[MCAS logo] Principal’s Administration Manual: Fall 2011/ Winter 2012 (November 2011 Retest, February 2012 Biology Test, March 2012 Retest) Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System [Boxed text] Note: Principals must comply with the requirements and instructions contained in this manual. [MCAS logo] This document was prepared by the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education Mitchell D. Chester, Ed.D. Commissioner The Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, an affirmative action employer, is committed to ensuring that all of its programs and facilities are accessible to all members of the public. We do not discriminate on the basis of age, color, disability, national origin, race, religion, sex or sexual orientation. Inquiries regarding the Department’s compliance with Title IX and other civil rights laws may be directed to the Human Resources Director, 75 Pleasant St., Malden, MA 02148 781-338-6105. © 2011 Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education Permission is hereby granted to copy any or all parts of this document for non-commercial educational purposes. Please credit the “Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.” Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education 75 Pleasant Street, Malden, MA 02148-4906 Phone 781-338-3000 TTY: N.E.T. Relay 800-439-2370 www.doe.mass.edu [Massachusetts seal] Important Contact Information and Resources [Boxed text] MCAS Test Administration Information and Online Services MCAS Service Center Hours: 7:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m., Monday–Friday Telephone: 800-737-5103 Web: www.mcasservicecenter.com Use this website to order additional materials, complete the PCPA, and schedule UPS pickup. (To access services, use the 2011 password for November, and use the 2012 password for February and March.) Email: mcas@measuredprogress.org Fax: 877-325-4421 [Boxed text] MCAS Policy Information Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education Student Assessment Services Unit Web: November and March Retests: www.doe.mass.edu/mcas/testadmin/retest February Biology: www.doe.mass.edu/mcas/testadmin/biology Email: mcas@doe.mass.edu Telephone: 781-338-3625 Fax: 781-338-3630 Questions regarding Student Information Management System (SIMS) data should be directed to the district’s SIMS contact (go to http://profiles.doe.mass.edu/search/search.aspx?leftNavID=11239, select SIMS Contact from the Function menu, and click Get Results). MCAS Testing Schedule and Administration Deadlines November Retest, February Biology Test, March Retest Date/Time^1 November 2011 MCAS ELA and Mathematics Retests Before Testing Order test materials September 6–16 Receive test materials November 2 Complete PCPA (Materials Received section) Report packing discrepancies, if necessary November 2–7, 12:00 p.m. Order additional materials, if necessary Administer Mathematics, Session 1 November 9 Administer Mathematics, Session 2 November 10 Administration Administer ELA Composition, Sessions A and B November 14 Administer ELA Reading Comprehension, Sessions 1 and 2 November 15 Administer ELA Reading Comprehension, Session 3 November 16 Last day for make-up testing November 17 Complete PCPA November 17, 3:00 p.m. After Testing Schedule UPS pickup Deadline for UPS pickup November 18 February 2012 MCAS Biology Test Order test materials October 31–November 4 Receive test materials January 25 Before Testing Complete PCPA (Materials Received section) Report packing discrepancies, if necessary January 25–30, 12:00 p.m. Order additional materials, if necessary Administer Biology, Session 1 February 1 Administration Administer Biology, Session 2 February 2 Last day for make-up testing February 3 Complete PCPA After Testing Schedule UPS pickup February 6, 3:00 p.m. Deadline for UPS pickup February 7 continued on next page MCAS Testing Schedule and Administration Deadlines November Retest, February Biology Test, March Retest (continued) Date/Time^2 March 2012 MCAS ELA and Mathematics Retests Before Testing Order test materials January 9–20 Receive test materials February 15 Complete PCPA (Materials Received section) Report packing discrepancies, if necessary February 15–27, 12:00 p.m. Order additional materials, if necessary Administer ELA Composition, Sessions A and B February 29 Administer ELA Reading Comprehension, Sessions 1 and 2 March 1 Administration Administer ELA Reading Comprehension, Session 3 March 2 Administer Mathematics, Session 1 March 5 Administer Mathematics, Session 2 March 7 Last day for make-up testing March 8 Complete PCPA After Testing Schedule UPS pickup March 9, 3:00 p.m. Deadline for UPS pickup March 12 Updates for the Fall 2011/Winter 2012 MCAS Test Administrations Topic General Information Reference Page(s) Change in March The date for Session 2 of the March Mathematics retest iii Mathematics Retest Dates has been changed to March 7 due to the scheduling of the Massachusetts presidential primary on March 6. The dates for make-up testing and the return of materials have also been extended. Procedures for Students Individualized mathematics reference sheets, customized 74 with Disabilities graphic organizers, and checklists must be submitted to the Department for approval with a completed Accommodation 20 Cover Sheet by administration-specific deadlines. Test Administration Beginning with the February Biology administration, the circle 95, 96 Procedures on the answer booklet to indicate whether a student has a 504 plan has been removed. New for 2012, a student’s 504 status is reported through SIMS instead of on the answer booklet. ^1 Individual ELA test sessions are designed to be completed in 45 minutes; Mathematics and Biology test sessions are designed to be completed in 60 minutes. ^2 Individual ELA test sessions are designed to be completed in 45 minutes, and Mathematics test sessions are designed to be completed in 60 minutes. Table of Contents Important Contact Information and Resources. . .i MCAS Testing Schedule and Administration Deadlines November Retest, February Biology Test, March Retest. . . ii Updates for the Fall 2011/Winter 2012 MCAS Test Administrations. . .iv Part I MCAS Test Security Requirements. . .1 A. Responsibilities of the Principal and Designee. . .3 B. Shared Responsibilities of Principals, Test Administrators, and Other School Employees Authorized to Have Access to Secure Materials. . .3 C. Responsibilities of Test Administrators. . .4 D. Testing Irregularities. . .6 Part II Student Participation Guidelines for the Retests and the February Biology Test. . .9 A. Competency Determination. . .10 B. A Student’s Right to Participate. . .10 C. Fall/Winter MCAS Participation Guidelines. . .10 D. Outreach to Eligible Test-Takers. . .13 E. Participation Requirements for Students Educated in Alternate Settings. . .13 Part III Retest and February Biology Test Administration Policies and Procedures. . .15 A. Coordinating Test Administration. . .16 B. Ordering Test Materials. . .16 C. Scheduling Test Administration. . .16 D. Authorizing School Staff. . .19 E. Designating Appropriate Testing Spaces. . .19 F. Approved and Unapproved Resource Materials. . . .20 G. Test Administrators’ Training. . .21 H. Meeting with Students . . .23 I. Providing Accurate Student Information. . .24 J. Accounting for Secure Materials. . .25 Part IV Tasks to Complete for the November 2011 Retest Administration. . .27 A. Prepare for Test Administration. . .28 B. Coordinate Test Administration. . .29 C. Return November Retest Materials . . .30 D. Pack the Scorable November Retest Materials. . . .32 E. Pack the Nonscorable November Retest Materials. . .34 F. Schedule and Confirm UPS Pickup of All November Retest Materials. . .36 G. Next Steps. . .36 Table of Contents Part V Tasks to Complete for the February 2012 Biology Test Administration. . .39 A. Prepare for Test Administration. . .40 B. Coordinate Test Administration. . .41 C. Return February Biology Materials. . .42 D. Pack the Scorable February Biology Test Materials. . .44 E. Pack the Nonscorable February Biology Test Materials. . .46 F. Schedule and Confirm UPS Pickup of All February Biology Test Materials. . .48 G. Next Steps. . .48 Part VI Tasks to Complete for the March 2012 Retest Administration. . .51 A. Prepare for Test Administration. . .52 B. Coordinate Test Administration. . .53 C. Return March Retest Materials. . .54 D. Pack the Scorable March Retest Materials. . .56 E. Pack the Nonscorable March Retest Materials. . .58 F. Schedule and Confirm UPS Pickup of All March Retest Materials. . .60 G. Next Steps. . .60 Appendix A Procedures for Testing English Language Learner Students. . .63 Appendix B Procedures for Testing Students with Disabilities. . .67 Appendix C Procedures for Submitting Typed Responses. . .89 Appendix D Procedures for Providing Student Information. . .93 Appendix E Sample Administration Forms and Test Materials. . .97 1. Request for Permission to Test a Student in an Alternate Setting. . .98 2. Test Materials Internal Tracking Form a. Sample Blank Form. . .99 b. Sample Completed Form (November Retest Sample). . .100 3. Materials Summary (November Retest Sample). . .101 4. Principal’s Certification of Proper Test Administration (PCPA) November 2011 MCAS Retest Sample. . .103 5. Completed Answer Booklet Front Cover (November Retest Sample) a. When Student ID Label Is Used. . .104 b. When Student ID Label Is NOT Used. . .105 6. Answer Booklet Inside Back Cover (November Retest Sample). . .106 7. Answer Booklet Outside Back Cover (November Retest Sample). . .107 8. Sample UPS Return Service Label. . .108 Index. . .109 Part I MCAS Test Security Requirements The purpose of the MCAS Test Security Requirements is to protect the validity of Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System (MCAS) results. Section A describes responsibilities of principals and designees (i.e., individuals authorized by the principal to assist in coordinating test administration). Section B describes shared responsibilities of all individuals who have access to secure test materials. Section C describes responsibilities of test administrators. Section D provides instructions for reporting testing irregularities and describes the process the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (“the Department”) follows for investigation. [Boxed text] Principals and school employees authorized to have access to secure materials must follow the requirements listed below and may not participate in, direct, assist in, encourage, or fail to report any testing irregularity or act of misconduct. Principals are responsible for ensuring that all test administrators and school employees authorized to have access to secure test materials comply with the requirements and instructions contained in this part and in the Test Administrator’s Manuals (TAMs). Please note the following definitions for the purposes of this section and this manual: • “Secure” test materials refers to a test question, student response, or test that has not been made available to the public by the Department. All test questions, student responses to those test questions, test booklets, and answer booklets are confidential and must be kept secure at all times. • “Access” to test materials refers to handling those materials, but does not include reviewing tests or individual questions. Students may never transport secure test materials. • “Locked storage area” refers to the locked area that must be used to store all MCAS test materials at all times when materials are not in use. Principals must restrict access to the locked storage area to only those school employees authorized by the principal to handle secure materials. For example, cleaning staff may not have access to the locked area where the principal stores secure materials. Each principal must complete the Principal’s Certification of Proper Test Administration (PCPA) to certify that the school has followed proper MCAS administration procedures. See Appendix E for the certification statements to which the principal must attest. A. Responsibilities of the Principal and Designee 1. Authorize school employees to serve as test administrators as well as other school employees to have access to secure test materials, and train them in conducting a proper test administration. • Several days in advance of testing, provide a copy of the appropriate TAM to every test administrator, and provide a copy of the test security requirements (available at www.doe.mass.edu/mcas/admin.html) to all school employees who have access to secure test materials. • Train test administrators prior to each administration during which they will administer any MCAS test. The Principal’s Administration Manual (PAM) and TAMs describe the policies and procedures necessary to conduct a proper MCAS test administration. • Train test administrators who provide test accommodations to students with disabilities in the implementation of accommodations in accordance with Appendix B and Requirements for the Participation of Students with Disabilities in MCAS. 2. Develop local policies and procedures to ensure maximum test security at all times. • Schedule tests to avoid conflicts with recess or lunch (see pages 16–19 for more information about scheduling test sessions). • Ensure that tests are administered on the prescribed days and in the prescribed order. • Ensure that test administrators administer tests according to section C on the following pages. 3. Keep all MCAS test materials in locked storage when not in use, from the time of receipt until their return. • Account for all secure test materials at the end of each day of testing and keep them in locked storage when not in use. • Restrict access to the locked storage area to only those school employees authorized to have access to secure materials. 4. Monitor the receipt and return of all test materials. • Inventory materials immediately upon receipt and investigate any discrepancies in counts of materials as described in this manual. • Return all materials to the testing contractor according to the prescribed packing instructions and the deadlines in this manual. B. Shared Responsibilities of Principals, Test Administrators, and Other School Employees Authorized to Have Access to Secure Materials 1. Document the location of secure materials at all times. • Track secure materials using the sample Test Materials Internal Tracking Form in Appendix E or a similar document (principals keep these forms on file for one year). 2. Ensure the security of the testing environment. • Prohibit visitors to the classroom or testing environment (including parents, researchers, reporters, and school employees not authorized to serve as test administrators), except under emergency conditions. 3. Ensure the security of test questions, test booklets, and other secure materials. • Do not engage in any of the following activities: o leaving materials unattended when not in use o viewing, discussing, or otherwise revealing the contents of test booklets or answer booklets before, during, or after a test administration (see TAMs for exceptions) o duplicating any portion of test or answer booklets, including but not limited to audiotaping, videotaping, photographing, photocopying, and copying by hand^3 • Do not remove test materials from the school. For example, do not share test booklets and answer booklets with another school or test site, even if another test site is located within the same physical building.^4 • Ensure that test booklets and answer booklets are not retained, discarded, recycled, removed, or destroyed.^5 • Ensure that students are not provided access to secure test questions prior to testing. • Do not read, review, or change student responses. • Do not attempt to score unreleased test questions. C. Responsibilities of Test Administrators 1. Receive training from the principal/designee in administering test sessions properly and securely. • Review the TAM and all relevant test security requirements before administering test sessions. • Attend the training session led by the principal/designee before each test administration. • Understand and follow the policies and procedures related to administering tests to students with disabilities. 2. Administer all tests according to appropriate policies and procedures. • Administer tests on the prescribed days and in the prescribed order. • Follow the directions and read the scripts in the TAMs (and any subsequent updates provided to principals by the Department) verbatim to students. • Remove or cover any classroom displays that provide information related to the content being assessed or to test-taking strategies (see page 19). • Provide students with all required test materials as listed in the TAMs. Supplemental or reference sheets are not allowed (except as approved by the Department). • Prevent the use of unapproved materials (see pages 20–21 for lists of approved and unapproved materials). Note that results will be invalidated for students who use cell phones during testing. 3. Focus full attention on the testing environment at all times. • Continually monitor the testing process by moving unobtrusively about the room^6 • Ensure that students are not left unsupervised during testing, including during breaks and transitions to test completion locations. • Students must work only on the session being administered. If a test administrator observes a student working in the incorrect session of the answer booklet or reviewing the incorrect session of the test booklet, this is a testing irregularity that must be reported immediately to the principal. 4. Ensure that students provide answers that are strictly their own and do not participate in any form of cheating. • Ensure that students do not consult notes, textbooks, or other teaching materials; do not share test questions with other students; and do not consult other students, staff, or anyone else during testing. 5. Do not provide a student with answers to any test question or make suggestions for responding to any test question. • Test administrators must not: o Answer verbally or nonverbally any question that relates to the secure content of a test unless specifically authorized to do so by instructions in the TAMs. o Provide clues, hints, and/or actual answers in any written, printed, verbal, and/or nonverbal form (including chalkboards, charts, and bulletin boards). o Coach^7 a student during testing or alter or interfere with a student’s responses in any way. However, at any time during a test session, a test administrator may repeat a portion of the TAM script if necessary for clarification. o Alter, explain, simplify, paraphrase, or eliminate any test question, reading passage, writing prompt, or multiple-choice answer option. o Ask or permit a student to go back to any test session after his or her test and answer booklets have been collected. 6. Do not read, review, or change student responses. 7. Follow proper procedures for students with disabilities. • Provide testing accommodations as prescribed in Appendix B and in Requirements for the Participation of Students with Disabilities in MCAS. • Ensure that students are not provided with accommodations that were not approved by the student’s Individualized Education Program (IEP) or 504 team or that are not listed as approved in Appendix B. D. Testing Irregularities Testing irregularities are incidents that represent a deviation from prescribed testing procedures. Testing irregularities may include student impropriety, test violations, educator misconduct, or the mishandling of secure test materials. In order to ensure the security and confidentiality of the MCAS program, the Department may conduct announced and unannounced monitoring visits to schools to observe the procedures followed during test administration. 1. Reporting an Irregularity To report a testing irregularity, principals must contact their superintendents and the Department. Test administrators and other school employees must contact their principal or superintendent and the Department at 781-338-3625. On occasion, the Department receives allegations of testing irregularities from individuals who do not wish to identify themselves. The individual must provide the Department with sufficient information related to the matter, including the following: • a description of the alleged incident • the name of the school involved • the name(s) of the individual(s) committing the inappropriate practices • the specific test(s) affected • in student-specific reports: the student’s name and grade The Department will expect school and district employees to cooperate and investigate the allegations to determine whether they can be supported. 2. Investigations into Irregularities In cases where it is alleged that an MCAS administration was compromised, the Commissioner will write to the superintendent, ask that he or she conduct a local fact-finding investigation into the alleged irregularity, and require that he or she submit a written report, based on the results of the investigation to the Department, within an established timeline. After receiving the superintendent’s written investigative report, the Commissioner may request that the superintendent provide additional information or documentation prior to making a final determination on the matter and notifying the superintendent of this determination. All such correspondence is subject to disclosure under Massachusetts public records law. If misconduct by a licensed educator is found, as the Massachusetts educator licensing authority, the Commissioner may open a further investigation that has possible licensure consequences. 3. Penalties Penalties for testing irregularities and/or misconduct could include the following: • delay in reporting of student results for a retest or the Biology test • delay in reporting of school or district results for the Biology test • invalidation of student results for a retest or the Biology test • invalidation of school or district results for the Biology test • removal of school personnel from any future role in MCAS test administrations • possible employment and/or licensure consequences for licensed educators Penalties imposed by the Department do not limit the local district’s authority to impose its own penalties. ^3 The only exceptions are for test administrators who must transcribe student responses into answer booklets for students with disabilities receiving certain accommodations or for students who did some or all of their work in damaged, defective, or void booklets. ^4 The only exception is for principals who receive prior written permission from the Department to test a student in an alternate setting. Alternate setting requests must be resubmitted to the Department for approval for each test administration even if approved for a previous administration. ^5 The only exception is for test materials that have become contaminated; see page 25 for procedures. ^6 While monitoring the classroom, a test administrator may view students’ booklets for the sole purpose of confirming that students are working in the correct session. A test administrator may not monitor a student’s placement of responses and may not review booklets to confirm whether a student has marked all his or her responses. ^7 Examples of coaching include, but are not limited to, the following: providing answers to a student; changing a student’s responses; providing synonyms for unknown words; influencing a student’s responses by offering hints, clues, cues, facial expressions, nods, voice inflections; or providing any other manner of assistance that could impact a student’s answers. Suggesting to a student that he or she write more on a question, check his or her work, or reconsider or review a question constitutes coaching. Part II Student Participation Guidelines for the Retests and the February Biology Test. A. Competency Determination All Massachusetts students who are seeking to earn a high school diploma must meet the Competency Determination (CD) standard, in addition to meeting all local graduation requirements. To earn their CD, students must either earn a scaled score of at least 240 on both the grade 10 MCAS ELA and Mathematics tests or earn a scaled score between 220 and 238 on both tests and fulfill the requirements of an Educational Proficiency Plan (EPP). In addition, students must earn a scaled score of at least 220 on one of the high school Science and Technology/Engineering (STE) tests. For more information, refer to the Department’s website at www.doe.mass.edu/mcas/graduation.html. B. A Student’s Right to Participate Eligible students have the right to participate in MCAS tests and retests. Retests in ELA and Mathematics are offered in November and March, and students may participate in STE tests in February (Biology only) and June (Biology, Chemistry, Introductory Physics, or Technology/ Engineering) each year. Individuals may continue to participate in ELA and Mathematics retests and STE tests after leaving high school. Students with disabilities who are unable to participate in standard MCAS tests, even with accommodations, can earn a CD through the MCAS Alternate Assessment (MCAS-Alt), which provides an opportunity for students to demonstrate their academic knowledge and skills through a collection of work samples (portfolio). More information about the MCAS-Alt can be found on the Department’s website at www.doe.mass.edu/mcas/alt. C. Fall/Winter MCAS Participation Guidelines Participation guidelines for each test are outlined in this section. Please note that scores will not be reported for students who are not eligible to participate in an administration. 