Washoe County School
District
A Primer for Testing:
Policies and Professional
Expectations
Posted: 30 September 2015
Special Note
Information presented in this training is
subject to revision based on direction from
the Nevada Department of Education.
For the 2015-2016 school year, Nevada has
contracted with a new test vendor as the
provider of several state-wide assessments,
and is in the process of contracting with a test
security vendor. Consequently, current state
test administration and test security
procedures may be subject to revision based
on the Department’s work with new vendors.
2
MISSION STATEMENT
The mission of the WCSD Department of
Assessment is to maximize student
success on the Pathway to College and
Career Readiness by promoting, monitoring
and supporting a balanced assessment
system…the department provides valid
and reliable data from multiple measures
to inform curricular and instructional
decisions and facilitates the judicious use
of assessment information by a variety of
users to answer questions about student
progress.
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Mandatory Training for ALL School
Personnel Involved with Testing
➠ This presentation is meant to be an
overview of the contents of the Primer;
however, the Primer must be read in
its entirety.
➠ The principal or his/her designee will
annually review A Primer for Testing
with all staff members who assist with
testing and/or handle secure test
materials.
4
Statement of Responsibility
➠ All certified and classified personnel
concerned with assessment must be
familiar with the policies and
professional expectations contained
within the Primer.
➠ Those receiving the training must verify
that they have received this training by
completing the “Acknowledgement of
Professional or Classified WCSD
Personnel” found in the Primer.
5
Mandatory Refresher Training Prior
to Each Test Administration
➠ The principal or his/her designee will
provide or monitor participation of
relevant personnel in “refresher”
training prior to each individual test.
➠ For some assessments, training may be
presented via online modules.
➠ Staff who do not complete test
specific training MUST NOT handle
test materials or proctor exams.
6
Changes Occur Annually
test delivery, timing, accommodations, supports,
permissible tools, content, accountability…
 Do not rely on previous experience for
the administration of any state
mandated assessment.
 Your professional responsibility includes a
thorough reading and understanding of
each individual test administration
manual.
 ASK QUESTIONS!!! Consult with Student
Support Services (IEP), Departments of
ELL (EL), Counseling (504), & Assessment
7
State Assessment Program 2015-2016
Gr 3-4 Smarter Balanced or NAA – ELA and Math
Gr 5
Smarter Balanced or NAA – ELA and Math; Science or NAA Science
Gr 6
Smarter Balanced or NAA – ELA and Math
Gr 7
Smarter Balanced or NAA – ELA and Math; EOC Math I (course eligible)
Gr 8
Smarter Balanced or NAA – ELA and Math; Science or NAA Science;
EOC Math I and/or Math II (course eligible)
High End-of-Course Exams – Math I & II, ELA I & II (course eligible, gr 9-11)
School HSPE Math, Reading, Science & Writing (grade 12/Adult only)
CCR – ACT Plus Writing (grade 11; grade 12 as needed)
CTE for Course Completers (high school; course program specific)
K-12
English Language Proficiency Assessment – ACCESS (gr K-12) or
Alternate ACCESS (gr 1-12) for ELLs
• All state assessments must be administered ONLY to
eligible students as posted in Infinite Campus.
• Not Shown: National Assessment of Educational Progress
(NAEP), and local assessments.
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Administration & Participation
 The Nevada Department of Education
prescribes the specific date or range of dates
on or during which an examination or
examinations will be given.
 Nevada Revised Statutes (NRS) requires that
all students enrolled in grades for which a
state-mandated test is given participate.
 In accordance with a student’s IEP or 504
Plan, schools must provide appropriate
and permissible accommodations on all
state tests. Allowable accommodations
may vary by test.
9
NAEP: The National Assessment of
Educational Progress
 All Nevada schools that are selected by the
National Assessment Governing Board for
participation in the National Assessment of
Educational Progress (NAEP) MUST
participate (NRS 389.012).
 NAEP does not provide scores for individual
students or schools; instead, it offers
reports for the entire state based upon a
sample of student populations.
