1. Local Review Procedures for TAKS–M Supplemental Aids (TAKS Program: 2010-2011 school year)

2. 2 Texas Education Agency Student Assessment Division 2010 Disclaimer These slides have been prepared and approved by the Student Assessment Division of the Texas Education Agency. If any slide is amended or revised for use in local or regional trainings, please remove the TEA footer at the bottom of the slide.

3. Purpose of Training District/campus personnel are responsible for reviewing TAKS-M supplemental aids not listed as allowable in Appendix D of the 2010-2011 Accommodations Manual to determine whether a student may use them on TAKS–M (rather than submitting an ARF for TEA review). This PowerPoint is intended to provide guidance to district/campus personnel who are responsible for reviewing TAKS-M supplemental aids to determine whether students may use them on TAKS–M. Each slide takes educators through a process similar to that which TEA Accommodations Task Force members follow when determining whether a supplemental aid may be used on TAKS (Accommodated). 3 Texas Education Agency Student Assessment Division 2010

4. A supplemental aid is a resource that assists a student in recalling information. The student must be able to understand the information, but simply needs assistance recalling it. If a student’s disability affects memory retrieval, a supplemental aid may be allowed on TAKS–M. Using a supplemental aid as an accommodation during instruction should not replace the teaching of subject-specific skills as outlined in the state curriculum. Texas Education Agency Student Assessment Division 2010 General Information about Supplemental Aids 4

5. The supplemental aid must serve only as a tool and not a source of direct answers. All supplemental aids must be documented in the student’s IEP (and permanent record file if the student is an ELL receiving special education services) and must be routinely used in classroom instruction and testing. Although some supplemental aids may be appropriate for instructional use, they may not be appropriate or allowed for use on a state assessment. Please see Appendix D in the 2010-2011 Accommodations Manual for more detailed information about Supplemental Aids. Texas Education Agency Student Assessment Division 2010 5

6. Helpful Reminders about Supplemental Aids Supplemental aids, like all accommodations, should be individualized for each student. Students have different strengths and needs, so it would not be appropriate to provide all students the exact same supplemental aid. Supplemental aids used during state assessments must be routinely used during classroom instruction and testing, because students need ample experience with accommodations for them to be effective. However, this does not mean that the supplemental aid must be used every day. Texas Education Agency Student Assessment Division 2010 6

7. Step 1 Determine if the supplemental aid may be used on TAKS-M according to Appendix D of the Accommodations Manual, or if a local review of the supplemental aid is required. Texas Education Agency Student Assessment Division 2010

8. Refer to Appendix D in the Accommodations Manual Read Appendix D in the Accommodations Manual. Then refer to the training titled, “Guidelines for Using Supplemental Aids on State Assessments (Appendix D Exemplified).” This Power Point presentation provides details and examples of supplemental aids described in Appendix D of the Accommodations Manual for each assessed subject area. If the supplemental aid follows the guidelines provided in Appendix D, a local review is not required. The supplemental aid may be used on TAKS–M, provided that it is grade-appropriate, factual, error-free, concise, and well-organized. 8 Texas Education Agency Student Assessment Division 2010

9. Refer to Appendix D in the Accommodations Manual If the supplemental aid contains details described as “not allowed” in Appendix D, a local review is required to determine if it can be used or edited for use on TAKS–M. If the supplemental aid is neither described as “allowed” or “not allowed” in Appendix D, a local review is required to determine if it can be used or edited for use on TAKS–M. 9 Texas Education Agency Student Assessment Division 2010

10. 10 According to Appendix D of the Accommodations Manual (page 98 #3), “Graphics may be used if they do not contain titles, words, labels, acronyms, numbers, or symbols.” These graphics do not follow this guideline, so a local review is required. Plate Tectonics Diverging Plates Converging Plates Example Texas Education Agency Student Assessment Division 2010

11. Step 2 The local review process: Who should review supplemental aids? What questions should be answered when reviewing supplemental aids? Texas Education Agency Student Assessment Division 2010

