Tolleson Union High School District Test Workshop Transcript

Tolleson Union High School District Test Workshop Transcript Series: 1_Training Orientation Cover Page (3:16) Welcome to the Spring Pre-Test Training for Test Administrators & Proctors. PD 2 Page This is a Tolleson Union High School District PD 2 Training. Foundations This training complies with the Arizona Department of Education requirements for Test Administrators and Proctors. The topics to be covered in this training series include: Ensuring test security and creating an optimal testing environment, Processing test materials and best practices for ensuring accurate answer documents, and finally Responding to atypical situations Video Series The intent of Portal Delivered Professional Development is to provide TUHSD staff with opportunities to individually manage specific training components. To help you manage your time, this training overview is supported by four additional sections including: Implementation Fidelity and Test Security, Test Resources and Material Processing, Creating a Secure Testing Environment, and Special Circumstances and Testing Incidents. This series is supported by a video guide. To help you complete the guide we have provided a transcript of the video, sequenced the guide to the video, and aligned the training to the Test Administration Directions. Please note the video guide will be submitted as evidence of your completion of the required training. During this training specific terms or phrases are used to represent terms or concepts. The terms are identified and defined as follows: Test Administrator will be used to refer to both Test Administrators and Proctors. AIMS will be used to generically represent an ADE sponsored test (e.g. AIMS Reading, Stanford 10, NAEP, AIMS Mathematics, etc.). When the guidance provided hereafter is specific to a test then the actual name of the test will be used. The Dispatch will be used to refer to The Tolleson Union High School District Testing Dispatch. The Dispatch provides a quick reference guide for school staff. Test Coordinator will be used to refer to the school test coordinator assigned to your campus. Generally the test coordinator is the Assistant Principal for Curriculum and Instruction. Thank you Thank you for participating in this portion of the training. Please continue the workshop by watching the next video. Contact your Test Coordinator if you have questions, comments, or concerns. 1

Series: 2_Implementation Fidelity and Test Security Cover Page (6:30) Welcome to the Pre-Test Training for Test Administrators. This video supports your efforts to implement AIMS with fidelity and ensure test security. PD 2 Page This is a Tolleson Union High School District PD 2 Training. Test Dates and Times AIMS must be administered on the dates specified by the Department of Education. For your convenience, The Dispatch contains detailed information regarding testing dates, times, etc. AIMS are not timed tests; therefore the administration times are estimates of the total time needed for students to complete the test. However, the administration of an AIMS Content Exam is limited to the school day and cannot extend into another day. An AIMS testing session is complete only when the allotted time for the session has ended or when all students that have finished the session. Students may be instructed to bring personal reading materials or class work they can do if they finish testing before the end of the testing session. Students to Test AIMS must be offered to all students who are eligible (and/or required) to participate as described in the Test Administration Directions. The Test Coordinator will provide all Test Administrators with a Testing Room Roster. This roster is based on ADE guidance regarding students who are eligible to test. Specific details regarding tested cohorts are available in the Test Administration Directions. Only students on the Testing Room Roster should be directly admitted into the testing environment. To resolve any issue follow the specific directions provided by your Test Coordinator in the Dispatch. Test Administrator Responsibilities The Arizona Department of Education identifies very specific responsibilities for Test Administrators. As I read the responsibilities focus on each statement to ensure that you have the knowledge and skills necessary to comply. The Test Administrator is responsible for: participating in AIMS training activities; signing and returning to the Test Coordinator the AIMS Test Security Agreement; adhering to test administration security procedures; reviewing the Test Administration Directions; receiving test materials from the Test Coordinator; verifying the quantities of test materials received; distributing, and collecting, and verifying all test materials on testing days; following the test administration directions reading aloud to the students the scripted directions exactly as stated in the Test Administration Directions; requesting guidance from the Test Coordinator when unusual circumstances or uncertainty arises; completing all necessary demographic information; completing the accommodations information for all students receiving standard accommodations; and assembling and returning all test materials to the Test Coordinator. 2