1. ELA and Mathematics Retest Participation Guidelines November 2011 ELA and Mathematics Eligible to participate in ELA and/or Mathematics: • repeating grade 10 students (class of 2014) who meet both of the following requirements: o were previously counted^8 in a school’s Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) Participation results for that subject area o have not yet earned a scaled score of 220 or higher on that subject area test • students in grades 11 and 12 (classes of 2013 and 2012) who have not yet earned a scaled score of 220 or higher on that subject area test^9 • adults who have exited high school and are attempting to meet the MCAS testing portion of the CD requirement for that subject area^10 Not eligible to participate in ELA and/or Mathematics: • grade 9 students (class of 2015) and first-time grade 10 students (class of 2014) • repeating grade 10 students (class of 2014) who were never counted^11 in a school’s AYP Participation results for that subject area • students in grades 11 and 12 (classes of 2013 and 2012) who have earned a scaled score of 220 or higher on that subject area test March 2012 ELA Eligible to participate: • repeating grade 10 students (class of 2014) who meet both of the following requirements: o were previously counted^11 in a school’s AYP Participation results for either grade 10 ELA or Mathematics o have not yet earned a scaled score of 240 or higher on the ELA test • students in grades 11 and 12 (classes of 2013 and 2012) who have not yet earned a scaled score of 240 or higher on the ELA test (students may participate for EPP purposes)^9 • adults who have exited high school and are attempting to meet the MCAS ELA testing portion of the CD requirement^10 Not eligible to participate: • grade 9 students (class of 2015) and first-time grade 10 students (class of 2014) • repeating grade 10 students (class of 2014) who were never counted^11 in a school’s AYP Participation results for grade 10 ELA or Mathematics • students in grades 11 and 12 (classes of 2013 and 2012) who have earned a scaled score of 240 or higher in ELA March 2012 Mathematics Eligible to participate: • repeating grade 10 students (class of 2014) who meet both of the following requirements: o were previously counted^12 in a school’s AYP Participation results for either grade 10 ELA or Mathematics o have not yet earned a scaled score of 220 or higher on the Mathematics test • students in grades 11 and 12 (classes of 2013 and 2012) who have not yet earned a scaled score of 220 or higher on the Mathematics test (students may not participate for EPP purposes)^13 • adults who have exited high school and are attempting to meet the MCAS Mathematics testing portion of the CD requirement^14 Not eligible to participate: • grade 9 students (class of 2015) and first-time grade 10 students (class of 2014) • repeating grade 10 students (class of 2014) who were never counted^12 in a school’s AYP Participation results for grade 10 ELA or Mathematics • students in grades 11 and 12 (classes of 2013 and 2012) who have earned a scaled score of 220 or higher in Mathematics 2. February 2012 Biology Participation Guidelines Eligible to participate: • students in grades 9 and 10 (classes of 2015 and 2014) who have completed or are expected to complete a biology course by the time of testing and who have not yet met the MCAS testing portion of the CD requirement for STE^15 • students in grades 11 and 12 (classes of 2013 and 2012) who have not yet met the MCAS testing portion of the CD requirement for STE • adults who have exited high school and are attempting to earn a CD in STE^14 Not eligible to participate: students who have earned their CD in STE D. Outreach to Eligible Test-Takers Districts are required to provide annual written notice to former students from the previous two years who have not yet earned their CD to inform them of academic support options. More information is posted at www.doe.mass.edu/news/news.aspx?id=3051. • The Department recommends that principals provide the name of a contact person at their high school who can answer questions about testing requirements and local requirements for earning a diploma. • Principals may also want to follow up with adults in the months leading up to testing to support their participation. • In addition to the required notice to former students from the previous two years, the Department encourages principals to notify students from prior years of testing opportunities, including the February Biology test. The Department recommends that high schools prepare for each administration in the following ways. • Contact all eligible students to provide them with information regarding upcoming testing opportunities. Students should also be presented with options for test preparation and alternate pathways for earning a high school diploma. More information about these options is posted at www.doe.mass.edu/as/pathways. • Notify parents/guardians of eligible students in writing of their children’s right to participate. For students who choose not to participate, it is also recommended that parents/guardians sign an acknowledgment of their children’s nonparticipation (see sample letter and form posted at www.doe.mass.edu/mcas/testadmin/nonpart). The Department recommends that adults from previous classes who return to their former school for testing be provided a letter for their employers to verify that they were absent from work because they participated in MCAS testing. A sample letter is posted at www.doe.mass.edu/mcas/admin.html. E. Participation Requirements for Students Educated in Alternate Settings For the small number of students who are enrolled in a school but are unable to physically attend, and therefore receive tutoring services from the district, every effort must be made to administer the MCAS tests to them in school if they wish to participate. If this is not possible, the school principal must submit a request to test the student in an alternate setting by using the form in Appendix E (Request for Permission to Test a Student in an Alternate Setting). The form is also available online at www.doe.mass.edu/mcas/admin.html. Principals are encouraged to submit requests at least two weeks prior to testing. Requests must be submitted for approval for each test administration, even if approved for a previous test administration. ^8 For the purpose of these guidelines, a student is defined as having counted in a school’s AYP Participation results if he or she was reported on a Spring 2011 MCAS Test Item Analysis Roster for ELA or Mathematics with any of the following Test Status Codes: T (Tested), NTA (Not Tested Absent), NTL (Not Tested First-Year Limited English Proficient), NTM (Not Tested Medically Documented Absent). ^9 Students in grade 11 who were in grade 9 during the previous school year and did not participate in the spring 2011 grade 10 tests may participate in retests. However, they are required to participate in the spring 2012 grade 10 tests. Students in grade 11 who are new to Massachusetts public schools may participate in retests to meet the MCAS testing requirement of the CD. However, such students cannot participate in retests to attempt to qualify for the John and Abigail Adams Scholarship or the Stanley Z. Koplik Certificate of Mastery with Distinction Award as only scores on the standard spring tests are used to establish eligibility for these awards. Students attempting to qualify for the scholarship or award should be advised to participate in the spring 2012 grade 10 tests. The Department recommends that principals and school staff counsel grade 11 students to participate in retests, spring grade 10 tests, or both, based on students’ past records and future plans, and balancing testing opportunities with other graduation requirements. ^10 Refer to the Commissioner’s memorandum (www.doe.mass.edu/news/news.aspx?id=5586) for an exception to the graduation requirement for students who were originally in the class of 2009 or an earlier class and meet certain criteria. ^11 For the purpose of these guidelines, a student is defined as having counted in a school’s AYP Participation results if he or she was reported on a Spring 2011 MCAS Test Item Analysis Roster for ELA or Mathematics with any of the following Test Status Codes: T (Tested), NTA (Not Tested Absent), NTL (Not Tested First-Year Limited English Proficient), NTM (Not Tested Medically Documented Absent). ^12 For the purpose of these guidelines, a student is defined as having counted in a school’s AYP Participation results if he or she was reported on a Spring 2011 MCAS Test Item Analysis Roster for ELA or Mathematics with any of the following Test Status Codes: T (Tested), NTA (Not Tested Absent), NTL (Not Tested First-Year Limited English Proficient), NTM (Not Tested Medically Documented Absent). ^13 Students in grade 11 who were in grade 9 during the previous school year and did not participate in the spring 2011 grade 10 tests may participate in retests. However, they are required to participate in the spring 2012 grade 10 tests. Students in grade 11 who are new to Massachusetts public schools may participate in retests to meet the MCAS testing requirement of the CD. However, such students cannot participate in retests to attempt to qualify for the John and Abigail Adams Scholarship or the Stanley Z. Koplik Certificate of Mastery with Distinction Award, as only scores on the standard spring tests are used to establish eligibility for these awards. Students attempting to qualify for the scholarship or award should be advised to participate in the spring 2012 grade 10 tests. The Department recommends that principals and school staff counsel grade 11 students to participate in retests, spring grade 10 tests, or both, based on students’ past records and future plans, and balancing testing opportunities with other graduation requirements. ^14 Refer to the Commissioner’s memorandum (www.doe.mass.edu/news/news.aspx?id=5586) for an exception to the graduation requirement for students who were originally in the class of 2009 or an earlier class and meet certain criteria. ^15 All grade 10 students who did not earn their CD in STE in grade 9 must participate in a high school STE test by the end of grade 10. Students who are planning to participate but are absent during testing in February should be scheduled to participate in one of the high school STE tests in June. Part III Retest and February Biology Test Administration Policies and Procedures A. Coordinating Test Administration It is the principal’s responsibility to coordinate the school’s MCAS test administration. This coordination responsibility includes the following: • understanding and enforcing the test security requirements (see Part I) • ensuring that all eligible students are given the opportunity to participate in testing (see Part II) • coordinating the school’s test administration schedule and ensuring that tests are administered on prescribed dates • ensuring that accommodations are properly administered and that transcriptions, if required for any accommodation, are done appropriately (see Appendix B) • completing and ensuring the accuracy of information provided on the PCPA • monitoring the Department’s website (www.doe.mass.edu/mcas) throughout the school year for important updates • providing the Department with the school’s correct contact information to receive important notices via fax and email during test administration B. Ordering Test Materials It is the principal’s responsibility to order a sufficient quantity of test materials for each student who intends to participate in testing. Materials are ordered by using the Enrollment Verification form posted at www.mcasservicecenter.com. Standard test materials are shipped in an amount rounded up to the next denomination of five. Because there is a smaller overage for these tests than for the spring tests, it is especially important that a complete inventory be done as soon as materials arrive. Additional materials should be ordered only if necessary after a complete inventory is done. In order to maintain a standard test administration schedule across all schools, additional materials must be ordered according to the deadlines on pages ii–iii. C. Scheduling Test Administration 1. Policy on Testing Time Session Length Test sessions are designed to be completed within 45 or 60 minutes, as indicated on pages ii–iii. However, all MCAS test administrations are untimed. Prescribed Test Administration Dates Retests and the February Biology test have prescribed test administration dates. These dates are specified on test booklet covers for the February Biology test and March retests to ensure that students have the correct booklet for that day’s test. Requirements and Recommendations for Scheduling Testing It is important for all testing to occur during regular school days and to begin at the start of the regular school day, to ensure equivalent testing conditions in schools across the state and to ensure that all students, including students with disabilities and English language learner (ELL) students, are afforded an equal opportunity to benefit from untimed tests. The Department suggests that schools schedule a two-hour block for each test session. For example, if ELA Reading Comprehension Session 1 is scheduled to begin at 8:30 a.m., Session 2 should be scheduled to begin no earlier than 10:30 a.m. Students who require time beyond two hours may take it, as long as they are working productively. Students may be moved to test completion rooms but must be supervised at all times during the transition. If testing must occur on an “early release” day, arrangements must be made for test administrators to stay with students who have not finished their work until the time at which school would end on a regular school day. No test session may extend beyond the end of the regular school day, and any individual test session must be completed on the same day in which it begins. For the retests, both ELA Composition Sessions A and B must be completed on the same day. Breaks Breaks may not be scheduled in the middle of a session. It is recommended that students be provided snacks, drinks, and the opportunity to use the restroom before the beginning of the test session. During the session, students must be supervised at all times. However, they may be permitted to use the restroom one student at a time. Principals are responsible for ensuring that tests are scheduled to avoid conflicts with lunch; however, if a lunch break is required during testing, lunch shall be brought to the students in the testing area. If this is not feasible, test materials must be secured and students must be escorted to the lunchroom, told not to discuss the test, sufficiently monitored to prevent discussion of test questions during the entire lunch period, and escorted back to the testing environment. 2. Concurrent Administration Requirement Each test session must be administered simultaneously to all students taking that test in your school. The only exceptions to this concurrent testing requirement are the administration of make-up sessions and the administration of tests to students whose IEPs and 504 plans specify that they must test at a different time of day or take frequent breaks (see Appendix B). For the administration of the ELA Composition retest, the Department suggests that test administrators give directions for Session B to all students together following the supervised break. After the directions are given, students who need more time for their first drafts may continue to work in their test booklets while students who are ready to start Session B may write their final compositions in their answer booklets. 3. Test Session Limitation For students participating in make-up sessions, it is recommended that students take no more than two sessions on a single day. 4. Make-Up Testing Students who are absent on the date scheduled for testing for any reason (including illness or other medical condition) must be scheduled for make-up testing as soon as they return to school. Make-up tests may be administered at any time after the scheduled testing date and before the end of the test administration window (see pages ii–iii for dates). If a student is absent for a session of a test, he or she should take the remaining session(s) of the test according to the prescribed administration schedule and take the missed session during the make-up period. The only exception to the make-up testing policy above is for the ELA Composition retests. If a student is absent for any reason other than a documented medical absence, a school must receive prior written approval from the Department to administer the ELA Composition as a make-up. 5. Test Administration Interruptions Circumstances over which you have no control (e.g., power failures) may interrupt testing. The TAMs include specific instructions for test administrators to follow if an interruption occurs. When normal conditions are restored, test administrators should resume testing. No interruption should reduce the total amount of time that students are given to complete the interrupted test session. Principals must report any major disruptions to the Department by calling 781-338-3625. Principals must also provide guidance to test administrators on handling regular interruptions, such as students requesting to use the restroom or to go to the nurse’s office. Test administrators must maintain test security according to the requirements in Part I while any student is out of the room. 6. Severe Weather If severe weather forces the closure of a school for one day during the test administration window, the school should administer the session scheduled for the day it reopens and make up the missed session(s) later. In this case, the school must obtain prior written approval from the Department if it wishes to delay the return of materials by one day to make up for the missed day of testing. When severe weather forces a delayed opening in a school on a scheduled test administration date, the principal should proceed with the test administration after students arrive, if this is possible. When a test session is not administered on a scheduled test administration date because of a delayed school opening, the principal must call the Department to discuss a revised schedule. If a school is affected by severe weather for multiple days during test administration, principals should check the Department’s website (www.doe.mass.edu/mcas) for instructions. 7. Practice Tests Standard practice tests are available online at www.doe.mass.edu/mcas/admin.html. An English/Spanish edition of the Mathematics practice test is also available on this Web page. Large-print and Braille editions of the practice tests are available and will arrive with the school’s shipment of test materials if special editions are ordered. See the instructions included with Kurzweil materials for information about how to access sample test questions for the Kurzweil edition. While the administration of practice tests is optional, the Department recommends their use for students who need to be familiarized with the following: • how to fill in multiple-choice answer circles completely • where and how to respond to short-answer questions (for the Mathematics practice test) • how to answer open-response questions completely, including how to respond to open-response questions that have more than one part Practice test sessions are the only sessions during which test administrators may help students while they are answering test questions. If practice tests are used, they may be administered to students anytime prior to the first test session, including before the beginning of the testing window. Each practice test requires approximately 20 minutes to administer. D. Authorizing School Staff 1. Qualified Test Administrators It is the responsibility of the principal to authorize individuals to serve as test administrators. To the extent possible, test administrators should be licensed classroom teachers working in the school. When necessary, other education professionals, such as administrators employed by the school or district, may be authorized to serve as test administrators. Individuals prohibited from being test administrators include anyone not employed by the district and anyone who is not an education professional. 2. Other School Employees The principal may want to authorize other school employees, such as a test coordinator, to assist him or her with the distribution and return of secure test materials. Anyone authorized as having access to secure test materials must be employed by the school or district and fulfill the requirements in Part I. E. Designating Appropriate Testing Spaces It is the responsibility of the principal to designate testing spaces that are free from noise and distractions and are adequately lit, ventilated, and furnished so that students can work comfortably and without disruptions. The Department recommends that large, open areas (e.g., cafeterias) not be used. Principals must ensure that each student assigned to the testing space will have adequate work space and be sufficiently separated from other students to support a secure testing environment. Principals must identify appropriate testing spaces for students with disabilities using accommodations that require changes in the test setting, presentation, or mode of response that prevent them from taking the test in a classroom with a large group of students. Prior to testing, principals must verify that test administrators have covered or removed from the testing spaces all materials containing content in the subject areas being tested, including any materials that might help students answer test questions. Examples include, but are not limited to, posters, maps, charts, graphic organizers, word lists, number lines, multiplication tables, definitions, writing formulas, and mathematical formulas/theorems. It is not necessary to remove or cover calendars or posters displaying the READ acronym associated with answering ELA open-response questions (www.doe.mass.edu/mcas/tdd/answeror.pdf). F. Approved and Unapproved Resource Materials During testing, students are permitted to use only those resource materials and tools approved in this manual. 