The West Virginia Alternate Performance Task Assessment (APTA) is designed for a small number of students with significant cognitive disabilities who cannot participate in the general assessments, even with accommodations. The decision-making process for participation in APTA is stipulated in West Virginia Board of Education Policy 2340: West Virginia Measures of Academic Progress. APTA is given to all students in grades 3-8 and 11 in Reading/Language Arts and Mathematics and in grades 4, 6, and 11 in Science who qualify under the eligibility criteria established in West Virginia Guidelines for Participation in State Assessments.
APTA test items were developed by West Virginia educators and reviewed by staff of the West Virginia Department of Education Office of Student Assessment Services (OSAS), the Office of Special Education and CTB/McGraw-Hill, Inc., the test publisher. Each question was examined for bias, content, difficulty, and alignment with the West Virginia Extended Academic Content Standards and Performance Descriptors as described in West Virginia Board of Education Policy 2520.16: Alternate Academic Achievement Standards for West Virginia Schools.
APTA assesses questions in three content areas: Reading/Language Arts, Mathematics, and Science. A separate test was developed for each grade level in Reading/Language Arts and Mathematics (grades 3-8 and 11) and in Science (grades 4, 6, and 11).  The reading/language arts content area of the test addresses the three content standards of (1) reading, (2) writing, and (3) media literacy. The mathematics content area of the test addresses the five content standards of (1) number and operations, (2) algebra, (3) geometry, (4) measurement, and (5) data analysis and probability. The science content area of the test addresses the two content standards of (1) nature and application of science and (2) content of science.

UNDERSTANDING APTA

• Blueprint of Standards Weighting for Mathematics & Reading/Language Arts
• Blueprint of Standards Weighting for Science
• Global Descriptors and Cut Scores: Reading/Language Arts
• Global Descriptors and Cut Scores: Mathematics
• Global Descriptors and Cut Scores: Science

QUALITY CHECKS

• Content Review
• Alignment Review
• Bias Review/Report
• Protocol for Monitoring Assessments in West Virginia

TECHNICAL DATA

• 2007 WV APTA Operational Technical Report for Reading/Language Ars & Mathematics/Field Test Technical Report for Science
• 2007 APTA Profile Sorting Standard Setting Technical Report for Science
• West Virginia Alternate Performance Task Assessment: APTA Standard Setting March 2006 Technical Report
• 2006 WV APTA Pilot Technical Report
  • Validity and Realibility
• 2006 WV APTA Operational Technical Report
• Standard Error of Measurement
• 2006 Alterate Performance Task Assessement Cut Scores
• West Virginia Alternate Performacne Task Assessment Scoring Guide
  

• Parent Brochure

SAMPLE APTA REPORTS

• Sample of Parent/Student Reports
• Sample of Confidential Summary Report
  • State
  • County
  • School
• Individual Right Response Record

ALTERNATE ASSESSMENT DATAFOLIO REPORTS

• 2004 Alternate Assessment Results
• 2005 Alternate Assessment Results

ALTERNATE PERFORMCE TASK ASSESSMENT REPORTS

• 2006 Alternate Performance Task Assessment Reports
• 2007 Alternate Performance Task Assessment Reports

NATIONAL RESEARCH ON ACCOMMODATIONS

• Student Perspective on the Use of Accommodations on Large-scale Assessments
• Guidelines for Inclusive Test Administration 2005
• Empirical Support for Accommodations Most Often Allowd in State Policy