Dynamic Learning Maps (DLM): States, Essential Elements and Testlets

Estimated reading time: 18 minutes

Dynamic Learning Maps (DLM) is a computer-based alternate assessment that measures what students with the most significant cognitive disabilities know and can do in English language arts (ELA), mathematics and science, on alternate content standards called Essential Elements. A consortium of state education agencies develops it, facilitated by ATLAS at the University of Kansas, and member states use it as their alternate assessment aligned with alternate academic achievement standards under 34 CFR 200.6(c); in 2026-27 it serves 23 states, the District of Columbia and the Republic of Palau. This guide covers the member states, Essential Elements, the two models, testlets and Kite, the First Contact Survey, training, released testlets, score reports, participation and the 1% cap, and a comparison with other alternate assessments. It describes official documents, not legal advice: check your state’s guidance and district counsel when a decision is disputed.

Executive Summary

In 2025-26, educators administered DLM assessments to 114,829 students in 17,407 schools across 5,302 districts, according to DLM’s June 2026 update; in the first operational year, 2014-15, eight states tested. DLM announced Idaho’s membership in October 2026.

For a district, DLM is a year-long workflow more than a test day: a participation decision by the IEP team, a First Contact Survey for every student, trained administrators, updated devices and one-on-one testlets spread over weeks. Districts that plan it in the fall avoid the spring rush.

What Is Dynamic Learning Maps?

Dynamic Learning Maps is the alternate assessment its member states give to students with the most significant cognitive disabilities for whom general state assessments are not appropriate, even with accommodations.

It is built on a learning map model, a network of skills (nodes) and connections showing the different pathways students take toward the same goal. Results inform instruction and meet accountability reporting requirements. ELA and mathematics are assessed in grades 3-8 and one or more high school grades; science in the grade bands 3-5, 6-8 and high school.

ATLAS (Accessible Teaching, Learning, and Assessment Systems) at the University of Kansas facilitates the consortium with the Center for Literacy and Disability Studies at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. A five-year federal General Supervision Enhancement Grant launched the project in 2010; the consortium now funds its development and administration, and states join for ELA and mathematics, science only, or all three (DLM, About the Consortium).

Dynamic Learning Maps States in 2026-27

In 2026-27, DLM serves 23 states, the District of Columbia and Palau, and its state list also includes DoWEA (the Department of War Education Activity); each member chooses its model, subjects and grades.

Sources: DLM State Resources and each state page; DLM, Idaho announcement (October 23, 2026). Spring 2027 windows vary: Instructionally Embedded states open February 1, after a fall window from September 14 to December 18, 2026, while Year-End windows run from March 8 at the earliest to June 11 at the latest. Some states rename the test: New York calls it the NYSAA, and Missouri lists it as DLM/MAP-A.

Essential Elements and Linkage Levels

Essential Elements are the DLM content standards: grade-specific statements of what students with the most significant cognitive disabilities should know and be able to do, written as a bridge from grade-level standards. ELA and mathematics Essential Elements are linked to the Common Core State Standards; one grade 3 example reads “M.EE.3.MD.1 Tell time to the hour on a digital clock.”

Each testlet assesses an Essential Element at one linkage level, a small cluster of skills before, at or beyond the grade-level target:

A blueprint is the subset of Essential Elements, chosen by state leaders with DLM staff, on which a grade is tested; blueprints and a mini-map for each tested Essential Element are posted on DLM’s Instructional Resources pages. Mini-maps help teachers choose an accessible, challenging linkage level and work toward more complex ones; see how to write measurable IEP goals.

Science Essential Elements for Spring 2027

Science moves to a revised and expanded set in spring 2027, according to the 2026-27 test administration manuals: 84 Essential Elements across grade bands from K-12, 26 of them on the blueprints, organized by the end of grades 5, 8 and 12, with four linkage levels and no Successor. The general blueprint tests 8 Essential Elements in grades 3-5 and 9 in grades 6-8 and high school; Delaware, the District of Columbia and Maryland use a high school biology version with 4. Science students also take four field test testlets in spring 2027.

Year-End vs Instructionally Embedded Model

The two DLM models differ in when testing counts and who chooses the Essential Elements.

