WESTEST

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WESTEST

• Examiner Training
• 2006

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All examiners must

• be educators employed by the county, RESA, or
  state
• attend WESTEST training for examiners
• sign the Test Security Agreement for Examiners
  and return it to the school principal

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West Virginia Measures of Academic Progress

• Policy 2340
• This policy establishes rules governing the
  administration and operation of the WV-MAP

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Testing Code of Ethicsand

• Test Security

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Test Notification

• Students and parents/guardians shall be
• Given notification before testing
• Provided information on the purposes of the test
  and uses of test results and
• Encouraged to follow test preparation procedures.

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Test Preparation Practices

• Instruction will be focused on the inclusive
  content standards and objectives in the
  curricular areas.
• Utilization of the informal item bank may be used
  for test preparation.
• Students should be taught general test-taking
  skills and objectives.

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TEST SECURITY

• As per West Virginia Board Policy 2340, county
  school personnel shall establish and implement
  procedures to ensure maximum test security and
  limit involvement to school personnel.

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TEST SECURITY

• Principals are responsible for providing secure
  central storage for testing materials while they
  are in the schools. The secure central storage
  area should be accessible to principals and
  building-level test coordinators only.

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TEST SECURITY

• Principals are responsible for providing
  school-level training on test administration and
  security procedures.

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TEST SECURITY

• Principals are responsible for monitoring to
  ensure that testing is conducted in an ethical
  and secure manner.

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Test Security
Any individual who administers or handles the
test materials at the school shall acknowledge
that all assessments within the West Virginia
Measures of Academic Progress are secure tests by
reviewing, signing and returning the West
Virginia Board of Education Test Procedures
Agreement for Examiner to the school principal.
This signed agreement must be filed in
accreditation file 6.5.3.
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TEST SECURITY

• Before each daily test administration, materials
  must be distributed according to instructions
  provided with the test.
• Tests must be secured at all times during test
  administration, including any break times.
• Materials for students who are absent may not
  remain in the testing room. Unused test
  materials shall be collected and returned to
  secure central storage as soon as possible.
• All test booklets (used and unused) must be
  counted, reconciled, and returned to a centrally
  located, locked and secure area following each
  daily testing session.

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TEST SECURITY
The test administration area shall be maintained
in a secure manner to include only those students
to whom the assessment is being administered and
the examiners.
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Test Security
Apart from the scheduled test administration to
students, use of test booklets and copying the
booklets or excerpts from the booklets is
inappropriate and unethical. Violation of test
security may result in severe penalties,
including suspension, termination and/or
revocation of ones teaching license.
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Test Security
All student test data will be stored in a locked
and secured area. Student test data will be
maintained under conditions consistent with the
requirements of the Family Educational Rights
and Privacy Act (FERPA).
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Handling Test Booklets

• Do not
• Leave test booklets unattended
• Put test booklets in unlocked cabinets
• Take test booklets home
• Throw booklets away
• Reproduce test booklets in any manner
  including taking notes/paraphrasing questions
• Do
• Lock test booklets up in a safe, secure, central
  location

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Test Security

• Any breach of security, loss of materials, or
  other deviation from acceptable security
  procedures shall be reported immediately to
• The School Principal
• County Test Coordinator
• County School Superintendent
• Proper Authorities at WVDE
• Investigation by WVDE will follow.

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Ethical Testing Practices

• Test booklets or questions shall not be
  reproduced or paraphrased in any manner. School
  personnel should not look at the questions
  (except to provide oral testing for math,
  science, and social studies).
• No portion of student responses to any item shall
  be kept, copied or reproduced.

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Ethical Testing Practices

• Personnel responsible for the testing program
  shall be properly instructed in the appropriate
  test administration procedures. Documentation
  for this must be kept in accreditation file
  6.5.3.
• No one shall violate test security or the
  accuracy of the test data score results by
  manipulating the test administration, demographic
  data or the students answers or data.

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Ethical Testing Practices

• The examiners shall not use any specific
  information from the secure test questions to
  review students, create review worksheets, or any
  other aids that would improve students test
  scores without improving the underlying knowledge
  base.
• Specific information, as specified by the test
  manual, shall not be displayed in the room during
  test administration.
• Only references or tools specifically designated
  in test manuals are provided.

