Postdecision Actions

If the Appeal is denied for an administrative reason—for example, because the wrong type of Appeal was filed—the coordinator may refile. If a coordinator does not understand why the Appeal was denied, the coordinator can request clarification through the Notes function in STAIRS.

If the Appeal is approved, different actions can be taken:

Assessments to Be Reopened

If the case requires a Reopen Appeal, the student(s) may resume testing. Expired assessments will resume at the last unanswered item on the assessment. A Reopen Appeal will not allow the audio stimulus for ELPAC to be replayed because the assessment proceeded to the next item level and the student has not been assigned the pause or replay audio embedded designated support.
For CAASPP only, STAIRS will not allow an LEA to submit a Reopen Appeal for an assessment assigned to an SSID that has an Invalidate Appeal submitted during the current test administration year.

Assessments to Be Reset

If the case requires a Reset Appeal, the assessment is removed from the system and the student(s) start(s) a new assessment from the beginning. Ensure that the test assignment and test settings are accurate before allowing the student(s) to start a new assessment.

Assessments to Be Restored

A Restore Appeal is required only in the event that an assessment was inadvertently or inappropriately reset as result of a Reset Appeal submitted by the LEA. The assessment will resume at the last unanswered item.
To restore an ELPAC domain assessment, an Alternate ELPAC, or any CAASPP that was inadvertently or inappropriately reset because of a Reset Appeal; to remove an irregularity flag submitted in error; or to report a testing incident that is not listed in the list of testing issues for ELPAC, the LEA ELPAC coordinator or LEA CAASPP coordinator must contact a Success Agent to submit a STAIRS case on behalf of the LEA. The request must be approved by the CDE.

Assessments to Receive a Grace Period Extension

For a paused assessment, the test questions that include an audio stimulus for ELPAC are not permitted to be replayed for a student who has not been assigned the pause or replay audio embedded designated support and had navigated away from the audio stimulus at the time the assessment was paused.
For CAASPP, a student may not return to a previously submitted test segment once it has been completed.

Domain-Level Assessments for Rescoring in the THSS

For the Initial ELPAC, if the case requires a Rescore Appeal, the scores for the Writing domain for computer-based assessments for the Initial ELPAC for grades three through twelve are removed from the THSS and the test examiner will have to reenter all the scores associated with the reopened assessment.

Assessments to Be Invalidated

Once the Invalidate Appeal has been approved, the student(s) will be prohibited from continuing the assessment, the score(s) will be invalidated, and the invalidated score(s) will be reported with a text notation on the SSR(s). This text notation states, “[Name]’s scores should be used with caution as the test was administered under conditions that may not represent [Name]’s achievement.” The calculation of the school’s participation rate will count the student(s) as having participated. Reversal of an Invalidate Appeal is not automated and requires manual intervention by ETS. Please ensure that invalidation is required prior to submitting the Appeal request.

Nonappealable STAIRS Incidents

For the Summative ELPAC or Initial ELPAC, if the STAIRS case does not require an Appeal where the student with an IEP or Section 504 plan received an incorrect domain exemption or incorrect alternate assessment, the LEA coordinator, after submitting the nonappealable STAIRS case, must update the student’s test assignment options appropriately in TOMS.
The case does not require an Appeal for an incorrect SSID used where the student has completed the assessment, the LEA wants to associate the test results with the student’s correct SSID, and the LEA knows all SSIDs involved.
- The LEA coordinator must enter a note in the Notes section of the completed STAIRS case within three business days of the incident to confirm details of the incorrect SSID, correct SSID, result ID, and test status information associated with this incident. Cases not confirmed after three business days will be rejected and require resubmission. If no action is taken, an LEA Success Agent may reach out to the LEA coordinator with guidance or assistance with this process.
- The pending approval email received after submitting this STAIRS case instructs the LEA that further action is needed.
- Only if the LEA does not know the correct SSIDs would a Reset Appeal be initiated.

Assessments That Involve Both the TDS and DEI

For ELPAC, if an assessment requires student’s(s’) scores or test item responses to be entered in the DEI and if the LEA submitted a STAIRS case for a testing incident other than the Data Entry Issue, submitting a single Reset or Reopen Appeal will be applied to the student’s(s’) assessment(s) in the TDS as well as the scores or test item responses that were entered into the DEI. Please refer to the Appeals Procedure Overview subsection for the instructions to submit Appeals for kindergarten through grade two for the Initial ELPAC.

Assessments That Involve the DEI Only

If an Appeal is submitted using the testing incident type of Data Entry Issue for CAASPP or ELPAC, the Appeal to reset or reopen the assessment will apply only to the student’s(s’) scores or test item responses that were entered into the DEI.

For the CAA for ELA or Summative Alternate ELPAC

For the CAA for ELA and Summative Alternate ELPAC, if an assessment requires second-scored item responses to be entered into the DEI and if the LEA submitted a STAIRS case for a testing incident other than the DEI testing incident, the Appeal to reset or reopen the assessment will apply to the student’s(s’) assessment(s) in the TDS as well as the scores that were entered into the DEI.

NOTE: If a student moves to a different LEA after testing or exits the testing LEA before the results are entered into the DEI, the original LEA has to reenroll the student and complete the DEI data entry.

When Withdrawing a STAIRS Case Partially

The LEA can withdraw an individual STAIRS case at the SSID level. The partial withdrawal allows the LEA to remove only individual SSID(s) from that STAIRS case.
In the event the STAIRS case resulted in an Appeal, the withdrawn Appeal(s) can be viewed under the [Search Appeals] action tab at the individual SSID level.
The option to withdraw a STAIRS case is applicable only after the STAIRS case is submitted and if it is yet to be processed by the CDE or an LEA Success Agent.

When Approving or Rejecting Appeal(s) or STAIRS Case(s) Partially

The CDE and LEA Success Agent can approve or reject Appeals for selected SSID(s) for a single STAIRS case.
Rejected or approved Appeals can be viewed by the individual SSID under the [Search Appeals] action tab.