Have you read your manuals? This training does not replace your responsibility to read and follow all manuals.

Calendar of Events Test Versions: STAAR, STAAR A Date Test March 30 English I March 31 Make Ups April 1 English II April 2

Algebra I (AM) & Biology (PM) A look ahead Date Test May 5 US History May 6 Biology May 7 Algebra I May 8 Make up Re-testers July 6 English I July 7 Algebra I (AM) & Biology (PM) July 8 English II July 9 US History* and Make up July 10 STAAR, STAAR A, STAAR L

Who takes what STAAR A STAAR Students who cannot access STAAR with or without accommodations Students must be serviced through SPED or 504 with Dyslexia Online assessment with embedded accommodations & accessibility tools ARDC or 504 Committee decision STAAR The first consideration for ALL students with or without Type 1 or Type 2 accommodations

Who takes what STAAR L Available for ELL students who: Are not most appropriately assessed with STAAR Spanish AND Have not attained Advanced High in TELPAS Reading (2-12) AND Have been enrolled is US schools for 3 years or less (5 years for asylee/refugee) LPAC decision Not available for students whose parent denies program services Linguistically accommodated online test Available for math, science & social studies

Time limit policies & procedures Each student is allowed five hours to complete English I & II and four hours to complete Algebra I, Biology & US History Time starts after the test administrator has read all of the directions and tells students: “…you may begin” or “You may now put on your headphones” Test administrators must communicate orally or in writing the amount of time left to test (one hour intervals then smaller increments) Students with Extended Time must start testing as soon as possible Late students must test if there is enough time left in the school day Breaks are allowed but the clock does not stop Time stops only for: Lunch Emergencies Consolidation Medical breaks

Allowable procedures & materials The following test procedures and materials are NOT accommodations. They may be provided based on individual student need. It is not necessary to indicate the use of these on a student answer document. Signing or translating test administration directions Reading aloud or signing the writing prompt upon request Minimize distractions Small group or individual administrations Remind students to stay on task Scratch paper Colored overlays Blank place markers Highlighters Page 13 Manual Page O-12 DCCM

Principal responsibilities Oversee training and the implementation of test administration process as stated in the manual Attend trainings and sign oath Ensure security and confidentiality of the tests and materials Approve test administrators, logistics and ensure that the testing environment meets the following: Testing rooms are quiet, well ventilated and comfortable. Students have enough room to work A “Testing- Do Not Disturb” is posted outside each room Bulletin boards and instructional displays are covered or removed from any location students may pass while testing All desks used for testing are clear of books and other material not required for the test • Monitors the test administrators • Report any incident to the DTC

Test administrator responsibilities Read the Test Administrator Manual Attend training conducted by your campus test coordinator Receive secure testing materials from your campus test coordinator Observe all rules regarding test security and confidential integrity of the state testing system Read “Guide to the Test Administration Directions” prior to administering any state assessment Administer the tests in strict compliance with the directions in the Test Administrator Manual Supervise and actively monitor students during testing Do not provide any unauthorized assistance to students during testing Do not view the test, discuss the test, or score a student test either before, during, or after testing

Test administrator responsibilities Complete answer documents in accordance with the manual Return all testing materials to the campus test coordinator (CTC) immediately after students finish testing Accurately and completely fill out all required documentation for testing Assist the CTC for on-line administrations as needed Report testing irregularities and security violations immediately to the CTC Prepare statements for submission to CTC if you are involved in a testing irregularity or test security violation

Campus procedures Include things such as: Check Out/In Process Testing Rooms Cell Phone Policy Testing Environment (covering instructional material) Time limits Lunch What students do after testing Who is monitoring hallways/restrooms Procedures for late students

Materials Control Form DCCM S-30 Test administrators must verify they have received the exact number of secure test materials recorded as issued and initial the “Out” box. The initials also indicate you have signed the appropriate oath.

Testing Environments Ensure appropriate testing areas are properly prepared. Each student should be sufficiently separated from other students to work without distraction Activities that would interfere with the testing conditions should be scheduled for another time. In the event of a school-wide emergency, ensuring student safety is top priority. Student should follow campus procedures for exiting the building. Test administrators should collect the test materials and keep the materials secure until the testing can be continued. If testing rooms have to be changed during the test administration, ensure the proper testing environment of the new location and maintain proper testing procedures during the transition. DCCM S-29

Testing Environments: Preparation No element of the testing room environment should hinder any student’s performance. A “Testing – Do not Disturb” sign should be posted outside the testing room. Bulletin boards and instructional displays that could aid the students during testing must be covered or removed. Clocks (either analog or digital) in the testing room do not have to be covered or removed. All desks used for testing must be cleared of books and other materials not required for the test. Cell phones and personal electronic devices use is not permitted during test administrations. A “No Cellphone” sign must be posted during test administrations. Student must be made aware of this policy and sign a “Telecommunication Devices” form prior to testing. Test Administrators should verify that students have access only to allowable materials. A Seating Chart must be completed for each test administration.

