1. Assessing ELLs with STAARTM
Texas Assessment Conference
December 6, 2011

Silvia Alvarado-Bolek, Manager, STAAR Spanish
Megan Galicia, Manager, Language Accessibility
Student Assessment Division
Texas Education Agency

2. TEA - Assessing ELLs with STAAR
Disclaimer
These slides have been prepared by the Student Assessment Division of the Texas Education Agency
If any slide is changed for local use, please remove the TEA footer at the bottom of the slide
TEA - Assessing ELLs with STAAR

3. STAAR Assessment Program
General STAAR
STAAR Spanish STAAR L
STAAR Modified STAAR Alternate
TEA - Assessing ELLs with STAAR

4. TEA - Assessing ELLs with STAAR
Grades 3–8: reading, writing, mathematics, science, and social studies
EOC: English I–III, Algebra I, geometry, Algebra II, biology, chemistry, physics, world geography, world history, and U.S. history
ELLs take STAAR if they are not eligible for one of the assessments on the slides that follow
TEA - Assessing ELLs with STAAR

5. TEA - Assessing ELLs with STAAR
STAAR Spanish
Available for students in grades 3–5
Grades 3–5 reading and math
Grade 4 writing
Grade 5 science
Same grades and subjects are tested as
English
LPAC determines if STAAR Spanish test is the most appropriate measure of student’s academic progress
TEA - Assessing ELLs with STAAR

6. TEA - Assessing ELLs with STAAR
STAAR L
Linguistically accommodated versions of STAAR grades 3–8 and EOC
STAAR L is for math, science, and social studies (EOC included)
No STAAR L for reading and writing
TEA - Assessing ELLs with STAAR

7. TEA - Assessing ELLs with STAAR
STAAR L
Eligibility:
Spanish-version test does not exist or is not most appropriate measure of academic progress for the student
Student is in first 3 years in U.S. schools (unless unschooled asylee/refugee, then first 5)
Student has not yet reached advanced high rating on TELPAS reading test
TEA - Assessing ELLs with STAAR

8. STAAR Modified and STAAR Alternate
ELLs receiving special education services who meet participation requirements for STAAR Modified or STAAR Alternate may participate in these assessments
More information about STAAR Modified and STAAR Alternate is available at
TEA - Assessing ELLs with STAAR

9. STAAR, STAAR Spanish, and STAAR L Alignment
Common features:
Same assessed curriculum
Same item types
Same STAAR blueprints for building tests
Same achievement standard alignment
Same focus on readiness for next grade level or course and ultimately postsecondary readiness
TEA - Assessing ELLs with STAAR

10. STAAR, STAAR Spanish, STAAR L Alignment
Differences have to do with language accessibility:
STAAR Spanish uses native language to help students understand test
STAAR L provides English-language accommodations to help students understand test
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11. Linguistic Accommodations in STAAR Program
Linguistic accommodations are not just for STAAR L
(Linguistic accommodations beyond testing in primary language do not apply to STAAR Spanish)
TEA - Assessing ELLs with STAAR

12. Linguistic Accommodations– STAAR
TEA - Assessing ELLs with STAAR

13. Linguistic Accommodations– STAAR L
*Provided by test administrator in 2012; by computer in 2013
TEA - Assessing ELLs with STAAR

14. Linguistic Accommodations– STAAR Modified
*Unique to STAAR Modified
TEA - Assessing ELLs with STAAR

15. TEA - Assessing ELLs with STAAR
Decision-Making Body
LPAC is responsible for obtaining teacher input and making assessment and linguistic accommodation decisions for ELLs
For ELLs served by special education, the ARD committee and LPAC work in conjunction to make these decisions
More information about procedures for LPACs and ARD committees to follow in making and documenting ELL assessment and accommodation decisions will be available from TEA ELL Assessments webpage
Linguistic accommodation and assessment decisions are not “automatic;” they are made on an individual student basis in accordance with TEA administrative procedures
TEA - Assessing ELLs with STAAR

16. TEA - Assessing ELLs with STAAR

17. STAAR Standard Setting Activities
Performance standards for EOC assessments
will be set in spring of 2012
Performance standards for grades 3–8 will be
set in fall 2012
TEA - Assessing ELLs with STAAR

18. TEA - Assessing ELLs with STAAR
STAAR Retests
First EOC retests will be in summer 2012
First SSI retests will be in spring 2013
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19. STAAR Annual Item Development Activities
Testing contractor develops items from assessed TEKS curriculum
TEA curriculum and assessment staff review and revise proposed items
Committees of Texas educators review and revise items before field testing
Items are field-tested with large samples of Texas students
Field-test data are analyzed for reliability, validity, and possible bias
Tests are built from the item bank to meet STAAR blueprint specifications
TEA - Assessing ELLs with STAAR

20. Steps for Ensuring Transadaptability STAAR Spanish
Math and science: Transadapted from English-version items
New English items are reviewed by bilingual contractor and TEA staff for linguistic and cultural appropriateness to support Spanish transadaptability
Bilingual educators review English and Spanish version items to ensure transadaptations assess content comparably and are worded appropriately
Reading and writing: Not transadapted; separately developed
Contractor and TEA staff collaborate during item development, item review, and test construction processes to ensure that test specifications are interpreted same way
Bilingual educators follow same process and guidelines to review Spanish-version items as educator committees who review English-version items
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21. Steps for Ensuring Language Accessibility of STAAR L
STAAR L items are STAAR English-version items
Contractor and TEA staff, including second language acquisition specialists, collaborate during item development and review processes to create test items that are —
grade-appropriate
succinct and worded in a straightforward way
accessible to diverse student populations
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22. STAAR SAMPLE ITEMS  MATHEMATICS & SCIENCE
TEA - Assessing ELLs with STAAR

