The LPAC D ecision-Making P rocess for the T exas A ssessment P rogram

1. The LPAC Decision-Making Process for the Texas Assessment Program

2. Training Topics • STAAR • STAAR Decision-Making Guide for LPACs • Linguistic Accommodations for ELLs Participating in the STAAR Program • Suggested documentation forms • TAKS • TAKS Decision-Making Guide for LPACs • Suggested documentation forms • TELPAS • TELPAS Decision-Making Guide for LPACs • Spring data collection information Office of Curriculum, Instruction & Assessment

3. December EOC Administrations LPACs will need to meet and make decisions for students taking December EOC administrations Fall EOC Administration: December 2–13 Office of Curriculum, Instruction & Assessment

4. STAAR Decision-Making Guide Office of Curriculum, Instruction & Assessment

5. Regulatory Procedural Guide Based on 19 TAC Chapter 101, Subchapter AA LPACs should be familiar with these Commissioner of Education rules TEA is required to develop administrative procedures to implement ELL assessment statutory requirements LPACs are required to follow these administrative procedures Office of Curriculum, Instruction & Assessment

6. LPAC Decision-Making Process for STAAR LPACs are responsible for — following administrative procedures in this guide making decisions on individual student basis working as a committee to make decisions maintaining required documentation Office of Curriculum, Instruction & Assessment

7. ELPS and TEKS • LPAC assessment decision-making process for STAAR supports ELPS and TEKS implementation • Process helps ensure regular monitoring of ELLs’ progress and linguistic supports they receive • Needs of ELLs at beginning or intermediate level of English language proficiency are emphasized in Overview section • ELPS requirements specific to this group of ELLs should be emphasized in LPAC training • LPAC procedures required by this guide help monitor needs of these students Office of Curriculum, Instruction & Assessment

8. STAAR Program and Decisions • STAAR encompasses― • STAAR (general state assessment) • STAAR Spanish • STAAR L • STAAR Modified • STAAR Alternate • LPACs are required to make and document assessment decisions in accordance with outlined procedures Office of Curriculum, Instruction & Assessment

9. STAAR Program and Decisions In 2013–2014, STAAR will be administered to students who were first enrolled in grade 9 or below in the 2011–2012 school year Office of Curriculum, Instruction & Assessment

10. STAAR Participation Decisions Office of Curriculum, Instruction & Assessment

11. Participation in General STAAR Assessment • Taken by ELLs and other students not administered STAAR Spanish, STAAR L, STAAR Modified, or STAAR Alternate • LPACs should be aware that — • STAAR L is for mathematics, science, and social studies, not reading and writing • STAAR Spanish is for grades 3–5 only • ELLs taking general STAAR assessments are permitted some linguistic accommodations Office of Curriculum, Instruction & Assessment

12. Understanding Alignment of STAAR, STAAR Spanish, STAAR L Same: Assessed curriculum and item types STAAR blueprints for building tests Achievement standard alignment Focus on readiness for next grade level or course with goal of postsecondary readiness Differences have to do with language accessibility: STAAR Spanish uses native language to help students understand language of test STAAR L provides English language accommodations to help students understand language of test Office of Curriculum, Instruction & Assessment

13. ELL Participation in STAAR Spanish and STAAR L *For STAAR L EOC tests, eligibility can be carried over from spring to the July and December administrations Office of Curriculum, Instruction & Assessment

14. STAAR Spanish Decisions * For the STAAR program, whether a student has been retained and would be taking STAAR in Spanish for more than 3 years is not a limiting factor Must be individual student decisions Grade-based or program-based decisions not authorized LPAC must use input from student’s teacher(s) in making STAAR Spanish decisions STAAR Spanish may be given in grades 3–5* as long as LPAC determines STAAR Spanish to be most appropriate measure of student’s academic progress Office of Curriculum, Instruction & Assessment

15. STAAR Spanish for Students in ESL Programs ESL program examples: • Spanish speakers who have recently moved to the U.S. • ELLs who have recently moved from a campus where they were enrolled in bilingual program • Students who receive substantial academic support in Spanish In addition to being appropriate for ELLs in bilingual programs who are receiving academic instruction in Spanish, STAAR Spanish may sometimes be appropriate for students in ESL programs Office of Curriculum, Instruction & Assessment