 NAEP is conducted at selected schools in
grades 4, 8, & 12.
10
Parent/Guardian Notification
All school administrators and teachers
must communicate with the
parents/guardians of affected
students at least one month before
the administration of a large-scale
assessment.
11
Purposes of the Assessment
Program
▸ Support Envision WCSD 2020 Strategic
Plan, school improvement plans, and
Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS).
▸ Inform school and classroom decisions on
differentiated instruction and intervention.
▸ Track statistical data longitudinally.
▸ Gather and report data that are accurate,
meaningful, and professionally sound.
▸ Fulfill accountability requirements.
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Personnel
 All individuals involved with the testing
process must be trained.
 Classroom Test Administrators must be
licensed.
 Proctors may be unlicensed, but may
not be left alone w/students or secure
test materials.
 The Test Administrator is responsible for
all testing activities at the classroom
level.
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Relevant Definitions
 Important terms that can refer to
teachers and classified school staff:
o “Classroom Test Administrator”
o “Classroom Proctor”
o “School Official”
 View full definitions in the Primer or
NDE Test Security Procedures
14
Timing the Examinations
Test-specific administration
manuals dictate the timing
options for each assessment in the
WCSD Assessment Program, which
includes all assessments prescribed
by the Nevada Department of
Education.
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Breaks
 A restroom break should be provided
prior to test administration.
 Breaks taken during untimed and timed
test administrations must be closely
supervised; peer interaction is
prohibited.
 Document all persons entering and
exiting the testing room; include time.
 Limit breaks during testing except for
students taking the NAA; they may take
as many breaks as necessary.
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Timing Continued…
 Additional Time – when allowed, must be provided
for any student who is working productively
 Transitions – students must not interact with peers
and must be accompanied by trained, licensed
staff
 Secure Test Materials – must be transported by
licensed staff only
 Students Needing Extra Time – DO NOT excuse
students to another class, lunch, recess, or other
school activity prior to completion of testing
 Unsupervised Break/Subsequent Day – for most
exams, students may not return to a previouslyadministered section or part of a test after any
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break in supervision
Test Administration
when properly administered and
interpreted, standardized test results
provide an independent, uniform source
of reliable and valid information
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DISCLOSURE OF TEST CONTENT
IS STRICTLY PROHIBITED
BY STATE LAW
19
DO NOT READ, REVIEW, LOOK
AT, COPY OR TAKE NOTES ON
TEST CONTENT
DO NOT PHOTOGRAPH, RECORD,
OR TRANSMIT ANY PART OF A
TEST OR TESTING SESSION*
*Does not apply to the video recording
of NAA test sessions.
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Procedures: TEST MANUALS
 Read each individual test
administration manual thoroughly.
 You are responsible for complying
with the contents of these manuals.
 The manuals must be distributed well
in advance of each test administration
(when possible).
 Follow only the script provided for the
test administration.
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Procedures: IN THE TESTING ROOM
 Minimum of one (licensed) Test Administrator
for every 30 students
 Do not test students not identified as eligible;
changes to testing rosters must be made by
the Test Coordinator only
 Students not participating in a specific test
and parents/guardians are NOT ALLOWED in
the testing room
 Document by name all individuals in the
testing room (students & adults), require
sign-in/out and note the time of anyone
entering/leaving at any time during session 22
Procedures: TRANSLATION PROHIBITED
Administer tests in ENGLISH ONLY
Translation by the Test Administrator or
Proctor of any test material (directions,
passages, questions, answer choices) into
another language is prohibited during test
administration.
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Procedures: TEST ITEM CONCERNS
If a student has concerns about a test item:
1) Without reviewing the item – Test
Administrator records ONLY: test subject,
grade level, item number, and test booklet
version or the student’s name and session
ID for computer based assessment and
submits information to Test Coordinator
2) Test Coordinator reports information to
district assessment director
3) District Assessment Director reports
information to the state
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Procedures: ACTIVELY CIRCULATE
 Ensure that students are on task and
working and responding in the correct
section of the test.
