PARCC Paper-Based Field Test Coordinator Manual…
Cliff Notes Version
Assessment Names, Content, and Sessions
 PBA
Performance Based Assessment
 EOY
End of Year Assessment
 ELA
English Language Assessment
 Math
Math Assessment
 PBA, ELA
Literacy Analysis, Research, and Narrative = 3 sessions
 PBA, Math
Session 1 & Session 2
 EOY, ELA
Session 1 & Session 2
 EOY, Math
Session 1 & Session 2
Who may administer?
 Test Administrators (TA) must be certified education professionals
 Proctors do NOT need to be certified education professionals
 Proctors may administer accommodations provided they receive training prior to testing and is
under the supervision of TA
 School-level administrators
 Long-term substitute teachers
 School psychologists, social workers, librarians, guidance counselor, and speech pathologists
Sessions, times, and scheduling
 Email copy of testing schedule to Cindy Hurley
 Must complete test during window
 Sessions must be administered in order Students within same grade must test on the same day
 Students within same grade must test on the same day
 A session must be completed within one day…no carryover
 A new session cannot be started until all students in this session are finished or relocated
 Students may not return to any portion of the test they have already completed
 May test two sessions in one day but never three in one day
 Every attempt made to administer make-up
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Students who become ill should attempt to finish on a make-up...must note exact place where
stopped and pick up exactly where left off. No going back
Test time: See tables and administer the entire amount which includes the additional time.
Scheduled breaks should occur between test sessions.
During the scheduled break, students permitted to go to bathroom, getup to stretch, and/or get
a drink of water, if needed.
Individual bathroom breaks permitted…no conversation allowed
At discretion of test administrator, permitted ONE break up to 3 mins.
If complete session early, may not leave room but must stay until session ends, can read
Security Protocols (2.0)
 All staff involved in testing must sign security agreement and retain for 3 yrs (Appendix A)
 Develop a security plan to include what:
 Test coordinators responsible for ensuring Test administrators and proctors are trained
 Create a chain-of-custody plan
 Distribute and collect materials from Test administrators
 Securely destroy materials after testing (4.3.2 – 4.3.3)
 Determine central locked storage
 Chain-of-Custody requirements for test materials
 Failure to implement and follow chain-of-custody may result in test invalidations
 Account for test booklets and answer documents by using Security Checklist (Appendix C)
and will be in Box 1 of the school’s shipment
 Required to maintain a log of secure materials
 Logs and checklists need to be kept on file at school for 3 years
 Ensures that test materials are accounted for at all times
 Procedures for documenting distribution and return of materials
 Process to document the shredding of secure materials
 Must be documented before, during, and after test administration
 Test administrators are NOT to have extended access to test materials before or after
administration
 Distribute 15 mins. prior to testing and collect 15 mins. after testing
 Breaches of Security (See Tables 2.0. 2.1 & 2.2)
 Electronic devices
 Checking email
 Not administering a test according to allotted time
 Grading papers or activities that prevent proper student supervision
 Passing notes
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Testing Irregularities Include
 Failing to follow administration directions
 Evacuation or threats
 Instances of security breaches must be reported to School TC who in turn notifies District TC
Paper-Based Test Materials (2.3.1, 2.8))
 Test Booklets and Answer Documents (grades 4 and higher)
 Vendor-supplied rulers and protractors
 Vendor-supplied Mathematics Reference Sheets
 Scratch Paper provided by school
 Blank or graph
 2 pages total per student, per session
 Hand held calculators for some grades
 No. 2 pencils with erasers…NO mechanical pencils
Testing Environment (2.6)
 Appropriate Seating configuration so cannot see each other’s tests
 If necessary, use physical and visual barriers
 Establish expectations for students who finish early
 Prior to testing check that all necessary materials are available (scratch paper, calculators
