Assessing ELLs with STAAR TM Texas Assessment Conference December 6, 2011

Assessing ELLs with STAARTM

Texas Assessment ConferenceDecember 6, 2011

Silvia Alvarado-Bolek, Manager, STAAR

SpanishMegan Galicia, Manager, Language

Accessibility

Student Assessment DivisionTexas Education Agency

Disclaimer

These slides have been prepared by the Student Assessment Division of the Texas Education Agency

If any slide is changed for local use, please remove the TEA footer at the bottom of the slide

2TEA - Assessing ELLs with STAAR

STAAR Assessment Program General STAAR

STAAR Spanish STAAR L

STAAR Modified STAAR Alternate

TEA - Assessing ELLs with STAAR 3

Grades 3–8: reading, writing, mathematics, science, and social studies

EOC: English I–III, Algebra I, geometry, Algebra II, biology, chemistry, physics, world geography, world history, and U.S. history

ELLs take STAAR if they are not eligible for one of the assessments on the slides that follow

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STAAR

TEA - Assessing ELLs with STAAR

STAAR Spanish

Available for students in grades 3–5• Grades 3–5 reading and math

• Grade 4 writing

• Grade 5 science Same grades and subjects are tested

as English LPAC determines if STAAR Spanish test

is the most appropriate measure of student’s academic progress


STAAR L

Linguistically accommodated versions of STAAR grades 3–8 and EOC• STAAR L is for math, science, and social

studies (EOC included)• No STAAR L for reading and writing


STAAR L

Eligibility: Spanish-version test does not exist or is

not most appropriate measure of academic progress for the student

Student is in first 3 years in U.S. schools (unless unschooled asylee/refugee, then first 5)

Student has not yet reached advanced high rating on TELPAS reading test


ELLs receiving special education services who meet participation requirements for STAAR Modified or STAAR Alternate may participate in these assessments

More information about STAAR Modified and STAAR Alternate is available at http://www.tea.state.tx.us/student.assessment/special-ed/

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STAAR Modified and STAAR Alternate


http://www.tea.state.tx.us/student.assessment/special-ed/

http://www.tea.state.tx.us/student.assessment/special-ed/

STAAR, STAAR Spanish, and STAAR L Alignment

Common features: Same assessed curriculum Same item types Same STAAR blueprints for building

tests Same achievement standard

alignment Same focus on readiness for next

grade level or course and ultimately postsecondary readiness


STAAR, STAAR Spanish, STAAR L Alignment

Differences have to do with language accessibility: STAAR Spanish uses native language to

help students understand test STAAR L provides English-language

accommodations to help students understand test


Linguistic accommodations are not just for STAAR L

(Linguistic accommodations beyond testing in primary language do not apply to STAAR Spanish)


Linguistic Accommodations in STAAR Program


Linguistic Accommodations–STAAR

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Linguistic Accommodations–STAAR L

*Provided by test administrator in 2012; by computer in 2013


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Linguistic Accommodations–STAAR Modified

*Unique to STAAR Modified


Decision-Making Body LPAC is responsible for obtaining teacher

input and making assessment and linguistic accommodation decisions for ELLs

For ELLs served by special education, the ARD committee and LPAC work in conjunction to make these decisions

More information about procedures for LPACs and ARD committees to follow in making and documenting ELL assessment and accommodation decisions will be available from TEA ELL Assessments webpage

Linguistic accommodation and assessment decisions are not

“automatic;” they are made on an individual student basis in accordance

with TEA administrative proceduresTEA - Assessing ELLs with STAAR 15

STAAR


STAAR Standard Setting Activities

Performance standards for EOC assessments

will be set in spring of 2012 Performance standards for grades 3–8

will be set in fall 2012


STAAR Retests

First EOC retests will be in summer 2012

First SSI retests will be in spring 2013


STAAR Annual Item Development Activities

Testing contractor develops items from assessed TEKS curriculum

TEA curriculum and assessment staff review and revise proposed items

Committees of Texas educators review and revise items before field testing

Items are field-tested with large samples of Texas students

Field-test data are analyzed for reliability, validity, and possible bias

Tests are built from the item bank to meet STAAR blueprint specifications


Steps for Ensuring Transadaptability STAAR Spanish

Math and science: Transadapted from English-version items• New English items are reviewed by bilingual contractor and TEA staff for linguistic and cultural appropriateness to support Spanish transadaptability

