New Jersey. Spring 2012 GRADES 3 8 Test Coordinator Manual ASSESSMENT OF SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE

Transcription

1 New Jersey ASSESSMENT OF SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE Spring 2012 GRADES 3 8 Test Coordinator Manual Copyright 2012 by New Jersey Department of Education All rights reserved. PTM #

2 DISTRICT TEST COORDINATOR TRAINING SCHEDULE March 19, 2012 Northern Region March 21, 2012 Southern Region March 23, 2012 Northern Region March 20, 2012 Central Region March 22, 2012 Southern Region RECEIPT OF MATERIALS March 27 April 9, 2012 April 17, 2012 REGULAR TESTING NJ ASK materials arrive in districts via NCD Package Express. Last day to order supplementary NJ ASK materials from Measurement Incorporated GRADES 7 & 8 April 23, 2012 Language Arts Literacy Day 1 April 24, 2012 Language Arts Literacy Day 2 April 25, 2012 Mathematics Day 1 April 26, 2012 Mathematics Day 2 (Grade 7) or Science (Grade 8) GRADES 5 & 6 April 30, 2012 Language Arts Literacy Day 1 May 1, 2012 Language Arts Literacy Day 2 May 2, 2012 Mathematics Day 1 May 3, 2012 Mathematics Day 2 GRADES 3 & 4 May 7, 2012 Language Arts Literacy Day 1 May 8, 2012 Language Arts Literacy Day 2 May 9, 2012 Mathematics Day 1 May 10, 2012 Mathematics Day 2 May 11, 2012 Science (Grade 4) MAKE-UP TESTING Grades 7 & 8: April 30 May 4, 2012; Grades 5 & 6: May 7 May 11, 2012; Grades 3 & 4: May 14 May 18, 2012 RETURN OF TEST MATERIALS April 26 May 1, 2012 Return to Measurement Incorporated (via FedEx Air) ALL used NJ ASK 7 8 answer folders for students who completed testing during the regular administration. May 3 8, 2012 Return to Measurement Incorporated (via FedEx Air) ALL used NJ ASK 7 8 answer folders for students who completed testing during the make-up administration AND NJ ASK 5 6 answer folders for students who completed testing during the regular administration. May 11 15, 2012 Return to Measurement Incorporated (via FedEx Air) ALL used NJ ASK 5 6 answer folders for students who completed testing during the make-up administration AND NJ ASK 3 4 answer folders for students who completed testing during the regular administration. May 18 23, 2012 Return to Measurement Incorporated (via FedEx Air) ALL used NJ ASK 3 4 test booklets for students who completed testing during the make-up administration. May 25, 2012 Last day to return ALL remaining used NJ ASK 3 4 test booklets and used NJ ASK 5 8 answer folders to Measurement Incorporated via FedEx Air May 29 June 12, 2012 Return ALL unused NJ ASK 3 4 test booklets and ALL NJ ASK Grades 5 8 answer folders to Measurement Incorporated via NCD Package Express. June 11, 2012 Used 3 4 test booklets and used 5 8 answer folders received by Measurement Incorporated after this date will not be processed. If you have not received your test materials by noon on April 10, 2012, call Measurement Incorporated at

3 TABLE OF CONTENTS SCHEDULE...Inside front cover PROGRAM DESCRIPTION... 3 Background... 3 OVERVIEW... 4 General Information... 4 Students to Be Tested... 4 Students Attending Out-Of-District Placements... 5 Test Administration... 6 Student Behavior During Testing... 7 Pre-ID Labels... 8 Score Reports... 9 Student Data Files... 9 State Summary Data File... 9 Record Changes Rescores TEST ACCOMMODATIONS AND MODIFICATIONS SECURITY PROCEDURES TESTING MATERIALS RECEIPT OF TEST MATERIALS SECURITY FORMS WHERE DO I FIND MY MATERIALS? District Box One Other District Boxes School Box One Other School Boxes PREPARATION FOR TEST ADMINISTRATION Student Rosters Selecting and Training Examiners Use of Proctors Advance Announcements to Students Examiner Training Sessions Gridding of Student Information Room and Seating Arrangements Materials/Supplies Needed to Administer the NJ ASK Make-up Administrations Make-up Testing Testing Time Requirements Security/Irregularity Problems

4 RESPONSIBILITIES OF PROGRAM PERSONNEL General Responsibilities Before Testing During Testing After Testing District Test Coordinator s Security/Irregularity Problems School Test Coordinator s Security/Irregularity Problems PACKAGING MATERIALS FOR RETURN Scorable Test Booklets/Answer Folders Non-Scorable Test Booklets Checklist for Returning Used Test Booklets/Answer Folders to Measurement Incorporated Checklist for Returning Unused Grade 3 4 Test Booklets & All Grade 5 8 Test Booklets Packing Diagrams APPENDIX A Accommodations and Modifications of Test Administration Procedures for Special Education Students and Students Eligible under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of APPENDIX B Out of District Placement (ODP) Sending/Receiving Schools APPENDIX C Student Roster (Includes Answer Folder Cover) APPENDIX D School Use Only Grid Code Instructions APPENDIX E Sample and Instructions for Completing the Header Sheet APPENDIX F Irregularity Report APPENDIX G NJ ASK 3 8 Make-up Test Administration School Security Checklist APPENDIX H Additional Materials Request Form APPENDIX I NJ DOE Test Security Agreement APPENDIX J NJ DOE Security and Confidentiality Agreement Test Booklet Receipt APPENDIX K Handling of Soiled Materials APPENDIX L Use of Calculators on the NJ ASK Grades 3 8 Assessments APPENDIX M Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) APPENDIX N Spanish Test Eligibility Guidelines and FAQs CONTACTS LIST... Inside back cover 2

