2014-15 STAAR A Guidance Document STAAR A Guidance...Seguin Independent School District . 2014-15 2014-15 STAAR A Guidance Document . December 10, 2014 . Compiled by the Curriculum

Seguin Independent School District

2014-15

2014-15 STAAR A Guidance Document December 10, 2014

Compiled by the Curriculum & Instruction Department

Seguin Independent School District | As of December 2014. Subject to change.

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Introduction

STAAR A is an accommodated version of the general STAAR assessment, available in all grades and subjects as the general STAAR. It is offered in an online format which includes online tools, accessibility features, and embedded accommodations.

Online Tools Accessibility Features Embedded Accommodations

Answer Eliminator Text-to-Speech (TTS) Popups Pencil Zoom Rollovers Highlighter Color and Contrast Blank Graphic Organizers Eraser Place Marker Writing Checklists Note Pad Dot Tool* Line Tool* Ruler* Calculator(s)* Reference Materials* *These tools are subject-specific and only appear in subject tests where they are relevant.


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Eligibility Requirements and SISD Procedures

A student must meet STAAR A Eligibility Requirements for each applicable subject-area assessment in order to take STAAR A. Students receiving the following services may be administered STAAR A in one or more subjects:

• Students with identified disabilities who are receiving special education services

• Students identified with dyslexia or a related disorder (defined in Texas Education Code §38.003 as disorders similar to or related to dyslexia, such as developmental auditory imperception, dysphasia, specific developmental dyslexia, developmental dysgraphia, and developmental spelling disability) and are receiving Section 504 services

If a student falls into one of these categories and receives accommodations in instruction similar to those found in STAAR A, the STAAR A Eligibility Requirements should be reviewed.

The admission, review, and dismissal (ARD) committee or Section 504 committee must use the state-required documentation form (available in English and Spanish) to determine if a student is eligible to take STAAR A, based on the accommodations he or she is receiving in the classroom. A student may take STAAR in some subjects and STAAR A in other subjects, depending on eligibility.


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In order to adequately prepare for the administration of the STAAR A assessment, it is necessary to know how many students will be assessed with the STAAR A. Campus Testing Coordinators will be expected to provide a preliminary list of expected test versions for all students to the District Test Coordinator. Each campus template can be found in the CurrADM folder. It should be updated and saved in the following format: Test Version Roster-CAMPUS.mm.dd.yy by Wednesday, January 7, 2015. An example of the template is illustrated below:

Campus: Reading

Grade

Local ID

Last Name

First Name BirthDate SpE

d Dys

504

LEP

Test Determinatio

n Date

STAAR Alt

2

STAAR

STAAR Sp

STAAR A

3 SID 1 Last Name 1

First Name 1 1/31/2006 x 11/19/14 1 1

3 SID 2 Last Name 2

First Name 2 9/1/2005 1

3 SID 3 Last Name 3

First Name 3 8/14/2006 x x 1

3 SID 4 Last Name 4

First Name 4

10/21/2004 x 1

3 SID 5 Last Name 5

First Name 5

10/28/2005 1

3 SID 6 Last Name 6

First Name 6 11/1/2005 1

3 SID 7 Last Name 7

First Name 7 7/17/2006 x x 1/15/15 1

3 SID 8 Last Name 8

First Name 8

12/10/2005 1

3 SID 9 Last Name 9

First Name 9 1/22/2006 1

The decision to administer the STAAR A must be made in an ARD or 504 Committee Meeting. If a student is also LEP, the decision must be made in collaboration with the LPAC. Therefore, a thorough review of all students who may be eligible for STAAR A must be completed so that an ARD or 504 Committee Meeting can be conducted. In order to assure that students are adequately prepared for their test, a moratorium on all test decisions will be held on Friday, March 6, 2015. By this date, all ARD and 504 Committee Meeting decisions must be properly documented using the STAAR A Eligibility Requirements Form, and communicated to the Campus Testing Coordinator. The Eligibility Requirements Forms must be available for auditing purposes by the District Testing Coordinator.

