Administering the NYS Assessments

Administering & Proctoring the NYS AssessmentsLiane BenedictOswego County BOCES

Welcome to the 2013 Administering & Proctoring the NYS Assessments Presentation. The purpose of this presentation is to review important details related to 3-8 test administration and proctoring including test security.1Test Design ChangesCCR calls for changes in instructional approaches to align with the Six Shifts in ELA & Math ~ the NYS Testing Program has been redesigned to measure student learning aligned to these shifts.Speaking & Listening will not be measured on the ELA assessments.

To begin, we are seeing some changes to the NYS 3-8 assessments again this year. As we know, College & Career Readiness calls for shifts in our instructional practice. The NYS Testing Program has been redesigned to measure student learning aligned to these shifts. Additionally speaking and listening will not be measured as in the past.

2Test DesignELA Assessments will consist of 4 books administered over 3 days.Math assessments will consist of 3 books administered over 3 days.

(Please see NYS Test Guides for further information regarding test design).

Both ELA & Math will be administered over 3 days with ELA consisting of 4 books and Math consisting of 3 books. Please be sure to review the NYS Test Guides and teacher Directions for further information.3Test DesignELA Assessments Grade 3 & 4 ~ 70 min. per dayGrade 5-8 ~ 90 min. per day

Math assessments Grade 3 ~ 70 min. per dayGrade 4 ~ 70 min. Day 1 & 2, 90 min. Day 3Grade 5-8 ~ 90 min. per day

(Please see NYS Test Guides for further information regarding test design).

Please note the test times for ELA & Math. Grade 3 & 4 have been reduced from 90 minutes last year to 70 minutes this year. This time does not include time needed to distribute materials and read directions to students.4ELA Key PointsAll questions based on deep reading of informational, literary or paired texts.All texts will be authentic and grade level appropriate.Field test questions will be embedded.Please see Teacher Directions for further information on embedded questions

All ELA assessment questions will require close reading of authentic and rigorous texts that will be grade level appropriate under the CCLS aligned text complexity bands. Open-ended questions will require students to make a claim, take a position or draw a conclusion and then support it with details. The rubrics stress the importance of inference, analysis of text and the use of evidence and strategic textual details.

Field tested questions will continue to be embedded in these assessments. Please see the Teacher directions for further information on this.5Math Key PointsThe new Math test questions will require:multiple steps involving the interpretation of operations.conceptual understanding and fluency in order to solve real world problems.

Relying solely on algorithms will not be sufficient.

Field test questions will be embedded.Please see Teacher Directions for further information on embedded questions

When we compare the Math tests from the past with the present, we see that:Questions from previous tests were simpler, one or two steps, or were heavily scaffolded. The new questions will require multiple steps involving the interpretation of operations. Questions from the past were heavy on pure fluency in isolation. The new questions require conceptual understanding and fluency in order to complete test questions.Questions from past tests isolated the math. The new problems are in a real world problem context. Questions of old relied more on the rote use of a standard algorithm for finding answers to problems. Relying solely on algorithms will not be sufficient.Field tested questions will continue to be embedded in these assessments. Please see the Teacher directions for further information on this.

6Test Materials: ELATeacher DirectionsTest booklets (1-4)Answer sheetsPre-coded or genericPencilsDo Not Disturb sign

Listed here are the materials that you and your students will need during test administration. Teacher Directions are now available online and you are strongly encouraged to review these directions prior to the day of test administration.

Students may only have the materials stated here their test booklet, answer sheet and #2 pencils. There are no other materials that students may use or have access to during test administration. Teacher Directions do indicate that highlighters are allowed but students must be monitored to ensure that they are not using them to record their responses.7Test Materials: MathTeacher DirectionsTest booklets (1-3)Answer sheetsPre-coded or genericPencilsDo Not Disturb signRulersAll students Grade 3-8 must be provided with a ruler for his or her exclusive use during the entire testProtractorsAll students Grade 4-8 must be provided with a protractor for his or her exclusive use during the entire test

Listed here are the materials that you and your students will need during test administration for Math. Please note the requirements for the use of rulers and protractors listed here, and that each student must have exclusive use of these tools.8Test Materials: MathCalculatorsGrade 3-5 may not use a calculatorGrade 6 ~ Book 2 & 3 onlyFour-function w/ square root key or a scientific calculatorGrade 7 & 8 ~ Book 2 & 3 onlyScientific calculatorNote: NO calculators, of any kind, are permitted for use on Grades 6, 7, and 8 Mathematics Test Book 1 because this part of the test measures students proficiencies involving calculations.

Reference SheetsEach student testing in Grades 58 will be provided with a mathematics reference sheet for his or her exclusive use during the tests. This sheet is printed inside each of the three test books.

Regarding the use of calculators, students in Grade 3-5 may not use them during any part of the assessment.

Grade 6 students may use them for Book2 & 3 only and must be a 4 function calculator with a square root key or a scientific calculator.

Grade 7 & 8 students may use them for Book 2 & 3 only and must be a scientific calculator.

NO calculators, of any kind, are permitted for use on Grades 6, 7, and 8 Mathematics Test Book 1 because this part of the test measures students proficiencies involving calculations.

Each student testing in Grades 58 will be provided with a mathematics reference sheet for his or her exclusive use during the tests. This sheet is printed inside each of the three test books

9Test SecurityMaterials are secured in a safe or vault upon arrival in districtInventoried in shrink wrapNot allowed:Photocopies Use of extra booksDiscussion of test items/content via electronic meansSoft scoring

Tests secured following test administration until scoring Scoring materials destroyed

Regarding test security, please note that all test materials are secured in a safe or vault prior to the day of test administration. No part of the exam may be viewed prior to testing.