If after participating in this training and reading the Test Administrator Directions you feel you lack the prerequisite knowledge or skills to comply, work with your Test Coordinator to close the gap. Secure Testing Materials All individuals with access to test materials must take precautions to safeguard and maintain the integrity of the test. AIMS test books and answer documents are secure documents. While in the possession of the Test Administrator, test materials must be kept in secure, locked storage except during actual test administration times. Test Administrators must follow the proper procedures for ensuring the security of the test before, during, and after the test administration. To safeguard testing materials: Access to test materials is restricted. Do not attempt to gain access beyond that which is granted by the Test Coordinator. Test Administrators are accountable for all test materials that they receive and are responsible for maintaining possession of the testing materials during the day. Limiting student access to the AIMS is of utmost importance. Therefore, do not permit students to remove test materials from the testing room except under the direct supervision of staff and only under authorized events such as extended testing. The Test Administration Directions provides additional guidance regarding actively monitoring testing materials. Test Integrity To maintain the integrity of AIMS, the Test Administration Directions contain specific instructions for test administrators including (but not limited to): Do not examine, read, or review the tests. Do not disclose, nor allow to be disclosed, the content of the test. Do not discuss any test item at any time. Do not examine, read, or review any student responses. Return all test materials to the Test Coordinator immediately upon the completion of testing. To ensure implementation fidelity and test security the Arizona Department of Education requires any person who comes in contact with AIMS to biannually sign a test security agreement. Additionally, all Test Administrators must read (prior to testing) the Test Administration Directions and participate in the appropriate pre-test workshop. Thank you Thank you for participating in this portion of the training. Please continue the workshop by watching the next video. Contact your Test Coordinator if you have questions, comments, or concerns. 3

Series: 3_Test Resources and Material Processing Cover Page (4:37) Welcome to the Pre-Test Training for Test Administrators. This video provides testing resource and material processing guidance. PD 2 Page This is a Tolleson Union High School District PD 2 Training. Materials Provided The Arizona Department of Education provides test books, answer documents, and Test Administration Directions. The school will supply each room with sharpened, wooden, graphite-based No. 2 pencils with erasers, a pencil sharpener or additional supply of pencils, a Testing Do Not Disturb sign, and commercially published paper dictionaries and commercially published paper thesauri for use as directed in the Test Administration Directions. Please note that all answer documents are machine-scorable and only answers marked with a No. 2 pencil will be scored. This includes multiple-choice questions and the final responses to the writing prompt. Material Processing AIMS test books and answer documents are secure documents. Test Administrators will receive their test materials from the Test Coordinator. Each Test Administrator should receive an inventory of the number of test books and answer documents that have been delivered. Upon receipt of the test materials, the Test Administrator should count the number of test books and answer documents received. Any discrepancies must be reported immediately to the Test Coordinator. While in the possession of the Test Administrator, test materials must be kept in secure, locked storage except during actual test administration times. At the end of the testing day the Test Administrators will return all test materials to the Test Coordinator. It is advised that you re-inspect each document as mentioned in the upcoming slide End of Testing Session. Confirm the document counts match the original counts and return the materials to the secure testing location designated by your Test Coordinator. All test materials must be returned to the Test Coordinator at the end of the testing session. No test materials may be left in a testing room overnight. Confirmation of returned materials will be conducted by the Test Coordinator or designee when the test administrator is relinquishing active test responsibility. As the test administrator you are responsible for the test security of every item originally received. Therefore, it is advised that the test administrator monitor the test materials through the transition. The need for active monitoring ends when the test counts are confirmed and appropriately documented. Sample Test/Answer Documents (no slide header) If your school numbers test books or answer documents it is essential that you or your students do not mark on the answer documents anywhere other than this highlight box and the box where student complete information. This will help ensure that the answer documents will scan without a problem. 4

Students with the same name When two or more students have the same name refer to the SAIS Number available on the label (or bubbled demographic information) to ensure that each student has the appropriate test documents. Sample Answer Documents (no slide header) The scripted directions for each day of testing will guide students through the completion of required information on their test books and answer documents. To support this process the Arizona Department of Education provides the following advice: On each day of testing, before distributing test books and answer documents to students, the Test Administrator should write the names of the teacher (Test Administrator), the school, and the school district on the board in a visible location. The scripted directions for each day of testing will guide students through the completion of this information on their test books and answer documents. Thank you Thank you for participating in this portion of the training. Please continue the workshop by watching the next video. Contact your Test Coordinator if you have questions, comments, or concerns. 5

