Equity for Special Populations: Texas Tackles the Creation of an Alternate English Language Proficiency Assessment June 26, 2019 National Conference on Student Assessment Kim Brannan, Esmeralda Cavazos, Heather Roeters-Solano, Bob Schwartz, Martha Thurlow
Purpose and Agenda This session will focus on assessment design and implementation for English learners with the most significant cognitive disabilities. We will look at the: background of the current general English language proficiency assessment, TELPAS ● design and creation of the TELPAS Alternate assessment ● teacher training needed to administer such an assessment with fidelity given the format ● and the population of students being assessed validity and reliability evidence that can be gathered for this type of assessment ● national outlook on lessons learned and best practices for other states going through ● this journey 2019 NCSA Texas Education Agency
Background Information 2019 NCSA Texas Education Agency
Texas English Language Proficiency Assessment System (TELPAS) Based on English Language Proficiency Standards (ELPS) adopted ● by Texas State Board of Education in 2007 First administered in 2007 with online-administered reading test ● and holistically rated listening, speaking, and writing with extensive teacher training component Reborn in 2018 with online-administered reading, listening, and ● machine-scored speaking tests; writing test still holistically rated based on collection of student work 2019 NCSA Texas Education Agency
ELPS and Proficiency Level Descriptors In Texas, the ELPS are published with the State-required curriculum for ● all grades and content areas. There are three instructional components of the ELPS: ● Cross-curricular second language acquisition essential knowledge and ○ skills Proficiency level descriptors (PLDs) defining characteristics of each ○ proficiency level Linguistic accommodations ○ Teachers use the PLDs to interpret their English learners’ summative ● TELPAS results and for ongoing formative assessment during the year. 2019 NCSA Texas Education Agency
Key Features of Each Proficiency Level Beginning Intermediate Advanced Advanced High Little or no English Limited ability, simple Grad e appropriate, Grade appropriate, ability language structures, with second language with mini m al high-frequency acquisition support second language vocabulary, routine acquisition support contexts 2019 NCSA Texas Education Agency
TELPAS by the Numbers 972,000 English learners eligible to take TELPAS 88,000 English learners eligible to take TELPAS receive special education services 4,600 English learners eligible to take TELPAS are receiving special education services and taking alternate assessment (2,100 not tested in all domains, 2,500 not tested in some domains) 2019 NCSA Texas Education Agency
Not Tested Due to ARD Discussion An Admission, Review, and Dismissal, or ARD, committee (i.e., IEP team), ● in conjunction with the Language Proficiency Assessment Committee (LPAC), may determine that an English learner receiving special education services should not be assessed in one or more domains with TELPAS for reasons associated with the student's disability. Examples may include but are not limited to ● A student who is deaf and does not participate in the listening or speaking domain ○ assessments A student who is blind and does not participate in the reading or writing domain ○ assessments 2019 NCSA Texas Education Agency
Theory of Action, the “If” IF IF IF IF IF the agency the agency the agency the agency the agency creates a communicates supports cross- provides timely develops holistic, TELPAS training and relevant entrance and observational Alternate policy opportunities data regarding exit procedures inventory to and and professional the performance appropriate for assess the English administration development by of English this population language information in a providing tools learners with proficiency of timely manner and resources to significant English learners so that regions, support special cognitive with significant districts, and education disabilities on cognitive campuses can teachers, TELPAS Alternate, disabilities in appropriately bilingual/ESL and grades 2-12, and train test teachers, administrators, administrators, and and parents, and 2019 NCSA Texas Education Agency
Theory of Action, the “Then” THEN teachers, administrators, and which will result in the parents will be equipped with demonstration of growth in meaningful data to inform English language acquisition instruction for ELs with SCD as such that it limits the barrier they progress through the stages to academic achievement for of language acquisition and ELs with SCD. proficiency at school and at home, 2019 NCSA Texas Education Agency
Guiding Principles for TELPAS Alternate Development Limit Accessible to additional student burden on population the field Familiar form of evaluation used by special educators 2019 NCSA Texas Education Agency
What is TELPAS Alternate? A holistic inventory that assesses the language domains of listening, speaking, ● reading, and writing for students with significant cognitive disabilities in grades 2-12 Aligned to the Texas ELPS ● Based on alternate PLDs created to address the specific access needs of this ● population 2019 NCSA Texas Education Agency
TELPAS Alternate Development 2019 NCSA Texas Education Agency
Development Timeline TEA sought Educator Committee guidance from TTAC wrote classroom Educator Committee on approach for examples for assisted in drafting of AELPA development Observable Behaviors Observable Behaviors September 2017 September 2018 January 2018 Advisory Committee TEA and Pearson TEA presented TEA posted operational reviewed draft conducted cognitive information on Observable Behaviors, materials and provided lab and pilot AELPA requirement classroom examples, feedback, determined to Advisory Spring 2018 assessable ELPS and training materials Committee, collected feedback November 2017 October – December 2018 August 2017 2019 NCSA Texas Education Agency
State Definition Students taking TELPAS Alternate are English learners in grades 2-12 who have significant cognitive disabilities and who are in the process of acquiring English proficiency in listening, speaking, reading, and writing. These students have one or more disabilities that significantly limit their intellectual functioning, as shown by their ability to plan, comprehend, and reason, and their adaptive behavior, as shown by their ability to apply social and practical skills. 2019 NCSA Texas Education Agency
Kindergarten-Grade 1 Based on recommendation from educator advisory committee, English ● learners with significant cognitive disabilities in grades K – 1 will take the TELPAS K – 1 holistically rated assessment in all four language domains. No eligibility determination is needed. Why not TELPAS Alternate? ● Some students at K-1 have no identified disability yet (i.e., non- ○ categorical) Reluctance to assign labels to young students that would make them ○ eligible for an alternate assessment Students can access the general holistically rated assessment ○ 2019 NCSA Texas Education Agency
Participation Requirements: Grades 2-12 For grades 3-12, a student must be an EL and ● eligible for the State’s academic alternate assessment. For grade 2, the student must meet 6 ● eligibility criteria to be eligible. The student is identified as an EL. ○ The student has a significant cognitive ○ disability as determined by the ARD using a full and individual evaluation. The student requires specialized, ○ extensive supports for instruction. The student requires intensive, ○ individualized instruction. The student accesses grade-level ○ curriculum through prerequisite skills. The decision is based solely on the ○ disability and EL status and not on any extenuating factors. 2019 NCSA Texas Education Agency
Language Domain Definitions Domain TELPAS Definition TELPAS Alternate Definition The ability to understand spoken or signed The ability to understand spoken language, language, comprehend and extract comprehend and extract information, and Listening information, and follow social and follow social and instructional discourse instructional discourse through which through which information is provided. information is provided. The ability to use spoken language or The ability to use spoken language alternative communication appropriately Speaking appropriately and effectively in learning and effectively in learning activities and activities and social interactions. social interactions. The ability to comprehend and interpret The ability to comprehend and interpret Reading written text, including braille, at a written text at the grade-appropriate level. modified level. The ability to produce written text or The ability to produce written text with alternative communication with content Writing content and format to fulfill grade- and format to fulfill classroom and appropriate classroom assignments. community-based assignments. 2019 NCSA Texas Education Agency
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