Data Collection, Data Entry & Best Practices for Assessments

Assessments:  

Assessors are responsible for collecting evidence during a Texas Rising Star assessment, using the FARF and notetaking forms. The information gathered from the assessment will be utilized, along with the TSM to score each of the measures within the four Texas Rising Star categories (category 1: Director and Staff Qualifications, category 2: Teacher-Child Interactions, Category 3: Program Administration, Category 4: Indoor/Outdoor Environment).  

Each Assessor (I, ll, lll) is responsible for conducting assessments four days out of the week. Assessments will be conducted Monday – Thursday. Fridays will be an in-office day; Assessors will finish entering scores in Engage, conduct debrief meetings, collect, or print note-taking forms and FARFs for the upcoming week for those assessments assigned to them. It is important to always consider having extra printed notetaking forms, FARF and visit reports available, in case needed.   

The Research Coordinator will assign the Team Lead in Engage to the school due for a Texas Rising Star assessment. The assignment must be completed whenever the school’s assessment is placed on the scheduling calendar. This will allow the Lead Assessor to view the school in Engage. The RC will also assign the Texas Rising Star Class to other Assessors assigned to the school. The Lead Assessor will adjust the Texas Rising Star Classes as needed. The Texas Rising Star Classroom Assessors assisting with the assessment, under the Texas Rising Star Class Management page. Each Assessor will enter the assessment scores for the classrooms observed and notify the Lead Assessor when data entry is complete for their assignments. 

The Lead Assessor will score category 1 and 3 measures before conducting classroom observations. The team lead will review documentation to score category 1 and 3 before the provided two-week window assessment period. Category 1 and 3 (structural measures) will be part of the desk review. Any Point based measures related to these two categories will also be reviewed as part of the desk review, as available. Any missing documentation needed (applicable to structural and point-based measures) will be requested and reviewed on-site on the day of the visit. The Lead Assessor will be assigned to three classrooms, instead of four (on the first day of the assessment) , to allow them the time to review documents and score categories 1 and 3. If a large (over 15 classrooms) program is being assessed, the Lead Assessor can be assigned to observe two or three classrooms in this scenario.   

All Assessors will conduct classroom observation and immediately score the measures for category 2 and 4 by using the notetaking forms and TSM. Scores can be assigned to each measure directly on the note-taking form.   

Note: once the Assessor assigns each measure a score, the scores are considered final. The Assessor will carefully review the evidence collected during the observation and compare it to the TSM before assigning a score.   

Assessors are responsible for entering the scores into the Engage platform under the Texas Rising Star Assessment 2.0 section.   

The Assessor assigned as a Lead to conduct the assessment will type the school's name and select the site from the drop down.   

Click on ‘Begin Assessment’ to enter scores for each category.  

In addition to entering the designated scores for each Texas Rising Star measure, Assessors must enter notes as evidence for each measure's scoring. This information will be used to share assessment results with the ELP. Mentors will utilize the assessment scores and notes to help create the CQIP for the Director and Teachers based on the facility and classroom’s assessment scores.  

When collecting data, Assessors will:  

• Note only what they see and hear during the observation.  

• Compare evidence from the assessment and TSM to help determine the measure scores and final rating.  

Complete scoring immediately after the observation.   

Follow Texas Rising Star Assessor observation protocol for each type of assessment.