Parent Q&A Session about STAAR

Transcription

1 Parent Q&A Session about STAAR On February 23, 2012, from 6:00 to 8:00 PM, members of the DSISD community attended a Q&A session led by Christina Wiswell, Ed. D., DSISD Assessment Coordinator. Dr. Wiswell presented a brief overview of the new STAAR assessment program. Attendees were encouraged to write their questions on index cards to enable a compilation of Q & As to be posted. The following lists those questions with responses. What is Exit Level? Exit Level is the TAKS term referring to the final TAKS test, initially administered in 11 th grade. Because students must pass the Exit Level TAKS tests (English Language Arts or ELA, Math, Science, and Social Studies), students who were not successful on a particular subject area test after the first administration in late April have additional retest opportunities in July, October, March, and April. Will 10 th graders take TAKS and EOC exams in ? Please clarify Is this correct? Only students who started grade 9 in (or later) are under the STAAR End-of-Course (EOC) requirements. Students who started grade 9 in (or before) are under the TAKS requirements. The current 10 th graders will take grade 10 TAKS (ELA, Math, Science, and Social Studies) this spring and then the Exit Level TAKS next year, assuming they are enrolled as a junior or senior. However, sometimes TEA field tests certain assessments, which means that students take a test that does not count at the local level no scores are reported to the campus or to the students; it is like a practice test. This spring, 10 th graders who are taking Modified English II and/or Modified Geometry, will also take the Modified English II EOC Field Test and the Modified Geometry EOC Field Test. In addition, all TAKS students who are taking Physics and/or World History will complete the Physics EOC Field Test and the World History EOC Field Test. If EOC doesn t count 15% this year, how does that affect the structure of grades this year? If EOCs were figured into the course grade, the EOC scale score would need to be converted into a percentile score. If EOCs were to count 15% of the course grade, each semester would count 42.5%. However, as of February 17, 2012, TEA is allowing districts to waive the EOC 15% requirement for the Spring 2012 testing. As a result of DSISD taking advantage of this recent allowance, the EOC score will not be computed into the freshman student s grade and each semester will count 50% of the final course grade. Is STAAR required for college admissions or just for Texas high school graduation? STAAR is part of the Texas high school graduation requirement for students who entered 9 th grade in Although STAAR will be part of the student s transcript that may be part of the application to college, it is not a requirement for college admissions.

2 If you get in the Level III range and the failing range, are they considered the same? The STAAR scale scores will be classified into three main areas: Level I Unsatisfactory Academic Performance, Level II Satisfactory Academic Performance, and Level III Advanced Academic Performance. Because the scale scores will be reported on a continuum of results, the scores will be lower in the Level I range than the scores in the Level III range. Level I scores will be considered differently than the Level III scores. Level I results will indicate that the student has a lack of readiness for the next year and will need consistent remediation of the course content. Level III results will indicate that the student mastered the course content and is ready for the following year. Are EOC tests universal across the state? Are teachers monitored to make sure they are on track so all students are prepared? EOC tests, available in a variety of Forms or versions, are consistent across the state of Texas. Because the EOCs are based on the course TEKS (Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills) objectives, the EOCs measure how well the student has mastered the course content. As a result, the EOC tests offer a measure of accountability. In DSISD, teachers are supported and monitored in several ways. Professional development opportunities are offered to help teachers with classroom activities. Campus administrators visit the classrooms to observe instructional activities. District-wide CBAs (curriculumbased assessments) are periodically administered to check students progress. These are ways that DSISD assures that students are being prepared for successful STAAR assessments. What if TEA says that your 8 th grader did not make the grade. Do they go back to grade 8? (Seems like you get the results too late to do summer school.) The standards for the STAAR EOCs will be set this spring so that EOC results will be reported in June 2012 with the passing standards applied. For grades 3-8, STAAR results will only be reported as raw score (number correct) in June The standards for grades 3-8 will be determined in the Fall of 2012 and applied when scores are reported in January The effect of this delay in scale scores for grades 3-8, there will not be the usual SSI (Student Success Initiative) requirements for grades 5 and 8 in the spring of Campus teams will consider other factors when determining if a 5 th grade or 8 th grade student is ready to be promoted to the next grade level. For elementary school students with special needs, what are the accommodations for Math and Reading (will passages be read or just questions & choices)? TEA has very specific guidelines for allowable accommodations, all details are available online at the TEA website. Go to the TEA home page ( ) and click on Testing & Accountability which is listed at the left. Then scroll down to click on Student Assessment on the lower left. Instead of looking in the A-Z Index noted on the top bar, click on the A-Z Directory under the Student Assessment Resources heading. Click on the top listing, Accommodation Resources, and scroll down to see the Accommodations Triangle. This lists the allowable accommodations, including the eligibility. Clicking on a particular line will reference a description of the accommodation. For STAAR Reading, passages cannot