1. Approved Resource Materials The following are approved for student use: • #2 pencils • pens and highlighters in test booklets only (No writing instruments other than #2 pencils may be used in answer booklets.) • printed copies of bilingual word-to-word dictionaries for students who currently are or ever were identified as ELL students only (see Appendix A for more information) • printed copies of English-language dictionaries for ELA Composition only (see below for more information) • calculators for designated test sessions only (see below for more information) English-Language Dictionaries for ELA Composition Only At least one English-language dictionary must be available in the classroom for student use during testing. The principal may choose to provide additional dictionaries so that each student has one for reference. If there are fewer than one per student, only one student at a time may use any dictionary. Calculators Each student must have sole access to at least a four-function calculator with a square-root key during Session 2 of the Mathematics retest. Students may provide their own calculators. Schools must provide at least a four-function calculator with a square-root key for each student who does not provide his or her own calculator. The high school Biology test was designed to be taken without the aid of a calculator. Students may have calculators with them for the Biology test, but schools are not required to provide calculators. Test administrators must ensure that students do not have access to calculator instructions or formula sheets that accompany calculators. 2. Unapproved Resource Materials Unapproved materials include, but are not limited to, the list of materials that must be covered or removed from the testing space as well as the following: • cell phones (see the following page for more information) • extra paper (e.g., scrap paper, flags, sticky notes, blank sheets, handwritten notes) • notebooks • textbooks • electronic devices (e.g., e-book readers, music players for one student’s personal use or the whole class, PDAs, pocket translators) • computers • editing devices (e.g., spelling or grammar checkers) • graphic organizers • thesauruses • encyclopedias • books for students to read after finishing ELA Composition Session A only Cell Phones It is the responsibility of the principal and test administrators to ensure that students do not have access to cell phones during testing. Results will be invalidated for students who use cell phones during testing. During the Test Administrators’ Training, the principal will inform test administrators whether students will be instructed before each test session to turn off their cell phones and place them underneath their chairs or follow another procedure to ensure that students do not have access to cell phones, and whether test administrators will read the optional script in each TAM or a locally developed script with instructions for students. Note: Students with disabilities may be allowed, under certain circumstances, to use as test accommodations certain tools and materials that are otherwise prohibited. Test accommodations must be recommended by the student’s IEP or 504 team and documented on the student’s answer booklet by the principal or designee. See Appendix B for details. G. Test Administrators’ Training It is the responsibility of the principal to meet with designated test administrators and other employees authorized to have access to secure test materials before each test administration to explain the testing procedures that will be followed at the school. Principals will retain in their school files for one year the agendas and attendance records from the training sessions. It is recommended that principals distribute a copy of the appropriate TAM to each test administrator for review before the training so that test administrators can familiarize themselves with security requirements, policies, and procedures. Following is a list of essential topics that must be covered at these training sessions. Test Security Emphasize the following: • the school’s procedures for distributing and tracking secure test materials before, during, between, and following test sessions, using internal tracking forms • the need to closely monitor students during testing to ensure that they are not using cell phones for any purpose, including text messaging, accessing the calculator function or Internet, and photographing test questions • whether test administrators will read the recommended script regarding cell phone use in the “As Students Arrive” section of the TAMs or a locally developed script instead. The use of cell phones during testing for any purpose is prohibited and must be reported to the Department. Results will be invalidated for students who use cell phones during testing. • the requirement that students may not return to a test session once it has been completed Administration Schedule and Logistics Inform test administrators of the school’s policies, procedures, and logistics regarding the following: • MCAS testing schedules (e.g., prescribed testing dates), including the administration of practice tests, if applicable • students who arrive late • test completion sessions when students require additional time to complete a test session • assignment of a specific, appropriate testing space and a specific group of students • supervision of students during test sessions and between test sessions (e.g., transporting students and test materials to test completion areas), make-up sessions, and breaks • how test administrators may contact the principal or designee during testing, if necessary • standard and nonstandard MCAS test accommodations for students with disabilities • whether Student ID Labels will be applied before test sessions or whether they will be applied by students after answer booklets are distributed • materials that become contaminated • new policies and procedures at the school (see Updates at the beginning of this manual) For each test session, test administrators are required to do the following: • read the scripts in the TAM verbatim to students, including students taking make-up sessions and students starting late • write on the board the test administrator’s name (students must write this on the front covers of their test booklets) • ensure that students do not have access to unapproved materials (Except for Session A of the ELA Composition, students may bring books to read if they complete their tests before the end of a test session.) • return to the principal lists of all students assigned to them who were not tested so that they can be scheduled to take make-up tests Test Administration/Resource Materials Familiarize test administrators with test administration materials, approved and unapproved resource materials, and related policies, including the following: • For the ELA retest, the interior sections of the answer booklets are printed in alternating colors to help test administrators ensure that students are working in the correct section of their answer booklets. • For the Mathematics retest, students must be provided with Mathematics reference sheets. • Writing instruments other than #2 pencils may be used only in test booklets. Emphasize that students may use only #2 pencils in answer booklets. (The use of highlighters in answer booklets is prohibited.) • Students may use English-language dictionaries for the ELA Composition test. Students may use calculators for Session 2 of the Mathematics retest. Also, students may bring their own calculator for the Biology test, but a calculator is not needed for that test. • Printed copies of bilingual word-to-word dictionaries that contain no handwriting are allowed for current or former ELL students. H. Meeting with Students Feedback from principals and teachers indicates that a serious, yet supportive, testing environment has a positive impact on student performance. The principal and/or test administrators should meet with students before each test administration to give them information about testing procedures at the school. It is very important for students to be informed about materials that are not allowed during testing (see pages 20–21). If there are significant numbers of ELL students in the school, it is also important to hold student meetings, in small groups if possible, to explain the participation guidelines for ELL students (see Appendix A). During the meeting, provide students with the following information: • They are required to score at least 220 on the grade 10 ELA test, the grade 10 Mathematics test, and one of the high school STE tests as one condition for receiving a high school diploma. They must also fulfill the requirements of an EPP if they do not score at least 240 on both the ELA and Mathematics tests. In addition, students must meet all local graduation requirements. • They will be given multiple opportunities before the end of their senior year (and after high school) to retake the test(s) in the subject(s) in which they have not met CD requirements. • They should read questions carefully and try their best to answer all the questions on the test. • Any form of cheating is strictly forbidden. In addition to any local penalties imposed, student results may be invalidated, or another consequence may be imposed. • Cell phones are strictly prohibited. Any use of cell phones for any purpose will result in the invalidation of test results. • They must answer questions only in the session being administered, and they cannot continue answering questions or look at test pages after they reach the stop sign. They will be allowed additional time to finish their work beyond the end of the regularly scheduled session if they are working productively; however, no session may extend beyond the end of the regular school day (see “Policy on Testing Time” on pages 16–17 of this manual). • They will need to use #2 pencils to mark their responses in their answer booklets because responses written with any other writing instrument cannot be scored. • For the ELA retest, English-language dictionaries will be available for them to use during the ELA Composition test only. They must answer the writing prompt directly, because nonresponsive compositions will not be scored. • For the Mathematics retest, students will need at least a four-function calculator with a square-root key for Session 2; the school will loan calculators to students who do not have calculators. • They may bring their own calculator for the Biology test, but a calculator is not needed for that test. • They may bring a book to each test session to read in the event they finish a test session early. (Exception: Students may not read a book if they finish ELA Composition Session A early.) • Current and former ELL students may use approved bilingual word-to-word dictionaries that do not include definitions and do not have handwriting in them. They may provide their own word-to-word dictionaries, but these dictionaries must be approved in advance. I. Providing Accurate Student Information It is the responsibility of the principal or designee to ensure the accuracy of student information submitted to the Department’s Student Information Management System (SIMS) and to provide accurate information on answer booklets. 1. SIMS It is critical that each principal ensures the accuracy of the school’s SIMS data submitted by the district to the Department between March and the end of the school year. Any questions regarding SIMS submissions should be directed to the district’s SIMS contact (see page i for instructions for finding your district’s contact). 2. SASIDs It is imperative that each student’s State Assigned Student Identifier (SASID) be provided accurately on his or her answer booklet. Results may not be reported correctly for current high school students if a SASID is not provided. SASIDs cannot be newly assigned for students 22 years of age or older. In these cases, be sure to provide all other information. If there is a question about a SASID for a student, call your district’s SIMS contact. 3. Answer Booklets Applying Student ID Labels Student ID Labels based on the most recent SIMS report are included in each administration’s shipment of test materials as follows: Test Administration Labels Included in Shipment for SIMS Report Used Students in Following Grades to Generate Labels November retests Students in grades 11 and 12 who have June not yet earned a scaled score of 220 Biology test Students in grades 9–12 who have October not yet earned a scaled score of 220 (i.e., earned a CD in STE) March Mathematics retest Students in grades 11 and 12 who have not yet earned a scaled score of 220 March ELA retest Students in grades 11 and 12 who have not yet earned a scaled score of 240 These labels link to information critical for reporting MCAS test results. Therefore, principals must ensure that the SASIDs on the labels are correct for each student. Labels with incorrect SASIDs must not be applied to answer booklets. Incorrect SASIDs or information on a label cannot be corrected by crossing it out on the label. Correct information needs to be reported to the district SIMS contact. Like all other test materials, Student ID Labels may not be provided to another school. Student ID Labels are applied to the front covers of standard answer booklets. The labels may be applied either by test administrators prior to the first test session or by students at the beginning of the first test session. However, to ensure the proper application of labels, the Department recommends that labels be applied by test administrators. The labels are not intended to be used as a roster, but to ease the burden of completing all the information required on answer booklets. Therefore, if a school receives a Student ID Label for a student not enrolled in the school at the beginning of the testing window, it should not be affixed to an answer booklet. The label should be returned (unaffixed, unused) with the shipment of nonscorable materials, and the district SIMS contact should be notified that the student is no longer enrolled in the school. If a student does not have a label, the principal must ensure that the SASID is filled in correctly on the answer booklet. Completing Answer Booklet Front Covers The TAMs contain instructions for completing the front covers of answer booklets. Appendix E of this manual provides samples of a completed answer booklet front cover with and without a Student ID Label. Completing Answer Booklet Back Covers To maintain the confidentiality of information provided, the inside and outside back covers of answer booklets should be completed by the principal or designee after students have finished testing. See Appendix D for instructions. J. Accounting for Secure Materials It is the responsibility of the principal to account for secure test materials by inventorying materials immediately upon receipt, tracking the location of materials throughout test administration, and ensuring that all materials are returned to the testing contractor. The school and district will be held responsible for any secure materials that were received at the school but not returned. The principal must use the forms listed on the following page to account for and maintain the security of test materials. If a test booklet, answer booklet, or other secure test material becomes contaminated with bodily fluids, the principal or designee must contact the MCAS Service Center immediately for instructions. Procedures for these materials should follow district and school guidelines based on appropriate protocol for universal precautions issued by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health. 1. Materials Summary The Materials Summary is used to inventory materials immediately upon receipt and to reconcile secure materials being returned at the end of testing. The school receives one Materials Summary in the shipment of test materials. The information recorded on the Materials Summary will help principals when they complete the online PCPA. A sample form is provided in Appendix E. The Materials Summary lists only the materials shipped to each school. Complete lists of test materials available for each test are posted online at www.doe.mass.edu/mcas/admin.html. 2. Packing Slips A packing slip is included in each carton of test materials. Each packing slip provides the identification number of any secure materials shipped in the carton. If the principal discovers a discrepancy between the number of secure materials listed as shipped and the number received at the school, he or she can use the identification numbers to determine the specific material(s) missing. 3. Internal Tracking Forms Principals must establish and follow document tracking procedures so that they can determine at all times the location of materials not in secure storage. Document tracking procedures must also make it possible for principals to trace the movement of materials from the time they were removed from secure storage until they are returned to secure storage. Principals may use the Test Materials Internal Tracking Form in Appendix E as is, or create their own internal tracking form. Immediately investigate any irregularity in the use of tracking documents or in the information recorded on them. Call the Department immediately at 781-338-3625 if any situation occurs that could compromise test security. 4. Principal’s Certification of Proper Test Administration The purpose of the PCPA is for the principal to certify that proper test administration procedures described in this manual were followed, including those related to the security of test materials. While the principal may designate an individual to assist with many other test administration tasks, the PCPA may not be completed by a designee. The principal must complete the PCPA and is responsible for all information submitted on the form. The principal must go online to complete the PCPA before testing to verify the receipt of secure materials and after testing to record the amount of secure materials being returned and certify that the test administration was carried out properly. Instructions for completing the online PCPA can be found in the administration-specific sections, and the certification statements on the PCPA are in Appendix E. Part IV Tasks to Complete for the November 2011 Retest Administration A. Prepare for Test Administration Use the following list of tasks to help you keep track of your responsibilities during MCAS testing. 1. Develop a plan for maintaining test security at your school. • Review MCAS Test Security Requirements (Part I). Distribute test security requirements to all school employees who have access to secure test materials. • Establish a document tracking system (see Appendix E for a sample internal tracking form). • Designate a locked facility for secure storage of test materials. 2. Plan logistics for test administration at your school. • Identify all students who will be participating. See Part II for information about student participation. • Authorize individuals to serve as test administrators and other school employees to have access to secure materials, and designate appropriate testing spaces. • Prepare for school files a record of test administrators and their students for each session. • Assign students and testing locations to test administrators. • Schedule test administration sessions and locations. Remember that the retests have prescribed dates. • Train test administrators (see list of topics on pages 21–23) and distribute TAMs to test administrators. Train all school employees authorized to have access to secure test materials in test security requirements. • Meet with students (see list of topics on pages 23–24). • Review data before the district submits the March SIMS report (e.g., students’ names, demographic information) and confirm each student has a SASID. 3. Verify receipt of test materials immediately upon their delivery to your school. Materials will arrive by November 2. Call the MCAS Service Center if you do not receive materials by this date. 4. Using your Materials Summary, inventory test materials immediately and completely upon receipt. To inventory test materials, complete the “Qty Received” column of the Materials Summary according to the “Before Testing” directions on the form. Shrink-wrapped materials must remain unopened until either this manual or the TAM states that they may be opened. Therefore, to inventory your materials, count the spines of the booklets in each shrink-wrapped package. 5. Store materials in a secure, locked storage area. Retain all original shipping cartons for the return of materials following testing. 6. No later than November 7 at 12:00 p.m., complete the “Materials Received” section of the PCPA, and report packing discrepancies, if applicable. To access the PCPA, the principal must go online to www.mcasservicecenter.com (the form may NOT be completed by a designee), select MCAS from the menu, and then Principal’s Certification from the list of options. Follow the onscreen instructions to certify counts of materials received and report discrepancies in quantities of materials. Print the confirmation and save it for your records. 7. Only if applicable, order additional materials by November 7 at 12:00 p.m. Locate your MP Ship Code on the Materials Summary, and have that available when you go online to order additional materials at www.mcasservicecenter.com. Follow the onscreen instructions to place your order. Materials ordered online will be shipped for receipt on the following business day if the order is received before 12:00 p.m.; orders received after 12:00 p.m. will be shipped for receipt on the second business day. Packing discrepancies in additional orders must be reported within two business days of receipt of the order. 8. Identify and prepare for students with disabilities who require accommodations for testing, according to their IEP or 504 plan. See Appendix B for more information. For a student with a disability such as a broken bone or fracture in his or her writing hand or arm, the development of a 504 plan must be initiated, even if the disability is expected to be temporary. 9. Gather school-supplied testing materials. • Collect #2 pencils to provide to any student who does not bring one. • For the ELA Composition retest only, at least one English-language dictionary must be provided in each testing space for student use. You may choose to provide more than one dictionary per testing space. • Collect calculators to provide to students taking Session 2 of the Mathematics retest. 10. Optional: Apply Student ID Labels to answer booklets (see pages 24–25). 11. Optional: Print practice tests if they will be administered at the school (available at www.doe.mass.edu/mcas/testadmin/retest). 12. Using your school’s document tracking system, organize test materials for distribution. Each test administrator should receive extra test materials to replace possible defective booklets. If you did not receive enough materials to distribute extra shrink-wrapped materials to each test administrator, you may open the minimum number of packages necessary to distribute extra materials. B. Coordinate Test Administration 1. Using your document tracking system, distribute test materials. Immediately before test administration, distribute the necessary test materials for that day to each test administrator. See the TAM for the specific list of test materials necessary for each retest. 2. Distribute lists of SASIDs to test administrators if they will be entering SASIDs on answer booklets. 3. Monitor your school’s test administration. • Enforce test security requirements. • Have #2 pencils available for students who do not bring them. • ELA Composition only: have English-language dictionaries available. • Have calculators available for students taking Session 2 of the Mathematics retest. • Ensure that your school’s document tracking system is used each time test materials are moved. • Collect lists of students who were not tested and schedule them for make-up testing. 4. Securely store test materials between sessions and after each day of testing. Use your document tracking system to verify that all test materials are secure between sessions and are returned to you each day after testing. 5. After testing is completed, verify that ALL test materials have been returned to you. • Use your document tracking system to verify that test administrators have returned all test materials to you. You must be able to account for and return all secure materials (e.g., ELA Composition test booklets, ELA Reading Comprehension test booklets) that were shipped to you. • If necessary, investigate any discrepancies in the number of materials that were distributed to test administrators and the number returned to you. Schools that do not return materials according to instructions will be subject to the sanctions described in Part I. • If any answer booklets have become damaged or defective during testing, make sure the “void answer booklet” circle on the outside back covers is filled in, and VOID is written in large letters across the front covers. If a student completed any work in an answer booklet that was later deemed void, his or her work must be transcribed verbatim into a replacement answer booklet. • If any test materials have become contaminated, call the MCAS Service Center for instructions. 