Career and Technical Education LEA IMC AND BUILDING LEVEL COORDINATOR. Statewide Assessment Administration Manual

Transcription

1 Career and Technical Education LEA IMC AND BUILDING LEVEL COORDINATOR Statewide Assessment Administration Manual Public Schools of North Carolina State Board of Education Department of Public Instruction Career and Technical Education Division v2 10/25/2013

2 CONTENTS I. INTRODUCTION... 1 Purpose of this Manual... 1 Statewide Instructional Materials... 1 Statewide Secure/Community Item Banks... 1 Statewide Pre-Assessments... 1 Statewide Field Tests (Mid-Term/Final) Statewide Post-Assessments... 2 What Is Meant By Proficiency... 2 Use of Statewide Assessments Results... 3 Reliability and Validity of Statewide Assessments... 3 NC Virtual Public School... 3 Summer School... 3 Other Programs (i.e. Odyssey and Nova Net)... 3 Third-Party Assessments... 3 WorkKeys... 3 Credentials... 4 II. OVERVIEW OF PROCESS... 5 LEA Instructional Management Coordinator s Responsibilities... 5 Building Level Coordinator s Responsibilities... 5 Classroom Administrator s Responsibilities... 6 Use of Proctors Testing Code of Ethics Limitations to Providing Instruction to Students on the Day of Testing... 7 Suspended Students... 8 Assessment Security-Paper and Pencil Method... 9 Assessment Security-Online Method III. PREPARING FOR ASSESSMENTS General Information Assessment Schedule Notifying Students About Accommodations What to Tell Students Assessment Environment Use of Formula Sheets and Other Reference Materials PDF Files of the Secure Assessments Printing Sent to Third Party Printers (i.e. Kinkos) Recording Audio Files of the State Secure Assessment Medical Waivers Before Assessment Pre/Mid/Post Before Online Assessments: Credit Recovery Credit by Demonstrated Mastery Middle School Student s Taking High School CTE Courses MSL s/cte Pre/Post-Assessments IV. ADMINISTERING ASSESSMENTS ii

3 Materials for the Classroom Paper and Pencil Assessment Administrator Administration Procedures (Paper-Pencil) Proctors Responsibilities Timing Assessments Timing of Project Based Assessments After the Assessment (Paper-Pencil) Reporting Errors on an Assessment... 17&19 Online Assessment Method Materials for the Classroom Online Assessment Administrator Administration Procedures (Online) After the Assessment Administration (Online) Scoring and Reporting Assessment Forms Assessment Irregularities V. SCANNING, SCORING, AND REPORTING RESULTS Scanning Reporting Results Appropriate Use of Results Handling Student Information What is Proficient Who Counts in Technical Attainment VI. ACCOMMODATIONS FOR SPECIAL POPULATIONS Accommodations Review of Accommodations Used During Testing Accommodated Assessment Formats Standard Accommodations Other Accommodations Alternate Assessment of Limited English Proficient Students Alternate Assessments VII. FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS Student identification Numbers and Coding Administration Accountability Other CTE Courses Where can I get more information? APPENDICES APPENDIX A-State of Accountability/Building Instructional Mgt. Coordinator APPENDIX B-State of Accountability Classroom Assessment Administration Form Class Roster Summary Form NC CTE Secure Assessment Irregularity Form APPENDIX C-Statement of Accountability/CTE Teacher Accountability Form APPENDIX D-Medical Waiver APPENDIX E-Assessing Outside the CTE Assessment Window School Request/Process Parent/Guardian Request Assessing Outside the CTE Assessment Window Form iii

4 APPENDIX F-Review of Accommodations Used During Testing Review of Accommodations Used During Testing Form Procedures Review of Accommodations Used During Testing Form APPENDIX G-Testing Code of Ethics APPENDIX H-Instructions to Students (Paper-Pencil) APPENDIX I-Instructions to Students (Online) APPENDIX J-Contingency CTE Assessments APPENDIX K-LEP/Alternative Assessment Verification Form APPENDIX L- Statewide Assessment Printing via Third Party Accountability Agreement In compliance with federal law, including the provisions of Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, the Department of Public Instruction does not discriminate on the basis of race, sex, religion, color, national or ethnic origin, age, disability, or military service in its policies, programs, activities, admissions or employment. Inquiries or complaints should be directed to: Career and Technical Education-Instructional Management 6359 Mail Service Center Raleigh NC / or 919/ (fax) ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Thanks to the many LEA Instructional Management Coordinators, LEA Directors, Regional Coordinators, Department of Public Instruction staff members, and others who helped with the updating and review of the CTE Assessment Administration Manual. For more information about the CTE assessment process, contact iv