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Ethical Testing Practices

• Test booklets are not to be in the school more
  than one week prior to testing.
• Testing must occur during the testing window.
  Make-up testing must be completed by May 25,
  2006, and materials signed in to the county on
  May 26, 2006.
• Access to test booklets shall be restricted to
  the test administration period.

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Test Administration

• Tests shall be administered only during the
  testing window established by the West Virginia
  Board of Education. The testing window is not
  determined by the county.

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Test Administration

• Examiners must be educators employed by the
  county, RESA or state.
• Examiners of standardized tests shall rigorously
  follow the appropriate administrative procedures
  as directed in the tests administration manuals.
• All examiners shall strive to create a positive
  testing environment.

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Test Administration

• Students shall not have prior access to test
  questions.
• Examiners shall limit assistance to students to
  issues concerning the mechanical aspects of
  marking answers, clarifying directions, and
  finding the right place on answer sheets.
• Examiners shall not indicate right or wrong
  answers in any manner (including body language
  and tone of voice) or point out the rationale of
  an item.

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Test Administration

• Accommodations for students with Individual
  Education Plans (IEPs), Section 504 Plans, or
  Limited English Proficiency (LEP) shall be
  provided as established in their plans.
• The accommodations in mathematics and
  reading/language arts for students with
  disabilities must be documented by the assigned
  examiner (WVS.326 Testing Option Report,
  Assessment with Accommodations).

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Test Administration

• Students and examiners shall be monitored to
  ensure that appropriate test taking and test
  security procedures are followed.

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Test Procedures Agreement

• Examiners and any other school personnel who
  handle the test materials must obtain a copy of
  the West Virginia Board of Education Test
  Procedures Agreement For Examiner.
• Read, sign and date the agreement.
• Return the signed document to the principal.

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Investigation of Security Violation(Policy 2340
126-14-8)

• Any written or oral report alleging a violation
  of test security shall be investigated by the
  WVDE. If the investigating team determines that
  violations have occurred, appropriate action
  shall be taken which may include
• Suspension
• Termination
• Revocation of teaching license

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Discuss Security Scenarios
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Sign the Test Procedures Agreement for Examiner
and give it to the principal or building level
test coordinator.
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10 MinuteBreak
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Prior to First Testing Session

• Inform students and parents of the testing dates
  and purposes of the test
• Read and study the Examiners Manual
• Prepare mathematics punch-out tools
• Practice using the mathematics punch-out tools
  with students. Students may use their own
  protractors and rulers.

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Prior to the First Testing Session

• Ensure that each student is familiar with the
  general types of questions on the test and the
  procedures to follow when recording answers to
  the test questions.
• Let students know that randomly marking answers
  is not acceptable. However, it is better to
  guess than to leave anything blank. On multiple
  choice questions, students should eliminate
  answer choices they know are incorrect and then
  guess from the choices remaining. Also, students
  must attempt to answer all constructed response
  questions.

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Prior to First Testing Session

• Check testing areas prior to the beginning of
  test administration to ensure that any specific
  information pertinent to the test being
  administered is not displayed during testing.
  Cover or remove any teaching aid that might give
  students information or help on the content area
  being tested. This may include, but is not
  limited to, word walls, number lines, punctuation
  rules, maps, and multiplication tables. Alphabet
  charts may be left up.
• Clear student work areas of all books, papers and
  other materials.

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Prior to First Testing Session

• Examiners administering WESTEST to students who
  have testing accommodations must
• obtain two copies of Testing Option Report
  (WVS.326) from principal/building coordinator
• review each childs listed accommodations prior
  to testing compare w/ IEP, 504 Plan, or LEP
  Plan if discrepancies exist, notify the case
  manager ask for a corrected WVS.326 report

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Prior to First Testing Session

• Have at least two 2 pencils with good erasers
  for each student. Have at least 2 pages of
  scratch paper for each student. (Graph paper may
  be used as scratch paper.)
• Show examples on the board of how to fill in
  answer circles correctly. Emphasize that
  students must make complete erasures and write
  answers in the space/lines provided. However,
  since constructed response questions are scored
  by people, if students go outside the lines a
  little the question will not automatically be
  counted wrong.

