2020-21 student assessment calendar

math in grades 3-8 and Spanish STAAR for reading and math in grades 3-6.

Measure of annual improvement

TEA is required to determine the annual improvement necessary for a student to be prepared to perform satisfactorily on grades 5 and 8 state assessments as well as the EOC exams required for graduation.

Student report for teachers

A school district is required to prepare a report of the comparisons made under the measure of annual improvement and provide it to teachers at the beginning of the school year for incoming students (a TCTA suggestion) as well as for students from the prior school year.

Student assessment data portal

TEA established a student assessment data portal for use by school districts, teachers, parents, students and public institutions of higher education at www.texasassessment.com.

Special education students

STAAR Alternate: This test is designed to assess students in grades 3-8 and high school receiving special education services who have significant cognitive disabilities. The federal Every Student Succeeds Act puts a 1% cap at the state level on the number of students who can be assessed in this manner.

Student promotion/accelerated instruction

Texas’ Student Success Initiative, which prohibits the social promotion of students, places emphasis on the STAAR test for determining whether a student advances to the next grade level in grade 5 (a fifth grade student must pass the math and reading STAAR tests to be promoted to grade 6) and in grade 8 (an eighth grade student must pass the math and reading STAAR tests to be promoted to grade 9).

Note: The promotion requirements for grades 5 and 8 have been waived for 2020-21 because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

For all other grades, districts must adopt a policy regarding student advancement. It must include: consideration of

2020-21 ASSESSMENT CALENDAR

(DATES SUBJECT TO CHANGE)

The State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness is used for grades 3-8 and for the high school end-of-course assessments.

As of September 2020, TEA said testing would go on as planned, but it is possible COVID-19 could disrupt test administration as it did in the spring and summer of 2020. TCTA is urging officials to cancel testing for 2020-21.

This is an excerpted version of the calendar, last updated July 27, 2020. The complete calendar, including retest dates, is available at

www.tea.texas.gov/student.

assessment/calendars.

December 2020

All makeups must be completed by the end of Dec.11.

December 2020 Assessment Window

April 2021

All makeup sessions for April 6-8 STAAR must be completed by the end of April 9.

May 2021

All makeup sessions for May 4-7 STAAR must be completed by the end of May 7. All makeup sessions for May 11-13 STAAR must be completed by May 14.

May 2021 Assessment Window

TEST DATE

8 10

8-11

6

8

6 7 11

12 13

4-7

TEST*

STAAR English I STAAR English II

STAAR Algebra I STAAR Biology STAAR U.S. History

STAAR Grade 4 Writing STAAR Grade 7 Writing STAAR English I

STAAR English II

STAAR Grade 8 Science STAAR Grade 8 Social Studies STAAR Grades 3-8 Math STAAR English III STAAR Grades 3-8 Reading STAAR Grade 5 Science STAAR Algebra II

STAAR Algebra I STAAR Biology STAAR U.S. History

the student’s score on the state assessment to the extent applicable, the recommendation of the student’s teacher, the student’s grade in each subject/course, and any other necessary information determined by the district. Each time a student fails a state assessment, the district must provide the student with accelerated instruction, which may require participation before or after normal school hours and may include participation outside of the normal school year. The maximum class size for accelerated instruction in grades 5 and 8 is 10 students per instructor. A student in grade 5 or 8 who fails to complete accelerated instruction cannot be promoted. A student in grade 5 or 8 who fails the state assessment but is promoted must be assigned in all foundation curriculum subjects to teachers who meet all state and federal qualifications to teach those subjects and grades. The first time a student fails the STAAR in grade 5 or 8, he/she must be provided at least two opportunities to retest. On the third try, the district may administer an alternative assessment approved by the commissioner, and the student may be promoted if he/she performs at grade level on the alternative assessment. After a student fails the STAAR a second time, a grade placement committee must be established to prescribe the accelerated instruction program the student must receive. The GPC includes the principal or designee, the student’s parent or guardian, and the teacher of the subject of the failed STAAR test. In the case of a special education student, the GPC is the Admission, Review and Dismissal committee. If the student fails the STAAR a third time, he/she must be retained unless the GPC unanimously determines that if promoted and given accelerated instruction, the student is likely to perform at grade level. In this case, the student must be provided with accelerated instruction, even after promotion. than the 21st day after the administration date. The school district must disclose to each teacher the test results of the students that teacher taught.

Test details release

On or before Sept. 1 each year, the commissioner must make available on the TEA website (https://goo.gl/H51dzi) the number of questions on the assessment instrument, the number of questions that must be answered correctly to achieve satisfactory performance, the number of questions that must be answered correctly to achieve satisfactory performance under the college readiness performance standard, and the corresponding scale scores for each of the state assessments.

Test release schedule

Tests must be released every three years. However, TEA can defer releasing tests to the extent necessary to develop additional tests.

Test security

It is a class C misdemeanor to intentionally disclose any portion of a test that is likely to affect the individual performance of one or more students on the assessment.

Scheduling during STAAR testing week

UIL competitions may not be scheduled on Monday through Thursday, or the last testing day, of the primary STAAR assessment week. This provision does not apply to retesting.

Optional electronic interim assessments

The commissioner must adopt or develop optional electronic interim assessment instruments for each subject and for each grade level subject to assessment under the state assessment system; such assessments must be predictive of the applicable state assessment for that subject/grade level and may not be used for accountability purposes.