1. Brownsville Independent School District
2017 STAAR Alternate 2
Training for CTC’s and Test Administrators
Assessment, Research & Evaluation Department
February 14, 2017

2. Disclaimer
This training does NOT replace your requirement of reading the appropriate manuals!!!

3. Eligibility and Participation Requirements
The admissions review and dismissal (ARD) committee determines whether a student with a significant cognitive disability is eligible to take STAAR Alternate 2 based on specific criteria.
The decision to administer the STAAR Alternate 2 is based on multiple sources of measurable, objective evidence.
The STAAR Alternate 2 is intended for no more than 1% of all students in the district for the grades being tested.

4. Assessment Decisions Participation Requirements
The assessment decision and accommodations needed to measure the student’s academic achievement must be documented in the student’s Individualized Education Program (IEP).
The student will take STAAR Alternate 2 for ALL required STAAR subjects or enrolled end of course (EOC) assessments.

5. Exceptions
Medical Exceptions (ME) and No Authentic Academic Response (NAAR)
In rare cases, due to the nature of a student’s disability or a serious medical condition, it may be inappropriate to assess an eligible student with STAAR Alternate 2.
In these cases, ARD committees should review the requirements for Medical Exceptions or NAAR designation found on the STAAR Alternate 2 Resources page of the TEA website.

6. Key Dates Date Activity Feb 14
Student data submission (student registration)
Feb 24
Materials list posted online
Feb 27–Mar 3
Materials due in district
Student data submission (UPDATE ONLY)
Mar 10
Additional order due (if needed)
Last date for test administrator training
Mar 20-23
Test session setup (proctor caching included)
Mar 20–31
Preview window
Mar 22
Testing plan due (calendars)
Apr 3–21
STAAR Alternate 2 Assessment window
Apr 4
Enrollees from Out-of-District will not test after this date
Apr 24
Return materials to warehouse (9am)

7. Assessment Window and Tested Subjects
The STAAR Alternate 2 testing window is April 3–21, Campuses will schedule the student’s administrations of each subject and grade-level test within the window.
The test will be administered in the following grades and subjects:

8. April Enrollment Reminders 4
Districts are not required to assess students who are eligible for STAAR Alternate 2 that enroll in a new district on April 4, or later.
Intra-district transfer students are required to be tested
April 4

9. Test Security
STAAR Alternate 2 standardized test administration materials are considered secure.
Test security involves accounting for all secure materials and confidential student information before, during, and after the test administration.
Test security requires campuses to
Verify all materials were received and packing lists are correct
Ensure the proper storage of materials when not in use
Maintain proper tracking/transferring of testing materials
Collect and destroy any materials/ paper after each administration
Return all test booklets AND answer documents to the DTC
Maintain all inventory and shipping records at the campus for at least 5 years

10. Confidentiality
“No person may reveal or discuss the contents of a test booklet or secure portion of a test administrator manual before, during, or after a test administration unless specifically authorized to do so by the procedures outlined in the test administration materials. If circumstances necessitate that a test booklet or secure portion of the test administrator manual be examined, permission must first be obtained from TEA.”
(TAM, 2017)

11. Oaths of Test Security and Photocopying
Test administrators and assistants must be aware that they are viewing secure content when working with STAAR Alternate 2 materials and that discussing the content of the test at any time is strictly prohibited.
As a reminder of this obligation, testing personnel are required to sign a separate section of the test administrator’s oath.
REMEMBER
No ONE may discuss test content, student responses or scoring information before, during, or after a test administration.

12. Who Can Administer STAAR Alternate 2?
The STAAR Alternate 2 test administrator:
should be the student’s teacher for the subject being tested, and
must have a high level of familiarity with the student so that testing accommodations can be prepared appropriately and the student’s typical response modes can be understood.

13. Test Administrator/Assistant
Test administrators or test administrator assistants may include:
Staff members who are serving as an intervener; employed by the district and equipped with specialized skills and training to routinely provide direct support to a student with deafblindness.
Those providing brailling services to the district may serve in the role of a test administrator assistant DCCM, SA10

14. Paraprofessionals
Certified and noncertified paraprofessionals who may serve as test administrator assistants are:
currently employed by the district, and
routinely work with students in the classroom.
Paraprofessionals must be supervised by a certified professional on the same campus throughout the test administration.

15. Test Administrator Oath
Test administrators must initial and sign the appropriate Oath of Test Security following training on test security and general testing procedures and before handling secure test materials.

16. Test Administrator Responsibilities
Maintaining security of test materials while in their possession,
Preparing test materials for each administration,
Implementing the test administration processes and procedures stated in the manuals,
Monitoring and maintaining test security,
Reporting any suspected violation of test security to the campus coordinator,
Transcribing student responses into TestNav (can also be done by other designated individuals), and
Preparing test materials for return to the campus coordinator at the conclusion of test administrations.

17. Test Administrator Assistants
The test administrator assistant can provide assistance including:
preparing allowable accommodations,
manipulating materials during the testing session,
translating or signing information for the student, and
managing student behavior.
All test administrator assistants:
must be trained in test security and administration procedures prior to the assessment, and
must sign the test administrator’s oath of test security and confidentiality.
DCCM, SA10

18. Test Design
Six clusters comprise a test form resulting in 24 scripted questions per test.
The test administrator booklet contains scripted questions and guidelines for how the test will be administered.
The student booklet contains stimulus images and text needed for the student to select answers.
The items range in difficulty starting with the easiest and moving toward the hardest item.
Difficulty is based on the skill being tested, the prerequisite skills and what the student is being asked to do
Each student is expected to attempt ALL questions

19. Test Materials
STAAR Alternate 2 test administrators will be provided with the following materials per student for each grade/subject/course tested:
1-STAAR Alternate 2 Test Administrator Manual—secure;
Provides a guide to administering the test, as well as specific instructions for administering each question
1-Student booklet—secure;
Contains the images for the questions and answer choices presented to the student.
1-STAAR Alternate 2 Scoring Document—secure during and after use;
A single sheet with answer bubbles for recording student responses for later input into the online transcription form. This required document must be returned to the campus coordinator.