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During Testing

• Follow your schools procedures for signing out
  the test booklets each morning.
• Verify the count.
• Initial the Security Checklist to document that
  you received the booklets.

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School Security Checklist
Examiner initials check-out
Principal/coordinator initials check-in
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During Testing

• Each time booklets are distributed, make sure
  each student has his/her own book.
• Check the name on the pre-slug bar code label.
• On the first day of testing if there is no
  pre-slug bar code label, check the bio-grid
  information on the inside front cover.

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Check for student bar code label here
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Bio-Grid The Bio-Grid is completed only for
students who do not have a pre-slugged
label. This should be completed by the
principal/building level coordinator, not by the
examiner.
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During Testing

• On the first day of testing, instruct each
  student to write his/her own name on the front
  cover of the test booklet on the line labeled
  Student Name.
• Each day of testing, instruct the students to
  write the examiners name in the designated area
  for the content area test being administered that
  day.

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Students complete this information.
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During Testing

• Set aside test booklets for students who are
  absent. Shortly after the test begins, a
  building designee will collect the booklets not
  being used that day. Extra booklets are never to
  remain in the testing room.
• Read the student directions verbatim.
• Give students adequate time to complete the test.
  Every student must be given the time she/he
  needs within the confines of the test day.
  However, each test must be completed on the day
  it is given.

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During Testing

• If a student who requires additional time stops
  working for more than 10 minutes and has not
  closed his/her test booklet, it is recommended
  that the test be ended.
• Quietly circulate around the room to monitor
  students during the test. Do not distract
  students by talking or making unnecessary noise.
• Check to see that students write in the test
  booklet only where directed to do so. For
  constructed response questions, students show
  their work and write their answers in the spaces
  provided.

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During Testing

• Give breaks at the scheduled times.
• Make sure test booklets are secure during breaks.
• Document any disruptions/irregularities by
  completing the WESTEST Testing Irregularity Sheet
  in Appendix 8 of the Examiners Manual.

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During Testing

• Ensure that any student who has completed a
  session has closed the test booklet and does not
  re-open the test booklet until told to do so.
• Damaged or contaminated test booklets must be
  reported to the principal/building level
  coordinator immediately. Do not destroy or
  dispose of the damaged test booklet.

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The principal/building coordinator will now
explain the procedures for

• signaling when assistance is needed within the
  testing room.
• dealing with a contaminated test book.

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During Testing

• Collect all test booklets at the end of each
  daily session. Make sure all materials are
  accounted for before students leave the room.
• Test materials must be signed back in on the
  Security Checklist.

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During Testing

• On the last day of testing, check the
  invalidation grid inside the front cover of each
  students test booklet. Invalidation may only be
  done by the principal/building level coordinator
  upon the direction of the county test coordinator
  in consultation with the WV Department of
  Education. Any bubbles marked in the invalid box
  (labeled Administrators Use Only-Invalid) must
  be reported to the principal/building
  coordinator.

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Notify the principal/building coordinator if any
of the invalidation bubbles are marked.
Check to make sure students have not filled in
these bubbles
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After Testing

• For Examiners administering WESTEST to students
  with IEP testing accommodations
• after WESTEST administration, the assigned
  examiners will mark the Testing Option Report
  (WVS.326) according to the instructions in the
  Examiners Manual (Appendix 6). This must be
  done separately for reading/language arts and
  for math. Both reports are to be turned in to
  the principal/building coordinator.

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Returning Test Materials

• Sign the test booklets back in to the
  principal/designee at the end of each days
  testing. Make sure the booklets are checked-in
  on the Security Checklist. Test booklets must be
  placed in secure central storage immediately.
• Return the secure scratch paper (which will be
  destroyed by the Building Test Coordinator).
• Return the Test Irregularity Sheet.

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Standardized Conditions Required

• In order for the test results to support valid
  inferences, each test examiner will adhere to the
  conditions described in the Examiners Manual and
  the Testing Code of Ethics.
• Proper administration of tests plays an integral
  part in the testing process and is vital to the
  accuracy of the test results.