6. Update if necessary and maintain the record of test administrators and their students for each session, including make-up and test completion sessions. C. Return November Retest Materials 1. Make sure that you have a used^16 standard answer booklet assigned to every student participating in either or both retests. You should not have an assigned standard answer booklet for students not tested (e.g., students who were absent for an entire subject area retest). If an answer booklet was assigned to a student but the student was not tested, mark the booklet void according to instructions in step 5 above. 2. If applicable, verify that responses are transcribed completely and accurately into standard answer booklets for the following: • students who had void answer booklets • students with disabilities who took the Braille edition of the test • students with disabilities who used large-print answer booklets • students with disabilities using accommodation 24 who recorded their answers directly in their test booklets • students with disabilities using accommodation 23 who wrote part of their answer to a test question in their answer booklet and typed part of their answer 3. If applicable, verify that each typed response from a student with disabilities using accommodation 23 has been printed and inserted as a paper copy in the student’s answer booklet. See Appendix C for instructions. 4. Complete student information on answer booklets (see Appendix D for instructions and Appendix E for sample covers): • Verify SASIDs and/or dates of birth have been entered correctly on answer booklets for all students who do not have Student ID Labels. • Complete confidential student information on the inside and outside back covers of answer booklets. 5. Count the number of used standard answer booklets you are returning, separately for ELA and Mathematics. In your counts, make sure to include the following answer booklets: • standard answer booklets containing typed responses (see Appendix C) • standard answer booklets in which responses have been transcribed (see step 2) As you count, arrange the answer booklets so that the student name grids on the front covers are facing up (the booklets do not need to be alphabetized). Ensure that used answer booklets are free of extra materials, including rubber bands, paper clips, binder clips, staples, tape, and extraneous paper. 6. Separately for ELA and Mathematics, count the following materials you are returning: • void answer booklets • unused answer booklets • test booklets 7. Using your counts from steps 5 and 6, complete the “Qty Returned” column of the Materials Summary. Record on the Materials Summary the quantities of test booklets and answer booklets being returned according to the “After Testing” instructions on the form. All test booklets, including ELA Composition test booklets, Braille test booklets, and large-print test booklets, are secure materials and must be returned. Make a copy of the completed form(s) for your records. You will need to use the information from your completed Materials Summary when you go online to complete the PCPA. 8. Go online to complete sections 3–5 of the PCPA by November 17 at 3:00 p.m. To access the PCPA, the principal must go online to www.mcasservicecenter.com (the form may NOT be completed by a designee), select MCAS from the menu, and then Principal’s Certification from the list of options. Follow the onscreen instructions to provide information regarding the number of materials being returned and to certify that your school followed test security requirements. Then provide your “signature” (i.e., exactly as the name appears in School/District Profiles [http://profiles.doe.mass.edu]). Print the confirmation and save it for your records. 9. Place special materials in the appropriate envelopes. a. Place the materials listed below in the Special Handling Envelope (ELA and Mathematics materials are returned together). o used ELA and Mathematics large-print answer booklets (folded in half) with corresponding transcribed standard answer booklets o standard ELA and Mathematics answer booklets containing typed responses b. Place void answer booklets in the Void Envelope (ELA and Mathematics materials are returned together). Void booklets will not be scored. 10. Place remaining used standard answer booklets in the Return Envelope marked with the corresponding subject area retest. D. Pack the Scorable November Retest Materials 1. Make sure that all used envelopes (Special Handling, Void, and Return) are sealed. 2. Locate the prelabeled, folded Return Cartons you received in your school’s shipment of test materials. 3. Using the diagram on the following page as a guide, pack scorable materials in the Return Carton(s) in the following order: • Return Envelope(s) (on the bottom) • Special Handling Envelope(s) • Void Envelope(s) (on the top) 4. Fill any empty spaces at the top of the cartons with crumpled paper to keep items from shifting during shipping. Do not use plastic peanuts or shredded paper. 5. Before sealing your cartons, verify that all scorable materials have been packed in the cartons. 6. Use heavy-duty packing tape to seal box seams using the H-taping method (see diagram). [H taping method 1] H-taping method 7. Record the UPS tracking numbers from the labels already affixed to the scorable cartons you are returning, and retain this list in your school files. You will need the tracking numbers when scheduling your pickup. Each tracking number is located in the center of the UPS Return Service (RS) label and begins with “1Z.” A sample RS label is provided in Appendix E [packing diagram for scorable materials return] E. Pack the Nonscorable November Retest Materials 1. Locate the original shipping carton(s) in which you received your test materials. 2. Using the diagram on the following page and the list below, pack the nonscorable test materials in the following order: • unused answer booklets (on the bottom of the first carton) • used, unused, and void standard test booklets • used, unused, and void large-print test booklets, if any • used and unused Braille test booklets and used and unused Braille Administrator’s Copies, if any • Kurzweil 3000 CDs, if any • accommodation materials, if any (e.g., graphic organizers [including any of the pre-approved graphic organizers posted on the Department’s website], templates, checklists, individualized reference sheets, typed response drafts) • unused Student ID Labels, if any • unused Return, Special Handling, and Void Envelopes • unused UPS labels (Note: Make sure to save a label for each carton of nonscorable materials you are returning.) • unused scorable Return Cartons • unused large-print answer booklets, if any • completed Materials Summary (on top of the last carton) 3. Fill empty spaces at the tops of the cartons with crumpled paper to keep items from shifting during shipping. 4. Seal box seams using the H-taping method shown on page 32. 5. Affix one UPS Return Service (RS) label with Measured Progress listed in the “Ship to” section to the top of each carton. • You may either remove the existing label from the carton or place the new label over it. • UPS RS labels were included in your shipment of test materials. (See Appendix E for a sample label.) 6. Record the UPS tracking numbers from the labels on the nonscorable cartons you are returning, and retain the list for your school files. [Packing diagram for nonscorable materials return 2] F. Schedule and Confirm UPS Pickup of All November Retest Materials 1. Schedule your school’s UPS pickup appointment by November 17 at 3:00 p.m. Do not take test materials to UPS yourself or otherwise remove materials from your school. Do not schedule a separate pickup for each carton. If test materials are ready to ship before the November 17 deadline, then schedule the pickup as soon as you can. Complete the PCPA before scheduling your school’s UPS pickup. To request a pickup, first locate a UPS tracking number from one of the RS labels you are using, and have that number available when you go online to www.mcasservicecenter.com. Select MCAS from the menu and then select UPS Pickup Request from the list of options. Follow the onscreen instructions to complete your request. Requests for pickup on the following business day must be placed by 3:00 p.m. Requests for same-day pickup cannot be fulfilled. Requests made two or more days in advance also cannot be fulfilled. If you have regularly scheduled UPS service, you may give your cartons to the UPS driver during normal pickup. If you do, call the MCAS Service Center at 800-737-5103 or email mcas@measuredprogress.org to report that the pickup has been made. Do not leave secure MCAS materials unattended while awaiting UPS pickup. The principal is responsible for ensuring that test materials are kept in locked storage until they are given directly to the UPS driver. 2. Confirm that all scorable and nonscorable test materials are picked up by UPS no later than 5:00 p.m. on Friday, November 18. Call the MCAS Service Center immediately at 800-737-5103 if your cartons are not picked up as scheduled. You may also want to use your UPS tracking numbers to confirm delivery of your return shipment to Measured Progress by calling the MCAS Service Center. G. Next Steps 1. Retain the following materials in your school files for one year: • agendas and attendance records from the Test Administrators’ Training • packing slips from your school’s shipment • photocopy of Materials Summary • printout of PCPA confirmation • Test Materials Internal Tracking Forms • documentation for medically excused absences • signed nonparticipation forms • UPS tracking numbers used • printout of UPS pickup request • approved Request to Test a Student in an Alternate Setting form(s), if applicable • approved permission to use accommodation 25 and/or 32, if applicable • record of test administrators and their students for each session, including make-up and test completion sessions 2. Recycle or discard the following materials: • Principal’s Administration Manual • Test Administrator’s Manuals • practice tests • Mathematics reference sheets • unused shipping cartons New for 2011-2012 3. Ask the district SIMS contact to include in the next SIMS submission any students for whom a 504 plan was developed because of a temporary disability such as a broken arm. ^16 Used answer booklets are those that have been assigned to a student (front cover completed and/or Student ID Label affixed) or used by a student during testing. Part V Tasks to Complete for the February 2012 Biology Test Administration A. Prepare for Test Administration Use the following list of tasks to help you keep track of your responsibilities during MCAS testing. 1. Develop a plan for maintaining test security at your school. • Review MCAS Test Security Requirements (Part I). Distribute test security requirements to all school employees who have access to secure test materials. • Establish a document tracking system (see Appendix E for a sample internal tracking form). • Designate a locked facility for secure storage of test materials. 2. Plan logistics for test administration at your school. • Identify all students who will be participating. See Part II for information about student participation. • Authorize individuals to serve as test administrators and other school employees to have access to secure materials, and designate appropriate testing spaces. • Prepare for school files a record of test administrators and their students for each session. • Assign students and testing locations to test administrators. • Schedule test administration sessions and locations. Remember that the February Biology test has prescribed dates. • Train test administrators (see list of topics on pages 21–23) and distribute TAMs to test administrators. Train all school employees authorized to have access to secure test materials in test security requirements. • Meet with students (see list of topics on pages 23–24). • Review data before the district submits the March SIMS report (e.g., students’ names, demographic information) and confirm each student has a SASID. 3. Verify receipt of test materials immediately upon their delivery to your school. Materials will arrive by January 25. Call the MCAS Service Center if you do not receive materials by this date. 4. Using your Materials Summary, inventory test materials immediately and completely upon receipt. To inventory test materials, complete the “Qty Received” column of the Materials Summary according to the “Before Testing” directions on the form. Shrink-wrapped materials must remain unopened until either this manual or the TAM states that they may be opened. Therefore, to inventory your materials, count the spines of the booklets in each shrink-wrapped package. 5. Store materials in a secure, locked storage area. Retain all original shipping cartons for the return of materials following testing. 6. No later than January 30 at 12:00 p.m., complete the “Materials Received” section of the PCPA, and report packing discrepancies, if applicable. To access the PCPA, the principal must go online to www.mcasservicecenter.com (the form may NOT be completed by a designee), select MCAS from the menu, and then Principal’s Certification from the list of options. Follow the onscreen instructions to certify counts of materials received and report discrepancies in quantities of materials. Print the confirmation and save it for your records. 7. Only if applicable, order additional materials by January 30 at 12:00 p.m. Locate your MP Ship Code on the Materials Summary, and have that available when you go online to order additional materials at www.mcasservicecenter.com. Follow the onscreen instructions to place your order. Materials ordered online will be shipped for receipt on the following business day if the order is received before 12:00 p.m.; orders received after 12:00 p.m. will be shipped for receipt on the second business day. Packing discrepancies in additional orders must be reported within two business days of receipt of the order. 8. Identify and prepare for students with disabilities who require accommodations for testing, according to their IEP or 504 plan. See Appendix B for more information. For a student with a disability such as a broken bone or fracture in his or her writing hand or arm, the development of a 504 plan must be initiated, even if the disability is expected to be temporary. 9. Gather school-supplied testing materials. • Collect #2 pencils to provide to any student who does not bring one. • Students may use a calculator on the Biology test. You may choose to provide calculators for testing. 10. Optional: Apply Student ID Labels to answer booklets (see pages 24–25). 11. Optional: Print practice tests if they will be administered at the school (available at www.doe.mass.edu/mcas/testadmin/biology). 12. Using your school’s document tracking system, organize test materials for distribution. Each test administrator should receive extra test materials to replace possible defective booklets. If you did not receive enough materials to distribute extra shrink-wrapped materials to each test administrator, you may open the minimum number of packages necessary to distribute extra materials. B. Coordinate Test Administration 1. Using your document tracking system, distribute test materials. Immediately before test administration, distribute the necessary test materials for that day to each test administrator. See the TAM for the specific list of test materials necessary for each test. 2. Distribute lists of SASIDs to test administrators if they will be entering SASIDs on answer booklets. 3. Monitor your school’s test administration. • Enforce test security requirements. • Have #2 pencils available for students who do not bring them. • You may choose to provide calculators for testing. • Ensure that your school’s document tracking system is used each time test materials are moved. • Collect lists of students who were not tested and schedule them for make-up testing. 4. Securely store test materials between sessions and after each day of testing. Use your document tracking system to verify that all test materials are secure between sessions and are returned to you each day after testing. 5. After testing is completed, verify that ALL test materials have been returned to you. • Use your document tracking system to verify that test administrators have returned all test materials to you. You must be able to account for and return all secure materials (e.g., test booklets) that were shipped to you. • If necessary, investigate any discrepancies in the number of materials that were distributed to test administrators and the number returned to you. Schools that do not return materials according to instructions will be subject to the sanctions described in Part I. • If any answer booklets have become damaged or defective during testing, make sure the “void answer booklet” circle on the outside back covers is filled in, and VOID is written in large letters across the front covers. If a student completed any work in an answer booklet that was later deemed void, his or her work must be transcribed verbatim into a replacement answer booklet. • If any test materials have become contaminated, call the MCAS Service Center for instructions. 6. Update if necessary and maintain the record of test administrators and their students for each session, including make-up and test completion sessions. C. Return February Biology Materials 1. Make sure that you have a used^17 standard answer booklet assigned to: • students who participated in one or both test sessions • students who were scheduled to participate but were absent with medical documentation for one or both test sessions Students who were scheduled to participate but were absent should be scheduled for the June administration. 2. If applicable, verify that responses are transcribed completely and accurately into standard answer booklets for the following: • students who had void answer booklets • students with disabilities who took the Braille edition of the test • students with disabilities who used large-print answer booklets • students with disabilities using accommodation 24 who recorded their answers directly in their test booklets • students with disabilities using accommodation 23 who wrote part of their answer to a test question in their answer booklet and typed part of their answer 3. If applicable, verify that each typed response from a student with disabilities using accommodation 23 has been printed and inserted as a paper copy in the student’s answer booklet. See Appendix C for instructions. 4. Complete student information on answer booklets (see Appendix D for instructions and Appendix E for sample covers): • Verify SASIDs and/or dates of birth have been entered correctly on answer booklets for all students who do not have Student ID Labels. • Complete confidential student information on the inside and outside back covers of answer booklets. 5. Count the number of used standard answer booklets you are returning. In your count, make sure to include the following answer booklets: • standard answer booklets containing typed responses (see Appendix C) • standard answer booklets in which responses have been transcribed (see step 2) As you count, arrange the answer booklets so that the student name grids on the front covers are facing up (the booklets do not need to be alphabetized). Ensure that used answer booklets are free of extra materials, including rubber bands, paper clips, binder clips, staples, tape, and extraneous paper. 6. Count the following materials you are returning: • void answer booklets • unused answer booklets • test booklets 7. Using your counts from steps 5 and 6, complete the “Qty Returned” column of the Materials Summary. Record on the Materials Summary the quantities of test booklets and answer booklets being returned according to the “After Testing” instructions on the form. All test booklets, including Braille test booklets and large-print test booklets, are secure materials and must be returned. Make a copy of the completed form(s) for your records. You will need to use the information from your completed Materials Summary when you go online to complete the PCPA. 8. Go online to complete sections 3–5 of the PCPA by February 6 at 3:00 p.m. To access the PCPA, the principal must go online to www.mcasservicecenter.com (the form may NOT be completed by a designee), select MCAS from the menu, and then Principal’s Certification from the list of options. Follow the onscreen instructions to provide information regarding the number of materials being returned and to certify that your school followed test security requirements. Then provide your “signature” (i.e., exactly as the name appears in School/District Profiles [http://profiles.doe.mass.edu]). Print the confirmation and save it for your records. 9. Place special materials in the appropriate envelopes. a. Place the materials listed below in the Special Handling Envelope. o used large-print answer booklets (folded in half) with corresponding transcribed standard answer booklets o standard answer booklets containing typed responses b. Place void answer booklets in the Void Envelope. Void booklets will not be scored. 10. Place remaining used standard answer booklets in the Return Envelope. D. Pack the Scorable February Biology Test Materials 1. Make sure that all used envelopes (Special Handling, Void, and Return) are sealed. 2. Locate the prelabeled, folded Return Cartons you received in your school’s shipment of test materials. 3. Using the diagram on the following page as a guide, pack scorable materials in the Return Carton(s) in the following order: • Return Envelope(s) (on the bottom) • Special Handling Envelope(s) • Void Envelope(s) (on the top) 4. Fill any empty spaces at the top of the cartons with crumpled paper to keep items from shifting during shipping. Do not use plastic peanuts or shredded paper. 5. Before sealing your cartons, verify that all scorable materials have been packed in the cartons. 6. Use heavy-duty packing tape to seal box seams using the H-taping method (see diagram). [H taping method 2] H-taping method 7. Record the UPS tracking numbers from the labels already affixed to the scorable cartons you are returning, and retain this list in your school files. You will need the tracking numbers when scheduling your pickup. Each tracking number is located in the center of the UPS Return Service (RS) label and begins with “1Z.” A sample RS label is provided in Appendix E. [Packing diagram for scorable materials return 2] E. Pack the Nonscorable February Biology Test Materials 1. Locate the original shipping carton(s) in which you received your test materials. 2. Using the diagram on the following page and the list below, pack the nonscorable test materials in the following order: • unused answer booklets (on the bottom of the first carton) • used, unused, and void standard test booklets • used, unused, and void large-print test booklets, if any • used and unused Braille test booklets and used and unused Braille Administrator’s Copies, if any • Kurzweil 3000 CDs, if any • accommodation materials, if any (e.g., typed response drafts) • unused Student ID Labels, if any • unused Return, Special Handling, and Void Envelopes • unused UPS labels (Note: Make sure to save a label for each carton of nonscorable materials you are returning.) • unused scorable Return Cartons • unused large-print answer booklets, if any • completed Materials Summary (on top of the last carton) 3. Fill empty spaces at the tops of the cartons with crumpled paper to keep items from shifting during shipping. 4. Seal box seams using the H-taping method shown on page 44. 5. Affix one UPS Return Service (RS) label with Measured Progress listed in the “Ship to” section to the top of each carton. • You may either remove the existing label from the carton or place the new label over it. • UPS RS labels were included in your shipment of test materials. (See Appendix E for a sample label.) 