ACTION ITEM


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Documenting Testing Determinations:

• Special Ed students – ARD Committee • Section 504 AND Dyslexic students – 504 Committee • ELL + Section 504 AND Dyslexic students - TBD


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Training and Tutorial Requirements

TEA recommends that campuses prepare for STAAR A in advance of test day. This includes test administration teacher training and familiarizing students with the online tools, audio component, and embedded accommodations. Seguin ISD requires that all teachers and administrators must be trained by December 19, 2014. All Campus Testing Coordinators, teachers of STAAR A students, and STAAR A test administrators must view the Training Demonstration for Test Administrators. This demonstration and other online resources can be found at http://texasassessment.com/staara.

The STAAR A tutorials are designed to be administered to students in a proctored setting. Prior to administering the tutorial to students, all grades 3-12 teachers must be familiar with the STAAR A online student tutorial administration directions. These directions are designed to take into account the limited experience some students may have with standardized testing in an online format. The language and specificity of the directions may be adjusted to meet the needs of the students.


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All students who are taking the STAAR A in Seguin ISD will be required to complete the tutorials by March 2, 2015. An Accessibility Features Preference Card shall be completed for each student to indicate the student’s preference for each accessibility feature, and will be placed next to the student on each testing date. The test administrator can use this card to make sure that the student utilizes the features that are most beneficial and that the student is staying on task. It is important to note that the test administrator cannot require any student to use the features listed on the card, nor can they require students to change a feature.

The STAAR A student tutorials are delivered in the browser-based test-delivery interface, TestNav. They do not need to be downloaded or installed. The STAAR A student tutorials use the browser plug-in Adobe Flash Player. The tutorial will launch in your default Internet browser. The tutorials include a sampling of STAAR A test selections and questions in all subjects for grades 3–5, grades 6–8, and EOC. Since the tutorials contain text-to-speech audio, headphones may be needed if more than one student is using the tutorials in the same room.

NOTE: The tutorials are not scored, and no information about the student's responses is captured or displayed. However, an answer key in PDF format is available for your reference at http://texasassessment.com/staara.

Accessibility Feature Preference Card

Student Name: _________________________________________

Text-to-Speech: Yes/No Color Contrast: _______________

Zoom: ______% Place Marker: Yes/No

ACTION ITEM

http://texasassessment.com/staara


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Timeline of Training/Tutorial Events:

Activity Date Documentation/Notes STAAR-A Overview Training

December 19, 2014 Assurance Form

Test Version Roster January 7, 2015 and March 6, 2015

Submitted to DTC via CurrADM folder in the format Test Version Roster-CAMPUS.mm.dd.yy

Training Demonstration for STAAR A Test Administrators

Jan. 6-30 All Principals, CTCs, and C&I staff members must view this demonstration, found at http://texasassessment.com/staara.

Training Demonstration for STAAR A Test Administrators

Jan. 6 – 30 Assurance Form due to DTC by 2/6/15

All teachers in grades 3-12 must view this demonstration, found at http://texasassessment.com/staara.

Student Tutorial Jan. 30 – March 2 Assurance Form due to DTC by 3/6/15

All students taking the STAAR A must complete the Student Tutorial, found at http://texasassessment.com/staara. Administration Directions are also found on the same site. Students shall complete their Accessibility Features Preference card and return it to the CTC.

ACTION ITEM





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Accommodations and Instruction

According to the Educator Guide to STAAR A:

Accommodations are changes to the materials, procedures, or techniques that allow a student with a disability to participate more meaningfully in grade-level or course instruction. The use of accommodations occurs primarily during classroom instruction as educators use various instructional strategies to meet the needs of each student, thus allowing each student to maximize his or her academic potential. Accommodations used on STAAR A offer new opportunities for students with disabilities to meaningfully access the required state assessment.