5 PROGRAM DESCRIPTION NEW JERSEY S STATEWIDE ASSESSMENT SYSTEM AND THE NJ ASK 3 through 8 Background New Jersey s state constitution authorizes a thorough and efficient system of free public schools. In 1975, the New Jersey Legislature passed the Public School Education Act to provide to all children in New Jersey, regardless of socioeconomic status or geographic location, the educational opportunity which will prepare them to function politically, economically and socially in a democratic society. An amendment to that act was signed in 1976, establishing uniform standards of minimum achievement in basic communication and computation skills. This amendment is the legal basis for the use of a test as a graduation requirement in New Jersey. Beginning in , ninth-grade students were required to pass the Minimum Basic Skills Test (reading and mathematics) as one of the requirements for a high school diploma. In 1983, the Grade 9 High School Proficiency Test (HSPT9), a more difficult test in reading, mathematics, and writing, was adopted to measure the basic skills achievements of ninth-grade students. The test was first administered as a graduation requirement in In 1988, the New Jersey Legislature passed a law that moved the High School Proficiency Test from the ninth grade to the eleventh grade and added an early benchmark assessment with the Grade 8 Early Warning Test (EWT). The Grade 11 High School Proficiency Test (HSPT11) was to serve as a graduation requirement for all New Jersey public school students who entered the ninth grade on or after September 1, Three years of due-notice testing were conducted from to allow school districts time to modify curricula and prepare students for both the eighth-grade and graduation tests. The Core Curriculum Content Standards (CCCS) were adopted in 1996 by the New Jersey State Board of Education to describe what all students should know and be able to do at the end of grades four and eight, and upon completion of a New Jersey public school education. These standards, along with their Cumulative Progress Indicators (CPIs), define expected achievement in nine core content areas: visual and performing arts, comprehensive health and physical education, language arts literacy, mathematics, science, social studies, world languages, technology, and career education and consumer, family and life skills. The CCCS informed the development of three new statewide assessments: (1) the fourth-grade Elementary School Proficiency Assessment (ESPA), which was administered from , (2) a new Grade Eight Proficiency Assessment (GEPA), which replaced the EWT in 1998, and (3) a new High School Proficiency Assessment (HSPA), which replaced the HSPT11 as the state s graduation test following three years of field testing, in March Revisions to the CCCS were completed in State regulations (N.J.A.C. 6A8-2.1(a)5i) stipulate that the CCCS must be reviewed for possible revision every five years. Thus, the CCCS constitute a dynamic entity, not a fixed, final set of standards. Similarly, New Jersey s assessments reflect continuous refinements and evolving understandings of the CCCS, while using assessment instruments which must be highly standardized for the purposes of ensuring validity, reliability, and comparability. National trends in support of standards-based education and educational accountability led to the passage of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB), which required that every state establish annual standardized assessments, grounded in that state s content standards, that assess students critical thinking skills in reading and mathematics in grades 3 through 8, and once in high school, no later than , along with science assessments at three benchmark grade levels no later than As a result of the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) requirements, New Jersey established additional statewide assessments in grade 3 (starting in 2003) and in grades 5 through 7, starting in The statewide assessments for elementary and middle school grades are administered under the name New Jersey Assessment of Skills and Knowledge (NJ ASK). NJ ASK assessments are administered annually in language arts literacy and mathematics at grades 3 through 8, and in science at grades 4 and 8. 3

6 General Information OVERVIEW OF THE SPRING 2012 NJ ASK 3 8 TEST ADMINISTRATION The Spring 2012 test administration is for all New Jersey public school students in grades 3 through 8 in the areas of Language Arts Literacy and Mathematics, and in Science for grades 4 and 8. The Language Arts Literacy section consists of reading passages, multiple-choice items, open-ended items, and writing tasks. The Language Arts Literacy section is administered over two days for all grades. The Mathematics section consists of short constructed-response, multiple-choice, and extended constructedresponse items. Some Mathematics parts require the use of a calculator to answer the items. Other Mathematics parts DO NOT allow the use of a calculator to answer the test items. The Mathematics section is administered over a two-day period for grades 3 7 and a one-day period for grade 8. Refer to Appendix L regarding the use of calculators. The Science section, which consists of multiple-choice and open-ended items, is a one-day assessment for grades 4 and 8. Language Arts Literacy, Mathematics, and Science field-test items are embedded within the sections of the regular test. The make-up tests are scheduled by the school district for administration any morning during the week following the regular NJ ASK administration. Districts have the flexibility to choose which subjects are tested on which days of the make-up period. For more details, refer to page 26. Students to Be Tested Unless participating in the Alternative Proficiency Assessment (APA), all third- through eighth-grade public school students must take the NJ ASK This includes: General Education students; Limited-English Proficient (LEP) students (Spanish versions of the NJ ASK 3 8 are available for students. See Appendix N for the Spanish test eligibility and guidelines.); Special Education (SE) students; and Students with Disabilities (Section 504). 4