6. Record the UPS tracking numbers from the labels on the nonscorable cartons you are returning, and retain the list for your school files. [Packing diagram for Nonscorable materials return] F. Schedule and Confirm UPS Pickup of All February Biology Test Materials 1. Schedule your school’s UPS pickup appointment by February 6 at 3:00 p.m. Do not take test materials to UPS yourself or otherwise remove materials from your school. Do not schedule a separate pickup for each carton. If test materials are ready to ship before the February 6 deadline, then schedule the pickup as soon as you can. Complete the PCPA before scheduling your school’s UPS pickup. To request a pickup, first locate a UPS tracking number from one of the RS labels you are using, and have that number available when you go online to www.mcasservicecenter.com. Select MCAS from the menu and then select UPS Pickup Request from the list of options. Follow the onscreen instructions to complete your request. Requests for pickup on the following business day must be placed by 3:00 p.m. Requests for same-day pickup cannot be fulfilled. Requests made two or more days in advance also cannot be fulfilled. If you have regularly scheduled UPS service, you may give your cartons to the UPS driver during normal pickup. If you do, call the MCAS Service Center at 800-737-5103 or email mcas@measuredprogress.org to report that the pickup has been made. Do not leave secure MCAS materials unattended while awaiting UPS pickup. The principal is responsible for ensuring that test materials are kept in locked storage until they are given directly to the UPS driver. 2. Confirm that all scorable and nonscorable test materials are picked up by UPS no later than 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday, February 7. Call the MCAS Service Center immediately at 800-737-5103 if your cartons are not picked up as scheduled. You may also want to use your UPS tracking numbers to confirm delivery of your return shipment to Measured Progress by calling the MCAS Service Center. G. Next Steps 1. Retain the following materials in your school files for one year: • agendas and attendance records from the Test Administrators’ Training • packing slips from your school’s shipment • photocopy of Materials Summary • printout of PCPA confirmation • Test Materials Internal Tracking Forms • documentation for medically excused absences • signed nonparticipation forms • UPS tracking numbers used • printout of UPS pickup request • approved Request to Test a Student in an Alternate Setting form(s), if applicable • approved permission to use accommodation 25 and/or 32, if applicable • record of test administrators and their students for each session, including make-up and test completion sessions 2. Recycle or discard the following materials: • Principal’s Administration Manual • Test Administrator’s Manuals • practice tests • unused shipping cartons 3. Ask the district SIMS contact to include in the next SIMS submission any students for whom a 504 plan was developed because of a temporary disability such as a broken arm. ^17 Used answer booklets are those that have been assigned to a student (front cover completed and/or Student ID Label affixed) or used by a student during testing. Part VI Tasks to Complete for the March 2012 Retest Administration A. Prepare for Test Administration Use the following list of tasks to help you keep track of your responsibilities during MCAS testing. 1. Develop a plan for maintaining test security at your school. • Review MCAS Test Security Requirements (Part I). Distribute test security requirements to all school employees who have access to secure test materials. • Establish a document tracking system (see Appendix E for a sample internal tracking form). • Designate a locked facility for secure storage of test materials. 2. Plan logistics for test administration at your school. • Identify all students who will be participating. See Part II for information about student participation. • Authorize individuals to serve as test administrators and other school employees to have access to secure materials, and designate appropriate testing spaces. • Prepare for school files a record of test administrators and their students for each session. • Assign students and testing locations to test administrators. • Schedule test administration sessions and locations. Remember that the retests have prescribed dates. • Train test administrators (see list of topics on pages 21–23) and distribute TAMs to test administrators. Train all school employees authorized to have access to secure test materials in test security requirements. • Meet with students (see list of topics on pages 23–24). • Review data before the district submits the March SIMS report (e.g., students’ names, demographic information) and confirm each student has a SASID. 3. Verify receipt of test materials immediately upon their delivery to your school. Materials will arrive by February 15. Call the MCAS Service Center if you do not receive materials by this date. 4. Using your Materials Summary, inventory test materials immediately and completely upon receipt. To inventory test materials, complete the “Qty Received” column of the Materials Summary according to the “Before Testing” directions on the form. Shrink-wrapped materials must remain unopened until either this manual or the TAM states that they may be opened. Therefore, to inventory your materials, count the spines of the booklets in each shrink-wrapped package. 5. Store materials in a secure, locked storage area. Retain all original shipping cartons for the return of materials following testing. 6. No later than February 27 at 12:00 p.m., complete the “Materials Received” section of the PCPA, and report packing discrepancies, if applicable. To access the PCPA, the principal must go online to www.mcasservicecenter.com (the form may NOT be completed by a designee), select MCAS from the menu, and then Principal’s Certification from the list of options. Follow the onscreen instructions to certify counts of materials received and report discrepancies in quantities of materials. Print the confirmation and save it for your records. 7. Only if applicable, order additional materials by February 27 at 12:00 p.m. Locate your MP Ship Code on the Materials Summary, and have that available when you go online to order additional materials at www.mcasservicecenter.com. Follow the onscreen instructions to place your order. Materials ordered online will be shipped for receipt on the following business day if the order is received before 12:00 p.m.; orders received after 12:00 p.m. will be shipped for receipt on the second business day. Packing discrepancies in additional orders must be reported within two business days of receipt of the order. 8. Identify and prepare for students with disabilities who require accommodations for testing, according to their IEP or 504 plan. See Appendix B for more information. For a student with a disability such as a broken bone or fracture in his or her writing hand or arm, the development of a 504 plan must be initiated, even if the disability is expected to be temporary. 9. Gather school-supplied testing materials. • Collect #2 pencils to provide to any student who does not bring one. • For the ELA Composition retest only, at least one English-language dictionary must be provided in each testing space for student use. You may choose to provide more than one dictionary per testing space. • Collect calculators to provide to students taking Session 2 of the Mathematics retest. 10. Optional: Apply Student ID Labels to answer booklets (see pages 24–25). 11. Optional: Print practice tests if they will be administered at the school (available at www.doe.mass.edu/mcas/testadmin/retest). 12. Using your school’s document tracking system, organize test materials for distribution. Each test administrator should receive extra test materials to replace possible defective booklets. If you did not receive enough materials to distribute extra shrink-wrapped materials to each test administrator, you may open the minimum number of packages necessary to distribute extra materials. B. Coordinate Test Administration 1. Using your document tracking system, distribute test materials. Immediately before test administration, distribute the necessary test materials for that day to each test administrator. See the TAM for the specific list of test materials necessary for each retest. 2. Distribute lists of SASIDs to test administrators if they will be entering SASIDs on answer booklets. 3. Monitor your school’s test administration. • Enforce test security requirements. • Have #2 pencils available for students who do not bring them. • ELA Composition only: have English-language dictionaries available. • Have calculators available for students taking Session 2 of the Mathematics retest. • Ensure that your school’s document tracking system is used each time test materials are moved. • Collect lists of students who were not tested and schedule them for make-up testing. 4. Securely store test materials between sessions and after each day of testing. Use your document tracking system to verify that all test materials are secure between sessions and are returned to you each day after testing. 5. After testing is completed, verify that ALL test materials have been returned to you. • Use your document tracking system to verify that test administrators have returned all test materials to you. You must be able to account for and return all secure materials (e.g., ELA Composition test booklets, ELA Reading Comprehension test booklets) that were shipped to you. • If necessary, investigate any discrepancies in the number of materials that were distributed to test administrators and the number returned to you. Schools that do not return materials according to instructions will be subject to the sanctions described in Part I. • If any answer booklets have become damaged or defective during testing, make sure the “void answer booklet” circle on the outside back covers is filled in, and VOID is written in large letters across the front covers. If a student completed any work in an answer booklet that was later deemed void, his or her work must be transcribed verbatim into a replacement answer booklet. • If any test materials have become contaminated, call the MCAS Service Center for instructions. 6. Update if necessary and maintain the record of test administrators and their students for each session, including make-up and test completion sessions. C. Return March Retest Materials 1. Make sure that you have a used^18 standard answer booklet assigned to every student participating in either or both retests. You should not have an assigned standard answer booklet for students not tested (e.g., students who were absent for an entire subject area retest). If an answer booklet was assigned to a student but the student was not tested, mark the booklet void according to instructions in step 5 above. 2. If applicable, verify that responses are transcribed completely and accurately into standard answer booklets for the following: • students who had void answer booklets • students with disabilities who took the Braille edition of the test • students with disabilities who used large-print answer booklets • students with disabilities using accommodation 24 who recorded their answers directly in their test booklets • students with disabilities using accommodation 23 who wrote part of their answer to a test question in their answer booklet and typed part of their answer 3. If applicable, verify that each typed response from a student with disabilities using accommodation 23 has been printed and inserted as a paper copy in the student’s answer booklet. See Appendix C for instructions. 4. Complete student information on answer booklets (see Appendix D for instructions and Appendix E for sample covers): • Verify SASIDs and/or dates of birth have been entered correctly on answer booklets for all students who do not have Student ID Labels. • Complete confidential student information on the inside and outside back covers of answer booklets. 5. Count the number of used standard answer booklets you are returning, separately for ELA and Mathematics. In your counts, make sure to include the following answer booklets: • standard answer booklets containing typed responses (see Appendix C) • standard answer booklets in which responses have been transcribed (see step 2) As you count, arrange the answer booklets so that the student name grids on the front covers are facing up (the booklets do not need to be alphabetized). Ensure that used answer booklets are free of extra materials, including rubber bands, paper clips, binder clips, staples, tape, and extraneous paper. 6. Separately for ELA and Mathematics, count the following materials you are returning: • void answer booklets • unused answer booklets • test booklets 7. Using your counts from steps 5 and 6, complete the “Qty Returned” column of the Materials Summary. Record on the Materials Summary the quantities of test booklets and answer booklets being returned according to the “After Testing” instructions on the form. All test booklets, including ELA Composition test booklets, Braille test booklets, and large-print test booklets, are secure materials and must be returned. Make a copy of the completed form(s) for your records. You will need to use the information from your completed Materials Summary when you go online to complete the PCPA. 8. Go online to complete sections 3–5 of the PCPA by March 9 at 3:00 p.m. To access the PCPA, the principal must go online to www.mcasservicecenter.com (the form may NOT be completed by a designee), select MCAS from the menu, and then Principal’s Certification from the list of options. Follow the onscreen instructions to provide information regarding the number of materials being returned and to certify that your school followed test security requirements. Then provide your “signature” (i.e., exactly as the name appears in School/District Profiles [http://profiles.doe.mass.edu]). Print the confirmation and save it for your records. 9. Place special materials in the appropriate envelopes. a. Place the materials listed below in the Special Handling Envelope (ELA and Mathematics materials are returned together). o used ELA and Mathematics large-print answer booklets (folded in half) with corresponding transcribed standard answer booklets o standard ELA and Mathematics answer booklets containing typed responses b. Place void answer booklets in the Void Envelope (ELA and Mathematics materials are returned together). Void booklets will not be scored. 10. Place remaining used standard answer booklets in the Return Envelope marked with the corresponding subject area retest. D. Pack the Scorable March Retest Materials 1. Make sure that all used envelopes (Special Handling, Void, and Return) are sealed. 2. Locate the prelabeled, folded Return Cartons you received in your school’s shipment of test materials. 3. Using the diagram on the following page as a guide, pack scorable materials in the Return Carton(s) in the following order: • Return Envelope(s) (on the bottom) • Special Handling Envelope(s) • Void Envelope(s) (on the top) 4. Fill any empty spaces at the top of the cartons with crumpled paper to keep items from shifting during shipping. Do not use plastic peanuts or shredded paper. 5. Before sealing your cartons, verify that all scorable materials have been packed in the cartons. 6. Use heavy-duty packing tape to seal box seams using the H-taping method (see diagram). [H taping method 3] H-taping method 7. Record the UPS tracking numbers from the labels already affixed to the scorable cartons you are returning, and retain this list in your school files. You will need the tracking numbers when scheduling your pickup. Each tracking number is located in the center of the UPS Return Service (RS) label and begins with “1Z.” A sample RS label is provided in Appendix E. [Packing diagram for scorable materials return 3] E. Pack the Nonscorable March Retest Materials 1. Locate the original shipping carton(s) in which you received your test materials. 2. Using the diagram on the following page and the list below, pack the nonscorable test materials in the following order: • unused answer booklets (on the bottom of the first carton) • used, unused, and void standard test booklets • used, unused, and void large-print test booklets, if any • used and unused Braille test booklets and used and unused Braille Administrator’s Copies, if any • Kurzweil 3000 CDs, if any • accommodation materials, if any (e.g., graphic organizers [including any of the pre-approved graphic organizers posted on the Department’s website], templates, checklists, individualized reference sheets, typed response drafts) • unused Student ID Labels, if any • unused Return, Special Handling, and Void Envelopes • unused UPS labels (Note: Make sure to save a label for each carton of nonscorable materials you are returning.) • unused scorable Return Cartons • unused large-print answer booklets, if any • completed Materials Summary (on top of the last carton) 3. Fill empty spaces at the tops of the cartons with crumpled paper to keep items from shifting during shipping. 4. Seal box seams using the H-taping method shown on page 56. 5. Affix one UPS Return Service (RS) label with Measured Progress listed in the “Ship to” section to the top of each carton. • You may either remove the existing label from the carton or place the new label over it. • UPS RS labels were included in your shipment of test materials. (See Appendix E for a sample label.) 6. Record the UPS tracking numbers from the labels on the nonscorable cartons you are returning, and retain the list for your school files. [packing diagram for nonscorable materials return 3] F. Schedule and Confirm UPS Pickup of All March Retest Materials 1. Schedule your school’s UPS pickup appointment by March 9 at 3:00 p.m. Do not take test materials to UPS yourself or otherwise remove materials from your school. Do not schedule a separate pickup for each carton. If test materials are ready to ship before the March 9 deadline, then schedule the pickup as soon as you can. Complete the PCPA before scheduling your school’s UPS pickup. To request a pickup, first locate a UPS tracking number from one of the RS labels you are using, and have that number available when you go online to www.mcasservicecenter.com. Select MCAS from the menu and then select UPS Pickup Request from the list of options. Follow the onscreen instructions to complete your request. Requests for pickup on the following business day must be placed by 3:00 p.m. Requests for same-day pickup cannot be fulfilled. Requests made two or more days in advance also cannot be fulfilled. If you have regularly scheduled UPS service, you may give your cartons to the UPS driver during normal pickup. If you do, call the MCAS Service Center at 800-737-5103 or email mcas@measuredprogress.org to report that the pickup has been made. Do not leave secure MCAS materials unattended while awaiting UPS pickup. The principal is responsible for ensuring that test materials are kept in locked storage until they are given directly to the UPS driver. 2. Confirm that all scorable and nonscorable test materials are picked up by UPS no later than 5:00 p.m. on Monday, March 12. Call the MCAS Service Center immediately at 800-737-5103 if your cartons are not picked up as scheduled. You may also want to use your UPS tracking numbers to confirm delivery of your return shipment to Measured Progress by calling the MCAS Service Center. G. Next Steps 1. Retain the following materials in your school files for one year: • agendas and attendance records from the Test Administrators’ Training • packing slips from your school’s shipment • photocopy of Materials Summary • printout of PCPA confirmation • Test Materials Internal Tracking Forms • documentation for medically excused absences • signed nonparticipation forms • UPS tracking numbers used • printout of UPS pickup request • approved Request to Test a Student in an Alternate Setting form(s), if applicable • approved permission to use accommodation 25 and/or 32, if applicable • record of test administrators and their students for each session, including make-up and test completion sessions 2. Recycle or discard the following materials: • Principal’s Administration Manual • Test Administrator’s Manuals • practice tests • Mathematics reference sheets • unused shipping cartons 3. Ask the district SIMS contact to include in the next SIMS submission any students for whom a 504 plan was developed because of a temporary disability such as a broken arm. ^18 Used answer booklets are those that have been assigned to a student (front cover completed and/or Student ID Label affixed) or used by a student during testing. Appendix A Procedures for Testing English Language Learner Students A. Definition of an English Language Learner Student An ELL student is defined by the Department as “a student whose first language is a language other than English and who is unable to perform ordinary classroom work in English.” B. Use of Word-to-Word Dictionaries by ELL Students on MCAS Tests Any student who currently is or has been identified as an ELL student in the past may use an authorized bilingual word-to-word dictionary on all MCAS tests. Dictionaries permitted for this purpose are strictly limited to those that provide word-to-word translations. Dictionaries that include definitions, synonyms, antonyms, phrases, and other information are strictly prohibited. Dictionaries cannot contain handwriting or highlighting. Electronic dictionaries are also prohibited. (Note: The use of word-to-word dictionaries is prohibited on all MEPA tests.) A list of authorized bilingual dictionaries, updated in winter 2011, is available on the Department’s website at www.doe.mass.edu/mcas/testadmin/lep_bilingual_dictionary.doc. The list has been updated to include word lists that provide specialized terms for Mathematics and STE tests. To discuss the approval of word-to-word dictionaries not included in the list, please call 781-338-3625. C. English/Spanish MCAS Mathematics Retest (November and March) 1. Eligibility Spanish-speaking ELL students who have been enrolled in school in the continental United States for fewer than three years may choose to take the English/Spanish edition of the Mathematics retest if they can read and write in Spanish at or near grade level. Students who are eligible to take the English/Spanish MCAS retest take the test during the same time period in which the English edition of the retest is administered. 