STUDENT ASSESSMENT DIVISION TEXAS EDUCATION AGENCY Assessment Provisions for Qualifying ELL Asylees and Refugees Spring 2011 Administrations © 2010, Texas Education Agency

Test Administration Manuals The information in this PowerPoint can be found in the manuals below. Both manuals are available on the TEA Student Assessment Division website LPAC Decision-Making Process for the Texas Assessment Program – Appendix F 2011 District and Campus Coordinator Manual – Appendix G 2

Overview  House Bill 3 made special assessment allowances for ELLs who are unschooled asylees and refugees  To conform with legislative changes, Section , Provisions for Unschooled Limited English Proficient Asylees and Refugees was added to 19 TAC, Chapter 101, Subchapter AA in the school year. The new rules may be accessed at Provisions for Qualifying ELL Unschooled Asylees and Refugees 3

Overview  The assessment allowances are referred to as special provisions  The special provisions apply to eligible asylees and refugees who  are beyond the LEP exemption/exit level LEP postponement periods granted to them as immigrant ELLs  are not yet in their 6 th year of enrollment in U.S. schools Last year very few students in the state were determined to be eligible for the special provisions 4

Special Provisions Do Not Affect LEP Exemption/Postponement Periods Important:  The special provisions do NOT affect LEP exemptions or LEP postponement decision-making  During the LEP exemption/postponement period, the LPAC makes assessment decisions for an ELL asylee or refugee in accordance with the normal decision- making policies outlined in the manual 5

3 Special Provisions The special provisions address  linguistic accommodations  use of scores in state accountability system  SSI grade advancement 6

1. Linguistic Accommodations  ELL asylees and refugees eligible for the special provisions are required to take state assessments but may be provided allowable linguistic accommodations  In LAT grades and subjects, these students participate in LAT administrations LAT Grades and Subjects  3-8 and 10 mathematics  3-8 and 10 reading/ELA  5, 8, and 10 science 7

1. Linguistic Accommodations  In non-LAT grades and subjects, eligible ELL asylees and refugees take the assessments, and districts use an Accommodations Request Form to submit linguistic accommodation requests to TEA on an individual student basis Non-LAT Grades and Subjects  4 and 7 writing  8 and 10 social studies  9 reading and mathematics  Exit level – all subjects 8

Requesting Linguistic Accommodations for Non-LAT Grades and Subjects  Accommodation request should  specify that the student qualifies for special provisions as an unschooled asylee/refugee  include information explaining why the accommodation is needed  Districts should follow accommodation request process outlined in the Accommodations Manual  LPAC should document approved accommodations in student’s permanent record file 9

2. Use of Scores in State Accountability System  Scores are excluded from data used in state accountability rating system  Score exclusion applies across all subject areas (cannot include scores in some subjects and exclude in others) 10

 Scores are included in district and campus summary reports (because students are required to test and are not LEP-exempt or postponed under state regulations)  Scores for grades 3–8 and 10 mathematics and reading tests are included in federal AYP accountability measures per federal requirements More on Reporting and Accountability 11

 Students in grades 5 and 8 who are eligible for the special provisions are not subject to SSI grade advancement requirements 3. SSI Grade Advancement 12

Eligibility Criteria LPAC is responsible for determining whether a student qualifies for the special provisions Criteria:  Student must be identified as LEP as defined by state law and must participate in a state-approved bilingual or ESL program All criteria must be met 13

Eligibility Criteria  Student’s permanent record file must have documentation of asylee/refugee status. The student must  be an asylee as defined by 45 Code of Federal Regulations, Section or a refugee as defined by 8 United States Code, Section 1101, and  have a Form I–94 Arrival/Departure record, or a successor document, issued by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services that is stamped with “Asylee,” “Refugee,” or “Asylum.” 14

Eligibility Criteria  Student must be beyond the grades 3-10 LEP exemption or exit level LEP postponement period but not yet in the 6th school year of enrollment in U.S. schools 15

Eligibility Criteria  Student’s permanent record file must document that: 1. the student had little or no formal schooling outside the U.S. and lacked basic primary language literacy upon enrollment in school in the U.S. In cases where the first school year in the U.S. was kindergarten or grade 1, the permanent record file must contain documentation that the student, in addition to lacking proficiency in the English language, lacked rudimentary school readiness skills upon enrollment; 2. the student is being provided linguistic accommodations and other ongoing interventions by the district to meet the student’s unique affective, linguistic, and cognitive needs; and 3. as of the semester of the test administration, the student continues to lack the necessary foundation in the TEKS as a result of the student’s inadequate schooling outside the U.S. 16

IMPORTANT: Answer Document Coding  Code LEP-exempt or postponed asylees/refugees as you would any LEP-exempt or LEP-postponed ELL  Answer document coding does differ for asylees/refugees who qualify for the special provisions Appropriate coding ensures the exclusion of the student’s scores from state accountability rating system (exclusion is not subject-specific) Coding instructions are in Appendix G of the 2011 District and Campus Coordinator Manual 17

