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1 New York State Testing Program Common Core English Language Arts and Mathematics Tests School Administrator s Manual Grades
2 THE UNIVERSITY OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK Regents of The University M erryl H. T isch, Chancellor, B.A., M.A., Ed.D. Anthony S. B otta r, Vice Chancellor, B.A., J.D. Robert M. B ennett, Chancellor Emeritus, B.A., M.S. James C. D awson, A.A., B.A., M.S., Ph.D. Ha rry P hillips, III, B.A., M.S.F.S. Jam es R. T allon, J r., B.A., M.A. Roger B. T illes, B.A., J.D. Charles R. B endit, B.A. Betty A. R osa, B.A., M.S. in Ed., M.Ed., Ed.D. Lester W. Y oung, J r., B.S., M.S., Ed.D. Christine D. C ea, B.A., M.A., Ph.D. W ade S. N orwood, B.A. Josephine V ictoria Finn, B.A., J.D K athleen M. C ashin, B.S., M.S., Ed.D. James E. C ottrell, B.S., M.D. New York Syracuse Tonawanda Plattsburgh Hartsdale Binghamton Woodbury Manhattan Bronx Brooklyn Staten Island Rochester Albany Brooklyn Brooklyn T. A ndrew B row n, B.A., J.D. Rochester Acting Commissioner, New York State Education Department Elizabeth R. B erlin Senior Deputy Commissioner for Education Policy K en W a gner Deputy Commissioner of Education, P 12 Cosim o T a ngorra Assistant Commissioner, Office of Assessment, Standards and Curriculum Candace H. S hyer Director of State Assessment Steven E. K atz The State Education Department does not discriminate on the basis of age, color, religion, creed, disability, marital status, veteran status, national origin, race, gender, genetic predisposition or carrier status, or sexual orientation in its educational programs, services and activities. Portions of this publication can be made available in a variety of formats, including braille, large print, or audio tape, upon request. Inquiries concerning this policy of nondiscrimination should be directed to the Department s Office for Diversity, Ethics, and Access, Room 530, Education Building, Albany, New York Developed and published under contract with the New York State Education Department by Pearson. Copyright 2015 by the New York State Education Department. Permission is hereby granted for school administrators and educators to reproduce these materials, located online, in the quantities necessary for their school s use, but not for sale, provided copyright notices are retained as they appear in these publications. This permission does not apply to distribution of these materials, electronically or by other means, other than for school use. ii
3 Table of Contents Overview... v 2015 Contact Information... v Testing Schedule and Important Administration Dates... vi Changes in this Manual for 2015 Test Administration... vi How to Use this School Administrator s Manual... 1 Part 1: Preparing for the Tests... 3 General Features of the 2015 Grades 3 8 Common Core English Language Arts and Mathematics Tests... 4 Test Security Requirements and Responsibilities... 6 Students to Be Tested... 9 Administrator s Planning Steps for Test Preparation Part 2: Administering the Tests School Administrator Responsibilities Prepare the 2015 Grades 3 8 Common Core English Language Arts Secure Test Materials and Answer Sheets Prepare the 2015 Grades 3 8 Common Core Mathematics Secure Test Materials and Answer Sheets Concluding Test Session Part 3: After Testing Scoring of Secure Test Materials After Scoring is Complete Destruction of Secure Test Materials Reporting Irregularities and/or Misadministrations Post Administration Guidelines iii
4 Appendices Appendix A: School Administrator s Checklist... A-1 Appendix B: Test Storage Certificate... A-3 Appendix C: Secure Materials Tracking Log... A-4 Appendix D: Deputy and Proctor Certificate... A-5 Appendix E: Mathematics Tools... A-6 Appendix F: Testing Accommodations for English Language Learners... A-7 Appendix G: Testing Accommodations for Students with Disabilities... A-9 Appendix H: Specific Testing Accommodations... A-11 Appendix I: Information on Ungraded Students... A-16 Appendix J: School/Group List... A-17 Appendix K: Box Labels for Submission of Test Books to Scoring Center... A-18 Appendix L: Scoring Site Organization... A-19 Appendix M: Exam Scoring Confidentiality Agreement... A-20 Appendix N: Guidelines for Including Special Education Teachers in Scoring Committees... A-21 Appendix O: Scoring Operations Certificate... A-23 Appendix P: Rules to Determine Whether a Student Receives a Valid Score... A-24 Appendix Q: Regional Information Centers and Large-City Scanning Centers... A-25 Appendix R: New York City Department of Education Borough Assessment Implementation Directors... A-29 iv
5 For assistance with: Requesting additional secure test materials such as test books (including large type, braille, and alternative language editions) that were not originally requested 2015 Contact Information Contact: The Operations Group Fax: See page 16. Overview Errors in the school s shipment of secure test materials, such as test books (including large type, braille, and alternative language editions) The Operations Group Fax: See page 16. Answer sheets, precoded student identification labels, generic answer sheets, and generic student identification labels Completing or changing biographical student data Sending completed answer sheets to scanning centers after scoring of test books The local scanning center (see Regional Information Centers and Large-City Scanning Centers, Appendix Q). Testing policies regarding accommodations and security of test materials The Office of State Assessment Telephone: Sending completed English Language Arts Test Book 2s and Book 3s and Mathematics Test Book 3s and English Language Arts and Mathematics Test Answer Sheets to scoring site The scoring site coordinator. Questions about scoring Scoring Helpline Telephone: Monday Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (ET) Important reminder: Check the Office of State Assessment s web site regularly for updates on the 2015 Grades 3 8 Common Core Testing Program ( v