 Visitors prohibited from entering testing environment, unless state or district monitor
School provided materials
 Pencils with erasers
 Blank scratch paper (can be lined or graphed)…2 pgs. per student per session
 Rulers and protractors
 For grade 8 only:
 Tracing paper
 Reflection tools
 Straight edge
 Compass
 Calculators (2.9)
 Hand held grade appropriate
 None for 3-5
 Grades 6-7 (four function with square root calculator)
 Grade 8
(scientific calculator)
 High School (graphing calculator with functionalities consistent with TI -84)
 Not allowed to share with each other
 Test Admin must confirm memory has been cleared
 Allowed in some accommodations (see Table 2.5 in 2.9.1)
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Prohibited materials (see section 2.10)
 Refer to Figure 2.0 and 2.1 to see which materials are prohibited for all sessions and those for
specific sessions
 Materials that define, explain, or illustrate terms in the subject area tested
 Graphic organizers
 Word lists
 Number lines
 Math charts, including those with formulas
 Definitions
When student has completed testing
 Student must remain in testing area until the session time allotted has ended—may not go back
to a class
 If done early, student may read recreational or text books, have notebook or paper, or magazines
provided the material is unrelated to the test content
 Student may have pens or colored paper
Disruptive Students (2.12)
 If misconduct rises to level of dismissal, collect test materials and close student’s test session
 If student will not resume testing, mark student’s test complete and enter reason into
PearsonAccess why student did not finish.
Preparing for Field Test Administration (3.0)
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Need to read and be familiar with Test Coordinator and Test Administration Manuals
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Establish and communicate test schedule (3.1.2)
 Provide students with opportunity to become familiar with PARCC assessment
 Use PARCC Sample Items and scoring rubrics for ELA/Literacy available on
http://www.parcconline.org/samples/item-task-prototypes
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Develop Security Plan (3.1.3)
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Develop a Test Administration Logistics Plan
 Decide who will be the test administrators
 Train all relevant staff (3.1.4)
 Inform students and parents about the field test
 Designate testing locations and sessions
 Plan ahead to provide accessibility features and accommodations
 Prepare record of test administrators and students for each session
 School TC has authority to schedule students in testing spaces other than regular classrooms
or provide special considerations such as small-group or frequent breaks (3.1.6)
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Meet with Test Administrators (3.1.10)
 School TC will receive one Test Coordinator Manual and one Test Administrator Manual for every
classroom participating
 Distribute manuals to Test Administrator prior to meeting with them to discuss their
responsibilities
 Emphasize Test Administrators’ responsibility to familiarize themselves with Test Administration
Directions
 Show and discuss the Test Administrator training modules found at
http://PARCC.Pearson.com/TMS
 Provide TA with assigned group of students and any accommodations needed
 Review testing schedule
 Explain school’s chain-of-custody documentation
 Review all testing protocols
 Receive signed copies of Test Security Agreement
 Review tasks for TA to complete before testing
 Assign Logins to TA before testing
 Meet with Proctors assisting TA to familiarize them with the requirements
 Discuss “Active Proctoring” …TA must focus their full attention on students at all times
Receive, Document, and Store Materials (3.1.11)
 Upon receipt of test materials, Open Box 1 and remove Packing List and Security Checklist
 Review Packing List to make sure you have enough materials as stated for testing
 Box 1 will also contain student Pre-ID labels
 Then open remaining boxes and count through the shrink-wrapped packages to verify will have
enough test materials
 If more materials are needed, notify Cindy via email, immediately
 Do not open any shrink wrapped packages or distribute any tests until day of testing
 Test booklets and answer documents will be received in packages of 5 or 6.