Series: 4_Creating a Secure Testing Environment Cover Page (12:55) Welcome to the Pre-Test Training for Test Administrators. This component of the AIMS Pre-Test Workshop provides guidance that will help you maintain a secure testing environment. PD 2 Page This is a Tolleson Union High School District PD 2 Training. Testing Environment During testing, Test Administrators should supervise the rooms at all times and monitor the testing environment to ensure students cannot easily see the answer documents of other students, and no students are communicating. During monitoring, Test Administrators should be able to walk by each student. During the test, students desks and tables should be cleared of backpacks and unnecessary materials prior to the distribution of tests and answer documents. Finally, Poster-size versions of AIMS HS Mathematics Reference Sheet and the Holistic Rubric Based on 6 Traits Official Scoring Guide, as downloaded from the ADE Web site, may remain posted during AIMS testing. All other visual aids displays in the testing room that could assist students while testing must be removed or covered completely. Guidance on Breaks During AIMS students should be given breaks as directed in the Test Administration Directions. During the administration of both the AIMS Writing Test and the AIMS Reading Test brief stretch breaks should be offered approximately every hour during the testing session. The AIMS Mathematics Test is to be administered in two sessions of ninety minutes each with a significant break after the first session. In general a brief stretch break should be offered about every hour. The stretch break is highly restricted. During the break the students may stand for 2 or 3 minutes. This is a controlled testing environment, therefore it is imperative to ensure that the students: Remain in the room Refrain from talking Do not use electronic devises When students are given a significant break as directed in the mathematics test, adherence to the Test Administration Directions is paramount. For example, the AIMS Mathematics Test Administration Directions declares that the students receive a significant break after completion of Part One (1). After the break students may NOT go back to Part One (1) of the test. All students in a test room must be working on the same section of the mathematics test. Students should remain in the testing room during the entire scheduled testing session. However, students may be allowed to go to the restroom, if necessary, during testing. Only one student may leave at a time. The student s test materials must be collected before the student leaves the room and then given back to the student upon returning to the room. Purposeful Communication AIMS tests are standardized test with specific expectations regarding student adult interactions. Test Administrators must follow the directions exactly as stated in the Test Administration Directions. The scripted directions will guide the Test Administrator through the administration of each test and will help ensure proper testing procedures. 6

Please review the scripted directions in advance to become familiar with these symbols and testing procedures. The SAY symbol indicates the directions you are to read aloud to the students. The text is printed in bold type. The Open Book symbol indicates places where you should use a test book or answer document to show sample items or to make sure students have turned to the correct page. Information that is provided for the Test Administrator and that should not be read aloud to the students is printed in italics. To reiterate - Read aloud to students only what is printed in bold type and marked with the SAY symbol. Be certain to follow the directions for Test Administrators that are printed in italics. As evidence by the script directions a standardized test is associated with very specific support. Therefore, when responding to questions from students it is important to remember that you are allowed to answer student questions that pertain only to the clarification of test administration directions. Furthermore, the ADE provides specific guidelines regarding interactions with students including, but not limited to: Test Administrators may not assist students in answering questions. Such as explaining concepts, test questions, answer choices, or any other form of help that could influence a student's response. Test Administrators may not translate, reword, or explain any test questions or any answer choices. AIMS test items may never be discussed before, during, or after test administration, and All Test Administration Directions must be followed and must be read aloud to all students exactly as scripted in the directions. Testing Room Security Documentation of student participation in AIMS and successful completion of the test is through the sign-in/ signout process. Students are required to sign-in when they are given the test materials. At the end of the testing session and prior to exiting the room each student must sign-out indicating that he/ she has turned in their test book and answer document. Sign-in and sign-out sheets must be kept at the school for verification of student testing status. In the unlikely event that a student needs to leave school before completing a particular content area of AIMS (e.g. AIMS Reading, Writing, Mathematics, etc.), including those students who leave due to illness, are ineligible to continue the test for that content area. The Test Administrator should inform the student that he or she will not be permitted to finish that content area when the student returns to school, collect the student s test book and answer document, and dismiss the student from the testing room. The student s test book and answer document are to be returned to the Test Coordinator. The answer document is to be returned with the scorable test materials. The Arizona Department of Education recommends that documentation identifying the time the student left the testing room, the content area being tested on that day, and the reason for leaving early be kept and then later attached to the student s test report. This must also be accompanied by the students signing in out and indicating that he/she was not completed with the test. As Students Finish Testing Very specific instructions are outlined by the ADE regarding student and test administrator actions when a student finishes a test. Students must inform the proctor of testing status by: Closing his or her test book Placing the answer document face down on top of the test book 7

Raising his/her hand Once the test administrator has collected the test material, the student then is to remain quiet until the end of the testing session. Students may read or do classwork silently while waiting for the scheduled test session to end. Electronic devices may not be used. While confirming the students test completion status the Test Administrator must: Verify the student has put his/her name and other information on the front of the test book and on the front of the answer document. Collect and appropriately organize the test materials as required by the Test Coordinator Students who need additional time beyond the allotted time must be allowed to continue testing immediately following the scheduled testing session. The testing environment must remain secure (no talking, use of electronic devises, and monitored). Therefore, if your school is using an alternate test environment the students must be escorted to another secure testing location. Students requiring additional time beyond the allotted time should have lunch or another meal (if appropriate) while testing on AIMS. These students should have the meal be brought to them and the student should remain in the secure testing environment while eating. For each content area of AIMS, students must finish the entire test, including all sessions, by the end of the school day. End of Testing Session When all students have finished the test, or when the allotted time for the session has ended: Follow the aforementioned procedures for students who need additional time to finish, Collect all remaining test materials from the students, and Account for all test books and answer documents prior to dismissing students. Inspecting Materials After Testing The Arizona Department of Education identifies specific directions for Test Administrators regarding the inspection of test materials after the testing session. As I read the expectations, focus on each item to ensure that you have the knowledge and skills necessary to comply with each element. If after participating in this training and reading the Test Administrator Directions you feel you lack the knowledge or skills to comply, work with your Test Coordinator to close the gap. After testing, the Test Administrator should inspect each test book and answer document to ensure the following: Test books and answer documents have been separated into individual stacks. Test books must not contain answer documents. The student has completed his or her name, teacher name, school, and district on the front of the test book and answer document. The Pre-ID label has been applied in the designated location on the front of the answer document, or if no Pre-ID label is available, the student demographic data grid located on the back of the answer document has been completed. Confirm that the student s handwritten name on the front of the answer document matches the student name on the Pre-ID label or the student name hand-bubbled on the back. The letter to designate the test book form the student used is correctly coded on the answer document. The accommodations information on the answer document has been correctly coded for all students receiving standard accommodations. The student s marks in the answer document have been made with a No. 2 pencil and any erasures are complete and neat. Light marks and marks made with a colored pencil, ink or felt-tip pen, marker, or highlighter cannot be properly scored. These marks should be marked over with a No. 2 pencil. See the Completing Student Identification Information in the Test Administrator Directions for more detailed instructions. 8

Thank you Thank you for participating in this portion of the training. Please continue the workshop by watching the next video. Contact your Test Coordinator if you have questions, comments, or concerns. 9

Series: 5_Special Circumstances and Testing Incidents Cover Page (9:09) Welcome to the Pre-Test Training for Test Administrators. This section of the training provides detailed instructions regarding situations that may arise during the AIMS administration. To ensure that you are in compliance with the Arizona Department of Education testing procedures it is imperative that you seek guidance from your Test Coordinator as special circumstances arise. When situations arise that you are not immediately familiar you should review the Test Administrator Directions. If the directions do not definitively resolve the situation, you should contact the Test Coordinator immediately. PD 2 Page This is a Tolleson Union High School District PD 2 Training. Resolve Special Circumstances If test materials become contaminated with blood, vomit, or other bodily fluids you must contact your Test Coordinator for instructions. Under normal circumstances, the test coordinator will ask you to transfer student responses to a clean answer document, and then securely destroys the contaminated test materials. It is essential that you monitor the contaminated materials until they are securely destroyed, or until the contaminated test materials are transferred to the Test Coordinator. In the event that a student has an injury the Arizona Department of Education has identified the following allowable standard accommodations: Answers transferred from a test book into an answer document. Record or dictate multiple choice responses to a scribe. Use assistive technology with spell check, grammar check, and predict ahead functions must be turned off. Please note that all responses must be transferred to the student s answer document. Students who disrupt testing, use electronic devises, refuse to participate, receive help from others, or otherwise engage in behavior not consistent with acceptable classroom behavior should be subject to the disciplinary procedures established by the school for such occurrences after completion of the test. Whenever possible, the disruptive or misbehaving student should be allowed to continue testing in a different location so that other students may test undisrupted. If the student is believed to have participated in cheating, contact the Test Coordinator for guidance. The Arizona Department of Education recommends that the student s parents or guardians receive written notification of the incident and its consequences. In response to a disruptive student or student suspected of cheating, the Test Administrator must: Remove any inappropriate resources (cell phone, calculator, etc.) or stop the disruption. Allow students to continue testing (in a different location if appropriate). Document as many details as possible concerning the incident. Notify Test Coordinator of the incident. 10

