2006 STAR District and Test Site Coordinator Manual
The 2006 STAR District and Test Site Coordinator Manual is posted in the Document Library on the STAR Testing Web site (Outside Source). The manual includes calendars, checklists, and detailed directions for the California Standards Tests (CSTs), California Achievement Tests, Sixth Edition Survey (CAT/6 Survey), California Alternate Performance Assessment (CAPA), grades four and seven CST writing component, and the California State University Early Assessment Program (EAP), as well as general information and overviews of the district coordinator, test site coordinator, and test examiner responsibilities. District STAR coordinators are asked to cite the specific page about which there are questions when contacting the STAR Technical Assistance Center or the California Department of Education (CDE) for assistance.
2006 Directions for Administration
The Writing Standards Test Grades 4 and 7 directions for administration (DFAs) are available by clicking on the DFA link on the STAR Testing Web site (Outside Source). These DFAs are not secure and may be used with teachers or given to teachers at any time. Except for grade two and the Writing Standards Test Grades 4 and 7, the DFAs are identical to those that will be delivered with the spring testing materials. It is recommended that test site coordinators package and keep all printed DFAs with the secure test booklets and answer documents to ensure that DFAs are available at the site each day of testing.
Pre-Test Workshop Webcasts
ETS conducted Pre-Test Workshops for the spring CSTs, CAT/6 Survey, CAPA, and EAP administration and CAPA examiner/observer trainer-of-trainers throughout the state during January and early February, as well as conducting Webcasts of the workshops at the San Diego County Office of Education.
STAR California Standards Test (CST) Blueprints
In November 2005, the STAR CST blueprints were reposted to the CDE Web site. The blueprints now include the number of questions per standard as well as the percentage of questions per strand assessed on the CSTs. The CST blueprints may be found on the STAR Web page.
Correction to Grade Two Testing
In the October 2005 Notes, it was incorrectly stated that grade two testing would be eliminated next year. Grade two testing will occur for the 2006-07 school year. Senate Bill 1448 (Chapter 233, Statutes of 2004) requires grade two testing until July 1, 2007. After July 1, 2007, only students in grades three to eleven will be required to be tested beginning with the 2007-08 school year.
California Writing Standards Tests
Teacher guides for the 2005 California Writing Standards Tests (CSTs in writing) in grades four and seven are available on the STAR Resources Web page. These guides contain questions and answers about the CSTs in writing, the scoring rubrics, student responses illustrating student writing at each score point, and teacher commentaries explaining why each student response received the score it did.
The 2006 CSTs in writing will be administered on March 7 with a makeup on March 8 for schools, districts, and programs in session on those dates and on May 2 with a makeup on May 3 for schools, districts, and programs not in session on the March dates.
Testing Irregularities and Test Administration Incidents
Testing irregularities are circumstances that may compromise the reliability and validity of test results and, if more than 5 percent of the students tested are involved, could affect a school’s Academic Performance Index (API).
1. Testing irregularities include but are not limited to:
- Coaching students
- Discussing questions with students during testing
- Providing instruction related to the test during test administration
- Giving students the answers
- Guiding students in marking correct answers
- Physically pointing to correct answers
- Leaving information materials on the walls in the testing room
- Allowing students to have additional materials or tools (e.g., books, calculators, tables, etc.) during testing (when not specified in an individualized education program [IEP] or Section 504 Plan)
2. Inappropriate test preparation includes but is not limited to:
- Reviewing any test questions and providing instruction related to the questions prior to test administration
- Providing students with the writing prompt or writing genre prior to testing
3. Security breaches include but are not limited to:
- Failure to maintain test security
- Talking about or discussing the tests with anyone
- Copying the tests
- Developing a scoring key
- Allowing students to take the test out of the testing room
A test administration incident is any situation that occurs before, during, or after test administration that does not conform to the instructions stated in the Directions for Administration and the STAR District and Test Site Coordinator Manual distributed by the STAR Program contractor. Test administration incidents generally do not affect test results.