In Year-End states, results from the optional window neither predict nor count toward spring results; New Jersey offers it from September 14 to December 23, 2026, at no cost. In Instructionally Embedded states, DLM strongly discourages bunching testlets at the start or end of a window, because the model is built on a cycle of teaching, assessing and adjusting.

How DLM Testlets Work

A testlet is a short group of items sharing a context: it opens with an engagement activity, most have three to five items, and each assesses one Essential Element, except the writing testlet, which covers all writing Essential Elements for the grade. Testlets are given individually, not in a group, and spread over several weeks.

• Teacher-administered: lower linkage levels, all writing, and students with presymbolic communication. The administrator follows on-screen directions, works with the student off the computer and enters the responses, using materials listed on the Testlet Information Page (TIP).
• Computer-delivered: the student navigates with a mouse, keyboard or switches; if the student can engage but not navigate, the teacher may record answers on the student’s behalf.
• How many: in spring 2027, 9 ELA testlets in every grade, 6 to 8 in mathematics and 8 or 9 in science (4 for high school biology).
• How long: on average 10 to 15 minutes per reading, mathematics or science testlet and 10 to 20 for writing, excluding preparation.

The manuals allow breaks and reinforcement for participation, but not repeating an item after a response, hints, removing options or hand-over-hand guidance. Classroom routines such as a prompt hierarchy stop at the testlet.

Kite Student Portal and Educator Portal

DLM runs on the Kite Suite: students test in Kite Student Portal, and staff manage everything else in Kite Educator Portal.

• Student Portal is a secure app that blocks other websites; a browser version cannot be used. It moves to version 12 for 2026-27, every testing device must be updated, and Chromebooks use a new deployment method.
• Educator Portal holds rosters, the First Contact Survey, accessibility settings, the Instruction and Assessment Planner, training and reports. It requires multifactor authentication and an annual security agreement that expires in the first week of August.

The First Contact Survey and PNP Profile

The First Contact Survey is a set of questions about each student, completed or updated every year by the test administrator, that DLM uses to match the student to a starting linkage level. It covers special education, sensory and motor capabilities, health, computer instruction, expressive and receptive communication, language and academics.

• A hard prerequisite: students receive no testlets until it is submitted.
• Timing: roster the student and submit the survey at least 24 hours before the spring window, and the first testlet in each subject is ready on opening day.
• The Personal Needs and Preferences (PNP) Profile records accessibility supports: some inside Student Portal (magnification, spoken audio, color contrast), some needing tools from the administrator (switches, braille, manipulatives), and some given outside the system (human read aloud, sign interpretation, partner-assisted scanning).

Educators and IEP teams choose the supports, as described in the DLM Accessibility Manual 2026-2027. Use the devices and communication systems the student uses every day; see assistive technology for students with disabilities and AAC IEP goals.

DLM Training for Test Administrators

Every educator who administers DLM must complete the Required Test Administrator Training in Educator Portal, passing each post-test with 80% or higher, before delivering any testlet; federal rules require states to ensure staff know how to give alternate assessments (34 CFR 200.6(b)(2)(ii)).

• New administrators complete four modules in order: Overview of the Dynamic Learning Maps Alternate Assessment; Understanding and Delivering Testlets; Test Administration and Scoring; Preparing to Administer the Assessment.
• Returning administrators usually take one review module of about an hour and must pass on the first attempt or complete extra training.
• The certificate unlocks testing: the administrator must select it in Educator Portal.
• Professional development modules on instruction, about 30 to 45 minutes each, are strongly recommended and sometimes required by the state.

State policy sets which roles must train; see paraprofessional training.

Released Testlets and Practice Activities

DLM does not publish a full practice test; it provides practice activities and released testlets, sample testlets built to the same standards as operational ones. According to the Guide to Practice Activities and Released Testlets 2026-2027 (September 14, 2026), both run in Kite Student Portal through demo accounts listed in the guide, with released testlets in ELA, mathematics and science. Some are also posted as PDFs, by subject and linkage level, on the Instructional Resources pages linked from DLM’s Released Testlets page, and families can use them at home. Use them as a device check: confirm each student’s switch, settings and communication system work weeks before the window.

DLM Score Reports and Performance Levels

Each student receives an Individual Student Score Report for each subject, with four performance levels: Emerging, Approaching the Target, At Target and Advanced. At Target means the student met the alternate achievement standards for the grade. There are no raw, percentage-correct or scale scores: the system estimates which linkage levels the student has likely mastered.

