STAAR 2012
Testing Decisions &
Accommodations
STAAR Alternate
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61 Teachers
244 Modules
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Testing Decisions
• Committee
– Elementary Committee
• 1 representative from each cluster
– Middle School Committee
• 1 representative from each cluster
– High School
• 1 representative from each school
Testing Decisions (cont.)
• Timing
– Break vs Continuous Testing
– Restroom considerations
– Lunch considerations
– Students who arrive late
• EOC
– Testing calendar finalized
STAAR/TAKS Test Versions
•
•
•
•
•
3rd – 5th
– STAAR English/Spanish
– STAAR LAT (Math, Science)(English Only)
– STAAR Modified
– STAAR Alternate
6th – 8th
– STAAR
– STAAR LAT (Math, Science, Social Studies)
– STAAR Modified
– STAAR Alternate
9th
– STAAR EOC
– STAAR EOC LAT (Math, Science, Social Studies)
– STAAR EOC Modified
– STAAR EOC Alternate
10th – 11th
– TAKS
– TAKS Accommodated
– TAKS Modified
– TAKS LAT (ELA, Math, Science)
– STAAR EOC Alternate
9th (Repeaters) No testing
ELL Participation
Special Considerations?
• Accelerated Instruction?
– Example – 3rd grade student in a 4th grade
reading class.
• LUCHA
– Are they are repeating 9th grader?
(TEA Response)
•
A student who has been enrolled as a 9th grader
previously (including students from other countries) and
is just entering your district as a 9th grader this year will
always be a TAKS student because he/she is considered
a “returning” 9th grader. These students are TAKS
students whether or not any of their credits
transfer. When these students enter your district, they
are considered “returning 9th graders”, so they remain
under the TAKS program. Gr. 9 students are STAAR
students only if they were first enrolled in Gr. 9 in the
2011-2012 school year.
• 4th, 7th, English I, II
– 1 page, 26 lines
STAAR Modified
– Grade 4 – Personal Narrative
– Grade 7 – Expository
– English I – Literary
– English II - Expository
Accommodations 2012
• Accommodations for the STAAR 2012
testing year are all on line.
• Accommodations will be updated thru
out the year.
– If you print out the accommodations
make sure you verify that they have
not been updated before going to
ARD.
– “Pending TEA approval”
• This statement should be
incorporated into every ARD/504
this year.
• Does the campus testing coordinator
have an updated Testing Summary
Form after an ARD/504 meeting is held?
Optional Test Administration
(Being Revised by TEA)
• STAAR, STAAR Spanish, STAAR Modified,
STAAR L, and TELPAS
• Any Student
•
•
•
– Preferential seating
– Signing test administration directions (student who is
deaf or hard of hearing)
– Translating test administration directions into native
language
– Scratch paper or other workspace
– Reading assistance on the grade 3 math test
• If the entire test is to be read that is an oral
administration and the student would have to
qualify for the accommodation
– Minimize distractions
– Colored overlays
– Magnifying device
– Blank place markers
– Highlighters or colored pencils
Don’t distribute to every student on test day, make available
in front of room or ask students if they need it.
Authority for decision and documentation requirements – No
documentation required beyond what is necessary for
testing day. Although should be documented in IEP, IAP and
on summary form.
Some procedures / materials will be added to this list as
details about the 4-hour time limit for testing are finalized.
Accommodations 2012
Accommodations Triangle
Small Group and
Individual Testing will
be moved to this
group.
Type 1, 2 and 3
Type 1 Accommodations: This type of accommodation is
available for students who have a specific need and who
routinely, independently, and effectively use the
accommodation during classroom instruction and testing. It
is not necessary to submit an Accommodation Request
Form to TEA.
Type 2 Accommodations: This type of accommodation
includes the requirements of Type 1, along with additional
specific eligibility criteria. It is not necessary to submit an
Accommodation Request Form to TEA.
Type 3 Accommodations: This type of accommodation
requires the submission of an Accommodation Request
Form to TEA. For accommodations listed in the
Accommodation Triangle under Type 3, the appropriate
team of people at the campus level (e.g., ARD committee,
Section 504 placement committee, RTI team, student
assistance team) determines whether the student meets all
of the specific eligibility criteria and, if so, submits an
Accommodation Request Form. Type 3 also contains
accommodations that are listed as “Other,” which includes
any accommodation that does not appear in the
Accommodation Triangle. For accommodations not listed in
the Accommodation Triangle, an Accommodation Request
Form must be submitted to TEA. The request must be
approved by TEA before a student can use the
accommodation on the statewide assessment.
