Getting Ready for the District Choice State Testing (DCST) Administration of the ACT

1. Getting Ready for the District ChoiceState Testing (DCST) Administrationof the ACT Presented by: Diane Peden

2. Agenda • DCST Overview • Test Center Establishment • Standard Testing Requirements • Test Day Observers • Testing with Accommodations • Test Administration Training/Staff Responsibilities • Ordering & Return of Materials • Getting Started Now • Resources

3. The DCSTAdministration of the ACT

4. DCST Administration of the ACT • District selects one of two test options • The ACT, or The ACT Plus Writing • The decision is then districtwide • English 75 items 45 min • Math 60 items 60 min • Reading 40 items 35 min • Science 40 items 35 min • Writing30 min

5. DCST Administration of the ACT • April 27, 2011 – initial test day • May 11, 2011 – makeup test day • April 27th - May 11th – accommodations testing window

6. DCST Administration of the ACT • Weekday, school based administration • All grade 11 students at participating schools take the test • All schools must test their own students • Scores achieved accepted for admission at ALL universities/colleges and for NCAA initial eligibility

7. DCST Administration of the ACT • Only schools meeting The ACT for State Testing Standard Testing Requirementsare eligible to serve as test sites • District notifies schools regarding participation in DCST • Schools communicate to Students Early— • No refunds for students already registered for a National ACT Test Date

8. DCST Administration of the ACT • No “Registration” for DCST • Estimated Enrollment during Establishment • Enrollment Confirmation Form • Pre-test session held before test day • ACT fee waivers may not be used • Technology requirements document posted to District Choice State Testing website: http://www.act.org/aap/dcst/

9. DCST Test SiteEstablishment Process

10. DCST Test Site Establishment • Establishment Packets shipped to High School Principals late September • Envelope for Principal • Envelopes for appointed testing personnel in the principal’s mailing • Courtesy copy Establishment Packet mailed to District Assessment Coordinators

11. DCST Test Site Establishment • Principals – Review key documents • Checklist of Dates • Testing Staff Qualifications and Responsibilities • Summary of Test AdministrationPolicies for the ACT • Standard Testing Requirements

12. DCST Test Site Establishment Principal’s Responsibilities: • Consider staffing requirements and appoint testing staff • Test Supervisor • Back-up Test Supervisor • Test Accommodations Coordinator • Distribute establishment information to appointed testing staff • Complete Online School Information/Appointment of Testing Staff Form • Plan testing rooms/facilities

13. DCST Test Site Establishment • Required Online Test Site Establishment Forms: • Principals – Appointment of Testing Staff/School Information Form • Test Supervisors - ACT State Testing 2010 Test Supervisor and Facilities Profile • Back-up Test Supervisors - ACT State Testing 2010 Back-up Test Supervisor Profile • Test Accommodations Coordinators - ACT State Testing 2010 Test Accommodations Coordinator Profile

14. Standard Testing Requirements

15. Standard Testing Requirements • Apply to both initial and makeup tests • Facilities • Personnel • Security • Exact timing of tests • Documentation of test day procedures • Other test administration requirements

16. Facilities

17. Facilities • Choice of test rooms for standard time administration • Well lit, comfortable temperature, quiet atmosphere • Comfortable seating for 25-30 examinees • Prefer no more than 100 examinees per room for manageable security

18. Facilities • Adequate writing surfaces • Must accommodate both test booklet and answer folder • No lapboards or temporary surfaces resting on chair arms permitted

19. Facilities • Seating arrangements (requirements apply equally to tables and desks) • Minimum of 3 feet apart side-to-side • Minimum of 3 feet apart head-to-head • All students must face the same direction, directly behind one another • Seats must be assigned by testing staff as students enter room

20. Facilities • Freedom from distractions • Only persons assisting with that day’s administration may be in the room • Turn off bells and public address systems • Uninterrupted testing period required • 3 ½ hours The ACT • 4 hours The ACT Plus Writing

21. Facilities • Freedom from distractions • Separate testing rooms from regularschool activities • Away from noisy locations • Quiet wing of the high school – preferred • Local decision to have 11th grade only in session on test day

22. Off-site Testing • May request off-site testing location if unable to meet Standard Testing Requirements for facilities • Consider off-site for initial test date and/or makeup test date • Each off-site location must be approved by ACT • Community college, church or otherpublic facility, private facility • Off-site Request Form on DCST website: www.act.org/aap/dcst • Receipt deadline December 15, 2010

23. Personnel

24. Personnel • Test Supervisors, Back-Up Test Supervisors, and Test Accommodations Coordinators have access to secure test materials prior to testing • Avoid the appearance of a conflict of interest, and protect relatives (children, stepchildren, grandchildren, nieces, nephews, siblings, in-laws, spouses, and persons under your guardianship) from allegations of impropriety