• Performance Profile: the overall level and the share of skills shown in each area.
• Learning Profile: the linkage levels mastered on each tested Essential Element.
• Access: reports reach the state in summer, and each state decides which roles can open them.

DLM’s manual tells IEP teams to use the next grade’s blueprints as one source when planning academic goals, and the Learning Profile shows mastery on each tested Essential Element; pair them with functional IEP goals where daily living skills matter.

Who Takes DLM: Participation and the 1% Cap

The IEP team decides, case by case, whether a student takes DLM, applying the state’s definition of students with the most significant cognitive disabilities, which must address cognitive functioning and adaptive behavior (34 CFR 200.6(d)(1)).

• A written reason: the IEP states why the student cannot take the regular assessment and why the alternate is appropriate (34 CFR 300.320(a)(6)(ii)).
• Short-term objectives: the IEP describes benchmarks or short-term objectives (300.320(a)(2)(ii)).
• The 1.0% cap: statewide, alternate assessment takers may not exceed 1.0% of students assessed in each subject, and a district above it must justify its rate (200.6(c)(2)-(3)).

State definitions and diploma effects are in our alternate assessment guide; the decision belongs at the IEP meeting, with the family told what alternate standards mean.

New Jersey’s DLM Participation Criteria

New Jersey revised its criteria effective with the spring 2026 assessment to limit DLM to students with the most significant intellectual disabilities. Its form asks:

1. A current IEP and the classification under N.J.A.C. 6A:14-3.5(c): auditory impairment, emotional regulation impairment, orthopedic impairment, specific learning disability or speech-language services only end the review.
2. A disability that significantly affects intellectual functioning and adaptive behavior.
3. Four statements, all “yes”: taught on Essential Elements; extensive, repeated individualized instruction that is not temporary; substantially adapted materials; an impact on post-school outcomes.
4. Team agreement and an administrator certification.

Multilingual learner status, anticipated behavior, attendance, expected low scores and accountability impact may not be used, and the IEP records the decision under N.J.A.C. 6A:14-3.7(e)7; see the New Jersey special education code. NJDOE’s August 2026 update reports that 410 LEAs scored below the top mark in annual determinations for DLM participation of 1% or higher, 175 of them at 2.0% or above.

DLM vs MSAA vs State-Built Alternate Assessments

DLM is one of three families of alternate assessments in use, alongside the Multi-State Alternate Assessment (MSAA) and tests built by individual states.

DLM, the MSAA, Florida’s FAA and California’s CAAs are all given one student at a time. DC and DoWEA appear on both lists; on their DLM pages, DC lists science only and DoWEA ELA and mathematics only. Sources are in our alternate assessment guide.

What Districts Do Before the DLM Window

Most spring problems start with a missed step in the fall. This checklist is an original example drawn from the 2026-27 DLM manuals; adapt it to your state.

1. Confirm participation decisions with the state form at each IEP meeting.
2. Check enrollment grades: a student tested in the wrong grade must restart.
3. Activate Educator Portal accounts and security agreements.
4. Track training certificates with the Training Status extract.
5. Submit First Contact Surveys and PNP settings at least 24 hours before the window; braille and spoken audio need that lead time.
6. Install Student Portal version 12 and run a released testlet with each student.
7. Gather TIP materials and schedule sessions across weeks in a quiet, private place.
8. Send families DLM’s parent letter, in English or Spanish.

Funding and Staffing

The consortium of member states funds DLM’s development and administration; districts carry staff time and devices. With 45 states reporting special education teacher shortages in 2024-25 (Learning Policy Institute, 2026), certify backup administrators in every school.

Common Mistakes District Leaders Make

1. Treating DLM as a placement. A self-contained classroom or a disability category does not decide participation.
2. Leaving the First Contact Survey to the last week, or copying last year’s answers.
3. Bunching testlets. Ten testlets in two days defeats a design built for short sessions.
4. Prompting during a testlet. Hints and hand-over-hand guidance are not allowed.
5. Skipping the device check. An outdated Student Portal or untested switch costs testing days.
6. Filing score reports unread. The Learning Profile is evidence for the next IEP.