• Bilingual educators review English and Spanish version items to ensure transadaptations assess content comparably and are worded appropriately

Reading and writing: Not transadapted; separately developed• Contractor and TEA staff collaborate during item development, item review, and test construction processes to ensure that test specifications are interpreted same way

• Bilingual educators follow same process and guidelines to review Spanish-version items as educator committees who review English-version items


Steps for Ensuring Language Accessibility of STAAR L

STAAR L items are STAAR English-version items

Contractor and TEA staff, including second language acquisition specialists, collaborate during item development and review processes to create test items that are —• grade-appropriate• succinct and worded in a straightforward

way• accessible to diverse student

populationsTEA - Assessing ELLs with STAAR 2121


STAAR SAMPLE ITEMS

MATHEMATICS & SCIENCE

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STAAR and STAAR L Grade 3 Math


Classify Geometric Figures

STAAR Spanish Grade 3 Math


Classify geometric figures

STAAR Spanish Grade 3 Math


Boiling Point

STAAR and STAAR L Grade 5 Science


Boiling Point

STAAR Spanish Grade 5 Science


STAAR SAMPLE ITEMS

READING & WRITING


Topic Sentence

STAAR Grade 4 Writing


Topic Sentence

STAAR Spanish Grade 4 Writing


Theme/Drama

STAAR Grade 5 Reading


Theme/Drama

STAAR Spanish Grade 5 Reading

STAAR L — 2013 and Beyond


STAAR L for 2013 and Beyond STAAR L will continue to be for —

• grades 3–8 and EOC • math, science, and social studies

2013 and beyond – online testing program• Clarification and read-aloud

accommodations provided by teachers in 2012 will be built into the online system


STAAR L Linguistic Accommodations


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Preview of STAAR L 2013 and Beyond


Examples of language to be clarified in online system (as long as assessed content words not clarified):• Vocabulary including idiomatic language and

colloquialisms• Long clauses and difficult conjunctions• Difficult prepositions or series of prepositional

phrases• Complex verb tenses or difficult irregular verb

forms• Passive voice • Complex question phrases • Difficult word order• Contexts that may be culturally unfamiliar or

confusing

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Steps in development of STAAR L Obtained input from grade-level and content

area teachers and specialists in second language acquisition, large-scale assessment, and curriculum (February 2011)

Conducted cognitive lab/usability study to obtain student feedback on effectiveness of accommodations and usability of online system (October 2011)

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Next steps May 2012 larger-scale STAAR L online study of

two high school subjects to refine accommodation guidelines and online interface

Review of read-aloud technology Summer/fall 2012 educator review committees

to review STAAR L items online



ADDITIONAL RESOURCES


STAAR Resources Webpage

See information such as — Q & A Sample questions PowerPoint presentations STAAR assessment comparison chart STAAR brochures in English and

Spanish STAAR dictionary policy for language

arts testswww.tea.state.tx.us/student.assessment/staar


http://www.tea.state.tx.us/student.assessment/staar

http://www.tea.state.tx.us/student.assessment/staar

STAAR Accommodation Information

Accommodation Resources webpage Information about

• accommodations for students with disabilities

(periodically updated)• linguistic accommodations for ELLs

(coming soon)

www.tea.state.tx.us/student.assessment/ accommodations


http://www.tea.state.tx.us/student.assessment/accommodations



Recommendations for Educator Review Committees

As part of test development process for the state assessments, TEA convenes committees of educators each year to review items for state assessment programs

Committees assembled from database of recommended educators

Need recommendations for educators who have experience working with ELLs

Recommendation forms available athttp://www.tea.state.tx.us/student.assessment/RecommendationEducatorCommittee.pdf

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http://www.tea.state.tx.us/student.assessment/RecommendationEducatorCommittee.pdf



Go to www.tea.state.tx.us/student.assessment and click on English Language Learner Assessments

E-mail us at [email protected] Call the TEA Student Assessment

Division at (512) 463-9536


Contact Information

http://www.tea.state.tx.us/student.assessment

http://www.tea.state.tx.us/student.assessment

mailto:[email protected]

Assessing ELLs with STAAR TM Texas Assessment Conference December 6, 2011

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