6 Overview Testing Schedule and Important Administration Dates Events Secure Test Materials Arrive at Schools Grades 3 8 English Language Arts Grades 3 8 Mathematics Thursday, March 26 Monday, March 30 Thursday, April 16 Monday, April 20 Test Administration Window Tuesday, April 14 Thursday, April 16 Wednesday, April 22 Friday, April 24 Make-up Window Friday, April 17 Tuesday, April 21 Monday, April 27 Wednesday, April 29 Scoring CDs Arrive at Schools Tuesday, April 14 Thursday, April 16 Wednesday, April 22 Friday, April 24 Scoring Window Friday, April 17 Wednesday, April 29 Monday, April 27 Thursday, May 7 Final Date to Submit Answer Sheets to Scanning Center Wednesday, April 29 Thursday, May 7 Changes in this Manual for 2015 Test Administration Addition of Scoring Model Code 6, Private Contractor Scoring, page 13 Former English Language Learners, page A-8, reflects revisions in the existing criteria specified in Part of the Regulations of the Commissioner of Education Recording and Maintaining Test Scores, page 45 Score Reports, page 45 vi
7 How to Use this School Administrator s Manual The instructions in this manual explain the responsibilities of school administrators for the New York State Testing Program (NYSTP) Grades 3 8 Common Core English Language Arts and Mathematics Tests. School administrators must be thoroughly familiar with the contents of the manual and the policies and procedures must be followed as written so that testing conditions are uniform statewide. Overview The appendices include certificates, a tracking log of secure materials, procedures for testing students with disabilities, testing accommodation information, documents to assist with material return, and contact information. All persons in charge of the administration of the 2015 Grades 3 8 Common Core English Language Arts and Mathematics Tests should be familiar with the information in this manual. Questions concerning the administration of these tests should be directed to the Office of State Assessment (OSA) at
9 Preparing for the Tests Part 1 Preparing for the Tests 3
10 General Features of the 2015 Grades 3 8 Common Core English Language Arts and Mathematics Tests Preparing for the Tests The New York State Education Department (NYSED), along with its contractor, Pearson, developed the 2015 Grades 3 8 Common Core English Language Arts and Mathematics Tests. Teachers from across the State work with the Department in a variety of activities, such as reviewing test questions, to ensure that the tests are appropriate measures of student achievement of the New York State Common Core Learning Standards. The following table lists the general 2015 testing schedule: 2015 Grades 3 8 Common Core English Language Arts Tests Day 1, Book 1 Tuesday, April 14 Multiple Choice Day 2, Book 2 Wednesday, April 15 Multiple Choice Short and Extended Response Day 3, Book 3 Thursday, April 16 Short and Extended Response 2015 Grades 3 8 Common Core Mathematics Tests Day 1, Book 1 Wednesday, April 22 Multiple Choice Day 2, Book 2 Thursday, April 23 Multiple Choice Day 3, Book 3 Friday, April 24 Short and Extended Response The Department has established the testing times for each session to allow students sufficient time to demonstrate what they have learned. The 2015 Grades 3 8 Common Core English Language Arts Tests will consist of three books that are administered over three days. The tests must be administered in that order. Day 1 will consist of Book 1. Day 2 will consist of Book 2. Day 3 will consist of Book 3. The testing times for the 2015 Grades 3 8 Common Core English Language Arts Tests are as follows: Grades 3 and 4 will be allowed 70 minutes of testing time each day; and Grades 5 8 will be allowed 90 minutes of testing time each day. The 2015 Grades 3 8 Common Core Mathematics Tests will consist of three books that are administered over three days. Day 1 will consist of Book 1. Day 2 will consist of Book 2. Day 3 will consist of Book 3. The tests must be administered in that order. The testing times for the 2015 Grades 3 8 Common Core Mathematics Tests are as follows: Grade 3 will be allowed 60 minutes of testing time for Days 1 and 2, and 70 minutes of testing time for Day 3; Grade 4 will be allowed 60 minutes of testing time for Days 1 and 2, and 90 minutes of testing time for Day 3; and Grades 5 8 will be allowed 80 minutes of testing time for Days 1 and 2, and 90 minutes of testing time for Day 3. 4
11 The testing times listed above do not include approximately 10 minutes of prep time at the beginning of each session for handing out materials and reading directions. The allowed time should begin when students begin testing. The start time of each session may be staggered by grade to accommodate staffing and space needs (e.g., Grade 3 starts at 9:00 a.m. while Grade 4 starts at 10:20 a.m.). Students completing all questions in a test book prior to the end of the scheduled time are permitted to review their answers. If all students complete the test earlier than the allowed time, the proctor may end the session. The principal must arrange for the collection and secure storage of all used and unused test books as soon as each session is completed. Students with disabilities must be provided testing accommodations as stated in their Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) or Section 504 Accommodation Plans (504 Plans). Accommodations for extended time, such as time-and-a-half or double time, should be based on the allowed time for each session. Extended time for current and eligible former English language learners should also be based on the allowed time. Preparing for the Tests Embedded Field Test Questions In 2010, the Department announced its commitment to embed multiple-choice questions for field testing within the Grades 3 8 English Language Arts and Mathematics Tests. Embedding field test questions allows for a better representation of the student population and more reliable field test data on which to build future operational tests. Students will not know whether a question is a field test question that does not count towards their score or an operational test question that does count towards their score. The embedded field test questions will reduce the amount of stand-alone field testing during the spring of 2015 but do not eliminate the need for it. 5