 ATTEND TO STUDENTS throughout
the session; do not engage in other
distracting activities.
 DO NOT provide assistance of any kind
beyond making certain that students
understand the instructions, in
ENGLISH, for taking the test.
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Procedures: SECURE TEST MATERIALS
 At no time before, during or after
testing, shall students be left
unattended with testing materials or
unlicensed personnel, nor shall
examination materials be left
unattended, unless locked and secure.
In other words,
SUPERVISE STUDENTS AND
KEEP TEST MATERIALS SECURE
100% of the TIME!
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Procedures: PERMISSIBLE MATERIALS
 Students may not access additional
instructional/support materials.
 Materials specified as an
accommodation or designated support
for a student may be used only if they
are also listed as permissible for the
test.
 Students may not access personal
materials during testing.
 Distribute permissible materials to
students prior to testing.
27
Procedures: TRACK ALL MATERIALS
 DO NOT distribute test booklets and
secure materials until the date of the
examination.
 Each time secure test materials
change hands the materials must be
counted and the count shown on a
time-stamped sign-in/sign-out sheet
and must not be left unsupervised.
In short, ACCOUNT FOR ALL TEST
MATERIALS AT ALL TIMES!
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Procedures: Distributed = Collected
The Test Administrator must
collect and account for ALL testing
materials (e.g. test booklets, writing
prompts, student responses, HSPE
formula sheets, scratch paper)
before a student is allowed to
leave the testing area for any
reason.
29
Procedures: Test Materials Return
 Upon completion of testing each day,
return all materials in person to the
appropriate Test Coordinator in a
timely manner and not later than the
end of the school day on which the
examination is administered.
 Secure materials are stored in a
designated locked cabinet with limited
access.
 Exceptions to this procedure will be
discussed during test specific training.
30
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NO ELECTRONICS!
Students and Test Administrators
Inform in advance – students, proctors
☞ Electronic devices strictly
PROHIBITED (not limited to cell
phones; all non-permissible electronics)
☞ Accommodations – Student must have a
documented accommodation (IEP/504) for
a specific permissible device
☞ Unauthorized possession of a nonpermissible device may result in the
invalidation of scores
32
Procedures: EARLY FINISHERS
 Students who finish early and are
waiting for the session to end..
 proctor collects all test materials
 supervise student while they access
their personal print materials
(paper-only, book)
this means >> NO E-READERS <<
 Pencil/paper activities are prohibited
(no writing or drawing)
33
Testing Students with
Special Needs
all students must participate fully and
meaningfully in required assessments
34
Students with Special Needs
 All students must participate in the
regular or alternate state assessment/s
 Students with a current IEP or 504
Plan may be afforded accommodations
 Students without testing
accommodations must test under
regular conditions*
*Designated Supports, documented by a team of
educators, may be afforded to all student populations.
35
Alternate Assessments
IEP teams need to identify or verify alternate
assessment eligible students at least 3 months
prior to the 2015-16 testing windows shown.
Provide list of eligible students to appropriate
department.
• Jan 25-Mar 4: Alternate ACCESS (ELPA)
 Grades 1-12, EL program eligible
 Contact Department of ELL
• Mar 1-May 31: Nevada Alternate Assessment
(NAA)
 Grades 3-8 & 11
 Contact Student Support Services
36
Identify Students with
Special Needs
All teachers and staff members at
each school share professional
responsibility in assisting the
principal in ensuring that all
students with special needs receive
appropriate accommodations
and/or designated supports.
37
Permissible Materials
 Permissible materials and tools vary
by individual assessment. Do not
assume that materials or tools allowed
for one assessment are also allowed on
other assessments.
 Consult test-specific manuals for a
list of permissible materials.
 If provided, follow Designated Supports
guidelines for each specific test.
 Use only materials provided by or
approved by your site Test Coordinator.
