Most career pathways offer an end of pathway assessment. IEP teams should determine appropriate allowable assessment accommodations for SWDs who complete the three-course pathway sequence. These accommodations should be included in the supports page but not the state required assessment accommodations page. 

When determining appropriate accommodations tp provide the student with a disability the opportunity to participate in the assessment in the most standard way possible, there should be a direct link between classroom accommodations and assessment accommodations; accommodations must be specified in the student's IEP. No accommodation(s) for a student should be considered for the first time during a state or local assessment. Just because a students needs an accommodation does not mean he/she will know how to use it. Students need training and practice in using accommodations. Informed decision making regarding accommodations is critical in assuring successful and meaningful participation of students with disabilities. IEP teams (which should include the student by age 16) should analyze an assessment for what it requires the student to do in order to take the test.


Additional information and guidance on the appropriate use of accommodations for students with disabilities is provided in the publication entitled, Student Assessment Handbook, posted on the GaDOE website: https://www.gadoe.org/Curriculum-Instruction-and-Assessment/Assessment/Pages/Information-For-Educators.aspx


When considering EOPA exam options for students with an IEP, the IEP team should familiarize themselves with the available assessments (from the Technical Skill Attainment Inventory) for a specific career pathway and the accommodations available for each assessment option. Most testing agencies listed in the Technical Skill Attainment Inventory that work primarily with secondary students offer a number of special accommodations for students with disabilities. However, there are EOPA options in the Technical Skill Attainment Inventory which are considered industry-recognized credentials that may  not allow the same accommodations the student receives instructionally and/or for other content area assessments. These exam options require individuals applying for certification to have certain cognitive and physical abilities to obtain the needed skill level to satisfactorily perform the required job tasks. The IEP team should consider the student’s overall post-secondary plans and appropriate instructional scaffolds and supports when considering available EOPA options.