Critical Information about Accommodations for
Students with Disabilities Taking STAAR, STAAR
Spanish, STAAR Modified, STAAR L, and TELPAS
This critical information outlines the purpose and
appropriate use of accommodations for students with
disabilities. For the purposes of the statewide
assessments, students needing accommodations due to
a disability include
• a student with an identified disability who receives
special education services and meets established
eligibility criteria for certain accommodations
• a student with an identified disability who receives
Section 504 services and meets established eligibility
criteria for certain accommodations
• a student with a disabling condition who does not
receive special education or Section 504 services but
meets established eligibility criteria for certain
accommodations
For students who receive special education or Section
504 services, the decision for a student to use
accommodations during the statewide assessments is
made by the ARD committee or Section 504 placement
committee. In those rare instances where a student does
not receive services but meets the eligibility criteria
because of a disabling condition, the decision about
using accommodations on the assessments is made by
the appropriate team of people at the campus level, such
as the Response to Intervention (RTI) team or student
assistance team.
Using Accommodations During
Classroom Instruction and
Testing
The use of accommodations primarily occurs in the
classroom on a daily basis. Understanding the basic
principles of accommodations helps ensure their appropriate
use in all educational settings.
Accommodations
• are changes to instructional materials, procedures, or
techniques that allow a student with disabilities to
participate meaningfully in grade-level or course
instruction
• should be effective in allowing a student access to the
Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS)
• must be individualized for each student
• are intended to reduce the effect of a student’s disability
• should be routinely used during classroom instruction
and testing
• may be appropriate for classroom use but may not be
appropriate or allowed for use on a statewide
assessment
• should be documented in the appropriate student
paperwork
• should be evaluated regularly to determine effectiveness
and to help plan for accommodations the student will
need each year
Using Accommodations During
Classroom Instruction and Testing
(cont.)
Accommodations
• are not necessary for every student
• are not changes to the performance criteria of
an assignment or assessment
• are not changes to the content being assessed
and should not replace the teaching of subjectspecific knowledge and skills as outlined in the
TEKS
• should not be provided to an entire group of
students, such as those in the same class or
disability category, as a “one-size-fits-all”
accommodation
• are not intended to provide a student with a
disability an advantage (e.g., increase a passing
score to a higher score)
• should not be provided to a student without
evidence of effectiveness from year to year.
Using Accommodations During
Classroom Instruction and Testing
(cont.)
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Educators should continually collect and analyze data pertaining
to the use and effectiveness of accommodations so that
informed educational decisions can be made for each student.
Such data could include observational reports or assignment/test
scores with and without the use of the accommodation.
Sometimes an accommodation becomes ineffective or
inappropriate over time due to the student’s age or changing
needs.
By analyzing data, an educator may be able to see that the
student has gained skills, overcome weaknesses, or progressed
in the curriculum and no longer needs the accommodation.
Or it may confirm for the educator that the student still struggles
in certain areas and should continue to use the accommodation.
Accommodations provided to students during classroom
instruction and testing may differ from accommodations allowed
for use on statewide assessments.
This should not discourage the use of appropriate
accommodations during instruction.
Statewide assessments are intended to measure how well each
student has mastered the state-mandated curriculum.
In order to assure the reliability, validity, and security of all
statewide assessments, only those accommodations that do not
invalidate the content being measured or compromise the
security and integrity of the assessments are allowed.
Therefore, not all accommodations used routinely in the
classroom are appropriate or allowed for use during the
statewide assessments.
Planning for
Accommodation Use
•
•
•
The decision to use an accommodation during a
statewide assessment should be made on an
individual basis and take into consideration the needs
of the student and whether the student routinely
receives the accommodation during classroom
instruction and testing. A student who is
unaccustomed to using a particular accommodation
may be hindered rather than helped by an
accommodation not routinely used. However, this
does not mean that the accommodation must be used
every day during instruction. Routine accommodation
use, as defined by TEA, results in two important
outcomes:
The student has used the accommodation often
enough during classroom instruction and testing that
he or she is able to use it independently during the
statewide assessment. Independent accommodation
use is only applicable to some accommodations (e.g.,
calculator) and not to others (e.g., oral
administration).
The accommodation has proven to be effective in
meeting the student’s specific needs, as evidenced by
student scores or teacher observations with and
without accommodation use. This means that it is
acceptable and appropriate to occasionally withhold
an accommodation in order to confirm (or deny) its
effectiveness.
Type 1
Type 1
Individual / Small Group
Eligibility Criteria
• Routinely and effectively uses this
accommodation during classroom
instruction and testing.
Special Instructions / Considerations
• Small group – ten or fewer students – in
all cases smaller than the number of
students in a standard classroom.
Type 1
Type 2
Type 2
Type 2 (oral cont.)
Type 2 (oral cont.)
5th Grade Science
3rd Grade Math (Spanish)
8th Grade Science
World Geography
Biology
Type 2
Type 2 (Math Manipulatives cont.)
Type 2
Type 2 (Calculation Devices cont.)
Type 2 (Calculation Devices cont.)
Type 2
Type 2 (Supplemental Aids cont.)
Type 2 (Supplemental Aids cont.)
Type 2
Type 2 (Large Print cont.)
Type 2 (Large Print cont.)
