2. Student Test Warnings and Suspect Students
Resolving State of Texas Assessment of Academic Readiness (STAAR) Test Warnings in the Texas Assessment Management System
2014
This presentation covers STAAR Student Test Warnings and Suspect Students and how to resolve them in the Texas Assessment Management System.

3. Overview Student Test Warnings Suspect Students Matching Criteria
Test Attempts
Steps to Resolving Student Test Warnings
Correcting Suspect Students
Calendar of Events
Resources
Support
We will discuss what produces student test warnings and suspect students and cover associated terminology, including matching criteria and test attempts. We will also explain the steps to resolve warnings and correct suspect students. Finally, we will view the Calendar of Events and note important dates related to test warnings, available resources to assist with resolving warnings and Pearson contact support information.
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4. Student Test Warnings
Student Test Warnings on the Texas Assessment Management System, delivered through PearsonAccess, and located at , apply to STAAR administrations only.*
Student test warnings occur when there is an inaccuracy between a student’s information in the Assessment Management System and what has been gridded on an answer document.
Student test warnings do not apply to online tests.
* Note: Record Changes and Suspects for TELPAS and TAKS administrations are completed in the
Online Data Management System (SchoolHouse). See the Online Data Management User’s
Guide located at for information on
completing record changes.
Student test warnings can be viewed and resolved in the Texas Assessment Management System located at These warnings only apply to STAAR administrations and occur when there is an inaccuracy between a student’s information in the Assessment Management System’s Student Directory and what has been gridded on a paper answer document. Test warnings do not apply to online tests.
Note: This presentation does not cover record changes and suspect students for TELPAS and TAKS administrations. These are completed in the Online Data Management System (SchoolHouse) at Please see the Online Data Management User’s Guide at for instructions on completing TELPAS and TAKS student record changes.
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5. Suspect Students A Suspect Student is created:
— when a PEIMS file contains a student that partially matches a
student in the directory
— when the processed answer document partially matches to a
student in the directory or because the answer document
contains invalid data
For example:
A PEIMS-ID matches to a student in the directory, but 2 out of 3 of FIRST-NAME, LAST-NAME, and DATE-OF-BIRTH do not match.
A PEIMS-ID is invalid (not 9 digits or S followed by 8 digits).
Required data to create a student is not valid (FIRST-NAME, LAST-NAME, DATE-OF-BIRTH, and SEX-CODE are blank, double-gridded, or invalid/future date).
Suspect students are those students who partially match students in the directory during a PEIMS file upload and when the processed answer document partially matches to a student in the directory or because an answer document contained invalid data. Here are some examples:
- A PEIMS ID matches to a student in the directory, but 2 out of 3 of FIRST-NAME, LAST-NAME, and DATE-OF-BIRTH do not match
- A PEIMS-ID is invalid (not 9 digits or S followed by 8 digits)
- Required data from an answer document to create a student is not valid (FIRST-NAME, LAST-NAME, DATE-OF-BIRTH, and SEX-CODE are blank,
double-gridded, or contain an invalid/future date)
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6. Matching Criteria
When answer documents are processed and loaded into the Assessment Management System, they are matched to students in the Student Directory. If the PEIMS-ID matches a student in the directory, then the matching criteria of 2 out of 3 of LAST-NAME (excluding special characters), FIRST-NAME (excluding special characters), and DATE-OF-BIRTH is applied.
Another term that relates to student warnings is matching criteria. After answer documents are processed and loaded into the Assessment Management System, they are matched to students in the Student Directory. If the PEIMS ID on the answer document matches a student’s PEIMS ID in the Student Directory, then the matching criteria of 2 out of 3 pieces of information is applied: the student’s last name (excluding special characters), first name (excluding special characters) and date of birth.
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7. Test Attempt
A Test Attempt is a completed test taken either on paper or online, such as STAAR end-of-course (EOC) Algebra I.
A test attempt is recorded in the Assessment Management System once the online test or paper answer document is processed.
A test attempt as it relates to resolving student test warnings is a completed test taken either on paper or online, such as STAAR EOC Algebra I. Once the online test or paper answer document is processed, the test attempt is recorded in the Assessment Management System. By selecting a student’s registration information (Test Management > Register Students) and viewing the Assigned Tests tab, a student’s test assignment will display and show “Yes” under the Completed column. The Unique Identification Number (UIN) is assigned after a test is processed.
