DTC Chatter #3

Districts are responsible for entering COVID EOC Waivers.

• If your district uses Skyward, click here for instructions on how to enter COVID EOC Waivers
• If your district uses TxEIS, click here for instructions on how to enter COVID EOC Waivers

August 24th is the deadline for a student to receive credit for a course in order to qualify for the COVID EOC waiver. According to TEA, this date is firm. If your district delays starting until after Labor Day, EOC credit must be given on or prior August 24, 2020 for the student to receive the waiver. TEA considers August 24th as the official beginning of the 2020-2021 school year.

Topic: New DTC Chatter

Start Time : Aug 4, 2020

Meeting Recording:

https://zoom.us/rec/share/1O9YAbrB51lIWYHmtFjza7QQJ6_rT6a81HdI_vcMzAuDS97fWJI9z_9bRdaTG2g

Access Password: q@Qpj$4G

Presentation Slides

DTCs may choose one date to attend. You are also welcome to bring your campus administrators and CTCs. We are currently offering a limited number of in-person seats. Virtual seats will be capped as well to help with zoom management. We will evaluate our COVID situation as our dates draw nearer. We kindly ask for our virtual attendees to have their cameras turned on during training.

• Click here to register for DTC training on October 20th
  
• Click here to register for DTC training on October 22nd
• Click here to register for DTC training on October 29th

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.

• The “Interim Assessment Overview and Updates” webinar will take place Tuesday, August 11, 2020, 1:30–3:00 p.m. (CT).
  
• The “Interim Student Registration” webinar will take place Thursday, August 13, 2020, 1:30–3:00 p.m. (CT).
  
• The “Classroom Teachers: Interpreting Student Interim Scores” webinar will take place Tuesday, August 18, 2020, 1:30–3:00 p.m. (CT).
  
• The “A Deep Dive into the Online Reporting Suite (ORS)” webinar will take place Thursday, August 20, 2020, 1:30–3:00 p.m. (CT).

• The “December 2020 Student Registration Updates” webinar will take place Tuesday, August 25, 2020, 1:30–3:00 p.m. (CT).
  
• The “Registration for New District Testing Coordinators” webinar will take place Tuesday, September 1, 2020, 1:30–3:00 p.m. (CT).

• STAAR Assessment Management System User’s Guide
  
  The updated STAAR Assessment Management System User’s Guide is now available. Training for new features within this manual will be provided during the fall webinars.
  

• Updated District and Campus Coordinator Resources
  
  The District and Campus Coordinator Resources will be updated for the 2020–2021 school year on August 17, 2020. As a result, the Coordinator Resources will be temporarily unavailable from 7:00 a.m. (CT) on August 13, 2020, to 7:00 a.m. (CT) on August 17, 2020, while this update occurs.
  
• Updated Secure Browser Application for iOS
  
  Districts that plan to use iPads for testing during the 2020–2021 school year must first uninstall any prior versions of the application and reinstall the current version available in the Apple Store. Previously, it was communicated that an updated STAAR Online Testing Platform secure browser application was available and that prior versions of the application for iOS would auto-update to the current version 2.80.0 (2.73 in Apple Store). Unfortunately, an issue has been identified with Apple that prevents auto-updates from working as intended. Districts that have already attempted to update their iOS devices as of July 20, 2020, will also need to uninstall the application and reinstall.

• OOD and OOS Test Site Directory
  
  Beginning today, the out-of-district (OOD) and out-of-school (OOS) Test Site Registration form for the December 2020 administration is available. Districts must register each participating OOD/OOS test site directly in the Assessment Management System. See Section 4.2 Volunteer Test Sites of the STAAR Assessment Management System User’s Guide for more information and detailed instructions.
  

• Data File Format and Header Template for Student Registration

  The 2020–2021 Data File Format for Student Registration and the 2020–2021 Student Registration Header Template will be available on the Technology webpage by August 10, 2020. The header template has not changed; however, there are some new input values listed in the data file.

• Availability of the STAAR Retester File

  Retesters for the December 2020 administration are automatically registered to test in the same mode they tested in the previous administration. Districts will have the opportunity to add or update student registrations during the registration window. Precoded answer documents will be produced only for students registered to test on paper by the close of the paper materials registration window. The STAAR Retester File will be available in the Assessment Management System on August 10, 2020

• Interim Assessments User Manual
  
  An updated Interim Assessments User Manual will be available August 6, 2020, and can be accessed on the STAAR Interim Assessments webpage. The updated manual contains information on new interim features including student item level reports for all attempts, student report bulk download, and form routing information. Also, a new section has been added to the manual that provides information to support home interim testing.

• Student Registration
  
  Student registration for Opportunity 1 will be available through the Assessment Management System starting August 10, 2020. The assessment window for Opportunity 1 is August 17, 2020, through March 31, 2021.

Zan Wilson

zwilson@esc14.net

325-675-8620

Andie Smith

asmith@esc14.net

325-675-7039

Linda Moran

lmoran@esc14.net

325-675-8635

Pam Loper

ploper@esc14.net

325-675-8633

I will be out with my family August 10-12, 14, 17-19 and 21.

The "To the Administrator Addressed" on July 27th addressed a waiver for SSI promotion requirements. If you have not read the notice, please click on the link to view.

Students in grade 5 and 8 will only be required to test for math and reading once regardless of a pass or fail. Student promotion and retention for grades 5 and 8 should be determined just as all other grade levels are determined for the 2020-2021 school year.

Please note, not ALL SSI requirements have been waived.

There are only two pieces that are being waived this year:

1) promotion/retention determination and

2) three administrations.

SSI requirements that still need to be met are:

• End-of-year notice if districts received waiver for delay from 2019–20
• Beginning-of-year notice
• 10-day reporting of students’ results
• Accelerated instruction

The TEA Student Success Initiative division will have updated forms and the updated manual posted here within the next two to three weeks. Also note the "usual" SSI grade 5 and 8 Brochures posted on the SSI website do not reflect the most recent information. Districts will not receive these brochures from TEA to mail out. Districts can elect to print them and give them to parents; however, be sure to include a letter noting the portion of SSI that has been waived for the 2020-2021 school year.

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