12 Test Security Requirements and Responsibilities The purpose of the NYSTP test security requirements is to protect the validity of the test results. This section of the School Administrator s Manual (SAM) specifies security responsibilities and planning procedures that must be followed, specifically: Preparing for the Tests The security and accounting measures of secure testing materials, Specifications of who is responsible for maintaining test security, The chain of responsibility in test security, and Types of testing irregularities and how to report them. Principals are responsible for ensuring that all proctors and school personnel authorized to have access to secure test materials comply with the requirements and instructions contained in this part of the SAM. To minimize the number of testing irregularities, principals should conduct a review of the test administration procedures prior to each test administration with all faculty and staff who will be involved in the test administration and scoring. In addition, to preserve the integrity of the test materials, advise all teachers administering and scoring this test that they are not to discuss test questions or other specific test content online via or LISTSERV or through any other electronic means. Teachers and test administrators may not use cell phones or other photographic devices to duplicate test materials, and should keep their own communication devices put away during testing, using them only in emergency situations. Please note that shrink-wrapped packages of test books cannot be opened prior to the distribution of tests to students. Test security responsibilities of the principal or designee: Authorize specific personnel to serve as proctors, and train them to properly administer the tests. Designate other school personnel permitted to access secure test materials, and train them in test security requirements. Advise all staff that they are not to discuss test questions or other specific test content with each other, with others online via or LISTERV, or through any other electronic means. Prior to delivery date of secure test materials, make arrangements to: z Be notified when the secure test materials arrive, z Inventory the secure test materials (see Inventory Secure Test Materials on page 15), and z Store the secure test materials in a secure location (see Store Secure Test Materials on page 17). Develop additional local policies and procedures necessary to ensure maximum test security at all times. Deliver a copy of the Teacher s Directions (which is not secure) to each teacher who will be administering the test. 6
13 Conduct a review of the test administration procedures prior to each test administration with all personnel that will be involved in the test administration and scoring. Review, comply, and sign the Test Storage Certificate located in Appendix B and retain in school files for one year. This document acknowledges that required security procedures were observed. Review, comply, and sign the Deputy and Proctor Certificate located in Appendix D and retain in school files for one year. This document acknowledges that required administration processes were followed. Test security responsibilities of proctors: Receive training in administering test sessions properly and securely. Review the Teacher s Directions and: z Understand the security requirements before administering test sessions. Preparing for the Tests z Read the scripts and directions prior to the test administration. Administer the tests during the assigned testing window, on the assigned days, and in the assigned order. Make arrangements in advance to seat students and prepare a secure testing environment (see Prepare the Testing Room(s) on page 17). Provide students with all required test materials. Prevent the use of unapproved materials (see pages for lists of approved and unapproved materials). Note that results will be invalidated for students who use or possess cell phones during testing. Review, comply, and sign the Deputy and Proctor Certificate located in Appendix D and retain in the school file for one year. Follow proper procedures for students with disabilities; see Testing Accommodations for Students with Disabilities located in Appendix G for testing accommodations for students with disabilities. Shared test security responsibilities of principals, proctors, and other school personnel authorized to have access to secure material: Receive training in test security requirements and test administration protocols. Document the location of secure materials at all times using the Secure Materials Tracking Log, located in Appendix C. Ensure the security of the testing environment (see Prepare the Testing Room(s) on page 17). 7
14 Ensure the security of test questions, test books, and other secure materials. Do not: z Leave materials unattended when tests are not being administered. z Read, reveal, review, or duplicate the contents of secure test material before, during, or after a test administration. z Duplicate any portion of the test, including but not limited to audiotaping, videotaping, photographing, photocopying, and copying by hand. Preparing for the Tests z Remove secure test materials from the school without authorization. z Read, review, or change student responses. Testing Irregularities Testing irregularities are incidents that represent a deviation from the assigned testing procedures. Testing irregularities may include confirmed cases of student cheating, possession or use of a cell phone or other communication devices, or the mishandling of secure test materials. Such incidents must be promptly reported, in writing, to OSA by fax at or by to No one, under any circumstances, including the student, may alter the student s responses on the test once the student has handed in his or her test materials. Teachers and administrators who engage in inappropriate conduct with respect to administering and scoring State assessments may be subject to disciplinary actions in accordance with Sections 3020 and 3020-a of Education Law, or to action against their certification pursuant to Part 83 of the Regulations of the Commissioner of Education. 8