5 I. INTRODUCTION Purpose of This Manual Statewide Instructional Materials Statewide Secure/Community Item Banks Statewide Pre-Assessments To maintain the integrity of NC CTE s statewide assessment program, it is essential that all individuals understand the importance of uniform policies, procedures, and protocols for maintaining assessment security. This publication has been prepared to assist principals, teachers, Instructional Management Coordinators, CTE Administrators, and other school personnel with the information required to implement a secure, uniform administration of CTE assessments. Statewide implementation of CTE assessments has occurred for many years. To ensure uniform assessment administration statewide, it is critical that all persons involved review this manual to be sure correct procedures are being followed. Course instructional guides and blueprints are available on LearnNC s Moodle site. Teachers are ultimately responsible for checking and verifying that they have the correct materials, such as current blueprints and current instructional guides, and are using community banks through Thinkgate (Elements). Teachers are strongly encouraged to give formative assessments through the instructional management system, Thinkgate (Elements). Use of all three items supports necessary curriculum alignment. Curriculum may be found at A course blueprint that lists course objectives and additional information about course content is provided for most courses in the N.C. Career and Technical Education (CTE) Essential Standards. Assessment items are divided into a community bank and a state bank. The community bank, formerly known as a classroom assessment bank, is available for use by LEAs for district benchmarks and formative and classroom assessments. Secure items are reserved in a secure statewide bank for CTE assessments for most of these courses. Assessment items are developed by teams of teachers and content specialists. Both the community bank and secure state bank are aligned to the course blueprint. Items go through a strenuous validation process before being included in either bank. In addition, items are included on field tests and reliability data are collected before the item is included in a community bank or on a CTE statewide assessment. Statewide Instructional Materials Clarifying Statement Items from community banks may not be posted on the web by teachers without LEA IMC permission and when approved, items must be password protected. Please see your LEA IMC for more information. The North Carolina Classroom Banks Acceptable Use Agreement, is located on the Directors Moodle, and should be submitted annually by the LEA Director. State assessments are used for the purposes of determining teacher effectiveness (EVAAS). For selected courses that have insufficient data available in Thinkgate (enrollment of 1,000 or more) and/or there is no predictive data to determine growth, required the administration of pre-assessments along with post-assessments to determine student growth. For more information please visit NCDPI s Teacher Effectiveness website. These pre-assessments are NOT optional, and must be completed before significant instruction takes place. Pre-Assessments are to be completed within the first five days (semester) or the first ten days (year-long) of the course. 1

6 I. INTRODUCTION Statewide Field Tests (Mid-Term/Final) Statewide Post-Assessments What Is Meant By Proficiency The field test year is defined as the entire first academic year after publication and includes implementation of a curriculum. During this year, data is collected on the curriculum and assessment items as part of the validation process. Secure field tests for high school courses will be provided by DPI for local administration. Field Test (RBT): For RBT courses, mid-term field tests assess approximately the first half of the blueprint only. Final field tests assess approximately the second half of the blueprint only. Field Test (Non-RBT): For these courses, the field test is comprehensive at the end of instruction. These will be available through the Thinkgate software. Use of field test scores is a local decision. If an LEA selects to use the assessment scores as part of the student s grade, DPI recommends that results for mid-term and final field tests be scaled locally as follows: The highest individual class/section score achieved by a student on each field test will be scaled to 100 and all other scores will be adjusted by adding the same number of points by each classroom teacher (i.e., highest score 85, add 15 points for a total score of 100. Add15 points to each score). DPI applies a calculated scale that would provide a 77 as proficient after the field test year. Field test scores are not used by DPI to report proficiency for federal accountability. Most students will complete a field test in a given minute class period. Since a field test is not used for accountability purposes, you may give the test over two days if needed. EXAMPLE: If you are on traditional schedule, have less than 90 minutes class periods, and no extended mid-term period, then you may divide the test approximately in half and give questions 1-50 on Day 1 and on Day 2. (Exact numbers will depend on how many questions print on a page). These SHALL be printed and packaged separately. Be sure students use the same bubble sheet on both days for scanning and scoring purposes. Testing ethics and procedures for security must be followed. For online tests, the test must be suspended at the end of the testing period and continued the next day. Articulation and Field Tests For more information regarding the process to award articulated credit during a field test year, please visit the North Carolina High School to Community College Articulation Agreement website. Secure statewide assessments are provided for most CTE courses. These generally consist of 100 multiple-choice items. Items are selected by course objective, and the number of items from each objective is determined by the weight that objective is assigned on the course blueprint. A list of all course assessments appears in current edition of the CTE Status of Curriculum and Assessment found on the CTE IMC Moodle site. Local option courses also require a valid and reliable assessment, which may be an assessment developed by a third party. Special provisions for assessing students with disabilities appear in this document in Section VI: Modifications for Special Populations. As a general rule, the CTE Post-Assessment process follows the procedures outlined in Testing Students with Disabilities, a publication from the Division of Accountability Services/North Carolina Testing Program. CTE educators shall have access to blueprints and the community banks for courses they teach. Teachers may use the community banks for instruction, formative assessments, benchmark assessments, and review. Community banks must be accessed through Thinkgate software and must always be password protected. Post-Assessments are to be completed within the last five days (semester) or the last ten days (year-long) of the course. See page 21 What Is Proficient. 2

