1.1.1: Kentucky Department of Education Definition of a student with the most significant cognitive disability

[responsivevoice_button voice=”US English Female” buttontext=”Listen”]

This is the Kentucky Department of Education’s definition of a student with the most significant cognitive disability developed by the KDE Alternate Assessment and Diploma Advisory Group. The group consists of renowned experts in the field of low incidence disabilities and members of the Kentucky Department of Education.  The Participation Guidelines are based on the KDE definition. 

The Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) definition of a student with the most significant cognitive disability: 

  • Meets eligibility criterion in one or more of the existing categories of disabilities under IDEA (e.g., intellectual disabilities, autism, traumatic brain injury, multiple disabilities), 
  • Has cognitive and adaptive behavior functioning preventing him/her from attaining grade level achievement standards, even with program modifications and accommodations, 
  • Requires extensive individualized instruction across multiple settings to access and make progress in the Kentucky Academic Standards, and to maintain, generalize and demonstrate learning. 

Has a significant cognitive disability that is not primarily the result of:  

  • excessive or extended absences 
  • disability related to visual or auditory disabilities, emotional-behavioral disabilities, specific learning disabilities, speech and language impairment 
  • native language, social, cultural, and economic differences, 
  • those identified as English learners (EL) 
  • pre-determined poor performance on the grade-level assessment 
  • displays of disruptive behaviors or experiences emotional duress during testing 
  • administrator decision 
  • educational environment or instructional setting 

The KDE definition of an English Learner student with the most significant cognitive disability: 

  • Meets all of the KDE definition of a student with the most significant cognitive disability and 
  • Meets the Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) Definition of English Learners (EL) on the English Learners page of the KDE website. 

Note: If an EL is participating in the Alternate K-Prep, the student will be or already is participating in the Alternate ACCESS