PULASKI COUNTY SPECIAL
SCHOOL DISTRICT
Mid-Year EOC Exams
Accommodations Test Administrators
In-service
STC Guidelines
• Conduct a Separate/Additional In-service for Test
Administrators for Accommodations. Test security
guidelines must be read and a copy provided for
everyone.
• Additional/extra personnel for emergencies should be
included in the accommodations training in-service
• STC or Designee verify that each student is receiving
the proper accommodation according to his/her IEP or
504 Plan.
• STC or Designee check to see if the student is
participating in the Alternate Assessment Program.
• Keep a copy of the “Consideration of Special Factors”
page of each accommodation student so that monitors
may verify each accommodation.
STC GUIDELINES
Continued
• Inform Test Administrators that testing times must be
adhered to. Students must use total time for each test
and the TA may need to redirect students to continue
working and checking their work. No test time can be
shortened.
• Don’t assume the Test Administrator “knows” how and
“what” accommodations to administer. Make certain
that the TA knows what accommodations the student
will be using and understands his/her duties in the
process.
• It is essential that EVERYONE involved knows and
understands the requirements and consequences of
using accommodations for statewide assessments.
Accommodations
Test Administrator
• Must be currently licensed by ADE as a teacher or
administrator
• Must be cognizant of test security and adhere to standard
procedures and directions for implementation of the
accommodation
• Must attend a separate training session provided for those
administering accommodations in addition to attending the
school test training inservice
– Know what is allowed and NOT allowed in providing the
accommodation
– Know how to provide each accommodation
– Be familiar with Guidelines for Assessment Accommodations for
Students with Disabilities
(http://arksped.k12.ar.us/default.html)
IEP Students
• Accommodations
– Must be listed in student’s IEP, LPAC or 504 Plan
under “standardized testing accommodations”
– Must be an allowable accommodation
– Must be used regularly in the classroom to allow
the student to be familiar with and use
comfortably and effectively during assessment
– No “modifications” are allowed
ALLOWABLE ACCOMMODATIONS FOR
Benchmark, EOC, Literacy Exams
The accommodations listed below must be in the student’s
current IEP or 504 Plan and used regularly in the classroom.
• TRAN*--Test Administrator transfers answers from the
student’s test booklet to an Answer Document. (used with
Large Print and Braille)
• REC*--Test Administrator records and serves as a scribe for
the student’s verbal responses.
• SIGN—Directions signed for a student with a hearing
disability by an interpreter.
• PREF—Preferential seating (study carrel, etc.)
• SMGT—Small group testing
• INT—Individual testing
ALLOWABLE ACCOMMODATIONS
Continued
• RMT/RWT/RST*—Reading of the Math, Writing, Science test. No
portion of the reading test may be read to any student.
• MD—Magnifying devices
• NB—Noise buffers
• IS—Individualized scheduling
• ET—Extended time. All testing scheduled for a given day must be
completed by the conclusion of that school day.
• LPT—Large Print Test Booklets
• BT—Braille Test Booklets
• AB—Abacus is a hand held non-electrical device used by visually
impaired students to work math problems.
• *The Test Administrator will complete the Affidavit Waiver Form.
Accommodation
• TRAN*—Transfers
– Common accommodation for students using Large
Print or Braille Test Booklets
– Allows the student to write directly in the Test Booklet
rather than on an answer document.
– Test Administrator/Scribe transfers the answers from
the student’s Test Booklet to an Answer Document.
– The student’s answers are the ONLY things permitted
to be transferred to Answer Document.
– *Affidavit Waiver Form must be completed and signed.
ACCOMMODATION
• REC*--Recording
– Test Administrator records and serves as a scribe for the
student’s responses.
– Extensive practice is required when using a recorder or scribe.
– Role of the scribe is to write what is dictated, no more and no
less.
– Writing Prompts are scored for mechanics and usage, and
particular skill is involved when recording the student’s
responses.
– Student must provide the capitalization, punctuation and exact
spelling for the Writing portions of the test.
