE requirement, as well as all other state and local graduation requirements, in order to graduate with a high school diploma.
The California Department of Education (CDE) highly recommends that districts review the Individualized Education Programs (IEP) of seniors who have not yet met the CAHSEE requirement. We encourage you to take the following steps as soon as possible to ensure that these students have the best possible chance of passing the CAHSEE.
- Evaluate the accommodations/modifications, supports and services that the student has been provided to determine if they have been effective in helping the student pass the CAHSEE.
- Review the Matrix of Test Variations, Accommodations, and Modifications for Administration of California Statewide Assessments (October 2007).
- Determine if there are any other accommodations or modifications that could be used to help the student better access the assessment. These should be test variations that the student typically uses in the instructional setting.
- Include the student in the discussion of test variations that he or she feels would help them pass the exam.
- Amend the IEP to reflect any changes to the accommodations/modifications, supports and services that may be needed.
At this point in a student's school career, it is likely that the student may have developed a great deal of anxiety over passing the exam. Providing the student with simple accommodations, such as testing alone in a separate room, being provided with frequent breaks and testing over more than one day may reduce anxiety and allow the student to fully demonstrate her knowledge. Alternatively, the student may need to use modifications on the exam. For example, a student who is unable to pass the written portion of the exam may benefit from the use of a scribe or word processor with spell check and grammar check on.
Also, please note that any student with disabilities who does not meet all graduation requirements must be allowed to participate in the same graduation activities as their peers. This can be found in California Education Code Section 56391. Of course, districts are still responsible for providing free appropriate public education (FAPE) until the student earns a high school diploma or turns age 22, whichever comes first. Please refer to the Certificate or Document of Educational Achievement or Completion for Students with Disabilities letter dated March 23, 2006.
There may still be some students who are unable to meet all graduation requirements, including the CAHSEE, even with accommodations/modifications, supports and services. It is important that the transition plan for these students be well planned so that the student can become independent and self-sufficient. For more detailed information, please refer to Transition to Adult Living and Information and Resource Guide. (Outside source)
If you have any questions regarding students with disabilities participating in the CAHSEE or in graduation activities, please contact Jill Larson, Consultant, Assessment, Evaluation and Support Unit, at jlarson@cde.ca.gov or 916-323-7192.
Original signed by Mary Hudler and Deb Sigman. Hard copy of the signed document is available by contacting the Special Education Division's Assessment, Evaluation and Support Unit at 916-445-4628.
Mary Hudler, Director
Special Education Division
Deb Sigman, Director
Standards and Assessment Division
1430 N Street
Sacramento, CA 95814