16. Non-ELLs in Spanish Bilingual Programs Non-ELLs in a state-approved bilingual education program may be administered STAAR Spanish if the LPAC determines the assessment in Spanish to be the most appropriate measure of the student’s academic progress This is most common in two-way dual language programs but is not necessarily limited to these programs Chapter 101 requires the LPAC to make the decision when a request of this type is made for a non-ELL The LPAC is not responsible for performing the many other LPAC functions they carry out for ELLs Office of Curriculum, Instruction & Assessment

17. STAAR L STAAR L is for students who require moderate to substantial linguistic accommodation to understand the English used on STAAR mathematics, science, and social studies assessments STAAR L is not for ELLs for whom a bilingual dictionary and/or extra time suffice. STAAR allows these linguistic accommodations STAAR L is for students for whom clarification of word meaning in English and/or reading words aloud (in addition to potentially using a bilingual dictionary and having extra time) is important to their ability to understand challenging material written in English Office of Curriculum, Instruction & Assessment

18. STAAR L If a bilingual dictionary and/or extra time will suffice, the student should take general STAAR, not STAAR L Office of Curriculum, Instruction & Assessment

19. STAAR Spanish Considerations in STAAR L Eligibility Criteria • Remember: The first STAAR L eligibility requirement is that STAAR Spanish is not the most appropriate measure of student’s academic progress • The LPAC must decide that STAAR Spanish is not the assessment that best allows the student to show his or her knowledge and skills • For Spanish speakers in grades 3–5 otherwise eligible for STAAR L, this must specifically be discussed by the LPAC • If STAAR Spanish would be more appropriate, the student is not eligible for STAAR L Office of Curriculum, Instruction & Assessment

20. STAAR L EOC Eligibility For EOC, eligibility for STAAR L can be carried over from spring to the July and December administrations Example: A student was in his 3rd year in U.S. schools in the 2012–2013 school year. He took STAAR L in May, but did not pass. The LPAC may carry over eligibility to both the July 2013 and December 2013 STAAR L EOC administrations. In spring 2014, however, he would be in his 4th year in U.S. schools and no longer eligible for STAAR L Office of Curriculum, Instruction & Assessment

21. Individual Student Decisions and Final Decision-Making Close to Assessment Time Previous slides illustrate some examples of the need for — individual student decisions, and the reviewing of student progress shortly before the assessment (in cases where an assessment decision may change because of progress made) Office of Curriculum, Instruction & Assessment

22. Different Assessment Decisions for Different Subjects • Decisions will often vary by necessity because of the design of the STAAR program Example: Many ELLs will take — • STAAR for reading and writing, but • STAAR L for mathematics, science, social studies • It may sometimes be appropriate to give STAAR Spanish in some subjects and STAAR or STAAR L in other subjects • LPAC decisions to give a student one type of assessment for one subject and another type of assessment for another subject should be well-justified in the required documentation Office of Curriculum, Instruction & Assessment

23. Assessment Decisions for ELLs Receiving Special Education Services • ELLs receiving special education services may be administered any assessment depending on whether they meet the participation requirements • STAAR • STAAR Spanish • STAAR L • STAAR Modified • STAAR Alternate • Chapter 101 of the TAC requires the LPAC to work in conjunction with the ARD committee to make assessment decisions for these students • The collaboration helps ensure that factors related to disabling conditions and second language acquisition are both carefully considered Office of Curriculum, Instruction & Assessment

24. STAAR Modified and STAAR Alternate ELLs receiving special education services may be administered these assessments if they meet the specific participation requirements for these assessment programs ARD committee forms for determining whether students meet the participation requirements are on the TEA STAAR Modified and STAAR Alternate webpages Few students receiving special education are eligible for these assessments; the number of eligible ELLs will be very small Office of Curriculum, Instruction & Assessment

25. STAAR Modified and STAAR Alternate Important: ELLs participate in these assessments only on the basis of their disability, not second language acquisition The LPAC’s involvement in assessment decision-making for ELLs served by special education should help ensure that ELL participation in these assessments is appropriate Office of Curriculum, Instruction & Assessment

