I'm Not Even Sure What Questions to Ask (or whom to ask)!
I’m Not Even Sure What Questions to Ask
(or whom to ask)!
A Litany of Queries for New DTCs
Presented by Joy Harris Philpott
San Marcos CISD
Tenth Annual Training Academy for
New District Testing Coordinators
September 16 and 17, 2010
You know more than you think!
You’re here!
You’ve administered tests before!
You may even have been a campus test coordinator!
You did not step into a vacuum!
You are surrounded by people ready to help!
What do I need to be successful?
Knowledge of the rules
Organization
Development, COMMUNICATION, and execution of a plan
Resources for support
What are the rules, and where are they?
Foundation of state assessment is the District and
Campus Coordinator Manual (DCCM)—read it, read it, read it again and keep it within arm’s reach at all times!
Test administrator manuals—the devil is in the details
Education Service Center (ESC) training
Sign up for TEA assessment listserv: http://miller.tea.state.tx.us/list/
How do I get (and stay!) organized for this job?
Get and keep close the TEA Calendar of Events
Use information from Becky McCoy’s and Laurie
O’Donnell’s presentations to help personalize the
Calendar of Events for yourself
Work with others in district to develop District
Assessment Calendar that includes State Assessment
Bookmark www.TexasAssessment.com
How do I create a plan?
An overview of the calendars points to basic components of a plan for successful state assessment
◦ Training for yourself and others
◦ (Communication)
◦ Test security
◦ Ordering materials (and accounting for different versions of tests)
◦ Receiving, Delivering, and Shipping Materials
◦ (Dealing with Mistakes)
◦ Receiving and Distributing Reports
◦ (Filing Records)
◦ Getting help from others
What training do I need?
Required
◦ ESC training for new DTCs—now
◦ ESC training for all DTCs—December/January
Suggested
◦ TSNAP New Coordinator Academy—You’re here!
◦ TSNAP Best Practices Forum—October 1, Houston
◦ State Assessment Conference—November 30-December 3,
Austin
◦ TSNAP TETNs with TEA
October 28, 2010
February 10, 2011
June 9, 2011
What training do I provide my district?
It’s your job to train campus test coordinators and campus administrators
◦ Some districts also train central office staff as testing monitors
◦ Districts that deliver materials to campuses also train people who deliver materials
Many districts develop training modules for their campuses to ensure consistent training district-wide
◦ Campuses may add but may NOT delete slides
Training should include test security and protocol AND should include your local procedures
Make sure that you maintain documentation of training (sign-in sheets, copies of training materials, signed oaths) for five years
With whom and how should I be communicating?
Who?
◦ Campus Test Coordinators
◦ Campus Administrators
◦ Superintendent
◦ Other district personnel—Food service, transportation . . .
◦ Community (Parents, park service, etc.)
How?
◦ Meetings
◦ E-mail lists
◦ Published calendars
◦ Web site
◦ Phone calls
What about test security?
Training that you receive and give to campus and district personnel will cover security during test administration
You also need to make sure that the physical locations where materials are stored are secure
For temporary secure storage—Kee-Blok by Major Manufacturing, Inc.
How do the materials get to me?
Enrollment in fall—updated in spring
Work closely with campus test coordinators as well as departments of special education and bilingual/ESL to determine numbers for each assessment
Precode options—can use snapshot or upload files
Pearson will notify you via e-mail when something is being shipped—you’ll know WHAT is being shipped and the tracking numbers
Verify that your district has received all of the shipment and notify Pearson if you have not
How do I get the materials to the campuses and back?
Depends on the district
Identify existing system, ensure that it’s secure, and
COMMUNICATE with people
Make sure that there’s a uniform, SECURE, protocol for receiving and storing materials district-wide
Establish a schedule and expectations for the return of materials
Double check counts of materials
Maintain records of what you ship!
What happens if/WHEN something goes wrong?!
Prepare in advance . . .
Read TEA Assessments Q&A
Think through what to do if . . .
Contact TEA if you are not sure (they don’t bite!)
Collect incident descriptions and fill out online report
Keep notes of each incident (incorporate into training for next year)
Receiving and Distributing Reports
When you ship materials be sure to complete online reports form—will determine what reports you receive and how
Reports posted online can be downloaded to district and/or campus servers
Check with your superintendent as to preferred method and timing of the release of reports!
What do I do with all this STUFF?
Testing records (training records, sign-in sheets, oaths, shipping records, incident reports . . . ) must be maintained for five years
Where can I go for answers to other questions
(or other answers to these questions!)?
Other District Test Coordinators—locate those in your region AND those in similar sized districts
TSNAP—www.tsnap.org
Pearson—www.TexasAssessment.com or
1-800-252-9186
TEA—www.tea.state.tx.us or
1-512-463-9536
