1. Administering & Proctoring the NYS Assessments 2015
Liane Benedict
Center for Instruction, Technology & Innovation
Welcome to the 2015 Administering & Proctoring the NYS Assessments Presentation. The purpose of this presentation is to review important details related to 3-8 test administration and proctoring including test security. Information for this presentation is based upon the 2015 School Administrators Manual. More detailed information can be found in that document.

2. General Features
ELA & Math Assessments will consist of 3 books administered over 3 days
ELA
Grade 3 & 4 ~ 70 minutes per day
Grade 5-8 ~ 90 minutes per day
Math
Grade 3 ~
Grade 4 ~
Grade 5-8 ~
To begin with we will review some general features of the tests. Both the ELA & Math tests will consist of books administered over 3 days. For ELA Grade 3 & 4 each day will be 70 minutes per day while grades 5-8 will be 90 minutes per day.
Math Grade 3 will be 60 minutes for day 1 & 2 and 70 minutes for day 3. Grade 4 will be 60 minutes long for day 1 & 2 and 90 minutes long for day 3. Lastly, grades 5-8 will be 80 minutes long for day 1 & 2 and 90 minutes long for day 3. Please note these times do not include 10 minutes of prep prior to administering the test.
The department has established the testing times for each session to allow students sufficient time to demonstrate what they have learned
Please note that MC field test questions will be embedded. This allows for more reliable field test data, which is essential to the test design process.

3. Important Notes
Except as noted, all public & charter school students MUST take all parts of the State tests for their grade level.
Tests must be administered in order
Materials must be collected as soon as the session is completed
Used answer sheets may not be reviewed, scanned or scored
Test books may not be used for instructional or PD purposes
Except as noted in the SAM all public and charter school students in grades 3-8 must take all State tests administered for their grade level.
It is expected that test booklets be administered in order. Exceptions may be made for individual students when make ups must occur.
As soon as test sessions are over all materials must be collected.
Used answer sheets may not be soft scored. In other words they may not be reviewed, scanned or scored by anyone prior to the official scoring process and scanning by the RIC
Test books may not be used for instructional or PD purposes

4. Important Notes
Students with disabilities must be provided test accommodations as stated in their IEP
Not all accommodations listed in Appendix G are allowed on all parts of the test
Students with disabilities must be provided test accommodations. It is important to note that not all accommodations listed in Appendix G of the school administrators manual are allowed on all parts of the assessment. Please see the School Administrators Manual for further information on allowable accommodations for each of the exams and the correct process for indicating this on the student answer sheet.

5. Test Security Requirements & Responsibilities
Teachers & proctors may not discuss test questions or other specific test content online via or listserv or through any electronic means.
Teachers and test administrators may not use cell phones or other photographic devices to duplicate test materials, and should keep their own communication devices put away during testing.
The next topic we will discuss is Test Security and proctor responsibilities. Teachers & proctors should be advised they are not permitted to discuss test questions or other specific test content online via or listserv or through any electronic means.
Teachers and test administrators may not use cell phones or other photographic devices to duplicate test materials, and should keep their own communication devices put away during testing, using them only in emergency situations.

6. Test Security ~ Proctors Must:
Receive training in administering test sessions properly and securely
Review Teacher Directions
Understand security requirements before administering
Read scripts and directions prior to test administration
Administer during assigned testing windows
It is important that all proctors receive training in administering the tests properly and securely. All proctors should be sure to read the Teacher Directions in advance of proctoring. Proctors must understand the security requirements and read scripts and directions as preparation.
Assessments must be administered during the testing window determined by the school district.

7. Test Security ~ Proctors Must:
Prepare a secure testing environment
Provide required materials
Prevent the use of unapproved materials
Review, comply & sign Deputy & Proctor Certification (Appendix D)
Follow procedures for Testing
Accommodations for SWD’s
Tests must be administered in a secure testing environment. Proctors must provide the required materials as listed in the Teacher Directions. They must also prevent the use of unauthorized materials.
Proctors must review, comply with and sign the deputy and proctor certification found in Appendix D of the SAM and follow all procedures for testing accommodations.

8. Security of Test Questions
Do Not:
Leave materials unattended while administering exam
Read, reveal, review contents of the test materials at any time
Duplicate any portion of the test, including audiotaping, videotaping, photographing or photocopying
Remove test materials from the school without authorization
Read, review or change student responses
Regarding security of test questions please be aware that you may not do any of the following:
Leave materials unattended while administering the exam.
Read reveal, or review contents of the test materials at any time.
Duplicate any portion of the test, including audiotaping, videotaping, photographing or photocopying
Remove test materials from the school without authorization.
Read, review or change student responses.