23. STAAR and STAAR L Grade 3 Math
Classify Geometric Figures
STAAR: ELLs may be eligible for bilingual dictionary and extra time (same day) linguistic accommodations.
STAAR L: In addition to the accommodations above, ELLs may be eligible for linguistic accommodations of having the test administrator read aloud eligible text and clarify the meaning of eligible words in English.
TEA - Assessing ELLs with STAAR

24. STAAR Spanish Grade 3 Math
Classify geometric figures
TEA - Assessing ELLs with STAAR

25. STAAR and STAAR L Grade 5 Science
Boiling Point
STAAR: ELLs may be eligible for bilingual dictionary and extra time (same day) linguistic accommodations.
STAAR L: In addition to the accommodations above, ELLs may be eligible for linguistic accommodations of having the test administrator read aloud eligible text and clarify the meaning of eligible words in English.
TEA - Assessing ELLs with STAAR

26. STAAR Spanish Grade 5 Science
Boiling Point
TEA - Assessing ELLs with STAAR

27. STAAR SAMPLE ITEMS  READING & WRITING
TEA - Assessing ELLs with STAAR

28. TEA - Assessing ELLs with STAAR
STAAR Grade 4 Writing
Topic Sentence
ELLs taking grade 4 STAAR writing may be eligible for dictionary and extra time (same day) linguistic accommodations. The general dictionary policy for reading and writing assessments does not allow dictionary use in grades 3–5. It is available to eligible ELLs as a linguistic accommodation in these grades.
TEA - Assessing ELLs with STAAR

29. STAAR Spanish Grade 4 Writing
Topic Sentence
TEA - Assessing ELLs with STAAR

30. TEA - Assessing ELLs with STAAR
STAAR Grade 5 Reading
Theme/Drama
ELLs taking grade 5 STAAR reading may be eligible for dictionary and extra time (same day) linguistic accommodations. The general dictionary policy for reading and writing assessments does not allow dictionary use in grades 3–5. It is available to eligible ELLs as a linguistic accommodation in these grades.
TEA - Assessing ELLs with STAAR

31. STAAR Spanish Grade 5 Reading
Theme/Drama
TEA - Assessing ELLs with STAAR

32. TEA - Assessing ELLs with STAAR
STAAR L — 2013 and Beyond
TEA - Assessing ELLs with STAAR

33. TEA - Assessing ELLs with STAAR
STAAR L for 2013 and Beyond
STAAR L will continue to be for —
grades 3–8 and EOC
math, science, and social studies
2013 and beyond – online testing program
Clarification and read-aloud accommodations provided by teachers in 2012 will be built into the online system
TEA - Assessing ELLs with STAAR

34. STAAR L Linguistic Accommodations
TEA - Assessing ELLs with STAAR

35. Preview of STAAR L 2013 and Beyond
TEA - Assessing ELLs with STAAR

36. Preview of STAAR L 2013 and Beyond
Examples of language to be clarified in online system (as long as assessed content words not clarified):
Vocabulary including idiomatic language and colloquialisms
Long clauses and difficult conjunctions
Difficult prepositions or series of prepositional phrases
Complex verb tenses or difficult irregular verb forms
Passive voice
Complex question phrases
Difficult word order
Contexts that may be culturally unfamiliar or confusing 36
TEA - Assessing ELLs with STAAR

37. Preview of STAAR L 2013 and Beyond
Steps in development of STAAR L
Obtained input from grade-level and content area teachers and specialists in second language acquisition, large-scale assessment, and curriculum (February 2011)
Conducted cognitive lab/usability study to obtain student feedback on effectiveness of accommodations and usability of online system (October 2011)
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38. Preview of STAAR L 2013 and Beyond
Next steps
May 2012 larger-scale STAAR L online study of two high school subjects to refine accommodation guidelines and online interface
Review of read-aloud technology
Summer/fall 2012 educator review committees to review STAAR L items online
TEA - Assessing ELLs with STAAR

39. TEA - Assessing ELLs with STAAR
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
TEA - Assessing ELLs with STAAR

40. STAAR Resources Webpage
See information such as —
Q & A
Sample questions
PowerPoint presentations
STAAR assessment comparison chart
STAAR brochures in English and Spanish
STAAR dictionary policy for language arts tests
TEA - Assessing ELLs with STAAR

41. STAAR Accommodation Information
Accommodation Resources webpage
Information about
accommodations for students with disabilities
(periodically updated)
linguistic accommodations for ELLs (coming soon)
accommodations
TEA - Assessing ELLs with STAAR

42. Recommendations for Educator Review Committees
As part of test development process for the state assessments, TEA convenes committees of educators each year to review items for state assessment programs
Committees assembled from database of recommended educators
Need recommendations for educators who have experience working with ELLs
Recommendation forms available at
RecommendationEducatorCommittee.pdf
TEA - Assessing ELLs with STAAR

43. TEA - Assessing ELLs with STAAR
Contact Information
Go to and click on English Language Learner Assessments
us at
Call the TEA Student Assessment Division at
(512)
TEA - Assessing ELLs with STAAR