7 I. INTRODUCTION Use of Statewide Assessment Results Reliability and Validity of Statewide Assessments NC Virtual Public School Courses Data are analyzed at the local, regional, and state levels by school, program area, and other demographic data in Thinkgate to determine current proficiency levels. State, regional, and individual LEA results of CTE assessments can be accessed online at Visitors to this site can log on as follows: User Name: Guest Password: Guest Validity of the secured assessment items is established through review by teams of teachers, business people, and staff consultants who are subject-matter experts. Each item is rated by several individuals, who must agree that it accurately measures student mastery of the course objective from which it is selected. Items that do not meet this criterion are not included in item banks. Formal studies of reliability were conducted by professional psychometricians in 1993 and These studies found high reliability scores for most statewide assessments. Reliability studies are conducted for all new assessment items. NCVPS students should be enrolled in CTE courses at the beginning of the semester and follow all rules just as if it was a face-to-face class. All NCVPS students enrolled in CTE courses must be given the same assessment as other non-ncvps students enrolled. It is the responsibility of the home school/lea to administer the appropriate assessment and report the scores to NCDPI. Students enrolled in NCVPS courses are included in calculation of the school/lea performance on Technical Attainment. Currently, NCVPS is exempted from pre-assessment requirements. Summer School Other Online Course Providers Third-Party Assessments WorkKeys Students enrolled in CTE courses during summer school session are expected to follow the same assessment process as traditional academic year students with the following provisions: NCVPS Not required to pre-assess Not required to take field tests (NCVPS will provide teacher-made assessment and provide the results to the home school s Distance Learning Advisor). Required post-assessment Local May require pre-assessment (refer to Status of Curriculum and Assessment) Not required to take field tests (mid-term or final) Required post-assessment Online courses may be used for CTE content only when they align with state board approved standards. There are many vendors for online content such as Nova Net, Odysseyware, etc The Department of Public Instruction has not completed curriculum reviews/crosswalks for this content. The LEA is required to evaluate, document, and keep on file the content from third party vendors to ensure alignment with state standards. If a CTE number is used for registration, students will be required to participate in the post-assessment for the course. It is critical that content aligns. The majority of third party assessments are available through Thinkgate. However, for those few courses for which there is no state CTE assessment, LEAs are to use appropriate thirdparty assessments. For a complete list of courses in which students are to receive a third-party assessment, refer to the current CTE Status of Curriculum and Assessment provided by your LEA IMC. All third-party assessments administered via Thinkgate are reported for accountability as Yes (student met or exceeded cut score) or No (student did not meet cut score). Third-party assessments can be used for Local Course Options (LCO) if they were included in the LCO approval process. North Carolina administers the ACT WorkKeys assessment to all CTE concentrators who complete a four-course CTE sequence prior to graduation. The ACT WorkKeys assessment provides a gauge of career readiness and is widely recognized as an industry credential. The data reported indicates the numbers of students meeting the standard of a Silver or higher 3

8 I. INTRODUCTION Credentials (Gold or Platinum) certificate. For more information visit your local LEA Accountability department, the CTE Career Development Coordinator (CDC) Moodle, or visit the online site. WorkKey s Clarification Statement It is a collaborative effort between the local Accountability Office, CTE, and Student Services. As such, irregularities and medical waivers MUST be communicated through Accountability. For more information on WorkKeys visit For information addressing the process to complete medical exemptions for WorkKeys goto For further information contact your local Accountability Office. A complete list of credentials that may be used in lieu of statewide assessments may be found in the current edition of the Status of Curriculum and Assessment document (located on the IMC Moodle). However, it is the responsibility of the LEA Instructional Management Coordinator to determine if state assessments must be given regardless, as to not violate their own local policy. Nevertheless, if a credential is going to be used as an assessment in lieu of a statewide assessment, it is the responsibility of the student to provide an artifact (certificate from the authoritative source) to the classroom teacher two weeks prior to the statewide postassessment. In some cases, the teacher may download a computer generated list, from the authoritative source, to serve as the artifact for the entire class. All artifacts must be attached to the Class Roster Summary. It is the responsibility of the Building Level Coordinator to verify, with the LEA Instructional Management Coordinator, that their local LEA policy accepts credentials in lieu of a state assessment. Please refer to state document Credentials by Course, as some credentials, like BM10 or IC00, require multiple credentials to satisfy the technical attainment requirement for a course in lieu of a post-assessment. Where possible, student performance on credential examinations (including performance assessment) will be collected through Thinkgate. Please refer to the Credentials by Course to see a full list of courses which are collected automatically and which are collected manually in Thinkgate. LEAs are to submit complete and accurate (refer to Article 21 on forgery) results for all students who attempt (pass or fail) to earn the credentials. LEAs will receive additional information about how to submit results on third-party assessments and credentials. Credentials Clarifying Statement If a student took both the credential and the post-assessment, which will count toward technical attainment? State and Federal accountability will look at the credential first. If passed, the system will not use the post-assessment score in calculation of technical attainment. However, if the student did not earn the credential, the system will then look at the post-assessment. 4

9 II. OVERVIEW OF PROCESS LEA Instructional Management Coordinator's Responsibilities Building Level Coordinator's Responsibilities The following is an overview of the LEA Instructional Management Coordinator s responsibilities as they relate to statewide CTE assessments. Attend appropriate state, regional, and local staff development activities for Instructional Management Coordinators including but not limited to the Career and Technical Education Summer Conference, the Instructional Management Technical Institute, and regionally based Instructional Management User Groups. When using paper assessments, maintain an inventory of assessment materials prior to and after the administration, and establish and follow appropriate check-in/check-out procedures. Assessments must be counted during check-in and check-out. All assessments must be accounted for at ALL times. When using paper assessments, print assessments from the state secure sftp at Have the appropriate number of copies of each assessment printed and numbered using procedures established at your LEA. When using paper assessments, pre-code student answer sheets for HALO forms or plain-paper bubble sheets using the appropriate Thinkgate software. CAUTION: The roster form of plain paper is NOT recommended for state assessing. Prepare training materials and supplies for Building Level Coordinator training. Train Building Level Coordinators on the contents of this administration manual and the NC Testing Code of Ethics. Have Building Level Coordinator sign the Statement of Accountability (Appendix A). Be available to answer questions from Building Level Coordinators during assessment administration. Check materials back in after assessing. Assessments MUST be counted back in after assessing. Work with Building Level Coordinators regarding make-up assessing. Set LEA and School Assessment Windows using Thinkgate Assessment Scheduler. If using online assessments in Thinkgate, open the assessment window at the schools for the class exam for that day only. Thinkgate dashboard icons MUST not be active, when not in use. Appropriate versions of the assessments MUST be inactivated Versions of assessments not assigned to LEA (XA, XB, etc.) NCCER Transitional pre and post-assessments Scan assessments, if using paper and pencil assessments. Produce local accountability reports. Follow up on any reports of irregularities or violations of assessment procedures (cheating, misadministration, etc.). The following is an overview of Building Level Coordinator's responsibilities as they relate to statewide CTE assessment. Attend training session provided by LEA Instructional Management Coordinator. Collect CTE Teacher Accountability Form, see Appendix C. Package student answer sheets with an appropriate number of assessments, a Statement of Accountability, a Class Roster Summary, NC CTE Secure Assessment Irregularity Form, and a copy of this Assessment Administration Manual. Distribute to Classroom Administrators on the day of the assessment. Have Assessment Administrators sign the Statement of Accountability acknowledging receipt. Establish and follow appropriate check-in/check-out procedures for assessment materials for assessment administrators, when using paper and pencil assessments. Maintain appropriate assessment security throughout the assessment. Conduct training session for Classroom Administrators and proctors to review all information and procedures as outlined in this manual, including the NC Testing Code of Ethics. 5

10 II. OVERVIEW OF PROCESS Classroom Administrator s Responsibilities Work with the Classroom Administrators to ensure that a proper assessment environment is provided. Coordinate with Special Populations Coordinator and Exceptional Children s Coordinator the administration of CTE assessments to students with disabilities or English as a second language (ESL) students (see Section VI). Check materials being returned by Assessment Administrators. Have Assessment Administrators sign the Statement of Accountability acknowledging that appropriate procedures have been followed. Return all assessment materials to LEA Instructional Management Coordinator as soon as assessments are complete. All assessments MUST be counted back in when returning assessments. Develop a check system to ensure the Classroom Administrator administering online assessments clears each computer s cache after assessment is complete. Establish appropriate make-up procedures and administer make-up assessments as necessary. Building Level IMC Responsibilities Clarifying Statement Assessments are to be secure at all times. Therefore, students who must use the bathroom, on an emergency bases, must be provided an escort to and from the assessment site. The proctor may not leave the room for any reason when the Classroom Administrator is the teacher of record. It is recommended that the Building Level IMC develop a local communication and emergency plan. Certified employees of the school system who have been trained in the CTE assessment administration process and the NC Testing Code of Ethics shall serve as Classroom Administrators. The following is an overview of the Classroom Administrator's responsibilities as they relate to statewide CTE assessments. Attend CTE Assessment Training Complete Teacher Accountability Form after Building Level Coordinator training (Appendix C) Maintain an inventory and count of assessment materials prior to and after the assessment. Conduct an unbiased administration of the assessments following the administration procedures outlined in this manual. Complete the Class Roster Summary for each administration of the assessment, which accurately indicates the type of assessment taken by the student. Report assessment irregularities to Building Level Coordinator. If administering an online assessment, the Classroom Administrator MUST clear the cache of all computers at the end of the assessment session. See special note below. Use of Proctors Note: Some LEAs have classroom computers set up to clear cache when the computer is powered down. If this is the case, all computers must be shut down at the end of the assessment session. It is the responsibility of the Classroom Administrator to verify how the cache is cleared before the start of the assessment. For more information on Classroom Administrator responsibilities, see Section IV, Administering Assessments. The principal shall select responsible adults as proctors from community volunteers, school staff, or school system staff. Duties of proctors are outlined in The Proctors Guide, a publication of the Division of Accountability Services/North Carolina Testing Program. While the use of proctors is not required in every situation of CTE statewide assessment, it is recognized that proctors in each assessment site would be most ethically correct. The LEA shall select from one of the following options to ensure proper assessment procedures. Option 1: Proctors In each classroom assessment site, there shall be one administrator and one proctor. The administrator CAN be the teacher regularly assigned to this classroom. The proctors MUST also attend the assessment training 6

11 II. OVERVIEW OF PROCESS Testing Code of Ethics sessions in order to be familiar with standard procedures. This option must be used if the teacher of record is administering assessments for their own class, or an assessment in their own department/licensure. Option 2: Arena Assessing Several groups of students are combined in a large arena-type setting (i.e., media center or cafeteria) with one teacher serving as lead assessment administrator and other teachers serving as proctors. Option 3: Department trade-off Teachers do not administer assessments within their own departments/licensure area, but trade with other CTE teachers in different program areas to administer the assessments. Proctors are not required for this option. Use of proper assessment procedures is essential to provide accurate data for making decisions about individuals and courses or programs. Classroom teachers, Instructional Management Coordinators and others involved in the statewide CTE assessment process are expected to follow appropriate professional practices as explained in the NC Testing Code of Ethics. Adherence to the NC Testing Code of Ethics is one way to increase the accuracy of local and statewide data. Review the NC Testing Code of Ethics for consequences of noncompliance (Appendix G). LEA Instructional Management Coordinators and Building Level Coordinators should facilitate and maintain records of attendance for training on this administration manual and the NC Testing Code of Ethics. Attendees are to complete a CTE Teacher Accountability Form after training, see Appendix C. Limitations to Providing Instruction to Students on the Day of Testing NC Testing Code of Ethics Clarifying Statement Teachers may conduct the read-aloud accommodation for state assessments outside of their department/licensure area. Teachers and students shall not discuss state secure assessment content following an assessment event, as this would be deemed unethical behavior by trying to access secure material for personal gain. Refer to the NC Testing Code of Ethics. During the school year, teachers shall provide instruction that meets or exceeds the North Carolina CTE Essential Standards to give students an opportunity to master the standards measured by CTE assessments. School systems shall prohibit local staff from conducting any type of instructional activity related to the content being tested on the morning of the test administration or during the test administration. LEAs may elect to have review sessions for assessments given on a different day (You may not review for same day testing). In these instances, teachers must not jeopardize the security of the assessment forms. For example, students might approach a teacher and ask questions about assessment items. Teachers must not discuss assessment items with the students and should inform students that they are not to share assessment items with others (e.g., students, teachers). Teachers should not use assessment items or information from students as the basis for additional instruction or review. Excerpts from the tests may not be used at any time during classroom instruction or in resource materials such as study guides. In addition, teachers are not permitted to (1) discuss specific items from the assessment with students or colleagues before, during, or after the assessment administration or (2) ask students for feedback on assessment items. For example, which test questions were difficult? Before the designated assessment administration date and according to State Board of Education policy GCS-A-010 (16 NCAC 6D.0306), teachers may help students improve testtaking skills by: 1. helping students become familiar with the assessment format using curricular content; 2. teaching students assessment-taking strategies; 3. helping students learn ways of preparing to take assessment; and 4. using online sample assessment items when they are made available through the NCDPI Accountability Services Division/North Carolina Testing Program and classroom item banks from Thinkgate. Classroom assessment administrators should explain to students that the assessment administrator and proctor will move quietly throughout the room to scan the students work 7