25. Personnel • Test Supervisors & Back-up Test Supervisors maynot be related to any examinee taking the DCST administration of the ACT in 2011 anywhere in your state • Test Accommodations Coordinators maynot be related to any examinee testing with accommodations taking the DCST administration of the ACT in 2011 anywhere in your state • Room supervisors & proctors maynotassist in a room where any relative is being tested

26. Personnel • Testing staff must not engage in ACT test preparation activities during current year for commercial gain • May be part of testing staff only if: • Test preparation- part of regularjob responsibilities • Not employed by a commercial enterprise • Must not be enrolled in high school

27. Personnel • Each school is responsible for testing their own students • A person may not serve as a Test Supervisor, Backup Test Supervisor or Test Accommodations Coordinator at more than one school • Athletic coach must not be a Test Accommodations Coordinator if any student athlete is testing with accommodations • Athletic coaches may not act as Room Supervisor in any one-on-one situation in which a student athlete is testing

28. Security

29. Security • Constant security of materials • Receive and store secure materials • Receipt, check-in, and verification of test booklets by serial numbers • Restricted access at all times—documented “chain of custody”

30. Security • Constant security of materials • Test materials must not be transferred or shared between schools • This applies to all schools • Schools within the same building • Multiple schools testing at same off-site location • Answer folders not returned to students after test responses are gridded • Immediate and complete return of all materials to ACT

31. Security • All test sites must test on designated test days only • Testing must be the first activity of the morning for all students • Students’ schedules must be adjusted • All Room Supervisors must begin reading the Verbal Instructions no later than 9:00 a.m. • Bus schedules must be adjusted

32. Security Proper identification of examinees by Room Supervisor Direct consultation with ACT to handle administration irregularities

33. Exact Timing

34. Exact Timing • More than one timepiece must be used in each room to ensure accurate timing • Time remaining may not be posted • Announcement of five minutes remaining must be read verbatim from the Supervisor’s Manual • Timing and administration must be monitored in each individual room—not from a central location

35. Documentation

36. Documentation • Testing Staff List returned with answer folders • Roster, Seating Diagram, Test Booklet Count Form, and Time Verification Form returned for each room • Supervisor’s Report Form completed accurately placed on top of answer folders to be scored • Testing Irregularity Report Form(s) returned with voided answer folders

37. Other Test Administration Requirements

38. Other Test Administration Requirements Standard time rosters must list all students expected to test—not just those who are present Briefing Session 30 min. prior to test No food or drink permitted in testing rooms—this applies to both staff and examinees Tests must be administered in the order listed: Test 1 (first), Test 2 (second)…

39. Test Day Observers

40. Test Day Observers • Only those directly involved in testingmay be in testing area • Unannounced Authorized Observers • ACT • Unauthorized Observers • Media • Test prep companies • Parents • School board members • District personnel

41. Testing withAccommodations

42. Testing withAccommodations TAC Training— • Fall mailing: • Accommodations training DVD • ACT-Approved or State-Allowed Accommodations Request Forms • Examples of available accommodations • Extended Time, Testing over Multiple Days • Alternate Formats (Large Print, Reader’s Script) • Late January/early February • Test Administration Training

43. Testing withAccommodations ACT-Approved Accommodations Professionally diagnosed disabilities, current IEP or 504 documentation College Reportable Scores Request Deadline – January 27, 2011 ACT will review all ACT-Approved Accommodations requests If approved: Student specific test materials Detailed testing instructions

44. Testing withAccommodations State-Allowed Accommodations School approved accommodations NOT college reportable Order Deadline – March 11, 2011 ACT will review and approve all completeState-Allowed Accommodations requests If complete orders are placed: Student specific test materials Detailed testing instructions

45. Test Administration Training

46. Test Administration Training • Late January/early February • REQUIRED for ALL Test Supervisors, Back-up Test Supervisors and Test Accommodations Coordinators • District Personnel may attend • If your school staff (TS, Backup TS, Test Accommodations Coordinator)has not been trained – YOUR school will NOT be allowed to participate

47. Test Administration Training • Training will cover: • an ACT overview • standardized procedures • test administration policies • test accommodation administration policies • return of materials • questions

48. Following Test Administration Training • Testing staff must read and be familiar with the Supervisor’s Manual • The Test Supervisor will organize an in-school completion of all pre-test information sections of the answer folder (before test day)

49. Following Test Administration Training • The Test Supervisor and Test Accommodations Coordinator will: • Select Room Supervisors and Proctors • Conduct a required local training session for all testing staff before testing (a separate training session is required for all staff who will be supporting students testing with accommodations conducted by the TAC at each school) • Distribute a complete copy of the appropriate Supervisor’s Manual to each Room Supervisor

50. Test Administration Staff Responsibilities The testing staff must: • read and be familiar with the appropriate Supervisor’s Manual • read verbal instructions in the Supervisor’s Manual verbatim • focus on monitoring testing – NO other personal work is permitted • circulate frequently around the room to monitor examinees • recognize prohibited behavior and take action as instructed in Supervisor’s Manual