PULASKI COUNTY SPECIAL SCHOOL DISTRICT

1. PULASKI COUNTY SPECIALSCHOOL DISTRICT Accommodations Training for Test Administrators

2. GOALS • To discuss the testing guidelines for providing accommodations. • To discuss the role of the school test coordinator and test administrator for providing accommodations.

3. STC Guidelines • Conduct a Separate/Additional In-service for Test Administrators for Accommodations. Test security guidelines must be read and a copy provided to everyone. • Additional/extra personnel for emergencies should be included in the accommodations training in-service. • STC or Designee verify that each student is receiving the proper accommodation according to his/her IEP or 504 Plan.

4. STC GuidelinesContinued • The STC shall • Determine if the student is participating in the Alternate Assessment Program. • Determine if any student has an approved Special Accommodation Request Form • Keep a copy of the “Consideration of Special Factors” page of each accommodation student so that monitors may verify each accommodation.

5. STC GUIDELINESContinued • Inform Test Administrators that testing times must be adhered to. Students must use total time for each test and the TA may need to redirect students to continue working and checking their work. The test time cannot be shortened. The TA should say, “ • “There are _____ minutes left. Check your work.” • Don’t assume the Test Administrator “knows” how and “what” accommodations to administer. Make certain that the TA knows what accommodations the student will be using and understands his/her duties during the process. • It is essential that EVERYONE involved knows and understands the requirements and consequences of using accommodations for statewide assessments.

6. AccommodationsTest Administrator • Must be currently licensed by ADE as a teacher or administrator • Must be cognizant of test security and adhere to standard procedures and directions for implementation of the accommodation • Must attend a separate training session provided for those administering accommodations in addition to attending the school test training in-service • Know what is allowed and what is NOT allowed • Know how to provide each accommodation • Be familiar with Guidelines for Assessment Accommodations for Students with Disabilities (http://arksped.k12.ar.us/default.html)

7. IEP Students • Accommodations • Must be listed in student’s IEP, LPAC or 504 Plan under “standardized testing accommodations” • Must be an allowable accommodation or have an ADE approved Special Accommodations Request Form • Must be used regularly in the classroom to allow the student to be familiar with and use comfortably and effectively during assessment • No “modifications” are allowed

8. ALLOWABLE ACCOMMODATIONS FORBenchmark, IOWA, EOC, Literacy Exams The accommodations listed below must be in the student’s current IEP, LPAC or 504 Plan and used regularly in the classroom. • TRAN*--Test Administrator transfers answers from the student’s test booklet to an Answer Document. (used with Large Print /Braille) Requires completed Waiver Affidavit • REC*--Test Administrator records and serves as a scribe for the student’s verbal responses. Requires completed Waiver Affidavit • SIGN—Directions signed for a student with a hearing disability by an interpreter. • PREF—Preferential seating (study carrel, etc.) • SMGT—Small group testing • INT—Individual testing

9. ALLOWABLE ACCOMMODATIONSContinued • RMT/RWT/RST*—Reading of the Math, Writing, Science test. No portion of the reading test may be read to any student. Requires completed Waiver Affidavit • MD—Magnifying devices • NB—Noise buffers • IS—Individualized scheduling • ET—Extended time. All testing scheduled for a given day must be completed by the conclusion of that school day. • LPT—Large Print Test Booklets • BT—Braille Test Booklets • AB—Abacus is a hand held non-electrical device used by visually impaired students to work math problems. • *The Test Administrator will complete the Affidavit Waiver Form.

10. Accommodation • TRAN*—Transfers • Common accommodation for students using Large Print or Braille Test Booklets • Allows the student to write directly in the Test Booklet rather than on an answer document. • Test Administrator/Scribe transfers the answers from the student’s Test Booklet to an Answer Document. • The student’s answers are the ONLY things permitted to be transferred to Answer Document. • *Affidavit Waiver Form must be completed and signed.

11. ACCOMMODATION • REC*--Recording • Test Administrator records and serves as a scribe for the student’s responses. • Extensive practice is required when using a recorder or scribe. • Role of the scribe is to write what is dictated, no more and no less. • Writing Prompts are scored for mechanics and usage, and particular skill is involved when recording the student’s responses. • Student must provide the capitalization, punctuation and exact spelling for the Writing portions of the test. • Scribe may NOT write it out first and then go back to ask the student to insert punctuation or adjust spelling. • Student is allowed to review and edit what the scribe has written. • *Test Administrator must complete and sign Affidavit Waiver Form.