12 II. OVERVIEW OF PROCESS Suspended Students areas to ensure students are following the assessment directions. While monitoring, assessment administrators and proctors are not to read assessment questions from students assessment booklets or from computer monitors used for online assessments. Assessment administrators and proctors must be made aware of what they can and cannot do to assist students. All assessment administrations must be conducted in an unbiased and uniform manner. For all assessments, it is essential that the score represents the best estimate of the students knowledge and mastery of the concepts. Before and during the assessment administration, the assessment administrator must promote an informative, positive, and supportive environment in order to minimize student tension regarding the assessment. Before the first day of the assessment administration, the school should inform the students and parents (preferably in writing) about the purpose of the state assessment and that students: 1. Are scheduled to take assessment(s) surveying their knowledge and mastery of skills as specified in the North Carolina CTE Essential Standard 2. Should attempt each question/prompt on the assessment; 3. Should bring two sharpened No. 2 pencils (for paper-pencil assessments); 4. Should use school issued/approved graph paper, if applicable; 5. Will be provided information regarding the use of calculators during the administration of NC CTE assessment; 6. Should not bring extra blank paper, dictionaries, reference books, textbooks, cell phones, mp3 players, cameras, smartpens, music, thesauruses, or computers to the assessment site; and 7. Will be informed of any local and state policies regarding the use of assessment results. For paper-and-pencil, multiple-choice tests, students should be taught to check for misalignment during instructional assessment preparation sessions conducted on days before the actual assessment administration. Students should be taught to check every tenth number to see if the question to which they are responding in the assessment book corresponds with the number of the bubble on the scannable answer sheet. According to North Carolina General Statutes G.S. 115C 391(b), the principal of a school, or his/her delegate, shall have authority to suspend for a period of 10 days or less (i.e., shortterm suspension) any student who willfully violates policies of conduct established by the local board of education. When a student is suspended for a period of 10 days or less, the student shall be provided the opportunity to take any quarterly, semester, or grading period examinations missed during the suspension period. Students with short-term suspensions are thus required to take the appropriate state-mandated test(s). The school must make arrangements to test these suspended students in a location (e.g., central office, home) that is mutually agreeable to parents/guardians. The school test coordinator must ensure test security is maintained and all procedures located in the CTE Assessment Administrator s Manual are followed throughout the test administration(s). The principal of a school, with prior approval of the superintendent, shall have the authority to suspend for periods of times in excess of 10 school days, but not exceeding the time remaining in the school year (i.e., long-term suspension), any pupil who willfully violates the policies of conduct established by the local board of education [G.S. 115C 391(c)]. The LEA decides if it will provide students with long-term suspensions the opportunity to take the appropriate state-mandated test(s). If the opportunity is provided, the school must make arrangements to test these suspended students in a location (e.g., central office, home) that is mutually agreeable to parents/guardians, and the Building Level Coordinator must ensure test security is maintained and all procedures contained in the CTE Assessment Administrator s Manual are followed throughout the test administration(s). 8