TEA accommodation policies and STAAR A Eligibility Requirements indicate that accommodations documented for use during a statewide assessment should

■ be made on an individual basis,

■ consider the needs of the student, and

■ be routinely used during classroom instruction and testing.

Although students likely will not routinely use the computer-based STAAR A accommodations during classroom instruction, they may use variations of the accommodations as illustrated in the table on page 8. This list is not exhaustive; it includes examples of classroom accommodations that may correspond to the embedded accommodations in STAAR A. In addition, educators may use this list to show how classroom accommodations might correspond to specific STAAR A eligibility criteria, as these are listed in the right column of the table as well. Educators, parents, and students must understand that accommodations provided during classroom instruction and testing might differ from accommodations allowed for use on state assessments. Instruction comes first and can be customized to meet the needs of each student. Unlike instruction, state assessments are standardized to provide a reliable comparison of outcomes across all test takers. Certain accommodations used in the classroom would invalidate the content being assessed or compromise the security and integrity of the state assessment. For this reason, not all accommodations suitable for


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instruction are allowed during the state assessments. However, the policies for accommodation use on state assessments do not limit an educator’s ability to develop individualized materials and techniques to facilitate student learning.

Classroom Accommodation Embedded STAAR A Accommodation

The teacher introduces a new book to a struggling reader prior to reading it aloud or independent reading. The topics discussed might include major concepts, difficult words, setting, characters, or prior knowledge of the subject

Prereading Text: Preview text before reading to activate prior knowledge, draw conclusions, and set a purpose for reading

Using a dictionary or thesaurus, the teacher points out the meaning or synonym of a word. The teacher provides visual aids (e.g., demonstrations, photographs, art) to define vocabulary, identify people and places, and/or illustrate concepts. During classroom discussions, the teacher clarifies or rewords complex text or questions.

Pop-ups and Rollovers: Clarification or rewording of vocabulary, complex sentences, and concepts using definitions, similes, literal language, graphics, animation, etc…

The teacher isolates specific information to focus the student on the core concept being taught. The teacher directs the student (e.g., highlight, bold, point to, flag the information) to the specific part(s) of the selection, diagram, map, or figure that is being discussed.

Pop-ups: Direct student attention to specific information (e.g., parts of the selection, parts of a graphic, parts of an answer choice)

The teacher asks guiding questions, prompting the student to go back to the text to justify his or her understanding of plot, conflict resolution, character development, etc.

Pop-ups: Scaffold understanding of open-ended questions about texts (i.e., short answer questions)

The teacher reformats complex word problems by bulleting or spacing out each step required to solve the problem. The teacher presents parts of a complex concept one at a time.

Rollovers: Scaffold steps in a process (i.e., bullet each step, space out each step)

The student receives reading support.

Text-to-Speech: Reading Support (i.e., revising passages and questions)

The teacher provides the formula(s) that is needed to solve a problem.

Pop-ups: Identification of formula(s) to use with specific questions


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Frequently Asked Questions

1. Who is eligible to take the STAAR test? • Students with identified disabilities who are receiving special education services • Students identified with dyslexia or a related disorder (as defined in Texas Education Code

38.003) and are receiving Section 504 services

2. The STAAR A Eligibility criteria include “related disorder”. What is a related disorder? • Texas Education Code (TEC) 38.003 defines dyslexia in the following way: 1) “Dyslexia” means a

disorder of constitutional origin manifested by a difficulty in learning to read, write, or spell, despite conventional instruction, adequate intelligence, and sociocultural opportunity

• “Related disorders” include disorders similar to or related to dyslexia such as developmental auditory imperceptions, dysphasia, specific developmental dyslexia, developmental dysgraphia, and developmental spelling disability

3. Should STAAR A be considered for ALL students receiving special education services and for ALL students who are dyslexic and receiving Section 504 services? • STAAR, with or without accommodations should be the first consideration. If a student can

access STAAR, then no further discussion is necessary • If a student is having difficulty accessing STAAR, even with allowable accommodations, then

