Considerations for When Not to Report an Incident

In the following circumstances, there is no need to report an incident by submitting a STAIRS case:

If student logon information is lost or misplaced, do not report; this is a breach of a student’s personally identifiable information that should be addressed at the local level.
The Speaking and Writing domains for the Summative ELPAC and the Initial ELPAC; the Summative Alternate ELPAC and the Initial Alternate ELPAC; and the CAAs for ELA, mathematics, and science allow students to skip questions or submit a segment in which any number of questions have not been answered. Therefore, a STAIRS case is not needed if the coordinator thinks that a question was not answered.
For the Reading and Listening domains for the Summative ELPAC and the Initial ELPAC, and for CAASPP summative assessments except the CAAs, the system ensures that students answer all questions and prevents submission of the test for a domain with unanswered questions. Therefore, a STAIRS case is not needed if the coordinator thinks that a question was not answered—this scenario has been thoroughly tested and no evidence has ever been found that this happens.
If a student used an electronic device after testing was completed, it is not necessary to report, but it may be reported if the LEA policy requires it. However, it should be reported if the student was actively engaged in a test session, or if the student completed testing but the LEA can verify that the device was being used to help other students that were engaged in the test session.
If a student who has received a PGE for the CAASPP has already begun testing, the PGE can be entered unless the student has completed the assessment. If a parent or guardian submits an exemption request after testing has begun, any test(s) completed before the request is submitted will be scored and the results reported to the parent or guardian.
If an SSID has an existing Invalidate Appeal for the CAASPP, the system does not allow a test to be reopened.