– Scribe may NOT write it out first and then go back to ask the
student to insert punctuation or adjust spelling.
– Student is allowed to review and edit what the scribe has
written.
– *Test Administrator must complete and sign Affidavit Waiver
Form.
ACCOMMODATION
• Sign—Sign Language
– Directions and test questions are signed for the student with a
hearing disability by interpreter
– Interpreter may only need to sign directions for the test or
assist in communication with Test Administrator.
– Interpreters need to be able to translate in the same method of
sign language typically used by the student
– Student should be familiar with the interpreter for the test or
have some time to practice with the interpreter before the day
of the test to ensure that the level of interpretation meets the
needs of the student.
– Interpreters must not paraphrase, clarify, elaborate, or provide
assistance with the meaning of words, intent of test questions,
or responses to test items.
ACCOMMODATION
• PREF—Preferential Seating
– Allowed for students who need to sit in a different location
from the majority of the students to reduce distractions to
themselves or others.
– Easily distracted students should not sit near windows,
doors, or pencil sharpeners.
– Allow physical access to needed special equipment
– Students with low vision may need to sit in the part of a
room that has the best light.
– Sitting near the teacher’s desk, or in the front of the room,
or the back of the room may be helpful.
– Student using Large Print Booklet may need to sit at a table
rather that at a desk with a small surface area.
ACCOMMODATION
• SMGT—Small Group Testing
– Permitted when students need a smaller or private
space to help them perform better.
– Some students can perform better when they can
read and think out loud or make noises that distract
other students.
– Required for students with an interpreter or scribe
– Students using special equipment such as a
Braillewriter to reduce the noise distractions for the
other students
– Usually the small group is from 3-5 students.
ACCOMMODATION
• INT—Individual Testing
– Test in an individual situation may be necessary
for a very small number of students.
– This accommodation would place the student with
the Test Administrator for the duration of the
exam.
ACCOMMODATION
• RMT/RWT/RST*--Read-Aloud Math, Writing,
Science
– Test Administrators assist students by reading directions
and the test items for the Math, Writing, and Science.
– NO PORTION OF THE READING TEST IS ALLOWED TO BE
READ OR INTERPRETED FOR THE STUDENT.
– Test Administrator may not clarify, elaborate, or provide
assistance to the student. (Cueing)
– Test Administrator must read test questions and text
word-for-word exactly as written.
– Test Administrator should be familiar with the
terminology and symbols specific to the content. This is
especially important for science and math.
ACCOMMODATION
Continued
• RMT/RWT/RST*--Read-Aloud Math, Writing,
Science
– No Portion of the Reading Test is allowed to be read
or interpreted for the student.
– Individual words may be read at the request of the
student, without reading the entire item.
– Student should have option of asking reader to slow
down or repeat text.
– May reread questions for students
– Must provide students with entire testing time
– *Affidavit Waiver Form must be completed and signed
– Test Administrator may be assigned an additional test
booklet to administer the Read-Aloud accommodation
ACCOMMODATION
• MD—Magnifying Devices
– For students with visual impairments who read
regular print materials by using magnification devices
– Devices include line magnifiers, hand held magnifiers,
enlarged computer monitors displaying printed
material with various image enhancement on a
screen.
– No device is permitted which would breach the
security of the test by downloading the text of the
test.
ACCOMMODATION
• NB—Noise Buffer
– Needed Reduce noise distractions for the student
taking the test
– Accommodations include study carrels, headsets,
earplugs, portable buffers set on the student’s
desk
– Student’s IEP team determines the buffer needed
for the test.
ACCOMMODATION
• IS—Individualized Scheduling
– Individual testing is permitted for students who are
unable to remain in the testing conditions due to
medical, physical or emotional situations.
– Short breaks may be given at predetermined intervals.
– Stretch breaks may be needed for some physically
disabled students.
– Snack breaks may be needed for students with
diabetes
– Testing time should be scheduled when student is
most likely to demonstrate peak performance.
ACCOMMODATION
• Extended Time
– All students must complete each session in the order
scheduled before moving to the next session.