STAAR A may be considered • A student may take STAAR A if he/she meets Step I AND Step II of the STAAR A Eligibility

Requirements

4. In which grade levels and subjects is STAAR A available? • The same grade levels and subjects that the general STAAR assesses

5. Will STAAR A have different passing standards than STAAR?

• No. STAAR A will have the same blueprint, time limits, progress measures, and assessed curriculum as STAAR

• STAAR A will NOT have field test questions

6. Is there required paperwork that must be completed in order for a student to take STAAR A? • Yes. An ARD or 504 committee must complete a STAAR A Eligibility Requirement form in order

to identify that the student meets eligibility requirements • The decision to administer STAAR A is based on the eligibility criteria outlined in Step I and Step

II of the eligibility requirement form and this form must be included in the student’s IEP or IAP to document eligibility for STAAR A


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7. What has to be identified on the STAAR A Eligibility Requirement form? • There are 3 steps to the Eligibility Requirement • Step I: Indicate eligible services • Step II: Review the eligibility criteria per subject—two or more accommodations must be

checked in each subject tested with STAAR A in order to meet eligibility criteria • Step III: Summarize assessment decision

8. May a change to STAAR A be done through an amendment or must a full ARD meeting be called?

• Changes such as changing assessment from STAAR with accommodations to STAAR A with accommodations may be done through an amendment to an ARD

• Districts may require full ARD meetings in order to make assessment decisions

9. Does a student have to have oral administration as an accommodation to be eligible for STAAR A? • No. According to the Oral Administration policy, this accommodation does NOT apply to STAAR

A since this assessment is not listed in the “Assessments” section of the policy.

10. Do the instructional accommodations need to match the testing accommodations that are offered on the STAAR A? • Accommodations provided on an assessment should closely mirror accommodations that are

provided in instruction • If the ARD or 504 committee recommend STAAR A then the documentation should provide

proof that such accommodations are happening on a routine basis

11. Should instructional accommodations be limited to those available for the STAAR A assessment? • No. Instructional accommodations should be customized for individual learning

12. Will students still be allowed access to other accommodations if they are taking the STAAR A?

• Yes. Students are still allowed access to any other accommodation from the TEA Allowable Accommodations as long as the accommodation is routinely, independently, and effectively used in the classroom

• Type 2 accommodations will continue to require a campus to submit an Accommodation Request Form (ARF) to the District Testing Coordinator

13. Can a student have a checklist of appropriate predetermined accessibility features on test day? • Yes. Teachers and students may work together to determine the appropriate settings for voice

speed, zoom percentage, and color contrast. These settings may be written out for the student to be used during testing administration


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14. Can a student have Type 1 and 2 accommodations and allowable procedures and materials in addition to the embedded accommodations on STAAR A? • Yes. Allowable test administration procedures and materials are listed in the District and

Campus Coordinator Manual and are available on any state assessment for any student who needs them

• Information about allowable accommodations is also located on TEA’s 2015 Accommodation Resources webpage. Once you open an accommodation document, look in the “Assessments” section. If STAAR A is listed, the accommodation may be used by an eligible student on STAAR A

15. Will a student be allowed to have scratch paper if taking the STAAR A? • Yes. The student may have scratch paper or any other allowable form of scratch paper

16. Will STAAR A be available in Spanish or Braille?

• No. Neither Spanish nor Braille versions of STAAR A will be made available this year

17. What if I have student for whom a Spanish assessment may be appropriate? • If a grade 3-5 student is eligible for STAAR A but receives instruction in Spanish, the Section 504

or ARD committee in conjunction with the LPAC committee will need to determine the most appropriate assessment based on the student’s disability-related needs versus linguistic needs. The student will either take: STAAR A Spanish (with or without accommodations), or STAAR A in English ( with or without additional accommodations)

18. What will STAAR A testing results include? • STAAR A score reports will include the individual performance level of students, scale scores,

and number of questions answered correctly within each reporting category for each of the 19. assessed grades and content area

19. Will STAAR A assessment scores be included in the Performance Index calculations? • A final decision has not been made regarding accountability

20. What are the graduation requirements for students taking STAAR A?

• For students receiving Section 504 services—Students are required by TEC 28.025(c) to meet all curriculum requirements and pass all five EOC assessments in order to receive a Texas high school diploma.