7 Students Attending Out-Of-District Placements Only approved testing sites may administer the NJ ASK 3 8. (Refer to the CDS Information Lookup on the NJ ASK website, which lists all approved NJ ASK 3 8 testing sites.) If a student attends a placement that is not an approved testing site, the student must either return to the home district to be tested, or the home district must send an examiner to the out-of-district placement facility or site to administer the test. Test results for students attending out-of-district placements are aggregated into the school and district results of their home district. Out-of-district placements include the following schools: Private schools for the handicapped (in-state or out-of-state); Special-services school districts; Educational services or joint commissions; and District-paid placements in regular, alternative, or shared-time public schools outside the student s home district (in-state or out-of-state). If a student attends an out-of-district placement and returns to his or her home district to take the NJ ASK 3 8, no special coding or handling of the answer folder/test booklet is necessary. The following instructions pertain only to students who take the NJ ASK 3 8 at their out-of-district placement. If the student does not have a NJ ASK 5 8 Pre-ID Label, the answer folder must be gridded with the out-ofdistrict (testing site) placement s county, district, and school code. Write the testing school name on the line provided. The NJ ASK 3 4 Pre-ID Label or generic linking label should already show this information. If the student does not have a Pre-ID Label, or it shows the incorrect sending school, the answer folder/test booklet must be gridded with the home school s county, district, and school code under sending site. Write the sending school name on the line provided. If NJ ASK 3 8 Pre-ID Labels are not provided for the out-of-district placement, all applicable student demographic information must be gridded on the NJ ASK 3 4 test booklets and NJ ASK 5 8 answer folders. An Out-of-District Placement (ODP) Roster must be completed by all out-of-district placements and returned with the used NJ ASK 3 4 test booklets and used NJ ASK 5 8 answer folders shipment (See Appendix B). Out-of-district placements will not receive aggregate reports. They will receive two Individual Student Reports (ISRs) and a Student Sticker for each student they test. 5

8 Test Administration Test administration must take place during the morning. Approximate testing times are as follows: Grade 6 Grade 7 Grade 8 Language Arts Literacy..Day minutes 105 minutes 105 minutes Language Arts Literacy..Day minutes minutes minutes Mathematics...Day 1 64 minutes 64 minutes 133 minutes Mathematics...Day 2 69 minutes 69 minutes n/a Science (Grade 8 only)...day 1 n/a n/a 120 minutes Grade 3 Grade 4 Grade 5 Language Arts Literacy..Day 1 90 minutes 90 minutes 90 minutes Language Arts Literacy..Day 2 90 minutes 90 minutes 90 minutes Mathematics...Day 1 63 minutes 68 minutes 68 minutes Mathematics...Day 2 68 minutes 68 minutes 68 minutes Science (Grade 4 only)...day 1 n/a 60 minutes n/a NOTE: Actual testing time as defined in the Test Examiner Manual must be maintained. If any testing is delayed, your district test coordinator will advise you of the revised schedule. This testing plan includes only actual test-taking time; it does NOT include the time for gridding the student information section of the answer folder/test booklet on the first day of testing, distributing the test materials, reading directions, providing breaks for the students, and collecting materials. If, for any reason (e.g., weather, disaster), the closing of the school or district causes testing to be delayed, altered, or cancelled on one or more of the scheduled testing dates, the district must: 1. Proceed with testing on those days only if the test can be administered uninterrupted (i.e., no break for lunch, no fire drill) 2. Proceed with testing during the appropriate day(s) of the make-up week. 3. Submit a memo from the district test coordinator to the appropriate NJ ASK coordinator and the county test coordinator specifying the modifications to the test administration scheduling. Grades 3 4 At the end of the regular test administration for grades 3 and 4, all used test booklets must be returned to Measurement Incorporated (MI) via FedEx air standard overnight as described in the packaging section of this manual. At the end of the make-up test administration for grades 3 and 4, all used test booklets must be returned to Measurement Incorporated (MI) via FedEx air standard overnight as described in the packaging section of this manual. A used (scorable) test booklet is one which has any student data written on the test booklet. Test booklets used by teachers when reading aloud to students are considered unused (non-scorable). All responses to all test items and writing tasks must be written in the spaces provided in the test booklets. No extra paper may be used to continue a written response, with the exception of special education (SE) or Section 504 students, as detailed in Appendix A. Each page of the test booklets has page borders within which all markings must be confined. No extraneous marks should be made by students outside these borders. The covers of all test booklets will contain Void fields for use if necessary. The examiner should grid Void fields on the appropriate test booklet as required for each content area. Use of the Void field will void the entire test booklet. You cannot void only a portion of a test subject. For instructions on gridding Void fields, see Appendix D. 6

