Testing Accommodations North Carolina Testing Program

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Testing AccommodationsNorth Carolina Testing
Program
Pam Biggs NCDPI Division of Accountability
Services

• Conference on Exceptional Children
• November 2008

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• This presentation is the property of the North
  Carolina Department of Public Instruction and may
  be used for training and informational purposes
  only. It may not be used for personal or
  financial gain.

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• Information from this presentation
• is located in

Look for revised document coming early 2009
Testing Students with Disabilities (Published
July 2005) www.ncpublicschools.org/accountability
/policies/tswd
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What are Testing Accommodations?

• Changes in the administration of an assessment,
  such as setting, scheduling, timing, presentation
  format, response mode, or others
• Valid accommodations do not change the construct
  intended to be measured by the assessment or the
  meaning of the resulting scores

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What are Testing Accommodations? (contd)

• Are used for equity, not advantage, and serve to
  level the playing field
• Allow students to access the standard test
  administration
• Must be used regularly during instruction and
  similar classroom assessments administered
  throughout year

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Activity

• Testing Accommodations Whats Allowable and
  Whats Not
• Decide for each accommodation
• Is it a valid accommodation for reading?
• Is it a valid accommodation for math?
• Is more information needed?

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Instructional vs. Testing Accommodations
INSTRUCTIONAL
TESTING
Teacher Notes
Mark in Book
Extended Time
Scaffolding
Large Print
Peer Tutor
Separate Setting
Graphic Organizers
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Who is Eligible for Accommodations?

• INSTRUCTIONAL
• Anyone
• TESTING
• IEP
• Section 504 Plan

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Who Determines Accommodations?

• For a student with disabilities
• IEP Team
• Section 504 Committee

All testing accommodations must be documented in
IEP or Section 504 Plan
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Types of Accommodations

• Modified Test Formats
• Assistive Technology (AT) Devices and Special
  Arrangements
• Special Test Environments

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Modified Test Formats

• Braille Edition
• Large Print Edition
• One Test Item Per Page Edition

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Modified Test Formats

• IEP team/504 committee meets and determines
  accommodation
• Teacher notifies school test coordinator
• School test coordinator notifies LEA test
  coordinator
• LEA test coordinator must order test at least 30
  working days prior to test administration

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AT Devices and Special Arrangements

• AT Devices
• Computer Reads Test Aloud - Student Controlled
  (Online Test of Computer Skills)
• Dictation to a Scribe
• Interpreter/Transliterator Signs/Cues Test
• Student Marks Answers in Test Book
• Student Reads Test Aloud to Self
• Test Administrator Reads Test Aloud

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Special Test Environments

• Hospital/Home Testing
• Multiple Testing Sessions
• Scheduled Extended Time
• Testing in a Separate Room

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Top 5 Most Used Accommodations on EOG

• 1. Scheduled Extended Time
• 2. Testing in a Separate Room
• 3. Test Administrator Reads Test Aloud (Math)
• 4. Student Marks Answers in Test Book
• 5. Multiple Testing Sessions

Based on Green Book data from 2006-07
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Most Frequently Used Accommodations - EOG
Grades 3, 5, and 8 based on Green Book data from
2006-07.
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Before Testing

• IEP Team/504 Committee determines
• what accommodations student needs for instruction
• what accommodations student needs for assessment

then
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Before Testing

• Make sure school test coordinator is aware of
  what accommodations are actually documented to be
  used
• Make sure student is aware of what accommodations
  will be used during test

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Before Testing

• Student should be using accommodations ROUTINELY
  during instruction and similar classroom
  assessments - they should not be a surprise on
  test day!

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During Testing

• Follow procedures in Test Administrators Manual
  andTesting Students with Disabilities publication
• Students must be provided the accommodation(s)
  listed in IEP/504 Plan

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After Testing

• Each students answer sheet must be coded with
  exactly which accommodations were provided during
  testing
• Ex. A student has Scheduled Extended Time, but
  finishes early.
• He does not need to be kept extra time.
• Scheduled Extended Time may still be marked on
  the bubble sheet because it would have been
  provided had the student kept working.