Emergency Event If an emergency event occurs that requires students to exit the testing room (such as a fire drill) the Test Administrator must maintain possession of the test materials until the emergency is over or until the documents are appropriately transferred to the Test Coordinator. The procedures for securing the tests are the same as the aforementioned instructions for test security when Students Finish Testing. Please note: In an emergency event that has the real potential for immediate danger the safety of students and staff is your first consideration. Unacceptable Resources Students may not have access to any electronic devices, including cell phones, from the time they enter the testing room until dismissed from the testing environment. Test Administrators who observe students using unacceptable resources, including but not limited to, computers, calculators, cell phones, and portable music players, are to remove the unacceptable resources as soon as possible. The student must be allowed to continue to test. After testing is completed, the District Test Coordinator must notify the Arizona Department of Education of a possible testing violation (including electronic devices). The Arizona Department of Education will determine if a testing violation results in a testing invalidation. The Dispatch contains instructions, provided by the Test Coordinator, for reporting of this type of testing violation. Students may only use authorized curricular supports such as those previously described in Preparing Testing Rooms. Prohibited mathematics resources include; manipulative, charts, calculators, and aids, including, but not limited to, a ruler, number line, compass, and an abacus. Students may not use scratch or extra paper on any part of AIMS Content Exams. However, scratch paper is required on the mathematics portion of Stanford 10. Reporting Incidents Testing incidents that should be sent to the Test Coordinator for review would include, but are not limited to: Possible cheating Inappropriate accommodations Administration errors Electronic Devices and Unacceptable Resources Your Test Coordinator provides specific reporting procedures in the Dispatch. Testing Accommodations Guidelines All Test Administrators must read and be familiar with Testing Accommodations. Accommodations are changes in the presentation, response, setting, and timing/scheduling of educational activities. There should be a direct connection between a student's disability, special education need, or language need and the accommodations provided to the student during educational activities, including assessment. Finally, accommodations provided to students are limited to those listed in the Test Accommodations Guidelines. According to the Arizona Department of Education, it is the responsibility of the Test Administrator to ensure that students who qualify for testing accommodations receive the accommodations, and to monitor the accommodations so that other students are not affected. Qualify for Testing Accommodations When students need accommodations in how they learn or demonstrate learning, they are likely to need accommodations in how they are assessed. Conversely, if students do not need accommodations in how they learn or demonstrate learning, they will not need accommodations in how they are assessed. Therefore, no accommodation may be in place for an assessment that is not already used regularly in the classroom. 11

To determine if a student will need testing accommodations to participate in state assessments, answer the following questions: 1. Does the student use accommodations during daily instruction? 2. If the student uses accommodations during daily instruction, does the student need accommodations in order to participate in the state assessment? 3. If so, which testing accommodations are necessary and appropriate for the student? Documenting Accommodations Students who receive standard accommodations must have their accommodations appropriately identified in section K of the demographics data grid on the answer document. This must be completed after testing by the Test Administrator who witnessed the use of the testing accommodation or who actually provided the testing accommodation. Students who used certain standard accommodations must have their responses transferred to a standard answer document. Student responses that are not transferred into a standard answer document will not be scored. Read the Test Administration Directions for specific guidance on documenting standard accommodations and transferring student responses. Thank you Thank you for participating in this training. Please submit your signed security agreement and the completed Pretest Video Guide to the Test Coordinator. Upon submission of the required documents you will receive the certificate documenting the recertification hours awarded for this training. 12