1. STAAR Alternate 2 Campus Training
STAAR Alternate 2 Preview Window
March 19- March 30
STAAR Alternate 2 Assessment Window
April 2–April 20

2. NOT take the place of reading the appropriate state material.
This training does
NOT take the place of reading the appropriate state material.
STAAR Alternate 2 Educator’s Guide
STAAR Alternate 2 Test Administrator Manual

3. Tested Assessment Areas
STAAR Alternate 2
Tested Assessment Areas
Grade
Subject Assessed
Grade 3
Mathematics and Reading
Grade 4
Mathematics, Reading, and Writing
Grade 5
Mathematics, Reading, and Science
Grade 6
Grade 7
Grade 8
Mathematics, Reading, Science, and Social Studies
End of Course (EOC)
Algebra I, English I, English II, Biology, and U.S. History

4. Key STAAR Alternate 2 Campus Dates
Activity
Date
STAAR Alternate 2 Preview Window
March 19-March 30, 2018
STAAR Alternate 2 Assessment Window
April 2, – April 20, 2018
Please note: STAAR Alternate 2 Cut-Off date
Students who enroll NEW TO DISTRICT after the first day of the testing window will not be tested.
Enroll on or before April 2 = test
Enroll on or after April 3 = no test
Students who transfer within the same district after the first day of the STAAR Alternate 2 testing window still must be tested by the district where the student is enrolled.

5. Participation Requirements for STAAR Alternate 2
Students, for whom the ARD committee determines eligible for STAAR Alternate, will take an alternate assessment in ALL enrolled courses/subjects for that school year.
SAMPLE OF FORM
SAMPLE OF FORM
A new participation form is coming.
You will begin using this form FOR TESTING DECISIONS FOR 2019!

6. Medical Exception SAMPLE OF FORM
Students who are medically fragile and cannot attend to or tolerate any academic interaction can qualify for a medical exception if the student is:
unable to respond to test questions due to terminal or degenerative illness.
receiving extensive short-term treatment due to a medical emergency or serious injury in an accident.
unable to interact with peers or staff without risk of infection or contamination to him/herself or others.
unable to receive sufficient or consistent homebound services due to medical issues.
SAMPLE OF FORM
Revised form:
No longer “chronic illness”
Revised version: “terminal or degenerative illness”

7. No Authentic Academic Response (NAAR)
Students who are not able to respond authentically to any verbal, visual, or tactile stimuli during academic instruction due to level of cognition rather than a medical condition can qualify for a NAAR exception if the student:
does not show any observable reaction to a specific stimuli.
exhibits only startle responses.
tracks or fixates on objects at random and not for a purpose.
moves or responds only to internal stimuli.
vocalizes intermittently regardless of changes in the environment around them.
SAMPLE OF FORM

8. Test Administrator Qualifications…Who can test?
The STAAR Alternate 2 test administrator:
Should be the student’s teacher for the subject tested
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.
must receive training as defined in campus test coordinator’s responsibilities on test security and general testing procedures before handling secure test materials.
must initial and sign the test administrator oath.
Test administrators may include:
teachers (including those who hold teaching permits or probationary certificates)
paraprofessionals (certified and noncertified)
related service staff (currently employed by the district and routinely work with students in the classroom)

9. Test Administrator Qualifications…Continued
***Anyone involved in STAAR Alternate 2 must sign an oath and attend training
Paraprofessionals
Certified and noncertified paraprofessionals and related service staff may serve as test administrators or test administrator assistants if they:
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, receive training, and sign the test administrator oath.
Teacher Assistants
Test administrator assistants can provide assistance including:
preparing allowable accommodations as directed,
manipulating materials during the testing session,
translating or signing information for the student, and
managing student behavior.

10. New this year!
1. Color Student Booklets (some limited color images this year)
The Exit survey will be utilized to gauge test administrator satisfaction with color format. TEA will analyze the impact of new format on student performance.
2. Large Print Booklets (ordered through enrollment collection process)
Districts (District Test Coordinator) must enter a number to receive large print tests. The count in the Assessment Management System will default to zero
Number of large print booklets ordered should be based on students who require an accommodation of enlarged text or images

11. New this year! 3. Image Card Sets
One card set per standard size student booklet
Perforated cards: 4 cards on a 8 ½ X 11 page
Cards contain the same images that appear in the student test booklet
Reduces burden on teacher for photocopying and preparation of images
Test administrators are NOT required to use Image Card sets
Test administrators should utilize image cards in the same way they previously accommodated the student booklet page (EXAMPLES) by photocopying and then cutting apart answer choices in order to present answer choices one at a time, OR by photocopying and then cutting out an image to pair with text, OR other accommodations that required photocopying and then making a “card” to assist with test administration.  Image cards will have number stamp on the back to correspond with test items

12. New this year! 4. Exit Surveys
Found in the Assessment Management System
Completed upon submission of all student responses
Final submit button will prompt the survey link
Please remember survey results will guide the test features of future STAAR Alternate 2 development. It is your chance to give your opinion!