 Test booklets and answer documents for a subject will have the forms within packages in
matching order form
 Ensure that the forms remain in this order so students receive the same form of test and answer
document
 Be sure missing or damaged test booklets are replaced with an equal quantity if needed
 Keep all test materials in locked storage
 Remind Test Administrators that test materials must be returned immediately after use
 Keep all boxes in which test materials were delivered
 Use Missing/Damaged/Contaminated Materials form (Appendix D) if needed
 Before shrink wrapped is opened on day of testing, TC must read the top and bottom barcodes to
make sure they follow logical sequence
 For defective test booklets or answer documents see 3.1.12 as to what to do
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Meet with Students (3.1.14)
 Discuss their participation in field test
 Emphasize importance of test without causing stress
 Inform students they may bring a recreational book or text books, have notebook or paper, or
magazines provided the material is unrelated to the test content
Final Preparation for Paper-based–TC Needs to (3.1.13)
 Confirm testing rooms are configured correctly
 Record the range of secure documents assigned to each TA using the Security Checklist.
 Remind TA that he/she is responsible for all of the secure materials assigned to him/her
 If a TA receives materials on testing day not listed, the security numbers of those materials must
be added to Security List
Distribute Test Materials to TA on Day of Testing (3.1.15)
 Distribute to TA: scratch paper, timing device, Testing – Do Not Disturb Sign (Appendix I)
 Timing Device, if needed, to keep track of time
 Test booklets and Answer Documents
 Do not apply ID labels to answer documents until completion of testing (See 4.2.5)
 Scratch paper
 Vendor-supplied Math Reference Sheets, rulers, and protractors for those testing Math
 No. 2 pencils…No mechanical pencils
Administering the PARCC Field Test- Tasks for TC (4.0)
 TC should be actively involved through careful supervision and monitoring of test administration
 Schedule and supervise make-up testing
 Follow procedures for tests that become damaged during testing (4.1.3)
 If student becomes ill:
 TA must stop the testing
 Record the amount of time remaining and form number of test
 Call TC to arrange for student to be escorted to nurse
 Remove other students from classroom for a break, if needed
 Handle damaged test book and answer document as described in 4.14
 If ill student returns to resume testing, TA must provide a new test and answer document
and ensure student’s name is recorded on front of replacement
 After testing is complete, TC must ensure preprinted Student ID is applied to replacement
test
 TC must record the security barcode number of the damaged Test Booklet/Answer and
document on the Missing/Damaged/Contaminated Materials Form (Appendix D) and on the
Security Checklist
 TC must transcribe if possible, any filled out parts from the contaminated test and securely
destroy it
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Redirecting Students and Clarifying Directions During Test Administration (3.1.7)
 May not remind or encourage a student to answer all questions
 If student only complete some questions, the test administrator may not point or gesture to
complete a test item
 Test administrator may clarify words or phrases used in the scripted directions only
 Directions for completing specific test items may not be clarified
 Vocabulary words, phrases or terminology used in test items may not be explained
Torn or Damaged Test Booklets and Answer Documents (4.1.4)
 If at any time a test booklet or answer document becomes torn, ripped, or spilled with liquid, test
and answer document must be replaced and student’s answer transcribed into a replacement
test booklet or answer document
 TA must ensure student’s name is recorded on front of replacement
 After testing complete, TC must ensure that a preprinted Student ID label is applied to
replacement
 TC must record the new security barcode number of the replacement test booklet or answer
document on the Missing/Damaged/Contaminated Materials Form (Appendix D) and on the
Security Checklist
 TC must submit the replacement test along with other scorables
 TC must pack the ripped or torn test booklet/answer document with the nonscoarbles
 TC must compile a list of all damaged test booklets and answer documents and maintain on file
 TC must notify Cindy of damaged test materials
 Lost paper-based assessment materials
 School must investigate any report of missing test materials
 TC must notify Cindy of lost materials ASAP
Immediately After Each Test Session Collect from TA:
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All used Test Booklets and/or Answer Documents
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All unused Test Booklets and/or Answer Document
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Read 4.2.2 about when to mark a test booklet or answer document “Do Not Score”
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Used and Unused scratch paper
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Test Administrator Manuals
