2014 DC CAS Frequently Asked Questions

State testing is required by federal laws and fulfills the requirements of the federal Elementary and Secondary Education Act, passed in 1965. ESEA requires annual assessments in reading and mathematics for students in grades 3-8 and high school. Students must also be tested annually in science in an elementary, middle and a high school grade. This requirement is fulfilled in the District of Columbia by administering a science assessment in grades 5, 8 and high school biology. Additionally, the District of Columbia administers a health assessment in grades 5, 8 and high school.

Subjects Covered

The subjects covered in the DC CAS are based on the District’s learning standards found at http://osse.dc.gov/service/dc-educational-standards. Students are tested in the following subjects:

Reading: Grades 2-8, and 9-10 (2nd and 9th grade reported internally only and at the LEAs discretion)
Composition: Grades 4, 7 and 10
Mathematics: Grades 3-8 and high school
Science: Grades 5, 8, and high school (biology)
Health: Grades 5, 8, and high school

 Performance Levels

A student’s performance on the DC CAS is reported using scaled scores. These scores are three-digit numbers that are used to place the student’s assessment results into one of four levels:

Advanced (exceeding state standard)
Proficient (meeting state standard)
Basic (not meeting state standard)
Below Basic (not meeting state standard)

 Annual Measurable Objectives (AMOs) and Calculations for Accountability

All full academic year students in grades 3-8 and 10 (excluding 9th grade optional testers) must take the DC CAS. Student level scores in reading and mathematics will be aggregated and counted for progress toward AMOs. Student status is determined by credits according to the District of Columbia Municipal Regulations (DCMRs).  These are the Full Academic Year factors for students to count for AMOs and Accountability:

Student is enrolled on Enrollment Audit Count Day (October 7, 2013).
Student is enrolled on first day of testing (March 31, 2014).
Student is enrolled for at least 85% of the days between October 7th and March 31st.

Accommodations

 Students may not receive accommodations that are not in their most recent IEP, ELL plan or 504 plan, nor can they receive an accommodation that is not on the approved accommodations list. However, LEAs can submit a nonstandard accommodations request for approval to OSSE. The “other” choice should be bubbled with the accommodation written next to the “other” choice. No other manipulative or aides may be used beyond the highlighters and sticky notes discussed here (i.e. no cover overlay for reading). The accommodations page should be completed after testing by the Test Administrator in the presence of the Test Monitor to capture only those accommodations a student actually received during testing. The complete manual, as well as a memo clarifying the Translation Accommodation can be found on the OSSE website. Test Accommodations Manual

A student with an IEP or 504-plan may be receiving an accommodation during instruction and on classroom and district assessments which is not available as a standard accommodation for statewide assessments. This type of accommodation is considered a nonstandard accommodation.
The request must be considered and approved by the Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE) prior to use on statewide assessments. Standard accommodations on the state assessments should be considered prior to requesting a nonstandard accommodation.
Any nonstandard accommodation request that invalidates the assessment will not be approved.

Nonstandard Accommodations request must be submitted by March 14 to Michelle Blakey-Tuggle, [email protected]

 Alternative Settings Testing

 All public school students receiving temporary instruction at a program (or alternative school) other than the schools to which they are regularly enrolled, as provided by the LEA, are to be assessed at one of the following locations: 1) the schools in which the students are enrolled, 2) their home, or 3) an alternate testing site approved by the LEA Assessment Coordinator/Test Integrity Coordinator. For students tested at home or other alternate testing sites, the LEA Assessment Coordinator/Test Integrity Coordinator will directly communicate with the test coordinator or principal at the alternative setting to make arrangements for pick up and return of test materials. These materials must be signed in by the test chairperson each day upon receipt and return to the school. Test administrators and Proctors in alternative settings will also sign the NDA security forms.

Answer Booklets and Additional Information

The student’s name, teacher’s name, and the name of the school should be printed on the back of the answer booklet for ALL students.

