History & Research

The Multi-State Alternate Assessment evolved directly from the research that supported its predecessor, the National Center and State Collaborative (NCSC) Alternate Assessments. In late 2010, NCSC began development of the NCSC Alternate Assessments based on Alternate Achievement Standards (AA-AAS) for students with significant cognitive disabilities. The foundations for the NCSC AA-AAS had been laid the previous decade, through a series of collaborative research-to-practice projects that allowed the collaborating states and national centers to understand better how to measure academic achievement for students with significant cognitive disabilities. Research completed in these previous projects meant that the state leaders and national center experts who shaped the NCSC project design process and work plan were able to build on a research-based foundation but were driven by issues and concerns that were still unanswered in 2010.

As part of the assessment development process, NCSC conducted a series of studies to answer several key questions related to the alignment of the assessment. These efforts were meant to ensure that students’ scores can be interpreted as reflecting the knowledge and skills defined in the standards and claims. 

For a comprehensive list of the NCSC research briefs that support the MSAA test.

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Technical Advisory Committee

Derek Briggs
​Professor and Chair of Research and Evaluation Methodology
​University of Colorado

Chris Domaleski
Senior Associate
​Center for Assessment​

Rachel Quenemoen
Retired Senior Research Associate
​University of Minnesota
​National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO)

Michael Russell 
Professor, Boston College
Senior Research Associate 
Center for the Study of Testing, Evaluation, & Educational Policy

Martha Thurlow
Senior Research Associate
​National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO)