2009 Texas Assessment Conference ELL Student Assessment Update Texas Education Agency Student Assessment Division Laura Ayala, ELL Assessment Director Megan Galicia, Language Accessibility Manager

Overview Demographics and performance ELL assessment updates What the future holds 2

Learning English… English is a funny language; that explains why we park our car on the driveway and drive our car on the parkway. Author unknown It’s a strange world of language in which skating on thin ice can get you into hot water. –Franklin P. Jones Our language is funny – a fat chance and slim chance are the same thing. –J. Gustav White 3

Demographics Number of ELLs in Texas public schools has grown from about 570,000 in to over 800,000 in About 1 in 6 students in Texas public schools is an ELL By 2025, 1 in 4 U.S. students projected to be ELLs More than 90% of Texas ELLs are Spanish speakers 4

Performance Performance gap between ELLs and all student group has narrowed significantly in many grades and subjects (though not all) over years of TAKS Performance of M2 former ELLs and all student group is similar 5 5

Smattering of TAKS Math, Science, Social Studies Spring 2003 and 2009 SubjectGradeGroup2003 (%)2009 (%)Change Math4 All - Eng ELLs - Eng ELLs - Spn Science5 All - Eng ELLs - Eng ELLs - Spn Math (Primary) 8 All ELLs Social Studies 8 All ELLs Math10 All ELLs Science10 All ELLs All – Eng = all students in state who took TAKS in English Panel recommended (PR) standards used; LAT results not included

Smattering of TAKS Language Arts Passing 2003 and 2009 SubjectGradeGroup2003 (%)2009 (%)Change Reading4 All - Eng ELLs - Eng ELLs - Spn Writing4 All - Eng ELLs - Eng ELLs - Spn Writing7 All ELLs Reading7 All ELLs Reading (Primary) 8 All ELLs ELA10 All ELLs All – Eng = all students in state who took TAKS in English Panel recommended (PR) standards used; LAT results not included

Spring 2009 TAKS: All Student Group* Compared to M2 Former ELLs** (Percent Passing, Primary Administrations) Reading/ELAMath GradeAllM2 AllM * All student group = all students in state who took TAKS in English * *M2 former ELLs = students in 2 nd year of monitoring after reclassification as non-LEP

9 TELPAS Composite Ratings , Grades K-2

10 TELPAS Composite Ratings , Grades 3-12

Grades 3–12 TELPAS % Students at Each Proficiency Level Listening B I A H Speaking B I A H Reading B I A H Writing B I A H B = Beginning I = Intermediate A = Advanced H = Advanced High New Test Former Test (RPTE) 11

HB 3 and Spanish TAKS Eliminated Spanish versions of grade 6 reading and math tests Effective this school year Category 2 exemption criteria in LPAC Manual now apply to eligible grade 6 students in a Spanish bilingual education program because Spanish-version tests are no longer available 12

HB 3 and ELL Inclusion Policies Minor changes made to provisions for ELL exemptions, exit level test postponements, and linguistic accommodations New provisions affecting small group of unschooled asylees/refugees Commissioner rules under revision to implement modified legislation Changes to assessment policy and procedures to be reflected in LPAC assessment manual, coordinator manual, and other affected manuals when final Rules to be in effect for this spring’s testing 13

HB 3 and Study Guides Print versions of TAKS study guides eliminated effective this school year Interactive online versions to be available for current printed guides Interactive guides for grades 3-5 math to be added this spring for English and Spanish TAKS 14

Linguistically Accommodated Testing (LAT) Grades 3–8 and 10 – Mathematics – Reading and ELA Grades 5, 8, and 10 – Science 15

LAT Schedule Change: Grades 5 and 8 Math and Reading LAT math and reading tests for grades 5 and 8 (including LAT TAKS–M) to be given in mid-May with SSI retests Reminder: LAT students are not subject to SSI grade advancement requirements No early April LAT administrations! 16

