(DATE)

Dear Parent:

The state assessment program is changing for the 2014-2015school year. Available assessments in the 2014-2015 school year are:

•STAAR

•STAAR Accommodated (STAAR A)

•STAAR Spanish

•STAAR L (linguistically accommodated)

•STAAR Alternate.

The State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness Modified (STAAR Modified or STAAR M) was administered for the final time during the 2013-2014 assessment cycle. The U.S. Department of Education has informed states that assessments based on modified standards for students served by special education cannot be used for accountability purposes after the 2013-2014 school year.The Texas Education Agency (TEA) is releasing additional information as it becomes available.

In most cases, students who took STAAR M will participate in the STAAR assessment with or without allowable accommodations and test administration procedures and materials. There will be an option of an electronic version of the STAAR with embedded accommodations now referred to as STAAR Accommodated or STAAR A. Students will need to qualify to use the STAAR A via TEA established eligibility guidelines.

The ARD (Admission, Review, and Dismissal) Committee will determine the instructional accommodations appropriate for each child on an individual basis. Once official assessment accommodations are released by TEA, the ARD Committee will make determinations for the student regarding accommodations as they relate to assessments.

Students who need modified instruction will continue to receive such instruction, as it is necessary for a child’s success in school and ensures his/her access to and progress in the general curriculum.

In addition to the eliminationof STAAR Modified, the format of the STAAR Alternate test will change for the 2014-15 administration. Teachers will no longer develop tasks or materials to administer STAAR Alternate. The ARD committee must determine that the student will participate in the STAAR Alternate according to the updated Participation Requirements, but will no longer choose a complexity level. The STAAR Alternate Participation Requirements are:

  1. Does the student have a significant cognitive disability?
  2. Does the student require specialized supports to access the grade-level curriculum and environment?
  3. Does the student require intensive, individualized instruction in a variety of instructional settings?
  4. Does the student access and participate in the grade-level TEKS through prerequisite skills?

If the ARD Committee answers “yes” to all of these questions, the student qualifies to participate in the STAAR Alternate assessment.Per the STAAR Alternate Participation Requirements (#1), a student who has aLearning Disability (LD) eligibility does not qualify to take the STAAR Alternate.

We are excited to work with you during this transition to ensure your child’s needs are met as we continue to have high expectations for all students in our district.

If you have any questions, please contact (NAME) at (EMAIL) or (PHONE NUMBER).

Sincerely,

(NAME)

(TITLE)

(DISTRICT)

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