• For students receiving special education services—The admission, review, and dismissal (ARD) committee makes educational decisions for a student, including whether satisfactory performance on an EOC assessment shall also be required for graduation per Texas Administrative Code (TAC) 89.1070(b).

• For students receiving special education services graduating on the Minimum High School Program (MHSP), Recommended High School Program (RHSP), or Distinguished Achievement Program (DAP)—Student must meet all curriculum requirements and pass all 5 EOC general


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assessments (STAAR or STAAR A) in order to graduate on the RHSP or DAP. The MHSP is the only option if the student did not meet the standard on at least one EOC general assessment and the ARD committee determined no retesting is necessary OR the student took at least one STAAR Modified EOC assessment

21. Is there a paper-based version of STAAR A? • When the use of an accommodation is not feasible or appropriate, or if the administration of an

online test is inappropriate due to a student’s particular disability, a special request may be made for approval to administer a paper test booklet. This request MUST be made to the District Testing Coordinator

• Districts must make every effort to administer STAAR A online. When rare, unavoidable circumstances exist where students cannot access and assessment, TEA MAY authorize a paper administration.

• If accommodations CANNOT be applied, a student may need a testing accommodation that is not possible to provide in an online setting

• In rare situations where computers or technology are absolutely not available, as may occur on occasion with homebound students, JJAEPs, jails, or detention centers, districts may seek permission to administer a paper test

22. Does the text-to-speech feature read the pop-ups and rollovers? • Due to software limitations, the text-to-speech function is not able to read the pop-ups and

rollovers. However, a student may request reading assistance from the testing administrator • The testing administrator follows normal oral administration procedures in this situation

23. How will students become familiar with testing online?

• Teachers must become familiar with STAAR A and help guide students through practice selections and test questions until they are comfortable with the STAAR A online testing interface and accommodations

24. If a student fails a STAAR A EOC, is he/she required to continue testing until he/she passes? • For students receiving Section 504 services—Students are required to pass all five EOC

assessments in order to receive a Texas high school diploma • For students receiving special education services—The ARD committee makes educational

decisions for a student, including whether satisfactory performance on an EOC assessment shall also be required for graduation

25. What if my campus does not have enough computers to administer STAAR A? What if my students are not proficient using a computer? • Campuses should plan for STAAR A online administrations prior to the test dates


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• Teachers must become familiar with STAAR A and help guide students through practice selections and test questions until they are comfortable with the STAAR A online testing interface and accommodations

• Insufficient computers is not a justification for paper based versions

26. Are schools allowed to administer more than one grade level of STAAR A tests in the same room? • Yes, as long as security of testing materials is not compromised

27. Are schools allowed to have students taking STAAR and STAAR A tests in the same room?

• Yes, as long as security of testing materials is not compromised

28. How can spelling assistance be used on STAAR A? • Spell check is NOT an embedded accommodation for the written composition. Students eligible

for Spelling Assistance will use what they use in class. • The student may use a separate laptop/computer while STAAR A is open in Test Nav. He or she

will need to transfer the response to the composition typing box (unless eligible for Basic Transcribing.

• OR The student can exit the test session, use the accommodation, print out the response, log back in to STAAR A in Test Nav, and then transfer his or her responses in the composition typing box (unless eligible for Basic Transcribing).