38
Designated Supports
 Designated Supports features are
permissible for use by any student for
whom the need has been identified by
a team of educators.
 Designated Supports must be identified
prior to test administration.
 Decisions to allow designated supports
must be made by professionals familiar
with the student and knowledgeable
about the supports available for the
specific assessment.
39
Designated Supports: Guidelines
 Available and permissible designated
supports vary by test; adhere to
guidelines for each test.
 Embedded Designated Supports –
available to students taking computerbased administrations and part of the
technology platform.
 Non-Embedded Designated Supports
– for paper/pencil tests, or not part of
the technology platform for computerbased administrations.
40
Designated Supports: Document
 IEP and 504 Plan – use space provided on
the NDE testing accommodations form
 Eligible EL (Levels 1-5, Exited< 2 yrs.)–
use NDE form prepared and sent to
schools by WCSD Dept. of ELL prior to
testing
 All other students – document designated
supports using WCSD prepared Designated
Supports form available for each individual
test
 The Test Coordinator retains copies of
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all forms for testing.
Accommodations vs.
Modifications
Accommodations
Modifications alter the
allow access to the
scope of what is being
assessment without
assessed.
compromising validity.
 Students testing with “modifications” will
be counted as non-proficient and not
participating.
 Contact the Director of Assessment if considering
testing a student with modifications.
42
Accommodations
 Not all accommodations listed in a
student’s IEP or 504 Plan may be allowed
on an individual assessment (the
IEP/504 Plan does not dictate allowable
accommodations for individual tests).
 Use of non-permissible accommodations
may result in invalid scores.
 Always refer to the guidelines for each
test to determine which accommodations
or designated supports are allowable for
each particular assessment.
43
Accommodations
 Testing accommodations are only for
students for whom the accommodations
are included on an IEP or 504 Plan.
 Accommodations should be used during
the regular instructional day and for at
least 5 weeks prior to using the
accommodation for testing.
 Accommodations are specific for each
student.
 The current school year testing
accommodations form must be attached
to the IEP or 504 plan.
44
Accommodations: Guidelines
 Embedded Accommodations – for
students with accommodations included
as part of an IEP or 504 plan who are
taking computer-based administrations;
part of the technology platform.
 Non-Embedded Accommodations –
for students with accommodations
included as part of an IEP or 504 plan;
for paper/pencil tests, or not part of the
technology platform for computer-based
administrations.
45
Documentation for Test
Administrators
 TC must provide TA with a list of students
using approved accommodations and
designated supports for a specific test and
assigned to that Test Administrator.
 Embedded accommodations and
designated supports must be set by the
TC in the testing platform prior to testing.
☞ Test Coordinator retains copies of
all forms for testing.
46
Calculator Clarification
 Use varies by test! Consult specific
state/district test manuals for guidance.