13 II. OVERVIEW OF PROCESS Assessment Security Paper and Pencil Method Prior to Administration Review the Thinkgate Technology Platform Tutorials State Assessment Scheduler Cmanager, Find and Print a State Assessment and Administer a State Assessment and Print Bubble Sheets found in the Reference Center. Each local school system will download from the secure sftp site (refer to LEA IMC Responsibilities) a copy of each assessment that will be assessed using the paper and pencil method. Access to the assessments shall be limited to authorized school personnel involved in printing or duplicating and to persons reformatting assessments to meet requirements of individual student IEPs or Section 504 plans. If using an outside vendor for reproduction of assessments (see Printing Sent to Third Party Printers), have them sign a Statement of Accountability form and keep on file locally (Appendix L). State Board of Education policy specifies that secure tests, including all test materials and test questions, are not to be used in instruction or for resource materials such as study guides. Access to tests shall be limited to school personnel who have a legitimate need. No person may copy, reproduce, or paraphrase in any manner or for any reason the test materials without the prior written consent of the test publisher (i.e., NCDPI Career and Technical Education). CTE Administrators and/or Instructional Management Coordinators should review the assessment to be sure all pages are included and that any graphic images are printed correctly. They are not to review assessment item content. On Assessment Day Assessment booklets shall be distributed to the Classroom Administrator and returned to the Building Level Coordinator or principal for secure storage. Classroom Assessment Administrators are responsible for the materials they receive. They shall check to be sure they have the correct document and that all pages are included. An inventory shall be included for Classroom Administrators to sign for the number of assessments they receive and the number returned at the end of the assessment day. No one is to review assessments. Teachers should not attempt to answer student questions about specific items. During long breaks and lunch periods, assessments should be returned to the Building Level Coordinator or principal for secure storage. When not checked out to Classroom Assessment Administrators, all assessment materials shall be securely stored in a locked location until they are returned to the LEA Instructional Management Coordinator. After Administration Test copies may be saved for future use by the LEA IMC only. Each test copy must be scrutinized to be sure it does not contain any marks, by the LEA IMC or the Building Level Coordinator. If the LEA allows for marking in test booklets, they must provide one copy for each student and test booklets may NOT be reused. Assessments must be stored in a locked area. The LEA Instructional Management Coordinator will be notified by DPI when the assessment cycle for a particular form is complete. At that time, all copies shall be securely destroyed. LEA Instructional Management Coordinators shall NOT retain copies of the assessments in their archives. The assessments will be archived at the Department of Public Instruction. 9

14 II. OVERVIEW OF PROCESS Assessment Security Online Method Prior to Administration Review the Thinkgate Technology Platform Tutorials State Assessment Scheduler Cmanager, Find and Print a State Assessment and Administer a State Assessment Online found in the Reference Center. Each local school system will use Thinkgate Assessment Scheduler to set the LEA and School Assessment Window. This will prevent the State Assessments from being used before the assigned assessment day. Access to the assessments shall be available only on the authorized assessment day. NC State Board of Education policy specifies that secure tests, including all test materials and test questions, are not to be used in instruction or for resource materials, such as study guides. Access to tests shall be limited to school personnel who have a legitimate need. No person may copy, reproduce, or paraphrase in any manner or for any reason the test materials without the prior written consent of the test publisher (i.e., NCDPI Career and Technical Education). Assessment Security Online Clarifying Statement Classroom Administrators with students having difficulty logging into state online assessments should refer to Appendix J 10

15 III. PREPARING FOR ASSESSMENTS General Information Assessment Schedule Notifying Students About Accommodations The purpose of this manual is to ensure that Classroom Administrators in different courses, different schools, and different LEAs are consistent in the way they administer the CTE assessments. If the administration procedures change even slightly from one location to another, the maximum performance of the different students may be compromised. It is the classroom teacher's responsibility to use the correct blueprint for instruction and to ensure that all core standards and objectives/indicators are covered in the course. Although schedules vary from region to region, LEA to LEA, and even schools within LEAs, state law makers have set policy to protect instructional time for CTE and non CTE content areas. Assessment Schedule Clarifying Statement Pre, Mid-Term, and Post-Assessments: Pre-Assessments must be administered within the first five days of the semester or first ten days of a yearlong course. RBT courses with mid-terms are considered an extension of the post-assessment, as the mid-term is averaged with the final. Therefore, these assessments must be administered at the mid-point of the course. Post-Assessments must be administered within the last five days of the semester or last ten days of a yearlong course. For more information, please refer to G.S. 115C (a) Early Assessment Administrations A student may assess early under special circumstances. See Process for Requesting to Assess Outside the CTE Assessment Window (Appendix E). Once a student has taken the CTE Post-Assessment, he/she is NOT allowed to return to the classroom, since CTE Post- Assessments are secure state assessments. This would be a breach of assessment security and deemed an assessment misadministration. Also by taking the exam, their coursework is completed. Makeups: Makeup assessments are to be completed within the assessment window. There are at least three circumstances that allows LEAs to go past the window: 1) IEP/504 multiple-test sessions, 2) national assessments, or 3) family emergency/family relocation. Certified employees of the school system, who have been trained, shall serve as assessment administrators. CTE State Assessment Cutoffs Summer: State window ends the second Friday in August Fall: State window ends the second Friday in February Spring: State window ends the third Friday in June Please plan accordingly. Notifying students about the accommodations they are to use prior to the actual assessment administration date allows the student to know what to expect in advance of the assessment. Knowing details beforehand assists the student in preparing for the assessment administration, and gives school personnel the opportunity to address any student concerns prior to the actual assessment administration date. For example, when a student is notified about the accommodation before their assessment date, the student may state that he/she will not use the accommodation documented on their IEP. This prior knowledge allows the school time to work with the student, parents, and the IEP Team to resolve the issue beforehand. Appropriate officials in LEAs should provide Review of Accommodations used during assessments. Refer to Appendix F as an example. If needed, the LEA may use the sample form. 11