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8. Steps to Resolve Student Test Warnings
1. Go to Reports > Resolve Student Test Warnings.
2. If you need to change the administration, click the Change
link and select the correct administration.
Follow the on-screen instructions to resolve student test warnings.
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9. Steps to Resolve Student Test Warnings
3. Click the Show Search button to enter search criteria or click the Show All checkbox to view a list of all students whose tests have warnings. Then click the Search button.
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10. Steps to Resolve Student Test Warnings
Students with resolved and unresolved test warnings will appear. Students with unresolved test warnings will have linked names.
4. Click a student name to view the warnings associated with that
student’s test attempt (test attempts are student tests with a
“Completed” status).
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11. Steps to Resolve Student Test Warnings
Click the Edit button to make updates. Warning text appears below the fields with warnings
Click Save after making edits
Note: Only one update can be made to LAST-NAME, FIRST-NAME, or DATE-OF-BIRTH. There are no constraints on updates to
SEX-CODE or MIDDLE-INITIAL
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12. Steps to Resolve Student Test Warnings
• The suspect student information will be listed under
Gridded Information
• If there is a student in the system who has the same PEIMS-ID,
that student will be listed under Potential Match
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13. Steps to Resolve Student Test Warnings
• If the suspect student should be identified as the potential match student, you will change the Gridded Information to match the Potential Match information • If the Potential Match student is the one who needs to be corrected, change the Potential Match information to match the Gridded Information • If the suspect student’s PEIMS-ID is incorrect or invalid, correct the PEIMS ID beneath Gridded Information
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14. Invalid Data
• If the suspect student has invalid data (e.g., the student’s last
name was left blank on the answer document and is now listed as
NO LAST NAME), red warning text will appear beneath the field
with the warning. Correct the Gridded Information.
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15. Missing Grade Level
For STAAR EOC assessments only, if a grade level is left blank or is invalid, a warning will appear beneath the GRADE-LEVEL-CODE field. Correct the field by selecting the student’s appropriate grade level. Students with this warning will not be labeled as suspect students unless they have other warnings as well.
For STAAR EOC assessments only, if a grade level is left blank or is invalid, a warning will appear beneath the GRADE-LEVEL-CODE field. Correct the field by selecting the student’s appropriate grade level. Students with this warning will not be labeled as suspect students unless they have other warnings as well.
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16. Steps to Correct Suspect Students
Suspect students and associated warnings can be resolved by accessing the student from the Student Directory. 1. Go to Student Data > Manage Student Directory 2. To search for Suspect Students in the directory, select “Include” or “Only” from the Suspect option set.
Suspect students and associated warnings can be resolved by accessing the student from the Student Directory. To search for Suspect Students in the directory, select “Include” or “Only” from the Suspect option set.
Students that do not have a current test attempt will not be available through the Resolve Student Warnings page - these are only available through the Student Directory.
Note: Students that do not have a current test attempt will not be
available through the Resolve Student Warnings page –
these are only available through the Student Directory.
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17. Steps to Updating Suspect Students
3. After searching for student, select the linked suspect student’s name.
4. Click Edit
Follow the on-screen step to update suspect students.
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18. Steps to Updating Suspect Students
5. Update incorrect information and select Save.
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19. Calendar of Events
The Calendar of Events indicates dates to resolve student warnings and dates when districts will receive updated CSRs and data files online.
Warnings are accessible under Reports > Resolve Student Warnings for one year after the administration; however, a district can correct suspect student information after that year.
The Calendar of Events indicates dates to resolve student warnings and dates when districts will receive updated CSRs and data files online.
Warnings are accessible under Reports > Resolve Student Warnings for one year after the test administration; however, a district can correct suspect student information after that year.
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20. Resources
For additional information, see the User’s Guide for the Texas Assessment Management System located at and the Student Directory Overview document available on the Resources page at
For additional information, see the User’s Guide for the Texas Assessment Management System located at
and the Student Directory Overview document available on the Resources page at
Student Test Warnings and Suspect Students l 2014

21. Support
If you have any questions or need additional information about Student Test Warnings and Suspect Students, please contact the Austin Operations Center:
Phone -
If you have any questions or need additional information about Student Test Warnings and Suspect Students, please contact the Austin Operations Center by phone at or by at
Student Test Warnings and Suspect Students l 2014