2. English/Spanish Test Materials English/Spanish test booklets are issued in side-by-side English/Spanish format, with identical test questions presented on opposing pages in two languages: left-facing pages present the questions in Spanish; right-facing pages present the same questions in English. Spanish answer booklets (in which students mark their answers) and the reference materials issued to students for use during MCAS Mathematics retest sessions are not presented in bilingual format. Please note that there is no English/Spanish edition of any other MCAS test. 3. English/Spanish Test Administration Guidelines Guidelines for administering the English/Spanish MCAS Mathematics retest are provided in Appendix A of the Test Administrator’s Manual: November 2011 and March 2012 ELA and Mathematics Retests. These guidelines contain Spanish-language scripts to be read aloud by test administrators to students, as well as instructions to the test administrator (not to be read aloud) in English. In order to administer the English/Spanish Mathematics retest, authorized test administrators must be fluent in both Spanish and English. D. High School Competency Determination To earn a high school diploma, all students, including ELL students, are required to earn a CD (see page 10). Students eligible to take the English/Spanish edition of the Mathematics retest may meet the CD requirement in Mathematics through this test but must also pass ELA and STE tests in English. Since the CD requirement may present a challenge for ELL students who have recently enrolled in a U.S. school, some ELL students may need to continue their education beyond grade 12 in order to attain the requisite knowledge and skills in ELA, Mathematics, and STE. After grade 12, students who need to pass one or more of the required MCAS tests may take the MCAS retest(s) or an STE test at the school in which they were last enrolled. Some students may be eligible for an MCAS performance appeal. For more information on meeting the graduation requirement, please refer to the Department’s website at www.doe.mass.edu/mcas/graduation.html. E. Recording on the Answer Booklet the Status of Limited English Proficient (LEP) Students in Their First Year of Enrollment in U.S. Schools (February Biology) The principal or designee must fill in the “LEP Status: First Year of Enrollment in U.S. Schools” circle on the inside back cover of an answer booklet for each first-year LEP student. See Appendix D of this manual for further information on completing the back covers of answer booklets. Appendix B Procedures for Testing Students with Disabilities 1. Participation of Students with Disabilities in MCAS A. Definition of a Student with a Disability For the purposes of MCAS, a student with a disability is defined as having either an IEP provided under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004 and Massachusetts General Law Chapter 71B or a plan provided under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. All students with disabilities must be engaged in an instructional program guided by the standards in the Massachusettscurriculum frameworks. B. English Language Learner Students with Disabilities See Appendix A for information regarding the participation of ELL students with disabilities. C. Students Diagnosed with Concussions The Department has recently provided educators with guidelines, including MCAS testing policies, for students who are returning to programs of instruction after being diagnosed with concussions, based on new state regulations. These guidelines are available on the Department’s website at www.doe.mass.edu/mcas/participation/?section=sped. Please refer to this information before making decisions about MCAS testing for these students. D. Determining How Students with Disabilities Will Participate in MCAS During its annual meeting, a student’s IEP or 504 team must determine how the student will participate in MCAS for each subject scheduled for assessment. This information, including any accommodations that a student will use, must be documented in the student’s IEP or 504 plan. Guidelines for making participation decisions for individual students appear in Requirements for the Participation of Students with Disabilities in MCAS (2011–2012 Update), which is available at www.doe.mass.edu/mcas/participation/?section=sped. 2. MCAS Test Accommodations A. Definition and Purpose of Test Accommodations A test accommodation is a change in the way a test is administered or in the way a student responds to test questions. Similar to instructional accommodations, test accommodations are intended to offset the effects of the disability and to provide students with the opportunity to demonstrate knowledge and skills on statewide assessments. Allowable test accommodations must be provided when the student’s IEP or 504 team has determined their necessity. Teams must ensure that a student meets all eligibility criteria in order to receive an accommodation. See section C for guidelines on allowable accommodations. Reliance on test accommodations should never replace appropriate and rigorous instruction in the subject being tested. B. Eligibility for Test Accommodations ELIGIBLE: Students with disabilities served by an IEP or 504 plan The right of a student with a disability to receive allowable accommodations on MCAS and MEPA tests is protected by both federal and state laws. The student’s IEP or 504 plan must specify precisely which test accommodation(s) he or she will receive. In cases where a 504 plan is under development, the school personnel responsible for writing the plan must have already met and agreed upon the necessary MCAS accommodation(s) before a student may be provided the accommodation(s). NOT ELIGIBLE: Students without documented disabilities and students with documented disabilities not served by an IEP or 504 plan A student who does not have a documented disability is not eligible to receive accommodations on MCAS tests, regardless of whether the student already receives instructional support or accommodations, for example, through an Individual Student Success Plan (ISSP), District Curriculum Accommodation Plan (DCAP), or other locally developed plan. C. General Requirements for Use of Test Accommodations The use of accommodations is based on the individual needs of a student with a disability and may only be provided when all of the following conditions have been met: 1. The student has a disability (nondisabled students may not use test accommodations) that is documented in an IEP or 504 plan. AND 2. The student uses the accommodation routinely (with rare exceptions) during classroom instruction and assessment in the subject, both before and after the test is administered. AND 3. The student requires the accommodation in order to participate in statewide testing. AND 4. The accommodation is listed in section I or J (or, prior to testing, the district has consulted with the Department and received permission to use an accommodation not included in these sections). AND 5. If a nonstandard accommodation will be provided, the student meets all of the eligibility criteria for that accommodation listed in section J. If the student is on an IEP, the student’s IEP team must reconvene annually in order to determine which accommodations will be needed, or reconvene to document any changes to accommodations listed in the plan, and the plan must be signed by the parent/guardian before the accommodation may be used. If the IEP or 504 team believes that a test accommodation listed in the student’s IEP or 504 plan should be removed because it is no longer necessary and appropriate for the student, the team must amend the plan accordingly prior to testing. It is acceptable for teams to list an accommodation in the plan with the notation “as requested by the student,” signifying that the student may require the accommodation only periodically during testing; for example, a student who tires easily may need a scribe only during the latter part of a test session. Accommodations may not • alter, explain, simplify, paraphrase, or eliminate any test question, reading passage, writing prompt, or multiple-choice answer option; • provide verbal or other clues or suggestions that hint at or give away the correct response to the student; • contradict test administration requirements or result in the violation of test security, for example: o Test questions may not be modified, reordered, or reformatted in any way for any student. o Tests may not be photocopied, enlarged, altered, or duplicated. o English language dictionaries are not allowed for any student on any test except the ELA Composition test. If the above conditions have been met, the accommodation(s) must be listed in the student’s IEP or 504 plan and provided to the student during MCAS testing. If a student refuses an accommodation listed in his or her plan, the school should document in writing that the student refused the accommodation, and the accommodation must be offered and remain available to the student during testing. If an accommodation is provided that does not meet the conditions stated above, the student’s test score may be invalidated. In the event that a student was provided a test accommodation that was not listed in his or her IEP or 504 plan, or if a student was not provided a test accommodation listed in his or her plan, the school should immediately contact the Department at 781-338-3625. If a student was provided an accommodation that was not in his or her IEP or 504 plan, all or part of the student’s score may be invalidated. D. Definition of Standard Accommodations For the purposes of MCAS, a standard accommodation is defined as a change in the routine conditions under which students take MCAS tests that does not alter what the test is intended to measure. Standard accommodations are grouped into the following four categories: • changes in timing or scheduling of the test; for example, administering the test in short intervals or at a specific time of day • changes in test setting; for example, administering the test in a small group or a separate setting • changes in test presentation; for example, using a large-print or Braille edition of the test • changes in how the student responds to test questions; for example, dictating responses to a scribe A list of standard test accommodations can be found in section I. E. Definition of Nonstandard Accommodations For MCAS, a nonstandard accommodation is defined as an accommodation that • changes the way an MCAS test is presented; OR • changes the way a student responds to test questions; AND • alters a portion of what the test is intended to measure. A list of nonstandard accommodations and the conditions under which they may be used appears in section J. Nonstandard accommodations are intended for use by a very small number of students who would not otherwise be able to access the test. Teams must exercise caution, therefore, in considering whether a student requires a nonstandard accommodation and must carefully review the criteria described for each nonstandard accommodation on the list. Test results for a student who took the test using nonstandard accommodation(s) must be interpreted with caution by parents/guardians and schools. The Department will continue to review the rates of nonstandard accommodations use and provide districts with this information. Districts must ensure that IEP and 504 teams are applying appropriate criteria for use of nonstandard accommodations by carefully reviewing all criteria and eligibility requirements for the nonstandard accommodations listed in section J and revising the IEPs and 504 plans of students with disabilities accordingly. Please call the Student Assessment office at 781-338-3625 with any questions about accommodations. F. Untimed Test Sessions All MCAS test administrations are untimed. Refer to Part III, section C, of this manual for more information. G. Use of Dictionaries on MCAS Tests The use of English language dictionaries is prohibited for all MCAS tests except for the ELA Composition. All ELL students reported or formerly reported as LEP may use authorized word-to-word bilingual dictionaries on all MCAS tests. A list of authorized word-to-word dictionaries is available at www.doe.mass.edu/mcas/testadmin/lep_bilingual_dictionary.pdf. H. Determining School Resources and Other Testing Needs Prior to MCAS testing, IEP and 504 team chairpersons should provide information to the principal or MCAS coordinator regarding each student who will require test accommodations, along with the specific accommodation(s), resources, and/or space that each student will need. All special test formats, including Braille, large-print, and Kurzweil 3000 CD, must be ordered online by the principal or designee during the MCAS Enrollment Verification. I. List of Standard Accommodations This section contains a list of standard test accommodations for students with disabilities. Changes in Timing or Scheduling of the Test 1. Frequent Breaks: The test is administered in short periods with frequent breaks. 2. Time of Day: The test is administered at a time of day that takes into account the student’s medical or learning needs (IEP or 504 plan must specify time of day). Changes in Test Setting 3. Small Group: The test is administered in a small group setting (no more than 10 students). Note: If students will also receive the accommodation of having the test read aloud or signed, no more than five students may be in the small group. 4. Separate Setting: The test is administered in a room other than the one used by the rest of the class. 5. Individual: The test is administered to the student individually. 6. Specified Area: The test is administered with the student seated at the front or other specified area of the room, in a study carrel, or in another other enclosed area (IEP or 504 plan must specify location). Changes in Test Presentation 7. Familiar Test Administrator: The test is administered by a test administrator familiar to the student. 8. Noise Buffers: The student wears noise buffers, after test administration instructions have been read (music may not be played on headphones worn during MCAS testing). 9. Magnification or Overlays: The student uses magnifying equipment, enlargement devices, colored visual overlays, or specially tinted lenses (IEP or 504 plan must specify which). 10. Test Directions: The test administrator clarifies general administration instructions. No portion of the test questions or reading selections (including the introduction to reading selections) may be read or signed. 11. Large Print: The student uses a large-print (18-point font) edition of the test. All answers must be transcribed verbatim from the large-print answer booklet to the student’s standard answer booklet. 12. Braille: The student uses a Braille edition of the test. All answers must be either scribed or transcribed verbatim into the student’s answer booklet, unless the student also has accommodation 23 (typed response) in his or her IEP. Note: Under secure conditions supervised by the principal, the Braille test administrator may review Braille test materials up to four days prior to test administration. Test materials may not be removed from the school. 13. Place Marker: The student uses a place marker. 14. Track Test Questions: The test administrator assists the student in tracking test questions (e.g., moving from one test question to the next) or by redirecting the student’s attention to the test. 15. Amplification: The student uses sound amplification equipment. 16. Test Administrator Reads Test Aloud (except ELA Reading Comprehension test, which is nonstandard accommodation 26): The test administrator reads the ELA Composition, Mathematics, and/or Biology test(s) aloud to the student. • Test session(s) must be read word-for-word, exactly as written. The test administrator may not provide assistance to the student regarding the meanings of words, intent of any test question, or responses to test questions. The test administrator must read in a neutral tone, with no emphasis given to any terms, passages, or response options, and with no detectable changes in inflection. The test can be read aloud in one of the following ways, which must be specified in the IEP or 504 plan: o Test administrator reads entire test session word-for-word, exactly as written. OR o Test administrator reads selected words, phrases, and/or sentences as directed by the student. The student points to the word, phrase, or sentence that he or she needs read aloud. • The test must be administered in a separate setting (accommodation 4), either individually (accommodation 5) or to a small group (2–5 students) (accommodation 3). For reading aloud to a small group, follow the procedures outlined on page 84. • No portion of the ELA Reading Comprehension test may be read aloud unless accommodation 26 is listed in the student’s IEP. 17. Test Administrator Signs Test (except ELA Reading Comprehension test, which is nonstandard accommodation 27): The test administrator signs the ELA Composition, Mathematics, and/or Biology test(s) to the student who is deaf or hard of hearing. • Test sessions(s) must be signed exactly as written, except in cases when doing so would reveal an answer to a test question. When use of a sign would visually define the concept being tested (e.g., using the sign for parallel lines that demonstrates this concept visually), the term or concept must be finger-spelled. Interpreters may not provide assistance to the student regarding the meanings of words, intent of any test question, or responses to test questions. • The test must be administered in a separate setting (accommodation 4), either individually (accommodation 5) or to a small group (2–5 students) (accommodation 3). For signing the test to a small group, follow the procedures outlined on page 84. Note: • Under secure conditions supervised by the principal, sign interpreters may review test materials up to four days prior to test administration. Test materials may not be removed from the school. 18. Electronic Text Reader (except ELA Reading Comprehension test, which is nonstandard accommodation 28): The student uses an electronic text reader for the ELA Composition, Mathematics, and/or Biology test(s). All MCAS tests are available on a CD in the Kurzweil 3000 format. Responses to all test questions must be submitted in the student’s standard answer booklet for students using this accommodation. Changes in How the Student Responds to Test Questions 19. Scribe Test or Use Speech-to-Text Conversion Device (except ELA Composition, which is nonstandard accommodation 29): The student dictates or signs responses to a scribe or uses a speech-to-text conversion device to record responses. • The test must be administered individually (accommodation 5) in a separate setting (accommodation 4). • The scribe must record the student’s words exactly as dictated into the student’s answer booklet and may not edit or alter the student’s responses in any way. • The scribe must allow the student to review and edit what has been scribed. • When a student uses an electronic speech-to-text conversion device, the test administrator must follow the instructions for submitting typed responses described in Appendix C. • Scribes must handwrite student responses. 20. Organizer, Checklist, Reference Sheet, or Abacus: The student uses a graphic organizer or checklist to answer open-response questions or to respond to a writing prompt; an individualized mathematics reference sheet; or an abacus on the Mathematics tests. Note that organizers, checklists, and reference sheets must be included in the shipment of nonscorable materials along with other accommodation materials, even if one was provided to a student but not used during testing. a. General instructions for submitting materials to the Department for approval • All mathematics reference sheets, customized graphic organizers, and checklists submitted for approval must be accompanied by a completed Accommodation 20 Cover Sheet, posted at www.doe.mass.edu/mcas/participation/?section=sped and at the end of this appendix. • Graphic organizers, checklists, and mathematics reference sheets approved by the Department in 2010 or 2011 do not require additional approval for use on 2011–2012 MCAS tests. • Submission deadlines are as follows: Test Administration Content Area Materials Submission Date MCAS Test Deadline November 2011 ELA and Mathematics October 7, 2011 (Retest) February 2012 High School Biology January 13, 2012 March 2012 ELA and Mathematics January 13, 2012 (Retest) • Reference sheets, checklists, and/or graphic organizers submitted after these deadlines will not be reviewed for approval. • Do not submit multiple copies of identical graphic organizers or mathematics reference sheets for approval. • Submit all materials to the Department by fax to 781-338-3630 or by email (in MS Word or PDF formats only) to mcas@doe.mass.edu. • Notice of approval will be sent to the school approximately 10 business days from the time the materials are received at the Department. b. English Language Arts materials: A student generates a draft ELA open-response or composition using a graphic organizer or a checklist to check the steps in the writing process and/or recall reading comprehension strategies. Pre-approved sample ELA graphic organizers are posted at www.doe.mass.edu/mcas/participation/?section=sped for use on ELA open- response questions and ELA compositions by students who have accommodation 20 listed in their IEP or 504 plan. Pre-approved sample organizers are intended to clarify the difference between, and assist students to prepare, ELA open responses (on the ELA Reading Comprehension tests) and ELA compositions (on the ELA Composition tests). The following options are available to schools that wish to use ELA graphic organizers with eligible students: o Use a posted, pre-approved sample ELA graphic organizer, which is strongly encouraged and does not require submission to the Department for approval prior to MCAS testing. o Adapt a pre-approved sample ELA graphic organizer, which must be submitted to the Department for approval prior to MCAS testing. o Create a graphic organizer, which must be submitted to the Department for approval prior to MCAS testing. Notes on ELA materials: • The student may use no more than two different pre-approved graphic organizers per test. • Generic graphic organizers without text do not require submission to the Department for approval. • Graphic organizers and checklists may not include o definitions (of words or terms); o specific examples (e.g., examples of adjectives or synonyms); o sentence starters or lists of key words; o guiding questions (e.g., “Who are the main characters?” or “Where does the story take place?”). c. Mathematics materials: A student uses an individualized mathematics reference sheet or checklist to provide memory prompts, mnemonic devices, formulas, word banks, and/or generic steps in solving a mathematics problem. All reference sheets or checklists must be pre-approved by the Department. Note: The use of calculators, arithmetic tables, and manipulatives on the noncalculator test sessions of the mathematics tests is nonstandard accommodation 30. The mathematics checklist or reference sheet must be • developed in response to the individual student’s learning needs; • no more than three pages in length; • specific to the student’s grade. Notes on mathematics materials: The mathematics checklist or individualized reference sheet may not include • arithmetic tables (including addition/subtraction and multiplication/division charts), unless the student also meets the criteria for nonstandard accommodation 30, and this accommodation is listed in his or her IEP or 504 plan (if arithmetic tables are included on a mathematics reference sheet, it will not be approved unless it is noted that the student will also receive accommodation 30); • definitions of mathematical terms; • graphic illustrations (e.g., graphs, pictures of geometric shapes, or images that define a mathematical concept); and • specific examples showing solutions to actual mathematical problems. d. A student who is visually impaired may use an abacus during all sessions of the Mathematics test. 21. Student Signs or Reads Test Aloud: The student may • read the test aloud to him- or herself; • read the test and record answers on an audio recording device and then write responses to test questions while playing back the recorded segment(s) (including the ELA Composition); • type responses and then use text-to-speech software to play back and review the typed responses (student must also have accommodation 23 on his or her IEP or 504 plan); or • sign test questions/responses onto video and then write answers while playing back the video (for a student who is deaf or hard of hearing). Notes: • The test must be administered individually (accommodation 5) in a separate setting (accommodation 4). • All video and audio CDs, DVDs, and tapes must be returned with other nonscorable materials. No copies may be retained. • Text-to-speech software may not be used to listen to test questions or passages. 22. Monitor Placement of Responses: The test administrator monitors placement of student responses in the student’s answer booklet. 