26. Linguistic Accommodation Decisions Office of Curriculum, Instruction & Assessment

27. Linguistic Accommodation Resources • Linguistic accommodation decisions for STAAR to be made by LPACs in accordance with policies and procedures in two guides: • 2013–2014 STAAR Decision-Making Guide for LPACs • Linguistic Accommodations for ELLs Participating in the STAAR Program • Linguistic accommodation guide above is principal source of linguistic accommodation information Office of Curriculum, Instruction & Assessment

28. Accommodations for ELLs with Disabilities • For these students, LPACs are responsible for making accommodation decisions for the STAAR program in conjunction with the student’s ARD or Section 504 committee, as applicable • Linguistic accommodation decisions • Accommodation decisions related to the student’s disability • These committees should become familiar with all accommodation information on the TEA Accommodation Resources webpage Office of Curriculum, Instruction & Assessment

29. Linguistic Accommodations in Instruction Are required by ELPS Support learning of both subject matter and English Are to be made by all teachers of ELLs Are monitored and adjusted by teachers as students learn more English Office of Curriculum, Instruction & Assessment

30. Linguistic Accommodations During State Assessment Not all accommodations suitable for instruction are allowable during state assessments Accommodations in instruction are designed to foster and support learning Accommodations during assessment allow test to more accurately measure degree students have met curriculum and performance standards Standardization and test administration logistics narrow accommodation possibilities during state assessments Office of Curriculum, Instruction & Assessment

31. STAAR Linguistic Accommodation Eligibility Criteria and Decisions • Refer to linguistic accommodation guide • LPAC’s linguistic accommodation decisions must be made on individual student basis • Decisions must be based on — • student’s particular needs for second language acquisition support • whether student is routinely provided the accommodation in instruction and testing • Providing unfamiliar accommodations may hinder rather than help student • LPACs must coordinate with subject area teachers Office of Curriculum, Instruction & Assessment

32. LPAC Role In coordinating with subject area teachers on linguistic accommodations for STAAR, the LPAC’s role should not be simply to make decisions and process paperwork The LPAC process provides opportunities for guiding teachers, supporting ELPS implementation, and determining needs for professional development Office of Curriculum, Instruction & Assessment

33. Coordinating Between LPAC and Testing Coordinators Testing coordinators and LPACs must coordinate so that participation and accommodation decisions are available in time to make testing arrangements Remember, linguistic accommodations not just for STAAR L Office of Curriculum, Instruction & Assessment

34. Differing Degrees of Linguistic Accommodation STAAR Spanish: Assessment is provided in student’s native language; other linguistic accommodations not applicable Office of Curriculum, Instruction & Assessment

35. Linguistic Accommodations for STAAR *Dictionary access provided for all students in grade 6 and up Office of Curriculum, Instruction & Assessment

36. Linguistic Accommodations for STAAR L *Provided in online interface Office of Curriculum, Instruction & Assessment

37. Linguistic Accommodations for STAAR Modified *Unique to STAAR Modified **Dictionary access provided for all students in grades 6 and up Office of Curriculum, Instruction & Assessment

38. Extra Time (Same Day) as a Linguistic Accommodation Permitted for any ELL who meets eligibility criteria Not an “automatic” decision As a linguistic accommodation, this applies only to STAAR assessments administered in English Extra time not permitted beyond regularly scheduled school day LPACs must adhere to eligibility criteria for this accommodation (page 6 of linguistic accommodation guide) Office of Curriculum, Instruction & Assessment

39. Extra Time (Same Day) Specific Eligibility Criteria Routine use in specified contexts: ELL must need and routinely be provided extra time when completing assignments and assessments that require substantial comprehension or use a substantial amount of English Second language acquisition needs: Needs must relate to second language acquisition factors, that is, the time the ELL needs to read meaningfully in English (or write a response, as applicable to subject assessed) as a function of learning the English language Nonfactors: Factors that are not ELL-specific must not be considered, such as test anxiety, use of test strategies, or other reasons not related to second language acquisition Office of Curriculum, Instruction & Assessment

40. Dictionaries The dictionary information on the following slides gives some detailed information that may be helpful at the beginning of the year. LPACs should be very familiar with information about allowable types of dictionaries in linguistic accommodation guide LPACs should also be very familiar with STAAR dictionary access policy for all students, which is available on TEA’s STAAR Resources webpage at http://www.tea.state.tx.us/student.assessment/staar/ Office of Curriculum, Instruction & Assessment