20. Preview Testing Window
Test administrators and test administrator assistants need to preview the STAAR Alternate 2 materials to become familiar with the test and to prepare any necessary accommodations.
Test administrators and test administrator assistants should use the preview period to:
practice reading the script and following the “Presentation Instructions” and “Scoring Instructions” for each item.
prepare accommodations prior to administering the assessment according to the guidelines outlined in the “Accommodations” section of the manual. (This may also be done during the testing window.)

21. Preview Testing Window
Security Procedures
Test materials must be kept in locked, secure storage throughout the day when not in use.
Test materials (including photocopied pages from the student booklet) must be returned to the campus coordinator at the end of each day and be checked in and out using the Materials Control Form.
These test materials must be kept in a locked, secure storage area until the materials are checked out again.

22. Plan and Prepare Accommodations
The allowable accommodations chart has been reformatted and can be found in The Educator Guide for STAAR Alternate 2, the STAAR Alternate 2 Test Administrator Manual, and TEA’s STAAR Alternate 2 Resources webpage.
The accommodations must:
maintain the integrity of the assessment,
avoid leading to or providing the student a direct answer,
be used routinely in instruction,
reflect the student’s learning styles, and
allow a student to respond using a mode that is appropriate for the student.

23. Plan and Prepare Accommodations
The test administrator must present the accommodations uniformly so that the correct answer is not emphasized over the other answer choices.
It is appropriate to add language that encourages the student to stay on task.
It is not appropriate to add language about the content of the question.

24. Assistive Technology
Assistive technology that is documented in the student’s IEP and used routinely in instruction may be used to provide the student access to the assessment.
The use of technology should be used primarily for communicating an answer by the student or presenting answer choices by the test administrator.
Because the assessment is secure, the use of some devices is not allowable. Instances when a device or procedure would not be allowed include:
tablets or computers with Internet access that cannot be turned off
inputting answer choices into a device that has stored memory that cannot be erased

25. Preparing the Testing Environment
Test administrators must prepare the environment for the administration of STAAR Alternate 2.
STAAR Alternate 2 is administered to students in a one-on-one setting.
Test sessions must be conducted under the best possible conditions with minimal distractions and in a setting that is arranged in the most appropriate way for individual students. Some options include:
Administering the test in a separate location.
Providing adaptive or special furniture.
Providing special acoustics.

26. Preparing the Testing Environment
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 students during testing must be covered or removed.
Clocks 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.
Test administrators must prevent students who are not part of the current testing session from viewing/hearing another student’s test administration.
The test administrator will determine the most appropriate seating arrangement based on individual student needs

27. Administer the Assessment
Seating Charts
Must have a seating chart for each student that tested.
Seating charts must include:
Location of testing session, including district and campus names, room number, and room description (such as library, classroom, etc.)
Start and Stop Times
Record date, test administered, subject, grade level
First and last name of test administrator(s)/monitor(s) conducting or involved in the test session
First and last name for each student in the room, local ID and location where each individual is seated

28. Administer the Assessment
Communication
A test administrator can communicate with a student in many ways depending on a student’s needs. The information can be
stated,
signed,
translated into any other language that is routinely used with the student during instruction,
provided in written form,
or paired with tactile or picture symbols.

29. Administer the Assessment
All assessments must be administered within the testing window. Individual student administrations may be started or stopped at any time within the testing window.
The test does not have to be given in one session if the student is not able to maintain stamina or focus.
Test items must be administered in the order they appear in the student booklet.
The test is designed in clusters of four items that build on one another and assess a targeted essence statement. If the test is stopped, TEA requires that the test be stopped after a cluster.
At no time may a student go back to previously answered items, including after an administration has been stopped and resumed for an emergency.

30. Administer the Assessment
STAAR Alternate 2 is an untimed assessment and may take as long as necessary to be completed within the testing window. Some timing options include
Administering the assessment at a time that is most appropriate for an individual student
Allowing breaks, as necessary
Administering the test over several days with several sessions per day
Administering the test over several days, one session each day

31. Administer the Assessment
Incomplete Assessments
Every attempt must be made to complete the assessment during the window
If the assessment cannot be completed within the window, enter the score for the portion of the testing the student was able to complete into the online transcription form
If a student cannot complete testing within the window due to his or her disability or other administration obstacles, contact the DTC for guidance PRIOR to the end of the testing window

32. Transcribe Student Responses
Test sessions must be created in the Assessment Management System.
Student responses will be entered into the online transcription form.
Testing personnel will access the online transcription form by using the “Launch Test” feature in the Assessment Management System.
Testing personnel must be trained and have a signed oath on file.

33. Returning Materials to CTC
Return nonscorable materials:
STAAR Alternate 2 Scoring Document
Student test booklets grouped by grade for grades 3–8
Student test booklets grouped by course for EOC assessments
secure STAAR Alternate 2 test administrator manuals
photocopies of secure test materials, if used
Do not return
Any real or boardmaker pictures, objects, textured materials or tools used during the assessment

34. Resources
Educator Guide State of Texas Assessment of Academic Readiness Alternate 2 (STAAR Alternate 2)—Revised September 2016
2017 District and Campus Coordinator Manual
Test Administrator Manual 2017 STAAR Alternate 2 (Non-Secure Front Matter)

35. Questions…