23. Typed Responses: The student uses a word processing program or Alpha-Smart (or similar electronic keyboard) to type the ELA Composition, answers to open-response questions, or answers to short-answer questions on any MCAS test. Notes: • The test administrator is responsible for ensuring that a student using this accommodation does not access the Internet or other files on the computer during testing. • When typing responses to any MCAS test, students may only use the spell- or grammar-checking functions if they have nonstandard accommodation 31 listed in their IEP or 504 plan. Test administrators are responsible for ensuring that students do not use spell- or grammar-checking functions except in cases where the student receives accommodation 31. • The test administrator must follow the instructions for submitting typed responses described in Appendix C of this manual and the TAM. 24. Answers Recorded in Test Booklet: The student records answers directly in the test booklet or uses special paper for drafts or computation (e.g., lined or graph paper). Note: Student responses must be transcribed verbatim into the student’s standard answer booklet. If the student transcribes his or her own responses, the transcription must be done during the test session and completed on the day in which the test session begins. 25. Other Standard Accommodation: The student uses another accommodation during routine instruction that the IEP or 504 team identifies as being necessary for the student to participate in MCAS tests. The accommodation must meet the criteria described in the General Requirements for Use of Test Accommodations in section C. The principal or designee must request written permission from the Department at least two weeks prior to test administration in order to provide a standard accommodation not on the preceding list to a student during MCAS testing. The student’s IEP or 504 team must reconvene in order to document any changes to accommodations listed in the plan, and if the student is on an IEP, the plan must be signed by the parent/guardian before the accommodation may be used. Please call 781-338-3625, email mcas@doe.mass.edu, or fax requests to 781-338-3630. J. Requirements for the Use of Nonstandard Accommodations IEP and 504 teams may allow the use of one or more of the following nonstandard MCAS test accommodations only when all of the criteria are met, as described next to each nonstandard accommodation. The accommodation must only be provided on an MCAS test when it is documented in a signed IEP or 504 plan. Please also review section E carefully for additional information. Use of an accommodation during instruction does not necessarily qualify a student to receive the same accommodation on an MCAS test. The Department will continue to carefully review the number of students with disabilities in each district who receive nonstandard accommodations on MCAS tests. IEP and 504 teams are encouraged to make consistent, defensible, and appropriate decisions for each student, and to amend the IEPs and 504 plans of students who do not meet the following criteria. # Accommodation Criteria Required for Use 26. Test Administrator Reads Aloud the 1. The student has a specific disability ELA Reading Comprehension Test that severely limits or prevents him or her from decoding text, even after Note: varied and repeated attempts to teach Reading aloud the ELA Composition the student to do so. The student writing prompt, the Mathematics, must be a virtual nonreader (i.e., at and/or the Biology tests is standard the beginning stages of learning to accommodation 16. The decision to use decode), not simply reading below nonstandard accommodation 26 must be grade level. made separately from the decision to use standard accommodation 16. AND 2. The student has access to printed materials only through a reader and/or is provided with spoken text on audiotape, CD, video, or other electronic format during routine instruction, except while the student is actually being taught to decode. Special Instructions: • All passages and test questions must be read word-for-word, exactly as written. The test administrator may not provide assistance to the student regarding the meanings of words, intent of any test question, or responses to test questions. The test administrator must read in a neutral tone, without emphasis on any terms, passages, or response options, and with no detectable changes in inflection. • If the test is read aloud, it must be administered in a separate setting (accommodation 4), either individually (accommodation 5) or to a small group (2–5 students) (accommodation 3). When reading aloud to a small group of students, follow the procedures outlined on page 84. # Accommodation Criteria Required for Use 27. Test Administrator Signs ELA Reading 1. The student has a specific documented Comprehension Test for a Student Who disability that severely limits or Is Deaf or Hard of Hearing prevents him or her from decoding text, even after varied and repeated Note: attempts to teach the student to do Signing the ELA Composition so. The student must be a virtual writing prompt, the Mathematics test, nonreader (i.e., at the beginning stages and/or the Biology test is standard of learning to decode), not simply accommodation 17. The decision to reading below grade level. use accommodation 27 must be made separately from the decision to use AND standard accommodation 17. 2. The student has access to printed materials only through a sign language interpreter or is provided with signed text on video or other electronic format during routine instruction, except while the student is actually being taught to decode. Special Instructions: • All passages and test questions must be signed exactly as written, except in cases when doing so would reveal an answer to a test question. When use of a sign would visually define the concept being tested, the term or concept must be finger- spelled. Interpreters may not provide assistance to the student regarding the meanings of words, intent of any test question, or responses to test questions. • If the test is signed, it must be administered in a separate setting (accommodation 4), either individually (accommodation 5) or to a small group (2–5 students) (accommodation 3). When signing a test to a small group of students, follow the procedures outlined on page 84. • Under secure conditions supervised by the principal, sign interpreters may review test materials up to four days prior to test administration. Test materials may not be removed from the school. # Accommodation Criteria Required for Use 28. Electronic Text Reader for the ELA 1. The student has a specific Reading Comprehension Test: documented disability that severely The student uses an electronic text reader limits or prevents him or her from (i.e., Kurzweil 3000) for the ELA Reading decoding text, even after varied Comprehension test. and repeated attempts to teach the student to do so. The student must Note: be a virtual nonreader (i.e., at the Using an electronic text reader for the beginning stages of learning to ELA Composition writing prompt, the decode), not simply reading below Mathematics test, and/or the Biology grade level. test is standard accommodation 18. The decision to use accommodation 28 must AND be made separately from the decision to use standard accommodation 18. 2. The student has access to printed materials only through an electronic text reader and is provided this accommodation during routine instruction, except while the student is actually being taught to decode. Special Instructions: • Kurzweil edition MCAS tests are read-only. All answers must be submitted in the student’s answer booklet. # Accommodation Criteria Required for Use 29. Scribe ELA Composition: 1. The student has a significant The student dictates the ELA Composition disability that requires the dictation to a scribe or uses a speech-to-text of all written compositions to a conversion device to record the ELA scribe or use of an electronic speech- Composition. to-text conversion device for all compositions. Note: The Department encourages IEP teams to OR consider alternatives to the use of a scribe for students who are deaf and taking 2. The student is unable to use his or the ELA Composition test. One such her writing hand or arm at the time alternative is accommodation 21, which of testing due to a broken bone or would permit a deaf student to sign his or fracture. (See section B for additional her draft composition onto video and then information on using a scribe for a transcribe the signed composition into student who is not yet on an IEP or written English while viewing the video. 504 plan.) Special Instructions: • The test must be administered individually (accommodation 5) in a separate setting (accommodation 4). • Clarification on the role of a scribe for the ELA Composition: o During Session A, the scribe must write exactly what the student dictates into the student’s test booklet. The scribe may not edit or alter the student’s dictation in any way. When scribing the draft composition, the scribe may assume that each sentence begins with a capital letter and ends with a period. All other capitalization, punctuation, and paragraph breaks are the responsibility of the student. o After the student has finished dictating his or her draft composition, the scribe must ask the student to do the following: – Spell key words. Key words include proper nouns, multisyllable words, and other words pertinent to the composition. – Review the draft composition and make any necessary edits, including edits to capital letters, punctuation, and paragraph breaks. The student may make edits independently or may direct the scribe to make the edits. The scribe must not assist the student in making decisions during the editing process. o During Session B, the scribe copies the final draft, including the student’s edits, into the student’s answer booklet. • When a student uses an electronic speech-to-text conversion device, the test administrator must follow the instructions for submitting typed responses described in the administration-specific sections of this manual. # Accommodation Criteria Required for Use 30. Calculation Devices: 1. The student has a specific disability The student uses a calculator, arithmetic that severely limits or prevents table (including addition/subtraction him or her from calculating and multiplication/division charts), or mathematically. The student must manipulatives (IEP or 504 plan must be virtually unable to perform specify which) on the noncalculator calculation (i.e., at the beginning session of the Mathematics test. stages of learning how to calculate) Calculators are allowed for all students without the use of a calculator or on the Biology test. arithmetic table, even after varied and repeated attempts to teach the student to do so. AND 2. The student has access to mathematical calculation only through the use of a calculator, arithmetic table, or manipulatives, which the student uses during routine instruction, except while the student is actually being taught to calculate. 31. Spell- or Grammar-Checking Function 1. The student has a specific on Word Processor, Spell-Checking documented disability that severely Device, or Word-Prediction Software for limits or prevents him or her from the ELA Composition: spelling correctly, even after varied and repeated attempts to teach the The student uses a spell- or grammar- student to do so. The student must checking function, spell-checking device be virtually unable to spell simple (including hand-held electronic spellers), words (i.e., at the beginning stages of or word-prediction software (IEP or 504 learning how to spell). plan must specify which function or device) for the ELA Composition. AND 2. The student can produce understandable written work only when provided this accommodation, which the student uses during routine instruction. Special Instructions: • When word-prediction software is used, the “predict-ahead” and “predict online” software functions must be turned off. • Students with accommodation 31 listed in their IEPs or 504 plans can use spell- or grammar-checking functions or devices on all MCAS tests, if required. # Accommodation Criteria Required for Use 32. Other Nonstandard Accommodation: The principal or designee must The student uses another nonstandard request written permission from the accommodation during routine Department at least two weeks prior to instruction that the IEP or 504 team test administration when a nonstandard identifies as being necessary for the accommodation not on the preceding list student to participate in MCAS tests. is being considered by the student’s IEP or 504 team for use during MCAS testing. The accommodation must meet the Accommodations must meet the criteria General Requirements for Use of Test set forth in section C and receive written Accommodations in section C. approval from the Department. The student’s IEP or 504 team must reconvene in order to document any changes to accommodations listed in the plan, and if the student is on an IEP, the plan must be signed by the parent/guardian before the accommodation may be used. Please call 781-338-3625, email mcas@doe.mass.edu, or fax requests to 781-338-3630. 3. Procedures for Using Test Accommodations 16 and 26:Reading MCAS Tests Aloud to a Small Group of Students (2–5) The test administrator may read the test aloud to a small group of students, provided that each student has an IEP or 504 plan that includes either standard accommodation 16 (for the ELA Composition, Mathematics, and/or Biology tests) or nonstandard accommodation 26 (for the ELA Reading Comprehension test). In addition, these students must have the accommodation for small group testing (accommodation 3) and the accommodation for testing in a separate setting (accommodation 4) listed in their IEPs or 504 plans. The procedures below must be followed: • No more than five students may be grouped together for reading tests aloud, since students typically proceed through the test at different rates. • The principal or designee must supervise the assignment of students to groups that will have test questions read aloud to them. Student test booklets may not be opened or reviewed by students or test administrators prior to testing. 4. Procedures for Using Test Accommodations 17 and 27: Signing MCAS Tests to a Small Group of Deaf Students (2–5) The test administrator may sign the test to a small group of students, provided that each student has an IEP or 504 plan that includes either standard accommodation 17 (for the ELA Composition, Mathematics, and/or Biology tests) or nonstandard accommodation 27 (for the ELA Reading Comprehension test). In addition, these students must have the accommodation for small group testing (accommodation 3) and the accommodation for testing in a separate setting (accommodation 4) listed in their IEPs or 504 plans. The procedures below must be followed: • No more than five students may be grouped together for signing the tests, since students typically proceed through the test at different rates. • Student test booklets may not be opened or reviewed by students prior to testing. • Under secure conditions supervised by the principal, sign interpreters may review test materials up to four days prior to test administration. Test materials must be reviewed in a secure location supervised by the principal and may not be removed from the school. 5. MCAS Test Accommodations for Adults with Disabilities for Participation in the November and March Retests and February Biology Test Adults who wish to earn a high school diploma and have not yet met the testing requirements of the CD may participate in testing at the high school the adult most recently attended, another high school, or an alternative/external diploma program. Required Documentation In order for an adult with a disability to participate in the retest with test accommodations, prior to testing the individual must produce one of the following pieces of documentation: • a letter from a diagnostician qualified in the area of the disability (e.g., medical doctor, neuro-psychologist, psychologist, speech pathologist) describing the nature of the individual’s disability OR • an approved IEP that documents the accommodations needed for statewide testing from the past five years (i.e., any year from 2007 through 2011) OR • an approved Section 504 plan that documents the accommodations needed for statewide testing from the past five years (i.e., any year from 2007 through 2011) Section A notes the accommodations allowed for all adult test-takers, provided that the adult produces the required documentation of the disability and requests the accommodation before testing. Note that some of these accommodations require the test-taker to provide his or her own device or equipment. Adults must submit their request for specific accommodations in writing if the accommodations are not clearly stated on the assessment page of the IEP or in the 504 plan. Section B includes accommodations that are allowed ONLY with prior Department approval. High schools must request approval from the Department at least two weeks prior to testing. Section C lists accommodations not necessarily available for adult test-takers. A. Accommodations Allowed for All Adult Test-Takers The following accommodations are allowed for all adult test-takers, provided that the adult produces the required documentation of the disability and requests the accommodation before testing. Refer to sections I and J for full descriptions of these accommodations. 1. Frequent Breaks 6. Specified Area 8. Noise Buffers: Adult must bring his or her own equipment. 9. Magnification or Overlays: Adult must bring his or her own equipment. 10. Test Directions 11. Large-Print: This edition must be requested at the time of registration. 12. Braille: This edition must be requested at the time of registration. 13. Place Marker: Adult must bring his or her own equipment. 15. Amplification: Adult must bring his or her own equipment. 21. Adult Signs or Reads Test Aloud: Adult must bring his or her own equipment. B. Accommodations that Are Allowed ONLY with Prior Approval The following accommodations are allowed only with prior approval from the Department. Refer to page 88 for instructions and refer to sections I and J for full descriptions of these accommodations. 3. Small Group 4. Separate Setting 5. Individual 14. Track Test Questions 16. Test Administrator Reads Test Aloud (except ELA Reading Comprehension test, which is nonstandard accommodation 26) 17. Test Administrator Signs Test (except ELA Reading Comprehension test, which is nonstandard accommodation 27): An American Sign Language video/DVD version is not produced for the ELA or Mathematics retest, or the Biology test. 18. Electronic Text Reader (except ELA Reading Comprehension test, which is nonstandard accommodation 28): The Kurzweil 3000 CD must be requested at the time of registration. 19. Scribe Test or Use Speech-to-Text Conversion Device (except ELA Composition, which is nonstandard accommodation 29) 20. Organizer, Checklist, Reference Sheet, or Abacus: must be approved by the Department prior to use. 22. Monitor Placement of Responses 23. Typed Responses 24. Answers Recorded in Test Booklet 25. Other Standard Accommodation 26. Test Administrator Reads Aloud the ELA Reading Comprehension Test 27. Test Administrator Signs ELA Reading Comprehension Test for a Student Who Is Deaf or Hard of Hearing 28. Electronic Text Reader for the ELA Reading Comprehension Test 29. Scribe the ELA Composition: This accommodation may be provided to an adult with a broken bone or fracture in his or her writing hand or arm at the time of testing. 30. Calculation Devices: Adult must bring his or her own calculation device. 31. Spell- or Grammar-Checking Function on Word Processor, Spell-Checking Device, or Word Prediction Software for the ELA Composition 32. Other Nonstandard Accommodation C. Accommodations NOT Available for Adult Test-takers The accommodations listed below are not available for adult test-takers. Refer to section I for full descriptions of these accommodations. 2. Time of Day 7. Familiar Test Administrator [MCAS Accommodation 20 Cover Sheet] [Request to test an adult w_accommodations] Appendix C Procedures for Submitting Typed Responses Follow the instructions in this appendix to submit responses for a student with a disability whose IEP Team or 504 team has determined that he or she will participate in MCAS testing using standard accommodation 23 (student uses a word processing program, Alpha-Smart, or similar electronic keyboard to type the ELA Composition and/or answers to short-answer or open-response questions). General Information A student’s typed responses may be submitted by inserting typed pages inside the student’s answer booklet. A student’s response to each test question must be submitted entirely using one of the following methods: • typed on paper and inserted inside the student’s answer booklet; or • entered into the student’s answer booklet. All of the responses for an individual student do not need to be submitted using the same method. Regardless of which method is used, submit only one response per question. Draft responses are to be marked “DRAFT” and returned in the nonscorable shipment. Before Test Administration 1. Inform test administrators whether the school will be submitting responses typed on paper and/or written or transcribed into the answer booklets. 2. Provide a standard answer booklet along with appropriate tracking documents to each test administrator. 3. Ensure that test administrators understand and follow the instructions in the TAMs regarding the following: • security information • information required on each typed response page (See sample at the end of this appendix) • instructions for printing responses • instructions for submitting a typed response for the Mathematics and Biology administrations for students using a graphic in their response to a question After Test Administration Note: A student’s responses to multiple-choice questions must be marked by the student or transcribed into his or her standard answer booklet. Otherwise, the student will not receive credit for his or her work. 1. Complete all information requested on the front and back covers of the student’s standard answer booklet, including the circle for accommodation 23 on the inside back cover. 2. Refer to the TAMs for instructions on preparing typed responses for submission. 3. Mark drafts of typed responses “DRAFT” and return them with nonscorable materials. 4. Ensure that all student responses are deleted by test administrators according to instructions in the TAMs. 5. Submit the standard answer booklets according to the instructions in this manual. Sample MCAS Typed Response Template Student Name: Jonathan Ward Student SASID: 1012345678 Answer Booklet Serial Number: 1234567890 Subject: ELA Reading Comprehension Question Number: 35 In this area, this student will type the response to the test question. A maximum of one page may be submitted for each short-answer or open-response question, and a maximum of four pages may be submitted for the ELA Composition. Appendix D Procedures for Providing Student Information It is the responsibility of the principal to provide accurate information for every student participating in testing. As this information is confidential, the principal or designee should complete the information after testing. Below are instructions for completing student information on the back covers of students’ answer booklets. Sample booklet covers are provided in Appendix E. (November retest samples are provided.) 1. November 2011 MCAS ELA and Mathematics Retests A. Answer Booklet Inside Back Cover 1. ACCOMMODATIONS FOR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES section • Accommodations Fill in each circle corresponding to an accommodation that was used by a student with a disability who has an IEP or a 504 plan (or a 504 plan is in development). Refer to Appendix B for a list of standard and nonstandard accommodations and procedures for testing students with disabilities. Do not fill in any of the circles for a student with a disability who did not use accommodations during testing (including a student with a disability who was offered an accommodation but did not use it during testing). • Section 504 Plan Fill in this circle for a student with a disability who was tested with accommodations because he or she has a Section 504 plan or a 504 plan is being developed.^19 Do not fill in this circle for a student with a disability who has an IEP, because IEP status is collected through SIMS instead of the answer booklet. 2. LEP STATUS: FIRST YEAR OF ENROLLMENT IN U.S. SCHOOLS section This section is not applicable for the retests. Do not fill in this circle. B. Answer Booklet Outside Back Cover 1. NON–GRADE 10 STATUS section This section is not applicable for the retests. Do not fill in either circle. 