 When allowed, calculators must meet test
specifications and are used only on calculatorapproved math items:
o HSPE, Math – IEP accommodation only: hand-held,
scientific or basic, no graphing/programmable
o EOC, Math –scientific or basic, no
graphing/programmable
o Grades 6-8, Math – embedded only (on-screen);
available for pre-determined calculator-allowed items
o Specialized calculator, accommodation (Braille,
talking) –for students who cannot access a
standard calculator on calculator allowed items
47
American Sign Language (ASL)
 If part of embedded technology, IEP
eligible students may have access to
o ASL videos for listening and math items
o Closed captioning for listening items
 If allowed for paper/pencil math/science
tests, IEP eligible students may use
o ASL glossary, hard-copy (paper), word-tosigned symbol style
 Random House Webster’s, Concise ASL Dictionary
or Pocket ASL Dictionary
 Collins, ASL Concise Dictionary
48
Bilingual Dictionaries
 Bilingual Dictionary/Content Specific
Glossary
– word-to-word style translation
Hard copy (paper) only;
BilingualDictionaries.com (recommended)
– Permitted ONLY as directed by specific
exam (see permissible materials for
each assessment; consult designated
supports form for EL Programs)
Important! Examinations are to be
administered in English only
49
Read Aloud Clarification: HSPE
 High School Proficiency Exam (HSPE)
Designated support
Math and Science tests ONLY
 WORDS ONLY, ENGLISH ONLY
NO symbols (including numerals)
 NO paraphrasing, elaborating, explaining
 Never read any part of the HSPE Reading
test aloud to a student in any language
 “Test” includes passages, questions, answer
choices
 Sign & file Confidentiality Agreement
50
Read Aloud Clarification: Gr 3-5
 Grades 3-5, Smarter Balanced
 Designated support
 Math–All test content
 ELA–Items only; passages may NOT be read
on any ELA assessments in grades 3-5
 ENGLISH ONLY
 NO paraphrasing, elaborating, or explaining
 Adhere to Smarter Balanced: Guidelines for
Read Aloud, Test Reader
 Sign & file Confidentiality Agreement
51
Read Aloud Clarification: Gr 6-8
 Grades 6-8, Smarter Balanced
Accommodation only
Designated Supports
ELA–reading passages
and all other content
ELA–items only, NO
PASSAGES
IEP/504 only; very small number Math– all test content
of students district-wide
 ENGLISH ONLY
 NO paraphrasing, elaborating, or explaining
 Adhere to Smarter Balanced: Guidelines for
Read Aloud, Test Reader
 Sign & file Confidentiality Agreement
52
Read Aloud Clarification: EoC
 End of Course (EoC) Exam
Accommodation only
Designated Supports
ELA–reading passages
and all other content
ELA–items only, NO
PASSAGES
IEP/504 only; very small number Math– all test content
of students district-wide
 ENGLISH ONLY
 NO paraphrasing, elaborating, or explaining
 Sign & file Confidentiality Agreement
53
Read Aloud Clarification:
Gr 5, 8, 10 Science
 Science – Grades 5, 8, & 10
 Designated support
 All test content
 ENGLISH ONLY
 NO paraphrasing, elaborating, or explaining
 Sign & file Confidentiality Agreement
54
Read Aloud, Confidentiality
Teachers providing read aloud assistance
to students must sign the confidentiality
agreement prior to test administration. When
available, test reader guidelines for an
assessment must be followed exactly.
 Misadministration of this designated support or
accommodation may result in an irregularity,
disciplinary action, and invalidation of test scores.
Note for online, computer-adaptive testing:
Read aloud support will require one-on-one
testing of students. Always consider providing
embedded Text-to-Speech technology first. 55
Read Aloud Clarification:
Text-to-Speech, Computer-Based Testing
 Embedded text-to-speech (TTS)
technology is the preferred mode for
reading aloud online test content.
 TTS may impede performance of
students who have not previously
experienced this support during practice
or regular instruction.
 TTS for reading passages is an
accommodation appropriate for a very
small number of students district-wide. 56
Accommodation:
Alternate Response Options
 Describe the response option on the
testing accommodations form; as
necessary, check compatibility of devices
with online testing platforms.
 Paper/Pencil Tests: Students may use a
touchpad, keyboard, or Braille writer
for hand-written responses; for HSPE
writing test, submit the Certification of Proper
Use of Keyboard or Braille Writer form with the
student’s answer document.
57
WCSD
Local Assessments
assessment use must always adhere to
the intended purpose of the assessment
58
District-Wide Administrations
 District-level examinations may vary
significantly in rules and procedures
from State tests.
 Administrators and staff –
 carefully read all guidelines and
resources that accompany
individual tests;
 participate in appropriate training
as required.
59
District Interim: MAP and DRA
For all District interim assessments:
 Adhere to prescribed testing windows.
 Must be administered by qualified &
trained Test Administrators.
 Ensure full administration to all
eligible students within the testing
window.
 Retesting is not permitted.
 Do not use scores from interim
assessments for academic grades.
60
District: COMMON FINALS
For all District common finals:
 Assessments are secure.