12. ACCOMMODATION • Sign—Sign Language • Directions and test questions are signed for the student with a hearing disability by interpreter • Interpreter may only need to sign directions for the test or assist in communication with Test Administrator. • Interpreters need to be able to translate in the same method of sign language typically used by the student • Student should be familiar with the interpreter for the test or have some time to practice with the interpreter before the day of the test to ensure that the level of interpretation meets the needs of the student. • Interpreters must not paraphrase, clarify, elaborate, or provide assistance with the meaning of words, intent of test questions, or responses to test items.

13. ACCOMMODATION • PREF—Preferential Seating • Allowed for students who need to sit in a different location from the majority of the students to reduce distractions to themselves or others. • Easily distracted students should not sit near windows, doors, or pencil sharpeners. • Allow physical access to needed special equipment • Students with low vision may need to sit in the part of a room that has the best light. • Sitting near the teacher’s desk, or in the front of the room, or the back of the room may be helpful. • Student using Large Print Booklet may need to sit at a table rather that at a desk with a small surface area.

14. ACCOMMODATION • SMGT—Small Group Testing • Permitted when students need a smaller or private space to help them perform better. • Some students can perform better when they can read and think out loud or make noises that distract other students. • Required for students with an interpreter or scribe • Students using special equipment such as a Braillewriter or Alpha Smart to reduce the noise distractions for the other students • Usually the small group is from 5-8 students.

15. ACCOMMODATION • INT—Individual Testing • Test in an individual situation may be necessary for a very small number of students. • This accommodation would place the student with the Test Administrator for the duration of the exam.

16. ACCOMMODATION • RMT/RWT/RST*--Read-Aloud Math, Writing, Science • Test Administrators assist students by reading directions and the test items for the Math, Writing, and Science. • NO PORTION OF THE READING TEST IS ALLOWED TO BE READ OR INTERPRETED FOR THE STUDENT. • Test Administrator may not clarify, elaborate, or provide assistance to the student. (Cueing) • Test Administrator must read test questions and text word-for-word exactly as written. • Test Administrator should be familiar with the terminology and symbols specific to the content. This is especially important for science and math.

17. ACCOMMODATION Continued • RMT/RWT/RST*--Read-Aloud Math, Writing, Science • No Portion of the Reading Test is allowed to be read or interpreted for any student. • Individual words may be read at the request of the student, without reading the entire item. • Student should have option of asking reader to slow down or repeat text. • May reread questions for students • Must provide students with entire testing time. • The test time cannot be shortened. The TA should say, “There are _____ minutes left. Check your work.” • *Affidavit Waiver Form must be completed and signed • A new secure test booklet will be assigned to the Test Administers who are providing the Read-Aloud accommodations

18. ACCOMMODATION • RMT/RWT/RST*--Read-Aloud Math, Writing, Science • Test administrators may not receive copy of manual until the day of testing. • Manual contains “live” test items and may not be shared or discussed with others.

19. ACCOMMODATION • MD—Magnifying Devices • For students with visual impairments who read regular print materials by using magnification devices • Devices include line magnifiers, hand held magnifiers, enlarged computer monitors displaying printed material with various image enhancement on a screen. • No device is permitted which would breach the security of the test by downloading the text of the test.

20. ACCOMMODATION • NB—Noise Buffer • Needed Reduce noise distractions for the student taking the test • Accommodations include study carrels, headsets, earplugs, portable buffers set on the student’s desk • Student’s IEP team determines the buffer needed for the test.

21. ACCOMMODATION • IS—Individualized Scheduling • Individual testing is permitted for students who are unable to remain in the testing conditions due to medical, physical or emotional situations. • Short breaks may be given at predetermined intervals. • Stretch breaks may be needed for some physically disabled students. • Snack breaks may be needed for students with diabetes • Testing time should be scheduled when student is most likely to demonstrate peak performance.

22. ACCOMMODATION • Extended Time • All students must complete each session in the order scheduled before moving to the next session. • Student must be isolated from students on the regular schedule for testing, during breaks and during lunch. • Extended time does not allow students to go back into a session at a later time of the day to continue working or to complete unfinished items. • Extended time ends at the end of the school day. • Must provide students with entire session time. No test session time may be shortened.

23. ACCOMMODIATION • LPT*--Large Print Test Booklets • BT*-- Braille Test Booklets • Available for visually impaired students who routinely use large text or Braille materials in the classroom • Student writes in the Test Booklet and a scribe will transfer these answers to a student Answer Document • Designate the Test Administrator to ensure that all answers are transcribed to the student’s Answer Document before shipment • *Affidavit Waiver Form must be completed and signed because answers are Transferred to student’s Answer Document.

24. ACCOMMODATION • AB—Abacus • An abacus is a hand held non-electrical device used by visually impaired students to work math problems much like sighted students use paper and pencil. • Abacus may be provided by student or by the school.

25. ACCOMMODATIONSLPAC • Allowable Limited English Proficient (LEP) Accommodations for State Assessments include the following: EXTended time, IS—Individualized Scheduling, PREFerential seating, SMGT,INT—individual testing, RMT/RWT/RST, NB, WTWD • WTWD—Word-to-Word Dictionary • ONLY a word-to-word dictionary may be used. • Dictionary may not have pictures or definitions. • Student should be familiar with using this dictionary. • Test Administrator must verify that the dictionary does not include definitions or pictures.

26. AFFIDAVIT WAIVER FORMS • Affidavit Waiver Form has been revised to require the Test Administrator providing an accommodation to sign the form both before and after the examination is administered to the student. • Affidavit Waiver Form must be completed for these accommodations ONLY • RMT/RWT/RST--Reading the allowable portions of the test. NO portion of the reading test may be read to any student. • TRAN--Transcribing student answers to Student Answer Document usually from Large Print or Braille test booklets • REC--Recording student answers • ADE approved Special Accommodation Request Form

27. GENERAL TESTING GUIDELINES • Test Administrators • Read test script Verbatim even if testing only one student • Never leave Test materials unattended • Never leave Classroom during test sessions • Supervise Students at all times even after test sessions are completed • Dismiss students only when directed by school officials

28. GENERAL TEST GUIDELINESContinued Test Administrators • No portion of the Reading Test may be read to any student. • Contact School Test Coordinator immediately if a problem occurs. • Daily pick up and return of secure materials must be done by hand delivery. • Ensure that calculators are available only during the allowable Math sessions. Students DO NOT share calculators. • Actively monitor students during testing. TA shall not have access to computers or other electronic devices during testing. • Collect materials from student carefully to ensure that all materials are accounted for (test booklets, answer documents, math reference sheets, rulers, etc.) • No food or drink allowed in the testing area with test material.

29. GENERAL TEST GUIDELINESContinued • Test Administrators • Students cannot have any materials except testing materials during the testing sessions. • Students can only use a #2 pencil. • Answer Documents must not be folded, clipped, stapled, or torn. • TA shall not answer students’ questions about the content of the test. Instruct student to select the best answer. Do not look at any test item. • Test irregularities must be reported immediately. Test administrator must submit a written report to the STC. • TA shall not leave the room for any reason unless relieved by another TA • Maintain security of test materials at all times.

30. TEST SECURITY • Guidelines • Understand the importance of test security, standardization, and ethical testing practices. • Keep all test materials in a secure place to prevent unauthorized access • Keep all test content confidential—refrain from sharing information with or implying test content to anyone. • Test security can become an issue when accessible test formats are used such as Large Print and Braille when someone other that the student is allowed to see the test, such as the reader or transcriber. • Return all materials as instructed by STC.

31. TEST SECURITYContinued • Recognize the importance of ethical testing practices. • Adherence to standard procedures and directions is necessary to preserve the integrity of the test. • Providing extra help during testing is unethical and may invalidate the student’s test scores • Helping includes coaching, editing student work, answering questions on content, giving cues in any way, including gestures, facial expressions, or encouragement to change an answer.

32. Test Administrators Contact the School Test Coordinator if questions arise or if problems occur. If in doubt, contact the School Test Coordinator.