river oaks middle school test administration training act aspire wednesday april 15, 2015 7:15 am

River Oaks Middle School

Test Administration TrainingACT Aspire

Wednesday April 15, 20157:15 AM

Contact InformationMs. Bryant-Gadson, Administrator/STCMs. T. President, Guidance Director/STCMs. McClellan, Guidance Counselor/STCMs. Haigler, Guidance Counselor/STC

Agenda

WelcomeSign-In Sheet Reminder

Review Sample Testing ScheduleRead & Sign “Testing Staff Manual Statement”

(front cover of Room Supervisor Manual)Review Key Web Links (inside cover)

Review Policies & Procedures (pages 2 - 3)Guidelines for Administering the Tests (pages 4 – 10)

Agenda Continued

Test Administration Procedures (pages 11)Review Verbal Instructions for ALL Tests (pages 12 – 29)

Review Timing Instructions for All TestsSeating Arrangement

After All Testing (page 32)Test Security(Appendix E)

Documentation of Irregularities (page 33)

Test Security• Legislative Violations• State Board Regulations• Irregularity Form for SCDE• Security Violation Form for SCDE• ACT Irregularities List and Irregularity Report

– Prohibited Behaviors

• Affidavits– SCDE– Room Supervisor Manual Front Page

Test Administration Training5

Staff Training Sessions• Emphasize that Room Supervisors/Test Administrators are to count

test booklets when they receive them from the STC and again before leaving the classroom to return to the STC.

• Emphasize that RS/TA should never leave the Monitor with the students or leave the classroom unattended.

• Emphasize that RS/TA must collect used and unused scratch paper when picking up test booklets from students.

• Stress that verbal instructions for the appropriate grade level must be read verbatim. Mark the pages in the manual. • Emphasize that “timing” of the ASPIRE tests is extremely important. • Check and double check that every student testing with accommodations is identified and in appropriate testing session and/or receiving the correct accommodation(s).


Key Manual

7 Test Administration Training

Room Supervisor’s

must be extremely

familiar with this manual

before testing.

Prohibited BehaviorThe following student behaviors are prohibited:

• looking at someone else’s test booklet or answerdocument.

• giving or receiving assistance.

• disturbing other students.

• using notes or unauthorized testing aids.

• using a calculator on any test other than the 6-8 Mathematics test.

• sharing a calculator with another student.

• using any device, including calculators, to share or exchange information at any time during the tests or during break.

• attempting to remove test materials, including test questions or answers, from the test room by any means.

• filling in circles or answering questions after time has been called, even with the test booklet closed.


Prohibited Devices and Testing Aids• Students are not allowed cell phones,

tablets, or any electronic communication devices on their person.

• Verbal Instructions warn students to not set watch or cell phone alarms.

• Room Supervisors should not set alarms on their watch or cell phone, as this can also distract students.

• Notes or any English dictionary is not permitted; if a foreign language (word-for-word) dictionary is approved for a student, this is permitted.*Writing, Math, and optional Science tests

Irregularities, Student Data, and Computer-based Testing9

Room Supervisor’s response to observed prohibited behavior:


• If you SUSPECT, discreetly warn the student that these actions are prohibited, direct to resume testing, and continue to observe the student closely. You may move the student to another seat. Document your suspicions and actions on the Testing Irregularity Report.

• If you OBSERVE, please note and discuss with TC after testing. Do not mark any test as void without first speaking with the TC. Follow state guidelines for investigating and documenting incidents.

Verbal Instructions Room Supervisor Manuals

• Instructions should be studied before the day of testing to ensure familiarity with the material.

• Verbal instructions are now color coded by subject for ease of use.


Irregularities in Paper-Based Testing


Testing Window

13

Spring 2015 Test ScheduleWriting, English April 28 (Tuesday)

Reading April 29 (Wednesday)

Mathematics April 30 (Thursday)

Make-up and optional Science through May 13

Test Administration Training

Must be administered in the order listed.

