2014 4th Grade Writing Prompt Study

20144th Grade Writing Prompt StudyASSESSMENT/RESEARCH/EVALUATION DEPARTMENT

Assessment/Research/Evaluation - Spring 2014

DISCLAIMER

This PowerPoint does not eliminate

your requirement to read the Test Administrator

Manuals.

READ THE MANUALS!!


Overview of the Prompt Study

Selected campuses will participate in English version

All 4th grade students who will take the STAAR Spanish grade 4 writing are required to participate

Most students will be able to complete this study in approximately one to two hours; however, students may have additional time if needed

Test is composed of one essay and some multiple choice questions

Test will be administered on March 3rd


Test Administration Manual

Be sure to address the following information during the campus training Responsibilities of testing personnel Test security and confidentiality requirements An overview of the STAAR grade 4 writing prompt

study Preparation for test sessions Information about monitoring and completing test

sessions Test administration directions Sign oaths


Responsibilities of Testing Personnel

Have the test administration directions and read them PRIOR TO and DURING the prompt study

All testing personnel involved in the study must receive a copy of the administration directions

CTC’s must be on hand to answer question during the administration


Test Security and Confidentiality

EACH PERSON PARTICIPATING IN THE STATE ASSESSMENT IS REQUIRED TO MAINTAIN AND PRESERVE THE SECURITY AND CONFIDENTIALITY OF THIS INFORMATION .


Test Security

All test materials must be handled in strict accordance with the test administration directions and the 2013-2014 Test Security Supplement

All testing personnel must be trained in STAAR security and confidentiality requirements

Test administrators MUST hold the educator credentials detailed in the manual

Test Administrators must sign a security oath


Test Security

Keep tests in locked storage when not in use

Immediately after session return test materials to the campus coordinator


Confidentiality

Confidentiality refers to protecting the contents of each test booklet and answer document

Do not reveal or answer any questions relating to the content of the test at any time

Do not review student responses change a student’s answer in the answer document instruct a student to change their answer

Be sure to administer the test exactly as instructed in the manual


Confidentiality

Each person with access to test materials shall maintain and preserve the security and confidential integrity of the test.

No unauthorized viewing, discussing, scoring the contents of a test at any time

No one must view the test booklets answer documentsBefore, during or after a test administration


Testing Irregularities

SERIOUS PROCEDURALSTUDENT CHEATING


Serious Irregularities

Directly or indirectly assisting students with responses to test questions

Tampering with student responses Viewing secure test content before, during, or

after an administration Discussing secure test content, student

responses, or student performance Scoring student tests, either formally or informally Duplicating, recording, or capturing electronically

secure test content without permission from TEA


Procedural Irregularities

Eligibility Error IEP Implementation Issue Improper Accounting for Secure Materials Monitoring Error Other Procedural Errors

All suspected incidences of testing irregularities should be reported immediately to the Campus Testing Coordinator, who will submit reports to the District Testing Coordinator.


Summary of Responsibilities

TESTING COORDINATORS

TEST ADMINISTRATORS


Summary of Responsibilities

CTC’s Be familiar with test

administration directions Train staff to carry out their

duties Ensure oaths have been signed Identify all students who will

participate Schedule and prepare the

rooms for the study

Test Administrators (TA’s) Read manuals Review administration

directions Review and sign oath Prepare test environment Ensure proper testing

procedures Administer writing prompt

studyReport any irregularities to the CTC

immediately


Prepare for Testing

TESTING ENVIRONMENTSEATING CHARTSMATERIALS


Testing Environment

The room should be: Quiet Well-lighted Well-ventilated Comfortable


Testing Environment

Have all bulletin boards and instructional aids covered or removed

Have “TESTING-DO NOT DISTURB” signs posted

Have a trained TA present at ALL times

Have enough space for each student to work without distraction

No characteristic of the room’s environment should hinder any student’s test performance


Seating Chart Rule

Seating Charts are required for all test administrations.

Seating Charts must include: The first and last names of each student and their locations

in the room The first and last names of all test administrators/monitors

involved in the session. Location of testing session(district, campus, room) and a

brief description of the testing area (classroom, library, etc.) The assessment being given including grade and subject. Starting and ending time of the session Ending time for each student.


