1. Introducing STAAR Modified
2011 Texas Assessment Conference
Introducing STAAR Modified
Cari Wieland, Kim Brannan, Jana Owen
TEA Student Assessment Division
Kelly Callaway
TEA Curriculum Division

2. Disclaimer
These slides have been prepared and approved by the Student Assessment Division of the Texas Education Agency.
If any slide is amended or revised for use in local or regional trainings, please remove the TEA footer at the bottom of the slide.
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3. Agenda General Information STAAR Modified Modification Guidelines
STAAR Modified Participation Requirements
Graduation Flowchart
Frequently Asked Questions
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4. What is STAAR Modified and who is it for?
An alternate assessment based on modified academic achievement standards
Different passing standard than STAAR
Different test questions…based on STAAR
For students receiving special education services who meet participation requirements
For the school year, applies to students in grades 3-8 and entering grade 9
Students repeating grade 9 and in grades are still held to the requirements of the TAKS program
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5. TEA - 2011 Texas Assessment Conference

6. What subjects are assessed with STAAR, but are not assessed with STAAR Modified?
STAAR Modified World History will be administered in 2013
STAAR Modified English III and U.S. History will be administered in 2014
Algebra II, chemistry, and physics will NEVER be assessed with STAAR Modified.
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7. STAAR Modified Modification Guidelines
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8. How is STAAR Modified… modified?
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How is STAAR Modified… modified?
Begin with STAAR and simplify reading selections, test questions, and answer choices by:
Reducing the number of questions tested and deleting one answer choice
Simplifying sentence structure, vocabulary, digits, and grid for griddable questions (mathematics only)
Revising or adding context for clarification
Examples: pre-reading text in reading and writing, definitions, formulas and/or conversions
Deleting extraneous information
Examples: reduce number of variables/steps/operations, delete one part of compound answer choices
Organizing information differently
Examples: chunk (separate into parts) reading and editing selections, bulleting information, additional spacing

9. Delete “not” or “except” questions
Or… delete certain things from STAAR so that they are not tested on STAAR Modified
Delete “not” or “except” questions
Delete griddable questions (science tests only)
Separate paired STAAR reading selections (test as single selections that are not thematically linked) and delete all thematically-linked crossover questions (reading tests only)
Student expectations in Reporting Category 1 associated with making connections across texts are not tested on STAAR Modified
Only vocabulary will be tested in Reporting Category 1 for STAAR Modified
Students will be assessed with only one type of writing prompt in each tested grade (writing tests only)
Student compositions are scored on a three-point rubric (writing tests only)
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10. Will test administrators be allowed to read any word in the selection that they already read in the pre-reading text like in TAKS-M?
No. This is a difference between TAKS-M and STAAR Modified reading tests.
Test administrators (TA) may read the pre-reading text to students but MAY NOT READ ANYTHING IN THE READING SELECTION.
The TA must read aloud the pre-reading text and may read the test questions and answer choices if the student is eligible for an oral administration.
Test administration directions will explain that the TA can read the pre-reading text as many times as necessary, as long as it is prior to the students reading the selections.
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11. Will poetry and drama selections be chunked on STAAR Modified reading tests? 
Poetry selections will NOT be separated into parts.
Drama selections WILL be separated into parts, usually according to the number of scenes.
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12. What is the reading level of STAAR Modified reading selections?
The decoding level of STAAR Modified reading selections is simplified (e.g., sentence structure, vocabulary).
This does not apply to published selections.
Readability programs have not been used to “level” reading selections because they are often inconsistent.
TEA bases appropriateness of the selections readability on the expertise of
TEA staff (Student Assessment Division, Curriculum Division) who are former teachers
Teachers across the state through item review meetings
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13. STAAR Modified Participation Requirements
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14. How does an ARD committee determine whether STAAR Modified is the appropriate assessment?
Review the student’s present level of academic achievement and functional performance (PLAAFP).
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).
Determine the appropriate assessment for the student based on the instruction the student is receiving and whether the student meets the participation requirements.
Document the assessment decision, including any accommodations.
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15. TEA - 2011 Texas Assessment Conference

