STAAR Alternate is the state assessment for
students with significant cognitive
disabilities.
TEA Resources For Testing Coordinators
Coordinator Checklist of
Responsibilities
Policy Information
Training Center
Information
All can be found on the STAAR Alternate Resources webpage on the TEA website.
http://www.tea.state.tx.us/student.assessment/special-ed/staaralt
Assessment Window January 6th -April 18th
Monitoring Test Assignments
 Check if any recent ARD decisions have been made
that would affect how the student assignments are
set up in the system.
 Ensure that student assessments are linked to the
appropriate alternate assessment test administrator
in the Assessment Management System so that
evaluations can begin.
 Unregister any students no longer being assessed
with STAAR Alternate and add any new students or
alternate assessment teachers.
 Ensure that all test administrators have completed all
required training before access to the Assessment
Management System is provided.
Have the alternate assessment teacher verify the grade level and courses!
Pearson Resources to Help Link Teachers to
Student Assessments
Home>Resources>Training>
Texas Assessment Management
System
Monitoring Completion of Assessments
District testing coordinators did a great job
last year in monitoring!
Monitor progress on the assessments.
Number of
registered
students
Need to have “0” in these
columns to ensure that all
students will be tested.
Test Administrator Training
Monitor test administrator training by verifying that
 all training modules have been completed and the
test administrators passed with 80% accuracy
 supplemental support is provided before the third
attempt is given to the teacher
 supervision is occurring for any test administrator
that has not passed all the modules but is continuing
to implement the assessment
Check to verify the training
status of all test administrators on the
TrainingCenter by viewing the STAAR Alternate
At-A-Glance Training & Qualification Report
Storing the Documentation Forms
District Testing Coordinators must:

develop and communicate the district policy on
where the documentation forms will be stored

ensure that only one official documentation form exists and
that all forms are stored in the same location for the
campus

make sure test administrators know that the form
must remain secure and confidential while it is in their
care until given to the testing coordinator for storage

secure all forms by the close of the assessment window

inform staff that forms will not be accessible after
April 18, 2013 at 7:00pm CST
Test administrators should use caution when taking the documentation forms out of the
classroom or building or when forms are stored on computers, laptops, or flash drives.
STAAR Alternate Timeline lists key
administration dates.
March 28, 2014 is the transfer cut-off date. Students
who move into the district after that date do not have to
be tested by the receiving district.
Parent Materials will be updated in March to explain the growth
measure that will be added to the CSR this year.
Grades 3-8
Parent Brochure for Grades 3-8
Available in English and Spanish
PowerPoint available in English and
Spanish
EOC
Growth Measure

The range of available score points for STAAR Alternate (0-84)will
be divided into stages that will be applied to the student’s
performance.

The growth measure will compare two years of results to
determine if growth occurred between the stages.

Positive growth between stages will be factored into AYP
calculations.
Cut Scores

The adjusted cut score for satisfactory performance used during
the 2012 administration will be applied to the May 2014 results.
STAAR Alternate Redesign

Due to state legislation, STAAR Alternate is being
redesigned for administration in spring 2015.

The test will be a standardized item-based assessment that
will be administered to all students in that grade or course
who meet the participation requirements for an alternate
assessment.

Complexity levels will no longer be a part of the new
assessment design and will not need to be determined by
the ARD committee.

During December and January, many districts participated
in the STAAR Alternate Pilot Study.

Information collected during the pilot study is currently
being analyzed for use in developing the final assessment
design.
More detailed information about STAAR Alternate can be found at
http://www.tea.state.tx.us/student.assessment/special-ed/staaralt
STAAR Modified
What is STAAR Modified and
who is it for?
• An alternate assessment based on modified academic
achievement standards
• different passing standard than STAAR
• test questions that are based on STAAR
• For students receiving special education services who meet
participation requirements
GRADE/COURSE
SUBJECTS ASSESSED WITH STAAR
MODIFIED IN SPRING 2014
reading, mathematics
reading, mathematics, writing
reading, mathematics, science
reading, mathematics
reading, mathematics, writing
reading, mathematics, science, social studies
English I, English II
Algebra I
End-of-Course (EOC)
biology
U.S. history
3
4
5
6
7
8
How have the test designs for STAAR
Modified English I and II changed?
• For the spring 2013 administrations,
– reading and writing were separate tests
– the tests were administered over two four-hour days
• For the spring 2014 administrations,
– reading and writing are combined into one test
– the tests will be administered in one five-hour day
• A redesigned test blueprint is posted on the “What’s New”
page of TEA’s Student Assessment website.
Participation Requirements
How does an ARD committee determine whether
STAAR Modified is the appropriate assessment?
1)
2)
3)
4)
Review the student’s present level of academic achievement
and functional performance (PLAAFP).
Review the student’s instructional plan, which includes the
goals, objectives, accommodations, and/or modifications the
student will need in order to access the grade-level/course Texas
Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS).
Determine the appropriate assessment for the student based on
the instruction the student is receiving and whether the student
meets the participation requirements.
Document the assessment decision, including any
accommodations.
Participation Requirements
•
What does “State-required Documentation Form” mean?
–
•
TEA requires the completed STAAR Modified Participation
Requirements Form to be included in the student’s IEP.
Which district personnel can complete this form?
–
a member of the ARD committee who participated in the
meeting where the statewide assessment decision was
determined (e.g., special education teacher, ARD facilitator,
administrator)
Since 2014 is the last year that STAAR Modified will
be administered, what do ARD committees document
in the IEP regarding assessment for next year?
• In the 2014-2015 school year, STAAR and STAAR Alternate will
be the assessment options for students receiving special
education services.
• The types of accommodations that may be provided to
students moving from a modified assessment to a general
assessment have not yet been determined.
• Further information regarding plans for the inclusion of this
population of students in the general assessment program
beginning with the 2014–2015 school year will be forthcoming.
If a student fails a STAAR Modified EOC assessment, is
he/she required to retest?
• It is not necessary for a student to retest if he/she failed a STAAR
Modified EOC assessment or was absent during testing.
• According to federal and state regulations, students who take a
modified assessment are not held to the same graduation
requirements as students who take the general assessment.
Meeting the passing standard on a STAAR Modified EOC assessment
is not a graduation requirement, so participating in additional
testing opportunities is not necessary.
• In addition, students taking a STAAR Modified EOC only have one
final opportunity in spring 2014 to take the assessment.
If a student takes STAAR Modified in high school but
is dismissed from special education before
graduation, will the student now have to take STAAR?
• Yes. The student is now held to the same requirements as all other general
education students.
• Students dismissed from special education who have already fulfilled some
of their course and assessment requirements for graduation under an IEP
are not required to retake any such courses or assessments.
• The student will continue on the MHSP, as only students meeting
curriculum requirements for the RHSP or DAP and performing successfully
on all five STAAR EOC assessments can graduate on these programs.
Available Resources
Website
http://www.tea.state.tx.us/student.assessment/special
-ed/staarm/
Email
Assessments.studentswithdisabilities@tea.state.tx.us