Alternate Assessments

Alternate assessments are for students with significant cognitive disabilities whose disability significantly impacts their intellectual functioning and adaptive behavior. Participation in alternate assessments is determined by the Individualized Education Program (IEP) team as the appropriate assessments for the student to demonstrate their knowledge and skills.

Utah Alternate Assessment Participation Guidelines

Utah’s Alternate Assessments Chart

1.0 Percent Alternate Assessment Participation Threshold

The Elementary and Secondary Education (ESEA) Act of 1965, as amended by the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), limits the total number of students with the most significant cognitive disabilities who are assessed statewide in a subject using an alternate assessment (i.e., Dynamic Learning Maps (DLM) to 1.0 percent of the total number of all students in the State who are assessed in such subject.

Public Law 114-95 as amended § 1111(b)(2)(D)(i)(I)
United States Department of Education

A State may not prohibit a Local Education Agency (LEA) from assessing more than 1.0 percent of its assessed students with the alternate assessment DLM. However, a State must require an LEA that assesses more than 1.0 percent of its assessed students in any subject with the alternate assessment DLM to submit information to the State justifying the need to exceed the 1.0 percent threshold. States must provide appropriate oversight of each LEA that is required to submit such a justification letter and must make the justification publicly available, provided that it does not reveal personally identifiable information about an individual student. A justification letter template is provided to LEAs.

LEA 1% Justification Letter Template School Year (SY) 2025-2026

The 1.0 percent participation rates for the State and the status of LEAs exceeding the 1.0 percent threshold are available below.

One Percent Alternate Assessment Participation Threshold Report

To request a justification letter submitted by a district or charter school, please contact Tracy Gooley.

United States Department of Education memos to states outlining requirements under ESSA for 1.0 percent participation in the year-end alternate assessment: