Portsmouth staff review alternate‑assessment eligibility after federal 1% cap; district building programming changes and budget requests planned

Mrs. Shay outlined work the district has done to respond to federal limits on alternate assessments for students with significant cognitive disabilities.

"Alternate assessment is really geared to those students with a significant cognitive disability," Mrs. Shay said, distinguishing alternate assessment from accommodations for students who can meet grade‑level standards with supports. She described a multi‑step district review to avoid over‑identification: staff developed data criteria, reviewed individual student assessment tools and benchmark scores, and met with building teams to identify candidates who may no longer meet the stricter 1% federal threshold.

Mrs. Shay said the district expects to reclassify roughly four or five students who previously were on alternate assessment pathways. She emphasized the work seeks to preserve students’ dignity and place them in appropriate instruction settings rather than testing formats that do not match their learning needs.

"We're really trying to think about what is the right programming for each building," Mrs. Shay said, noting middle and high school schedules introduce additional complexity.

Superintendent Dr. Kenworthy confirmed the proposed programming changes and resource needs have been included in the FY26 budget requests and said next steps will depend on the district’s final budget allocation.

In related discussion the committee reiterated a legislative priority: increasing the state’s high‑cost special education categorical fund. Committee members noted Portsmouth’s heavy out‑of‑district tuition costs and asked district finance staff to provide an FY24 figure for the district’s high‑cost special education reimbursements.

The committee said it expects at least one further update later in the school year as determinations are finalized and as budget decisions are made.