12. Who should review supplemental aids? While there is no “state-mandated local review committee,” certain district/campus professionals are considered valuable resources when determining whether a supplemental aid may be used on TAKS–M. District Testing Coordinator: responsible for providing information about accommodations to campus testing coordinators and/or school personnel, and serves as the contact person for schools when questions arise. 12 Texas Education Agency Student Assessment Division 2010

13. District/Campus Content Experts (e.g., grade 5 science teacher, secondary math coordinator): knowledgeable in the grade-level Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS), and are able to determine whether a supplemental aid is grade-appropriate and/or a source of direct answers for the TEKS assessed at each grade. District/Campus Professionals Familiar with the Student (e.g., the student’s special education teacher, classroom teacher): knowledgeable about the student’s unique strengths and needs, the student’s IEP, and the student’s history using the supplemental aids during instruction. 13 Texas Education Agency Student Assessment Division 2010

14. What questions should be answered when reviewing supplemental aids? A. Does the supplemental aid address the student’s needs and does the student know how to use it to recall information? B. Have similar supplemental aids been approved by TEA for TAKS(Accommodated) during this school year? C. Is the supplemental aid a source of direct answers for the TEKS assessed at that grade level?  If so, can the supplemental aid be edited to make it allowable for TAKS–M? D. Is the supplemental aid grade-appropriate? E. Is the supplemental aid factual and error-free? F. Is the supplemental aid concise and well-organized? 14 Texas Education Agency Student Assessment Division 2010

15. A. Does the supplemental aid address the student’s needs and does the student know how to use it to recall information? District/campus professionals familiar with the student are valuable resources when determining if the supplemental aid is an appropriate tool that addresses the specific needs of the student who will use it. These professionals should provide objective evidence of student need, including that the supplemental aid is an effective tool for the student. They should affirm that the student knows how to use the supplemental aid, and that he/she uses it routinely during classroom instruction and testing. 15 Texas Education Agency Student Assessment Division 2010

16. 16 Example Texas Education Agency Student Assessment Division 2010 My student has a learning disability in the area of Reading Comprehension. He often forgets to interact with the text while he is reading passages, and the reminders in this supplemental aid help him to understand what he is reading. He has access to this supplemental aid and uses it frequently during instruction and on tests. His reading test scores have risen by 50 points since he started using the aid in class. When discussing supplemental aids for TAKS–M at the local level, the child’s teacher provided the following information:

17. B. Have similar supplemental aids been approved by TEA for TAKS (Accommodated) during this school year? The District/Campus Testing Coordinator is a valuable resource when inquiring about TEA-approved supplemental aids. TEA determinations about supplemental aids that have been requested for TAKS (Accommodated) can be used by district/campus personnel as a guide when determining whether an aid may be used for TAKS–M. If TEA approved the use of a supplemental aid for TAKS (Accommodated), then that same supplemental aid would be allowed for an eligible student taking TAKS-M. If TEA determined that a supplemental aid was denied for TAKS (Accommodated) because it was a source of direct answers, the supplemental aid would not be allowed for TAKS–M. If TEA determined that a supplemental aid required edits before it was allowed for TAKS (Accommodated), the same edits would be required before the supplemental aid could be used for TAKS–M. 17 Texas Education Agency Student Assessment Division 2010

18. This timeline was submitted with an ARF for a student taking TAKS (Accommodated). TEA determined that the student may use this supplemental aid if it was edited. These same edits must be applied if an eligible student taking TAKS-M needed a similar supplemental aid. Example 18 Texas Education Agency Student Assessment Division 2010

19. C. Is the supplemental aid a source of direct answers for the TEKS assessed at that grade level? District/campus personnel must ensure that the supplemental aid serves only as a tool that a student knows how to use and NOT a source of direct answers for the TEKS assessed at each grade. Content experts are a valuable resource when determining whether a supplemental aid is a source of direct answers. Careful comparison to the grade-level TEKS is an important step in this process. Supplemental aids deemed a source of direct answers may not be used on any state assessment. If the supplemental aid is determined to be a source of direct answers, check to see if parts of it can be edited to make it allowable for TAKS–M. 19 Texas Education Agency Student Assessment Division 2010