Questions District Leaders Should Ask

• What share of our assessed students take DLM in each subject, compared with 1.0%?
• How many First Contact Surveys were missing a week before the window?
• Which students use switches, AAC or braille, and were their supports tested?
• Do IEP teams use Learning Profiles and next-grade blueprints when writing goals?

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Dynamic Learning Maps?

Dynamic Learning Maps (DLM) is an alternate assessment for students with the most significant cognitive disabilities who cannot take general state tests even with accommodations. It tests ELA, mathematics and science against Essential Elements through short testlets in Kite Student Portal. A consortium of states develops it with ATLAS at the University of Kansas; in 2026-27 it serves 23 states, DC and Palau.

What are Dynamic Learning Maps Essential Elements?

Essential Elements are DLM’s alternate content standards: grade-specific statements of what students with the most significant cognitive disabilities should know and be able to do, linked to grade-level standards. ELA and mathematics Essential Elements have five linkage levels, from Initial Precursor to Successor; science Essential Elements, revised for spring 2027, have four. Lists and mini-maps are on DLM’s website.

Which states use Dynamic Learning Maps?

In 2026-27, the Year-End states are Alaska, Colorado, Illinois, Maryland, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Utah, West Virginia and Wisconsin, plus DC, Palau and DoWEA. The Instructionally Embedded states are Arkansas, Delaware, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Montana, North Dakota and Tennessee. Subjects vary by state.

Is there a Dynamic Learning Maps practice test?

Not a full one. DLM offers practice activities for teachers and students and released testlets in ELA, mathematics and science, taken in Kite Student Portal with the demo accounts listed in the Guide to Practice Activities and Released Testlets. Some released testlets are posted as PDFs on the DLM website, and families can use them at home.

What is the Dynamic Learning Maps training?

It is the Required Test Administrator Training, taken from the Training tab in Kite Educator Portal. New administrators complete four modules, each with a post-test passed at 80% or higher; returning administrators usually take one review module of about an hour. Testing stays locked until the administrator selects the completion certificate.

Does Dynamic Learning Maps test science and social studies?

DLM assesses ELA, mathematics and science, and each state chooses: in 2026-27, Colorado, DoWEA, Palau and Tennessee use it for ELA and mathematics only, and DC for science only. Two DLM state pages list more subjects, Wisconsin social studies and Oklahoma U.S. History in high school, so check your state’s guidance.

Can teachers use AI to plan instruction on Essential Elements?

Yes, for drafts the teacher checks: an AI assistant can suggest adapted texts, picture supports or task steps for an Essential Element. Never enter secure testlet content or identifiable student information, which DLM’s manuals tell staff not to send by email or chat, and never let a tool make the participation decision. See the ChatGPT for teachers guide.

Related Resources

• Alternate Assessment: Who Qualifies and the 1% Cap
• NYSAA: New York State Alternate Assessment
• IEP Meeting: A Complete Guide
• New Jersey Special Education Code (N.J.A.C. 6A:14)
• STAAR Alt 2
• Florida Alternate Assessment (FAA)

Conclusion

Dynamic Learning Maps measures a small group of students through short, individual testlets on Essential Elements, and its results are only as good as the work before the window: a careful participation decision, an accurate First Contact Survey, trained administrators, working devices and testlets spread over weeks. Districts that treat DLM as a year-long process get valid results and better IEP goals.

Sources: 34 CFR 200.6, Inclusion of all students; Dynamic Learning Maps, About the Consortium; DLM, State Resources; DLM Assessments; DLM, What Is a Learning Map Model?; DLM, Test Administration Manual 2026-2027, Year-End Model States (July 31, 2026); DLM, Test Administration Manual 2026-2027, Instructionally Embedded Model States (July 31, 2026); DLM, Assessment Coordinator Manual 2026-2027 (June 30, 2026); DLM, Understanding Your Child’s Individual Student Score Report; DLM, Dynamic Learning Maps: Past and Present (June 4, 2026); New Jersey Department of Education, Dynamic Learning Maps. Other sources are linked where they are cited.

Join the 2027 Special Education Pilot

Students who take DLM work toward Essential Elements in small steps, and each step takes many patient repetitions that a teacher rarely has time to give one student at a time. Telo AI is being adapted for students with IEPs: patient, 1-on-1 practice aligned to each student’s IEP goals and pace, including daily living skills and speaking practice. We are inviting districts to shape it with us in a 2027 pilot.

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