Test administration incidents include but are not limited to:
1. Test administration errors: Errors that occurred before, during, or after the administration of a test.
Errors include but are not limited to:
- Not following the school’s/district’s testing schedule
- Randomly distributing Pre-ID answer documents/test booklets
- Not collecting and accounting for all test booklets and answer documents before dismissing students (provided all booklets and documents are ultimately accounted for)
2. Disruptions: Any situation that results in a test being stopped and later resumed for any group of
students. Disruptions include but are not limited to:
- Fire alarms
- Power outages
- Evacuations
3. Student Cheating: Student cheating may include but is not limited to:
- Using a calculator on any math or science test (when no IEP or Section 504 Plan is in place)
- Using a dictionary on any test (when no IEP or Section 504 Plan is in place)
- Copying from another student
- Discussing questions or answers during the test
- Giving answers to another student
- Referring to a textbook or other materials
Reporting Irregularities and Test Administration Incidents
The STAR test site coordinator is responsible for immediately notifying the district STAR coordinator of any irregularities that occur before, during, or after testing. The district STAR coordinator is responsible for immediately notifying the CDE [5CCR Section 858 (b) (11) and 857 (b) (9)]. The STAR Program — District STAR Coordinator Irregularity Report Form may be used and faxed to 916-319-0969 or e-mailed to starirreg@cde.ca.gov at the CDE immediately when an irregularity is confirmed. District STAR coordinators may also e-mail the CDE an account of the irregularity.
Test administration incidents do not need to be reported to the CDE or the STAR Program contractor. However, questions about whether an administration incident constitutes a testing irregularity may be directed to the STAR Program Office at 916-445-8765. It is recommended that districts and schools maintain records of these incidents.
The irregularity and test administration incident forms are available in Instructions and Forms at STAR Testing Web site (Outside Source). The forms may be downloaded, information entered, saved, and attached to an e-mail to the CDE.
Golden State Seal Merit Diploma
Golden State Seal Merit Diploma insignias are awarded to students who demonstrate mastery of the high school curriculum by achieving a score of 370 or above on designated CSTs. A letter mailed to districts in November 2005, eligibility criteria, forms, and information about the Golden State Seal Merit Diploma are available on the STAR Web page.
Districts may submit requests for insignias for eligible 2006 seniors as soon as the students are identified. The CDE will begin mailing requested insignias the first week of April. Requests received after April 1 will be processed and mailed in the order received. Districts also may request insignias for prior year graduates. There is no deadline for submitting insignia request forms.
STAR Apportionment Information
2005 Apportionment Information Report Waiver Requests
If a district or charter school did not return a signed 2005 STAR Apportionment Information Report to the CDE by the December 31, 2005, deadline, the district or charter school may apply for a waiver of the deadline to be approved by the State Board of Education (SBE). The CDE cannot release payment of the apportionment funding for late reports without a waiver approved by the SBE. The general waiver request to the SBE is a formal document and requires local board approval, a public hearing, and union participation per Education Code (EC) Section 33050 et seq. The 2005 apportionment reports were mailed to district superintendents and charter school administrators on September 26, 2005. Reports that were received by the deadline have already been processed and payment released.
If you have questions regarding the Apportionment Information Report, please contact Debbie McClurg in the Standardized Testing and Reporting Office, at 916-319-0347 or by e-mail at dmcclurg@cde.ca.gov.
2006 STAR Apportionment Rates
At the January 12, 2006, meeting, the SBE approved the following apportionment rates for the spring 2006 STAR testing:
- California Standards Tests and California Achievement Test, Sixth Edition Survey (CST—CAT/6 Survey): $2.52 for each pupil tested in grades two through eleven
- California Alternate Performance Assessment (CAPA): $5.00 per student assessed
- Demographic information only: $ .32 per student not tested with the CST—CAT/6 Survey or CAPA for whom only demographic data were submitted
- Aprenda, La prueba de logros en español, Tercera edición (Aprenda 3): $2.44 for each pupil tested in grades two through eleven
Information for determining each district’s or charter’s STAR apportionment amount will be based on the multiple-choice answer documents submitted for scoring or with demographic data only for the spring 2006 administration. The CDE will compile the data into an Apportionment Information Report to be mailed to districts and charters during late September 2006 to be signed and returned to the CDE by December 31, 2006. Reports received after the deadline will require a waiver approved by the SBE.
Demographic Edit Alert Penalty
If, during the processing of 2006 answer documents by the test contractor, schools and/or districts fail edit checks to verify the completeness of student demographic data (three percent missing or invalid) for the following selected fields, the CDE will withhold $1.25 from the 2006 STAR apportionment for each student for whom the test contractor has to request missing data on the CST—CAT/6 Survey or CAPA answer document.
Required demographic data to be completed for all students (hand-coded or pre-ID):
- Primary Ethnicity
- CBEDS Enrollment—school
- CBEDS Enrollment—district
- Mobility (school)
- Student’s English Proficiency
- Primary Disability Code (use “000” for all students without an IEP)
- National School Lunch Program (NSLP)
