LINGUISTICALLY ACCOMMODATED TESTING (LAT) PROCEDURES February 11, 2011 Spring 2011 February 11, 2011 Event #8237 Texas Education Agency Student Assessment Division

Topics 2  What’s new?  LAT overview  Spring 2011 schedule for LAT administrations  LAT process  LAT administrations for students receiving special education services  LAT FAQs

What’s New?  No substantive changes to LAT policies or procedures this year  Changes in LAT test administrator manual limited to minor clarifications 3

LAT OVERVIEW

What is LAT? 5  LAT involves providing linguistic accommodations during testing so that qualifying ELLs can better understand the language of the test and have a more meaningful and valid assessment of academic knowledge and skills  LAT was developed to fulfill federal NCLB requirements for testing recent immigrant ELLs who are LEP-exempt under Texas law in grades and subjects used in AYP calculations

LAT Grades and Subjects 6  Grades 3–8 and 10 – Mathematics – Reading and ELA  Grades 5, 8, and 10 – Science LAT is available in Spanish in grades 3-5

7  The ELPS  outline instruction districts are to provide in order for ELLs to have full opportunity to learn English and succeed academically  require school districts to linguistically accommodate the instruction of ELLs in all subjects and all classes LAT and the Texas English Language Proficiency Standards (ELPS)

 When implemented effectively in instruction, linguistic accommodations  accelerate learning of academic content and English  reduce the length of time and the degree to which linguistic accommodations are needed  LAT includes immigrant ELLs in assessment program during time in which they need substantial linguistic accommodations 8 Linguistic Accommodations during Instruction

Linguistic accommodations are most effective when…  teachers use them routinely throughout the school year  teachers review and adjust them periodically as students learn more English 9 Beginning Intermediate Advanced High

Linguistic accommodations are most effective when…  they are aligned to English language proficiency levels  teachers provide ELLs with plenty of opportunities to use language at current proficiency level, as well as to develop language of increasing complexity  teachers integrate academic language instruction into content area instruction and provide multiple opportunities to use academic language in meaningful and accessible contexts 10

Linguistic Accommodations during Assessment - LAT 11  LAT accommodations link to instructional accommodations addressing communication (making language comprehensible)  At the time of the annual state assessments, only eligible immigrant ELLs may take LAT  Only allowable linguistic accommodations that have been used routinely in instruction and assessment may be provided to students during their LAT administration

Common Linguistic Accommodations Instructional AccommodationLAT Accommodation Providing native language support Spanish TAKS, Spanish LAT, oral translation on English LAT Paraphrasing and simplifying language to aid understanding LAT - clarification and linguistic simplification Using pictures, gestures, and concrete objects to aid understanding LAT - clarification and linguistic simplification Helping student decode English wordsLAT - reading words aloud Encouraging students to ask questions to check understanding LAT - clarification and linguistic simplification Helping students learn to use dictionaries in class and on tests LAT - bilingual and English dictionaries Customized bilingual glossaries of essential vocabulary LAT math and science - bilingual glossaries Allowing students additional time and more breaks to read and process lengthy information TAKS and LAT - more frequent breaks; 2-day administrations of LAT reading and ELA tests 12

LAT Accommodation Decisions 13  The LPAC (and ARD, if applicable) collaborates with the subject-area teacher of each eligible immigrant ELL and the testing coordinator to  make and document decisions about the linguistic accommodations to be provided  determine the need for individual versus small-group LAT administrations  identify appropriate LAT test administrators

LAT Accommodation Decisions 14  Multiple accommodations are often appropriate  Decisions involve reviewing accommodations used in instruction  Decisions must be based on individual needs of student and whether accommodations are used routinely in instruction and testing  Documentation must be kept in student’s permanent record file

Accountability 15  LAT results of LEP-exempt ELLs are used for federal accountability (AYP), not state accountability purposes  Student-level LAT results are provided to schools  Results of LEP-exempt students are not included in campus and district TAKS summary reports

Eligibility 16 Eligibility criteria for math/science vs. reading/ELA  LAT math and science  Given to all LEP-exempt students whether it is their 1 st, 2 nd, or 3 rd school year in the U.S.  LAT reading and ELA  Given to 2 nd and 3 rd year LEP-exempt immigrants  NOT given to 1 st year LEP-exempt immigrants