3 be read for any test version, although for certain accommodations on STAAR, the questions and answers can be read to the student. For elementary STAAR question If tests will be administered according to appropriate grade level --- if a student is reading or performing in reading or performing in math below grade level --- which test will be given: current grade level or current assessment level? All students in grades 3-8 will be given the STAAR test according to the students enrolled grade level. Students who have a modified curriculum more appropriate for their disability and students with significant cognitive disabilities will receive a grade level STAAR Modified or a STAAR Alternate. Do scores count toward a grade 3-8 student s overall grade? The STAAR scores do not count towards a student s grades in grades 3-8. Does STAAR test factor into middle school grades at all? The STAAR scores will not count towards a student s grades in grades 6-8, unless the student is working on above grade level curriculum and completing an EOC test. Some of our middle school students will take the Algebra I or Geometry EOCs. This year, no EOCs will impact a student s course grades due to TEA s recent announcement, although the EOC might in the future count 15% of a student s course grade, depending on future legislation. What is the provision for 7 th graders who have to take 7 th grade writing but are taking an 8 th grade math class? Testing is on the same day. Students should take the test that matches the curriculum they have received during the year. Some 7 th graders are taking 8 th grade math, so they will take the 8 th grade STAAR Math test which is scheduled for Tuesday, March 27. However, these 7 th graders are also required to take the 7 th grade STAAR Writing test which is scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday, March 27 and 28. These 7 th graders will take the 7 th grade STAAR Writing on March 27 and 28, and take the 8 th grade STAAR Math (as a make-up test) on Thursday, March 29. Will schools still receive the Exemplary, Recognized, etc. label? The Exemplary, Recognized, Acceptable, and Unacceptable were categorical labels associated with the previous AEIS (Academic Excellence Indicator System) state accountability system. With the implementation of STAAR, a new state accountability system is being designed that will most likely have new categorical ratings, so that the Exemplary, Recognized, etc. terms will not be used in the future. Will district have to invest in new textbooks for each grade to match the level of STAAR? If so, how will DSISD be able to purchase them, given current budget constraints? Textbooks are resources that the classroom teacher uses. DSISD curriculum, not a publisher s textbook, drives what is taught in the classroom. Through the state, textbooks are cyclically purchased with the state providing a budget allowance. DSISD continues to purchase new textbooks as possible. However,

4 the key difference that STAAR has made is in the fresh revision of the district curriculum plans to match the new rigor and readiness provisions of the assessment. What were the grade levels of questions from the original example? They appear to be two very different grade level questions. There were two questions included in the presentation, one from TAKS and one from STAAR. The discussion about the two questions was to illustrate the difference in the complexity of the process of problem solving, rather than revealing a grade level that the questions might be found. An 8 th grade math teacher in the audience voiced her opinion that both of the math questions seem to reflect an 8 th grade curriculum. Is this STAAR test to gauge how Texas students are doing on a bell curve as compared to other Texas students? Or on a national level? STAAR is a state-wide assessment and is not used in other states. STAAR is a criterion-referenced test, not a norm-referenced test. A norm-referenced test involves a bell curve distribution and what percentile a student might be functioning as compared to the student s peers. A criterion-referenced test measures if the student has mastered certain criterion or objectives, and therefore, does not involve a bell curve. Students are not graded by what other students did; instead, students are evaluated according to how well they mastered the grade-level objectives. What other states are using this STAAR test package? STAAR is an assessment based on the TEKS and designed by TEA. Therefore, STAAR is used just in Texas to measure students mastery of the grade level curriculum. Please identify what a modified STAAR student type is. Some students have disabilities that interfere with their academic achievement. These students, through careful evaluation, qualify for special education services. To support the students success, the ARD (Admission, Review, and Dismissal) committee plans an IEP (Individual Education Plan) for each special education student. Occasionally, this IEP requires a modified curriculum that changes the grade level course TEKS learning objectives for the special education student. To match the reduced learning objectives, there is a STAAR Modified for special education students who receive a modified curriculum which measures the extent their learning for the year. Of 12 area districts, only 4 (including DSISD) say that they will allow STAAR scores to affect GPA and class rank. Why did DSISD choose this, and would they consider changing this policy? The grading policy was set in the Fall of 2011 in accordance with the legislated mandates. Because TEA recently revised the 15% policy, DSISD must review and revise the previously established grading policy.

5 If Texas has been evaluating this for 3 years, why are we just now hearing about it? There has been publicity over radio, TV, and newspapers about the new STAAR assessment program. In DSISD, there has been information on the district website. In November, there was a parent program about STAAR sponsored by the district counselors. Unfortunately, information has not been detailed or definite about STAAR until this past year. Even in the past week, some previously announced information has changed. Although there is still much to be determined by TEA, DSISD presented the February Parents Q&A to discuss the current status. How can Texas legally enforce the use of an undefined test with no set criteria and no way for teachers to prepare children for successful test taking skills? TEA has defined the STAAR tests by posting the blueprints to the test at the TEA Student Assessment website. The concepts of readiness standards and supporting standards have been explained through professional development opportunities. DSISD has revised the grade level curriculums in light of these new assessments. Teachers are preparing children to be successful by covering the designed curriculum and making sure students learn the necessary concepts. Why is Texas rolling this out if all criteria are not yet defined? The STAAR tests that will be administered this spring have been designed and field tested to ensure validity and reliability. The blueprint designs of the tests are available online at the TEA website. The passing standards are yet to be determined, with EOC passing standards to be released soon and the grade 3-8 passing standards to be announced next fall. The legislature has determined that the STAAR testing program will begin implementation in the Spring of TEA is striving to maintain that schedule. Many Texas Superintendents and school districts are speaking out publicly against STAAR and the fact that standardized testing has gone too far. Where do Dr. Gearing and DSISD stand on this topic, and will they be joining other educators in speaking out? [Dr. Gearing eloquently addressed this question and others over about a 45-minute discussion period.]