• All students are expected to participate in state assessments. Students with disabilities who are served in their school districts under an Individualized Education Program (IEP) as required by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act Amendments of 2004 (IDEA) and Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), signed by the President on December 10, 2015, shall be assessed in one of two ways:
     
    1.  ACT Aspire with accommodations for grades 3-10.
     
    OR
     
    2.  Students with significant disabilities, for whom the ACT Aspire assessment is not appropriate, shall participate in the following assessments: 
    •  Dynamic Learning Maps (DLM) Alternate Assessment System for grades 3-10 in ELA, math, and science.
     
    The content standards are the same for all students in Arkansas. The difference for students with significant cognitive disabilities is the manner in which they are assessed. The results of the DLM should demonstrate progress toward meeting the Arkansas standards.
     
    There are two windows for DLM testing.  The Fall window is September 14 - December 18, 2020.  The Spring window is February 1 - May 7, 2021.