Update on the Single, Statewide Assessment for Reclassification of English Learners, Effective 2019-2020 School Year
| Date: | December 5 |
|---|---|
| Subject: | Update on the Single, Statewide Assessment for Reclassification of English Learners, Effective 2019-2020 School Year |
| Category: | Required English Learner (EL) Programs |
| Next Steps: | Share with appropriate staff responsible for ordering EL assessments |
The Texas Education Agency (TEA_ replaced its Commissioner’s List of Approved Tests with single, statewide assessments for EL reclassification, effective in the 2019-2020 school year, as per requirements under the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), as articulated in the Title III, Part A section of the Texas ESSA State Plan, and pursuant to Texas Education Code (TEC) §29.056(g)(2) and Title 19, Texas Administrative Code (TAC), § 89.1226.
TEA posted a Request for Proposal (RFP) on January 24, 2019 and selected Riverside Insights and its Statewide Academic Achievement Test English Learner Reclassification for Grades 1, 2, 11, and 12 as the single statewide language proficiency test provider for EL reclassification in Texas on November 5, 2019.
However, TEA is permitting LEAs to administer the EL reclassification test with materials from the previous school year (Commissioner’s List of Approved Tests 2018-2019) until the end of the 2019-2020 school year or until materials from the previous school year have been exhausted, whichever occurs first.
New orders of assessments for the purpose of EL reclassification other than the Riverside Insights tests are not permitted, as the procurement process has been completed and Riverside Insights is the sole vendor for this assessment. A full transition to the Riverside Insights tests must be completed by August 2020.
As it is the middle of the 2019-20 school year, TEA encourages you to follow these steps immediately to begin the ordering and implementation process:
- Step 1: District Survey
- Completed by Test Director/Bilingual Director/Coordinator or designated District Administrator (https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/H3L7BXC) by Friday, December 13
- Step 2: TEA-Riverside Website
- Please visit the TEA-Riverside Insights website for ordering and training information, at: https://www.riverside-assessments.com/texas-assessment
- Step 3: Ordering Materials
- Order forms are available for two test administration formats: online testing; and paper/pencil materials with hand scoring
- Step 4: Training
- Prior to testing, districts will be required to attend test administration trainings
Riverside Insights’ customer service can be reached at (800) 323-9540.
If you have any questions, please reach out to EnglishLearnerSupport@tea.texas.gov.