Only students with the most significant cognitive disabilities may participate in the alternate assessment (DLM), and no student should take the alternate assessment unless they are also participating in the alternate academic achievement standards (Wisconsin Essential Elements). 34 CFR 200.6(a)(2)(ii)(B). In Wisconsin, a student with the most significant cognitive disability is defined as:
● typically characterized as functioning at least two and a half to three standard deviations below the mean in both adaptive behavior and cognitive functioning; and ● performs substantially below grade level expectations on the academic content standards for the grade in which they are enrolled, even with the use of adaptations and accommodations; and ● a student who requires extensive, direct individualized instruction and substantial supports to achieve measurable gains, across all content areas and settings.
Intellectual disability means significant limitations both in intellectual functioning and in adaptive behavior as expressed in conceptual, social, and practical adaptive skills and manifested during the developmental period that adversely affects the child's educational performance.
Note: A reference in the regulations to cognitive disability shall be considered to be a reference to an intellectual disability and a reference in the regulations to the cognitively disabled or individuals who are cognitively disabled shall be considered a reference to individuals with intellectual disabilities.
The statewide child count data as of October 2015, indicated there were approximately 8,283 students with ID.
Students with an Intellectual Disability are educated using a variety of educational program options according to the individual needs of each student and their least restrictive environments. It is up to the IEP team to decide what the least restrictive environment is for each individual student. Students with ID may be taught using the Wisconsin Model Academic standards with adaptations and modifications or might be taught using the Wisconsin Essential Elements. It is an IEP team decision about which standards are most appropriate for the student. There is guidance for determining participation in the general education standards and curriculum.