1. STAAR ALTERNATE Updates for 2013-2014 ADMINISTRATION TETN # 20905

2. Agenda Topics Updated resources to the STAAR Alternate Resources page Results for the 2012-2013 STAAR Alternate administration Future development for STAAR Alternate ARD Committee Training

3. UPDATED RESOURCES

4. Changes to the Modules Only new test administrators are required to view the modules and pass the qualifications this year. Any modules that have not been passed previously must be taken again before the test administrator can be given access to the Assessment Management System. No changes were made to the modules or the transcripts. Many of the screenshots in the modules show old resources. Teachers should use the STAAR Alternate Resources webpage to ensure that the most current document is being used. The screenshots for the Assessment Management system in Module 4 have last year’s date; however, the information provided is still accurate. The “List of Resources” provided at the end of each module is incorrect. An updated resources list is available on the STAAR Alternate Resources webpage.

5. Changes to the ARD Process Only ARD committees can select the complexity level or levels for each subject. The teacher can no longer select the complexity level and must abide by the ARD committee decision. If the teacher feels that the selected complexity level no longer reflects the student’s performance, the ARD committee must reconvene to evaluate the previous decision. All previous PowerPoint presentations regarding selecting the complexity levels for STAAR Alternate have been combined into the ARD Committee Training for the 2013-2014 Texas Assessment Program PowerPoint. The 2013-2014 Participation Requirements, in both Spanish and English, have been posted.

6. Changes to Resources All resources, including the manuals, have been updated with the most up-to-date information. The new security oath has been posted. Documents have been updated to reflect the EOC courses to be assessed this year: algebra I English I and English II biology US history The STAAR Alternate Timeline has been posted and will be updated periodically as specific dates for events have been determined. All assessment tasks from last year and Curriculum Frameworks documents and Performance Level Descriptors for English III, Geometry, World History, and World Geography have been added to a new Archive section at the bottom of the Resources webpage. Change in Materials from Primary to Generalization documents will be posted soon. The link to the documentation forms will not be posted until November 15 th.

7. Changes to Resources Prerequisite skill targets were added to the Essence Statement documents that were posted in March. These targets informed teachers as to the grade-level link for the tasks prior to the posting of the assessment tasks and prerequisite skills in September. Three of the four essence statements are new this year.

8. Expansion of Resources All assessment tasks have been posted and should be used as the main source for viewing the assessment tasks. The Definitions and Examples pages for the assessment tasks have been expanded. These pages proceed each essence statement and provide valuable information and ideas for the tasks. The documentation forms have the tasks listed on them, but do not provide the rich information for teachers that will assist them in planning the administration of the state-provided task.

9. Important Dates 09/03/13–9/29/13- Districts access the Assessment Management System to choose a student data upload option to register students for the 2013-2014 STAAR Alternate administration. Default requires the district to register students. 09/29/13- Deadline for entering the student data upload for registering students. 10/7/13- The final attempt for qualification activities can be accessed by district and campus staff from the TrainingCenter after receiving the second attempt codes from testing coordinators. 10/18/13- Testing coordinators can access the Assessment Management System to make changes to student demographics from last year’s STAAR Alternate administration or data file submission and set up alternate assessment teachers and students for the current administration. This includes: assigning students to their appropriate grade levels and courses for testing addressing student changes in campuses (including those occurring due to promotion) registering all students who will be assessed with STAAR Alternate locking/unlocking teacher accounts as qualification activities are passed 01/06–4/18/14: STAAR Alternate Assessment Window 03/28/14: Transfer cut-off date

10. RESULTS

11. Results for the 2012-2013 Administration Of STAAR Alternate 2011-20122012-2013 Number of Assessments 86, 96393, 438 Not Assessed5567 Complete Score86, 14992, 313 Partial Score61102 No Response Observed698956 Complexity Level 311%12% Complexity Level 255%58% Complexity Level 134%29%

12. Performance Data for 2014 The adjusted cut score of 48 will be applied to the 2014 results to comply with House Bill 906 of the 83 rd Legislative Session. The student’s Confidential Student Report will also report growth between 2013 and 2014. Growth results will be calculated using a stage change table and reported as Did Not Meet, Met, or Exceeded Growth.

