STAAR Interim

2023-2024

What’s STAAR Interim?

Okay, but what exactly are STAAR Interim Assessments?

Administration Windows

Multi-stage Adaptive Design on Math/RLA interims

• Allows for shorter tests to minimize the disruption to instructional time
• Matches students with more appropriate items based on their demonstrated ability

Accommodations on interim assessments mirror what students will experience on STAAR

STAAR Interim Preparations & TestHound

Process ALL pending dashboard alerts

Build your test administration in TH

Add students to test locations & print Material Control forms for test room rosters

Registering students for interims in TIDE

Create your Secure Test Session ID

Test Security

(TAC §101.3031(a)(5))

Texas Administrative Code (TAC §101.3031(a)(5))

• The Texas Administrative Code (TAC §101.3031(a)(5)) states that any violation of test security or confidential integrity may result in the TEA:

■ invalidating student test results;

■ referring certified educators to the State Board for Educator Certification (SBEC) for sanctions in accordance with TAC Chapter 247 (relating to Educators’ Code of Ethics) and TAC Chapter 249 (relating to Disciplinary Proceedings, Sanctions, and Contested Cases); and

■ lowering the school district’s or charter school’s accreditation status or a school district’s, charter school’s, or campus’s accountability rating in accordance with Texas Education Code (TEC §39.057(d)), or appointment of a monitor, conservator, or management team to the school district or charter school in accordance with TEC Chapter 39A

• As indicated in TAC §249.15, any person who violates, assists in the violation of, or solicits another to violate or assist in the violation of test security or confidentiality, as well as any person who fails to report such a violation or fails to cooperate with a TEA investigation, is subject to the following penalties:

■ placement of restrictions on the issuance, renewal, or holding of a certificate, either indefinitely or for a set term;

■ issuance of an inscribed or non-inscribed reprimand;

■ suspension of a certificate for a set term or issuance of a probated suspension for a set term;

■ revocation or cancellation, which includes accepting the surrender of, a certificate without opportunity for reapplication for a set term or permanently; or

■ imposition of any additional conditions or restrictions upon a certificate that the SBEC deems necessary to facilitate the rehabilitation and professional development of the educator or to protect students, parents of students, school personnel, or school officials

Don’t think there are repercussions for Serious Testing Irregularities?

Most people think nothing happens to teachers who commit Serious Testing Irregularities, but these certificates show how serious SBEC takes these violations. Don’t find yourself in jeopardy of being Under Investigation or having your credentials Revoked. Anytime your credentials are under investigation your TEAL account is flagged, so even if you leave PISD your new ISD will see the flag on your account

Procedural Testing Irregularities

Procedural testing irregularities are less severe, more common, and typically the result of minor deviations from testing procedures.

Types of Testing Irregularities: Procedural

Accommodation Errors examples include:

• A student was provided an unallowable accommodation.
• A student, not approved for an accommodation, was provided the accommodation.
• An allowable and approved accommodation was not provided to a student.
• An allowable and approved accommodation was not properly administered or applied.
• The district failed to get the required TEA approval for an accommodation.

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Accounting Errors examples include:

• A student was issued test materials (e.g., test booklet, answer document, or test ticket) belonging to another student.
• A student's responses, holistic ratings, or observable behavior rating were submitted incorrectly (e.g., wrong subject or domain, wrong student).
• Testing personnel lost or misplaced test booklet(s), answer document(s), or other secure test materials.
• Secure test materials were left unattended or secure online assessments were left visible.
• Students' test results or test performance was improperly shared (i.e., FERPA violation).

Types of Testing Irregularities: Procedural

Eligibility Errors examples include:

• A student was administered an incorrect test (e.g., wrong grade level, wrong language, wrong version).
• An eligible student was not administered a test (e.g., EL whose parents waived district ESL services was not administered the assessment).
• An ineligible student was incorrectly administered a test (e.g., a student who has completed only the first part of U.S. History was administered the STAAR EOC assessment).
• The district failed to submit student responses, holistic ratings, or observable behaviors ratings.
• The district failed to properly account for all eligible testers.

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Training Errors examples include:

• Personnel were permitted to administer tests, monitor test sessions, relieve a test administrator during a break, or handle secure materials even though they were not properly trained or did not sign the appropriate test security oath.