20. This graphic would not be allowed because it is a source of direct answers to questions testing TEKS 6.10(C) from the grade 8 science test. “The student is expected to identify how structure complements function at different levels of organization including organs, organ systems, organisms, and populations.” Example 20 Texas Education Agency Student Assessment Division 2010

21. This mnemonic device would not be allowed because it is source of direct answers to questions testing TEKS 4.8(B) from the grade 4 mathematics test. “The student is expected to identify and describe parallel and intersecting… lines using… pictorial models.” Example 21 Texas Education Agency Student Assessment Division 2010

22. 22 1607 This graphic would not be allowed because it connects Jamestown to the date 1607. This is a source of direct answers to TEKS 8.1(C) from the grade 8 social studies test. “…explain the significance of …1607.” Texas Education Agency Student Assessment Division 2010 Example

23. 23 14 th Amendment Manifest Destiny This map would not be allowed because it is a source of direct answers to TEKS 8.6(C) from the 8 th grade social studies test, which refers to westward growth. Labeled maps are also not allowed, as they may be a source of direct answers to many TEKS (e.g., geography). This mnemonic device would be allowed because the student would still need to relate the symbol to the content. The symbol does not give a direct answer to TEKS 8.17(B) from the 8 th grade social studies test. “…describe the impact of the 19 th- century amendments including the… 14 th,…” Texas Education Agency Student Assessment Division 2010 Example

24. D. Is the supplemental aid grade-appropriate? District/campus personnel must ensure that the supplemental aid includes only content relevant to the student’s grade level. It is neither effective nor appropriate to supply a student with content above the student’s grade level. It is acceptable to supply a student with content below the student’s grade-level, as deemed necessary and appropriate. 24 Texas Education Agency Student Assessment Division 2010

25. The top number line would be appropriate for all grades. The bottom number line would not be appropriate for grades 3 through 5 because it is above their grade level TEKS. Negative numbers are introduced in the math TEKS at grade 6. Example 25 Texas Education Agency Student Assessment Division 2010

26. Example It would not be appropriate to give a 5 th grade student this supplemental aid for the state science assessment. The Periodic Table of the Elements is not included in the grade 5 science TEKS. 26 Texas Education Agency Student Assessment Division 2010 Periodic Table

27. E. Is the supplemental aid factual and error-free? District/campus personnel must review the specific content in a supplemental aid to ensure that it is factual and error-free. Supplemental aids that contain errors in content or typographical errors may contribute to wrong answers. 27 Texas Education Agency Student Assessment Division 2010

28. A common mnemonic device used for science helps with naming the planets in our solar system. In 2006, an updated definition of “planet” was approved, and Pluto no longer fits the definition of “planet.” Example 28 My Very Educated Mother Just Served Us Nine Pizzas My Very Educated Mother Just Served Us Nachos ERROR ERROR-FREE Texas Education Agency Student Assessment Division 2010

29. F. Is the supplemental aid concise and well-organized? District/campus personnel must ensure that the supplemental aid is concise and well-organized so that a student can easily access the information. The supplemental aid must not contain numerous pages, as this may be more cumbersome than helpful. The supplemental aid should be organized so that the student understands how to find the information on the page. 29 Texas Education Agency Student Assessment Division 2010

30. This is a good example of organized, but is this concise? No. It has too many pages. Any supplemental aid that contains so many pages that a table of contents is warranted is considered too lengthy for use on a state assessment. Example 30 Texas Education Agency Student Assessment Division 2010

31. Contact Information Texas Education Agency Student Assessment Division 2010 31 TEA’s Student Assessment Division Phone: (512) 463-9536 FAX: (512) 463-9302 E-mail: Student.Assessment@tea.state.tx.us Test.Accommodations@tea.state.tx.us Assessment.StudentsWithDisabilities@tea.state.tx.us ELL.Tests@tea.state.tx.us