9 Grades 5 8 At the end of the regular test administration, all used grades 5 through 8 answer folders must be collected and shipped to Measurement Incorporated (MI) via FedEx air standard overnight as described in the packaging section of this manual. At the end of the make-up test administration, all used grades 5 through 8 answer folders must be collected and shipped to Measurement Incorporated (MI) via FedEx air standard overnight as described in the packaging section of this manual. All responses to all test items and writing tasks must be written in the spaces provided in the answer folders. No extra paper may be used to continue a written response, with the exception of special education (SE) or Section 504 students, as detailed in Appendix A. Each page of the answer folder has page borders within which all markings must be confined. No extraneous marks should be made by students outside these borders. The covers of all answer folders will contain Void fields for use if necessary. The examiner should grid Void fields on the appropriate answer folders as required. Use of the Void field will void the entire content area. You cannot void only a portion of a test subject. For instructions on gridding Void fields, see Appendix D. Student Behavior During Testing No cell phones are allowed in the testing room under any circumstances. All other materials (e.g., purses, books) should not be present on a student s desk until after testing is complete and all materials have been collected. Students in grades 3 through 5 are permitted to read recreational literature if they have finished the test ahead of others and have reviewed their work. In grades 6 through 8, the option to allow students to read recreational literature after they have finished their work is at the discretion of the District Test Coordinator. If students in grades 6 through 8 are allowed to read recreational literature, recreational literature should be under the students desks during the time they are testing. Students who find it necessary to visit the bathroom during testing may do so, as long as they are escorted by a teacher or proctor. Students must return to the testing room promptly and are not to discuss the test with others. The student s test materials should be left with the examiner until the student returns. Students may not eat or drink at their desks during administration of the test. Students must do their own work on the test and must receive no outside assistance. Students may not use dictionaries or any other reference sources during test administration. Students may use blank graph paper, blank math grid, and/or scratch paper during the Mathematics test administration. The used graph paper or used blank math grid and/or scratch paper must be collected and destroyed by school test coordinators following each morning of the Mathematics test administration. For Grades 3 and 4, each used first-day test booklet will be redistributed to the student named on the front covers for each day of testing. For Grades 5 through 8, each used first-day test booklet and answer folder will be redistributed to the student named on the front covers for each day of testing. 7

10 Pre-ID Labels Pre-ID Labels must be affixed to the upper left corner of each student s NJ ASK 3 4 test booklet or NJ ASK 5 8 answer folder. Required information not contained on the label must be gridded on the answer folder/test booklet for a given student. Refer to Appendix D and to the chart on page 25 for more detailed information on gridding student information. Beginning with the 2011 NJ ASK 3 8 test administration, demographic information for Pre-ID Labels will be collected and processed by NJ SMART. NOTE for districts: Each student must be provided with an NJ SMART ID. For more information, call the NJ SMART Help Desk at Do not return damaged or unused Pre-ID Labels to Measurement Incorporated. Authorized staff, with the supervision of the School Test Coordinator (STC), should review and verify the accuracy of the information printed on the NJ ASK 3 8 Pre-ID Labels. Pre-ID Labels Grades 3 and 4 NOTE for districts using Pre-ID Labels: Pre-ID Labels are sets of student linking labels with student identification information printed on them. School test coordinators and/or examiners should apply these labels on the front of the test booklet 24 hours before Day 1 testing of each test section. If all required student data, including the School Use Only information, is present on the Pre-ID Label, then no gridding is required and gridding directions in the Examiner Manual may be skipped. Be sure to review the Examiner Manual in advance to identify the gridding directions that should be skipped. Any student data except the name, testing site, and date of birth that is incorrect or missing on the Pre-ID Label should be gridded correctly on the test booklet. Name, testing site, date of birth must be corrected during the record change process. If a Pre-ID Label is received for a student who has left the district prior to the first day of testing and is no longer enrolled in the district, do not place the Pre-ID Label on the test booklet. The label can be destroyed. A Pre-ID Label must be placed on the front of the test booklet for each test for students who are absent. NOTE for districts not using Pre-ID Labels: School districts will be supplied with sets of generic linking labels, which include one label without a barcode and several scannable stickers for each student. Each set provides one label for each test subject (LAL/Math/Sci) plus two additional labels for Grade 4 and three additional labels for Grade 3. The school test coordinator and/or examiners must write each student s name on the label without a barcode. At the conclusion of Day 1 testing for each test subject, the examiner must peel off the appropriate label alongside a student s name and apply the label to the designated area on the front of the test booklet on which the student has gridded his or her name. The gridding of additional student information must take place in a secure site in the school building and may be done over the course of the testing week with the assistance of certified staff. Test booklets used for administration of the Language Arts Literacy test section on the first day of testing are the only test booklets that require complete gridding of all student identification information. Students will be required to grid only their names and dates of birth on the Mathematics and Science test booklets. All student identification information must be gridded onto the front of Language Arts Literacy test booklets for students who are absent. For students absent on Day 1 testing for Mathematics and Science, examiners must grid the absent student s name and date of birth only. A generic linking label must be attached to all absent students test booklets. Pre-ID Labels Grades 5 8 A Pre-ID Label is provided for each student included in the Pre-ID file that the district submitted to Measurement Incorporated last fall. These labels show student demographic information, eliminating the need to grid this information on answer folders. You may affix Pre-ID Labels to Grades 5 8 answer folders anytime prior to testing. 8

11 Score Reports All reports will be produced using the student information from the NJ ASK 3 4 test booklets and NJ ASK 5 8 answer folders. Inaccurate coding will result in incorrectly aggregated results. Information on LEP and SE students will be included in each of the school and district summary reports. It is important to pay close attention to the coding of the NJ ASK 3 4 test booklets and NJ ASK 5 8 answer folders as this information is used in determining the school/district Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP). The following reports for NJ ASK grades 3 8 will be issued following the spring administration: Individual Student Reports printed for each student, indicating the student s cluster scores and total test section scores, if applicable. Student Stickers printed for each student, indicating student s name, gender, birth date, and test section scores, if applicable. Student Rosters available electronically for each school, one for Mathematics and one for Language Arts Literacy, listing students in descending order of total test section scores. A Science roster will also be included for grade 4 and for grade 8. All Sections Roster available electronically for each school, listing students alphabetically along with their scores on each test section taken. Performance by Demographic Group available electronically for each school, district, District Factor Group (DFG), and the state, summarizing student performance on the total test sections, disaggregated by population, gender, ethnicity, economic status, and migrant status. There will be a separate report for each content and grade. Cluster Means available electronically for each school. Shows cluster means within each content area for the total population, and for different instructional groups. Also shows cluster means for the district, DFG and state population for comparison. Student Data Files Student-level data files will be made available electronically to districts on the same schedule as the reports following the spring administration. These data files will be available in fixed-width ASCII (.txt) and Excel formats. State Summary Data File A state summary data file will be made available electronically on the New Jersey Department of Education s website following the spring administration. This data file will be available in fixed-width ASCII (.txt) and Excel formats. The state summary data file will provide aggregate performance summaries for each school and district for which data are available, in addition to performance summaries for each DFG and for the state. 9