No part of the exam may be photocopied prior to or following test administration. Teachers may not keep extra test books for use later on as practice for future exams as items on these exams will be used on future assessments. There is to be no discussion of test items via electronic means. Additionally, as specified over the last couple of years, there is to be no soft scoring of exams at any time. Soft scoring is a practice in which a teacher makes copies of student answer sheets and creates their own answer key for the exam on the multiple choice section for on the spot scoring of student papers. This practice is strictly prohibited. Following the test session, exams must be collected immediately and securely stored until the time of scoring. Any extra materials are to be returned with student booklets. Most of these materials will be collected by SED for secure destruction.

10Organizing the RoomSpaced seatingClear desksCover or remove any visible support material Quiet, free from interruptionsProctor visibility

Most teachers who have proctored exams before are aware of how to organize the room in preparation for testing. Student desks should be spaced apart to reduce distraction and the opportunity to cheat. Desks must be clear of all items except those specified as needed for test administration. Any materials on desks or around the room that could be seen as supportive of the constructs of the exam must be covered or removed. And as proctors it is necessary for you to be able to see all students and for students to be able to see you.11ELA AccommodationsDirections Read only. No spell checking/grammar devices.May NOT waive use of complete sentences, spelling grammar, punctuation.May use scribe word processor recommended. Please see Teacher Directions for specific information regarding procedures for scribes.

For ELL students, please refer to the School Administrators Manual for guidance.

12Math AccommodationsReading of test questions is permitted.Use of a scribe is permitted. Use of counting blocks, counters, or an abacus are permitted.For all 3 books in Grades 3-5 and book 1 of Grades 6-8 (even if use of a calculator or table is in the IEP or 540 plan), use of a calculator or mathematics table is not allowed.Please see Teacher Directions for specific information regarding procedures for reading questions, scribes, manipulatives, and calculators.

Reading of test questions, use of a scribe, counting blocks, counters and/or an abacus are permitted if indicated by the IEP or 504 plan.

However, even if a students IEP or 504 plan includes the use of calculators or math tables, the student may NOT use these on any of the 3 books in Grades 3-5 or on book 1 of Grades 6-8.13ProctoringFollow process of administration as explained in Teacher DirectionsMay not provide assistance to students, howeverMay check for answers left blank, more than one answer bubbled, staying on task or mechanics of the testMust record answers in test bookletSupervision of studentsmust circulate periodicallyMonitor to ensure no unauthorized use of materials or assistanceTemporary absence Accompanied by a proctor

Proctors have certain key responsibilities: it is important that all directions and procedures explained in the Teacher Directions are followed. Proctors may not provide assistance to students with understanding words, test questions, etc. However proctors should be monitoring students for mistakes and issues related to the mechanics of test taking such as skipping an answer on the bubble sheet, bubbling in more than one answer on a question, staying on task etc. Proctors must circulate periodically during testing to be monitoring for these issues once the test session is complete, these errors cannot be corrected. Proctors should also be monitoring for unauthorized use of materials, making sure students are placing answers on the answer sheet only and not in the test booklet and any other related issues. Please note that if a student records answers in the test booklet only, a teacher may not later go back and record those answers onto the answer sheet for the student. It is important to catch errors such as this during the test session when the student can fix it themselves.Additionally, if a temporary absence is required such as for a bathroom break, the student must be accompanied by a proctor.

14ProctoringStudent cheatingMust be reportedEvacuation of buildingStudent illnessTime missed allowed to be made upMisadministration and/or irregularities in administrationMust be reported

If a student is caught cheating, this must be reported to your administrator.During the evacuation of a building, closely supervise students and record the time out of the classroom. Any time missed will be provided upon returning to the classroom so students have the full test time.

If a student leaves do to illness and does not return, record the amount of time remaining in the test session. During a makeup session, the student may have that time they missed to complete only the section that they missed.

Any extenuating circumstances or misadministration of the exam must be reported to SED.

15When finishing earlyEncourage students to review questionsMay take out a book to read (but nothing else).If all finish early, the teacher may end the test session prior to the allotted time.

If students finish the test early, encourage them to review their answers. Once completed, students may take out a book to read but this remains a district decision if this will be allowed. Please note that this is a change from last year where this was not allowed. Also note that reading a book is the only allowable activity once a student completes their test and their test should be collected at this time.

If all students finish the test before the time limit a teacher may end the test session and collect all student tests.16Quality ControlRefusalsAbsencesNo rubber bands or clipsDaily roster notes

It is important to keep accurate notes on the daily roster during test administration. Please note any refusals to complete any part of the exam and which students are absent. Do not write any of these types of notes on student exams.When returning assessments to your administrator do not use clips or rubber bands. Also be sure not to place sticky notes on the actual answer sheets.

Please note that classroom teachers are not permitted to do any quality control such as cleaning up stray marks on student answer sheets. All assessments must be collected by an administrator or designee immediately following the testing period each day.17Make Up TestingFacilitated by principalMay start on second day of test administrationMake up days may be used to complete initial administration of the testAdministered in the sequential orderRecord absent for each section for which student does not complete test

18Further InformationFor information regarding ELL, Alternate Language, Braille exams or any further information regarding administration of the 2013 3-8 Assessments please see the NYS 2013 School Administrators Manual.

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