Update on Alternate Assessments

1
Update on Alternate Assessments

• TEA Student
• Assessment Division

TETN Event 30023
February 25, 2008
2
Agenda

• TAKS-M Modification Guidelines
• Supplemental Aids Tools vs. Sources of Direct
  Answers
• Updates, Clarifications, and Frequently Asked
  Questions

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TAKS-M Modification Guidelines
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Reading Modifications to the Selections
5
Grade 5 TAKS Will jumped off his horse Tess. He
removed her saddle so that she could graze with
the other horses of the Shortstop Ranch. Tesss
ears pricked up, and she whinnied. At least one
of us is happy about being here, Will thought.
As Will walked to the house to see what chores
Ms. Slocum had for him today, Orlando, one of the
ranch hands, called out a greeting.
Grade 5 TAKS-M Will jumped off his horse and
took off its saddle. His horses ears went up,
and it whinnied. At least one of us is happy
about being here, Will thought. Will walked to
the ranch house to see what chores Ms. Slocum had
for him today. Gus, one of the ranch helpers,
said hello.

• Simplify or clarify difficult to decode or
  conceptually difficult vocabulary when possible
  and when not tested.
• Delete extraneous information that does not
  affect development of the selection or any
  context related to the tested items.

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Reading Item Modifications
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Grade 7 TAKS Why does the author choose to tell
this story from a first-person point of view? A
To help the reader better understand the emotions
the family experiences B To show how families
react in the face of tragedy C To help the reader
know what it was like to be 13 years old in
1925 D To show how children react to a parents
illness
Grade 7 TAKS-M
Why does the author choose to tell this story
from the narrators point of view? A To help
the reader better understand the emotions the
family experiences B To show how families react
when problems arise C To show how children act
when a parent becomes sick

• Add precise language to provide additional
  context for clarification.
• Simplify difficult to decode or conceptually
  difficult vocabulary, phrases, or sentences when
  not tested.
• Delete one answer choice based on content and/or
  statistics of item.
• Provide definition of literary terms in a text
  box near the item

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Grade 7 TAKS The author includes the information
in paragraph 9 to A show what kind of
relationship the narrator has with her father B
illustrate how Mamas feelings about the house
have changed C create suspense about whether the
family will ever have its own house D explain how
to recognize and treat the symptoms of pneumonia
Grade 7 TAKS-M Why does the author include the
information in paragraph 9? A To show what kind
of relationship the narrator has with her
father B To create doubt about whether the
family will ever have its own house C To explain
how to treat a serious illness

• Change item from an open-ended statement ending
  with a dash to a direct question or vice versa,
  as necessary, for clarification.
• Delete one answer choice based on content and/or
  statistics of item.
• Simplify difficult to decode or conceptually
  difficult vocabulary, phrases, or sentences when
  not tested

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Mathematics Science Item Modifications
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Grade 3 TAKS Nathan, Basil, and Marissa each
have an aquarium at home. Basil has 18 fish.
Marissa has twice as many fish as Basil. Nathan
has 7 fewer fish than Marissa. Which shows the
number of fish that each person has? Mark your
answer. A Nathan 7, Basil 18, Marissa 14 B
Nathan 29, Basil 18, Marissa 36 C Nathan 11,
Basil 18, Marissa 9 D Nathan 43, Basil 18,
Marissa 36
Grade 3 TAKS-M Basil, Marissa, and Nathan each
have an aquarium. Basil has 8 fish. Marissa
has twice as many fish as Basil. Nathan has 3
more fish than Basil. Which of these shows the
number of fish that each person has? A Basil
8, Marissa 16, Nathan 11 B Basil 8, Marissa 4,
Nathan 7 C Basil 8, Marissa 16, Nathan 5

• Use bullets to clearly organize complex items
  into smaller, meaningful parts.
• Reduce the number of variables and simplify
  digits in item when appropriate.
• Delete extraneous information including
  irrelevant material and unnecessary words in
  items or graphics.
• Delete one answer choice based on content and/or
  statistics of item.

11
Grade 3 TAKS-M Ben paid for a snack using the
money shown below. What is the value of
the money Ben used to pay for the snack? A
0.63 B 0.78 C 1.03
Grade 3 TAKS Ben paid for a game using the money
shown below. What is the value of the
money Ben used to pay for the game? Mark your
answer. A 20.03 B 20.63 C 20.78 D 21.03

• Revise text as necessary to maintain the
  authenticity and logic of the item due to
  modifications
• Reduce the number of variables and simplify
  digits in item when appropriate.
• Delete extraneous information including
  irrelevant material and unnecessary words in
  items or graphics.
• Delete one answer choice based on content and/or
  statistics of item.

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Grade 10 TAKS A person pushes a large box across
a level floor by applying a horizontal force of
200 N. If the person pushes the box a distance of
5 meters in 10 seconds, how much work does the
person do on the box? A 2000 joules B 1000
joules C 400 joules D 100 joules
Grade 10 TAKS-M A person pushes a large box
across a level floor by applying a horizontal
force of 200 newtons (N). If the person pushes
the box a distance of 5 meters, how much work
does the person do on the box? A 1000
joules B 100 joules C 40 joules

• Delete extraneous information including
  irrelevant material and unnecessary words in
  items or graphics.
• Delete one answer choice based on content and/or
  statistics of item.
• Add precise language to provide additional
  context for clarification.
• Provide appropriate formula and/or conversion
  from science chart near the item.

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Grade 5 TAKS Insect Life Cycle
Grade 5 TAKS-M Look at the diagram below. It
shows the life cycle of an insect. Which
letter shows the adult insect? A Q B R C S
Which part of this life cycle shows the adult
organism? A Q B R C S D T

• Simplify visual complexity of graphics.
• Delete extraneous information including
  irrelevant material and unnecessary words in
  items or graphics.
• Simplify complex sentence structure and
  vocabulary in item and answer choices without
  eliminating science vocabulary.
• Delete one answer choice based on content and/or
  statistics of item.
• Direct student attention to graphics.

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Sources of Direct Answers on Supplemental Aids
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Grade 8 Social Studies TEKS assess
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This sample supplemental aid would be a source
of direct answers for TEKS objective 1,
8.1(A)(B)(C) and 8.5(E).

• This supplemental aid would have been a source of
  direct answers prior to deleting the marked
  information. It would be a tool if the
  information that is marked is
• deleted.

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Grade 8 Social Studies TEKS assess
Grade 8 Social Studies TEKS assess
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This sample supplemental aid would be a source of
direct answers for TEKS objective 1, 8.5(G).
This sample supplemental aid would be a source of
direct answers for TEKS objective 1, 8.5(G).

• Remove the title, labels, and key from this map
  to make it a tool

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Grade 10 World Geography TEKS assess
Grade 10 World Geography TEKS assess
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This sample supplemental aid would be a source of
direct answers for TEKS objective 2, WG1(B).
This sample supplemental aid would be a source of
direct answers for TEKS objective 2, WG1(B).

• This particular graphic cannot be edited so that
  students can use it as a tool.

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Grade 5 Science TEKS assess
Grade 5 Science TEKS assess
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This sample supplemental aid would be a source of
direct answers for TEKS objective 4, 5.12 (A).
This sample supplemental aid would be a source of
direct answers for TEKS objective 4, 5.12 (A).

• To make this a tool, definitions (in words or
  pictures) could be provided for renewable,
  non-renewable, and inexhaustible but without
  specific examples such as the ones above

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Grade 8 Science TEKS assess
Grade 8 Science TEKS assess
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This sample supplemental aid would be a source of
direct answers for TEKS objective 3, 8.8(A)(B).
This sample supplemental aid would be a source of
direct answers for TEKS objective 3, 8.8(A)(B).

• To make this a tool, the information under
  Approximate Atomic Mass, Electrical Charge,
  and Location in Atom would need to be deleted.
  In addition, the subatomic particles could only
  be labeled as P, N, and E. With these
  edits, the student would receive a mostly blank
  chart that would serve as a visual reminder of
  the information they see in class on a regular
  basis.

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Grade 10-11 Science TEKS assess
Grade 10-11 Science TEKS assess
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This sample supplemental aid would be a source of
direct answers for TEKS objective 2, Biology
6(A).
This sample supplemental aid would be a source of
direct answers for TEKS objective 2, Biology
6(A).

• To make this a tool, all parts of the labels
  except for the N on Nitrogen base pair and
  S and P on Chains of sugar and phosphate
  must be deleted.

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Grade 4 and 6 Math TEKS assess
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This sample supplemental aid would be a source of
direct answers for TEKS 4.8(A) and 6.6 (A).
This sample supplemental aid would be a source of
direct answers for TEKS 4.8(A) and 6.6 (A).

• This would be a tool if it was the definition of
  angle such as a cute angle, a square angle,
  and an angle leaning back. These are just a
  few examples of the many acceptable definitions
  for angles at grades 4 and 6.

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Grade 6 and 7 Math TEKS assess
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This sample supplemental aid would be a source of
direct answers for TEKS 6.2 (E) and 7.2(E).

• What is the value of the expression below?
• 3 x (26 - 8) 56
• Step 1 26 8 18
• Step 2 3 x 18 54
• Step 3 54 56 110

• A student could use the symbols only or a
  mnemonic device like PEMDAS without including a
  specific example.

