Should you wish to be removed from this email list or if someone in your district needs to be added, please contact Jessica Hassell at jhassell@esc6.net.

December English 1 and English 2 EOC:

Just as a reminder, the LAST day for students to take the December English I or English II EOC is this Thursday, December 10th.

These two tests are not offered during the extra window next week.

Nonscorable Materials Shipping Deadline:

December 18th is the deadline to ship nonscorable materials.

Completing Paper & Online Administrations:

Also use these two links for reference on completing the Paper Administration process and the Online Administration Process.

• Complete Paper Administration Directions in DCCR.
• Districts MUST ship all SCOREABLE materials and verify ADPL by December 15th.
• Use the WHITE BOX and GREEN Label.
• DTCs must enter and submit counts in the online ADPL of all paper answer documents returned for scoring. Do NOT include voided answer documents or counts of students that test online.

Online Testing Information

The online testing window for the December 2020 STAAR administration will close at 9:00 p.m. (CT) on December 18, 2020. Test attributes must be verified and updated by the close of the testing window. As a reminder, test attributes include score codes, accommodations, designated supports, test indicators, agency use, local use, and new-to-Texas indicators. For information on updating test attributes and score codes, see Section 7.5.5 and Section 7.5.6 of the STAAR Assessment Management System User’s Guide.

As a reminder, for any eligible student receiving remote instruction who does not go to the campus or designated testing site to take a STAAR EOC assessment in December 2020, the district should indicate “O” for other in the SCORE CODE field and “0” under column D in the AGENCY USE field. Please see the December 2020 STAAR Administration Guidance for additional information. This must be completed prior to the end of the administration. Changes to this information cannot be made once the administration has ended.

Resolve Student Test Warnings and Submit Test Information Changes

Districts must resolve records for students who have inconsistent or missing student information or a mismatch between the most recent answer document submitted and records in the Assessment Management System. The window for resolving test warnings and submitting test information changes for the December 2020 STAAR administration will open December 15, 2020. All resolutions and test information changes must be completed by January 7, 2021, to be reflected in districts’ reports.

Districts may continue to resolve student test warnings and make changes to test taken information up to one year after the test administration in order to receive updated STAAR Report Cards and data files. However, changes made after the date listed above will not be applied to statewide reports.

Answer Document Packing List (ADPL) Submission

All ADPLs must be submitted online in the Assessment Management System. Prior to submission, district or campus testing coordinators must verify that all counts entered in the ADPL match the actual number of answer documents packed for return. The deadline to submit ADPLs for the December 2020 STAAR administration is 11:59 p.m. (CT) December 15, 2020, the same date that scorable materials must be returned.

The Medical Exclusion Form can be found in the DCCR by clicking on the button below. The Medical Exclusion Form will be open 12/18-01/08.

Information required for populating the "Medical Exclusion Form":

1. Texas Student Data System ID (TSDS ID)

2. Administration Information:

• Year
• Month
• Program
• Assessment Grade Level
• Student's Enrolled Grade
• Subject

3. Verification of Eligibility and Rationale: I hereby affirm that the student was marked absent in the school's attendance records every day during the testing and makeup window due to the medical issue and meets at least one of the following eligibility criteria (check all that apply).

• The student is unable to receive sufficient or consistent homebound services due to medical issues (This means that the student is currently receiving homebound services; however, the homebound teacher is unable to provide services for the majority of the documented time due to the medical issues.)
• The student is unable to respond to test questions due to a terminal or degenerative illness. (This means that the student's diagnosis is actively/currently affecting his or her daily activities such that no available accommodations can reasonably mitigate these factors.)
• The student is receiving extensive short-term medical treatment due to a medical emergency or serious injury (e.g., coma, major head trauma, organ failure). Note: appendectomy, tonsillectomy, or broken arms/legs do not constitute a severe medical issue.
• The student is unable to interact with peers or educators without the risk of infection or contamination to himself or herself or others (e.g., measles, respiratory illness, malaria). Note: colds and flu do not constitute a significant medical emergency.

4. Medical Exclusion Rationale: (Up to 3000 characters)

5. Local tracking number (Not required, but will help you tie it back to your system's requests)

Students CAN be counted "present" for remote learning and absent for testing due to COVID or required quarantine and still qualify for the medical exclusion. The current medical exclusion form does not reflect this situation, but TEA is revising.

This is a reminder to register all students who will be assessed with STAAR Alternate 2 during the registration window from November 30–December 31, 2020. To receive large-print test materials, districts must indicate large print in the registration file. Refer to the Student Registration File Format document on the Texas Resource Center for additional information. Districts must enter student registration information during this window to receive test materials.