Testing Schedule With Details

Grades 3-8 Test Date Number of Test Items

Time Limit

Writing Tuesday, April 28 1 30 minutes - grades 3-8English Tuesday, April 28 32 (grades 3-5)

45 (grades 4-8)30 minutes - grades 3-535 minutes – grades 6-8

Reading Wednesday, April 29 31 60 minutes – grades 3-8Mathematics Thursday, April 30 31 (grades 3-5)

41 (grades 6-7) 45 (grade 8)

55 minutes – grades 3-560 minutes – grades 6-7) 65 minutes – grade 8

Make-up testing will take place through May 13


Summative Test Administration Times

Note: Administration times begin after students have completed pre-test gridding and Verbal Instructions have been given.

If two or more tests will be administered in a single sitting, you will need to allow 5–10 minutes between each test to collect completed materials and go over instructions for the next test.

Introduction to ACT Aspire15

ACT Aspire Assessment Landing Page


http://actaspire.pearson.com

http://actaspire.pearson.com/

Exemplars– Online samples of test

questions

– Booklet provides overview, concepts measured, and answer key

– Requires login

– Should not be accessed from tablets or smartphones


Exemplars

South Carolina ACT Aspire Website


http://www.act.org/aap/southcarolina/aspire.html




South Carolina Department Website

Staff Trainings


Activities Before the Test

• Stress that verbal instructions for the appropriate grade level must be read verbatim. Mark the pages in the manual.

• Plan for expectations and procedures for time pieces in the classroom.

• Know procedures for calculators for grades 6-8. Know how to check and make certain that all approved and cleared.

• Discuss procedures for a student leaving during the test to go to the restroom.

• “Seating” of students can be identified on Seating Charts. • Discuss what actions to take if staff members observe prohibited behaviors. Plans if Room Supervisor has to take action.• Discuss what actions to take in the case of a group irregularity

(e.g. an emergency).• Plan for making certain each student has a #2 pencil and extras

from each room.

Staff Trainings continued:


Activities Before the Test

• Make certain that every student has an answer document (preprinted or gridded from overage) and test booklet for each subject tested.

• Plan for making certain that students do not have cell phones or any other electronic devices during testing put in parent reminders.

• Testing rooms should cover content related maps, charts, bulletin boards, posters etc.

Calculators• NO calculators for grades 3-5 mathematics. All

problems can be solved without a calculator.

• Allowed but not required for grades 6-8 mathematics.

• Not permitted on any other subject test.

• No sharing of calculators.

• Schools responsibility to confirm that all calculators used by students are approved before testing.


SeatingArrangements• Acceptable and

unacceptable seating configurations chart and information is now contained within the Room Supervisor Manuals.


Classroom Layout


• After reviewing the seating configurations in the manual, you may find that the layout of your rooms do not allow all recommendations to be followed.– SCDE recognizes that it may not always be possible for

schools to adhere to these recommendations. In such cases, the district / school should use the seating arrangement that is used for other statewide testing programs, such as SCPASS, making sure that all test security procedures arefollowed and that students are closelymonitored during testing to ensurethey do not engage in any prohibitedbehavior.

Seating Chart• Seating charts are

required, and will need to be printed from the SCDE or South Carolina ACT Aspire websites.

• Seating charts must be returned with nonscorable materials.

• If the seating chart does not fit the layout of the room, a seating chart can be drawn on a different sheet of paper and attached to the ACT Aspire chart.


SAMPLE

Materials Provided by the School


Other Materials

Timers

No. 2 Pencils

Scratch Paper

Calculators (optional)

http://www.actstudent.org/faq/calculator.html

Timing Tests– IMPORTANT to be ACCURATE

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Use a silent timer, such as a stopwatch, interval timer, or SmartBoard, to ensure the exact time is allowed for each test.

If a clock is visible to all students, you may post the Start and Stop Times / time allowed on the board.

Students are allowed bathroom breaks.

Time away should be tracked; time should not be subtracted from student’s testing time.

Bathroom Breaks are not recorded on the Testing Irregularity Report.

Announce when 5 minutes remain before the end of each test. Do not post the time remaining on the board.


Mistiming

28

• Scores cannot be adjusted to compensate for mistiming.

• If mistiming is noticed on the same day of testing students can make up shortage of time, if identified before students have left the room.

• If mistiming is noticed after student dismissal, and student received

– Less time than allowed, document as aTesting Irregularity, but do not void the test.

– More time than allowed, the test must bevoided.

(Fill in the Y circle on the invalidate/Void section and report

the mistiming on the Irregularity Report.)