• Caution: Once STAAR A is exited, the student will not be able to see the writing prompt, the pop-ups or rollovers, or the writing checklists

29. How can linguistic accommodations, such as clarification in English, be applied to STAAR A? • Linguistic accommodations are available for eligible ELLs who also meet requirements for

participation in STAAR A. The ARD or Section 504 Committee, in conjunction with the LPAC, may decide that clarification of words in English is appropriate for an ELL taking STAAR A.

• The test administrator may orally clarify and construct-irrelevant words in test questions, including pop-ups and rollovers. However, it is important that any clarification provided by the test administrator not interfere with the content assessed in the question

• Please also note that special attention must be paid to the testing environment to ensure that the provision of this accommodation to specific students does not disturb, or provide an advantage to other students in the room

30. Can a campus decide that they will not offer STAAR A, even if they have students that are eligible to take it? • No. If the Section 504 or ARD committee determines that STAAR A is the most appropriate

assessment and the student meets STAAR A eligibility requirements, the student must be administered STAAR A in that subject(s).


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31. Should STAAR A be administered on laptops and PCs only? • Yes.

32. Can the campus schedule students on different days during testing week based on computer

availability? • Districts are provided the latitude to adjust test dates within the testing week when a conflict

arises for STAAR (including STAAR A) grades 3-8 and EOC assessments with the exception of STAAR (including STAAR A) grades 4 and 7 writing and English I and II assessments. No notification to TEA is required

33. Can the test administrator assist students having difficulty navigating through STAAR A? • At any point during the test session, the test administrator may use the SAY directions in the

Test Administrator Manual to assist students if they have trouble navigating through the assessment or need reminders of how to turn the tools and accessibility features on and off. In addition, the test administrator may read aloud the information presented to the student in the Help tool.

34. Can the reference materials be printed out for the student taking STAAR A? • Mathematics and science reference materials are available in the online testing environment in

the exhibit window tool • These materials may also be printed out and provided to the student. When printing out these

materials, make sure to use the non-ruler versions located on the Pearson website

35. What STAAR A assessments include the calculator tool? • A calculator tool is provided in the online environment only for the assessments that require a

calculator • STAAR A grade 8 mathematics: graphing calculator • STAAR A Algebra I: graphing calculator • STAAR A Biology: four-function calculator, scientific calculator, graphing calculator

36. What STAAR A assessments include the calculator tool (continued)?

• For online testing, districts must ensure that each student has the appropriate handheld calculator

• Refer to the STAAR Calculator Policy: http://tea.texas.gov/student.assessment/staar/math • Calculators are not included on STAAR A grades 5 and 8 science assessments. However, if a

student meets the eligibility criteria for the Calculation Devices accommodation, he or she may use a handheld calculator.

http://tea.texas.gov/student.assessment/staar/math


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37. Why has the DO NOT READ icon only been placed next to the title in reading and editing selections and not on every page of the selection? • Test administrators have never been allowed to read the reading selections or the editing

selections/questions. This policy remains the same for STAAR A. This information will be included in all test administrator manuals and should be part of the test administrator training

• If the icon had been added to every page in a selection, the page count for each selection would have increased. This may have been a problem for students with disabilities, since educator feedback has indicated that this population has difficulty scanning through multiple pages in a selection to find answers to test questions

38. Since STAAR A is an online assessment, will students taking the writing test have to type their responses to the written composition? • Students taking STAAR A will be recording their response online, which includes typing

responses to the written composition. However, students who are eligible for the Basic Transcribing accommodation may have the test administrator type responses (mistakes and all) into STAAR A

• The character count for written compositions is 1,750 and the character count for short answer questions is 675

39. What are the limitations of the pencil tool? • The pencil tool is available on all online assessments. It is not intended to be used for scratch

work, but as a mark-up too (e.g., circling information, labeling figures, making hash marks). Therefore, if a student is using the pencil tool for complex scratch work, he/she may encounter the tool’s character limit (2,000 pencil points or 50 lines). If this happens, the student would have to erase some pencil marks to continue using the tool

40. Are there any graduation implications for a student who takes STAAR A instead of STAAR?

• No. STAAR A is a general assessment just like STAAR


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Addendum

The Accommodation Guidelines specify how STAAR selections and test questions were accommodated for STAAR A in a standardized manner while maintaining the integrity of the knowledge and skills being assessed.

