Fall 2013 Texas Assessment Program

1. Fall 2013 Texas Assessment Program October TAKS Exit Level 2013 October 21-24, 2013 EHS October 10, 2013 1:15 Conference Room

2. Fall 2013 Texas Assessment Program October 21 – 24, 2013 (Exit level TAKS)December 2 – 6, 2013 (STAAR English I and II) TETN Event #20905

3. What TAKS assessments are available to students receiving special education services? • Exit level TAKS/TAKS (Accommodated) tests – available for students graduating under the TAKS requirements • If a student was absent for or failed an exit level TAKS or TAKS (Accommodated) assessment, he or she must retest unless the ARD committee has determined otherwise. • For more information, refer to the TAKS Graduation Flowcharts at http://www.tea.state.tx.us/student.assessment/taks/hsgrad • TAKS Modified (TAKS–M) – no longer available • Meeting the passing standard on TAKS–M is not a requirement for graduation, so participating in additional testing opportunities is not necessary. • Students who are graduating under the TAKS requirements and meet the TAKS–M participation requirements do not test.

4. What TAKS assessments can ELLs receiving special education services take? • Exit level TAKS/TAKS (Accommodated) tests – available for students graduating under the TAKS requirements • For the TAKS program, no changes to the • LEP postponements for exit level • Participation requirements for unschooled asylees/refugees • More information on the LPAC Resources webpage at http://www.tea.state.tx.us/student.assessment/ell/lpac.

5. 9. If a student takes TAKS-M in high school but is dismissed from special education before graduating, will the student now have to take TAKS? • Yes. The student will need to take and pass TAKS exit level ELA, mathematics, science and social studies in order to receive a Texas high school diploma.

6. 10. If a student takes TAKS (Accommodated) in high school but is dismissed from special education before graduating, will the student now have to take TAKS? • If the student passed TAKS (Accommodated) exit level ELA, mathematics, science, and social studies, he or she does NOT have to take and pass TAKS after special education dismissal. TAKS (Accommodated) is also considered the general assessment. • If the student failed one or more of the TAKS (Accommodated) exit level assessments, he or she WOULD have to take and pass TAKS in that subject(s) in order to receive a Texas high school diploma. Texas Education Agency's Student Assessment Division

7. 13. If a student fails a STAAR Modified EOC assessment, is he/she required to continue testing until he/she passes? • It is not necessary for a student to retest if he/she failed a STAAR Modified EOC assessment or if he/she was absent during testing. • According to federal and state regulations regarding graduating high school students, 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 opportunity in a school year to take the assessment, since it is only administered in the spring.

8. SUBJECT: Important Changes to and Upcoming Activities for the Texas Assessment Program in the 2013–2014 School Year August 30, 2013 To the ESC and District Testing Coordinators Addressed:

9. STAAR END-OF-COURSE TRANSITION FOR ENGLISH I AND ENGLISH II • In the 2011–2012 and 2012–2013 school years, students were required to take separate State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR®) English I and English II reading and writing assessments. • To provide additional flexibility for these students during the transition period from separate assessments to combined reading and writing assessments, TEA is proposing to use the minimum—and cumulative—score concepts to determine whether students taking these separate assessments have met their English I and English II graduation requirements.

10. These concepts would be applied within each course, not across courses, and would require students who took separate reading and writing assessments to meet three criteria: • pass one assessment (either reading or writing); • meet at least the minimum score on the other; and, • achieve a combined scale score of 3750 (the phase-in 1 standard), which represents the sum of the scale scores needed to reach Level II for reading (1875) and Level II for writing (1875).

11. File will be Provided • In order to assist districts in identifying students that have met their English I and/or English II assessment graduation requirements, a file that lists the students who have met the above three criteria (and did not previously pass both reading and writing) will be provided to each district.

12. PRIMARY ADMINISTRATIONS OF TAKS In previous school years, a primary administration of Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS) exit level was available for students who were taking the test for the first time and were classified as 11th graders. This administration was given in March (English language arts) and April (mathematics, social studies, and science). Primary test administrations will no longer be provided for TAKS. Instead, beginning this school year, any student for whom TAKS is a graduation requirement may test during any of the TAKS test administrations, regardless of the student's grade classification

13. Documents you Need • 2013 District and Campus Coordinator Manual (STAAR) • 2013 Directions for District Coordinators, Campus Coordinators, and Test Administrators – TAKS, TAKS (Accommodated), and TAKS-M Manual. • TEA 2012- 2013 Test Security Supplement. • 2010- 2011 Accommodations Manual. • TEA Student Assessment ‘Frequently Asked Questions’. It contains frequently asked questions and their answers. This is how you become the “answer person” in your district. Currently “Under Construction”!!

15. Test Security and Confidential Integrity

16. Definitions • Test Security involves accounting for all secure materials before, during, and after each test administration. • Confidentiality involves protecting the contents of all tests booklets and student answer documents. • Integrity implies trustworthiness and incorruptibility to a degree that one is incapable of being false to a trust, responsibility, or pledge. That is what TEA expects of everyone involved in the state testing program.