9. Secure Testing Environment
Make sure rooms are well lit, ventilated and quiet
Reduce noise and interruptions
Place “Do Not Disturb” signs on test room doors
Clear desks, shelves under desks etc. of all books, papers and other materials
Cover or remove wall charts, graphic organizers, number lines, math tables and all board work related to ELA or Math
Make sure students are visible to the proctor during the entire test session
When preparing the testing environment make sure that rooms are well lit, ventilated and quiet.
Make every effort to reduce noise and interruptions.
Place a Do Not Disturb sign on test room doors
Make sure all desks, shelves, under desks etc are cleared of books, papers, and other materials.
Cover or remove wall charts, graphic organizers, number lines, math tables and board work related to ELA or Math.
Students should be visible to the proctor during the test session and be seated in ways that reduce the opportunity for any communication between students.

10. Unauthorized Materials
May not use any unauthorized notes, printed materials, scrap paper or tools.
Communication devices are prohibited in the test room:
Cell phones, Ipads, tablets, eReaders, Ipods, MP3 players
Headphones, headsets etc.
Any audio or video recording device
Any use or possession of these devices during
the test must be reported to the school principal
Unauthorized materials
Students may not use any unauthorized notes, printed materials scrap paper or tools
Communication devices are prohibited in the test room
Any use or possession of these devices during the test must be reported to the school principal

11. Aid to Students No interpretation or explanation of test questions
No review or commenting on student responses
In response to student inquires, proctors should advise students to use their best judgment
Assistance only on the mechanics of taking tests such as where to bubble or write responses
While supervising students, proctors may not provide aid to students regarding interpretation or explanation of test questions. Proctors may not review or comment on student responses. In response to student inquires, proctors should advise students to use their best judgment
Assistance may only be given regarding the mechanics of taking tests such as where to bubble or write responses.

12. Proctoring
Circulate periodically during testing to ensure students are recording responses in the proper manner in the proper place
Make sure students are recording answers on the answer sheet, not in the test booklet
Point out if one or more answers have been left blank or more than one answer bubbled in for a question
Temporary absence
Must be accompanied by a proctor
Proctors must circulate periodically during testing to be monitoring for issues such as answers being recorded incorrectly, bubbling in more than one answer for a question, recording answers in the test booklet instead of in the answer sheet or skipping answers– once the test session is complete, these errors cannot be corrected. It is important to catch errors such as this during the test session when the student can fix it themselves. If a student must leave the room temporarily such as to use the bathroom they must be accompanied by a proctor during the entire time of absence.

13. Proctoring Evacuation of the building Student cheating
If suspected, warn student
Move student if necessary
If cheating continues, report to the principal
Illness during administration
Excuse until well enough to continue
Estimate time missed and allow for that time to complete the test
Closely monitor to insure that student only continues in parts of test not complete
Complete as long as make up period has not ended
During the evacuation of a building, closely supervise students and record the time out of the classroom. Any time missed will be provided upon returning to the classroom so students have the full test time.
If a student is caught cheating, offer a warning. If the issue continues this must be reported to your administrator.
Illness during administration
Excuse until well enough to continue
Estimate time missed and allow for that time to complete the test
Closely supervise that student only continues in parts of test not complete
Complete as long as make up period has not ended

14. Please Note… Misadministration and/or irregularities in administration
Must be reported

15. If students finish early…
May review answers
It is a district decision to allow students to read a book once the assessment is complete
If all students complete the test earlier than allotted time, the proctor may end the session
If students finish the test early, encourage them to review their answers. Once completed, students may take out a book to read but this remains a district decision if this will be allowed. Please note - reading a book is the only allowable activity once a student completes their test and their test should be collected at this time.
If all students finish the test before the time limit a teacher may end the test session and collect all student tests.

16. Quality Control Refusals Absences No rubber bands or clips
Daily roster notes
It is important to keep accurate notes on the daily roster during test administration. Please note any refusals to complete any part of the exam and which students are absent. Do not write any of these types of notes on student exams.
When returning assessments to your administrator do not use clips or rubber bands. Also be sure not to place sticky notes on the actual answer sheets.
Please note that classroom teachers are not permitted to do any quality control such as cleaning up stray marks on student answer sheets. All assessments must be collected by an administrator or designee immediately following the testing period each day.

17. Make Up Testing Principal responsibility Ensure the following:
Students are given every opportunity to complete
All booklets are completed
Continue with scheduled test sessions
Administer missed books during makeup testing period
More than one session may be administered in one day
Record “absent” for each section for which student does not complete test

18. Further Information
For information regarding ELL, Alternate Language, Braille exams or any further information regarding administration of the Assessments please see the NYS 2015 School Administrator’s Manual.

19. Questions?
Liane Benedict