Mathematics, Science, and Social Studies Pop-ups

■ Define or clarify construct-irrelevant words and phrases using plain language, synonyms, definitions, examples, and consistent language

■ Provide a visual representation of the question or answer choices by adding graphics, photographs, or animations

■ Isolate specific information in a question that corresponds to each answer choice

■ Isolate specific information in a graphic or list that is referenced in the question

■ Apply an allowable supplemental aid (e.g., graphic organizer, place-value chart, t-chart, graphic of scientific concept, timeline, map) to specific questions or answer choices

■ Include the formula from the grade-specific Reference Materials when the question specifies the measure or conversion to be performed

■ Direct student attention to parts of the grade-specific Reference Materials

■ Provide clarifying information for a graphic organizer, political cartoon, or map

Rollovers ■ Reword complex questions or answer choices to

condense text■ Bullet or separate steps in a process (e.g., multi-step

problem, sequence of events)■ Paraphrase historical excerpts

Exhibit Window■ Commonly used blank graphic organizers

Text-to-Speech■ All questions and answer choices read aloud via

computer-generated read aloud functionality

Reading and Writing*Pop-ups

■ Define or clarify construct-irrelevant words, phrases, and sentences using plain language, synonyms, definitions, and consistent language

■ Provide a visual representation in the selection, question, answer choices, or in the writing prompt by adding graphics, photographs, or animations

■ Isolate specific information in a question that corresponds to each answer choice

■ Isolate specific text or information in a selection that is referenced in the question or answer choice

■ Provide scaffolded instructions for responding to short answer questions (English I and II only)

Rollovers ■ Reword complex questions, answer choices, or

boxed text in a selection

Exhibit Window ■ Writing checklists for the writing prompts

Text-to-Speech ■ Prereading text, revising selections, and reading

and revising test questions and answer choices read aloud via computer-generated read aloud functionality

* For English I and II assessments, review the Accommodation Guidelines in the Reading and Writing section.

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State-Required Documentation Form

State of Texas Assessments of

Academic ReadinessA

STAARA

®

STAAR A Eligibility Requirements

Student Name______________________________________________Grade ___________ Date ____________

Name of District Personnel Completing Form_______________________________Position ________________

STAAR A is an online version of STAAR that contains certain embedded accommodations such as pop-ups, rollovers, and oral administration (i.e., text-to-speech). Both STAAR and STAAR A are considered the general assessment; however, STAAR with approved or allowable accommodations (as outlined in the Accommodations Triangle) should be the first consideration when determining which assessment is most appropriate for a student. The decision to administer STAAR A should not be based solely on the student’s disability category, disabling condition, placement setting, or the student’s previous performance on a state assessment. Admission, review, and dismissal (ARD) and Section 504 committees should ensure the following when making assessment decisions.

_____ The decision to administer STAAR A is based on the determination that STAAR with or without approved or allowed accommodations does not best meet the student’s needs.

_____ The decision to administer STAAR A is based on the accommodations the student routinely receives in the classroom and that are documented in the student’s individualized education program (IEP) or individualized accommodation plan (IAP).

_____ The decision to administer STAAR A is based on the eligibility criteria outlined in Step I and Step II of this documentation form. According to 19 Texas Administrative Code (TAC) §101.27(b), school districts are required to follow the procedures specified in the applicable test administration materials. As a result, the ARD or Section 504 committee (in conjunction with the language proficiency assessment committee (LPAC) if the student is an English language learner (ELL)) must include this form in the student’s IEP or IAP to document eligibility for STAAR A.

Step I: Indicate Eligible Services Indicate the service the student is receiving. If a student is not receiving either of these services, the student is not eligible to participate in STAAR A and must take one of the other state assessments.