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Vendor-supplied Math Reference Sheets, rulers, and protractors (if applicable)
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Take inventory of all Test Booklets and Answer Documents to ensure none are missing
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Retain all necessary testing materials until all scheduled testing administrations are complete
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After final Test Session:
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Affix Student ID labels per instructions (4.2.5) – only TC or designee may affix labels
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Collect all the following from TA
 All used Test Booklets and/or Answer Documents
 All unused Test Booklets and/or Answer Documents
 Used and Unused scratch paper
 Test Administrator Manuals (Keep if school also giving EOY, then
 Vendor-supplied Math Reference Sheets, rulers, and protractors (if applicable)
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Take inventory of all Test Booklets and Answer Documents to ensure none are missing
 Organize used and unused Test Booklets into separate stacks to prepare for return to Cindy
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Preparing Test Materials for return to Testing Warehouse
 Ignore Sections 4.2.6 through 4.2.10 (this Cindy will do at warehouse)
 Follow Guidelines for Organizing and Packing Test Materials, created by Cindy, Pg. 10 of the Cliff
Notes
Upon Completion of All PARCC Testing
 Materials to Shred or Securely Destroy (4.2.11)
 Reference sheets written on by students
 Scratch paper written on by students
 Once destroyed, document on the Security Check List or tracking log
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Recycle the following
 Test Administration Manuals
 Blank or unused scratch paper
 Vendor –supplied rulers and protractors
 Once destroyed, document on the Security Check List or tracking log
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Keeping Records for 3 years
 Copies of signed security agreements (Appendix A)
 Chain-of-custody documentation(Section 2.3)
 Test group/classroom roster records noting who administered each test session (TA &
Proctors)
 Copies of any testing irregularities or security breaches
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Accommodations and Accessibility Features
 Highly recommend viewing Training Module on PearsonAccess.com (under Support Tab) titled,
Accessibility Features and Accommodations with Computer-Based Testing (this training also
addresses paper-based)
 See Attached Appendix A: Accessibility Features and Accommodations for Students Taking the
Paper-and-Pencil PARCC Assessments.(This Appendix is NOT part of either the Coordinator’s
Manual or the Test Administration Manuals)
 Accessibility Features – are features that all students can receive (e.g., auditory aids, visual aid
organizers, magnification, redirect students to the test) See Pg. 2 of Appendix A
 Accommodations for those with an IEP or 504 include:
- Scribing or Speech-to-Text for all content areas and grades
- Extended time for all content and grades beyond the allotted time
- External Assistive Technology for all content and grades
- Calculators ---this accommodation permitted on parts of the assessment for which calculators
are not allowed for other students
- For a full list see Pgs. 3-7 of Appendix A
 Accommodations for English Learners (ELLS, FEP)
- General Administration Directions Clarifies in Student’s Native Language
- General Administration Directions Read Aloud and Repeated as Needed in Student’s Native
Language
- Scribing or Speech-to-Text: Responses Dictated for the Mathematics assessments in English
- Word to Word Dictionary (English/Native Language)
- For a full list see Pgs. 7-8 of Appendix A
 Read-Aloud Accommodation for ELA/Literacy Assessments and Accessibility Feature for Math
Assessment – See Appendix G of Coordinator’s Manual Pgs. 71-73
 Protocol for the Use of the Scribe Accommodation – See Appendix G of Coordinator’s Manual
Pgs. 74-77
 Guidance for selecting and Administering the Extended Time Accommodation – See Appendix G
of Coordinator’s Manual Pg. 78
 Student Accommodation Refusal Form – Appendix G Coordinator’s Manual Pg. 82
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Guidelines for Organizing and Packing Test Materials
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Separate and box separately Answer Documents from Test Booklets
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Answer Documents:
 Used Grade 3 Test Booklets, including any that were transcribed
 Used Answer Documents grades 4 – HS, including any that were transcribed
 Separate by grade level and content area
 Separate with a colored piece of paper indicating how many in each stack
 Also include stack of unused Grade 3 booklets and answer documents Grade 4- HS, separated
by content and grade level
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Test Books – Grades 4 – HS
 Used and Unused Test Booklets
 Large Print Test Booklets
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