This is a reminder that the deadline to select a data collection/registration option for the 2021 TELPAS administration is December 11, 2020. There are two data collection options. Districts may choose to have student data loaded to the STAAR Alternate 2, TELPAS, and TELPAS Alternate Assessment Management System based on Public Education Information Management System (PEIMS) data, or districts may submit a locally created student registration data file containing all K–12 English learner (EL) students. For more information about the data collection options, refer to the TELPAS section of Review student records in the District and Campus Coordinator Resources.

For details about indicating your selection or uploading files, see the STAAR Alternate 2, TELPAS, and TELPAS Alternate Assessment Management User’s Guide in the Texas Resource Center. The window to submit district-created student registration data files will open January 11, 2021.

For questions and assistance regarding the information in this communication, contact the Customer Service Center using the live chat feature, the Pearson Customer Support Form, or by calling 800-627-0225.

The out-of-district (OOD) and out-of-school (OOS) Test Site Registration form for the spring 2021 STAAR administrations must be completed by December 18, 2020. Districts must register each participating OOD/OOS test site directly in the Assessment Management System. See Section 4.2 Volunteer Test Sites of the Assessment Management System User’s Guide for more information and detailed instructions.

As a reminder, updated interim data files will not be available the weeks of December 11, 2020, December 25, 2020, and January 1, 2021. The full schedule of district file delivery can be found in Appendix C of the Interim Assessments User Manual.

This training module was created for Test Administrators. It is designed to supplement the mandatory training required of all Test Administrators. The training consists of two training videos and twelve questions about the content covered in the videos. The module should take about an hour to complete. A Certificate of Completion will be available at the end of the module. Individuals will be prompted to fill in their first and last name and date of completion prior to printing or saving a copy of the certificate. Note that any unsaved certificates will not be retrievable at a later time.

TA Module

The following training webinars are coming soon. Select the link to register for the training.

Webinar information and registration links are also available on the Training webpage.

Preparing for the Release of December 2020 Scores: January 12, 2021 1:30 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. CT

• This webinar training will provide information regarding receipt of your December 2020 scores. The training will cover the various report types posted to the Assessment Management System for scoring and reporting. The training will also review resolution of test warnings, score code changes, rescores, and other changes needed after scores have been reported. Register HERE

In response to the extension of the spring 2021 STAAR online administrations from one week to five and the implications this change will have on scoring and reporting, ETS will host four live training sessions of the Online Testing Preparation for Spring 2021 webinar in February and March to provide multiple opportunities for district and campus personnel to listen and ask questions. The content presented in each session will remain the same and will follow standard ETS webinar format.

To accommodate this change, ETS will not have spring versions of the Overview of the STAAR Online Testing Platform and the Technology Staff Network Configuration, Secure Browser Installation, and Device Set Up webinars because there are no scheduled updates to the secure browser application and no new personal needs and preferences (PNPs). Districts can continue to access the recordings of the webinars from the fall in the District and Campus Coordinator Resources on the 2020–2021 Summative Webinar Recordings (Fall) webpage. Additionally, the Getting Ready for Your December 2020 Shipments to Arrive and the Spring 2020 Material Returns webinars will be combined, and the session will be extended by 30 minutes.

Webinar Date Webinar Title

Thursday, January 21, 2021 STAAR 3–8 Registration for New DTCs

Tuesday, February 2, 2021 Winter Activities for Upcoming STAAR Administrations

Tuesday, February 16, 2021 Online Testing Preparation for Spring 2021 (Session 1)

Thursday, February 18, 2021 Online Testing Preparation for Spring 2021 (Session 2)

Tuesday, March 2, 2021 STAAR Test Material and Precode Shipments—Receipt and Return

Tuesday, March 9, 2021 Online Testing Preparation for Spring 2021 (Session 3)

Tuesday, March 23, 2021 Online Testing Preparation for Spring 2021 (Session 4)

Thursday, March 25, 2021 Navigating the Texas Assessment Portal

Tuesday, March 30, 2021 Preparing for the Release of Spring 2021 Scores

For additional information on these topics, refer to the STAAR Assessment Management System User's Guide. For questions or assistance regarding the information in this communication, contact the Texas Assessment Support Center at 855-333-7770, STAAR3-8@ets.org, STAAREOC@ets.org, or via live chat through the Assessment Management System.

Two webinar training opportunities will be available in January 2021 to provide an overview of the STAAR Alternate 2, TELPAS, and TELPAS Alternate Assessment Management System and the TELPAS Online Training Center and to help you prepare for the spring administrations.

The webinars include information on changes and key dates.