17. THE web based TEST ADMINISTRATOR TRAINING MODULES • The Web-based Test Administrator Training Modules can be accessed at: http://www.TexasAssessment.com/TAonlinetraining • Three modules are available: • Module 1—Active Monitoring, • Module2—Distribution of Test Materials, and • Module 3—ProperHandling of Secure Materials.

18. TEA Steps to Establish Test Security and Confidential Integrity • Everyone must be trained and clearly understand the testing rules, procedures, and responsibilities. • Everyone must sign a security oath. • Oaths have “before” and “after” sections. One is to be signed after training but before testing; the other is to be signed after testing is completed. Only one oath is needed for the testing year (January 2013 – December 2013). • All testing documentation including oaths must be kept for five years. • All tests must be administered in strict accordance with instructions in manuals. • Only those instructed to do so can break seals on tests.

19. TEA Steps to Establish Test Security and Confidential Integrity • Do NOT change any response or instruct a student to do so. • Only students can erase stray marks on their answer documents or in their scorable test booklets. • Do Not give students any help during the test. • No unauthorized viewing, discussion, or scoring is allowed before, during, or after testing. • Keep materials securely locked up when not in use. • Sign out and in testing materials daily to test administrators. • Districts must actively monitor testing sessions and require test administrators to actively monitor during testing.

20. MoreOn Security Oaths • Everyone must sign a security oath before handling secure testing materials. • Must keep signed security oaths on file for five calendar years. (Testing year is a calendar year: Jan – Dec). • Test Administrators are no longer required to sign a new oath for each test administration.

21. Test Administration Monitoring • Monitoring during test administrations is the responsibility of the campus test coordinator, the principal, and the district test coordinator.

22. What Is Active Monitoring? • Watching students during testing. The focus of the teacher’s attention is on the students and not elsewhere. • Walking around to better observe what students are doing. (Are students; working on correct section of test, marking answers on the answer document, not cheating, not using cell phones, not talking or communicating with other students, etc.?)

23. What is NOT Active Monitoring? • Working on the computer or doing email. • Reading a book, magazine, or newspaper. • Grading papers or doing lesson planning. • Leaving the room without a trained substitute test administrator in the room. • Leaving students unattended during lunch or breaks. • Reading the test over a student’s shoulder. • Checking student responses during testing.

24. Seating Chart Rule • Seating Charts are required for all test administrations. Seating Charts must include: • Location of testing session( Campus, room) and a brief description of the testing area (classroom, library, broom closet, etc.) • The assessment being given including grade and subject. • The first and last names of the test administrator(s). • The first and last names of each student and where they were seated for testing. • If students are re-grouped during testing an additional seating chart will be needed for the new group.

25. Honor Statements • Students in grades 9-12 will be asked to sign an honor statement immediately prior to taking TAKS assessments. The language will appear on the answer document. Sign it in pencil. • The test security supplement contains a sample letter to parents regarding the honor statement. • Test administrators are not required to check to make sure students sign their honor pledges. By signing my name, I agree that I will not give or receive unauthorized assistance during the test. I understand that giving or receiving unauthorized assistance during the test is cheating and may result in the invalidation of my test results.

26. Test Schedule and Directions • All tests must be administered on the scheduled day or window. • All tests must be administered in strict accordance with the instructions contained in the test administration manuals.

27. Duplication of Written Compositions • For the October TAKS Exit Test, you are NOT allowed to make copies of the written compositions and short answer responses of students.

28. Only One Answer Document in October • TAKS and TAKS (Accommodated) use the same answer document. • There are no TAKS-M Exit testing opportunities. • There is coding that is used to determine which test the student took. (Test Taken Information area)

29. Test Taken Information Accommodations Score Code Precoded Label goes here

30. Score Codes • The score codes are as follows: ■ A = Absent ■ O = Other, such as test administration irregularity, illness during testing, or testing above grade. ■ * = The student did not test on the answer document for the subject indicated. ■ S = Test to be scored ■ P= Previously met standard O P S A *

31. Accommodations for All Programs Accommodations are categorized in four ways: P = Presentation R = Response S = Setting T = timing and Scheduling BR = Braille Administration LP = Large Print OA = Oral Administration

32. Coding the Answer Documents • Mark ONE score code for each test that is included on the answer document. • Mark the test taken for TAKS and TAKS-A on answer documents. • Mark one or more accommodation codes depending upon what the student receives. Leave blank if there are no accommodations. • OA, LP, and BR testing accommodations- • Do not bubble both OA and P for an oral administration. Use only the OA bubble. • Do not bubble both LP or BR and P for a large print or Braille test administration. Use only the LP or BR bubble.

33. Unused Precoded Labels and Answer Documents • If a precoded label is attached to an answer document and not used then it must be returned under a VOID header with scorable materials. • If a precoded label is not attached to an answer document then it is returned with the non-scorable materials.

