District flagged for exceeding 1% cap on alternate assessments; state intervention begins

The district's special-education director reported Dec. 10 that Eastport-South Manor exceeded the 1% federal threshold for students taking alternate assessments (NICE) under ESSA calculations. "For the 24-25 school year, ESM did exceed that cap in the following areas. For the ELA testing, it's 1.66%. Also, for the math, it was 1.66%. And then for the science assessment, it was 2.57%," the director said.

The presenter explained the state uses a grade-level denominator that can produce higher percentages than a straight-district-level division (the district's simple in-house calculation of 38 alternately assessed students ÷ 2,666 students equaled about 1.43%). Cross-contracted students from neighboring districts and feeder arrangements raise the state-calculated rate because of how the state matches grade levels and rosters.

Because the numbers exceed the state's threshold, the district must participate in a state-determined intervention. The board was told an eight-person district team (five administrators, the Committee on Special Education chair and one community volunteer) will begin working with state staff the day after the meeting to develop and monitor corrective activities.

The director emphasized the district follows state guidance for determining alternate-assessment eligibility and said parents are notified and committees document decisions. Potential responses discussed included increasing general-education participation in assessments, lobbying the state to change its calculation method, or reconsidering cross-contracting practices (the presenter said the latter is not recommended because of program benefits).

What happens next: the district's intervention committee will meet with New York State staff and report back to the board on proposed interventions and any operational impact.