• Scratch work should be done in test booklet. If student requests, additional scratch paper is allowed. On the blank piece of paper, student should write at the top of the page: first and last name, school name, subject they are currently testing, and school grade.

• Collect the scratch paper after testing and return with nonscorables.

• As students finish testing, they must sit quietly until all students have competed testing.


Breaks Individual students do not need to be accompanied.

Multiple students must be supervised.

Students must not be left alone in the testing room.

Students are not allowed to use any device, including calculators, to share or exchange information at any time during the tests or during break.

Students may not remove test materials, including test questions or answers, from the test room.


Student Questions During Testing• Room Supervisor may answer questions about the

general test instructions before testing starts.

• If students ask about guessing, refer them to the instructions given during the verbalinstructions; do not comment on or add tothe printed directions in any way.

• Do not answer questions regardingindividual test items; respond to questionswith “Do the best you can”.

• If students note errors or concerns withparticular test items, instruct them to dothe best they can and then note this onthe Testing Irregularity Report.


Read Aloud Accommodation• Student should have the Human Reader support selected in

their PNP.

• Up to two days before testing, randomly assign a test book to the student.

– From your overage, find a test book with a matching Form Code for the Room Supervisor; the Room Supervisor has 2 days before testing to review the book.

• While a 1x1 administration is recommended, a small group administration may be used.

– If a small group administration is used, the room supervisor must ensure that he / she and all students in the group have the same test form.


Manual Gridding of Answer Document

• All students must complete Boxes D, G, and H on the front and back covers of the answer documents.

• No PreID answer document: School staff under supervised sessions, must complete Boxes B,C,E,F, and I for students before returning to ACT. At a minimum, the student’s name must be printed on the answer document before testing.


Gridding an Answer Document A-C Pages 14-16

Box A – Leave blank

Box B – District & School Name

Box C – Student Name


Gridding an Answer Document – D-E

Box D – Test Form

Box E – Date of Birth


Test Book – Form Location


Gridding an Answer Document – F-G

Box F – ACT Aspire Portal ID

Box G – Student Statement


Gridding an Answer Document – H-I

Box H – Today’s Date

Box I – State or Local Student ID


Staff Trainings continuedTest Day

• Provide procedures for picking up and returning test materials using Security Checklists.

• Provide Test Session Rosters for each Room Supervisor. Use to take attendance and identify students for makeups.

• Be certain that you know the students who are in your test session (no accommodations and accommodations).

• Stress that no one may be admitted to the testing room once the timed tests have begun.

• Stress that the accurate timing of each test is critical. Must record the start, five-minute warning, and stop times in the manuals and on the “Time Sheet”. Must make a verbal announcement of 5 minutes remaining.


Staff Trainings continued:• Emphasize that the Room Supervisors and Monitors attention

must be focused on supervision of the students.

• Post Do Not Disturb sign on testing room door.

• Discuss potential individual irregularities and actions to take.

• Review Testing Irregularity Report.

• Verify students are sitting as recorded on Seating Chart.


DuringTesting

All students in a room must take the same grade and subject tests.

Staff Training Sessions continuedAfter the Test

• Emphasize that Room Supervisors must verify the count of used and unused test booklets, then return test materials, seating charts, scratch paper (if applicable), and Irregularity Reports to the STC.

• Check to make certain that no answer documents are left in test booklets.

• Verify that all answer documents have the correct test form gridded in Section D.

• Verify that students have signed their names on the back cover of the answer document after agreeing to the statement.

• Verify that students have filled out Section H (today’s date) on the back cover of the answer document.


• Verify that the student’s portal ID is either personalized or hand gridded.

• For students who tested with large print or braille materials, transcribe responses onto a standard answer document.

• TC should enter all Aspire Irregularities into portal.

• Account for all students who will participate in Make up testing.

• Prepare test materials used in Initial Testing for return shipment on May 4th.


Make-Up Testing• Students who are absent, become ill, or who can no

longer test due to other local interruptions or emergencies, are eligible for make-up testing.

• Test security must be maintained; students may not return to questions previously answered.

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• Make-up testing may be completed any time within South Carolina’s testing window (April 28th – May 13th).


Conclusion

?Test Administration Training45

river oaks middle school test administration training act aspire wednesday april 15, 2015 7:15 am

Documents

test room

test questions

test booklets

test materials

mathematics test

elses test booklet

student testing

tests pages