1. Assessment of English Language Learners

2. Assessment of English Language Learners
TELPAS
Assesses all ELL’s in grades K-12 in the following domains:
Listening
Speaking
Reading
Writing

3. Assessment of English Language Learners
TELPAS & Years in U.S. Schools Data Collection
(DCCM pg. T-30)
Enrolled for 60 consecutive school days = 1yr in US.
Count restarts if student
WD’s prior to reaching 60 days and
Does not enroll in another US school for 10+ consecutive school days
If enrolled within the final 60 school days of a school year, then next year will still be 1st year in US.

4. Assessment of English Language Learners
Important Reminders
Assessment of English Language Learners
Years in US Schools Data Collection
Campuses cannot change the value for years in U.S. schools submitted in a previous school year.
Campuses will use the data previously submitted to generate data that will be submitted this spring.
The number of years in U.S. schools on record for a student cannot decrease. The value will either remain the same or increase by 1.

5. Assessment of English Language Learners
TELPAS Reminders (DCCM pg. T-6)
Individuals must complete state-required training and calibration activities to be raters.
A teacher selected to rate an ELL must
have the student in class at the time of the spring assessment window;
be knowledgeable about the student’s ability to use English in instructional and informal settings;
hold valid Texas education credentials;
be appropriately trained in the holistic rating process; and
rate the student in all eligible domains.
Districts must implement validity and reliability checks during the testing window (2nd rater).

6. Assessment of English Language Learners
TELPAS Reminders
It is a violation of state assessment procedures and a serious testing irregularity to record, discuss, or share answers to the rating practice and calibration activities.
NEW: After completion of calibration activities, raters must destroy all notes taken about specific student profiles.
Returning raters who have not completed calibration activities within the last three school years are required to complete the online basic training course before calibrating.

7. Assessment of English Language Learners
User Lookup Tool (Texas Training Center)
Campus Testing Coordinators can
modify the last name of a user
send a user password reset (in the same organization only)
modify the address of a user (in the same organization only)
retrieve an address associated with a user’s TrainingCenter account
retrieve a username associated with a user’s TrainingCenter account
see account status (active/deactivated) for all users

8. Assessment of English Language Learners
TELPAS Student Tutorials
As in the past, TELPAS tutorials are separate from tests.
Tutorials are recommended for all students taking TELPAS
Several different test item formats
No sample items with test
Tutorials available at

9. Assessment of English Language Learners
ELL ‘s and STAAR
Test Participation Decisions
Assessment decisions for ELLs must be made on an individual student basis by the LPAC, and in the case of an ELL receiving special education services, by the ARD committee in conjunction with the LPAC.
NOTE: Decisions for an entire grade or program are not authorized .
EXAMPLE: All 4th grade students in a bilingual program take the Spanish-version reading assessment and English-version mathematics assessment.

10. Assessment of English Language Learners
ELL’s and STAAR
STAAR Spanish
For any student for whom a Spanish version of STAAR is the most appropriate measure of academic achievement
Available in grades 3–5 only
STAAR L
ELLs for whom all of these apply may take STAAR L:
Student has not yet attained advanced high TELPAS reading in grades 2 and up.
Student is within first 3 years in U.S. schools

11. Assessment of English Language Learners
ELL Participation in STAAR A and STAAR Alternate 2
Assessment decisions for ELLs also served by Special Education are made by the ARD committee in conjunction with the LPAC.
ELLs with disabilities who meet eligibility requirements for STAAR A may take this assessment.
ELLs receiving special education services who meet requirements for STAAR Alternate 2 may take this assessment.
ELLs participate only on the basis of disability, not second language acquisition.

12. Assessment of English Language Learners
Differing Degrees of Linguistic Accommodation
STAAR (English)
Limited degree of linguistic accommodation
STAAR L
Moderate to substantial degree of linguistic accommodation
STAAR A
Degree varies in accordance with second language acquisition needs of ELLs who qualify for this test
STAAR Alternate 2
No specified linguistic accommodations; assessment design allows other languages and communication methods to be used as appropriate
STAAR Spanish: Assessment is provided in student’s native language; other linguistic accommodations not applicable.

13. Assessment of English Language Learners
Dictionaries
Two sources for dictionary policies
for ELLs taking STAAR:
STAAR dictionary policy
Applies to reading and writing assessments in grade 6 and above
Available at aar/reading/
Linguistic Accommodations for ELLs Participating in the STAAR Program guide
Outlines policies for the use of dictionaries on all other tests not covered under the STAAR dictionary policy
Available at ccommodations/

14. Assessment of English Language Learners
STAAR L
Online Student Tutorials
Information about minor updates to
grades 3–8 is available at
Test administration directions for each tutorial are also posted!
Why tutorials?
To familiarize students TestNav tools!
TA Directions for 2015 STAAR L tests assume familiarity with online interface!