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After Testing

• Make note of what the student actually used
  keep in local records
• Some examples
• Finished in standard time (no extra time needed)
• Followed along with read aloud administration
• Went ahead and did not listen to read aloud
• Had multiple testing sessions over 2 days, but
  finished in one

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After Testing

• This can aid future decisions regarding testing
  accommodations
• Does this student really need it?
• Programmatically, are there trends within the
  school or school system?
• Is professional development needed?

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Specific Accommodations to Discuss

• Scheduled Extended Time
• Testing in a Separate Room
• Test Administrator Reads Test Aloud
• Student Marks Answers in Test Book
• Multiple Testing Sessions
• Computer Reads Test Aloud - Student Controlled

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Scheduled Extended Time

• The students IEP/Section 504 Plan should specify
  an estimated amount of extra time the student
  will require
• Breaks occur at standard intervals specified in
  Test Administrators Manual unless student also
  has Multiple Testing Sessions
• Student must be allowed bathroom and lunch breaks

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Scheduled Extended Time

• If testing continues past lunch
• student must not communicate with other students
  during lunch
• OR
• Is not allowed to return to completed portions of
  test
• If students estimated time is over, but student
  is working diligently, let him/her continue

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Scheduled Extended Time

• Must complete in one day if used without Multiple
  Testing Sessions
• Testing must be complete prior to normal
  afternoon dismissal
• Documentation may be written in terms of minutes
  (extra 30 minutes) or as multiple of test time
  (1.5 x)

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Scheduled Extended Time

• Students are not required by NCDPI to also have
  the Testing in a Separate Room accommodation in
  order to receive Scheduled Extended Time
• If student does not also have Testing in a
  Separate Room as an accommodation, he/she would
  begin the test in his/her appropriate testing
  location
• If test is not complete after standard test
  administration time, student should be moved to
  different location to complete test

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Scheduled Extended Time
EXAMPLE 1 Victor can complete a test in one day
with breaks at the same intervals as his peers.
However, he needs additional time to complete the
test beyond that designated in the Test
Administrators Manual. His IEP states that he
needs the following accommodations

• Scheduled Extended Time (1.5 x the test time)
• Testing in a Separate Room (small group)
• Test Administrator Reads Test Aloud

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Multiple Testing Sessions

• How test administration is to be divided must be
  documented
• More frequent breaks
• Over multiple days
• If student does not also have Scheduled Extended
  Time, total administration time should be limited
  to that in Test Administrators Manual

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Multiple Testing Sessions

• EXAMPLE 1
• John can complete a test in the standard
  administration time. However, he needs breaks
  more frequently than those designated in the Test
  Administrators Manual. His IEP lists the
  following accommodations
• Multiple Testing Sessions (breaks every 20
  minutes)
• Testing in a Separate Room (small group)

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Multiple Testing Sessions

• EXAMPLE 2
• Sasha requires the test to be divided over two
  days. She can take breaks at the same intervals
  as her peers. She will, however, need additional
  time beyond that allowed in a standard test
  administration. Her IEP lists the following
  accommodations
• Multiple Testing Sessions (over 2 days)
• Scheduled Extended Time (extra 30 minutes)
• Testing in a Separate Room (small group)

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Multiple Testing Sessions

• Student is not allowed to look back over or
  complete work done in previous session
• Before ending each session, student must be told
  to review work and may not change any part of the
  responses in the following sessions
• At the conclusion of each session, paper clips
  may be used to secure those pages already
  completed or planned for future session

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Multiple Testing Sessions

• If completing test in multiple days or with long
  breaks during the day, student may return to
  regular class if general testing has concluded
• Student is not allowed to revisit any portion of
  the test already completed, even if some
  questions were left unanswered

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Testing in a Separate Room

• One-on-one or Small Group
• Must be designated on documentation
• MUST be used if students receive one or more of
  the following accommodations
• Assistive Technology that reads test aloud
  (without use of headphones)
• Student Reads Test Aloud to Self
• Test Administrator Reads Test Aloud

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Testing in a Separate RoomOne-on-One

• Really 21
• Test administrator and proctor for each student
• Only one student per testing location
• All standard testing procedures must be followed

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Testing in a Separate RoomOne-on-One

• MUST be used if student uses the following
• Assistive Technology that reads test aloud
  (without use of headphones)
• Dictation to a Scribe
• Student Reads Test Aloud to Self accommodation

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Testing in a Separate RoomSmall Group

• NCDPI does not mandate a maximum group size
  HOWEVER, it is a SMALL group
• Test administrator and proctor required
• Test administrators and proctors must follow same
  guidelines/procedures as standard administration

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Test Administrator Reads Test Aloud

• Valid accommodation for tests that do not measure
  reading comprehension
• NOT a valid accommodation for
• EOG Reading
• NCEXTEND2 EOG Reading
• English I EOC
• NCEXTEND2 OCS Occupational English I
• Competency Test Reading

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Administrative Procedures

• Prior to Testing
• Each students IEP/504 Plan must state how test
  is to be read aloud
• For example
• Everything
• By student request
• Everything but numbers
• Each student must be aware of how test will be
  read aloud (see above)

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Administrative Procedures

• During Testing
• Students should be in test groups based on how
  test is to be read
• Students must be in small group or one-on-one
  administrations (this must also be in
  documentation)
• One-on-One suggested for Online Test of Computer
  Skills

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Administrative Procedures

• During Testing (contd)
• Teacher must have a copy of the test to read from
• Directions for the student are located in the
  Test Administrators Manuals
• May repeat instructions and test questions as
  many times as needed
• Test items and answer choices must be read in a
  consistent manner

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If Entire Test is To Be Read Aloud

• Test administrator must read
• Item number
• Test item
• Corresponding answer choices
• Pause and allow students to choose an answer
• While students are responding, review next item
  to determine how it should be read
• Proceed to next item after students have marked
  their answers

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If Test is To Be Read by Student Request

• Student will indicate which item number he/she
  needs read.
• Test administrator should pause to read problem
  to self prior to reading to student
• Test administrator must move near the student and
  read
• Item number
• Test item
• Corresponding answer choices

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Math Tests

• Fractions, greater/less than signs, equal
  signs, exponents, etc. should be read in same
  manner as routinely used in classroom
• EXCEPT
• if reading it provides the student with the
  answer

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Problem Types Place Value

• Most numbers can be read as they would be used in
  the classroom

All examples presented are from the Sample Test
Items available online at www.ncpublicschools.org
/accountability/testing
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Place Value Example 1
RIGHT WAY TO READ
Sam got fifty-four stickers from his mother,
forty-seven stickers from his father, and
seventy-two stickers from his uncle. About how
many stickers did Sam receive? A one hundred
ninety B one hundred seventy C one hundred
fifty D one hundred thirty
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Problem Types Place Value

• When place value is involved in the question,
  numbers need to be read as digits, commas,
  decimals, etc.

All examples are from the Sample Test Items
available online at www.ncpublicschools.org/accou
ntability/testing
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RIGHT WAY TO READ
Place Value Example
A class collected seven hundred fourteen box
tops. Which number represents seven hundred
fourteen? A seven zero four B seven one
four C seven four zero D seven four - one
WRONG WAY TO READ
A class collected seven hundred fourteen box
tops. Which number represents seven hundred
fourteen? A seven hundred four B seven hundred
fourteen C seven hundred forty D seven hundred
forty-one
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Problem Types Fractions

• In many cases, fractions may be read as done in
  classroom

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Fractions Example 1
RIGHT WAY TO READ
Which of the following is the largest? A five
thirds B eight ninths C three halves D seven
fourths
UNNECESSARY WAY TO READ
Which of the following is the largest? A five
divided by three B eight divided by nine C three
divided by two D seven divided by four
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Problem Types Fractions

• If a question deals with converting fractions to
  another form, such as decimals, one of the forms
  must be read as digits

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Fractions Example 2
RIGHT WAY TO READ
The coach used a digital stopwatch to time a
race. The fastest time was recorded on this
stopwatch
One point seven zero zero
When the race was over, the coach posted the
winning time in fraction form. Which is the
winning time?
A seventeen one-thousandths B one and seven
tenths C one and seven one-hundredths D one and
seven one-thousandths
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Problem Types Geometry

• Symbols may be read as done in instruction unless
  test item specifically asks what the symbol
  represents

