Significant Disabilities

The Significant Disabilities Team provides technical assistance and support in the implementation of the Iowa Core Essential Elements and Iowa’s Alternate Assessments.

Please complete this form to request instructional support for students with significant disabilities.

If you have questions or need clarification regarding alternate assessment or working with students with significant disabilities, contact the PLAEA Students with Significant Disabilities Team at plaea-swsd@plaea.org.

Alternate Assessment

About Iowa Alternate Assessment

All students are expected to participate in district-wide assessments. Students with disabilities may participate without accommodations, with accommodations, or through the State of Iowa Alternate Assessment. An Individualized Education Program (IEP) team considers the characteristics of the student, along with the nature and purpose of the assessment, to determine the most appropriate participation option.

Alternate assessments based on alternate achievement standards are designed to evaluate the performance of students with the most significant cognitive disabilities in grades K–11. These assessments provide fair measurement of student knowledge and evaluate educational performance in English/Language Arts, Mathematics, and, for some students, Science.

This process ensures that students with the most significant intellectual disabilities are fully included in Iowa’s accountability system and have access to rigorous instruction aligned with grade-level state content standards. The Iowa Department of Education supports and requires two alternate assessments for eligible students.

Dynamic Learning Maps Aligned K-6 Early Literacy Alternate Assessment

Dynamic Learning Maps (DLM) Aligned K-6 Early Literacy Alternate Assessment is for:

• Students in grades K-6 who cannot participate in Chapter 62 early literacy universal screening assessment
• The early literacy alternate assessment is the only assessment that meets the requirements as the alternate assessment for Chapter 62 screening and progress monitoring

Dynamic Learning Maps (DLM) is for:

• Students in grades 3-11 and assesses English/language arts and mathematics
• Students in grades 5, 8 and 10 and assesses science

The DLM Assessment is an instructionally embedded assessment that includes fall and spring assessment windows. Each window includes two (2) phases.

Fall

• Phase 1: Sept. 8 - Oct. 31, 2025
• Phase 2: Nov. 3 - Dec. 19, 2025

Spring

• Phase 1: Feb. 2 - March 27, 2026
• Phase 2: March 30 - May 15, 2026

Additional Links of Interest

• Iowa Department of Education Educators Google Site (If link does not open, contact Jennifer Denne to be added to the site)
• Iowa Department of Education Alternate Assessment
• Center for Literacy and Disabilities Studies 
• DLM Parent Resources
• DLM Educator Resources
• Literacy Instruction for All
• Early Math Alternate Screener will be coming next year: Field Testing Spring 2026 (DE will be reaching out to districts if selected for field testing)
• Early Literacy IAA: For students in grades K-6 who participate in the Early Literacy Alternate Assessment (EL AA), there will continue to be three screening windows for the school year. Starting in the fall of the 2025-26 school year, teachers will be required to enter scores for scales 4 and 6 for the screening/reporting windows. Scales 1-3 and 5 will now be optional. 
• Districts must ensure that any teacher who directs the educational services of students assessed under Iowa's Alternate Assessments holds the K-12 Instructional Strategist II: ID 264 or the K-12 Strategist I and II—All 259.

The K-6 Early Literacy Alternate Assessment has three (3) assessment windows:

Fall

• Instructional/Artifact Collection Window: Aug. 25 - Sept. 26, 2025
• Reporting Window: Sept. 15-26, 2025

Winter

• Instructional/Data Collection Window: October 5, 2025 - Feb. 6, 2026
• Reporting Window: Jan. 26 - Feb. 6, 2026

Spring

• Instructional/Data Collection Window: Feb. 9 - May 29, 2026
• Reporting Window: May 11-29, 2026

Early Literacy Alternate Assessment (ELA) Resources

• ELAA Manual Link
• ELAA Scoring Handout
• ELAA Editable Cover Sheets (updated for 2025-26 school year)
• ACHIEVE ELAA Guide
• How to Access ELAA in the Achieve PDF
• ELAA Checklist for Screening and Progress Monitoring
• ELAA Scoring Presentation
• Participation Guidelines
• 2025-2026 EL AA Updated Scoring Handout
• ELA Frequently Asked Questions

DLM Resources

• DLM Helpful Reminders
• 2025-26 ELA Blueprint
• 2025-26 Math Blueprint
• 2025-26 Science Blueprint
• How to Submit DLM Writing Samples
• Dynamic Learning Map Videos
• Early Literacy Assessment: Students with Significant Cognitive Disabilities Flowchart
• Training materials for assessment coordinators, data managers, and technology personnel