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Best Practices forState Mandated

Student Assessment

Professional Standards Commission

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Best Practices

•Prior to Receiving Test Materials in the School

•After Receiving Materials

•During Testing

•After Completion of Testing

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Acronyms

•TE Test Examiner

•SyTC System Test Coordinator

•ScTC School Test Coordinator

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Best Practices

Prior to Receiving Test Materials

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Prior to Receiving Test Materials

1. School Test Coordinator (ScTC)▫ Administrator

Supervisory authority Evaluation and Reporting Authority

2. Assistant School Test Coordinator (Asst. ScTC)

▫ Certified Personnel

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Prior to Receiving Test Materials3. Training of ScTC

▫From SyTC▫All schools trained at same the time▫Includes

State Assessment Handbook of policies and procedures

Local system policies and procedures Specific upcoming test procedures Materials to train school personnel Confidentiality/security requirements

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Prior to Receiving Test Materials4. Training of Test Examiners, Proctors, and

Monitors by ScTC▫ Program and Schedule

Each group at the same time Same instructions Access to Q&A from others being trained

▫ Done immediately prior to test administration Previous training or previously giving the test

does NOT substitute for current training Emphasize changes but review all instructions Extra personnel in each group in case of

emergency

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Prior to Receiving Test Materials4. Training of Test Examiners, Proctors,

and Monitors▫Agendas, training materials, confidentiality

forms File copies Verifies complete training

▫Sign in/out sheets Date & time stamp

School Program Form

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Prior to Receiving Test Materials

4. Training of Test Examiners, Proctors, and Monitors

▫Roles and responsibilities What to look for What they can and cannot do When and how to address issues/incidents Where they will be assigned

School Program Form

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Prior to Receiving Test Materials5. Testing rosters for each testing site (classroom)

▫List students, TE, and Proctor▫TE and Proctors cannot test relatives▫TE and Proctors should not test in grade level of

immediate relatives▫Change roster daily if needed

6. Master list of students and accommodations needed

▫Signed by ScTC and Sp. Ed Dept/ELL/504 designee

Testing Roster

Accommodations Roster

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Prior to Receiving Test Materials7. Train accommodation TE

▫ Second Training Explain accommodations How to give

▫“Oral Reading” Detailed instructions on how to read Number of times Q and/or A choices Regular classroom instruction Practice Tone and voice inflections

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Prior to Receiving Test Materials7. Train accommodation TE (continued)

▫Roster with accommodations for examiner▫TE signs & dates accommodation

notification▫Accommodation must be stated in student’s

plan▫Changes by ScTC only

Signed by ScTC Dated by ScTC Confirmed by Special Education Department

designee Teachers cannot make changes alone

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Prior to Receiving Test Materials8. Secure storage area for test material

▫Limited access▫Locked at all times▫Keys controlled by principal▫Limited number of keys

9. Security procedure for transporting test material

▫System to school & school to system▫Date and time stamp

Access Log

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Best Practices

After Receiving Test Materials in the

School

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After Receiving Test Materials10.Integrity of secured storage area

▫Keys signed in/out with dates and times▫Purpose of entrance▫ScTC or designee in area with staff member

11.Two+ people present when verifying, counting, or sorting test materials

▫No one alone with test materials▫Sign-in/out with date, time, purpose

12.Manually count packages comparing to invoice

▫Report discrepancies to SyTCSecurity Log

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After Receiving Test Materials13.Manually count contents of each package

▫Packages remain intact until testing▫Count booklet spines through shrink wrap▫Answer document count▫Label packages with correct numbers▫When sorting for testing sites, verify package

count again▫Notify SyTC of discrepancies

14.Cease specific test prep/review activities▫Avoid appearance of wrong doing▫Lesson plans validate instruction schedule

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After Receiving Test Materials

15.Prepare containers for each TE▫Exact number needed by examiner

Lessens opportunity for loss Reduces chance of examiner reading test

▫Maintain test security and limited access▫Pull test booklets for “oral reading”▫Kept in secured area when not in use▫Keep booklet order as mandated by testing

directions

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After Receiving Test Materials

15.Prepare containers for each TE (continued)

▫Inventory form giving material count on each item

▫Test Examiner verifies or corrects count Done with ScTC or designee Done daily upon check out and return TE signs with date and time Once signed, TE responsible for returning

exact count to ScTC

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After Receiving Test Materials16.Teachers remove/cover all instructional

materials▫Walls, desks, cabinets, boards, etc.▫Done at least week prior to testing

17.Ensure desks/tables to are clear discourage communication and cheating among students

▫Use of dividers/partitions for tables and computer stations

▫Develop plan for discouraging communication among facing students

▫Should be done at least a week prior to testing

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After Receiving Test Materials

18.Principals verify instructional materials removed, appropriate desk arrangements and door windows uncovered

▫Done 1 or 2 days prior to test administration

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After Receiving Test Materials

19.Schedule all test sites in areas for easy access by Monitors.

