National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO)
The National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO) focuses on the inclusion of students with disabilities, including those who are also English learners, in instruction and assessments. The scope of NCEO’s work includes issues related to accessibility of assessments across the comprehensive assessment system including formative assessment practices, classroom-based assessments, diagnostic assessments, interim assessments, and summative assessments.
See our About page for more on NCEO.
Latest News and Publications
Talking Points on the Participation of Students with Disabilities in Statewide Assessments
This Brief provides talking points and resources designed to help state directors, staff, and policymakers communicate the importance of the participation of all students in inclusive assessment systems to stakeholders. The new "Participation Matters" series provides tools that state leaders can use to better advocate for the accurate data collection necessary to represent the achievement of all students.
This report analyzes state Annual Performance Report (APR) assessment data for students with disabilities across all 50 U.S. states and 10 federal entities from 2007–08 through 2022–23. It tracks participation and performance trends in reading and mathematics for grades 3–8 and high school, specifically focusing on students with IEPs. Key data points include proficiency levels on general and alternate assessments (AA-AAAS) and the frequency of testing accommodations.
This report provides a snapshot of the participation and performance of grade 8 students receiving special education services on statewide reading/language arts and mathematics assessments for 2022-23. Data are presented for both general and alternate assessments (AA-AAAS), including an analysis of the 1% participation cap for alternate assessments using enrollment-based calculations.