(DATE)
Dear Parent:
The state assessment program is changing for the 2014-2015 school year.
Available assessments in the 2014-2015 school year are:
• STAAR
• STAAR Accommodated (STAAR A)
• STAAR Spanish
• STAAR L (linguistically accommodated)
• STAAR Alternate.
The State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness Modified (STAAR
Modified or STAAR M) was administered for the final time during the 2013-2014
assessment cycle. The U.S. Department of Education has informed states that
assessments based on modified standards for students served by special
education cannot be used for accountability purposes after the 2013-2014 school
year. The Texas Education Agency (TEA) is releasing additional information as it
becomes available.
In most cases, students who took STAAR M will participate in the STAAR
assessment with or without allowable accommodations and test administration
procedures and materials. There will be an option of an electronic version of the
STAAR with embedded accommodations now referred to as STAAR
Accommodated or STAAR A. Students will need to qualify to use the STAAR A
via TEA established eligibility guidelines.
The ARD (Admission, Review, and Dismissal) Committee will determine the
instructional accommodations appropriate for each child on an individual basis.
Once official assessment accommodations are released by TEA, the ARD
Committee will make determinations for the student regarding accommodations
as they relate to assessments.
Students who need modified instruction will continue to receive such instruction,
as it is necessary for a child’s success in school and ensures his/her access to
and progress in the general curriculum.
In addition to the elimination of STAAR Modified, the format of the STAAR
Alternate test will change for the 2014-15 administration. Teachers will no longer
develop tasks or materials to administer STAAR Alternate. The ARD committee
must determine that the student will participate in the STAAR Alternate
according to the updated Participation Requirements, but will no longer choose a
complexity level. The STAAR Alternate Participation Requirements are:
1. Does the student have a significant cognitive disability?
2. Does the student require specialized supports to access the grade-level
curriculum and environment?
3. Does the student require intensive, individualized instruction in a variety
of instructional settings?
4. Does the student access and participate in the grade-level TEKS through
prerequisite skills?
If the ARD Committee answers “yes” to all of these questions, the student
qualifies to participate in the STAAR Alternate assessment. Per the STAAR
Alternate Participation Requirements (#1), a student who has a Learning
Disability (LD) eligibility does not qualify to take the STAAR Alternate.
We are excited to work with you during this transition to ensure your child’s
needs are met as we continue to have high expectations for all students in our
district.
If you have any questions, please contact (NAME) at (EMAIL) or (PHONE
NUMBER).
Sincerely,
(NAME)
(TITLE)
(DISTRICT)
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