13. FUTURE DEVELOPMENT

14. Impact of Recent Legislation House Bill 5 of the 83 rd Legislative Session called for a redesign of the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR ® ) Alternate assessment. “ The agency, in conjunction with appropriate interested persons, shall redevelop assessment instruments adopted or developed under Subsection (b) for administration to significantly cognitively disabled students in a manner consistent with federal law. An assessment instrument under this subsection may not require a teacher to prepare tasks or materials for a student who will be administered such an assessment instrument.” The bill eliminates portfolio and performance-based assessments used by other states, because these types of assessments require the individualization of materials and task administration. Therefore, the Texas Education Agency (TEA) is considering implementing a standardized item-based assessment. How this legislation will affect the use of accommodations to provide accessibility to students that may need additional materials is still being determined.

15. Development Plans Focus Group No Child Left Behind requires an assessment for students with significant cognitive disabilities that can be applied to 1% of the tested population for AYP purposes. The assessment still needs to cover the state curriculum through prerequisite skills; thus our Vertical Alignment documents and Curriculum Framework documents will continue to be the basis for instruction and test item development for the new test design. In a few weeks a Focus Group representing all regions will be held in Austin to review development plans. The Focus Group participants are made up of teachers, administrators, ESC personnel, parents, and advocacy groups. The Focus Group will advise Pearson and TEA on the feasibility of the proposed redesign and other administration issues. The Focus Group will be reconvened at various stages of the development process.

16. Development Plans Cognitive Lab TEA and Pearson will be conducting a cognitive lab study to assist in the development of a redesign of STAAR Alternate. The purpose of the lab is to observe teachers and students interacting with sample test items to determine the quality of the test administrator instructions, the usability of the test materials, and the accessibility for the student to the images and language provided in the test items. Specifically, the cognitive lab study can help TEA answer the following research questions: Can students respond to items with two-dimensional graphics? Is the range of item complexity too difficult or too easy for students? What accommodations may be needed for student accessibility to the two- dimensional graphics for the items? How long does it take students to respond to the items? Teachers will be able to provide feedback and suggestions through a post-observation interactive interview of 15 questions.

17. Development Plans Cognitive Lab The cognitive lab study will be conducted for approximately 50 students in ESC regions 6, 12, 13, and 20. Subjects to be sampled with redesign items are Grades 3, 4, and 7 reading; Grades 3, 4, and 7 math; Grade 7 writing; Grades 5 and 8 science; English I; algebra; and US history. Volunteers have been requested in those regions and many districts have already volunteered and been contacted. Each teacher will be asked to administer four test items per subject to one student. Districts select the campuses, teachers and students to participate. The cognitive lab will be held from September 19 th until November 1 st. TEA will contact volunteering districts to arrange a pre-observation meeting with the teachers to review the items and discuss the observation. A team of Pearson and TEA staff will observe the test administration session and interview the teacher after the session.

18. Development Plans Pilot Study TEA will also be conducting a Pilot Study for STAAR Alternate during the 2013-2014 school year. Both small and large districts are asked to volunteer. Each teacher volunteer will be asked to administer one assessment, approximately 24 questions, to one student. Subjects in the Pilot Study include Grades 4 and 7 reading, Grades 4 and 7 math, Grade 7 writing, Grade 5 science, English I, algebra I, and US history. TEA will contact volunteering districts to ensure that a variety of students, spanning all ability levels, is included in the study. Districts will select the teachers and the students. More details regarding the length of the pilot window and the number of teachers and students requested for a given district will be provided at a later date. To volunteer your district, contact a STAAR Alternate team member at 512-463-9536 or staaralt@tea.state.tx.us.staaralt@tea.state.tx.us Volunteers Needed

19. QUESTIONS ??? Student Assessment 512-463-9536 or staaralt@tea.state.tx.us staaralt@tea.state.tx.us