15 Students to Be Tested Except as noted below, all public and charter school students in Grades 3 8 must take all State tests administered for their grade level. This includes students who have been retained in these grades. The birth dates of ungraded students with disabilities should be used to determine who must be tested and which grade-level test they will take (see Appendix I, Information on Ungraded Students). Nonpublic schools are also encouraged to participate in these tests and are to follow the same guidelines for each grade-level test they are administering. When determining which students will participate in these tests, be sure to consider students who attend programs operated by the Boards of Cooperative Educational Services (BOCES), as well as any other programs located outside the district. All students are expected to participate in State tests as part of the core academic program. Absences from all or part of the required academic program should be managed in accordance with the attendance policies of the district. For accountability and other statewide reporting purposes, students who do not participate in an assessment are reported to the State as not tested. Schools do not have any obligation to provide an alternative location or activities for individual students while the tests are being administered. Preparing for the Tests English Language Learners Schools are permitted to exempt from the 2015 Common Core English Language Arts Tests only those English language learners (including those from Puerto Rico) who, on April 1, 2015, will have been attending school in the United States for the first time for less than one year. Recently arrived English language learners may be eligible for one, and only one, exemption from the administration of the 2015 Grades 3 8 Common Core English Language Arts Tests. Subject to this limitation, schools may administer the New York State English as a Second Language Achievement Test (NYSESLAT) in lieu of the 2015 Grades 3 8 Common Core English Language Arts Tests, for participation purposes only, to recently arrived English language learners who meet the criterion above. All other English language learners must participate in the 2015 Grades 3 8 Common Core English Language Arts Tests, as well as in the NYSESLAT. The provisions of the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) do not permit any exemption of English language learners from the 2015 Grades 3 8 Common Core Mathematics Tests. These tests are available in Chinese (traditional), Haitian-Creole, Korean, Russian, and Spanish. The tests can be translated orally into other languages for those English language learners whose first language is one for which a written translation is not available from the Department. See Appendix F, Testing Accommodations for English Language Learners for specific testing accommodations. 9
16 Students with Disabilities Preparing for the Tests The Committee on Special Education (CSE) must decide for each student, on a case-by-case basis, whether the student will participate in a particular general State test or in the New York State Alternate Assessment (NYSAA) for students with severe disabilities. The CSE s decision must be documented in the student s IEP. The criteria that the CSE must use to determine eligibility for the NYSAA is available on the NYSAA web site, See Appendix G for testing accommodations for students with disabilities. Specific accommodations allowed for students can be found in Appendix H, Specific Testing Accommodations and include accommodations such as: Teacher reading to student (testing accommodations in students IEPs or 504 Plans that are reading-related); Use of scribes; Use of manipulative devices for mathematics for example, the use of counting blocks, counters, or an abacus; Use of mathematics spatial boards with large type or braille editions; and Use of calculators and mathematics tables. Medically Excused Students who are incapacitated by illness or injury during the test administration and make-up periods and have on-file documentation from a medical practitioner that they were too incapacitated to complete the test at the school, at home, or in a medical setting are considered Medically Excused, are considered to have no valid test score, and must be reported with a final score of 999 and a standard met code of 93. These students are excluded from the numerator and the denominator of the participation and performance accountability calculations. 10
17 Administrator s Planning Steps for Test Preparation The following sections are provided to assist in descriptions of long-term planning (more than two weeks prior to test administration) and short-term planning (within two weeks of test administration) activities that should be conducted by school administrators in preparation for administering the New York State Grades 3 8 Common Core English Language Arts and Mathematics Tests. A complete checklist of school administrator planning activities is provided in Appendix A, School Administrator s Checklist. Long-Term Planning Announce Test Dates Preparing for the Tests Be sure to: Schedule tests to avoid conflicts with recess or lunch. Announce administration of test dates to students before the date that the tests are scheduled to be administered. All announcements should be made in such a way as to convey information without causing students to become overly anxious. Inform parents of the dates and purpose of testing. Parents should be asked to encourage students to do their best on the tests and to ensure that students are well-rested on the days of testing. Familiarize students with the general types of questions on the tests and the procedures that they should follow when recording the answers to the test questions. For additional instructions, refer to the Teacher s Directions, which will be shipped to schools and may also be accessed on the Department s web site Ensure that tests are administered on the assigned days and in the assigned order. Plan Secure Test Materials Storage The English language arts and mathematics tests must be stored in the safe or vault of the building where the tests will be shipped. The principal must ensure access to the safe or vault is restricted. If the building where the tests will be administered does not have a safe or vault large enough to hold the secure test materials, arrangements must be made to store them at a location with an appropriate safe or vault. If you have specific questions concerning the storing of test materials, please call Alternate Storage Location If you indicated that your tests will be stored at an alternate storage location on the School Information Page when requesting tests via the online examination request system, you will be required to complete the Examination Storage Plan form, found on the online examination request system, and fax it to OSA at
18 Gather Mathematics Tools Schools must furnish protractors, rulers, and calculators to students for use with the mathematics tests. See Appendix E, Mathematics Tools for complete details on the use of rulers, protractors, and calculators. Preparing for the Tests Each student testing in Grades 5 8 will be provided with a mathematics reference sheet for his or her exclusive use during the tests. This sheet is printed inside each of the three test books. The following are the required tools that schools must provide for each grade level for the 2015 Grades 3 8 Common Core Mathematics Tests: Tool Grades Duration Usage Notes Examine all rulers to be sure they are in Ruler Grades 3 8 Entire test adequate condition and that they do not have pertinent information, such as mathematics formulas, written on them. Protractor Grades 4 8 Entire test Examine all protractors to be sure they are in adequate condition. Four-function calculator with a square root key or scientific calculator Grade 6 Scientific calculator Grades 7 8 Book 2 and Book 3 only Book 2 and Book 3 only Grade 6 students must not be provided a calculator with Book 1 because this part of the test measures proficiency involving calculations. Note: Grades 3 5 students may not use calculators. Grades 7 and 8 students must not be provided a calculator with Book 1 because this part of the test measures proficiency involving calculations. Plan the Scoring Operations Scoring Constructed-Response Questions There are many activities that need to occur in order to be prepared for the scoring of the constructed responses, such as choosing the scoring model that will be followed in your school, and selecting and assigning the teachers who will do the scoring. The following sections describe many of the long-term planning activities that will need to take place. For more detail on scoring and the scoring process, please refer to the 2015 Grades 3 8 Common Core English Language Arts and Mathematics Tests Scoring Leader Handbook (Scoring Leader Handbook). Scoring Model Options Public school districts, charter schools, and nonpublic schools have several scoring model options as listed on the following page. Arranging for the scoring of short- and extended-response questions in English Language Arts Test Book 2 and Book 3 and Mathematics Test Book 3 is the responsibility of each school or school district. The Department will not score these responses. 12
19 Scoring Model Code 1. Regional scoring The scorers for the school s tests include the following: a) Scorers from three or more school districts; or b) Scorers from two or more nonpublic schools in an affiliation group (nonpublic or charter schools may participate in regional scoring with public school districts, and each nonpublic or charter school may be counted as one district). 2. Schools from two districts a) Scorers from two school districts; b) Scorers from two nonpublic schools; c) Scorers from two charter schools; or d) A combination of scorers from two of the following: a school district, nonpublic school, or charter school. 3. Three or more schools within a district Scorers from three or more schools in a district. 4. Two schools within a district Scorers from two schools in a district. Preparing for the Tests 5. One school Three or more scorers for each grade being scored, all from the same school. 6. Private Contractor Scored by a private contractor (not a BOCES) Regardless of the scoring model being used, a minimum of three scorers is necessary to score each student s test. However, to comply with a State requirement, none of the scorers assigned to score a student s test responses may be that student s teacher (refer to Assign Scorer Numbers and Questions to Scoring Committee Members on page 34 for further details). In order to maximize the number of teachers scoring test books from any one teacher s class or any one school, it is necessary that test books be randomized prior to assignment to scorers. The steps for randomizing are described on page 35. Scoring options involve specific responsibilities and title designations. The responsibilities are similar, although the titles are different, depending on the option. For more information on scoring role responsibilities see Scoring Site Organization, Appendix L. Regional Scoring (Scoring Model 1) Private Contractor (Scoring Model 6) Districtwide Scoring (Scoring Models 2, 3, and 4) Schoolwide Scoring (Scoring Model 5) Responsibilities Regional Title District Title School Title Supervises scoring operation Site Coordinator School District Administrator Principal Trains scorers, monitors sessions Scoring Leader District English Language Arts or Mathematics Leader School English Language Arts or Mathematics Leader Monitors sessions Table Facilitator School English Language Arts or Mathematics Leader School English Language Arts or Mathematics Leader Scores books with constructed responses Scoring Committee Member Scoring Committee Member Scoring Committee Member For details on scoring model logistics, please see the Scoring Leader Handbook, available on the Department s web site at 13
20 Responsibilities of Person Supervising Scoring Operations The person responsible for supervising scoring operations must sign the Scoring Operations Certificate, located in Appendix O of this manual. The signed certificate indicates compliance with the procedures described in this section on scoring the short- and extended-response questions. Preparing for the Tests Selecting and Assigning Teachers for the Scoring Committees A scoring committee is made up of teachers chosen to score the short- and extended-response questions on the 2015 Grades 3 8 Common Core English Language Arts or Mathematics Tests. Each scoring committee must have a minimum of three scorers. It is recommended that each scoring site have a minimum of two scoring committees. School administrators make the final decision as to who can score these tests after a review of the teacher s certification and present teaching assignment(s). Criteria to consider when choosing scoring committee members are listed below. General Requirements for Scoring Committee Member Experience with scoring constructed-response questions, including use of rubrics; Experience using holistic rubrics; Content area expertise; One or more years of teaching the specified or adjacent grade levels; Experience teaching in the elementary grades (for Grades 3 6 tests) or in the subject area (for Grades 5 8 tests); and Familiarity with the 2015 Grades 3 8 Common Core Rubric and Scoring Training materials. Retired teachers and active or retired school administrators, as well as certified teachers who are currently working as teacher assistants, may score the short- and extended-response questions if they: Have taught in the elementary grades (for Grades 3 6 tests) or in the subject area (for Grades 5 8 tests), and Have familiarity with the Common Core Rubric and Scoring Training materials. If a district, charter school, or nonpublic school chooses to contract with a private contractor to score these tests, it is the responsibility of the district, charter school, or nonpublic school to ensure that all individuals who will be scoring for the private contractor have also met these criteria. District, charter school, or nonpublic school administrators considering the use of special education teachers to score these tests should refer to Guidelines for Including Special Education Teachers in Scoring Committees located in Appendix N. Short-Term Planning Receive Test Materials All test shipments will be delivered by UPS and may be delivered at any time between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. (ET). 14
21 Track the shipment of test materials on the Internet from one to three days before the scheduled delivery date. z Go to z Click Track by Number. z In the Tracking or InfoNotice Numbers field, type the Basic Educational Data System (BEDS) Code of the school where you indicated you wanted your tests to be shipped. z If you are unable to track your shipment, or notice some other irregularity, contact OSA via fax to Inventory Secure Test Materials English language arts and mathematics test materials will arrive from the Department in separate shipments. Test books and the Teacher s Directions will be sent by the Department. The shrink-wrapped packages of secure test materials must not be opened during the inventory. All secure test materials must remain sealed until the test administration date. Answer sheets will be sent from a Regional Information Center (RIC) or large-city scanning center. Preparing for the Tests Inventory the following materials received from your local scanning center: Precoded answer sheets: Schools should have two precoded answer sheets for each student participating in the 2015 Grades 3 8 Common Core English Language Arts Test and two precoded answer sheets for each student participating in the 2015 Grades 3 8 Common Core Mathematics Test. Blank answer sheets: Schools should have blank answer sheets for new students. Please refer to the district/regional testing directions for specific instructions on recording demographic information for new students. Precoded student identification labels: Schools should have precoded student identification labels for each student participating in this test administration. The labels should be affixed to the back covers of English Language Arts Book 2 and Book 3 and Mathematics Book 3. The affixing of the labels to the books may occur no earlier than the day each book will be administered. Blank student identification labels: Schools should have blank student identification labels for new students. The labels are to be completed and affixed to the back covers of each new student s English Language Arts Book 2 and Book 3 and Mathematics Book 3. Preprinted classroom rosters: (This is only for schools in New York City or schools associated with certain RICs.) Schools should have one roster for every class participating in testing. (For details, please contact your scanning center.) All other schools will need to prepare classroom rosters of students to be tested, using the format provided in the answer sheet package sent by the RIC or Large-City Scanning Center. Inventory the materials received in your shipment from the Department: Shipping Notice: Use the packing list in Box 1 of your shipment of test books and the school s copy of the electronic confirmation of the test order that was submitted to the Department to verify the contents of its shipment. 15
22 Preparing for the Tests Teacher s Directions: Schools will receive two Teacher s Directions for every 25 test books. If additional copies are needed, the Teacher s Directions may be photocopied. Test Books: The regular edition of the test books will arrive shrink-wrapped in packages of 25. The braille and large-type test books will be shrink-wrapped and will be included in the exact quantity requested by the school. The Spanish editions of the mathematics test books will be shrinkwrapped in packages of 25. All other translated editions of the mathematics test books will be shrink-wrapped in the exact quantity requested by the school. All school personnel must leave the shrink-wrapped packages intact until the day of test administration, when class packets are assembled. The shrink-wrapped packages of secure test materials must not be opened during the inventory. All secure test materials must remain sealed until the test administration date. Boxes used for delivering materials to your school should be kept for storing and sending completed test books and answer sheets to scoring sites. Order Emergency Supply of Secure Test Books All shipments of secure test materials should be inventoried immediately after delivery and before being placed in the safe or vault. School personnel are forbidden to make or authorize photocopies of secure State test books without the express written prior approval of OSA. Such approval will be considered only when it is not feasible for the school to obtain the secure test materials from a regional center. If you have questions concerning the requesting of test materials, or about any of the other information, call for assistance. After taking inventory, if: An item or items are missing from the shipment listed on the shipping notice, The school requires items that were not originally requested or items necessary to accommodate students whose needs the school was not previously aware of, Then Circle the item(s) and quantity that are missing on the notice and fax the corrected shipping notice to the Department s Operations Group at (no cover sheet is necessary). The missing item(s) will be sent to the school s storage site. Contact the Department s Operations Group by sending a fax to The Operations Group will determine whether the regional center has the materials necessary to satisfy the additional request. After contacting OSA, the school should contact the official in charge of the regional center to arrange for pick up of test materials from the regional center on the day of test administration. Secure materials can be obtained from the regional center only on the day that they will be administered. Information on the location of regional centers is available online at For the list of regional centers for New York City public and charter schools, see New York City Department of Education Borough Assessment Implementation Directors, Appendix R. The official school representative picking up secure test materials must present to the regional center official: A photo ID; and A letter of authorization signed by the principal listing the materials to be picked up. This letter, authorizing the school representative to pick up test materials, must be written on school stationery. 16
23 The school representative must: Countersign the authorization letter, and Leave it with the regional center official before the emergency supply of materials can be released. Store Secure Test Materials The English language arts and mathematics tests must be stored in the safe or vault of the building where the tests will be shipped. Place all secure test materials in the storage location as soon as they are received. If the building where the tests will be administered does not have a safe or vault large enough to hold the secure test materials, make arrangements to store these materials at a school or district location with an appropriate safe or vault. Do not transfer tests to the school where the tests will be administered until the day scheduled for the administration of that part of the test. Restrict access to the test materials. Do not remove shrink-wrapped packages of secure material from the safe or vault, except for the inventory of test materials, until the days on which the tests are scheduled to be administered. Use the Secure Materials Tracking Log, located in Appendix C, to document the movement of materials and account for all secure testing materials. Check the safe or vault where secure test materials are being stored daily to ensure that the secure test materials have not been tampered with and remain secure. Maintain the combination or key to the safe or vault under strict security conditions to preclude access to the secure test materials. Preparing for the Tests Prepare the Testing Room(s) Be sure to: Determine which rooms will be used for testing. Make sure the room(s) in which the tests are administered are well lit, well ventilated, and quiet. Make preparations before the testing period to keep noise and other distractions to a minimum. Prepare a Do Not Disturb sign to place on the door to prevent interruptions. If tests are to be administered in a classroom, clear desks and shelves under the desks of all books, papers, and other materials. Completely cover or remove from the walls all charts, blank or completed graphic organizers, number lines, mathematics tables, and all board work pertinent to English language arts and mathematics. Make arrangements in advance to seat students so that each student will be clearly visible to the proctor at all times and so that there will be the least possible opportunity for any communication between students. Seating of students in alternate rows is recommended. 17
25 Part 2 Administering Administering the Tests the Tests 19
26 School Administrator Responsibilities It is the responsibility of the school administrator to: Administering the Tests Inventory all testing materials. Store secure test materials in a safe or vault, as designated in the school s Examination Storage Plan. Distribute the materials to the teachers or proctors, and ensure the security of the tests. Ensure secure test materials remain sealed in their packaging until the dates on which they will be administered. Advise all teachers administering and scoring this test that they are not to discuss test questions or other specific test content with each other, with others online via , or through any other electronic means. Ensure that students with disabilities are provided allowable testing accommodations as indicated on a student s IEP or 504 Plan. Ensure that teachers, aides, and assistants receive training to ensure the correct implementation of testing accommodations. 20
27 Prepare the 2015 Grades 3 8 Common Core English Language Arts Secure Test Materials and Answer Sheets In order to prepare the secure materials for testing, schools must take the following steps: Verify that the school has the following for each student in the class: z Answer Sheet 1 for use with English Language Arts Test Book 1. z Answer Sheet 2 for use with English Language Arts Test Book 2. z Preprinted student identification labels for English Language Arts Test Book 2 and Book 3. If the school does not have a precoded answer sheet or student identification label for a student, complete one of the extra answer sheets and labels provided. Record biographical information for that student according to district/regional directions. Record on the answer sheet the categories of testing accommodations for students with disabilities. Only darken the circle if an accommodation was provided during the test. Please note that not all the accommodations listed in Appendix H are permitted on all parts of the 2015 Grades 3 8 Common Core English Language Arts Tests. Student identification labels must be affixed to the back of each student s English Language Arts Test Book 2 and Book 3. Labels can be affixed either on the days of the tests or after the administration of the tests. Administering the Tests If the school chooses to affix the student label(s) prior to administration on the days of the tests, be sure that each student receives the test book with his or her name on the affixed label. Under no circumstances may a school open the shrink-wrapped packages and affix the student identification labels to test books prior to the day that the test books will be administered. The following chart lists the English language arts materials needed in each classroom at each grade level for each testing day. Grades 3 8 Teacher s Directions Classroom roster English Language Arts Day1 Day 2 Day 3 Book 1 (one per student and one for the teacher) English Language Arts Test Answer Sheet 1 (one per student) Teacher s Directions Classroom roster Book 2 (one per student and one for the teacher) English Language Arts Test Answer Sheet 2 (one per student) Student identification labels (one per student to be used on Book 2) Teacher s Directions Classroom roster Book 3 (one per student and one for the teacher) Student identification labels (one per student to be used on Book 3) 21
28 Prepare the 2015 Grades 3 8 Common Core Mathematics Secure Test Materials and Answer Sheets In order to prepare the secure materials for testing, schools must take the following steps: Verify that each student in the class has the following: z Answer Sheet 1 for use with Mathematics Test Book 1. z Answer Sheet 2 for use with Mathematics Test Book 2. z Preprinted student identification label for Mathematics Test Book 3. Administering the Tests If the school does not have a precoded answer sheet or student identification label for a student, complete one of the extra answer sheets and labels provided. Record biographical information for that student according to district/regional directions. Record on the answer sheet the categories of testing accommodations for students with disabilities. Only darken the circle if an accommodation was provided during the test. Please note that not all the accommodations listed in Appendix H are permitted on all parts of the 2015 Grades 3 8 Common Core Mathematics Tests. Student identification labels must be affixed to the back of each student s Mathematics Test Book 3. Labels can be affixed either on the days of the tests or after the administration of the tests. If the school chooses to affix the student label(s) prior to administration on the days of the tests, be sure that each student receives the test book with his or her name on the affixed label. Under no circumstances may a school open the shrink-wrapped packages and affix the student identification labels to test books prior to the day that the test books will be administered. 22
29 The following chart lists the mathematics materials needed in each classroom at each grade level for each testing day. Mathematics Day 1 Day 2 Day 3 Teacher s Directions Teacher s Directions Teacher s Directions Classroom roster Classroom roster Classroom roster Book 1 (one per student and one for the teacher) Book 2 (one per student and one for the teacher) Book 3 (one per student and one for the teacher) Grades 3 4 Mathematics Test Answer Sheet 1 (one per student) Mathematics Test Answer Sheet 2 (one per student) Student identification labels (one per student) Rulers (one per student) Rulers (one per student) Rulers (one per student) Grade 4 only: Protractors (one per student) Grade 4 only: Protractors (one per student) Grade 4 only: Protractors (one per student) Grades 5 6 Teacher s Directions Classroom roster Book 1 (one per student and one for the teacher) Mathematics Test Answer Sheet 1 (one per student) Rulers (one per student) Teacher s Directions Classroom roster Book 2 (one per student and one for the teacher) Mathematics Test Answer Sheet 2 (one per student) Rulers (one per student) Teacher s Directions Classroom roster Book 3 (one per student and one for the teacher) Student identification labels (one per student) Rulers (one per student) Administering the Tests Protractors (one per student) Protractors (one per student) Protractors (one per student) Grade 6 only: Scientific or four-function calculators with a square root key (one per student) Grade 6 only: Scientific or four-function calculators with a square root key (one per student) Teacher s Directions Teacher s Directions Teacher s Directions Classroom roster Classroom roster Classroom roster Book 1 (one per student and one for the teacher) Book 2 (one per student and one for the teacher) Book 3 (one per student and one for the teacher) Grades 7 8 Mathematics Test Answer Sheet 1 (one per student) Rulers (one per student) Mathematics Test Answer Sheet 2 (one per student) Rulers (one per student) Student identification labels (one per student) Rulers (one per student) Protractors (one per student) Protractors (one per student) Protractors (one per student) Scientific calculators (one per student) Scientific calculators (one per student) 23
30 Supervision of Students Unauthorized Materials Students should be under close supervision at all times during the administration of the tests and may not use any unauthorized notes, printed materials, scrap paper, or tools. Use of Communications Devices All students are prohibited from bringing cell phones and certain other electronic devices, as defined in the script in the box below, into a classroom or other location where a State test is being administered. Test proctors and school officials shall retain the right to collect and hold any prohibited electronic devices prior to the start of the test administration. Admission to the test shall be denied to any student who is in possession of a cell phone or other prohibited electronic device and refuses to relinquish it. Administering the Tests At the beginning of each test session, proctors must read the following statement to all students taking State tests: You cannot have any communications device, including a cell phone, with you during this test or during any breaks (such as a restroom visit). Such devices include, but are not limited to: Cell phones Blackberry devices and other PDAs ipods and MP3 players ipads, tablets, and other ereaders Laptops, notebooks, or any other personal computing devices Cameras or other photographic equipment Headphones, headsets, or in-ear headphones such as earbuds Any other devices capable of recording audio, photographic or video content, or capable of viewing or playing back such content If you brought any of these items to the building today, and have not already stored it in your locker or turned it over to me or a school official, you must give it to me now. You may not keep your cell phone or any of these items with you, or near you, including in your pockets, backpack, desk, etc. Is there anyone who needs to give me any of these items now? [Proctor: repeat list of devices.] This is your last opportunity to do so before the test begins. 24