Today we are discussing something that is coming up here pretty quickly in the world of education and typically has a greater level of impact on our students than general education students and that is the super fun time of state assessments. 

There are many opinions on state testing...We need to know where our students are academically in comparison to their peers, but are we creating an environment where the focus is more on the test scores rather than the overall growth and learning of each student? How does this affect our students with IEPs? 

Don't get me wrong...I whole heartedly agree that we need to know what our students do and don’t know…but is a state assessment really going to tell us that information?

But alas...Whichever side of the fence you are on doesn't matter too much because we still take them. Every year. Every student.

So instead of continuing to complain about having to take them, today's episode gives you some strategies for how to make the best of a bad situation.

1. Familiarize students with the test format
2. Teach test-taking strategies
3. Use accommodations effectively
4. Address test anxiety
5. Maintain routines
6. Reinforce the value of effort
7. Post-test reflection


Remember, our goal as special education teachers is to support our students in developing their abilities and confidence, in testing situations and beyond. By implementing these strategies, we can help make the testing experience as positive and productive as possible for our students.

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