Answer Document Coding  Make sure LEP indicator field and bilingual/ESL program participation fields are coded appropriately  For LAT grades and subjects, code the following:  “S” score code  “0” in Column A of Agency Use section  linguistic accommodations in Column A of LAT INFO field  LAT FORM field (on answer documents containing this field) 18

Answer Document Coding  For non-LAT grades and subjects (including exit level), code the following:  “S” score code  “0” in Column A of Agency Use section Note: Linguistic accommodations information will not be collected for non-LAT grades and subjects. LAT accommodation fields do not exist, and linguistic accommodations are not part of “ACCOMMODATIONS FOR ALL PROGRAMS” collection 19

Example for Grade 8 April Administration ELL asylee/refugee who qualifies for special provisions takes LAT science and form 21 of TAKS social studies (non-LAT subject)  “0” in Column A – Agency Use  For both LAT and non- LAT subjects, “S” in score code  TAKS FORM gridded for social studies  LAT FORM and LAT INFO gridded for science 20

Important Reminders  LAT grades and subjects: LAT FORM (on applicable answer documents) and LAT INFO areas must be filled in to score tests with correct answer key  “0” in Column A of Agency Use field and “S” score code (not “L”) must be filled in  In addition, student must be coded as LEP in LEP indicator field and as participating in state-approved bilingual or ESL program If any of this information is not provided, the student’s results will be included in the state accountability ratings 21

Absences and Irregularities Absences  If a student who qualifies for the special provisions is absent from testing, grid  “ A ” score code and “0” in Column A of Agency Use section Irregularities  If a student who qualifies for the special provisions experiences a testing irregularity, grid  “O” score code and “0” in Column A of Agency Use section NOTE: Do not use Column B of LAT INFO area for these students 22

Additional Coding Instructions Additional answer document coding instructions for students who qualify for special provisions in grades 5, 8, and 10: March Administration—Grade 10 ELA  Students do not take grade 10 ELA test in March; instead, they participate in LAT administration of test in April  To account for student during the March administration, grid  “O” score code and “0” in Column A of Agency Use section  A precoded answer document will be shipped for April LAT administration 23

Additional Coding Instructions April Administration—Grades 5 and 8 Mathematics and Reading  Students in grades 5 and 8 will participate in LAT administrations of mathematics and reading tests in May  As with other students who take LAT, these students are not subject to SSI requirements and participate only in May administration  To account for student during April reading and mathematics administrations, grid  “O” score code and “0” in Column A of Agency Use section  A precoded answer document will be shipped for May administration 24

Word to the Wise Do not interchange the word “exemption” with the phrase “special provisions” 25

Special Provisions FAQs 1.Do state regulations allow unschooled asylees and refugees in grades 3-10 to be eligible for LEP exemptions for longer than 3 years? No, these students are subject to the same LEP exemption policy as other ELLs. The new regulations do, however, allow other special provisions for qualifying students. 26

Special Provisions FAQs 2.What special provisions do the regulations allow for qualifying asylees and refugees once their LEP exemption/postponement period is over?  The student is permitted to take the state assessments with allowable linguistic accommodations.  The test results of the student are permitted to be excluded from the assessment data used to determine the state accountability rating of the campus and district.  The student is not subject to the SSI grade advancement requirements if enrolled in grade 5 or 8. 27

Special Provisions FAQs 3. We have an ELL asylee who was in his third school year in U.S. schools last year and reached advanced on the TELPAS reading test. Is he eligible for the special provisions? The eligibility criteria for the special provisions do not include a specific TELPAS level. The LPAC will need to review all the eligibility criteria to make a decision, including the one related to whether the student lacks the necessary foundation in the TEKS as of the spring of the test administration as a result of the student’s inadequate schooling outside the U.S. Keep in mind that the special provisions do not allow for additional years of LEP exemptions or postponements. 28

Special Provisions FAQs 4. Where can I find instructions for how to code the answer documents of asylees and refugees who qualify for the special provisions? Answer document coding instructions can be found in Appendix G of the 2011 District and Campus Coordinator Manual, which is available on the TEA website. 29

Special Provisions FAQs 5. Do LPAC decision-making procedures or answer document coding requirements change for asylees and refugees who are eligible for LEP exemptions and LEP postponements? No, these procedures do not change for students who are still within the LEP exemption/postponement periods. 30

Special Provisions FAQs 6. Do the special provisions for the assessment of exit level asylees and refugees affect their testing requirements for graduation? No, the new provisions do not change their testing requirements for graduation. The students for whom the provisions apply will be eligible to receive a high school diploma like any other student when they pass the exit level tests. 31

Special Provisions FAQs 7. Do the regulations allow unschooled asylees and refugees any exemptions or special provisions related to TELPAS? No, the regulations are specific to the state assessments of academic skills only. 32

Special Provisions FAQs More FAQs are included in Appendix F of the LPAC Decision-Making Process for the Texas Assessment Program, which is available at 33

Need More Information?  address:  TEA Student Assessment Division phone number: