NCLB...The Portfolio alternative assessment debate.

I am very familiar with the TCAP-ALT portfolio assessment and have been using this assessment every year with my students who have severe multiple disabilities. I first want to say that testing these students poses a huge challenge for the special education teachers across the country. I applaud Tennessee's appraoch to the assessment problem. My former school was a pilot school and helped in making some of the many changes that have taken place with the portfolio over the years that it has been mandated. While I have had feelings on both sides of the potfolio issue, I do feel that there is a need to try and capture and document the abilities of our students.  But, much like the Inclusion issue, I feel that one assessment tool does not truely work with all of this very diverse group of students.  Even though the curriculum standards have been broken down into pre-requiste or alternative performance indicators, I feel that it does not take into account the demand for functional skills that are so crucial for these students with severe disabilities, especially as they move into the middle and high school years of their education. Our overall goal for these students is to help them realize their highest potential and be as independent as possible. Since a majority of these students are unable to actually interact with the assessment/data sheets, it can easily be argued as being a tool to test how well the special education teacher can present their data.  Let me say that I am a HUGE believer in data. My view is that if it is not documented, then it didn't happen. I do feel that the current forms used by the state of Tennessee do a good job of documenting data in a user friendly format.  My concern continues to be surrounding whether we are truely meeting the individualied needs of these students by forcing them to fit into the required subject areas of reading, math, science and social studies without looking at vocational and independent skills that are so important for these students. I also feel  for the special education teachers who teach students with severe disabilities in grades 3-8 since they must capture information in all 4 subjects every year( this aligns with the regular TCAP testing schedule). If they perform the portfolio assessment to the fullest then they must have 3 different areas under each subject. That totals 12 graphs and 12 evidence sheets per student which really adds up if you teach 8-10 students. And, if done correctly, the teacher will have hard data to back up this assessment data as well as hard data on all of the IEP goals for each student. Are you feeling overwhelmed yet?   These teachers are.