Guidelines for Mathematics Scribe

Owned by Julie Cole
Last updated: Oct 16, 2023 by Sruthi Murali
4 min read

A mathematics scribe is allowed only for students who have a Texas Education Agency (TEA)-approved Accommodation Request Form. This designated support applies to all State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR®) and STAAR Spanish assessments and allows a scribe to record a student’s dictated scratch work and computations when a disabling condition prevents the student from accomplishing this task independently.

Before serving as mathematics scribes, test administrators must be trained on all of the information outlined in this document to understand the boundaries of the assistance being provided. These procedures must be followed to ensure the accuracy and validity of the student’s test results.

General Information

  • The student must be given the full time allotted to complete the test. All of the student’s responses must be initially recorded (e.g., onto scratch paper, into the student’s test booklet) by the end of the allotted time. The scribe may transfer the student’s final responses into the student’s online test or into the Data Entry Interface (DEI) system after the testing period has ended, if necessary.

  • Student responses cannot be scored until they are recorded in the student’s online test or entered in DEI.

  • After testing, the STAAR Non-Embedded Supports field should be updated under the Non-Embedded Supports panel in TIDE. This indicates that an allowable designated support was made available to the student. If the student had access to any other designated supports, these should also be recorded per the guidelines in the specific policy document.

Test Security

  • The district must maintain test security and confidentiality when using a mathematics scribe for testing. All standard test security and confidentiality requirements must be followed. Refer to the Test Security section of these Coordinator Resources for more information.

  • Test administrators who are acting as a mathematics scribe must complete a specific part of the test security oath regarding viewing secure test content. Responding to test questions, recording secure test content, scoring the test, or discussing the content of the test at any time is strictly prohibited and is a serious testing violation.

  • Students who receive the Mathematics Scribe designated support may need to be tested individually so that other students will not be disturbed or distracted and to ensure the confidentiality of the test. It is the responsibility of district and campus personnel to determine the most appropriate way to administer the mathematics test to students who are receiving the Mathematics Scribe designated support.

  • The scribe may answer questions about test directions or test procedures. The scribe is never allowed to answer questions related to the content of the test itself. If a student asks a scribe a question that he or she is not permitted to answer, the scribe may respond, for example, “I cannot answer that for you; just do the best you can.”

  • Secure test materials and associated student responses cannot be photocopied, scanned, or saved to use this support. Any scratch paper used to record the student’s dictated scratch work and computations must be destroyed after testing.

  • The scribe may NOT:

    • rephrase or elaborate on the test questions;

    • suggest how to begin the computations or how to answer test questions;

    • provide feedback, prompting, or reminders regarding the accuracy of the student’s dictated scratch work and computations;

    • provide nonverbal assistance;

    • edit or alter the student’s dictated scratch work and computations unless directed to do so by the student;

    • write notes in a test booklet or in the Notepad tool or in the Sticky Notes tool in the online test unless directed to do so by the student;

    • discuss the contents of the test with anyone;

    • make notes about the contents of the test or the student’s dictated scratch work; or

    • score the student’s work or discuss student performance.

Specific Procedures

  • The role of the mathematics scribe is to record the student’s dictated scratch work and computations exactly as the student indicates. The student must independently direct the scribe regarding what to write. The scribe must not prompt the student in any way or assume that the student means anything other than what he or she has directed. The scribe must be aware of the differences between serving as a scribe during standardized testing and providing support during classroom instruction.

  • The scribe may write the student’s dictated scratch work and computations on scratch paper, a chalkboard, a white board, or the space provided in the student’s test booklet. This includes instances when a student uses a calculation device as an allowable support or a required part of the test administration procedures. Any scratch paper must be destroyed after testing.

  • The student must direct the scribe in all steps necessary to solve a problem and must also be given the opportunity to observe and verify that the scribe has written exactly what the student has indicated. This includes but is not limited to the following examples:

    • The student indicates how to write the numbers, digit by digit.

    • The student indicates how to align the numbers.

    • The student indicates the precise steps for regrouping.

    • The student indicates each step to use when solving a multi-step problem.

    • The student indicates how and where to plot points on a graph.

    • The student indicates what to draw, circle, or mark on graphics provided with test questions.

  • The scribe may ask the student to repeat the dictated scratch work or computation to accurately record what the student intended.

  • When a calculation device is an allowable designated support or a required part of the test administration procedures, the student is encouraged to use the calculation device independently. If the student is eligible for the Manipulating Test Materials designated support and needs the scribe’s assistance pressing the buttons on the calculation device, the following guidelines should be followed:

    • The student must indicate to the scribe the specific numbers and operations to enter into the calculation device. The student must be given the opportunity to observe and verify that the scribe enters into the calculation device exactly what the student has indicated.

    • The scribe must let the student view the solution on the screen when appropriate.

    • If the student needs the scribe to write a solution to an intermediate step in a multi-step problem, the scribe must write only what the student indicates.