Locally Determined Alternate Assessment (LDAA)

Locally Determined Alternate Assessment (LDAA) is a locally assigned assessment used to measure the learning of a student receiving special education services whose ARD committee has determined that both the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS) and the State-Developed Alternative Assessment (SDAA) are inappropriate.

The Texas Education Agency requests districts and charter schools to report the performance results for students exempt from the state tests, TAKS or the SDAA on an annual basis. Monitoring the performance results of all students is a major U.S. Department of Education compliance requirement to promote accountability and improvement in public law 105-17, Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), and in Title 1 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA).

According to 19 Texas Administrative Code (TAC) §101.5(c):

• Students receiving special education services, enrolled in Grades 3-10, and who are not receiving any instruction in the essential knowledge and skills, are considered exempt according to state law (Texas Education Code (TEC) §39.027).
• Each exemption must be documented in the student's individualized education program (IEP) (34 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) §300.347(a)(5)(i) and (ii)), relating to the content of the IEP and participation in statewide or districtwide assessments.
• Each exempted student receiving special education services must take an appropriate locally selected assessment, as determined by the student's ARD committee.
• Student performance results on these alternate assessments must be reported to the TEA.

In addition, Texas schools must keep LDAA performance results in the student’s eligibility folder, so the data for reporting this collection is readily available and accessible to the ARD Committee as it makes decisions on future IEP development.

Data Reporting

• Results for 2004-2005 School Year
  Statewide | By District (under production)

• Results for 2003-2004 School Year
  Statewide: Math | Reading
  By District: Math |Reading

• Results for 2002-2003 School Year
  Statewide: Math | Reading
  

Technical Assistance
Districts are encouraged to request technical assistance about LDAA from their special education contacts at regional education service centers.

Special Education Main Page

Texas Education Agency | Division of Special Education
1701 North Congress Avenue | Austin, Texas 78701-1494
Telephone: 512.463.9414 | Fax: 512.463.9560

Last Updated: June 30, 2005 | Created: December 14, 2001

Send questions about LDAA to the Division of Special Education.