 Follow security guidelines for storage,
distribution/collection, supervision,
administration, etc.
 Read and follow WCSD prepared
guidelines for Test Coordinators and Test
Administrators.
 TA must read teacher script/s verbatim.
 Adhere to Administrative Procedure
6405: Final Test Guidelines.
61
WCSD Assessments
The same proscriptions and rules
against inappropriate Test
Administrator/Proctor assistance
and/or tampering with or inflating
student scores that apply to Nevada
accountability assessments apply to
all WCSD Local Assessments.
62
Security & Confidentiality
assure security before, during, and after
testing and during scoring; assure
student confidentiality
63
State and District
 KEEP SECURE AND CONFIDENTIAL
all test items, problems, questions, and
answer sheets contained in all statemandated or district-mandated
summative tests and the approved
answers for scoring them.
 DO NOT SHARE secure materials by any
means or in any form, including but not
limited to writing test prompts, test
booklets, marked answer sheets, answer
keys, items, diagrams, etc.
64
Security & Confidentiality: Ethics
Copying, reproduction, or paraphrasing in
any manner the test items, problems,
answer sheets or questions and the approved
answers for grading them by any means or
disclosure of those items, problems, or
questions and the approved answers for
scoring them is a breach of NRS provisions,
NAC regulations, WCSD testing procedures,
and ethical expectations for the professional
behavior of all district employees.
Such breaches of testing procedures shall
65
be cause for disciplinary action.
Student Test Data & FERPA
Reporting and accessing test scores
of individual students by anyone
other than authorized school
personnel, the student’s authorized
parent/guardian, or the student is
prohibited.
What is FERPA?
http://www.washoeschools.net/Page/448 66
Testing Irregularities
 Violation of the state or district test
security plans (NDE Test Security
Procedures, WCSD Primer)
 Varying degrees of severity
– Administration errors
– Security breaches
– Interruption of testing
Professional Responsibility: Report incidents
even if you are unsure about the severity or
whether it qualifies as an irregularity.
67
Irregularities: Reporting
IMMEDIATE NOTIFICATION required by law:
1. Test Administrators & Proctors: Notify
your school Principal or Test
Coordinator ASAP (within 24 hours)
2. Test Coordinator or principal notifies
district office; completes reporting form
3. District office notifies Nevada
Department of Education
4. TC/Principal submits written report to
Department of Assessment
68
Irregularities: Document
 Provide a detailed narrative.
 Include applicable student & staff
information.
 Ask questions & obtain as much
information or physical evidence as
possible.
 Consider the impact on the student,
school, and testing program.
 The Department (NDE) may investigate
separately or in conjunction with WCSD.
69
Irregularities: Possible
Consequences
 Corrective action administered by
the State or District
 Invalidation of scores
 Accountability consequences
 Disciplinary action (student, staff)
 License sanctions
70
We Are All Responsible
 Test Administrators assume primary
responsibility for their assigned test
administration and group of students;
 Proctors assist the Test Administrator;
The principal is ultimately
responsible for all
testing activities at the
school.
71
Primer Contents
In addition to test security procedures,
your Primer for Testing includes
additional valuable information :
 WCSD Emergency Plan During Testing
 Testing Students with Special Needs Decision
Making Flowchart
 NDE Accommodations form for IEP & 504
 NDE Designated Supports form for EL
 WCSD Assessment Philosophy
72
Next Steps
☞ Read the Primer in its entirety and
reference throughout school year
(keep for all 2015-2016).
☞ Read and sign tear-away
Acknowledgment form at the back
of the Primer; submit form to your
principal.
☞ Review the Primer, all applicable
manuals, and attend refresher
training before each major
assessment.
73
Finally…
Don’t make mistakes; when
in doubt, ASK your principal
or contact Assessment Support
74
For More Information
Contact:
Dr. Sandra Aird, Director of Assessment
Assessment Support Team
Phone: 348-0248
AssessmentSupport@washoeschools.net