16. What does “State-required Documentation Form” mean?
TEA requires the form to be completed and retained by the district.
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17. 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
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18. 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)
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.
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19. TEA cannot endorse or support any specific vendors.
Can TEA give copyright permission to vendors so that the STAAR Modified Participation Requirements can be transferred to the electronic versions of the district’s IEP?
No. TEA’s copyright permission is granted to Texas public schools for educational purposes.
TEA cannot endorse or support any specific vendors.
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20. How is Step I completed?
Three eligibility questions must be answered for each subject/course for which STAAR Modified is being considered.
If the answer to any of the questions is No, then the student is not eligible to participate in STAAR Modified in that subject or course and must participate in one of the other statewide assessments.
Page numbers from the IEP can be included as “Justification” for a Yes answer.
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21. Where in the IEP can I find the “justification” for the student meeting each of the eligibility criteria?
This evidence may be found in many places in the IEP. For example,
PLAAFP
Goals, objectives
Instructional modification or accommodation page
Deliberations
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22. Does the ARD committee need to complete all three steps in the participation requirements and retain the document if the answer to one or more of the eligibility questions is No?
No. If the student is not eligible for STAAR Modified, then the State-required Documentation Form does not have to be retained.
However, schools may want to retain this information as evidence for future instructional and assessment decisions.
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23.  Is it a testing irregularity to give STAAR Modified to a student who doesn’t meet the participation requirements ? 
Yes. If the student was administered the wrong assessment, the district testing coordinator must contact TEA to receive instructions on how to
Fix the error
Give the correct test
Document the irregularity
There are no further ramifications once the error is reported and has been corrected.
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24. 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. Applies to English III, World History, U.S. History, Chemistry, Physics, Algebra II
If the student meets participation requirements, 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 is No, the student takes STAAR.
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25. How is Step II completed?
Confirm that the IEP includes documentation of
why STAAR is not appropriate
why STAAR Modified is appropriate
what accommodations the student will use or the ARD committee is recommending for use (e.g., extra day, photocopy)
Confirm that the assessment decision is
based on multiple sources of measurable, objective evidence, not just previous statewide assessment results
made by the entire ARD committee, not administratively based on AYP limitations
based on educational need and instruction, not location of service delivery, etc.
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26. For elementary and middle school students, discuss the fact that instructional and assessment decisions made now may impact a student’s graduation options in high school.
For a student taking EOC assessments, confirm that the student is enrolled in a course with a PEIMS number that indicates coursework is modified and the student is graduating on the Minimum High School Program (MHSP)
Modified coursework = MHSP = no automatic admission into a Texas 4-year university
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27. How do I use the new PEIMS codes?
Use the new codes for all students receiving special education services and completing a modified or alternate version of the corresponding course, including those students who are in grades 10, 11, and 12 who are graduating under the TAKS requirements.
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28. Where do I find new PEIMS codes?
PEIMS Data Standards Addendum
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29. When do the new PEIMS codes need to be in place?
Please begin using the new codes for all students as soon as possible.
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30. Should the Academic Achievement Record identify courses as “Modified” when the modified PEIMS codes are used?
No. FERPA regulations do not allow any information on the student’s transcript that would identify him/her as a student with a disability.
The student’s transcript will show the state- adopted course name only (e.g., Algebra I).
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31. Are districts still able to use local names for courses (i. e
Are districts still able to use local names for courses (i.e., Basic English)?
Schools are required to use the state- adopted name as referenced in PEIMS but can use local names in addition to the state-adopted name.
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32. Do we continue using the “9” codes for non-EOC courses?
Districts may use either the standard course code or a locally assigned “9” code for a course that does not have M or Alt codes.
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33. Answer per Federal and State Education Policy
If a student is receiving modified instruction in the general classroom, who should be the teacher of record?
Answer per Federal and State Education Policy
The ARD committee will determine whether the course should be taught by a general education teacher with special education supports, or in a “self- contained” class taught by a certified special education teacher.
The special education supports may be a co-teaching role (two teachers of record, or 1 teacher of record and one assistant) or a support teacher role.
If the course is taught by a general education teacher, there should be clear documentation showing the special education supports that are provided to students to ensure a free and appropriate public education (FAPE).
See PEIMS data standards related to the 305 Record for more information.
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34. Graduation Flowchart For Students Receiving Special Education Services
Who Entered Grade 9 in (and thereafter)
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36. Does student who takes all STAAR assessments with or without accommodations meet cumulative score requirements for all STAAR assessments?

37. Does student who takes all STAAR assessments with or without accommodations meet cumulative score requirements for all STAAR assessments? YES

38. Does student who takes all STAAR assessments with or without accommodations meet cumulative score requirements for all STAAR assessments? YES

39. Overview: Modified TEKS-based instruction
*Students who take at least one STAAR Modified assessment will graduate under the Minimum High School Program according to TAC § (c).

40. Does student take all STAAR Modified assessments? YES
*Students who take at least one STAAR Modified assessment will graduate under the Minimum High School Program according to TAC § (c).

41. Does student take all STAAR Modified assessments? NO
*Students who take at least one STAAR Modified assessment will graduate under the Minimum High School Program according to TAC § (c).

42. Student meets Minimum High School Program curriculum and credit requirements

43. This applies to students receiving special education services as well.
Once a student begins taking modified coursework and STAAR Modified, is that student able to opt back into the Recommended High School Program (RHSP)?
Students who take courses under the MHSP as provided by Subsection (b) may, upon request, resume taking courses under the RHSP (House Bill 3, §28.025(b-8) )
This applies to students receiving special education services as well.
The ARD committee would need to determine how the student can achieve the necessary credits, as courses with modified content cannot be counted toward this program.
The student would then have to meet all of the requirements of the general assessment, STAAR.
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44. 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.
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45. Does the 15% rule apply to students served by special education services?
Yes. For a student receiving special education services, the score he or she receives on a general STAAR EOC assessment must count as 15% of the final course grade. Nevertheless, the student's admission, review, and dismissal (ARD) committee determines whether the student has met the course requirements.
The 15% requirement does not apply to students taking STAAR Modified or STAAR Alternate.
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46. Other Frequently Asked Questions
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47. Will students taking STAAR Modified have four hours to test or will they get extra time?
Students taking STAAR Modified will have four hours to test just like students taking STAAR
The accommodations of extra time until the end of the day and extra day have not been posted yet…
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48. With regards to the STAAR Modified resources that have yet to be posted, what does “coming soon” really mean?
We REALLY are working on this stuff… I promise!
English I-II and Grades 3-8 released test questions
English I-II definitely posted in December 2011
Grades 3-8 will be posted beginning in December as they are finalized
Scoring rubrics for writing tests
WANT to post in January but HAVE to post by the time scoring begins in April
English III, World History, and U.S. History test blueprints and English III test design schematic
Not posted until administration year
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