Reading directions Test Administrators MUST read the Guide to the Test Administration Directions page 43 Test Administrators must read word for word all directions in bold following the word “SAY” Be aware of the different sets of directions for the various types of administrations (STAAR Paper, STAAR Online, STAAR L, STAAR A) Optional Directions for General Tools Available in TestNav for STAAR L, STAAR A (page 121 Manual)

accommodations Refer to the 2015 State Assessment Reference Guide for allowable accommodations and eligibility

Accommodations- let’s practice Brian is a student who receives special education services under the eligibility of autism. The best approach is when Brian uses a daily reminder chart to ensure that he gets to the correct classes, participates appropriately, and completes classroom assignments and tests. Brian checks in with a social skills teacher periodically throughout the day to review his chart and receive positive reinforcement for all categories successfully completed. There is evidence that on days when this routine cannot be maintained (e.g., prior state assessments, field trips, or special programs during the school day), Brian can become agitated and somewhat confused. Can Brian receive extra time on his STAAR assessments in order to maintain some critical elements of his routine? Answer: Yes. Brian is identified with autism and benefits from being able to maintain as much of his daily routine as possible on test day. There is evidence that this daily routine is very effective in meeting Brian’s needs, given that other strategies have been attempted and discontinued over the years.

Accommodations- let’s practice

Accommodations- Oral Administration For writing tests, an oral administration is NEVER allowed for any part of the revising and editing passages, questions, or answer choices. However, reading aloud the writing prompt is an allowable test administration procedure for any student who needs assistance.

Dictionaries Must be provided to students taking STAAR: English I & II (minimum 1:5 ratio) Standard Dictionary Dictionary/Thesaurus Combination Bilingual or ESL Dictionary Not considered a linguistic accommodation Sign Language Dictionary

Linguistic Accommodations STAAR (English) STAAR L STAAR A Math Science Social Studies Bilingual Dictionary Extra Time Clarification of word meaning in English Reading Writing Reading: Dictionaries of Various Types Writing: Clarification in English of word meaning in writing prompts NA English I & II Clarification in English of word meaning in short answer questions & writing prompts

Linguistic Accommodations When providing linguistic accommodations to students, test administrators may not provide any direct or indirect assistance or reinforcement that aids a student in identifying a correct response to the test question.

Linguistic Accommodations Do you have any students with linguistic accommodations on your campus? Review the “Linguisitic Accommodations for ELLs Participating in the STAAR Program” Provide the appropriate training for staff

Mark Accommodations on the Answer Document Accommodations are marked if they are assigned to the student, not if the student used them If LEP students are assigned linguistic accommodations in reading, that student will not be eligible for EXIT for this year

Transcribed by Cindy Blair due to IEP on 3/30/15 Basic transcription Transcribed by Cindy Blair due to IEP on 3/30/15 If the student has the accommodation, complete the transcription and note on the top of the answer document the reason and name of the person that transcribed

English I & II answer documents will come with a precoded label Place label here

Answer documents Biology, Algebra I and US History answer documents will come precoded Student information will already be bubbled in

Substitute assessment marking Answer documents Mark the correct score code A- absent O- other S- score Substitute assessment Test date must be filled in HSEP (High School Equivalency Program)

Answer documents- hand gridding When hand gridding answer documents, ensure that ALL information has been filled in and ALL bubbles have been marked Local ID must be left justified. All demographic information bubbles must be filled in. Do not leave any blank. Do not forget to write the district/campus name

Online test reminders Online tests are accessed in TestNav by using the URL address Students will use the student authorization forms to log in to the test Student Authorizations are secure documents and must be shredded Each student will need headphones Students must still adhere to the four hour time limit (unless they have the Extra Time assigned to them as an accommodation)

STAAR A reminders Students independently control the text to speech feature TAs can read the “pop-ups” and “rollovers” to any student who requests it TAs can read optional directions for General Tools for STAAR A to any student who needs extra help TAs can read aloud information in the Help Tool for students who request it Students may receive other Type 1 accommodations or allowable materials

Seating charts START TIME for class is after the directions have been read STOP TIME for class is the stop time of the last student Student Name, ID # and Test Booklet # MUST be filled out Each student should have their individual stop time indicated Seating charts are located in the Test Coordinator folder

Paraprofessionals Paraprofessionals must complete a district noncertified personnel testing oath CANNOT be used as test administrators CANNOT relieve test administrators for breaks CAN be used to take students to lunch without being with a test administrator CAN be used as hallway or restroom monitors – cannot be working on anything while monitoring hallways or restroom

Security Training Modules Web-based Texas Test Administrator Online Training Modules www.TexasAssessment.com/TAonlinetraining All three modules should have been completed by campus personnel involved in testing.

