IEP Accommodations in Arizona
What IEP accommodations are available in Arizona?
In Arizona, accommodations are documented in the IEP as supplementary aids and services and testing accommodations that enable the pupil to access the general education curriculum and statewide assessments without altering the content standards being measured. A.R.S. § 15-763(A) specifically requires the IEP to include any testing accommodations necessary for the pupil to participate in statewide assessments, including the AzM2. The ADE publishes the Arizona Accommodation Resource Manual (ARM), which defines permissible accommodations for AzM2 administration; IEP teams must document both instructional accommodations (which may be broader) and testing accommodations (which must appear on the ARM-approved list). For pupils who cannot participate in the AzM2 even with accommodations, the IEP team may designate participation in the Multi-State Alternate Assessment (MSAA) — Arizona's alternate assessment for students with the most significant cognitive disabilities — and must explain why the standard assessment is not appropriate (34 CFR 300.320(a)(6)(ii)). Accommodations must not fundamentally alter what is being tested. All staff responsible for implementing accommodations must be informed of their specific responsibilities (34 CFR 300.323(d)). All accommodations are provided at no cost to parents as part of FAPE (A.R.S. § 15-761; 34 CFR 300.17).
What Arizona Requires
The IEP must include any testing accommodations necessary for the pupil to participate in statewide assessments, including the AzM2 (A.R.S. § 15-763(A); 34 CFR 300.320(a)(6)).
Testing accommodations must be documented from the Arizona Accommodation Resource Manual (ARM); accommodations not listed on the ARM may not be used during AzM2 administration even if they appear in the IEP for instructional purposes.
If the pupil will not participate in the regular AzM2, the IEP must identify the appropriate alternate assessment (MSAA) and explain why the standard assessment is not appropriate (34 CFR 300.320(a)(6)(ii)).
The IEP must list supplementary aids and services, program modifications, and supports for school personnel that will be provided (34 CFR 300.320(a)(4); A.A.C. R7-2-401).
All teachers and service providers responsible for implementing accommodations must be informed of the specific accommodations and their implementation responsibilities (34 CFR 300.323(d)).
Accommodations must be provided at no cost to parents as part of FAPE (A.R.S. § 15-761; 34 CFR 300.17).
Key Timelines
Accommodations must be in effect at the beginning of each school year and on the projected start date in the IEP (34 CFR 300.323(a)).
Accommodations must be reviewed at least annually at the IEP meeting and revised as needed (A.A.C. R7-2-401; 34 CFR 300.324(b)).
IEP teams must document the MSAA alternate assessment determination at or before the IEP meeting at which the decision is made.