12 Record Changes Districts and/or schools will be reviewing and editing student demographic data for grades 3 through 8 via the online Record Change Roster supplied by Measurement Incorporated. Districts will not receive a hard-copy of this report. Districts must review the rosters provided online, paying close attention to each field for each student who participated in the NJ ASK 3 through 8. The rosters will also include a sending district s out-of-district placement students, as well as the out-of-residence placement students. These students only appear on the roster of the sending school. They will not appear on the Record Change Roster for the receiving school (testing site). It is imperative that the Record Change Roster be carefully reviewed and completed, as all reporting and coding information is used in determining the school/district Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP). The record change process will begin on June 20, 2012, and will end on July 2, All Record Changes Must Be Completed by July 2, No record changes will be accepted after this point. Rescores There will be an automatic rescoring of all open-ended responses for ALL students in grades 3 through 8 who received a total raw score falling within one point of proficiency. 10

13 TEST ACCOMMODATIONS AND MODIFICATIONS To ensure that students are tested under appropriate conditions, the Department of Education has adopted test accommodations and modifications that may be used when testing special populations of students. The content of the test typically remains the same, but administration procedures, setting, and answer modes may be adapted. Students requiring accommodations must be tested in a separate location from general education students. 1. General Education Students receive no special testing accommodations other than the standard room setup and materials distribution described for you in the Test Examiner Manual (TEM). ALL responses to open-ended item writing tasks MUST be confined to the spaces provided in the NJ ASK 3 4 test booklet and NJ ASK 5 8 answer folder. NO additional sheets of paper can be provided to students who want more space. 2. Limited English Proficient (LEP) students may be tested with one or more of the following accommodations: Additional time up to 150% of the administration times indicated. This accommodation is separate from accommodations in categories A, B, C & D, used for SE/504 students. You should not grid an accommodation code for LEP students who only receive this allowed extra time and are not SE or 504. Translation of directions only to the student s native language. Translations of passages, items, prompts, and tasks are not permitted. Students who are receiving translated test directions need to be tested in a location separate from students tested with directions read in English only. Use of a bilingual dictionary, preferably one normally used by the student as part of the instructional program. These dictionaries are to be strictly translational. Dictionaries should be checked before testing begins to ensure no papers or reference information is inside them. All responses to open-ended items and writing tasks must be confined to the spaces provided in the NJ ASK 3 4 test booklet and NJ ASK 5 8 answer folder. No additional sheets of paper can be provided to students who want more space. 3. Students with Disabilities Students in third through eighth grade eligible for special education under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act or eligible under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 must take each subject area of the NJ ASK unless their Individualized Education Program (IEP) or 504 plan specifically states that they will not participate in one or more subject areas of the test (N.J.A.C. 6A:14-3.7(d)5i). Students must be assigned a grade level and take the NJ ASK in their respective grades. There is no longer an age chart for ungraded students. Any district that chooses to test a student who is exempt from participating in the NJ ASK will receive score reports for that student, and the scores will be aggregated into the school and district reports. Students whose IEPs exempt them from participation in the NJ ASK must participate in the Alternate Proficiency Assessment (APA). Criteria for participation are included in Appendix A of this manual. If you have questions about the participation of students with disabilities, please call the Office of Special Education at Any IEPs in effect after July 1, 1998, must list any test modifications or accommodations that will be utilized during statewide assessment. For students eligible under Section 504, the 504 plan should specify modifications or accommodations. The test coordinator should consult with the school principal and special education personnel to ensure that arrangements are made prior to the testing dates so that appropriate accommodations are implemented. The test coordinator should prepare a list of the codes for the accommodation categories that will be used by each student in order to code test booklets appropriately. Category codes are listed in Appendix D. Please note: If a student s record indicates that he or she is exempt from taking the NJ ASK in all subjects, the record should not indicate that he or she has accommodations. 11