Test Security Test security is accounting for all secure materials and confidential examinee information before, during, and after testing Assemble and securely store student authorization and proctor authorization forms Collect and destroy all student authorizations and any used charts, scratch or graph paper after testing is complete Maintain an inventory of all secure materials Use limited access locked storage for test materials Keep all materials secure at all times

Confidentiality Requirements Maintaining confidentiality involves protecting all contents of the online assessment and secure test materials All testing personnel must be trained and sign an oath For online testing, all testing personnel must accept a statement of confidentiality when accessing the Texas Assessment Management System (TAMS) All tests must be administered according to the manual No person may view, reveal or discuss test content No person may duplicate, print, record or capture test content No person other than the examinees may work problems or respond to test items Oral test administrators must sign an additional portion of the security oath

Penalties for Prohibited Conduct Placement of restrictions on the issuance, renewal, or holding of a Texas educator certificate, either indefinitely or for a set term Issuance of an inscribed or non-inscribed reprimand Suspension of a Texas educator certificate for a set term Revocation or cancellation of a Texas educator certificate without opportunity for reapplication for a set term or permanently Release or disclosure of confidential test content is a Class C misdemeanor and could result in criminal prosecution under TEC ξ39.0303, Section 552.352 of the Texas Government Code, and Section 37.10 of the Texas Penal Code. In addition, any irregularities in test security or confidentiality may result in the invalidation of student results.

Security Oaths TEA requires that everyone be trained and sign a security oath before handling secure testing materials or participating in the administration of a state test A person who has several roles must sign aln oath for each role (Test Administrator, Rater, Verifier, etc) A copy of the CTC and principals oath must be provided to the DTC to keep on file

Testing Irregularities Incidents resulting in a deviation from documented testing procedures are defined as testing irregularities Procedural Examples Serious Examples Improper accounting for secure materials Directly or indirectly assisting students with responses to test questions Eligibility Error Tampering with student responses Monitoring Error Viewing secure content IEP Implementation Issue Discussing test content, student responses or student performance Procedural Error Formally or informally scoring student tests Duplicating or recording test content

Reporting Irregularities If you become aware of any irregularities, contact the CTC immediately with the who, when, where, what and why. If the irregularity is deemed an incident the following documentation is required: Incident report including a plan of action (local form) Signed statement(s) from individual(s) involved (typed, printed and signed name, and dated) Statements should not include names of students The local disciplinary referral form used to report disciplinary actions taken against students for cheating, cell phone issues or disruptions

What is NOT active monitoring? Monitoring during test administrations is the responsibility of the test administrator, the campus test coordinator and administrators. What is NOT active monitoring? Anything that takes the test administrator’s attention away from the students during testing. Examples include: Working on the computer or checking email Reading a book, magazine, or newspaper Grading papers or working on lesson plans Leaving the room without a trained substitute test administrator in the room Leaving students unattended during meals or breaks

Think-Pair-Share What are some ways to reduce the risk of having an irregularity before testing? During? After? What are some testing pitfalls to avoid?

Reduce the risk of having an irregularity! Before the test administration: Emphasize importance of training and reading manuals Account for all test materials Ensure proper storage of materials Verify accuracy of student information Verify testing requirements for students receiving special education services

Reduce the risk of having an irregularity! During test administration: Ensure each student receives the correct assessment and testing material(s) Emphasize and verify active monitoring Ensure all testing personnel understand that they may NOT: provide assistance view the tests without authorization discuss confidential student information check for strategies

Reduce the risk of having an irregularity! After test administration No unauthorized viewing (only TEA may permit) No scoring of student responses Shred Student Authorization forms (ASAP) No discussion of confidential student information No erasing stray marks or darkening response ovals No copying of students answer documents Account for all test materials No opening answer documents to view answers

Pitfalls to Avoid: Assigning untrained staff to administer and/or monitor tests (must be certified personnel) Failing to inventory testing materials Having insufficient test booklets and/or test administrator manuals Not accounting for all test booklets and answer documents each day Teacher violates time limit Testing beyond the normal school day

Pitfalls to Avoid: Assigning a student the incorrect assessment or student authorization form Failing to give appropriate accommodation(s) Improper (or nonexistent) monitoring Leaving secure materials unattended (to include Student Authorizations and Writing Samples) Stopping an on-line session prior to removing absent students Failure to report a testing irregularity

Questions?