16 III. PREPARING FOR ASSESSMENTS What to Tell Students The classroom teacher shall promote an informative, positive and supportive environment to minimize student anxiety regarding the assessment. Prior to assessing, students should be given the following information: They will be assessed on one of the following (choose which applies): Pre-Assessment measure current knowledge and mastery of the concepts of the course. Pre-Assessment Clarifying Statement Students shall answer questions they know on the assessment. They are not required to answer every question. Mid-Term measure knowledge and mastery of the concepts learned in the first half of this course. Post-Assessment measure knowledge and mastery of the concepts learned in this course. The assessment will provide information about students individual level of achievement. Another purpose is to assist the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction and U.S. Department of Education in ensuring that students throughout the state have access to similar educational opportunities. The assessment scores will be used in determining course grades according to local policy. The day before the assessment is to be administered, teachers should tell the students to be sure to bring two sharpened No. 2 pencils. (The school system may provide assessment pencils.) Tell students they are not to bring textbooks, dictionaries, bookmarks, thesauruses, or microcomputers unless allowed by personalized education plans. Student cell phones are not permitted in the assessment site. Note: Principals will develop a local plan to handle cell phones brought to the assessment site. Assessment Environment Use of Formula Sheets and Other Reference Materials PDF Files of the Secure Assessments Students are permitted to bring their own calculators or borrow one for the assessment. Calculators are permitted for all assessments. Cell phone calculators may NOT be used. Students who use personal calculators that have information previously stored in the memory must be required to clear the memory before and after taking the assessment. The area selected for assessment administration must provide an environment that minimizes distractions and interruptions for students. Rooms used for administration of the assessment shall be quiet, comfortable, and have adequate lighting. Seating shall be arranged to prevent students from sharing answers (this includes computer labs that will be used for online assessments). If assessments are to take place in a facility other than a classroom (for example, the cafeteria or the media center), special effort may be required to establish and maintain a proper environment. Instructional displays of classroom materials and other equipment that may provide students with assistance in answering items must be removed or covered with opaque paper or plastic material such as plastic trash bags. Failure to cover or remove such displays during the test administration is considered a violation of the NC Testing Code of Ethics. No food or drink is permitted unless it is required for health reasons. DPI provides formulas and conversion tables for certain courses. These formulas are included in the specific assessment item where they are needed. Use of formula sheets other than those provided by DPI is not permitted. The National Electric Code Book is allowed as a reference for the Electrical Trades assessment. No specific edition is required. Students enrolled in Metals Manufacturing Technology I and II should be allowed to use the Machinery's Handbook or a student version of the book. Secure pdf files will no longer be uploaded into Thinkgate, but instead be placed on the state s secure ftp site. The IMC, Primary Point of Contact, shall only print from the secure ftp site. No pdf state secure assessment shall be saved outside of the state secure ftp site, as this is considered a breach of assessment security. 12

17 III. PREPARING FOR ASSESSMENTS Printing Sent tothird Party Printers (Kinkos) Recording Audio Files of the State Secure Assessment Pdf files maybe provided on electronic media such as CDs or flash drives for delivery to third party (offsite) printers. These devices must be secured as all other secured state assessments (labeled, numbered, and inventoried going-out and coming-in). Electronic files must remain on the device that was provided by LEA IMC. Third party printer must sign a confidentiality agreement, which includes keeping assessment materials secure and clearing data from their printers when print job is finished, see Appendix L. LEA IMCs must secure electronic device between assessment cycles. At the end of school year, all electronic devices must be securely destroyed or files erased. If, under any circumstance, a breach occurs in this process, the LEA will be held responsible for damages. Although read-aloud capability will be available in the new platform of Thinkgate, there may be rare circumstances where the LEA IMC may need to create an audio file of a state secure assessment. Audio files maybe provided on electronic media such as CDs or flash drives. These devices must be secured as all other secured state assessments (labeled, numbered, and inventoried). Electronic files must remain on the device that was provided by LEA IMC. LEA IMCs must secure electronic device between assessment cycles. At the end of school year, all electronic devices must be securely destroyed or files erased. File Sharing between LEAs LEAs may share audio file through the sftp state site only. Process: Upload file to the Upload Folder on the sftp at your Instructional Management Consultant Instructional Management Consultant will move files to statewide folder for other LEA access. Please remember to always clear your computer s cache when after working with state secure documents/files. Medical Waivers Please refer to Appendix D. Before Teachers are to enter students anticipated grades into the Thinkgate software prior to the Assessment test period (online and paper-pencil assessment). Use the following scale: A or B or C or D or F. Review the Thinkgate Technology Platform Tutorials Enter Anticipated Grades in the Pre/Mid/Post: reference center. Pre-Assessments Teachers are required to enter an A for pre-assessment anticipated grades. The anticipated grades are not used for any statistical analysis, but rather it allows the student to access the online assessment or the scoring of paper-pencil assessments. Mid-Term and Post-Assessment Use the following scale: A or B or C or D or F. This need not be a mathematical calculation, but simply the teacher s best estimate of what the student would receive at that point without regard to their performance on the assessment or their attendance. IMPORTANT: Anticipated grades are VITAL for reliability purposes. Special Populations information will be extracted from an authoritative source. Teachers are not responsible for entering any Special Populations information. Before Online Assessing: Classroom Assessment Administrators should have experience in the use of Thinkgate online assessments. Review the Thinkgate Technology Platform Tutorials Administer a State Assessment Online in the Reference Center. Check to ensure that all equipment is in proper working order. Check to ensure computers are Internet accessible. Check to ensure that a Web browser capable to displaying a CTE online assessment is installed on each computer workstation intended for the administration and ensure that it starts, a secure connection is verified, and all components work. LEA IMCs should check with their local Technology Department to ensure scheduled 13