15. Assessment of English Language Learners
STAAR L Practice Sets
Practice sets contain items
Available at
Available in online format so that students may experience the items as they will be presented.

16. Assessment of English Language Learners
STAAR L EOC Eligibility
For EOC, eligibility for STAAR L can be carried over from spring to the July and December administrations.

17. Assessment of English Language Learners
Special English I EOC Provision TAC § When enrolled in an English I/ESOL I course, an eligible ELL shall not be required to retake the assessment each time it is administered if the student passes the course but does not pass the test.
NOTE:
Students are not exempt from testing while in the course.
This provision does not apply to English II.
This provision is not tied to any particular graduation plan.

18. Assessment of English Language Learners
Special English I EOC Provision
TAC §
For ELLs who ―
have been enrolled in U.S. schools 3 school years or less
and
have not yet attained TELPAS advanced high reading rating in grades 2 and up.

19. Assessment of English Language Learners
ELLs with Parental Denials TAC § (f)
These students are not eligible for special ELL assessment, accommodation, or accountability provisions ―
No testing in Spanish
No linguistic accommodations during testing
No English I EOC special provision

20. Assessment of English Language Learners
ELL Policy Resources
Test participation
.assessment/ell/lpac/
STAAR
TAKS
TELPAS
Accommodations .assessment/accommodatio ns/
Linguistic accommodations
Accommodations related to disabilities
Assessment of English Language Learners

21. Planning for Test Administrations
Assessment of English Language Learners
Coordination Between LPAC and Testing Coordinators
Campus Testing coordinators should collaborate with the LPAC to obtain participation and accommodation decisions in time to make testing arrangements.
This applies to all linguistic accommodations, not just for STAAR L participation.

22. Assessment of English Language Learners
Documenting Participation & Accommodation Decisions
CTC’s must have a record of STAAR participation and linguistic accommodation decisions for ALL ELL’s
including…
STAAR eligibility for special English I EOC provision

23. Assessment of English Language Learners
Organizing Test Administrations
(DCCM, pg. S-29 & S-36)
In some cases, students taking different assessments may be grouped across programs, grades, and subject areas/courses.
Example: STAAR and STAAR L
Organize test sessions in which students are given different tests in a way that keeps students from being confused or disturbed by differences in directions read aloud or accommodations provided.

24. Assessment of English Language Learners
Extra Time (Same Day) as a Linguistic Accommodation
Permitted for any ELL if student meets eligibility criteria as determined by LPAC
Not “automatic”
Extra time within regularly scheduled school day only
Schools with both morning and afternoon 4-hour test sessions must include these students in morning session (at least 6 hours).

25. Assessment of English Language Learners
Linguistic Accommodations Provided by Test Administrator
Examples
Clarification in English of word meaning in writing prompts (STAAR)
Clarification in English of word meaning in short answer reading questions (STAAR)
Clarification in English of word meaning (STAAR A)
Require additional training for test administrators
Individual or small group administrations are necessary for some accommodations.

26. Assessment of English Language Learners
STAAR L Online Test Administrations
Ensure there is one pair of headphones per student.
May also use a bilingual dictionary and/or receive extra time.
Campuses have the option of logging in students in grades 3–5 or allowing them to do it themselves.
All STAAR L tests contain 3 test administrator-guided sample questions.
The best way to prepare students is to have them complete the online tutorials prior to the test administration.

27. Assessment of English Language Learners
General Guideline for Recording Linguistic
Accommodations
Whether the student tested on paper or online, record linguistic accommodations if these were made available to the student during testing, even if the student did not use the accommodation.

28. Assessment of English Language Learners
Assessing New Immigrants Who Know Little English
In isolated situations, if completing an assessment is not in the best interest of a student (e.g., a newly arrived ELL who has extremely limited English skills), the campus may make the determination to submit the test for scoring without requiring the student to complete test.
This decision should be documented and communicated to student’s parents after the test administration.

29. Assessment of English Language Learners
Spring ELL Assessment
Update TETN
January 28, 2015
9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
This TETN will provide ESCs and districts with further guidance on ELL assessment activities for the spring.
Assessment Warehouse
Assessment of English Language Learners