– Student must be isolated from students on the regular
schedule for testing, during breaks and during lunch.
– Extended time does not allow students to go back into
a session at a later time of the day to continue
working or to complete unfinished items.
– Extended time ends at the end of the school day.
– Must provide students with entire testing time. No
test session time may be altered.
ACCOMMODIATION
• LPT*--Large Print Test Booklets
• BT*-- Braille Test Booklets
– Available for visually impaired students who routinely
use large text or Braille materials in the classroom
– Student writes in the Test Booklet and a scribe will
transfer these answers to a student Answer Document
– Designate the Test Administrator to ensure that all
answers are transcribed to the student’s Answer
Document before shipment
– *Affidavit Waiver Form must be completed and signed
because answers are Transferred to student’s Answer
Document.
ACCOMMODATION
• AB—Abacus
– An abacus is a hand held non-electrical device
used by visually impaired students to work math
problems much like sighted students use paper
and pencil.
– Abacus may be provided by student or by the
school.
ACCOMMODATION
LPAC
• WTWD—Word-to Word Dictionary
– ONLY a word-to-word dictionary may be used.
– Dictionary may not have pictures or definitions.
– Student should be familiar with using this
dictionary.
– Test Administrator must verify that the dictionary
does not include definitions or pictures.
AFFIDAVIT WAIVER FORMS
• Affidavit Waiver Form must be completed for
these accommodations ONLY
– RMT/RWT/RST--Reading the allowable portions of
the test. NO portion of the reading test may be
read to any student.
– TRAN--Transcribing student answers to Student
Answer Document usually from Large Print or
Braille test booklets
– REC--Recording student answers
GENERAL TESTING GUIDELINES
• Test Administrators
– Read test script Verbatim even if testing only one
student
– Never leave Test materials unattended
– Never leave Classroom during test sessions
– Supervise Students at all times even after test
sessions are completed
– Dismiss students only when directed by school
officials
GENERAL TEST GUIDELINES
Continued
Test Administrators
– No portion of the Reading Test may be read to any student.
– Contact School Test Coordinator immediately if a problem
occurs.
– Daily pick up and return of secure materials must be done by
hand delivery.
– Ensure that calculators are available only during the allowable
Math sessions. Students DO NOT share calculators.
– Actively monitors students during testing. TA shall not have
access to computers or other electronic devices during testing.
– Collects materials from student carefully to ensure that all
materials are accounted for (test booklets, answer documents,
math reference sheets, rulers, etc.)
– No food or drink allowed in the testing area with test material.
GENERAL TEST GUIDELINES
Continued
• Test Administrators
– Students cannot have any materials except testing materials
during the testing sessions.
– Students can only use a #2 pencil.
– Answer Documents must not be folded, clipped, stapled, or
torn.
– TA shall not answer students’ questions about the content of
the test. Instruct student to select the best answer. Do not look
at any test item.
– Test irregularities must be reported immediately. Test
administrator must submit a written report to the STC.
– TA shall not leave the room for any reason unless relieved by
another TA
– Maintain security of test materials at all times.
TEST SECURITY
• Guidelines
– Understand the importance of test security,
standardization, and ethical testing practices.
– Keep all test materials in a secure place to prevent
unauthorized access
– Keep all test content confidential—refrain from sharing
information with or implying test content to anyone.
– Test security can become an issue when accessible test
formats are used such as Large Print and Braille when
someone other that the student is allowed to see the test,
such as the reader or transcriber.
– Return all materials as instructed by STC.
TEST SECURITY
Continued
• Recognize the importance of ethical testing
practices.
– Adherence to standard procedures and directions
is necessary to preserve the integrity of the test.
– Providing extra help during testing is unethical and
may invalidate the student’s test scores
• Helping includes coaching, editing student work,
answering questions on content, giving cues in any way,
including gestures, facial expressions, or
encouragement to change an answer.
Test Administrators
Contact the School Test Coordinator if questions
arise or if problems occur.
If in doubt, contact the School Test Coordinator.