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Standardized Conditions Required

• Students shall be tested at the grade level in
  which they are enrolled.
• Students shall be tested in classrooms with
  adequate lighting and ventilation.
• Students record answers in test booklets.
• Highlighters, markers and pens are not to be used
  in the testing process.
• All sessions of a content area are to be
  completed on the same day.

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Standardized Conditions Required

• On the Reading/Language Arts test, only the
  directions may be read aloud or signed.
• Calculators may be used on all sessions of the
  Mathematics and Science tests EXCEPT Session 1,
  Part 1 of the Mathematics test.
• Instructions in shaded areas and preceded by
  SAY shall be read verbatim.

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Reminder The Reading/Language Arts test may not
be read aloud or signed to any student. Only the
directions may be read aloud or signed.
Reading/Language Arts Day 2 Session 1,
Reading/Language Arts Distribute test booklets to
the students. Make sure each student gets
his/her own test booklet. Students may use
scratch paper for the Reading/Language Arts test.
Grade 4
Grade 3
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Standardized Conditions Required

• Extended time must not result in an opportunity
  for the student to study information on a test
  already started.
• Examiners must be educators employed by the
  county, RESA or state.
• Students who typically take longer to complete
  tests may be grouped together.

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Standardized Conditions Required

• Distractions such as bells, intercoms or
  telephones should be eliminated during testing
  sessions.
• Students and examiners shall turn off any
  cellular phones, watches with alarms or pagers
  during the testing period.
• A Do Not Disturb sign shall be placed on the
  door of the testing room.

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Standardized Conditions Required

• Test examiners shall study administration
  procedures and directions prior to each day of
  testing. The Examiners Manual shall be followed
  precisely.
• Sufficient time for students questions shall be
  provided prior to the beginning of the test.
• Examiners may not define or pronounce words for
  students.
• Examiners may not re-phrase items.

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Standardized Conditions Required

• Examiners shall monitor students during testing.
• Breaks shall be provided and adhered to as
  indicated by the schedule.
• Nutritious snacks will be provided to students
  during breaks.
• Students should be instructed not to discuss the
  test during the scheduled breaks and upon
  completion of testing.
• Information relevant to the test shall not be
  discussed by administrators, teachers or students.

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Standardized Conditions Required

• When breaks are given, test booklets should be
  closed and all test materials must be secured.
• Students shall not be tested after strenuous
  physical exercise.
• Video monitors shall not be used for
  administering the test.

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WESTESTApproximate Times and Break Schedules
Reading/Language Arts
Social Studies
Science
Mathematics
Administrative Time 5 minutes
Administrative Time 5 minutes
Administrative Time 5 minutes
Administrative Time 5 minutes
Session 1, Part 1 10 minutes
Session 1 35 minutes
Session 1 35 minutes
Session 1 30 minutes
10 Minute Break
10 Minute Break
10 Minute Break
1 Minute Break
Session 1, Part 2 30 minutes
Session 2 30 minutes
Session 2 30 minutes
Session 2 30 minutes
10 Minute Break
10 Minute Break
Session 3 25 minutes
Session 2 30 minutes
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Mingo County2006 WESTEST Schedule
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Transcribing

• Scribes must be trained examiners. They must
  read and follow precisely the Directions for
  Transcribing on pages 13 14 of the Examiners
  Manual.
• When an examiner is transcribing a students
  written response, the examiner is to copy the
  response EXACTLY as it is written by the student.
• When an examiner is recording a students oral or
  signed responses, the student should be given the
  following options
• A student may verbalize the punctuation and
  mechanics as he/she gives the answer.
• A student may read the written response and
  indicate to the examiner where and how to
  punctuate and use mechanics after he/she has
  given the answer.
• A student may use a combination of the first two
  options.

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After Transcribing

• The WESTEST Scribe Verification Form found in
  Appendix 7 of the Examiners Manual must be
  completed. One copy is kept in the school files
  and one copy is submitted to the county test
  coordinator.