Types of Testing Irregularities: Procedural

Monitoring Errors examples include:

• A test administrator
• left room unmonitored during testing;
• did not monitor students during break;
• reinforced test-taking strategies;
• did not properly prepare testing environment or device for testing;
• did not use test administrator manual or read "SAY" directions;
• did not complete required seating chart; or
• did not give students correct amount of time to complete the test (i.e., too much, too little).
• A test administrator did not actively monitor students and did not
• detect when student went back or went ahead to work on different test;
• ensure that students worked independently;
• prevent students from using cell phones to take pictures, post, or send messages;
• verify that students recorded their responses and accepted blank answer documents; or
• confirm that students submitted online tests.

Types of Testing Irregularities: Serious

• Directly or indirectly assisting students with responses to test questions
• Tampering with student responses
• Falsifying holistic ratings or student responses
• Viewing secure test content before, during, or after an administration unless specifically authorized by TEA
• Discussing or disclosing secure test content or student responses
• Scoring student tests, either formally or informally
• Duplicating, recording, or electronically capturing confidential test content unless specifically authorized by TEA
• Responding to secure test questions
• Fraudulently exempting or preventing a student from participating in the administration of a required state assessment
• Receiving or providing unallowable assistance during calibration activities (e.g., taking notes or sharing answers)
• Encouraging or assisting an individual to engage in the conduct described in the items listed above or in any other serious violation of security and confidentiality
• Failing to report to an appropriate authority that an individual has engaged in or is suspected of engaging in conduct described in the items listed above or in any other serious violation of security and confidentiality
• Failing to implement sufficient procedures to prevent student cheating
• Failing to implement sufficient procedures to prevent alteration of test documents by anyone other than the student

Preparing for STAAR Interim

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All Test Administrators should have the following items for their test room:

The following are embedded tools in the online system:

• Dictionaries (for STAAR Reading in Grades 3-8, and EOC E1 and E2)
• Calculators - Graphing calculator OR Desmos App for Grade 8 Math and EOC Algebra I
• Calculator for Grade 8 Science and EOC Biology

STAAR Interim Test Administrator Manual

STAAR Online Test Platform (SOTP)

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Students will log into the TXSecureBrowser icon.

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Chromebooks students: do not log in to device, enter kiosk mode to locate app; app automatically updates

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Windows device students: students log in to device, app is automatically loaded and should be on their desktop; app also automatically updates on student devices

Once the student is in the SOTP, their screen will look like this:

STAAR Online Test Platform (SOTP)

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Students will test in the Operational Test Site. All students will be provided with a testing ticket. It WILL NOT have a specific test name or Session ID associated with it. The Test Administrator will be provided the Secure Session ID when test materials are distributed the morning of test day.

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STAAR Online Test Platform (SOTP)

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The following screen will prompt the student to ensure they have logged in with the correct TSDS credentials. Students should ensure their Last Name, Grade, Date of Birth, and School are all correct before proceeding. If the information is the students, they will click on the green Yes at the bottom of the screen.

STAAR Online Test Platform (SOTP)

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After the student verifies their login is correct, they will see the list of test available to them under the Session ID used to log into the platform. The student will click on the name of the released test to begin their exam.

Please note, all students receiving Designated Supports/Test Attributes, these have been loaded into the SOTP and will automatically be available to the student once the test has been started (if it is an allowable support). If a student informs the TA a Designated Support is not working/available to them, refer to the Room Accommodations report or the Student Settings and Tools report provided by your CTC with all your testing materials.

Campus Test Plan Information

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Make sure you include information about the following for your staff:

Campus Test Plan Information

Campus Test Plan Information

Click here to visit our webpage

• Blake Emmons, ext. 78154 or 713.740.5250
• Amy Duke, ext. 78150 or 713.740.5246
• Janette Montemayor, ext. 78155 or 713.740.5258
• Patricia Fraga, ext. 78156 or 713.740.5251

As TEA holds additional trainings for District Test Coordinators and releases additional test administration information items found within this training are subject to change. Any changes will be communicated with the Campus Test Coordinator and will then need to be communicated with your campus testing staff.