A  National Center for Learning Disabilities report released this month suggests that standardized assessments can help hold schools accountable for the academic performance of students with disabilities. k12dive.com does a good job breaking things down, and is quick to note that the report also says assessments still have a long way to go before being accessible to all types of learners.

Standardized tests have become increasingly controversial, one problem being the belief they don’t value diversity. But the NCID “along with our disability and civil rights partners, have long advocated for including the performance of students with disabilities, students of color, English learners, and students impacted by poverty on statewide summative assessments when determining how well a school is meeting the needs of students,” the report reads. “For our communities, these assessments have historically been viewed as a tool to identify opportunity gaps as they provide annual, comparative data on student progress.

“For others, though, the assessments are seen as taking away too much valuable instructional time and not providing actionable information,” it continues. “Because of the ongoing tension around the value of summative assessments, NCLD sought to discover what’s working and not working for students with disabilities in the current assessment system and to forge a path forward that’s more inclusive and equitable.”