LAT Planning Reminders Linguistic accommodations are part of instructional program for ALL ELLs, per ELPS requirements Arranging for LAT requires collaboration with LPAC and subject-area teachers LAT accommodations are described in detail in Accommodations Manual LAT test administrators must be trained on LAT test administrator manual Make sure to code answer documents correctly 17

18 ELPS Requirements Paraphrased Applies to all teachers, all TEKS 19 TAC Chapter 74.4 (b)(2): School districts must provide instruction in foundation and enrichment TEKS in linguistically accommodated (communicated, sequenced, and scaffolded) way commensurate with student's English language proficiency level to ensure that student learns TEKS 19 TAC Chapter 74.4 (c) says above each set of cross-curricular student expectations: For ELL to meet grade-level learning expectations, all TEKS instruction delivered in English must be linguistically accommodated commensurate with student’s level of English language proficiency

Linguistically accommodating instruction means appropriately… communicating instruction sequencing instruction scaffolding instruction 19

Linguistic accommodations are – the heart and crux of the ELPS an integral part of content instruction not primarily about TAKS testing 20

Common Linguistic Accommodations Instructional AccommodationAssessment 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 21

Texas English Language Proficiency Assessment System (TELPAS) K–12: Listening Speaking Reading Writing 22

Manual Highlights Coordinator Manual Added activity on monitoring holistic rating training Added info from last year’s separate Student List Instructions If you deal with JJAEP / DAEP situations, see Appendix F TELPAS Manual for Raters / Test Administrators Test administration directions for grades 2, 3, and 4–5 consolidated -- 1 set of 2–5 directions Be sure to read manuals! 23

Reminders Training is vital Use online training and testing resources Updated Technical User’s Guide (web document only) to be available on Resources page -- early January Account for every enrolled K–12 ELL in TELPAS electronic submission system “Do not score” designations should be very rare: Absences Extenuating circumstances ARD decisions Other students not to be tested 24

Years in U.S. Schools Make sure this field is complete … and accurate! 25

New 3-Day Final Data Verification Window Allows time to verify completeness and accuracy of student records before scoring begins Assessment window closes Fri, 4/9 Verification window closes Wed, 4/14 26

Holistically Rated Components K–1 listening, speaking, reading, writing 2–12 listening, speaking, writing 27

Over 100,000 TELPAS online training courses were completed in spring 2009 Reminder: Who Needs What Training Level 1 basic online training courses Newly assigned K–12 raters who have not yet been trained and 2–12 raters previously trained but not yet qualified Spring online qualification 2–12 Level 1 trainees Level 2 online refresher training courses Other raters – the vast majority  K–1 previously trained raters (including fall 2009)  2–12 previously trained and qualified raters (includes those trained and qualified in fall 2009) 28

New Level 2 Supplemental Training Requirements For K–1 and 2–12 raters who do not rate students accurately enough on Level 2 (refresher course) practice activities Instructions for raters are in Rater Activity 2 of TELPAS Manual and end of Level 2 course Testing coordinators to monitor completion and performance Testing coordinators to plan ways to maintain validity and reliability of rating process for those not successful 29

New Level 2 Supplemental Training Requirements Per language domain, rate at least 5 of 7 students correctly If fewer than 5, review rating feedback carefully and seek clarification as necessary Then retake corresponding Level 1 domain Rating at least 4 of 5 students correctly in Level 1 considered sufficient; if fewer rated correctly, additional review to be encouraged 30

Individuals Not Successful on Supplemental Training Districts are responsible for ensuring validity and reliability of rating process. Recommendations: Do not use rater Use rater with rating support Have rater do additional review and based on that make decision about whether additional rating support needed during live assessment Campus Coordinator Activity 6, page

Careful with Confusion Between Supplemental Training and Additional Writing Practice Modules Level 2 refresher for grades 2–12 contains additional writing practice module that raters may complete by mistake thinking it is supplemental training Raters are advised to follow instructions in TELPAS Manual and online course to avoid confusion 32

Options for Additional Writing Practice Module Coordinators could encourage or require raters to do this module  before Level 2 writing module  before Level 1 supplemental training if not successful on Level 2 writing module  after Level 1 supplemental training if not successful (as part of rating support plan) 33