Receive and Prepare Materials

Test booklets will be issued out to test administrators and recorded on the Materials Control Form An initial in the Materials Control form signify that the TA has received

the test booklets and has signed the oath Remember - Test Security Modules must be viewed by all

personnel NEW to testing

Campus Testing Coordinators must ensure the test administrators have all the required materials on the day of testing Two No.2 pencils with erasers per student One test booklet One answer document per student One answer document for demonstration purposes


Monitor Test Administration

PROPER TESTING PROCEDURESBREAKSEMERGENCIESDEFECTIVE TEST MATERIALSANSWER STUDENT QUESTIONSCOLLECT TEST MATERIALS


Proper Testing Procedures

A trained TA must be present in the testing room at all times There must be at least one TA for every 30 students The TA may read aloud or sign the writing prompt to any

student who requests this assistance Reading or discussing student composition is not allowed at

any time If using electronic devices, features such as spell check and

word predictability must be disabled unless the student is eligible for the spelling assistance accommodation



The TA must NOT Elaborate on prompts Give students opening and/or closing

sentence Give students an outline for organizing

their compositions Give students ideas about how to

develop their compositions Translate the prompts into another

language (except sign language)



The use of cell phones or other two-way communication devices is prohibited during testing for students and test administrators

The reason is that cell phones can…. disrupt the testing environment be used to cheat by obtaining unauthorized assistance on test

content by students, and can be used to image secure tests and compromise the

confidentiality of the test with their camera feature by students and teachers.



Active Monitoring Means:

Watching students during testing. The focus of the teacher’s attention is on the students and not elsewhere.

Walking around to better observe what students are doing. (Are students… marking answers on the answer document, not cheating, not using cell phones, not talking or communicating with other students, etc.?)



Hand out pencils and answer documents to students PRIOR to reading the directions

Remind students periodically to record their responses on their answer document

Encourage the students to stay on task Remind students to erase any stray marks Monitor students so that they do not talk to one another Test a student who arrives after the session has begun if sufficient

time remains in the day to provide the student with the allowed time for testing (however, student may test only if he or she has not interacted with another student who has already completed the same test


Test Administrators - Verify, verify, verify!

During test day, if you think the student is Taking the wrong test

(English/Spanish) Should not be using an

accommodation Should be using an

accommodation that they were not given

Any concerns? - Inform the Campus Testing Coordinator ASAP!


Dictionaries

ELL’s are eligible to use dictionaries as a linguistic accommodation in grades 3-12

Dictionaries are an allowable accommodation in an ELA for eligible students with special needs in grades 3-5

Dictionary used in test day must be the same type of

dictionary used during instruction


During Test Administration

Ensure each student receives the correct test booklet and answer document

Ensure all Test Administrators are actively monitoring at all times

Ensure all testing personnel understand that they may NOT: Provide assistance View the tests without authorization Discuss confidential student information Check for strategies


Breaks

Breaks are not mandatory During breaks students must not discuss the content of the test If a student leaves the testing room for an extended period

of time and returns, the CTC must investigate and determine whether confidentiality has been breached

TA’s may allow students to take brief breaks during a session


Know what to do about

Emergencies Transcribing Changing testing rooms Special test situations

Each campus will have to follow their own regulation in the event of an emergency situation


Answer Student’s Questions

TA’s may answer questions bout the test directions or procedures. TA’s may respond:

“I can’t answer that for you; just do the best you can.” TA’s are NEVER allowed to answer any questions related to the

content of the test itself. Unless specifically directed to do so, TA’s are NOT allowed to:

Translate test questions or passages Rephrase or add information to questions View or discuss test questions with anyone Score test questions and discuss with students how they performed


Collect Test Materials

TA’s should quickly scan answer documents only to verify that responses are marked

TA’s may not look at or comment on answers to individual test questions or point out individually skipped test questions.

Before a student leaves the room, the TA must scan the completed answer document. If the student has not done so, the TA must say, “You have not recorded your responses on the answer document. Please go back and mark your answers on it now.”


Collect Test Materials

Make sure the name of each student is written on his or her test booklet before collecting it

Remove the answer documents from the test booklets

Collect all scratch paper used Verify that all test booklets and

answer documents are accounted for Ensure that the TEST TAKEN INFO

field on the student’s answer document has been completed


RETURNING MATERIALS


Returning Materials to CTC/DTC TA’s must return all test materials to the CTC immediately after the

test session TA should:

Return all answer documents Return any voided answer documents Return unused answer documents Return used and unused test booklets Sign the oath upon completion of testing (if applicable)

All materials are due back to the A.R.E. warehouse by 4:00 p.m. on Monday, March 3, 2014


Document Retention

Campuses are required to maintain the following documents for a period of 5 years following a test administration Testing irregularity and investigation documentation Inventory and shipping records Signed security oaths for all testing personnel Seating charts Miscellaneous mandatory testing forms


Any Questions?

Documents

2014 4th Grade Writing Prompt Study