Authorized Personnel

Any individuals who have access to Districtwide assessment materials or are directly involved in the administration of a Districtwide assessment must do the following:

Attend applicable trainings
Report breaches of test security
Read all applicable directions and guidance
Cooperate in investigations
Refrain from prohibited activities

Blank Pages

Please advise students, at the beginning of each session of the DC CAS that if they encounter blank pages, they should continue testing until they reach a stop sign.

Calculators

For grades 7, 8, and 10, only four-function and scientific calculators can be used for session 1 of the mathematics assessment, unless the student has this accommodation noted in the student’s most recent IEP. Programmable calculators may be used only if they are set (reset or cleared) to the original factory settings.

More information about the use of calculators for the special education population can be found in the Test Accommodations Manual located in the DC CAS ALT Assessments section of the OSSE website.

Cell Phones and Other Electronic Devices

The following devices may not be used under any circumstance: laptop or portable/handheld computer; calculator that has QWERTY keypad that uses an electrical outlet, makes noise, or has a paper tape; electronic writing pad or pen-input/stylus driven device; pocket organizer; talking calculator and cell phone calculator. If one of the previous devices is the only device the student can access, special request must be made to OSSE through use of the Request for a Nonstandard Accommodation. There is no guarantee this will be approved.

Testing students and school personnel involved with testing activities are not allowed to use a cell phone or to have a cell phone in their possession while they are taking or administering the test. Principals, Test Chairperson/Test Monitors, test administrators and proctors should take reasonable steps to ensure that students and adults do not have cell phones or any other electronic devices during testing. If a cell phone or other electronic device is discovered, it should be taken from the student or staff member during testing and returned after testing or in accordance with the school/LEA protocol

Class Rosters

Class rosters indicating which students are testing with which other students and which test administrators are required, and must be maintained with your school’s Test Security Binder. Schools will not need to complete and submit to OSSE a seating chart. However, if there are any changes to the test groups including changes to the assigned Test Administrator, Test proctor, or student groupings, outside of normal absenteeism, schools will need to communicate the change to OSSE no later 2 days after the change is made.

Classroom Teachers Administering Tests to Own Students

This year, LEAs may choose whether or not classroom teachers can serve as test administrators for their own classrooms. Please check with your LEA Assessment Coordinator/Test Integrity Coordinator about your LEA’s policy. If teachers are serving as test administrators for their own classrooms, the teachers should be well versed in test violations: well intentioned practices that are part of the normal classroom routine may be test violations. For this reason, some LEAs choose to swap teachers and test administrators so that classrooms teachers are not serving as test administrators for their own students.

Contaminated Materials

Contaminated materials and answer booklets should not be returned to CTB (the test publishing company). Materials that are considered contaminated and cannot be scanned include: (1) student health issue that affects the test book or answer booklet itself (blood, fluids, etc.), or (2) contact with potentially hazardous materials. Contaminated test books or answer booklets must be transcribed into clean test books and/or answer booklets under the supervision of the Test Chairperson/Test Monitor. After transcribing, the contaminated booklets must be destroyed at the test site. Please refer to page 8 of the Test Chairperson’s/Test Monitor’s Manual for steps for destroying contaminated test materials.

Dictionaries

 Dictionaries are not allowed for any part of the DC CAS. The only exception is for English Language Learners during the science, health and mathematics tests. English Language Learners are not allowed to use dictionaries for reading or composition. Please refer to the Testing Accommodations Manual for more details.

Disruptive Students

 Under certain circumstances in which students are disruptive during testing, or under duress, principals and Test Chairpersons/Test Monitors (as the principal designee) have the flexibility to relocate students as long as all requirements for testing conditions and staffing are met. Please be advised that testing in ability groups or smaller group sizes may result in a possible flag for irregularities.