Provisions for Qualifying Asylees/Refugees 17  State regulations that went into effect in the school year grant LAT testing provisions to a small number of unschooled ELL asylees and refugees who are beyond the LEP exemption or exit level LEP postponement period  Certain LAT procedures differ for these students

Provisions for Qualifying Asylees/Refugees  Information about the asylee/refugee provisions can be found in the resources below. All are available on the TEA Student Assessment Division website.  PowerPoint presentation titled Assessment Provisions for Qualifying ELL Asylees and Refugees - Spring 2011 Administrations  LPAC Decision-Making Process for the Texas Assessment Program manual  2011 District and Campus Coordinator Manual 18

LAT & AYP Inclusion 19 Subject Test School Yr. in U.S. AYP Participation AYP Performance Math LAT 1 st * 2 nd and 3 rd Reading and ELA TELPAS Reading** 1st * LAT2 nd and 3 rd * not evaluated for AYP **For reading/ELA, 1st-year LEP-exempt immigrants are counted as participants in AYP through TELPAS reading tests 19

What about LAT and SSI? 20  Students in grades 5 and 8 assessed with LAT math and reading are not subject to SSI test requirements  They do not retake SSI tests if not successful  They test for the first and only time during May SSI retest administration

21 DateLAT TestGrades Mon, April 25Math3-4, 6-7, 10 Tues, April 26 Reading/ELA (Day 1) 3-4, 6-7, 10 Wed, April 27 Reading/ELA (Day 2) 3-4, 6-7, 10 Fri, April 29Science5, 8, 10 LAT Scheduling for April 2011

22 DateLAT TestGrades Mon, May 16Math5 and 8 Tues, May 17 Reading/ELA (Day 1) 5 and 8 Wed, May 18 Reading/ELA (Day 2) 5 and 8 LAT Scheduling for May 2011

LAT PROCESS

General Features of LAT Administrations 24  Linguistic accommodations during testing  Preparing students for LAT administrations  Special training for LAT test administrators  LAT test administrator manual*  Test booklets with “LAT” on cover*  Specific answer document coding *Some differences for LAT administrations of TAKS-M apply. See TAKS-M portion of presentation for details

LAT Indirect Linguistic Support Accommodations 24 Math/ScienceReading/ELA Clarification of test directions Breaks at request of student Testing over 2 days These accommodations are built into testing procedures for all LAT students 25

2-Day LAT Administrations of TAKS Reading/ELA 26 The administration directions in the LAT test administrator manual specify where in the booklet to stop at the end of Day 1

LAT Math and Science Direct Linguistic Support Accommodations 27  Linguistic simplification  Oral translation  Reading assistance  Bilingual dictionary  Bilingual glossary  English and Spanish test side by side* *Available in grades 3-5

LAT Reading and ELA Direct Linguistic Support Accommodations  Bilingual dictionary  English dictionary  Reading aloud – word or phrase  Reading aloud – entire test item  Oral translation – word or phrase  Clarification – word or phrase Not all of these are applicable to LAT administrations of the writing sections of grade 10 ELA. See the LAT test administrator manual for details 28

Secure Linguistic Simplification Guides (LSGs) 29  Produced for LAT administrations of math and science  LSGs for grades 3-5 have Spanish section (differs from English section)  Printed by grade and subject  No guides for LAT reading/ELA  May be viewed only during test administration

Preparing Students For LAT Administrations 30  Students taking a LAT administration need to be familiar with the way their test session will be conducted before the test administration begins  Prior to starting the test administration, the LAT test administrator will need to talk to the students about the testing process, make them feel comfortable, and review the linguistic assistance they will be able to request  The students should already be familiar with receiving linguistic accommodations in instruction but need to know how the accommodations are provided during standardized testing

LAT Test Administrator Training 31  All test administrators are required to be trained annually in test security and TAKS testing procedures  In addition, LAT test administrators must be trained in the procedures specific to LAT administrations  It is vital that test administrators read all pertinent manuals thoroughly