20. Schedule Hall Monitors for availability to test sites on a regular patrol.

21.Develop signal system for when assistance is needed by Monitors

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Best Practices

During Testing

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During Testing

22.Provide pencils to students▫Erasers non-smearing or non-smudging▫#2 non-mechanical

23.Roster signed by student giving book and form number of his/her test booklet

▫Done first day before testing▫TE verifies numbers▫Student/TE verifies daily

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During Testing24.Student information accurately bubbled and

printed on answer document▫Student name on doc first day of testing▫Student labels

25.Start/stop time recorded of each testing session and/or section

▫Done by each TE▫Logs if too much or too little time given

26.Ensure script (instructions for students in the manual) read exactly as directed and no deviations

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During Testing27. Test Examiners and Proctors walk & monitor students

routinely▫ Stops a situation before it becomes a problem▫ No computer use or grading papers by TE▫ Discourages TE from note taking on test Q&A▫ Keeps everyone’s focus on testing process▫ No phone usage or texting by Examiners or Proctors during

testing28. TE maintains Incident Log Sheet

▫ Safeguard for Examiner▫ The more information the better▫ Details of what happened which might impact test scores▫ Administrator review daily

Look for improvements needed Initial daily to prohibit changes in the future

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During Testing29.Transcribing Form when student’s answers

must be transferred to new document▫Reasons for transcribing: erasure holes, soiled or

torn answer document, excessive smearing, etc.▫Protection for transcribers▫Transcriber and witness who verifies sign▫ScTC, Asst. ScTC and /or administrator witness▫Always use certified personnel for transcribing.

30.Instruct Test Examiners, Proctors, and Monitors NOT to read a student test unless they are providing an “oral reading” exam

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During Testing

31.Report student test booklet problem to the ScTC immediately

▫ScTC needs to verify form and level for replacement if book is to be exchanged.

32.Instruct TE, Proctors and Monitors NOT to discuss test questions or answers with anyone, including students.

33.Report any concern about a test Q&A to the ScTC who will relay the information to the SyTC who will notify GaDOE.

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During Testing

34.Monitors should enter testing sites routinely

▫Protection of TE▫Verifies that testing protocol and

procedures are being followed▫Ensures students have fair and equal test

administration

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During Testing

35.School personnel should NOT be in the building at night, on weekends, or on holidays while testing materials are in the building

▫Protection of personnel against allegations▫Includes ScTC, Asst, ScTC, and

Administrators▫If must be in building, then ensure that no

access to testing materials is possible or occurs Document who, why, and when in the

building

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During Testing36.TE contacts the ScTC immediately if any

situation arises that might impact test results

37.ScTC contacts the Principal immediately if any situation arises that might impact test results

▫Principal is ultimately responsible▫ScTC and Principal responsible for notifying SyTC▫A designee must be assigned and announced to

TE’s if ScTC/Principal will not be present on day of test.

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During Testing

38.Each day announce to students and staff what test or test section will be completed that day.

39.Make-up testing must be done using the same testing procedures as the original testing.

▫Monitor▫Accommodations▫Individual testing situations

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Best Practices

After Testing

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After Testing40.Test document cleanup done in group setting with

ScTC▫Stray marks need to be erased (group setting). ▫TE cleans up documents of students other than the

ones they test or teach▫ If major cleanup, then have witness and verification▫Sign in/out of those present (date and time beginning

and ending)41.Testing materials should be collected and verified

promptly after each testing session▫Gives immediate verification of missing materials▫Protects TE if counts are correct

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After Testing

42.Keep materials secured until return to system

43.Return testing materials to system via secure procedure as soon as possible and document date and time for departure and arrival

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After Testing

44.Testing materials collected by system and counts verified for return to state/vendors

45.Materials returned from schools signed for and dated with time by SyTC or his/her designee and placed into the system’s inventory

46.Package answer documents and note on master list the box number with a list of classes submitted in that box

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After Testing47.Package testing materials for return recording the box

number and what materials are returned in that box▫ Include book numbers▫ Gives information for vendor when shipment lost▫ Can compare shipping weights and billing to verify

48. If school is responsible for packaging materials for return to state/vendor, then the system should spot check matching numbers and recorded contents for accuracy.

49.Assure that all shipping directions and time lines are followed

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After Testing50. Test documents ready for shipping maintained in secure

location, never “left at main desk” or “out in the open” for pickup

51. Procedure for the ScTC or School Administrator to sign for student scores (hard copy and electronic) when given to the school

▫ Encourages/emphasizes security and confidentiality▫ Serves as time stamp when scores were received

52. Procedure to distribute test scores to schools , teachers, and parents to ensure the protection of individual student test scores based on confidentiality laws and requirements

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After Testing

53.Electronic files should be kept in secured manner with confidentiality stressed

▫Limited access on computer▫Safeguards on servers or individual

computers

54.Retain all testing rosters, lists, signatures, agendas, sign-in/out sheets, logs, and other system/school materials for documentation purposes.

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After Testing

55.Principal’s Certification Form▫After each test administration▫Kept at system level for 5 years▫Documentation attached

56.Superintendent’s Certification Forms▫Due January 30 and July 31