English Language Learners

ALL students, including English Language Learners (ELLs), must participate in the DC CAS except ELLs (levels 1-4) first enrolled in U.S. schools within 12 months from the first day of the previous year’s test window. These students are NOT required to participate in reading or writing DC CAS as long as they take the ACCESS exam the same spring, but must take the mathematics DC CAS. All ELLs at English language proficiency (ELP) levels 1-4 are eligible for accommodations.

Enrollment / Material Discrepancies

The Test Chairperson’s Kit will be sent to your LEA/school by CTB (test publishing company) by March 26. The student pre-coded roster will be provided to confirm your student enrollment. If your current enrollment data does not correspond with your pre- coded roster, please use the Short/Add process to immediately communicate the discrepancies. Test materials may be adjusted from March 24-April 10. The Short/Add form is available on the same site used by CTB for this year’s Online Enrollment process.

For non-public schools, the Test Chairperson’s Kit will be sent to you in the same manner. However, if your school no longer provides educational services to District of Columbia students, even though a pre-coded student roster was sent to you by CTB, you must communicate this discrepancy immediately. Please contact CTB and obtain instructions for returning any secured items. Exception forms should be submitted using the following website: www.ctb.com/dc-cas.

Extended Time

The DC CAS is an untimed test. The Test Directions list a suggested time in which most students typically finish the session, however additional time may be added to the session in increments at the discretion of the Test Administrator until all, or the vast majority of students, have completed that session.

Flexible Scheduling/Testing Over Multiple Days

As with all accommodations, LEAs and school staff should ensure that flexible schedule and testing over multiple days accommodations are implemented with fidelity. Schools have discretion over how flexible scheduling/testing over multiple days is administered for students with these accommodation in their IEP, 504 plan or ELL plan; however, they must comply with the Testing Accommodations Manual and with the testing window of March 31-April 11. All test materials will be picked up on April 11. No exceptions can be made to this date.

Formula Page/ Math Reference Card

A 10th Grade Mathematics Reference Sheet is included as a perforated page in each math test booklet for student use. The card is also available to view and download on the CTB website at: Grade 10 Math Reference

Full Academic Year Status

Students are considered Full Academic Year (FAY) for their school/LEA/sector/state if they meet the following criteria:

Student is enrolled on Enrollment Audit Count Day (October 7, 2013);
Student is enrolled on first day of testing (March 31, 2014); and
Student is enrolled for at least 85% of the days between October 7 and March 31.

Only students who are considered FAY will be included in accountability calculations. Students will be considered FAY at the smallest unit possible. For example, if a student switched campuses within an LEA during the FAY period, but was at the same LEA for the FAY period, the student would not be included in school level calculations, but would be included in LEA, sector and state level calculations.

Grade Level Repeat and Promotions

If the student repeated a grade this year and sat for that grade level DC CAS test last year, the student may take the DC CAS again this year provided that the grade level for the student in the student longitudinal database indicates that the child is enrolled in a tested grade. Only the first score for that student for that grade level will be used for accountability purposes. Scores from grade level repeat tests will not be used for accountability.

Also, if a student skipped a grade year and is presently enrolled in a tested grade, the student should take the test for the grade level enrolled at the time of testing.

Highlighters Highlighters can be used by all students except in the 2nd and 3rd grade. The 2nd and 3rd grade test booklets are scannable documents, and the highlighter marks could interfere with scoring. Students in grades 2 and 3 can mark or make notes in the passage area of their test booklets. Marks should not be made near the bubble area. On the scannable documents only #2 pencils may be used.

Home-Bound or Hospital-Tutored Students

Home-bound students are expected to participate in the DC CAS. Students who are enrolled in a public school but receive instruction in the home or hospitals due to a medical condition or other circumstance are also expected to participate in the DC CAS. This includes students who are home-bound, receive home visits, and/or are hospital tutored. When circumstances make it impossible to test the student at the school, the principal must contact OSSE to determine how the student will participate in the DC CAS.

Home-Schooled Students

 Participation on the DC CAS is voluntary only for home-schooled students. OSSE does not require or mandate that these students participate in the DC CAS.

