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, there are different actions that can be taken:

Tests to Be Reopened

If the case requires a Reopen Appeal, the student(s) may resume testing. Expired tests will resume at the last unanswered item on the test. A Reopen Appeal will not allow the audio stimulus for the ELPAC to be replayed because the test proceeded to the next item level and the student has not been assigned the pause or replay audio embedded designated support. If a test is reopened, a student will have 10 calendar days to complete the reopened test.
For CAASPP only, STAIRS will not allow an LEA to submit a Reopen Appeal for a test assigned to an SSID that has an Invalidate Appeal submitted during the current test administration year.

Tests to Be Reset

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

NOTE: A Reset Appeal may require an irregularity notation to be included in reports related to STAIRS, in the STAIRS user interface in TOMS, and at the domain level or test level in the [Score Status] tab of the Student Profile. The irregularity notation is applicable for the ELPAC only.

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 Incorrect SSID Used STAIRS case type does not require an Appeal for an incorrect SSID used where the student has completed the test, the LEA wants to associate the assessment results with the student’s correct SSID, and the LEA knows all SSIDs involved.
- The LEA coordinator must contact a Success Agent within one business day of the incident to confirm details of the incorrect SSID, correct SSID, result ID, and test status information associated with this incident.
- The 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.

Tests to Be Restored

A Restore Appeal is required only in the event that a test was inadvertently or inappropriately reset as a result of a Reset Appeal submitted by the LEA. The test will resume at the last unanswered item.
To restore any CAASPP test, an ELPAC domain assessment, or an Alternate ELPAC, 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 the CAASPP or ELPAC, the LEA CAASPP coordinator or the LEA ELPAC coordinator must contact a Success Agent to submit a STAIRS case on behalf of the LEA. The request must be approved by the CDE.

Tests to Receive a Grace Period Extension

For a paused test, the test questions that include an audio stimulus for the 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 test was paused.
For the CAASPP, a student may not return to a previous 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 online tests 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 test.

Tests to Be Invalidated

Once the Invalidate Appeal has been approved, the student(s) will be prohibited from continuing the test, the score(s) will be invalidated, and the invalidated score(s) will be reported with a text notation on the SSR(s). The calculation of the school’s participation rate will count the student(s) as having participated.

NOTE: An Invalidate Appeal is applicable to the CAASPP only.

Tests That Involve Both the TDS and DEI

For the ELPAC, if a test 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 Data Entry Issue, a single Reset or Reopen Appeal will be applied to the student’s(s’) test(s) in the TDS as well as the scores or test item responses that were entered in the DEI. Please refer to the Appeals Procedure Overview topic for the instructions to submit Appeals for kindergarten through grade two for the Initial ELPAC.

Tests That Involve the DEI Only

If an Appeal is submitted using the testing incident type of Data Entry Issue for the CAASPP or the ELPAC, the Appeal to reset or reopen the test 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 the Summative Alternate ELPAC

For the CAA for ELA and for the Summative Alternate ELPAC, if a test 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 test will apply to the student’s(s’) test(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 a Success Agent.

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

The CDE and 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.