New Meridian regards assessments as tools for enhancing teaching and learning. We are committed to providing all students with equitable access to high-quality, 21st century assessments. By applying principles of universal design, using technology, embedding accessibility features, and allowing a broad range of accommodations, New Meridian provides opportunities for the largest possible number of students to demonstrate their knowledge and skills. New Meridian sets and maintains high expectations that all students will have access to the full range of grade-level and course content standards.
New Meridian’s goals for promoting student access include:
- Applying principles of universal design for accessible assessments during every stage of the development of the assessment items and performance tasks;
- Minimizing/eliminating features of the assessment that are irrelevant to what is being measured so that all students can more accurately demonstrate their knowledge and skills;
- Measuring the full range of complexity of the standards;
- Using technology for the accessible delivery of the assessments;
- Building accessibility throughout the test without sacrificing assessment validity;
- Using a combination of accessible authoring and accessible technologies from the inception of items and tasks; and
- Engaging state and national experts throughout the development process through item review, bias and sensitivity review, policy development and review, and research.
Read more about how New Meridian is incorporating Universal Design and Accessibility Features and Accommodations as well as a list of Accommodated Forms.