Manuals 32  There is one LAT test administrator manual that encompasses all LAT administrations, with the exception of TAKS–M  LAT accommodations are also detailed in the Accommodations Manual

Test Administration Directions 33  LAT administration directions read aloud to students on day of testing are worded more simply than TAKS directions  For all grades, LAT administration directions are provided in English and Spanish  As with TELPAS reading tests, LAT test administrators may further simplify directions as needed

Test Administration Directions 34  LAT tests are shorter than TAKS tests because there are no embedded field-test items  Because TAKS answer documents are used for LAT administrations in grades 4–8 and 10 (grade 10 ELA excluded), students will not use all spaces on answer document

Test Administration Directions 35  To address this situation, administration directions instruct test administrators to say, for example: “Stop when you get to the last page of your booklet. Your last test question is NUMBER 43*. This is where your test ends. You will not use all the circles on your answer document.” *Number varies by grade and subject

Test Booklets 36  LAT test booklets are separate, different forms of TAKS. The test booklets say “LAT” on the cover. There is one form of each test  LAT booklets are formatted with a larger font and more white space  LAT tests cannot be interchanged with TAKS tests to resolve booklet shortages

Answer Documents 37  The regular TAKS answer documents are used for LAT administrations (exception: grade 10 ELA answer document and grade 3 scorable test booklet say “LAT”)

SCORE CODE Field 38  “L” in the SCORE CODE field must be marked for each LEP-exempt student  Test will be scored as a LAT test based on the “L” SCORE CODE and the information in the LAT FORM and LAT INFO fields NOTE: Answer document coding instructions differ for unschooled ELL asylees and refugees who qualify for special testing provisions.

SCORE CODE Field  “S” must NOT be marked for LEP-exempt students  Answer documents must be coded properly for correct scoring and use in accountability measures The “L” SCORE CODE must ALWAYS be marked for LEP-exempt students taking LAT administrations 39

SCORE CODE Field  There are no LAT administrations of the writing, social studies, and grade 9 tests. For students who are LEP-exempt from these tests, mark the “L” score code to indicate that the student has been granted a LEP exemption from testing. 40

LAT FORM Area 41  The LAT FORM area is part of the TEST TAKEN INFO field on the TAKS answer document  The LAT FORM area is used to record that a LAT test form was used and which language version of the test was administered to the student

LAT INFO Area  After testing, the LAT INFO area of the TEST TAKEN INFO field must be completed by the test administrator  Column A – accommodations used during test administration  Column B –any testing irregularities or absences Column A of the LAT INFO area must be gridded in order for a student to be reported as having taken a LAT test 42

Submitting Answer Documents – Some Special Cases 43  For the grade 10 ELA test, students taking LAT administrations test in April rather than March  For the grades 5 and 8 reading and math tests, students taking LAT administrations test in May rather than April  In both cases, the benefit to the students is additional time to learn English

 Important:  for grade 10 ELA, answer documents must be submitted for LEP-exempt students in March with the “L” score code marked  for grades 5 and 8 reading and math, answer documents must be submitted for LEP-exempt students in April with the “L” score code marked  Based on this information, precoded materials will be provided for these students for the LAT administration For other LAT grades, precoded answer documents will be generated through the normal process 44 Submitting Answer Documents – Some Special Cases

45 TAKS A DMIN. D ATE LAT A DMIN. D ATE ( S ) A CTION R EQUIRED Gr 10 ELAMarch 1April Submit answer document in March coded “L” for LEP-exempt students taking LAT in April Gr 5 Math Gr 8 Math April 4May 16 Submit answer document in April coded “L” for each LEP-exempt student testing in May Gr 5 Reading Gr 8 Reading April 5May Submitting Answer Documents – Some Special Cases

LAT FOR STUDENTS RECEIVING SPECIAL EDUCATION SERVICES

LAT for Students Receiving Special Education Services 47  LEP-exempt recent immigrant ELLs receiving special education services take  LAT administrations of TAKS, which include LAT administrations of TAKS (Accommodated) OR  LAT administrations of TAKS–M