41. Dictionaries as a Linguistic Accommodation • Four categories: • Bilingual dictionary • English/ESL dictionary • Non-English monolingual dictionary • Picture dictionary Office of Curriculum, Instruction & Assessment

42. Bilingual Dictionary Allowable for STAAR and STAAR L (any subject) • Considered a linguistic accommodation for • math, science, social studies (all grades) • grades 3–5 reading and grade 4 writing • Reminder: Allowed for grade 6 and up reading and writing as part of STAAR dictionary policy (and not considered a linguistic accommodation) • Used to translate words (and sometimes common phrases) from one language to another • Bilingual dictionaries that include pictures are fine as long as they do not illustrate content terminology or concepts Office of Curriculum, Instruction & Assessment

43. Bilingual Dictionary Examples of translated words — English to Spanish (useful when reading in English) evenly uniformemente; imparcialmente, equitativamente livebroadcastemisión en directo photosynthesisfotosíntesis Examples of translated words — Spanish to English (useful when writing in English) cita appointment, meeting; date; quotation decepcionar disappoint débil weak Office of Curriculum, Instruction & Assessment

44. Bilingual Dictionary Example entry — English to Spanish age [eIdƷ] noun (general) edad; old age vejez; (period) época; (fam: long time) we waited for ages esperamos una eternidad; verb envejecer The Spanish translation for the word “age,” which seems like a simple word in English, has multiple meanings and is a different word in each case. Office of Curriculum, Instruction & Assessment

45. English/ESL Dictionary Allowable for STAAR reading writing only; not other STAAR subjects; not STAAR L Considered a linguistic accommodation below grade 6 Reminder: Allowed for grade 6 and up reading and writing as part of STAAR dictionary policy (and not considered a linguistic accommodation) Unlike bilingual dictionaries, English dictionaries contain definitions of English words ESL dictionaries define words using simpler English Some dictionaries (e.g., children’s dictionaries, ESL dictionaries) include some pictures Office of Curriculum, Instruction & Assessment

46. Non-English Monolingual Dictionary Allowable for STAAR reading and writing only Considered a linguistic accommodation in grade 3 and up Single-language standard (definition) dictionary in a language other than English (e.g., dictionary of Spanish language; dictionary of Vietnamese language) Would likely need to be used in combination with other dictionaries; this requires skill and experience Office of Curriculum, Instruction & Assessment

47. Picture Dictionary Allowable for STAAR reading and writing only Linguistic accommodation in grade 3 and up Conveys word meaning through drawings or photos; includes only words that can be pictured May be monolingual, bilingual, or multilingual (may show picture plus word in one language or more than one language) Contains small body of words; has limited usefulness as stand-alone linguistic accommodation Office of Curriculum, Instruction & Assessment

48. Allowable and Nonallowable Formats Within four categories of allowable dictionaries, keep in mind the following guidelines: Paper and electronic dictionary formats are permitted Subject-specific/topic-specific dictionaries (e.g., science dictionaries, academic language dictionaries, etc.) are not permitted Bilingual dictionaries must be word/phrase translation dictionaries only; must not define words or illustrate or explain content terminology or concepts Bilingual, ESL, and standard monolingual dictionaries that contain occasional pictures are acceptable as long as the pictures do not illustrate content terminology or concepts Office of Curriculum, Instruction & Assessment

49. Allowable and Nonallowable Formats Electronic devices that translate beyond the level of words and set phrases are not considered bilingual dictionaries and are not permitted Stand-alone thesauruses and any allowable dictionary that contains a thesaurus section are permitted Only dictionaries by reputable dictionary publishing companies should be used (no dictionaries produced by school districts, service centers, etc.) A state list of approved dictionaries will not be issued Office of Curriculum, Instruction & Assessment

50. STAAR Reading and Writing Dictionary Policy Grades 6 and Up For reading and writing only For all Texas students in grade 6 and up, including ELLs (new immigrants too) and students with disabilities Standard English dictionaries allowed, as well as bilingual and ESL dictionaries Policy specifies minimums and recommended numbers of dictionaries per number of students Office of Curriculum, Instruction & Assessment