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Tardy Students

• Tardy students are NOT to be admitted to the test
  session after testing has begun.
• The principal/building coordinator may create a
  Late Arrival Testing Site and assign a trained
  examiner to administer the test to students
  arriving late. The manuals allow for multi-grade
  level directions.

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Make-Up Testing

• The principal/building coordinator must have an
  organized plan for make-up testing. If a student
  misses all parts and there is not sufficient time
  for making it up, priority must be given to
  Reading/Language Arts and Math.

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Math Formula Sheets and Science Reference Sheets

• For students in grade 10, the formula/reference
  sheets are found in the back of the test booklet.
  Make sure that students know they are there.
• For grades 3-8, most formulas are provided within
  the test question. EXCEPTION If the formula
  was first introduced 2 or more grade levels
  prior, then the formula is not provided and
  students are expected to memorize it.
• During testing, students are not allowed to use
  the formula/reference sheets except those
  provided within the grade 10 test booklets.

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Documentation of Accommodations

• Documentation must be provided that testing
  accommodations were given in accordance with
  IEPs, 504 Plans, and LEP Assessment Participation
  Documents.
• Follow the procedures listed in Appendix 6 of the
  Examiners Manual.
• If any listed accommodations were not given, mark
  the accommodation with an asterisk and write a
  brief explanation.

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Reviewing for the Test

• It is NOT permissible to review for a content
  area on the same day the content area is being
  tested. However, it is permissible to review
  during the afternoon on the day prior to the
  test.

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Class Assignments During Testing

• Students should not be given other high pressure
  tests/assignments on WESTEST days.

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Marking in the Test Booklets

• Students must respond to the test questions by
  directly placing their answers in the test
  booklets. Pencils must be used.
• Students are allowed to use their pencils to
  circle or underline key information in the test
  items. They must stay away from the timing marks
  on the pages and must not have stray marks close
  to the areas where the answers are placed.
• Highlighters, markers, and ink pens are not
  allowed.

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For Students Who Finish Early

• Examiners must have quiet, individual activities
  available for students to work on while they wait
  for others to complete the test.

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Students Who Need Extra Time

• A student who needs extra time may be moved to
  another location to finish as long as
• the student does not have the opportunity to
  obtain information from other students or
  teachers
• the student does not have the opportunity to look
  up answers
• the student is monitored by a trained examiner

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QuestionWhat do we do if the time a student
needs to complete a test extends during and
beyond the lunch period?
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AnswerThe student who needs more time may be
moved to another work area monitored by a trained
examiner and the other students may go to lunch.
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Answer (contd.)All students who need more time
could have a lunch break together, monitored by a
trained examiner, and resume testing after lunch.
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Examiner Responsibility

• Examiners are responsible for monitoring the
  testing session at all times. They are to
  quietly circulate around the room - encouraging
  students to keep working, determining if students
  are following directions, replacing pencils that
  break, assuring that the test being administered
  is the only one being worked on by the students,
  and maintaining a QUIET, ORDERLY, and POSITIVE
  testing environment.

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Examiner Responsibility

• Examiners may only assist students with the
  mechanical aspects of marking the answers. This
  should be limited to making sure that students
  make heavy, black marks in the circle for their
  answer choice, writing in the spaces provided for
  constructed response questions, and cleanly
  erasing unwanted responses and stray marks.
  Examiners are not to pronounce or define words
  and shall not paraphrase questions. Under no
  circumstances can answers to the items on the
  test be provided (verbally or non-verbally) to
  any student being tested. Answers to the sample
  items can be provided, but the rationale for the
  correct response to the sample cannot be
  provided.

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Examiner Responsibility

• Examiners must not read, study, copy, disclose,
  or allow to be disclosed the contents of the
  WESTEST. The only time it is permissible for
  examiners to look at the test items is when they
  are providing oral testing for mathematics,
  science, or social studies.

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We are accountable for the test performance
levels for students who have been continuously
enrolled from September 1, 2005 through May 16,
2006.
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Annual Measurable ObjectivesPercent of Students
Scoring Mastery or Higher
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We are accountable for testing 95 of students
who are enrolled in our schools on May 16, 2006.
This also applies to subgroups.
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Questions or Concerns?
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Thank You for Giving It All Youve Got!