FFF encourages families and professionals impacted by the Virginia Alternate Assessment Program (VAAP) used with students with significant cognitive disabilities to be aware of the proposed action by the Virginia Department of Education to exceed the 1% participation limit set by the US Department of Education. More about the VAAP can be found at https://www.doe.virginia.gov/teaching-learning-assessment/student-assessment/virginia-sol-assessment-program/virginia-alternate-assessment-program-vaap .
The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) requires states to ensure that the total number of students assessed in each subject using the alternate assessment based on alternate achievement standards (AA-AAAS) does not exceed one percent of the total number of all students in the state who were assessed. States that anticipate exceeding one percent in alternate assessment participation may submit a waiver request to the United States Department of Education (USED) 90 days before the beginning of the alternate assessment testing window.
Public comment on Virginia’s Draft Request for a Waiver for the School Year 2024-2025 is open. Any individual or organization may submit written comments on the proposed waiver, pursuant to 34 C.F.R. §200.6(c)(4). Written comments must be submitted to Accountability@doe.virginia.gov by November 25, 2024.