1. Sarah Callihan Eileen Grose
Help!! I’m new to this!
Sarah Callihan
Eileen Grose

2. ‘Twas the Night Before STAAR
‘Twas The Night Before STAAR (in the eyes of a Coordinator)

3. Killer Questions Assignment: In the blanks on the right:
1. What is your one biggest concern?
2. We all know that our faculty is wonderful, but name one pet peeve you have encountered (pertaining to testing).
3. What is one thing you want to get out of this session?

4. What to do first? Find HELP! But who? You can’t do this alone!
Special Ed Case Manager/ Liaison
Registrar
Technology
Counselors
Admin Team

5. Why do I need help? Students testing / placed correctly
ARDs, ARDs, ARDs
Negotiating schedules
Interference
Testing locations
Year long process

6. Who do I need to talk to? Administrative Team Cafeteria Staff
Layout schedules, Test Administrators
Cafeteria Staff
Breakfast schedule
Lunch Schedule
Custodians
Teachers
Teacher Assistants
Special Programs
ESL
504
Spec Ed
Parents/ Students
Registrar/ Counselors
New student enrollment
Special Program Pops
Librarian
Calculators
Dictionaries/ Thesauruses
Receptionist/ Attendance Clerk

7. It’s February: What do I need to do?
Gather lists of testers.
Who tests? What do they test?
Accommodations?
Special situations?
How do I get these lists?
Registrar for lists
Data Portal System (DMAC, Euphoria, etc.)
Remember:
Homebound
JJAEP
DAEP

8. Online/ Paper Are the students online or paper? Spreadsheet to notate:
How did they test last?
Check with teachers to see students’ preferences
Spreadsheet to notate:
Paper_Online Request.xlsx
Texas Assessment Management System
Check student scores
Check registration details
Change test type

9. Do you have Enough Materials for Testing
Mandatory
Convenience
Dictionaries
Who and how many
Special types
Calculators
Batteries
Clearing
Troubleshooting
Pencils
Sharpening?
Highlighters
Color Overlays
Supplemental Aids
Buckets
Postit Notes
Ziploc bags
Tissues
Colored Paper
Do NOT wait until the last minute: Purchase Orders take TIME!!

10. Accommodations Special Education 504 LEP Any that need TEA approval?
Once you have received the lists, ensure the responsible parties notify you of any updates.
Prior to testing, have responsible party sign off on accommodations.

11. Weeks/ Month Before Testing
Just like a recipe – Have all ingredients on hand!

12. How do I even begin? Map of School Computers?
How many desks/ students can each classroom hold?
How many computers are available?
Computers?
Will we have to use classroom labs?
Laptop availability?
Who will update? Who will be on call?
Number of individual tests?

13. Trainings: Who Needs to Be Trained?
Set Date for Mandatory Training:
Train everyone in case of emergencies
Custodial staff (what if a student gets sick on the test, etc.)
Teacher Assistants
Technology Staff on Campus
Create Labels for Teachers’ Manuals
Place on their Testing Manual
Teachers like to make notes, etc., flag, highlight
Ensures they can receive their same book again (if needed)
Sign in Sheets
Keep them with the Oaths in Alphabetical Order!

14. Responsibilities Checking rooms/ hallways Educational Material
Assign administrative staff to check
Educational Material
When: Day before testing
Who: Teacher Assistants – we train this individual thoroughly and if any questions, she will notify the CTC
Number of Desks
When: Few days before testing
Notify custodial staff
Who: Teacher Assistants

15. Few Days Before Testing
Time to Mix the Ingredients

16. What Now? Verify Accommodations with Spec Pops Post Assignments
ESL
504
Spec Ed
Post Assignments
Elementary/ Jr. High: Notify teachers of locations
High School: Post assignments around school
Notify parents
Remind cafeteria staff
Breakfast
Lunch

17. How to Organize Select colored paper for each day of testing Why:
Green: Science/ Biology
Blue: Math/ Algebra
Orange: English I/ Writing
Brown: English II/ Reading
Pink: US History/ Soc Studies
Why:
This allows the attendance personnel to keep track of testing days
Helps you determine what roster goes with what day at a quick glance

18. Am I Ready
Time to Bake the Cake

19. Test Day Checklist State Mandated To Make Life Easier
Testing Rosters
Attendance Roster
Testing Roster
Accommodations
Visual Aids, Color Overlays
Test Administrator Relief Sheet
DO NOT DISTURB sign
Scratch Paper
Computer Login Pages for Online testers
Test Books and Answer Sheets for Paper testers
Supplies: Pencils, highlighters, calculators
Initial Attendance Roster
Teacher Checklist
State Cell Phone Policy
Restroom Passes
Supplies: Ziplock bags, sticky notes, tissues, paper clips

20. Helpful Hints/ Forms

21. What does your testing room look like?

22. Or

23. Dreaming?

24. Reality? What is your reality? Ideas? Is it too small?
Does it have proper storage?
Is it neat?
Is it organized?
Ideas?

25. Colored Markers/ Scissors
Colored Paper
Quick view of supplies
Good Pencil Sharpener
Hole Punch
Breath Mints 
Colored Markers/ Scissors
Extension Cords
Enough Colored Paper

26. Manuals/ Organizing Previous Years
Previous 3 years of Testing Manuals 
Sorting Trays
Tissue: when all you can do is cry
Testing Manuals (with teachers’ names- alpha order)
Years of testing data (yes color coordinated)
Trash Can**

27. Buckets/ Cubbies
Are y’all so lucky?
Extra Storage
Buckets (with TA)

28. Organizing
Days for testing
Begin Day 1 here
Calendar
Nurse’s Kit

29. Helpful Hints: Excel Example Excel Formulas Filter/ Sort Hide/ Unhide
Count only the sorted cells: =SUBTOTAL(3, D3:D53)
All formulas begin with an =
This formula (to count only the filtered cells) must have a 3, then range
Making 0’s appear before numbers
For ID Numbers: 254 but needing
=text(D4, “000000”)
D4: cell reference
“number of places you need”
Filter/ Sort
Hide/ Unhide
Freeze Cells
Page Setup/ Page View
Headers/ Footers

30. Forms Attendance Documentation Attendance Steps
Campus-Specific Procedures
Cell Phone Contract
First Hour Checklist
Paper-Online Request
Relief Test Administrator Sign
Seating Chart
Test Administrator Checklist
Test Completion Pass
Transfer Document Slip

31. Online Tips
I don’t have a clue!

32. How am I going to get online tests to run smoothly?
Prepare!
Computers
Numbers?
Working properly
Up-to-date
Train staff
See if any staff members have tested online
Log into TestNav the day before:
Pop-ups are enabled
Java is up-to-date
Automatic updates are turned off

33. Documents
Documents and examples can be found on the following website: