This book is intended to facilitate the meaningful inclusion of students with disabilities in district and state assessments as required by the 1997 amendments to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. First, an introductory chapter offers reasons for including students with disabilities in district and statewide accountability systems. Chapters 2 through 6 address the specifics of including children with disabilities, such as what accommodations are, how to decide which accommodations are appropriate for use in assessments, the characteristics of alternate assessments, and the reporting of assessment results. Chapters 7 through 10 explain how to move toward a fully inclusive accountability system in discussions of how the Individualized Education Program (IEP) can be restructured to promote greater participation in the accountability system, what teachers and parents can do to foster this participation, and ideas for professional development in local districts and school buildings. Extensive appendices include sample forms and worksheets for participation decision making, IEP development, assessment accommodations, and student feedback; checklists of criteria for deciding about participation, accommodations, and assessment type; a guide to staff development; and a list of Technical Assistance and Dissemination Networks. (Individual chapters identify additional resources.) (DB)