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Grade 7 Math TEKS assess
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This sample supplemental aid would be a source of
direct answers for TEKS 7.1(B).
This sample supplemental aid would be a source of
direct answers for TEKS 7.1(B).

• These specific examples are not allowed. A tool
  for this TEK may be a list of steps that describe
  how to change a number from a fraction to a
  decimal, decimal to percent, etc. For instance,
  the list could read to change a number from a
  percent to a decimal, multiply by 100 or move the
  decimal point 2 places to the right.

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Updates, Clarifications, and FAQs
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Accommodation Updates

• Fax requests to 512-463-9302 or 512-463-8538.
• March requests are being given priority at this
  time. This includes requests with a combination
  of March, April, and May accommodations.

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Accommodation Updates

• Requests for accommodations students need in
  April and May will be addressed after March
  testing.
• DO NOT RESUBMIT REQUESTS WITHOUT PRIOR APPROVAL
  FROM A MEMBER OF THE TEA ACCOMMODATION TASK FORCE.

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What are the most common MISTAKES made on
Accommodation Request Forms?

• Submitting multiple request forms for one student
  (remember that 1 student may have 1 request form
  that includes many accommodations for several
  assessments)
• Incomplete request form (no DTC signature, no fax
  number, no test administration date, no test
  noted, illegible, etc)
• Poor objective evidence (such as lacking
  evidence, giving vague evidence, providing the
  same evidence for many students, including the
  IEP, etc)

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What are the most common MISTAKES made on
Accommodation Request Forms?

• Submitting unnecessary requests (small group,
  dyslexia bundle, oral administration,
  supplemental aids for TAKS-M, extended time for
  students who are not in unique/serious
  situations, etc)
• Including multiple copies of the same
  supplemental aid(s) for many students in one
  submission (remember that you can include 1 copy
  of a supplemental aid when submitting several
  requests for the same aid)

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Can instrumental music be played in the classroom
while students are testing?

• No. In the past this has been allowed with the
  submission and approval of an Accommodation
  Request Form and specific guidelines a school was
  required to follow.
• Beginning this year, if individual students
  need this accommodation to minimize distractions
  then follow the guidelines on page 24 of the
  Accommodations Manual. Students who need this
  accommodation may be able to listen to
  instrumental music with headphones.

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What accommodations are available for general
education students?

• In the Accommodations Manual, any accommodation
  that is marked as allowable for TAKS is available
  to ALL students, including general education
  students. The decision to use a particular
  accommodation should be made on an individual
  basis and should take into consideration both the
  needs of the student and whether the student
  routinely receives the accommodation in classroom
  instruction and testing. In addition, all
  accommodations a student uses must be recorded on
  the scorable document.

40
Does a student receiving services through
Section 504/special education need to be
identified as dyslexic/ learning disabled in
reading to receive an oral administration in M,
Sc, and/or SS?

• No. This information is found on page 44 of the
  Accommodations Manual. An eligible student
  identified as having a disability that affects
  the student's reading may receive an oral
  administration. This does not say that the
  student must be identified as dyslexic/learning
  disabled in reading to receive an oral
  administration. Some students may have a
  disability, either cognitive or emotional for
  instance, that directly impacts their ability to
  decode or comprehend written text. The 504/ARD
  committee needs to evaluate whether the impact is
  severe enough to warrant this accommodation, if
  this accommodation is documented in the student's
  records, and if the accommodation is used
  routinely in class.
• In addition, students who are identified as
  dyslexic who are not receiving services through
  Section 504/special education may receive an oral
  administration.

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If a student took the TAKS-M field test in
October, did they already fulfill their testing
requirement for the school year in those subjects?

• No. Students who participated in the Fall TAKS-M
  field test completed an assessment for the grade
  level below their current grade level. Spring
  testing will fulfill their testing requirements.
• Example of an 8th grader who takes TAKS-M for all
  subjects
• Took field tests containing 7th grade material
  for R, M, and W in the fall
• In the spring, will take the operational, grade 8
  R, M, and Sc and the grade 8 SS field test

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When does a school use the O code?

• The O code on the scorable document is designed
  for testing irregularities or for students who
  are unable to complete their test. If you have
  questions, contact TEA.

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What is the Student Assessment Division contact
information and will there be further training
opportunities?

• TEA Student Assessment Division 512-463-9536
• Questions about assessments for students with
  disabilities Assessment.StudentswithDisabilities_at_
  tea.state.tx.us
• Questions about accommodations
  test.accommodations_at_tea.state.tx.us
• TETN Schedule
• April 4, 2008 from 1-3, 30024
• May 19, 2008 from 1-3, 30025