48  ARD committee in conjunction with LPAC determines which LAT assessment is appropriate  This group of students is very small. Few students served by special education are recent immigrants LAT for Students Receiving Special Education Services

LAT and TAKS (Accommodated)  LEP-exempt recent immigrants served by special education take the regular LAT form of TAKS if TAKS (Accommodated) is the appropriate test form LAT + TAKS (Accommodated) = Regular LAT form  The format accommodations on the TAKS (Accommodated) form are used on all LAT forms of TAKS 49

LAT and TAKS (Accommodated) 50  The students receive their prescribed LAT accommodations as well as accommodations allowable with TAKS (Accommodated)  Important: Students who qualify for LAT MUST NOT take the TAKS (Accommodated) form

51 Test booklets  The regular TAKS-M test booklets are used for LAT administrations of TAKS-M (exception: grade 10 ELA booklet says “LAT” on cover) Answer documents  The regular TAKS-M answer documents are used for LAT administrations of TAKS-M (exception: grade 10 ELA answer document says “LAT”) LAT and TAKS-M: Key Procedural Differences

52 2-Day administration for reading/ELA  A 2-day LAT administration of TAKS–M reading/ELA is optional. LPAC and ARD committee decide in advance whether student should complete test in 1 or 2 days Linguistic simplification accommodation  Linguistic simplification is allowed, but linguistic simplification guides (LSGs) are not available. Test administrators follow guidelines to make appropriate linguistic simplifications LAT and TAKS-M: Key Procedural Differences

53 Side-by-side accommodation for math and science  Spanish versions of TAKS–M are not available. Accordingly, Spanish LAT versions of TAKS–M are not available, nor is the accommodation of using English and Spanish tests side by side Manuals  Test administrators use the appropriate TAKS– M test administration directions, which contain a LAT appendix; examples and scenarios to aid in training test administrators are in LAT appendix LAT and TAKS-M: Key Procedural Differences

LAT and TAKS–Alt 54  There are no LEP exemptions from TAKS–Alt; therefore, no LAT  These provisions aren’t necessary because of design of TAKS–Alt  Observational assessments can be developed using any language or other communication method routinely used by TAKS–Alt student

LAT FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQS)

LAT FAQ #1 56 Question: Is it allowable for an interpreter from outside the district to help during LAT administrations?

LAT FAQ #1 57 Answer: No, such individuals would not meet the requirement on page 95 of the 2011 District and Campus Coordinator Manual, which states the following: “Individuals conducting, monitoring, or assisting in LAT administrations must be familiar with the subject matter assessed and with the linguistic needs of the student in the LAT test session, and should work routinely with the students in delivering or assisting with instruction.”

LAT FAQ #2 Question: Is it allowable for a parent volunteer to assist in monitoring or providing linguistic accommodations during LAT administrations? 58

LAT FAQ #2 Answer: No. In addition to not meeting the requirements on slide 57, a parent volunteer would not be a current employee of the district, another requirement specified on page 95 of the 2011 District and Campus Coordinator Manual. See the 2011 District and Campus Coordinator Manual for more information 59

LAT FAQ #3 60 Question: In March we submitted an ELA answer document coded “L” for a LEP-exempt student in her first school year in the U.S. Since these students are not required to take LAT reading/ELA, we are not sure what to do with the precoded label we receive for the April LAT administration.

LAT FAQ #3 61 Answer: This student’s precoded label can be voided during the April administration.

LAT FAQ #4 62 Question: Are students permitted to use a hand- held translating device, bilingual Internet dictionary, or other type of electronic bilingual dictionary?

LAT FAQ #4 63 Answer: It depends. District and campus test coordinators should determine the viability of such devices in cooperation with other knowledgeable personnel. However, just as with paper bilingual dictionaries, if the device is comprehensive enough to provide examples, pictures, explanations, or definitions of mathematical or scientific terminology, it is not permitted. In addition, concerning the use of an Internet bilingual dictionary, district and campus coordinators will need to discuss whether they will be able to ensure that students do not access other Internet sites or resources. Remember also that only linguistic accommodations used routinely in the student’s classroom instruction and testing are permitted during LAT administrations.

Need More Information? 64  address:  TEA Student Assessment Division phone number: Thank you!