Type 2
Type 2 (Dictionary cont.)
Type 2 (Dictionary cont.)
Type 2 (Dictionary cont.)
Type 2
Spelling Assistance
Assessments –
- STAAR, STAAR Spanish, STAAR Modified
- written composition on writing test
- short answer questions on English I, II, III
reading tests
Eligibility
• Special Education / 504
• Routinely, independently, and effectively uses
during classroom instruction and testing
• The student is capable of organizing and
developing ideas and understands the basic
functions and use of written language
conventions (e.g., sentence structures, parts of
speech, irregular verbs, transitions) but has a
disability that is so severe that he or she cannot
apply spelling rules and /or word patterns (e.g.,
silent letters, base words with prefixes) to written
responses.
• Examples will be given on TEA’s webpage
• Not intended for student who have bad
handwriting.
Type 2 (Spelling Assistance)
Examples / Types
May include only
• Frequently misspelled word list
• Spellcheck function on a word processor
• Pocket spellchecker
• Dictionary (gr. 4 writing only; required for other
writing assessments; only dictionaries that
STAAR allows)
• Word prediction software
• Text-to-speech software
• Speech-to-text software
• Not a teacher made dictionary
• In most cases, students who use Spelling
Assistance accommodations are able to
independently record their written responses
onto the answer document.
• Spelling assistance does not include the test
administrator writing the student’s dictated
response to the writing prompt.
Type 3
Photocopying Test Materials
Description
• Allows for photocopying test materials for a
student whose disability prevents him or her from
effectively using test materials provided by the
state.
Assessments
• STAAR, STAAR Spanish, STAAR Modified,
STAAR L, TELPAS grades 2-12 reading tests
(TEA authorized paper administrations)
Eligibility Criteria
Submit an Accommodation Request Form to TEA if;
• Special Education
• Routinely receives this accommodations during
classroom instruction and testing
• Cannot effectively use Optional Test
Administration Procedures and Materials or Type
1 or Type 2 accommodations to address student
needs.
Type 3 Photocopying Test
Materials (cont.)
Meets at least one of the following:
• The student has an impairment in vision and requires
printed materials in a size larger than the state-supplied
large print test materials.
• The student has a physical disability that prevents him or
her from effectively manipulating test materials printed
on both sides of the paper and/or turning the pages in a
test booklet.
• The student has a disability that necessitates test
materials be presented in a printed format other than a
test booklet in order to prevent severe behavioral
outbursts or other behaviors that could interfere with the
student completing the test.
Authority for Decision
• For a student receiving special education services, the
decision is recommended by the ARD committee based
on the eligibility criteria and is documented as “pending
TEA approval” in the student’s IEP.
Examples / Types
This accommodation may include ONLY;
• Enlarging the printed test materials to a size larger than
the state-supplied, large-print test materials.
• Photocopying the double-sided test materials onto
single-sided paper
• Photocopying the test materials onto single sheets that
can be presented in smaller portions.
Accommodations not yet
finalized.
•
•
•
•
Type 2
Transcribing by Test
Administrator
Spelling Assistance
Extra Time
Braille
Type 3 (Require ARF)
ARF Process will be available in January
• Photocopy
• Extra Day
• Other
Resources
• Frequently asked Question and Answers
http://www.txetests.com/FAQS/index.asp
• STAAR Modified
http://www.tea.state.tx.us/student.assessment/specialed/staarm/
• STAAR Alternate
http://www.tea.state.tx.us/student.assessment/specialed/staaralt/
• STAAR Resources
http://www.tea.state.tx.us/student.assessment/staar/
• STAAR Accommodations
http://www.tea.state.tx.us/student.assessment/staar/
• Student Assessment
http://www.tea.state.tx.us/student.assessment/
Assessment Conference
• Monday
– 2:45 – 4:00
• Statewide Accommodations for Students with
Disabilities (Repeated Wed. at 9:30 – 10:45)
– 4:15 – 5:30
• Introducing STAAR Modified
– 4:55 – 5:30
• STAAR Alternate and the Texas Assessment
Management System (Repeated Wed at 9:30 –
10:05)
• Tuesday
– 9:10 – 9:45
• From TAKS M to STAAR Modified: Changes to
Modified Test Questions, Part 1 of 2 Grades 3-8
– 10:15 – 10:50
• From TAKS-M to STAAR Modified: Changes to
Modified Test Questions, Part 2 of 2 EOC
– 4:15 – 5:30
• STAAR Alternate Administration Process
– 4:55 – 5:30
• Results from the STAAR Modified Written
Composition Study at Grades 4 and 7, English 1,
and English II
Assessment, Research and Evaluation
Raul N. Vasquez, Administrator AR&E
Ben Estrada, AYP Compliance Coordinator
Beth Libby, Student Assessment Coordinator
Pam Van Ravenswaay, Student Assessment Coordinator
Joanna L. Villarreal, Evaluator I
November 2011