34. Corrections to Precoded Answer Documents/Labels • If the name or PEIMS ID number is incorrect then • VOID the label. • Hand grid a new answer document with all the correct information. • If anything other than the name or PEIMS ID number is incorrect then • Retain the label and attach it to an answer document. • Hand grid the correct information in the appropriate field. • Do not hand grid any field other than the one(s) being corrected.

35. Testing Procedures

36. Testing Procedures TAKS Testing Procedures are listed in the Coordinator’s Manual. This PowerPoint is NOT a substitute for reading the appropriate sections of the 2013 Coordinator’s Manual.

37. Summary of Procedures • At least one test administrator for every 30 students. • “Testing – Do Not Disturb” signs posted on testing rooms. • Testing rooms should be quiet, well lighted, well ventilated, and comfortable. • Bulletin Boards and instructional displays covered or removed if it contains anything that might aid students during testing. • May take brief breaks in the testing room. • Lunch breaks are OK, however students must remain as a group and monitored by a trained test administrator so they do not discuss the test.

38. Summary of Procedures • Do not allow students to bubble in the demographic fields of the answer document. • No cell phones or other two-way telecommunication devices. • Provide dictionaries (English) ELA. At least 1 for every 5 students. May provide ESL dictionaries for LEP students. • Provide graphing calculators for math. Every student must have a graphing calculator to use for the entire math test. No sharing.

39. Summary of Procedures • Test administrators are not allowed to require students to first mark their answers in the test booklet and then transfer them to the answer document. • Students may use highlighters in non-scorable test booklets. • Students cannot leave or enter testing rooms with papers or other materials. • Test administrators are not allowed to answer any question relating to the content of the test itself. • Test administrators must actively monitor students during testing.

40. Summary of Procedures • Must give students state-supplied math chart and science chart. • Reinforcing, reviewing, and/or distributing testing strategies during an assessment is strictly prohibited. • You cannot require students to use any particular test taking strategy. Students can use test taking strategies but you cannot require them to do so during the testing. • Students must remain seated during testing and are not allowed to talk while test booklets are open.

41. Summary of Procedures • Test administrators cannot leave the room unless a trained substitute test administrator is present. • The test administrator must inspect the answer document to be sure the student bubbled in answers as instructed. • May change testing rooms as long as test security is not breached. (New seating chart is required) • Immediately after each test session, the test administrator must return test materials to the campus coordinator.

42. Summary of Procedures • No scratch paper for any TAKS testing. • All TAKS tests are untimed. Must allow at least two hours. • Students must be allowed to work at their own pace. Students may not be directed to speed up or slow down. • Students are not allowed to work on a previous section of the test or a section that has not yet been administered. • Students may not read books during breaks or between the written composition and revising and editing sections of the ELA tests.

43. Texas Student Assessment Program 2010–2011 Accommodations Manual Guidelines for Selecting, Providing, and Evaluating the Use of Accommodations for All Students Including ★ General Education Students ★ Students Receiving Special Education Services ★ Students with 504 Plans ★ English Language Learners

44. Testing Accommodations(10-11 Manual posted links) • Definition: Accommodations are practices and procedures that provide equitable access during instruction and assessments for students with special needs. • Accommodations are intended to reduce or even eliminate the effects of a student’s disability or limitation; however, they do not reduce learning expectations. • Documentation of accommodations must be documented: by the ARD in the IEP (for students receiving special education services), in the IAP (for students receiving 504 service), or according to local policies (if student is not receiving these services).

45. Accommodations Manual • Contains information about accommodations for TAKS, TAKS (Accommodated), and TAKS-M. • Beginning in 2008, information about accommodations was collected on the answer documents. • Accommodations categorized in four ways: Presentation (P), Response (R), Setting (S), Timing and Scheduling (T). • An Accommodations Request Form (ARF) should be used to request specific accommodations that are not listed in this manual or for those that require submission and approval of a request. • An ARF should contain objective evidence about why the student needs the accommodation.

46. Note which test the accommodation can be used on. Note Classification of the accommodation. Note that if it is italics, it requires a TEA approved Accommodation Request Form in order to be allowable.

47. Oral Administration • Available for eligible special education students on TAKS and TAKS Accommodated in October. • Available for only Math, Science, and Social Studies. Not reading, writing or ELA tests. • Encompasses different levels of reading support for each student. Must be documented in IEP. • The Test Administrator needs a copy of the test booklet. • Must maintain test security and confidential integrity. (Needs special emphasis when the teacher is reading the test as part of the test administration.)

48. Rule for Submitting October Answer Documents • For October Exit tests, any student for whom a precoded label was received, whether or not the student tested. Exception: Students no longer enrolled in your district are Voided and returned under a Void header. • Any student for whom a blank answer document was hand-gridded and who tested. • Each registered out-of-school/out-of-district examinee, whether or not the individual tested.

49. Procedures for Distributing Testing Materials • Inventory secure materials upon initial receipt so that you can deal with anything missing immediately. • Test booklets must be checked out and in each day. • Use the materials control form to track testing materials.

50. Packaging Materials Identification Sheets What goes in here and how?