The student has an identified disability and is receiving special education services.

The student is identified with dyslexia or a related disorder as defined in Texas Education Code (TEC) §38.003, and is receiving Section 504 services.

Copyright © 2014, Texas Education Agency. All rights reserved.

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Step II: Review Eligibility Criteria The ARD or Section 504 committee (in conjunction with the LPAC if the student is an ELL) must circle the subject(s) for which STAAR A is being considered and check the accommodation(s) the student routinely receives in the classroom for that subject. If a particular subject is not applicable, circle NA. To be eligible to participate in STAAR A in a particular subject, TWO OR MORE accommodations must be checked in that subject. If fewer than two accommodations are checked, the student is not eligible to participate in STAAR A in that subject.

NA

Read

ing

3–8

Preview text before reading to activate prior knowledge, draw conclusions, and set a purpose for reading

Clarification or rewording of vocabulary, complex sentences, and concepts using definitions, similes, literal language, graphics, animation, etc.

Direct student attention to specific information (e.g., parts of the selection, parts of a graphic, parts of an answer choice)

NA

Writ

ing

4/7


Clarification or rewording of complex questions and concepts using definitions, similes, and literal language, etc.

Direct student attention to specific information (e.g., parts of the selection, parts of an answer choice)

Use of writing process checklist

Reading Support (i.e., revising passages and questions)

NA

Engl

ish

I

En

glis

h II



Direct student attention to specific information (e.g., parts of the selection, parts of a graphic, parts of an answer choice)

Scaffold understanding of open-ended questions about texts (i.e., short answer questions)

Use of writing process checklist

Reading Support (i.e., revising passages and questions)

NA

Mat

hem

atic

s 3–

8 Al

gebr

a I


Direct student attention to specific information (e.g., parts of a graphic, parts of an answer choice)

Scaffold steps in a process (i.e., bullet each step, space out each step)

Use of generic and question-specific graphic organizers

Identification of formula(s) to use with specific questions

NA

Scie

nce

5/8

Biol

ogy




Use of generic and question-specific graphic organizers

Identification of formula(s) to use with specific questions

NA

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Step III: Summarize Assessment Decision The ARD or Section 504 committee (in conjunction with the LPAC if the student is an ELL) should indicate the STAAR A test(s) the student will take for the school year under consideration. This form must be included in the student’s IEP or IAP to serve as the required documentation of the state academic achievement decision. Additional testing accommodations may be allowed and must be documented in the student’s paperwork as well. Refer to the Accommodation Triangle on the TEA Student Assessment website for more information.

Indicate the STAAR A tests the student will take for the school year under consideration.

❑ Reading Grade ____ ❑ English II ❑ Science Grade ____ ❑ U.S. History

❑ Writing Grade ____ ❑ Mathematics Grade ____ ❑ Biology

❑ English I ❑ Algebra I ❑ Social Studies Grade 8


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Resources and Reference Materials

Texas Education Agency Website: http://tea.texas.gov/student.assessment/STAARA/

Pearson Access: http://texasassessment.com/staara

Seguin ISD Website: http://www.seguin.k12.tx.us

General Information

• Educator Guide for STAAR A and STAAR Alt 2 • STAAR A Accommodations Guidelines • STAAR A Eligibility Criteria (English and Spanish) • Introduction to STAAR A: A Guide for Parents • STAAR A Q&A

Training and Tutoring

• Training Demonstration for STAAR A Test Administrators • STAAR A Sample Items • STAAR A Student Tutorial Administration Directions • STAAR A Student Tutorials

http://tea.texas.gov/student.assessment/STAARA/


http://www.seguin.k12.tx.us/

Documents

2014-15 STAAR A Guidance Document STAAR A Guidance...Seguin Independent School District . 2014-15 2014-15 STAAR A Guidance Document . December 10, 2014 . Compiled by the Curriculum