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Geometry Example 1
RIGHT WAY TO READ
Given points P, seven, five, Q, eight, three, R,
zero, negative one, and S, negative one, one,
which of the following is true? A line PQ is
parallel to line RS B line PQ is perpendicular to
line RS C line PR is perpendicular to line
QS D line PR is parallel to line QS
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• Some things that can help in figuring out
• how to read test item correctly
• Test administrator should be familiar with
  grade-level/course content
• Review examples in this training make yourself
  as aware as possible of the issues involved
• Review the next problem while students are
  answering previous problem (if reading entire
  test aloud)
• If reading by student request, pause and read
  over problem to self before reading to student

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Student Marks Answers in Test Book

• Does student really need this accommodation?
• Has the student ever tried to transfer answers to
  an answer sheet?
• If no, provide them with an opportunity to see if
  they are able
• If yes, were they able to do it correctly?

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Student Marks Answers in Test Book

• After completion of testing
• Under secure conditions
• Staff member must transcribe students answers to
  multiple-choice test questions to the appropriate
  answer sheet
• Take care to use correct section of answer sheet

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Student Marks Answers in Test Book

• Under Secure Conditions
• 2nd staff member must check the transcription to
  verify accuracy
• Both people must sign outside of test book
• Test books with students original responses must
  be securely stored for 6 months

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Computer Reads Test Aloud - Student Controlled

• ONLY for Online Test of Computer Skills
• 2nd option for read aloud
• Can be used in combination with traditional read
  aloud
• Must be documented in IEP/504 Plan
• Student clicks on speaker button
• to activate speech
• Button located by each block of text with audio
  file

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Computer Reads Test Aloud - Student Controlled

• Limitations
• Audio files only available for some blocks of
  text (e.g., question, answer choices) - not text
  within applications
• Student must physically be able to click mouse to
  activate speech

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Revisit Activity

• Testing Accommodations
• Whats Allowable and Whats Not

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Accommodations Trivia
Game Over
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What documentation does a student with
disabilities have to have to receive testing
accommodations?
IEP or Section 504 Plan
Next Question
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Name an accommodation that requires the student
to also have the Testing in a Separate Room
accommodation.
Test Administrator Reads Test Aloud Student Reads
Test Aloud to Self Assistive Technology that
reads the test aloud
Next Question
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If a student has the Scheduled Extended Time
accommodation and is working diligently at the
end of his estimated time, may I let him continue?
YES If the student is still working after the
conclusion of the estimated time written in the
IEP/504 Plan, he may continue. Testing must be
concluded by end of that school day.
Next Question
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Can a student that has Scheduled Extended Time be
tested in the regular classroom?
YES If the student does not also have the Testing
in a Separate Room accommodation and is still
working after the conclusion of the standard test
administration, he/she may then move to another
designated location to complete the test.
Next Question
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Are all instructional accommodations also testing
accommodations?
NO Testing accommodations must also be used in
instruction, but not all accommodations used in
instruction are appropriate for testing.
Next Question
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Where do you document what accommodations were
provided to the student during testing?
On the students answer sheet
Next Question
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Are all Testing in a Separate Room accommodations
considered small group?
NO Some accommodations (such as Student Reads
Test Aloud to Self) require the student to be in
a one-on-one setting. Also, some students may
need to be by themselves to focus.
Next Question
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How often do students with Scheduled Extended
Time get breaks?
With the exception of overall time limits,
procedures in the Test Administrators Manual are
followed, including break times.
Next Question
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How many adults are in the room for a
one-on-one administration?
Two a test administrator and a proctor are
required for the administration of state tests
Next Question
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Are all students with Multiple Testing Sessions
tested over multiple days?
NO Some students are able to finish the test
within one day but need breaks more frequently
than those of the standard test administration.
Next Question
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If a student needs several days and extra time to
complete the test, what accommodations should be
in her documentation?
Both Multiple Testing Sessions and Scheduled
Extended Time should be in the students IEP or
Section 504 Plan
Next Question
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If a student has Multiple Testing Sessions, can
the pages the student is not going to be working
on during a session be clipped together?
YES Pages the student has completed and those
planned for a future session may be secured by
paper clips.
Next Question
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Questions?