14 Special Instructions for Braille or Large-Print Testing Visually impaired students may take either a braille or large-print version of the test. The braille or large-print test kits for grades 3 through 8 must be ordered during the Material Survey or through the Additional Orders process. All braille and large-print tests must be ordered for specific students. When ordering, please provide the student s name and grade and indicate either braille or large-print. braille and/or large-print orders may arrive in a separate shipment from your regular test materials. A list of the permissible accommodations and modifications for testing visually impaired students is included in Appendix A of this manual. Students using the large-print test booklets will mark their answers for multiple-choice questions in the largeprint version of the test booklet. Visually impaired students may use special equipment such as a typewriter or a computer, if appropriate, for the open-ended questions and writing tasks. In both the braille and large-print versions of the NJ ASK, students may be instructed to skip some questions. The spaces for these questions must be left blank in the student s NJ ASK 3 4 test booklet or NJ ASK 5 8 answer folder. Braille students may also dictate responses to multiple-choice questions to an examiner, who will mark the answers in the student s NJ ASK 3 4 test booklet or NJ ASK 5 8 answer folder. Any dictated open-ended response or writing task must also have the punctuation specified by the student. Students completing a braille version of the Mathematics section should be instructed to bring a braille ruler to the test session as well as a talking calculator. Students completing a large-print version of the test may use a ruler that is used during class instruction. If a student takes a braille or large-print version of the NJ ASK 3 through 8: Use ONLY the test materials included in the shrink-wrapped braille or large-print test kit. Do not use any materials from the regular test material shipment in the administration of the braille or large-print tests. Also, do not use any test materials from a braille or large-print test kit for administering a regular test. braille and large-print forms may be different from the regular forms shipped to your school and therefore, answer folders/test booklets may not be compatible. For this reason, regular and braille or large-print materials may not be interchanged. NOTE: Specific instructions for administering the braille and large-print versions of the test will be included in the shipment of these test materials. Test examiners who read test items aloud to students per their IEP or Section 504 plan, and educational interpreters for students with hearing loss who will interpret test items and directions, must complete and sign a New Jersey Department of Education Security and Confidentiality Agreement. Refer to Appendix J. The examiner must transcribe the student s responses into the regular grade 3 4 test booklet or grade 5 8 answer folder included in the braille or large-print test kit. On the front of the regular grade 3 4 test booklet or grade 5 8 answer folder contained in the testing package, affix the Pre-ID Label, grid any student information, and fill in the braille or large-print bubble on a Header Sheet to indicate that the regular NJ ASK 3 4 test booklet or NJ ASK 5 8 answer folder contains the transcriptions of a braille or large-print test. The school test coordinator must return the transcribed grade 3 4 test booklets or grade 5 8 answer folder(s) enclosed in the yellow special handling envelope with used testing materials to the district test coordinator. Responses to open-ended questions, short constructed-responses, extended constructed-responses, and writing task responses should also be included in the envelope. Districts no longer need to fill out an Irregularity Report for braille or large-print students. The braille or large-print booklet(s) should be returned with the nonscorable materials to Measurement Incorporated. 12

15 SECURITY PROCEDURES SECURITY PROCEDURES The NJ ASK 3 8 test booklets and their contents are secure materials. They are not to be read or copied, either wholly or in part, for any purpose without express written permission from the New Jersey Department of Education. It is the responsibility of the school districts to guarantee the security of the test materials. Security breaches may have financial consequences for the district, professional consequences for staff, and disciplinary consequences for students. The items and passages contained in NJ ASK 3 8 test booklets must remain confidential since some of the test items will reappear in future versions of the test. This will be done to maintain the stability of the test item pool over time from a technical perspective and to enable comparisons to be made from one year to the next. Examiners, proctors, and other school personnel may not discuss or disclose any test items either before, during, or after the test administration. Examiners are not to influence, alter or interfere with examinees responses in any way. Examiners are not to provide feedback, including any hint about the correctness of a response. All district and school personnel should be informed of the NJ ASK 3 8 security procedures prior to the test administration, including those personnel not directly involved in administering the test. All grades 3 8 testing materials will be delivered in a single shipment approximately two weeks prior to testing. Refer to the schedule on the inside cover of this Test Coordinator Manual for specific dates. The chief school administrator or designee must sign for the initial shipment of grades 3 8 test materials after presenting the Authorization to Receive Secure Test Materials form, signed by the chief school administrator, to the agent of the delivery service when the grades 3 8 test materials are delivered. You are encouraged to authorize multiple designees so that shipments are not delayed when someone is not available to sign. The form will be available online at the NJ ASK 3 8 website. Districts will receive availability dates and instructions for downloading prior to the form s availability. When not being used during testing, the test materials must be stored in a secure, locked place that is accessible only to individuals whose access has been authorized by the school test coordinator. During testing, secure materials must not be removed from the testing room for review or photocopying. The security of NJ ASK 3 8 test materials must be maintained at all times. Each grade 3 8 test booklet and grade 5 8 answer folder has a unique identification number. Students must use the same test booklet and the same answer folder for each day of testing. Please note for grades 5 through 8, on the first day of testing, students should print their name on the front cover of the test booklet assigned to them, and record the number and form letter of that test booklet on their answer folder. Teachers should print students names on the test booklets and answer folders for those students who are absent on the first day of testing. For grades 5 through 8, the test booklets will have four seals on the right side. For Grades 5 7, one seal is for the Language Arts Literacy Day 1 section of the test, one seal is for the Language Arts Literacy Day 2 section of the test, one seal is for the Mathematics Day 1 section of the test, and one seal is for the Mathematics Day 2 section of the test. For grade 8, one seal is for the Language Arts Literacy Day 1 section of the test, one seal is for the Language Arts Literacy Day 2 section of the test, one seal is for the Mathematics section of the test, and one seal is for the Science section of the test. These seals must not be broken until the first day the particular section is administered. 13

16 Inventory forms and procedures are provided that must be used while grades 3 through 8 test materials are in the districts. The following forms are provided: Authorization to Receive Secure Test Materials Form (district only) District Receipt Form (district only) Additional Materials Request Form (district only) Security Checklists (district and school) Make-up School Security Checklist (school only) Irregularity Report Form (district and school) District Return Form (district only) Use the Irregularity Report form in Appendix F to report irregularities involving test booklets, answer folders, or anything that could impact the scoring of the test booklet/answer folder. (Photocopy the form as necessary.) Paper clip Irregularity Reports to the appropriate test booklet or answer folder and place both in the appropriate colored special handling envelope provided. Instructions regarding which irregularities should be returned in each of the three colored envelopes are provided at the bottom of the Irregularity Report. District and school test coordinators must be available during testing to monitor all aspects of test administration. The District and School Security Checklists must be used by the district and school test coordinators to maintain an accurate record of the chain of distribution and collection of all grades 3 through 8 test booklets. Using Security Checklists Use the School Security Checklist each time test booklets are checked out, following these steps to document the transfer of all test booklets to examiners. 1. Use the appropriate School Security Checklist for the grade, subject area, and session (Day 1 or Day 2). Appendix G provides a security checklist for make-up test administrations. 2. As the school test coordinator distributes test booklets to each examiner, have the examiner verify the quantity and security numbers for the test booklets he/she is receiving. 3. Have the examiner sign his/her name on the line for the first and last security number, and draw a line between the first and last signature to indicate the range of test booklets received. 4. Write the date and time the examiner receives the test booklets. 5. When the examiner returns the test booklets at the end of testing each day, the school test coordinator must initial the range of test booklets received and write the date and time of return. 6. Upon completion of all transfers, the school test coordinator must sign at the bottom of each page of the School Security Checklist. Checklists are to be returned, along with test booklets, to the district test coordinator. NOTE: For braille and large-print Schools will receive School Security Checklists, which list the braille or largeprint test booklet number and the regular test booklet number in the test kit. Examiners should fill out these Security Checklists as well. 14

17 District test coordinators must also use the School Security Checklist District Overage form to record the chain of distribution of any overage test materials to schools. Every transfer of test booklets must be recorded on the appropriate forms. Districts must have all materials ready for shipment at the time of pickup. All used grades 3 and 4 test booklets and all used grades 5 8 answer folders from regular and make-up testing must be returned to Measurement Incorporated (MI) no later than May 25, Used NJ ASK 3 4 test booklets and used NJ ASK 5 8 answer folders received by Measurement Incorporated after June 3, 2011, will not be processed. Grade 3 8 test booklets and Grade 5 8 answer folders may not be duplicated or hand-scored. A Language Arts Literacy, Mathematics, and Science (grade 4) test booklet must be submitted (and gridded, if not using a Pre-ID Label) for every enrolled grade 3 and 4 student regardless of exemption status. An answer folder must be submitted (and gridded, if not using a Pre-ID Label) for every enrolled grade 5 8 student regardless of exemption status. Each test booklet has a unique security number. For each test section in grades 3 and 4, the students must use the same test booklet for Day 1 and Day 2. Students in grades 5 through 8 must use the same assigned test booklet and assigned answer folder for Days 1, 2, 3, and 4. The principal and the chief school administrator or his/her designee must review and sign the completed Header Sheets before they are submitted to Measurement Incorporated. These signatures affirm that the number of used grade 5 8 answer folders and used grade 3 4 test booklets returned is correct and that all NJ ASK 3 8 test administration procedures outlined in the manuals have been followed. (A sample Header Sheet and instructions for completing it can be found in Appendix E.) Mathematics Reference Sheets (grades 5 8), Mathematics Manipulatives Sheets (grades 3 7), Writer s Checklists (grades 6 8), Periodic Table of Elements Sheets (grade 8 Science), and unused answer folders (grades 5 8) from the regular and make-up tests remain in the district after the test is administered. Used graph paper or used math grids and/or scratch paper should be destroyed by the school test coordinator. Contact the DTC for disposal information. Strict security must be maintained. The Department of Education s Office of Assessments, in cooperation with county offices, will monitor all aspects of testing and the implementation of security procedures at selected sites. Announcements of these visits will not be made in advance. 15

18 TESTING MATERIALS Materials 1. Test Booklets (Secure) A. NJ ASK 3 4 The NJ ASK 3 currently consists of two sections: Language Arts Literacy and Mathematics. The NJ ASK 4 currently consists of three sections: Language Arts Literacy, Mathematics, and Science. Each student taking the NJ ASK 3 4 will receive one test booklet for each subject area tested one for Language Arts Literacy, one for Mathematics, and, for fourth graders only, one for Science. Each test booklet is identified by a unique security number. Booklets are arranged in sequential order by security number and are shrink-wrapped in packages of 5. The range of security numbers included in your shipment is identified on your packing list and on the security checklist for use in tracking the test booklets. Test booklets used for administration of the Language Arts Literacy test section on the first day of testing are the only booklets that require complete gridding of all student identification information, unless using a Pre-ID Label. Students will be required to grid only their names and birth dates on the Mathematics and Science test booklets, unless using a Pre-ID Label. Teachers must grid all student identification information onto the front of Language Arts Literacy test booklets for students who are absent. For students absent on Day 1 testing for Mathematics, teachers must grid the absent student s name and birth date only. A student linking label must be attached to all absent students test booklets. All writing tasks are contained within the test booklet. Test booklets are secure materials and MUST be returned to Measurement Incorporated upon completion of testing. Use your security forms to keep track of secure materials. A test booklet must be gridded and submitted for every enrolled grade 3 and 4 student, including those students taking the APA. B. NJ ASK 5 8 The NJ ASK 5 7 consists of two sections: Language Arts Literacy and Mathematics. Both sections are contained in a single test booklet. The NJ ASK 8 consists of three sections: Language Arts Literacy, Mathematics, and Science. All three sections are contained in a single test booklet. Each test booklet is identified by a unique security number. Booklets are arranged in sequential order by security number and are shrink-wrapped in packages of 5. The range of security numbers included in your shipment is identified on your packing list and on the security checklist for use in tracking the test booklets. Test booklet seals are not broken until the day that section is administered, and then only by the student. All writing tasks are contained within the test booklet. Test booklets are secure materials and MUST be returned to Measurement Incorporated upon completion of testing. Use your security forms to keep track of secure materials. 16

19 2. NJ ASK 5 8 Answer Folders Responses to all multiple-choice items, open-ended items, short constructed-responses, extended constructed-responses, and writing tasks must be recorded in the answer folders. No additional sheets of paper can be used. Answer folders are shrink-wrapped in packages of 5. Each grade level will have a specific color-coded answer folder: Grade 5 purple; Grade 6 green; Grade 7 blue; and Grade 8 red. An answer folder must be gridded and submitted for every enrolled fifth- through eighth-grade student, including those students taking the APA. 3. Mathematics Reference Sheets (Grades 5 8) and Manipulatives Sheets (Grades 3 7) The Mathematics Reference Sheets (grades 5 8), are wrapped in packages of 5 and must be distributed with the test booklets on the day the Mathematics sections are administered. The Mathematics Manipulatives Sheets (grades 3 7), are wrapped in packages of 5 and must be distributed with the test booklets on the day the Mathematics sections are administered. 4. Calculators (Mathematics Section) Students must have calculators for use during specific parts of the Mathematics section of the NJ ASK 3 8. Refer to the Examiner Manuals for specific instructions on when to distribute calculators. The calculator to be used should allow the student to perform calculations as specified in the K 8 cumulative progress indicators, including adding, subtracting, multiplying, and dividing. Students must use the calculators they use on a regular basis in the classroom or one with which they are most familiar. A student may choose to use a personal calculator or one that is provided by the district. Any device commonly accepted as a hand-held electronic calculator including graphing, programmable, etc., calculators and having at least the basic four functions is acceptable. However, computers (laptops, palmtops, etc.) are not acceptable. Extra calculators must be available for emergencies. Any instruction manuals or function reference sheets must be removed prior to testing. Calculator memories must be cleared both before and after administration of the Mathematics test section. Calculators used for testing must meet the criteria described in Appendix L of this manual. 5. Writer s Checklists (Grades 6 8) The Writer s Checklists are wrapped in packages of 5 and must be distributed on each day of testing for Language Arts Literacy. Sufficient quantities are provided for use on each of the two days of Language Arts Literacy testing. 6. Periodic Table of Elements Sheets (Grade 8 Science) The Periodic Table of Elements Sheets are wrapped in packages of 5 and must be distributed on the day of testing for Science. 7. Header Sheets Schools will receive Header Sheets with the testing site information pre-gridded, including the county, district, and school codes. The district will receive blank Header Sheets (nothing pre-gridded on the Header Sheet) that can be used by any school in the district if necessary. All Header Sheets require the signatures of the principal and chief school administrator (or a designee). 17

20 Authorization to Receive Secure Test Materials Form RECEIPT OF TEST MATERIALS The chief school administrator will receive notification and instructions to download the District Authorization to Receive Secure Test Materials form approximately one month prior to the test material delivery period. A person or persons must be designated on this form to receive the test materials. The chief school administrator, or designee, will receive NJ ASK 3 8 test materials (secure and non-secure) in a shipment delivered by NCD Package Express on dates specified on the inside front cover of this manual. The authorized designee(s) must be available on the day the test materials are scheduled for delivery. Materials will not be delivered on days the district indicated they would be closed as per the Material Survey. You must have the authorization form ready to present to the carrier at the time of delivery. The authorization form must be produced within 15 minutes of the carrier s arrival. If the form cannot be produced within the 15 minute waiting period, the carrier will leave the building and return when all other deliveries have been made on the delivery route. Delivery of Test Materials If grades 3 through 8 test materials are not delivered by noon on April 10, 2012, contact Measurement Incorporated immediately at Check your shipment for damage and be sure to account for all boxes before accepting delivery from NCD Package Express. Boxes will be marked 1 of X, 2 of X, etc. Record the number of boxes in your shipment on the Delivery Ticket presented by the courier. Then sign it, and give the courier two copies. Keep one copy for your files. If a box is missing, damaged, or opened, accept the shipment but contact Measurement Incorporated immediately (see contact information on the inside back cover of this manual). As soon as the shipment is received, transport it to a secure location and verify that you have received sufficient quantities of all grades 3 through 8 materials needed for testing. Complete the District Receipt Form located in the white district overage box. Keep one copy for your files, and send the original copy to Measurement Incorporated in the metered envelope. The envelope is in the District Return Kit bag and is most likely in the last district overage box. The District Receipt Form must be mailed no later than three days after receipt of materials. Each school s materials and the district overage are packaged separately. The first box of the district overage is white. The white box for district overage and the first box for each school will contain a packing list specifying the types and quantities of materials in the shipment. Every box will contain a box list that lists the contents of that box. Use the packing list to verify that you have received all materials and that the quantities are sufficient to test all eligible students. Please retain all shipping boxes for re-use in returning test materials to MI when testing has concluded. If you are missing materials, find damaged materials, or need additional materials, fill out the Additional Materials Request Form in Appendix H and fax it to To ensure that you receive the additional materials in time for testing, you must contact MI no later than noon on April 17, (Use district overage before contacting MI for extra materials.) Test materials should be inventoried, but the secure shrink-wrapped test booklets should not be opened until it is time to distribute them for testing. 18