2. STAAR Alternate is the state assessment for students with significant cognitive disabilities.

3. TEA Resources STAAR Alternate Resources Page on the TEA website http://www.tea.state.tx.us/student.assessment/special-ed/staaralt Policy Information Training Center Information List of Responsibilities

4. Monitor test administrator training by verifying that …  all training modules have been completed and the qualifications passed with 80% accuracy  supplemental support is provided before the third attempt is given to the teacher  supervision is occurring for any test administrator that has not passed all the modules but is continuing to implement the assessment Check to verify the training status of all test administrators on the TrainingCenter by viewing the STAAR Alternate At-A-Glance Training & Qualification Report Test Administrator Training

5. Interrater Reliability Study 2013 STAAR Alternate Interrater Reliability Study Checklist

6. Second Rater Interrater Reliability Tool http://www.texasassessment.com/2013STAARAlternateIRRwww.texasassessment.com/2013STAARAlternateIRR

7.  develop and communicate the district policy on where the documentation forms will be stored  ensure that only one official documentation form exists and that all forms are stored in the same location for the campus  make sure that test administrators know that the form must remain secure and confidential while it is in their care until given to the testing coordinator for storage  secure all forms by the close of the assessment window  inform staff that forms will not be accessible after April 19, 2013 at 7:00pm CST D istrict Testing Coordinators must: Storing the Documentation Forms Test administrators should use caution when taking the documentation forms out of the classroom or building or when forms are stored on computers, laptops, or flash drives.

8. Audit Procedures The same procedures used for the 2012 audit will be used in 2013. Cover Letter District and Campus Instructions Envelope Labels

9. STAAR Alternate Timeline New Postings :  Parent Training Materials  Performance Level Descriptors  Standard Setting Information Essence Statement documents will not be posted until April since the statements will be reviewed during the February educator meetings.

10. Parent Materials will be a new section on the Resources page. Grades 3-8 EOC Parent Brochure for Grades 3-8 Available in English and Spanish PowerPoint available in English and Spanish

11. Performance Level Descriptors Available for all tested grades and subjects Level I, II, and III Performance Levels do not refer to Complexity Levels 3, 2, and 1. Accomplished Satisfactory Developing

12. STAAR Modified

13. What is STAAR Modified and who is it for? An alternate assessment based on modified academic achievement standards Different passing standard than STAAR Test questions that are based on STAAR For students receiving special education services who meet participation requirements For the 2012-2013 school year, applies to students in grades 3-8 and entering grades 9 and 10 Students repeating grade 10 and in grades 11-12 are still held to the requirements of the TAKS program

14. GRADE/COURSE SUBJECTS ASSESSED WITH STAAR MODIFIED IN SPRING 2013 3 reading, mathematics 4 reading, mathematics, writing 5 reading, mathematics, science 6 reading, mathematics 7 reading, mathematics, writing 8 reading, mathematics, science, social studies End-of-Course (EOC) English I, English II Algebra I, Geometry Biology World Geography, World History

15. What subjects are assessed with STAAR but are not assessed with STAAR Modified? STAAR Modified English III and U.S. History will be administered in 2014 Algebra II, chemistry, and physics will NOT be assessed with STAAR Modified.

16. How have the test designs for STAAR Modified grades 4 & 7 Writing changed? For the Spring 2012 administration, these writing tests included the revising section and a prompt on day one and the editing section and a prompt on day two. For the Spring 2013 administration, revising and editing passages will be administered on both day one and day two. In addition, the answer document will now be separated into day one and day two sections.

17. Participation Requirements How does an ARD committee determine whether STAAR Modified is the appropriate assessment? 1)Review the student’s present level of academic achievement and functional performance (PLAAFP). 2)Review the student’s instructional plan, which includes the goals, objectives, accommodations and/or modifications the student will need in order to access the grade-level/course Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS). 3)Determine the appropriate assessment for the student based on the instruction the student is receiving and whether the student meets the participation requirements. 4)Document the assessment decision, including any accommodations.

19. What does “State-required Documentation Form” mean? TEA requires the STAAR Modified Participation Requirements Form to be completed and retained by the district. 2012-2013: STAAR Modified Participation Requirements may be included in the student’s IEP. 2013-2014: STAAR Modified Participations Requirements must be included in the student’s IEP.

20. Which district personnel can complete this form? A member of the ARD committee who participated in the meeting where the statewide assessment decision was determined Example: special education teacher, ARD facilitator, administrator

21. For the 2012-2013 school year, where can this form be retained and for how long? Can be filed at the campus level Local determination Best practice-retain documentation as long as helpful for decision-making purposes from year to year Can be filed in the IEP (although it is not a required part of the IEP, for the 2012-2013 school year) Best practice-complete form during the ARD committee meeting when assessment decisions are made If form is filed in the IEP, the normal IEP retention policies apply

22. Does an ARD committee need to complete the participation requirements and retain the document if a student is receiving modified instruction in a course in which STAAR Modified is not available? Yes. This applies to English III, U.S. history, chemistry, physics, and Algebra II If the student meets participation requirements in these courses, then he/she does not test since an assessment is not available. If the participation requirements are not reviewed or the answer to any of the three questions on the STAAR Modified Participation Requirements is No, the student takes STAAR.

23. If a student takes STAAR Modified in high school but is dismissed from special education before graduation, will the student now have to take STAAR? Yes. The student is now held to the same requirements as all other general education students.

24. Is the STAAR Modified science assessment appropriate for a student when the IEP only addresses reading skills, with no goals specific to science? No. All subjects need to be addressed. The ARD committee is required to confirm that the “student’s IEP contains standards-based (TEKS-based) goals indicating the modified content the student required in order to access the grade-level or course curriculum.”

25. What resources are available to help with STAAR Modified? Available Resources http://www.tea.state.tx.us/student. assessment/special-ed/staarm/