Testing: What, When, Why, Where
Properly administered, these tests allow students to demonstrate what they know and can do, & to be accountable for their learning.
What is the purpose for state/fed/standardized assessments?
Instruct in alignment to Utah core state standards, utilizing locally adopted curriculum as assigned, provide all 504, IEP, or ELL accommodations all year, assess w/a variety of options to inform instruction all year, provide student feedback formatively through the year, use/practice with appropriate tools, reference sheets, and resources through the year.
What teaching practices should be utilized to help students perform their best BEFORE these assessments?
Must be administered under the direction of a licensed educator, who is present at all times, and may be assisted by ethics trained instructional assistants. No parents of a test taker may be or assist as proctor in that session.
Who can administer these tests?
Every person who will proctor/assist in proctoring a qualified assessment...including test coordinators, educators, instructional aides, and tutors
Who is required to receive this training?
Any state or federally mandated assessment or those requiring the use of state assessment system or software provided or paid for by the state...examples are: DIBELS, RISE, Utah Aspire, KEEP, WIDA, ACT, APPL, NAEP, or SAGE.
What testing is covered under our testing ethics policy & training?
Read through the TAM prior to testing administration & follow the script exactly during each test session or make up. Keep it and all materials secure when not in use.
How do I use the TAM?
Only 5th grade elementary students take this now. They are expected to elaborate beyond information in the passage. They can practice by utilizing COMPOSE ( which all teachers/students have been preloaded into) and you should plan on administration taking about 3 sessions. Interim will be available Nov. 1st.
Grades 3,4,and 6 will take a district writing assessment.
What changes will we see with the RISE/SAGE writing tests this year?
Completed annually and verified by your signature on roster
How often must we receive ethics training?
Because our actions should not reduce the ability to get a valid & reliable assessment that accurately reflects what our students know & can do...and it will help us keep standardized testing & scoring to the fullest extent possible. We have new employees every year, and we need reminders.
Why are we required to do ethics training every year?
All test by-products (scratch paper, notes, tickets) are collected and kept secure between sessions within the testing room, and all will be returned to the test coordinator after completion. All collected by-products will be destroyed following the conclusion of testing.
What do we do AFTER tests are administered fully?
What are the main changes in summative testing this year?
A new company and format will provide summative testing for 3,4,5,6th...RISE replaces SAGE (test question bank owned by state so content may be similar)
Rise writing only for 5th grade, with 3,4,and 6 taking district writing assessments.
Scoring changes in KEEP testing this year...exit test
Practices like using actual test questions to review or instruct, or share through media, email, conversations; Changing instruction prior to testing to include specific test content; Rewording, clarifying, gesturing to help a student on test, allowing unauthorized resources or displaying them in high visibility areas if specific to test content, a parent proctoring/assisting in own child's session, or logging in as a student.
What are some practices that would be highly unethical?
On laptops, on PCs, in a lab, in a classroom, in an approved office at a school facility
Where could testing occur?
Don't use scores/exemption to determine grade or even a portion of grade, don't use them to determine advance to next grade, and don't use them to include/exclude for honors, AP, or IB courses as THE SOLE determining factor. Do not use them to provide rewards/consequences.
What may we not use assessment results/exemption for?
DIBELS for K-3 in mClass
KEEP for Kinder
CRT summative for 1-2
RISE ELA, Math for 3-6
RISE writing for 5, District for 3,4,6
RISE science for 4-6
WIDA for eligible ESL students
What required testing do we have for our students?
Practices like allowing students to supervise other test takers, allowing public access to secure test items or materials, suggesting a student should rethink answer, reproduce/distribute any piece of secure test content, encouraging dishonest test behaviors, adminstration outside of the window, being alone in room with open student test content, or encouraging opt-outs.
What are more of the highly unethical test administration practices?
Ask yourself: Is this something I would say if an administrator were in the room monitoring my test proctor? Is this something I would do if an administrator were in the room monitoring my test proctor? Could this influence a student's test outcome in any way? As you read through TAM in advance, ask questions to test coordinator, Lori, if unsure.
What if I am unsure about something I should/should not do as a test proctor?
Ensure environment is not distracting, ensure every eligible student is participating, proctor is actively monitoring & present at all testing times, TWO proctors are actively involved, TAM is followed exactly, eligible accommodations are provided, electronic devices are inaccessible to non-test content, proctor distributing/collecting all test materials and resources. Make up sessions should follow these protocols, as well.
What should be happening DURING test sessions?
Benchmarks open Oct 12th (today) for 3-8 Rise
Rise writing interim (Nov 1) and summative (Mar 25-May 17)
Rise summatives (March 25-May 17)
CRT summative (April 15-May 17) interim for first semester content only (midyear)
WIDA is Feb 7,8, 11,& 12 @ Clinton
DIBELS is BOY, MOY, EOY...ELA coor sets schedule within window given
What are our testing windows?
An investigation will occur & you could be subjected to reprimand, disciplinary action, termination, and loss of licensure in the state.
What are the consequences of violating testing ethics & protocols?
Numbers rising EVERY year! From just a few to 16 last year in Davis!