Each webinar will be offered at two different times but will include the same information. Districts will receive an additional email in January when registration for the webinars opens. Dates and times for these webinars are listed below.

STAAR Alternate 2 and TELPAS Alternate

Tuesday, January 26

Wednesday, January 27

10:00–11:30 a.m. (CT)

10:00–11:30 a.m. (CT)

TELPAS and TELPAS Online Training Center

Tuesday, January 26

Wednesday, January 27

2:00–3:30 p.m. (CT)

2:00–3:30 p.m. (CT)

For questions and assistance regarding the information in this communication, contact the Customer Service Center using the live chat feature, the Pearson Customer Support Form, or by calling 800-627-0225.

Registration is open for the 2021 TSNAP Best Practices Forum.

Join the next generation to learn about best practices surrounding assessment and accountability during the virtual conference.

Register here...

Click here for directions on how to import each Testing calendar into your Outlook or Google calendars.

The printed version of the 2020–2021 Calendar of Events varies slightly from the online version. The online version has been updated to reflect that the STAAR grade 8 science and social studies tests are also available online on May 6 and 7. These testing dates correspond with the testing dates listed on the Student Assessment Testing Calendar for the 2020-2021 School Year.

Texas Education Agency Pauses A-F Ratings For 2020-21 School Year
STAAR testing will proceed so parents and educators continue to understand what students have learned this year, and to gauge the impact of the pandemic on education.

AUSTIN, Texas – December 10, 2020 – The Texas Education Agency announced today that A-F ratings would be paused for 2020-21 school year due to the ongoing disruptions associated with COVID-19. The STAAR test will proceed for the 2020-21 school year in order to provide critically important information about individual student learning that teachers and parents can use to help students grow. For those schools that incorporate STAAR results into teacher evaluations, TEA is providing flexibility to allow them to remove that component this school year.

Ensuring that STAAR is made available has been recognized as vital by education leaders around the state. STAAR results will allow schools, teachers, and parents to see how individual students are performing while also giving education leaders and policymakers across Texas a comprehensive picture of what are likely to be sweeping impacts of the pandemic on student learning, helping policymakers craft solutions for the years ahead. However, the STAAR will not be used for accountability purposes this school year.

“The last nine months have been some of the most disruptive of our lives. The challenges have been especially pronounced for our parents, teachers, and students. We continue to prioritize the health and safety of students, teachers, and staff in our schools this year, while working to ensure students grow academically,” said Texas Education Commissioner Mike Morath.

“The issuance of A-F ratings for schools has proven to be a valuable tool to support continuous improvement for our students, allowing educators, parents, and the general public to better identify and expand efforts that are working for kids. But the pandemic has disrupted school operations in fundamental ways that have often been outside the control of our school leaders, making it far more difficult to use these ratings as a tool to support student academic growth. As a result, we will not issue A-F ratings this school year,” added Morath.

School systems are required to make STAAR available to every eligible student. The test will be administered on school campuses across the state or at other secure alternative testing sites. The test is an assessment of the grade level expectations of Texas students, with questions designed by subject matter experts and committees of Texas teachers to measure how well students have mastered knowledge and skills in various grades and subjects. STAAR will continue to be administered only in secure environments to ensure the results remain valid and reliable.

The TEAL SAT/ACT reimbursement request application opened on November 9 and closes on December 18. To prepare, districts should designate a point person at the district level for this project and ensure they have Accountability-level access in TEAL. Please view this presentation for more information. For questions, please contact TEA at advancedacademics@tea.texas.gov or at 512-463-9762.

Performance Reporting has received multiple inquiries about the potential impacts of STAAR answer document score codes on 2021 participation rates. The participation rate calculation for reading and mathematics as well as the most frequently asked questions are provided below:

The target participation rate is 95 percent of students taking a state-administered assessment in reading and mathematics. Participation measures are based on STAAR and TELPAS assessment results.

• STAAR Alternate 2 students with a No Authentic Academic Response (NAAR) designation are included as participants.
• Students with the medical exception or medically exempt designations are not included in the participation rate calculation. This includes both STAAR and STAAR Alternate 2 students.

The participation rate is calculated as follows using codes from the Consolidated Accountability File (CAF).

Number of answer documents with a score code of S + Number of STAAR Alternate 2 testers with a score code of N + Number of A or O reading answer documents with a scored TELPAS or TELPAS Alternate assessment + Number of A or O mathematics answer documents with a scored TELPAS or TELPAS Alternate assessment for year 1 asylee/refugees and SIFEs

---divided by---

Number scored (S) + Number absent (A) + No authentic academic response (N) + Other (O)

If a campus marks an answer document with a score code of O (not scored) and an agency use code of 0 (remote instruction—not testing in person), would that test still be included in the denominator for the participation count?

