KAMM
Kansas Assessment of Multiple Measures

Eligibility Criteria

Link to State Modified Assessments - Fact Sheet, Eligibility, Sample Questions and lots more.

 

KAMM FAQs

  1. What is the KAMM? 
The KAMM is a state assessment with modified achievement standards based on grade level content standards.
 
  1. Which content areas are assessed with KAMM?
All content areas assessed with a general assessment have a KAMM assessment available for eligible students.
 
  1. What is the test window for KAMM? 
The KAMM testing window is the same as for the general assessments.
 
  1. What should teachers be instructing students who will be taking the KAMM?
Less complexity of a test items is the basis for the KAMM.  Teachers should teach what the grade level indicators state.
 
  1. How does the KAMM compare to the general assessment?
    1. The same assessed indicators will be used. 
    2. The number of indicators assessed may be reduced (see information provided for question 6.)  Indicators that may be omitted are
indicators that are assessed at more than one grade level and
indicators that will be tested in a format other than multiple choice in future years.
    1. There will be fewer multiple-choice items on the KAMM than on the general assessment.
    2. For reading there are fewer passages to read.  At grades 3 and 4 there are two narrative and two expository passages.  At grades 5, 6 and 7 there are two narrative, two expository, and one  technical passages.  At grades 8 and HS there are two narrative, two expository, one technical passage, and one persuasive passage.
    3. There will be 3 answer choices on the KAMM, compared to 4 answer choices on the general assessment.
    4. Items for the KAMM will be selected/modified based on cognitive load.
    5. There will be four (4) items per indicator assessed
    6. Indicator-level reports will be available for the KAMM to support teacher's instructional planning.
 
    6.    What indicators are assessed on the multiple choice portion of KAMM?
     For reading see page 3 of the Reading Item Specifications located on the KSDE website.
    For math see Math Tested Indicators on the KSDE website.
 
  1. Who may take the KAMM? 
A student with a disability whose IEP team used the KAMM eligibility criteria and determined the KAMM/modified assessment is the appropriate assessment for the student may take the KAMM. See Flowchart & detailed criteria.
 
  1. How does an IEP team determine which students should take a KAMM? 
The IEP team will use the eligibility criteria and flowchart provided to make assessment decisions.  The IEP team is encouraged to consider all instructional expectations of the student when determining appropriate state assessments. 
 
    9.    May any student identified as a student with a disability, regardless of the disability category, be
           considered for the KAMM? 
Yes.  The student’s disability category is not the determining factor for a student’s eligibility for the KAMM.
 
    10.    Are there additional requirements for a student who takes KAMM?
            Yes, the student's IEP MUST include goals based on grade level content standards for any content area
            being assessed with KAMM.
 
    11.    Are accommodations allowed on the KAMM? 
Yes.  IEP teams should make decisions about accommodations for the KAMM the same as they do for the general assessment.  There is an accommodation manual available on the www.ksde.org website.  On all assessments, educators should be aware of how accommodations will be treated for scoring purposes.  See the accommodation manual and the table of CETE listed accommodations on the www.ksde.org website.
  
    12.    What should we do if a student needs a paper-pencil version of the KAMM? 
The KAMM is available through KCA or paper-pencil. for students, when providing CETE with student information prior to the assessment, please indicate that the student needs a paper-pencil assessment. CETE will provide a booklet of the assessment for the student.
 
    13.    Are there practice tests available for the KAMM?
At this time there are not formative assessments specific for KAMM available.  Since the KAMM and the general assessment are based on the same indicators, it would be appropriate for a teacher to access the formative assessment builders on the CETE and KERC websites for students who will be taking the KAMM assessment.  The CETE website address is www.cete.ku.edu and the KERC website address is www.kerc-ks.org. 
 
    14.    What percent of students can be scored as proficient on state assessments based on the KAMM? 
A federal cap of 2% of the tested population has been established for who may receive proficiency on this assessment for AYP purposes.  As many students as appropriate may take KAMM and will count toward participation.  In cases where a district has more than 2% of students taking the KAMM score at or above the proficient level, the percent of students exceeding the 2% cap will be reclassified as not proficient when calculating AYP.
  
    15.    May a district exceed the 2.0 percent cap?
Under specific limited conditions, a district may exceed the 2.0 percent cap. The 2.0 percent cap may be exceeded only if it below the 1.0 percent cap for student with the most significant cognitive disabilities who take the alternate. for example, if the number of of meets standard and above scores on the alternate assessment is .8 percent, the district could include 2.2 percent of meets standard and above scores on KAMM in calculating AYP.
 
  Alternate Assessment                1.0% Cap KAMM -                      2.0% Cap Alternate + KAMM -            3.0% Cap
Can the district exceed cap? Only if granted an exception (waiver) by KSDE. Only if district is below 1.0 % cap, but cannot exceed 3.0% cap. Only if granted an exception to the 1.0% cap by KSDE, and only by the amount of the exception.
  
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KAMM Eligibility Criteria
Required components:
1.   The student has a current IEP.
2.   Student is not eligible for the alternate assessment in the content area being considered. (Eligibility must   be determined for each content area separately.)
3.   The decision to determine a student’s eligibility to participate in the KAMM may NOT RESULT PRIMARILY from: excessive or extended absence, any specific categorical label nor social, cultural, or economic differences.
 
Criteria
All criteria must be met to identify a student as eligible for participation in the KAMM.
Examples
Supporting evidence for meeting these criteria (Data)
Intensive Individualized Instruction
Does the student need significant changes in the complexity
and scope of the general standards to show progress in the curriculum?
Requires intensive specially designed instruction
 
AND
Planning/implementing of differentiated instruction to meet the individual needs of the student.  For example:  modifications, materials used, visual supports
Requires intensive individualized supports
 
AND
Learning supported by adult assistance, providing frequent and structured prompting and cueing, or may use assistive technology
Requires extensive instruction
AND
Extended learning time including increased frequency and duration of instruction and practice
Classroom Assessment
Does the student need supports to significantly
reduce the complexity or breadth of assessment items?
Requires differentiated content for classroom assessment
AND
Student receives modified classroom assessments on a routine basis
Needs to show what they know differently
AND
Assistive technology, oral presentation instead of a written response, performance assessment
Accommodations alone do not allow the student to fully demonstrate knowledge
AND
Documented accommodations have been insufficient
 
Student Performance
Is the student multiple years behind grade level expectations?
Consistently requires instruction in pre-requisite skills to the grade level indicators being assessed
AND
Evidence shows the student’s instructional level in the scope and sequence of the content standards is at a pre-requisite level
Despite the provision of research based interventions, the student is not progressing at the rate expected for grade level
AND
Evidence shows the use of research based interventions and data for monitoring progress
Student classroom achievement and performance is significantly below grade level peers
The preponderance of the above evidence and data indicates that the student is performing significantly below their peer group.  (It was discussed that this could be approx. 2 standards deviations below the mean).

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