The IEP: District/Statewide Assessments and Alternate Framework (K-12)

The District and Statewide Assessments page outlines how your child will participate in standardized testing and identifies their specific path toward exiting high school. In Maryland, all students must participate in either the general Maryland Comprehensive Assessment Program (MCAP) or, for a small number of students with significant cognitive disabilities, the Alternate Assessment (Alt-MCAP). Because choosing the alternate framework significantly changes a student’s instruction and prevents them from earning a standard diploma, the team must use a specific eligibility tool called Appendix A to make this decision, and it requires explicit parental consent. This section also documents whether your child is pursuing a Maryland High School Diploma, which requires meeting all state credit and testing standards, or a Maryland High School Certificate of Program Completion, which is awarded to students who complete at least four years of high school and develop essential career and life skills but do not meet the full diploma requirements.

The Alternate Education Framework

The Alternate Framework is a specialized instructional and assessment path designed for a small group of students (typically around 1%) who have the most significant cognitive disabilities.

Aligned Standards: It is not a “different” curriculum; instead, it is aligned with the same Maryland College and Career Ready Standards as all other students, but it focuses on Essential Elements—the most critical “core” ideas of those standards.

Reduced Complexity: The instruction and testing are modified to have reduced breadth, depth, and complexity to meet the student’s unique needs.

Graduation Path: Parents should know that participating in this framework usually means the student is working toward a Maryland Certificate of Program Completion rather than a standard High School Diploma.

Communication Focused: At its foundation, the framework prioritizes “Communicative Competence,” ensuring students have a reliable way to express themselves, whether through speech, signs, or technology.

Appendix A (Participation Criteria and Checklist)

Appendix A is the mandatory “eligibility tool” or form that the IEP team must complete every year to decide if a student is eligible to participate in the Alternate Framework.

Decision-Making Tool: It is a checklist that ensures the IEP team uses multiple sources of data—such as cognitive tests, adaptive behavior scales, and classroom performance—to determine if the student meets the criteria for a significant cognitive disability.

Annual Requirement: Because a child’s needs can change, the team must fill out this document every year to confirm that the Alternate Framework is still the most appropriate choice.

Parental Consent: In Maryland, the IEP team must obtain your written consent on this document before your child can be instructed or assessed using alternate standards. You have the right to agree or disagree with this decision.

Evidence-Based: The form requires the team to document the specific “Sources of Evidence” (like progress notes or teacher reports) used to make the decision, ensuring it isn’t based on a student’s disability label or where they are placed in school.

MSDE: A Companion Guide to the Alternate Education Framework