Under traditional federal participation rules, yes. The agency is seeking a federal participation waiver for 2021 accountability; however, without a participation waiver granted from the U.S. Department of Education (USDE) all Os will be included as non-participants.

If a campus were to mark an answer document with a score of A (absent) and submit the medical exclusion due to COVID or quarantine and the exclusion was approved, would that test be removed from the participation calculations?

Yes.

Is the purpose of the agency use code of 0 to be able to identify these specific O codes for not scored from the other O codes that are normally included (cheating, ill during testing)?

Yes, the agency would like to be able to differentiate between traditional As/Os and As/Os that were a result of virtual learning, quarantine, or COVID-19.

The 2019–20 TAPR will be released on November 19, 2020. Please note, that due to the cancellation of 2020 spring STAAR testing, 2020 STAAR data will not be included. The report will display 2018 and 2019 STAAR data.

Additionally, the Enrollment section in Profile is new this year. The definitions below describe the nuances between Membership and Enrollment. If comparing the data shown from this year’s report to previous reports, use the data displayed under Membership. Prior year reports used the Membership definition in the Profile section.

Enrollment: Students reported as enrolled as of the last Friday in October (October 25, 2019).

Membership: Membership differs from enrollment, as it does not include those students who are served for less than two hours per day. A student is in membership if he/she is enrolled and is either

• scheduled to attend at least two hours of instruction each school day or
• participating in an alternative attendance accounting program.

For example, the count of Total Students excludes students who attend a non-public school but receive some services, such as speech therapy—for less than two hours per day—from their local school district.

This correspondence is to notify you that the 2018 Annual Graduates College, Career, or Military Readiness Outcomes Bonus (CCMR OB) Student Listings and explanatory materials are now available in the TEA Login (TEAL) Accountability application. This listing is considered final and will be used by the State Funding Division to settle up fiscal year 2019–2020 CCMR OB funding. Please note that the data in these reports are confidential.

The Summary of Finance (SOF) reports will display the count of annual graduates in excess of the proposed thresholds for the three cohorts: annual graduates who are educationally disadvantaged (economically disadvantaged), annual graduates who are not educationally disadvantaged, and annual graduates who are enrolled in a special education program.

Preliminary 2019 Annual Graduates CCMR OB Student Listings will be released in TEAL Accountability by January 1, 2021, and will be used to generate 2020–2021 CCMR OB funding. The District Planning Estimate (DPE) column of the 2020–2021 SOF reports will be updated to incorporate CCMR OB funding and used in near-final settle up calculations.

For Further Information

Additional information on CCMR OB criteria, as well as the use of military enlistment data is available on the Performance Reporting Resources page. An October 29, 2020 To the Administrator Addressed letter provides further details on the proposed thresholds and timeline.

If you have questions regarding CCMR OB criteria or student listings, please contact TEA’s Performance Reporting Division at (512) 463-9704 or performance.reporting@tea.texas.gov.

For questions regarding funding, please contact the State Funding Division at (512) 463-9238 or sfinance@tea.texas.gov.

TEA recently posted a Use of Military Enlistment Data FAQ to provide additional clarification on common military enlistment questions as well as a one pager comparing CCMR accountability requirements to CCMR OB requirements on the Performance Reporting Resources webpage.

Intervention & Submission calendars were posted on August 13th on the TEA website. The calendars may be accessed at the links below.

• Visit the District Accountability Intervention and Guidance webpage and choose District Interventions Matrix.
• Visit the Campus Accountability Intervention and Guidance webpage and choose Campus Interventions Matrix.

Texas Education Agency
Student Assessment Division
1701 N. Congress Avenue, Room 3-122A
Austin, Texas 78701
Phone: (512) 463-9536
Fax: (512) 463-9302

ETS Customer Service
(STAAR Grades 3–8, EOC, and Interim Assessments):
Phone:(855) 333-7770
Email:
STAAR3-8@ets.org
STAAREOC@ets.org

Pearson's Customer Service Center
(STAAR Alternate 2, TELPAS. and TELPAS Alternate):
Phone: (800) 627-0225
Email: TxPearsonAccess@support.pearson.com

Jessica Hassell, M.Ed.

Assessment, Accountability & School Improvement Specialist

Regional Testing Coordinator

Region 6 Education Service Center

Email: jhassell@esc6.net
Website: https://www.esc6.net/
Location: 3332 Montgomery Rd, Huntsville, TX, USA
Phone: 936-435-8355