13. Materials: What’s New?
Materials to be provided to STAAR Alternate 2 test administrators per student include:
one student booklet
one image card set
one scoring document*
one secure STAAR Alternate 2 Test Administrator manual for each grade, subject, or course tested
Return used and unused:
secure STAAR Alternate 2 Test Administrator manuals
student booklets grouped by grade for grades 3-8 and course for EOC assessments
scoring documents
complete image card sets
photocopies of secure test materials
*scoring document may be found in back of TAM or online through “Resources” tab in Assessment Management System

14. STAAR Alternate 2 Preview Window
March 19, March 30,2018

15. Materials: Preview Materials Window
Test administrators who have been trained on security and confidentiality and have signed an oath of test security may preview the STAAR Alternate 2 test materials beginning on March 19, 2018
The test administrator should use this time to:
Review the “Presentation Instructions” and “Scoring” sections of this manual to become familiar with the policy for presenting and scoring questions.
Practice reading the script and following the presentation instructions for test questions while maintaining the secure contents of the assessments.
Review the Scoring Instructions for test questions and plan teacher assistance for specific questions.
Review the student booklet to plan and prepare accommodations for any student who may need an accommodation according to the guidelines outlined in the “Accommodations” section of 2018 STAAR Alternate 2 Test Administrator manual.

16. Materials: Preview Materials Window
STAAR Alternate 2 test materials are considered secure and the campus coordinator must check them out to the test administrator using the STAAR Alternate 2 Materials Control Form each day. A separate materials control form will be used for the Preview Window and the actual assessment window.
Test materials should be checked out during the preview window only when needed by the test administrator to become familiar with the test and prepare for accommodations. At the end of each day, all secure materials, including photocopied pages from the student booklet, must be returned to the campus coordinator each day.
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.
Failure to turn in test material each day is an irregularity

17. Materials: Preview Materials Window-Planning and Preparing Accommodations
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.
Photocopying Guidelines are on page 25 on the TEST ADMINISTRATOR MANUAL

18. STAAR Alternate 2 Assessment Window
April 2, – April 20, 2018

19. STAAR Alternate 2-Administering the Assessment (pgs. 18-20)
The STAAR Alternate 2 Presentation Instructions are standardized and must be followed to ensure a valid assessment.
Test items must be administered in the order they appear in the student booklet.
The test administrator is given directions to present the item, specifically what to direct the student to, and what to communicate to the student.
Students can be alerted back to the task or materials or be encouraged to stay focused at any time during testing.
At no time may a student go back to previously answered items, including after an administration has been stopped and resumed for an emergency.
Students can request to have information repeated.

20. STAAR Alternate 2-Incomplete Assessment
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 your campus test coordinator for guidance.
In order for a student to be marked “absent” they must have been absent the entire 3 week assessment window. Make sure as you preprare for testing, you consider those students who are chronically absent and may need to be tested first.

21. STAAR Alternate 2-Test Security
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, and
providing special acoustics.
To support test security and standard assessment practices, STAAR Alternate 2 administrations require that
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 (either analog or digital) in the testing room 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, and
test administrators must prevent students who are not part of the current testing session from viewing another student’s test administration.
The test administrator will determine the most appropriate seating arrangement based on individual student needs.

22. STAAR Alternate 2-Transcribing Student Responses
Pages of STAAR Alternate 2 Test Administrator Manual
The test administrator records the student’s response on the STAAR Alternate 2 Scoring Document based on scoring information provided for each item. To ensure mix ups do not occur, please highlight student name and subject on each student scoring document..
Student responses will be entered into the assessment management system (Pearson Access Next) under Testing> Student Test.
Test details such as score codes and accommodations will be entered in the online system.
Scoring documents can be found in the back of STAAR Alt 2 Test Administrator Manuals or in the resources section at assessmentmanagementsystem.com under Support > Documentation
The scoring documents must be returned to your TC

23. STAAR Alternate 2-Test Administrator Responsibilities
Maintain test security of materials until returned to the coordinator
Report any suspected violation of test security to the campus coordinator.
Transcribe student responses into the assessment management system.
Prepare test materials for return to the campus coordinator at the conclusion of test administrations.
Sign material in and out on the materials control form during both the preview and assessment window.
Sign an oath.

24. STAAR Alternate 2 Materials Control Form
A materials control form will be used for both the preview period and the assessment period, and will be designated as such.
Test administrators must verify that they have received the exact number of secure test materials recorded as issued, and initial the “Out” box.
The test administrators’ initials also signify that they have signed their security oaths.
When the materials are returned, TC will initial the “In” box. Your initials indicate that the test administrators have returned all secure test materials checked out to them as listed on the STAAR Alternate 2 Materials Control Form.
SAMPLE OF FORM

25. CONFIDENTIALITY
“No person may reveal or discuss the contents of a test booklet or 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, 2018)

26. Please sign your oath and turn in to test coordinator
Remember, this training does not take the place of reading the appropriate manuals: STAAR Alternate 2 Test Administrator Manual and Educator Guide.
Please sign your oath and turn in to test coordinator