New Mexico’s Alternate Assessment for Students with the Most Significant Cognitive Disabilities
Dynamic Learning Maps alternate assessments are designed for students with the most significant cognitive disabilities for whom, even with accommodations, general state assessments are not appropriate. DLM assessments offer these students a way to show what they know and can do in mathematics, English language arts, and science.
- Students in grades 3-8 and 11 must be administered the DLM in math and English
- Students in grades 5, 8, and 11 must also be administered the DLM in science
DLM measures student proficiency on the Essential Elements for English Language Arts, Math, and Science. EEs are the state-adopted alternate standards linked with the Common Core State Standards and Next Generation Science Standards, although at less-complex skill levels. Please visit the state content standards page to view all EEs for all DLM assessed subjects.
All students who complete in the DLM receive a scale score and a corresponding performance level in each subject in which they test. Below are the state-adopted performance-level descriptors for each content area. These descriptors provide educators and families with an idea of the knowledge, skills, and abilities a student has demonstrated on the assessment.
- English Language Arts Performance Level Descriptors
- Mathematics Performance Level Descriptors
- Science Performance Level Descriptors
Alternate Assessment Decision Resources
The decision for a student to be administered the alternate assessment is left to the discretion of the individualized education program (IEP) team. To guide and support IEP teams in determining whether a student is most appropriately assessed with an alternate assessment, DLM has the following decision-making tool.
The Alternate Assessment FAQ document was also created as a supplement to the DLM Participation Guidelines to address questions and concerns.
Alternate Assessment Family Resources
The following resources capture what families should know about alternate assessments, how to access student results, how to interpret student reports , and provides a reminder that there is federal legislation in Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) that requires all students participate in statewide assessments.
Alternate Assessment Educator Resources
The Kite Parent Portal is your gateway to access your student’s scores on the Dynamic Learning Maps Alternate Assessment.
District Alternate Assessment Participation
The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) requires annually each district or charter school to submit a justification when it anticipates testing more than 1 percent of students using the Alternate Assessment for Students with Significant Cognitive Disabilities (AASCD).
- 2021-22 Alternate Assessment Participation Rates Coming soon
- 2022-23 Alternate Assessment District Justification Coming soon