2. ABSENCE section This section is not applicable for the retests. Do not fill in either circle. If an answer booklet was assigned to a student but the student was absent and not tested, mark the booklet void. 3. CHANGE OF ENROLLMENT STATUS section This section is not applicable for the retests. Do not fill in any circles. If an answer booklet was assigned to a student but the student’s enrollment status changed (e.g., was removed from your school’s enrollment) and the student was not tested, mark the booklet void. 4. VOID ANSWER BOOKLET section Fill in this circle for an answer booklet that was assigned to a student and should not be scored. 2. February 2012 MCAS Biology A. Answer Booklet Inside Back Cover 1. ACCOMMODATIONS FOR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES section Fill in each circle corresponding to an accommodation that was used by a student with a disability who has an IEP or a 504 plan (or a 504 plan is under development). Refer to Appendix B for the list of standard and nonstandard accommodations and procedures for testing students with disabilities. Do not fill in any of the circles for a student with a disability who did not use accommodations during testing (including a student with a disability who was offered an accommodation but did not use it during testing). The circle on the answer booklet to indicate whether a student has a 504 plan has been removed; however, accommodations used by the student during testing must still be indicated on the answer booklet. Because a student’s 504 status is now reported through SIMS instead of on the answer booklet, remember to report to the district SIMS contact any students for whom a 504 plan was developed because of a temporary disability such as a broken arm. 2. LEP STATUS: FIRST YEAR OF ENROLLMENT IN U.S. SCHOOLS section Fill in this circle for an LEP student who was first enrolled in a U.S. school after the March 1, 2011, SIMS submission. Refer to Appendix A for the definition of an LEP student and procedures for testing LEP students. B. Answer Booklet Outside Back Cover 1. ABSENCE section Fill in the circle corresponding to the reason a student was absent. • Absent with Medical Documentation Fill in this circle for a student who was scheduled to participate but was absent with medical documentation for one or both test sessions and did not participate in make-up testing. (Students who complete both sessions will not be reported as absent with medical documentation.) • Absent without Medical Documentation Fill in this circle for a student who was scheduled to participate but was absent without medical documentation for one or both test sessions and did not participate in make-up testing. (Students who complete both sessions will not be reported as absent.) 2. CHANGE OF ENROLLMENT STATUS section Fill in the circle corresponding to the reason a student’s enrollment status has changed. • Removed from Enrollment Fill in the appropriate circle for a student who participated one but not both of the test sessions in the booklet because he or she transferred out of the school during the testing window^20 • Added to Enrollment Fill in the appropriate circle for a student who participated in at least one but not both of the test sessions in the booklet because he or she transferred into the school during the testing window^21 3. VOID ANSWER BOOKLET section Fill in this circle for an answer booklet that was assigned to a student but should not be scored. 3. March 2012 MCAS ELA and Mathematics Retests Answer Booklet Outside Back Cover 1. ACCOMMODATIONS FOR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES section Fill in each circle corresponding to an accommodation that was used by a student with a disability who has an IEP or a 504 plan (or a 504 plan is under development). Refer to Appendix B for the list of standard and nonstandard accommodations and procedures for testing students with disabilities. Do not fill in any of the circles for a student with a disability who did not use accommodations during testing (including a student with a disability who was offered an accommodation but did not use it during testing). The circle on the answer booklet to indicate whether a student has a 504 plan has been removed; however, accommodations used by the student during testing must still be indicated on the answer booklet. Because a student’s 504 status is now reported through SIMS instead of on the answer booklet, remember to report to the district SIMS contact any students for whom a 504 plan was developed because of a temporary disability such as a broken arm. 2. VOID ANSWER BOOKLET section Fill in this circle for an answer booklet that was assigned to a student but should not be scored. ^19 Remember that a Section 504 plan must be developed for a student with a documented disability (e.g., broken or fractured arm or wrist) who was tested with accommodations. ^20 Do not assign an answer booklet for a student who transferred out of the school during the testing window and did not participate in any test sessions contained in the answer booklet. ^21 Do not assign an answer booklet for a student who transferred into the school during the testing window and did not participate in any test sessions contained in the answer booklet. Appendix E Sample Administration Forms and Test Materials [Request for permission to test a student in alternate setting] [Test materials internal tracking form] [test materials internal tracking form] [Materials summary ] [Carton label] [Principals certification statements] [completed answer booklet student ID is used] [completed answer booklet front cover student ID NOT used] [Answer booklet inside back cover] [Answer booklet outside back cover] [Sample UPS Return Service Label] The test administration listed in the “DESC” description line should assist you in preparing materials for return, particularly when trying to distinguish between the high school administrations that occur during a brief time span in the spring. Return all leftover, unused labels after each administration in your nonscorable shipment. Do not save any to use for another administration. Sample UPS return service label Note that each RS label lists the test administration in the line marked as “DESC:”. Please choose the correct RS label when scheduling the UPS pickup for each administration. Index 504 status designating in answer booklets iv, 21, 94, 95, 96, 106 general information 21, 29, 37, 41, 49, 53, 61, Appendix B, 94, 95, 96, 106 reporting through SIMS iv, 95, 96 Absences 10, 11, 12, 13, 18, 30, 36, 42, 48, 54, 60,94, 95, 107 medically documented see Medically documented absences Accommodations Accommodation 20 iv, 74–76 Cover Sheet iv, 74, 87, 88 pre-approved graphic organizers for use with iv, 34, 58, 74, 75, 87 adult test-takers 84–88 Request for Permission to Test an Adult with Accommodations 88 Braille edition see Braille materials changes in how students respond to test questions 19, 68, 70, 73–77 changes in test presentation 19, 70, 72–73 changes in test setting 19, 70, 71–72, 73, 76, 78, 79, 81, 84, 85 changes in timing or scheduling of test 70, 71 definition and purpose of test accommodations 68, 70–71 designating in answer booklets 21, 90, 94, 95, 96, 106 early distribution of materials 72, 73, 79, 84 eligibility 68–70, 71, 77, 84–85 general information 10, 21, 29, 41, 53, Appendix B, Appendix C Kurzweil 3000 CD see Kurzweil 3000 CDlarge-print edition 18, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 70, 71, 72, 85 list of 71–83 nonstandard accommodations 22, 37, 49, 61, 69, 70–71, 72, 73, 75, 76, 77–83, 84, 86, 88, 94, 95, 96, 106 reading the test aloud to a small group of students 71, 72–73, 78, 84, 86 review with test administrators 3, 4, 6, 16 signing the test to a small group of students 71, 72, 73, 79, 84, 86, 106 special procedures 78–83 standard accommodations 22, 31, 37, 43, 49, 55, 61, 70, 71–77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 84, 86, 88, 90, 94, 95, 96, 106 submitting materials to the Department for approval iv, 64, 69, 74–75, 77, 83, 85, 87, 88 temporary disability 29, 37, 41, 49, 53, 61, 81, 86, 94, 95, 96 transcribing responses in answer booklets 4, 16, 30, 31, 32, 33, 42, 43, 44, 45, 54, 55, 56, 57, 72, 77, 90 typed responses see Typed responses Accounting for test materials 3, 25–26, 30, 42, 54, 99, 100, 101 Adams Scholarship 11, 12 Additional testing time see Policy on testing time Additional test materials, ordering i, ii, iii, 16, 29, 41, 53 Administration deadlines ii–iii Administration forms Accommodation 20 Cover Sheet iv, 74, 88 sample form 87 alternate setting form see Request for Permission to Test a Student in an Alternate Setting sample form 98 Enrollment Verification form 16 Materials Summary 26, 28, 29, 31, 34, 35, 36, 40, 41, 43, 46, 47, 48, 52, 53, 55, 58, 59, 60 sample form 101–102 nonparticipation form 13, 36, 48, 60 Principal’s Certification of Proper Test Administration (PCPA) i, ii, iii, 2, 16, 26, 28–29, 31, 32, 36, 40–41, 43, 44, 48, 53, 55, 56, 60 sample form 103 Request for Permission to Test an Adult with Accommodations 88 Test Materials Internal Tracking Form 3, 26, 36, 48, 60, 90, 99, 100 sample forms 99, 100 Administration schedule see also Scheduling/test Administrations additional time 17, 22, 23 Calendar of Events ii–iii concurrent testing see Concurrent administration required dates ii–iii, iv, 16, 18, 22, 28, 40, 52 session length ii, iii, 16, 17 test completion sessions see Policy on testing time Adult test-takers 11, 12, 13, 84–88 Adults with disabilities 84–88 Alternate assessment 10, 106 Alternate setting 4, 13, 37, 49, 61 sample form 98 Answer booklets applying Student ID Labels 22, 24–25, 29, 41, 53, 104, 105 completing confidential student information iv, 24–25, 29, 31, 41, 43, 53, 55, 90, Appendix D cover sample 104–107 damaged 4, 30, 42, 54 defective 4, 29, 30, 41, 42, 53, 54 returning 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59 transcribing responses see Transcriptions unused 31, 34, 35, 43, 46, 47, 55, 58, 59 used 30, 31, 32, 33, 42, 43, 44, 45, 54, 55, 56, 57 void 4, 30, 31, 32, 33, 42, 43, 44, 45, 54, 55, 56, 57, 94, 95, 96, 107 Appeals see Performance appeals Approved resource materials 5, 20, 22–23 Authorizing test administrators and school employees to assist with testing 3, 19, 28, 40, 52 Bilingual word-to-word dictionaries see Dictionaries Braille materials 18, 31, 34, 35, 43, 46, 47, 55, 58, 59, 70, 71, 72, 85 administration guidelines 72 early distribution of test materials 72 returning answer booklets 31, 43, 55 returning other materials 31, 34, 35, 43, 46, 47, 55, 58, 59 transcribing responses in answer booklets see Transcriptions Breaks in sessions 5, 17, 22 Broken bone 29, 37, 41, 49, 53, 61, 81, 86, 94, 95, 96 Calculators allowed 20, 23, 24, 41, 82 as accommodations 75, 82, 86, 88 description 20 loaned 20, 23, 29, 30, 41, 42, 53, 54 prohibition on calculator instructions and formula sheets 20 student provided 20, 23, 24 Cell phones 5, 20, 21, 23 Certificate of Mastery see Koplik Certificate of Mastery with Distinction Award Checklists for students with disabilities using accommodation 20 iv, 34, 58, 74–75, 86, 87 Classroom displays 5, 19 Competency Determination (CD) graduation requirements 10, 11, 12, 13, 23, 65 Concurrent administration 17 Confidential student information see Answer booklets/completing confidential student information Contaminated materials 4, 22, 25, 30, 42, 54 Counting materials for return see Test materials/returning Deadlines to return materials ii–iii, iv, 3, 18, 36, 48, 60 Demographic information see Answer booklets/completing confidential student information Dictionaries bilingual word-to-word 20, 23, 24, 64, 71 electronic 64 English-language 20, 23, 29, 30, 53, 54, 70, 71 pocket translators 20 for students with disabilities 70, 71 Disability, adult with a see Adults with disabilities Disability, student with a see Students with disabilities Disability, temporary see Accommodations/temporary disability Document tracking system 26, 28, 29, 30, 40, 41, 42, 52, 53, 54 Duplicating materials 4, 70 prohibitions 4, 70 Early distribution of test materials for students with disabilities 72, 73, 79, 84 Early release days 17 Educational Proficiency Plans (EPPs) 10, 11, 12, 23 English-language dictionaries see Dictionaries English language learner (ELL) students 17, 20, 23, 24, 64, 65, 68, 71 see also Limited English proficient (LEP) definition of 17, 64 general information 23 participation requirements 17, 64, 65, 68 use of bilingual word-to-word dictionaries see Dictionaries English/Spanish test materials 18, 64, 65 First-year LEP students 10, 11, 12, 65, 94, 95, 106 Fracture see Broken bone Graduation requirements see Competency Determination (CD) graduation requirements Graphic organizers iv, 19, 21, 34, 58, 74, 75, 87 Highlighters 20, 22 H-taping method 32, 34, 44, 46, 56, 58 Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) 6, 17, 21, 29, 41, 53, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 87, 90, 94, 95, 96, 106 Individualized mathematics reference sheets iv, 74 Internal tracking forms 21, 26, 28, 29, 30, 36, 40, 41, 42, 48, 52, 53, 54, 60, 90 Interruptions during testing 18 Irregularities in tracking documents 26, 30, 42, 54 investigations into 6–7 penalties for 7 reporting of 2, 5, 6, 26 Koplik Certificate of Mastery with Distinction Award 11, 12 Kurzweil 3000 CD 18, 34, 35, 46, 47, 58, 59, 71, 73, 80, 86 Large-print materials 18, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 70, 71, 72, 85 accommodation procedure 70, 71, 72, 85 administration guidelines 72 returning answer booklets 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59 returning test booklets 31, 34, 35, 43, 46, 47, 55, 58, 59 transcribing responses in answer booklets see Transcriptions Limited English proficient (LEP) 10, 11, 12, 65, 71, 94, 95, 106 see also English language learner (ELL) students designating first-year LEP students in answer booklets 65, 94, 95, 106 Make-up testing ii–iii, iv, 17, 18, 22, 30, 37, 42, 49, 54, 61, 95, 98 Materials Summary see Administration forms Mathematics reference sheets iv, 22, 34, 37, 58, 61, 74, 75–76 as an accommodation iv, 34, 58, 74, 75–76, 86, 87 MCAS Alternate Assessment (MCAS-Alt) 10, 106 MCAS Service Center i, 16, 25, 28, 29, 30, 32, 36, 40, 41, 42, 44, 48, 52, 53, 54, 56, 60, 101 Medically documented absences 10, 11, 12, 18, 36, 42, 48, 60, 95, 107 Meeting with students 23–24, 28, 40, 52 Misconduct 2, 6, 7 Monitoring Department visits to schools 6 Department’s website for updates 16 placement of student responses in answer booklets 5, 76, 86, 88 receipt/return of test materials 3 students during testing 5, 17, 21 test administrations 30, 42, 54 Nonparticipation letter and form 13, 36, 48, 60 Nonscorable materials shipments see Test materials/returning/nonscorable materials Nonstandard accommodations 22, 37, 49, 61, 69, 70–71, 72, 73, 75, 76, 77–83, 84, 86, 88, 94, 95, 96, 106 Online services i, 18–19, 26, 28–29, 31, 32, 36, 41, 43, 44, 48, 53, 55, 56, 60, 71 additional materials i, 29, 41, 53 practice tests 18–19, 29, 41, 53 Principal’s Certification of Proper Test Administration (PCPA) 26, 28–29, 31, 32, 36, 43,44, 48, 53, 55, 56, 60 UPS pickup 36, 48, 60 Ordering additional test materials see Test materials Packing diagrams nonscorable materials November 35 February 47 March 59 scorable materials November 33 February 45 March 57 Packing slips 26, 36, 48, 60 Participation in Biology 2012 test 12, 13 for Adams Scholarship 11, 12 ELL students 17, 64, 65, 68 see also English language learner (ELL) studentsfor EPP purposes 10, 11, 12, 23 for Koplik Certificate of Mastery with Distinction Award 11, 12 general information 10–13 grade 10 ELA and Mathematics tests 10–13 in March 2012 retest 11 in November 2011 retest 10–11 students in alternate settings 4, 13, 37, 49, 61, 98 students with disabilities see Students with disabilities PCPA see Principal’s Certification of Proper Test Administration (PCPA) Pencils 20, 22, 23, 29, 30, 41, 42, 53, 54 Pens 20 Performance appeals 65 Pickup of materials see Scheduling/UPS pickup Policy on testing time 16–17 additional time 17, 22, 23 same-day session completion 17 Power failure 18 Practice tests 18–19, 22, 29, 37, 41, 49, 53 administration instructions 18–19 description 18–19 helping students 19 recycling or discarding 37, 49, 61 Pre-approved ELA graphic organizers iv, 34, 58, 74, 75, 87 Prescribed test dates ii–iii, iv, 3, 4, 16, 18, 22, 28, 40, 52 Principal’s Certification of Proper Test Administration (PCPA) i, ii, iii, 2, 16, 26, 28–29, 31, 32, 36, 40–41, 43, 44, 48, 53, 55, 56, 60, 103 Procedures for providing student information iv, 24–25, 29, 31, 41, 43, 53, 55, 90, Appendix D submitting typed responses 31, 32, 33, 34, 43, 44, 45, 46, 55, 56, 57, 58, 72, 73, 76, 81, 86, Appendix C, 106 testing ELL students 17, 20, 23, 24, 64, 65, 68, 71 see also English language learner (ELL) studentstesting students with disabilities 3, 4, 6, 10, 17, 19, 21, 22, 29, 31, 37, 41, 43, 49, 53, 55, 61, Appendix B, Appendix C, 94, 95, 96, 106 Qualified test administrators 19, 64 Receiving test materials see Test materials/receiving Record of test administrators and students 28, 30, 37, 40, 42, 49, 52, 54, 61 Reference sheets see Mathematics reference sheets Request for Permission to Test a Student in an Alternate Setting 13, 37, 49, 61 Resource materials 20–21, 22–23 Return Carton 32–33, 34, 35, 44–45, 46, 47, 56–57, 58, 59 Return Envelope 32, 33, 34, 35, 44, 45, 46, 47, 56, 57, 58, 59 Returning test materials see Test materials/returning Return Service (RS) label see UPS Return Service (RS) label Return shipment ii, iii, iv, 3, 18, 19, 25, 26, 30–36, 42–48, 54–60, 76, 90, 101–102, 108 RS label see UPS Return Service (RS) label Sample forms Appendix E SASID see State-Assigned Student Identifier (SASID) Scheduling test administrations ii–iii, iv, 3, 16–19, 28, 30, 40, 42, 52, 54 see also Concurrent administration UPS pickup i, ii, iii, 33, 36, 45, 48, 57, 60, 108 School files, materials to retain in 4, 21, 29, 31, 32, 33, 34, 36–37, 41, 44, 45, 46, 48–49, 53, 56, 57, 58, 60–61, 76, 98, 99, 100, 101 School-supplied test materials 20, 23, 29, 30, 41, 42, 53, 54 see also Dictionaries Scorable materials shipments see Test materials/returning/scorable materials Scribing the test 4, 16, 30, 31, 32, 33, 42, 43, 44, 45, 54, 55, 56, 57, 72, 77, 90 Secure storage of materials see Test materials/secure storage Security access to test materials 2, 3, 4, 19, 21, 28, 40, 52 cheating 5, 23 coaching 5 duplicating materials 4, 70 during breaks 5, 17 materials storage 2, 3, 26, 28, 30, 36, 40, 42, 48, 52, 54, 60 materials tracking 3, 21, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 36, 40, 41, 42, 48, 52, 53, 54, 60, 90, 99, 100 materials tracking sample forms 99, 100 monitoring and enforcement 5, 17, 21, 30, 42, 54 penalties 7 previewing test materials 72, 73, 79, 84 principal’s responsibilities for test materials 2, 3–4, 16, 19, 21–23, 24–26, 28, 40, 52, 94 prohibitions 2, 4, 5, 6, 17, 19, 20–21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 29, 32, 36, 41, 44, 48, 53, 56, 60, 64, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 75–76, 78, 79, 81, 84 removal of materials from school, prohibition against 4, 36, 48, 60, 72, 73, 79, 84 reporting irregularities 2, 5, 6, 26 secure test environment 4, 5, 19 storage of materials see Test materials/secure storage supervision of students during breaks 5, 17, 22 testing space preparations 19, 20–21, 29, 53 Test Materials Internal Tracking Form 3, 26, 36, 48, 60, 90, 99, 100 tracking test materials see Test materials/tracking violations 6–7, 70 visitors 4 Sequence for test administration ii, iii Session length ii, iii, 16, 17 Severe weather 18 Shipping instructions 25, 32–36, 44–48, 56–60 Signing the test to a small group of students 71, 72, 73, 79, 84, 86, 106 SIMS see Student Information Management System (SIMS) SIMS contact i, 24, 25, 37, 49, 61, 95, 96 Spanish editions 18, 64, 65 English/Spanish test administration guidelines 64 Special Handling Envelope 32, 33, 34, 35, 44, 45, 46, 47, 56, 57, 58, 59 Spell-checking devices 20, 76, 82, 86 Standard accommodations 22, 31, 37, 43, 49, 55, 61, 70, 71–77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 84, 86, 88, 90, 94, 95, 96, 106 State-Assigned Student Identifier (SASID) 24, 25, 28, 29, 31, 40, 41, 43, 52, 53, 55 Storage of test materials see Security/materials storage Student ID Labels 22, 24–25, 29, 30, 31, 34, 35, 41, 42, 43, 46, 47, 53, 54, 55, 58, 59, 104, 105 applying to answer booklets 22, 24–25, 29, 41, 53, 104, 105 Student information see Answer booklets/completing confidential student information Student Information Management System (SIMS) i, iv, 24, 25, 28, 37, 40, 49, 52, 61, 94, 95, 96 Student meeting 23–24, 28, 40, 52 Student participation requirements see Participation Students with disabilities 3, 4, 6, 10, 17, 19, 21, 22, 29, 31, 37, 41, 43, 49, 53, 55, 61, Appendix B, Appendix C, 94, 95, 96, 106 Submitting answer booklets iv, 4, 21, 24–25, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 65, 72, 73, 76, 77, 80, 81, Appendix C, Appendix D, 104–107 Test accommodations see Accommodations Test administration schedule see Scheduling/test administrations Test administrators assigning to testing spaces 28, 40, 52 authorizing 3, 19, 28, 40, 52 qualifications 19, 64 scripts 5, 21, 22, 64 training topics 21–23, 90 Test Administrator’s Manual (TAM) 2, 3, 4, 5, 18, 21, 22, 25, 28, 29, 37, 40, 41, 49, 52, 53, 61, 64, 76, 90 Test Administrators’ Training 3, 4, 21–23, 28, 36, 40, 48, 52, 60 Testing spaces assignment 19, 22, 28, 40, 52 preparation 19, 20–21, 29, 53 Test materials allowed in testing spaces 21, 23, 24, 64, 70, 71, 82, 74–76 contaminated 4, 22, 25, 30, 42, 54 damaged see Answer booklets/damaged defective see Answer booklets/defective distribution to test administrators 19, 21, 28, 29, 30, 40, 41, 42, 52, 53, 54 Internal Tracking Form 3, 26, 36, 48, 60, 90, 99, 100 opening shrink-wrapped packages 28, 29, 40, 41, 52, 53 ordering additional materials i, ii, iii, 16, 29, 41, 53 original shipping cartons 28, 34, 40, 46, 52, 58 packing discrepancies ii, iii, 3, 26, 28–29, 30, 40–41, 42, 53, 54, 55 prohibited in testing spaces 5, 21, 23, 24, 64, 70, 71, 74–76 receiving ii, iii, 25, 26, 28–29, 40–41, 52, 53, 101–102 defective 29, 41, 53 discrepancies ii, iii, 3, 26, 28–29, 40–41, 53, 55 inventorying on receipt 3, 16, 25, 26, 28, 40, 52 inventorying test booklets and answer booklets by package 28, 40, 52 save materials cartons 28, 40, 52 retaining in school files 4, 21, 29, 31, 32, 33, 34, 36–37, 41, 44, 45, 46, 48–49, 53, 56, 57, 58, 60–61, 76, 98, 99, 100, 101 returning ii, iii, iv, 3, 18, 19, 25, 26, 30–36, 42–48, 54–60, 76, 90, 101–102, 108 counting materials for return 31, 43, 55 deadline for returning ii–iii, iv, 3, 18, 36, 48, 60 nonscorable materials 25, 34–35, 36, 46–47, 48, 58–59, 60, 74, 76, 90 Return Envelope 32, 33, 34, 35, 44, 45, 46, 47, 56, 57, 58, 59 scorable materials 32–33, 34, 35, 36, 44–45, 46, 47, 48, 56–57, 58, 59, 60 Special Handling Envelope 32, 33, 34, 35, 44, 45, 46, 47, 56, 57, 58, 59 Void Envelope 32, 33, 34, 35, 44, 45, 46, 47, 56, 57, 58, 59 secure storage 2, 3, 26, 28, 30, 36, 40, 42, 48, 52, 54, 60 shipment description 42–49, 54–61, 30–37, 101–102 tracking 3, 21, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 36, 40, 41, 42, 48, 52, 53, 54, 60, 90, 99, 100 Test security see Security Text readers 73, 80, 86 Tracking form see Test materials/Internal Tracking Form Transcriptions 4, 16, 30, 31, 32, 33, 42, 43, 44, 45, 54, 55, 56, 57, 72, 73, 77, 81, 86, 90 Typed responses 31, 32, 33, 34, 43, 44, 45, 46, 55, 56, 57, 58, 72, 73, 76, 81, 86, Appendix C, 106 Unapproved resource materials 5, 20–21, 22 Untimed test sessions 16, 17, 71 UPS pickup see Scheduling/UPS pickup UPS Return Service (RS) label 33, 34, 35, 36, 45, 46, 47, 48, 57, 58, 59, 60, 108 UPS tracking numbers 33, 34, 36, 37, 45, 46, 48, 49, 57, 58, 60, 61 Void answer booklets 4, 30, 31, 32, 33, 42, 43, 44, 45, 54, 55, 56, 57, 94, 95, 96, 107 Void Envelope 32, 33, 34, 35, 44, 45, 46, 47, 56, 57, 58, 59 Weather and school closures 18 severe 18 Word-to-word dictionaries see Dictionaries/bilingual word-to-word Page 54 of 54 Page 24 of 54 Page 29 of 54