18 III. PREPARING FOR ASSESSMENTS Credit Recovery Credit by Demonstrated Mastery Middle School Student s Taking High School CTE Courses? programs such as virus checks, weather programs etc. will not pop-up during the assessment window or it will lock students out. Students who are in credit recovery or repeating a course must be coded appropriately in PowerSchool (State Board of Education Policy GCS-M-001). Credit Recovery (Earn PASS/FAIL Only) Schools must code a student as credit recovery. Students will not be in same section as regular students. Students in credit recovery are exempt from taking statewide CTE assessments if they met proficiency (77 or greater) on the post-assessment when they originally took the course. Those who did not take or did not make proficiency are expected to be assessed/re-assessed. Keep in mind, a student may not get articulated credit for credit recovery. Thinkgate (If re-assessing is needed): If there is an old score, LEA IMC must reset before assessing the student Repeating Course (Earn PASS/FAIL or Grade) *Can be used to improve GPA School must code student as regular section. Students repeating the course are exempt from taking statewide CTE assessments if they met proficiency (77 or greater) on the postassessment when they originally took the course. Those who did not take or did not make proficiency are expected to be assessed/re-assessed. Keep in mind, a student may only be granted articulated credit if they receive mastery (93 or higher). Thinkgate (If re-assessing is needed): If there is an old score, reset before assessing the student Credit by Demonstrated Mastery is the process by which LEAs shall, based upon a body-ofevidence, award a student credit in a particular course without requiring the student to complete classroom instruction for a certain amount of seat time. Mastery is defined as a student s command of course material at a level that demonstrates a deep understanding of the content standards and application of knowledge. Beginning with the school year, Credit by Demonstrated Mastery shall be available for all NC students in grades 6-12 (GCS-M- 001). Credit by Demonstration Route Students shall demonstrate mastery through a multi-phase assessment, consisting of: 1) a standard examination, AND 2) an artifact which requires the student to apply knowledge and skills relevant to the content standards. Credit by Demonstration Clarifying Example: 1) CTE Assessment of 93 or higher plus MSITA certifications 2) CTE Assessment of 93 or higher plus project (P/F). Students are NOT to be enrolled in the course in which they are seeking credit by demonstrated mastery. The following courses are excluded from Credit by Demonstrated Mastery: Career and Technical Education (CTE) work-based learning courses (co-op, internship, apprenticeship), CTE courses that have a clinical setting as a requirement of the course, such as ProStart, Early Childhood Education I/II and Nursing Fundamentals, and CTE Advanced Studies courses. Future guidance concerning how to enter student score information to transcript to be posted on the IMC Moodle. In exceptionally rare circumstances, a middle school student may be eligible to take a CTE course offered at the high school level. This must be approved through the CTE Director and Regional Coordinator for prior approval. LEA IMC will follow directions via Thinkgate Technology Platform Tutorials to add classes, teachers, and students. 14

19 III. PREPARING FOR ASSESSMENTS MSLs/CTE Pre/Post- Assessments Please refer to the August 8, 2013 Memo Middle School CTE Measures of Student Learning sent out by the NCDPI s CTE Director, JoAnne Honeycutt. A copy of this memo is located in the Middle School MSL folder on the sftp site. For additional information on the MSL process, please refer to resources available on the DPI website at If you have addition questions, please contact Jennifer Preston (jennifer.preston@dpi.nc.gov) or Jo Anne Honeycutt (joanne.honeycutt@dpi.nc.gov). 15

20 IV. ADMINISTERING ASSESSMENTS Materials for the Classroom Paper and Pencil Assessment Administrator Administration Procedures (Paper-Pencil) Proctors Responsibilities Timing of Assessments (non-project based) The Classroom Administrator shall receive: An assessment booklet for each student in the class. A pre-coded answer sheet for each student in the class and a few blank answer sheets to accommodate students for whom there is no pre-coded sheet. Statement of Accountability: Classroom Administrator Form A Class Roster Summary for each class. A NC CTE Secure Assessment Irregularity Form for each class. (see Appendix A) A copy of this CTE Statewide Classroom Assessment Administration Manual. Classroom Administrators shall observe and monitor students during assessments. Administrators shall not read, work on the computer or other devices, talk, or leave the room during the test administration. The Classroom Administrator shall do the following: Sign the Statement of Accountability: Classroom Administrator Form to acknowledge receipt of assessment materials listed above (see Appendix A). Review the CTE Classroom Assessment Administration Manual and the NC Testing Code of Ethics (Appendix G). Distribute answer sheets to students. Have students verify their student identification number and test ID. If there are errors in pre-coding, instruct students not to try to erase them; make a note on the roster of the needed correction. Distribute an assessment booklet to each student. Read aloud (script) the Instructions to Students from Appendix H. Provide blank paper if needed. Monitor the classroom during assessments. Do not leave the room. Schools are responsible for developing student escort plans. Students should never be left unsupervised with assessment materials. At the end of the assessment period: Collect the completed answer sheets from students. Collect all assessment booklets from the students. Collect blank and used paper from students. Proctors serve as additional monitors to help the Classroom Administrator ensure that assessing occurs fairly and uniformly. Proctors may not assist students in choosing responses to assessment questions or at any time modify, change, alter, erase, or tamper with student responses to assessment questions. At no time shall proctors be responsible for reading directions or otherwise providing information for the assessment administration to students. Proctors shall: Maintain assessment security at all times. Help ensure that physical conditions in the room are appropriate. Make sure that materials are appropriately distributed. Ensure that appropriate assessment administration procedures are followed. Assist students with emergencies and restroom breaks during assessments. Schools are responsible for developing student escort plans. Monitor students. Ensure that appropriate procedures for providing accommodations are followed. Report all assessment irregularities to the Building Level Coordinator. Maintain student confidentiality. Sign Statement of Accountability: Classroom Administrator Form (Appendix A) Proctor s guide is available at for you convenience. High school students are to be given a minimum of 120 minutes and a maximum of 4 hours. Timing of Assessments (non-project based) Clarification Statement It is recommended NOT to hold an entire class over 120 minutes for students. Students with an extended time modification may be moved to a pre-determined site in the building. 16