Other Minor Changes 20-day guideline for holistic assessments clarified -- applies only to students who enroll from another country or state (District Coordinator Activity 1) Information on campus validity and reliability procedures modified slightly (Campus Coordinator Activity 9) More emphasis on ELPS-aligned authentic writing in writing collection (Campus Coordinator Activity 8 ) 34

Audits and Other Validity Studies Plans include periodically – comparing TELPAS with other English language proficiency tests analyzing rater performance on training activities conducting audits of ratings assigned during live assessments 35

Reading Tests Grade 2 Grade 3 Grades 4  5 Grades 6  7 Grades 8  9 Grades 10  12 36

Last Year’s Online Experience 99.7% online administrations; 0.3% paper administrations More than 720,000 K-12 ELLs More than 500, ELLs 37

Transition to New Interface Transition this spring to enhanced online interface for grades 2–12 reading tests requires tests to be administered in 2 interfaces across state Each district to administer test in assigned interface Only 1 interface assignment per district  Interface A = enhanced interface  Interface B = original interface No need to select between interfaces to launch test – only assigned interface will launch Interface assignments communicated in fall

Don’t forget to install new version of TestNav Transition to New Interface Impact on Training and Administration Test administration “read aloud” directions are interface-specific Student tutorials and administration directions are interface-specific Tutorials to be available for download in January; tutorial must be downloaded for assigned interface Tutorials and ePAT launcher to be available at 39

Transition to New Interface Comparability of Results Comparability of student performance across interfaces to be studied following spring testing Adjustments to be made if needed to maintain score comparability No score reporting delay 40

Transition to New Interface Interface A Enhancement Highlights Scrolling through passages eliminated; “paging” function similar to book pages used Items presented next to passages rather than separate window or split-screen Improved functionality for filling in blanks in content- area cloze passages Other enhancements – screen resolution, font style, occasional color images, and more 41

Grade Cluster Confusion Don’t group students from different grade clusters on the same online test session roster! Online system gives only one grade cluster test per online session roster Coordinator manual has more cautions about this (DTC Activity 11; CTC Activity 12) 42

What the Future Holds 43

Future Expanded Qualification Requirements Beginning in , listening and speaking to be added to qualification component for raters of students in grade 2 or higher Same number of students per qualification set – rating of writing, listening, and speaking within each set; qualification overall, not by domain Raters already qualified won’t have to qualify again Beginning in , qualification requirements to apply to also K–1 raters – all domains 44

ELL Inclusion Policies for Future Testing Programs Plans to examine extent to which ELL inclusion and accommodation policies should change in new testing programs Plans involve reviews of ◦ policies in other states ◦ research on linguistic accommodations ◦ cost and logistical feasibility ◦ input from practitioners and national experts 45

About the future… “Be not afraid of growing slowly, be afraid only of standing still.” -Chinese proverb “No tengas miedo de los cambios lentos, sólo ten miedo de permanecer inmóvil.” -Proverbio chino 46

ELL Assessment TETNs December 16 ● 9:00-12:00 ● event # Annual LPAC Assessment Manual Training New commissioner rules affecting LPAC decisions; review of other procedures January 13 ● 1:00-3:00 ● event # TELPAS Spring Holistic Rating Training New supplemental training requirements, online course and qualification updates, training reports for coordinators, etc. January 26 ● 9:00-12:00 ● event # TELPAS Online Testing Online system demo, tips and pointers; geared toward new coordinators and those who would like a thorough review February 12 ● 9:00-12:00 ● event # 4905 LAT Procedures Info for coordinators to use in training LAT test administrators – for new coordinators and those wanting a thorough review 47

Any recommendations for educator review committees? As part of test development process, TEA convenes committees of educators each year to review items and passages for TAKS, TELPAS, and EOC tests Especially need recommendations for educators to participate in TELPAS and Spanish test review committees 48 Recommendation forms available at evelop/recform.pdf 48

Need additional information? Go to and click on ELL Assessment Information Call TEA Student Assessment Division at (512) us at Thank You! 49