Incarcerated Students

Students who have been incarcerated are required to take the DC CAS. All eligible public school students who attend alternative, residential correctional, and/or juvenile detention facilities are required to participate in the statewide assessment program. These students are assessed at the location where they receive instruction. Their assessment scores are used in determining progress toward AMOs and accountability calculations for the LEAs in which they are currently or most recently enrolled and the facility where they receive instruction.

Students whose education is the responsibility of the Department of Youth and Rehabilitations Services (formerly Oak Hill Academy, now called the New Beginnings Youth Development Center), are attributed to the state for purposes of accountability. Students at Department of Youth Rehabilitation Services (DYRS) who are placed in residential treatment facilities, psychiatric residential treatment facilities, and out of state group homes are attributed to LEA for accountability purposes. Please refer to the District of Columbia Consolidated State Application Accountability Workbook Plan submitted to the U.S. Department of Education, February 2, 2010, Revised March 17, 2010, page 6.

Invalidation

Student assessments should only be invalidated for one of four reasons:

Student becomes ill and is unable to complete the test
Student works ahead or outside of current session being tested
Clear evidence that the student received inappropriate assistance
Test misadministration (assistance with passages during reading or composition; calculators provided outside of allowable math session)

Make-up

Make-up sessions are only for students who were absent the day of the test, and/or absent for a complete session. It is not permissible for students who have already started a session, but did not complete it, to finish the session during make-up. Make-up testing must be completed within the test window (March 31-April 11, 2014).

Material Delivery and Pick Up

Prior to testing, secured materials will be delivered to schools by courier company. Prior to delivery, the courier company will call and/or email each school with a delivery date and confirm the ‘ship to’ address. Testing materials will be delivered to the schools between March 24-26, 2014.

All testing must be completed and test materials packaged for pickup on April 11, 2014. There is only one pick-up day this year, please plan accordingly. The courier company will make two attempts (by phone or email) to schedule a pick-up. If there is no answer on the second attempt, an automatic pick up time will be assigned and an email notification will be sent out to the designated contact. Schools may elect to contact CTB Customer Services line directly at 800-994-8579. Please maintain a signed Proof of Delivery/Bill of Lading/Packing List with the appropriate details completed. The details include the principal’s name and signature of the principal (or designee) as well as the arrival and departure times. Indicate the number of pieces/boxes shipped on your Bill of Lading. This will certify that the secure test materials were picked up by the courier company.

For out-of-area and out-of-state non-public schools, the courier company will deliver testing materials to the schools and will pick up testing materials at the conclusion of testing. The prepaid air bills for non-public schools will be provided within the shipment of testing materials. Please do not discard these prepaid labels so that they can be affixed to the boxes upon return.

Medical Exemptions

Medical emergency exemptions from testing shall be granted on a case-by-case basis only. The definition of medical emergency is designed to exempt only those students whose conditions results in the student being too ill to be tested. Medical emergencies are limited to student with life-threatening or severe illnesses or injuries. It does not provide a categorical exclusion for all home- or hospital-bound students; it applies solely to a student for whom a physician confirms is too ill at the time of testing to participate in the test. Medical exemptions should be submitted to OSSE as soon as possible, but no later than 15 days past the final test date to be considered for approval. Medical Exemption Form

Missing Materials Investigation

If a test booklet is not returned to CTB, OSSE will request the LEA/school to conduct an internal investigation of the missing materials. The school security checklist must be submitted as requested. Further, OSSE may forward to a third party firm, the name of any testing site that fails to return five or more reading and/or mathematics testing booklets.

Multiple Grade Level Same Year Testing

Schools are instructed to administer the appropriate grade level tests in accordance with the grade level in which the student is presently enrolled (verifiable by the student longitudinal database). For instance, a student should not be tested for the DC CAS 9th grade Reading test and the DC CAS 10th grade Reading test in the same academic year testing window. To do so may be cause for an independent review of school-wide testing practices.

Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA)

The NDA must be signed by each person involved in the administration of the state test.

Non-public Testing

LEA Assessment Coordinators/Test Integrity Coordinator must ensure that 100% of students with disabilities enrolled in the tested grades are tested. The LEA must confirm that each LEA affiliated site (to include non-publics in and out-of-state) has received test materials, inventoried, secured and stored items, administered the standardized test, and shipped the test materials (scorable and non-scorable) to the testing company. Additionally, LEA Assessment Coordinators/Test Integrity Coordinators must confirm that all personnel involved with testing have signed a Non-Disclosure Agreement. They must also conduct Test Chairperson/Test Monitor and/or Test Coordinator training. In the event that the LEA-affiliated non-public site is located out-of-state, the LEA must certify that LEA-approved training materials, webinars, and PowerPoint slides have been provided and that training has taken place.

OSSE Monitoring

The administration of the DC CAS may be observed by monitors from OSSE to ensure compliance per the District of Columbia State Test Security Guidelines. This can involve observations of the following processes:

Test administration (i.e. reading test directions verbatim)
Test environment (i.e. seating arrangement, removal of curriculum material from walls)
On-site supervision of the handling of secure and non-secure test materials
Inventory/distribution of secure and non-secure materials
Collection of scorable documents
Test packaging and shipment of secure and non-secure materials

Packing 

A GIS form must be completed for each person administering the DC CAS to student(s). The GIS form(s) should be placed on top of the appropriate scorable answer documents, and put in an envelope. Each envelope should be placed in the box with one on top of the other. Do not stand the envelopes up on end. If a student finishes their exam in an overflow setting, the student’s material should be returned to the original Test Administrator for check-in and inclusion on the original GIS.

Polling Places

April 1, 2014 is the Primary Election, which may pose significant disruption for those schools that also serve as polling places. Schools that are serving as polling places for the 2014 Democratic Primary may be waived from test administration on April 1 and/or March 31 if they choose. These schools must include in their detailed School Test Plans a description of how they plan to ensure that all testing is completed within the test window (March 31-April 11), and how they will keep secure materials secured during non-testing times in the testing window.

Pre-coded labels

Place a pre-coded label on the front of the test booklet in the indicated area. If the student does not have a pre-coded label, write the student’s name on the front cover and provide the necessary data in the student grid as directed in the Test Chairperson/Test Monitor Manual. If the pre-coded student demographic information is incorrect, affix two blank labels atop the incorrect label and bubble the student grid.

Principal (School-based Leader) Role

The principal (school-based leader) has the ultimate responsibility for its school in ensuring that the test administration at his/her school is of utmost fidelity. For a complete listing of the principal’s responsibilities, please refer to page 8 of the State Test Security Guidelines. Some major duties include but are not limited to: ensuring that all individuals involved in state testing have read, sign and returned the Non-Disclosure Agreement; reiterating that staff are not allowed to erase stray marks on behalf of students; notifying parents and students about the testing window and any applicable accommodations; implementing and supervising the testing plan with fidelity; and immediately reporting test violations.

Quiet Time During/After Testing

After completing their test, students are allowed to quietly read a pre-screened book, do a color sheet, draw, or engage in a non-tested content activity. The student can engage in these activities only after the test booklet and answer document have been collected by the test administrator.

Read Aloud Accommodations

Reading out loud the reading section and/or the composition passage of the DC CAS is NEVER allowed whether through a screen reader, interpreter or orally. Some students will require the test questions (stem and answer choice) read to them in order to assess what they know about the content rather than assessing reading skills. This may include the interpretation (sign language) of the test questions. The accommodation will be administered by the test examiner reading aloud, an interpreter using sign language, or through screen reader software devices. The read aloud accommodation is only allowed in mathematics, science, health, and the prompt portion of composition.

Please note: If this accommodation is accidently given during the reading or composition sections of the assessment, the student’s score will be invalidated. An invalidation of a section of a content area invalidates the entire content area. As such, the affected student’s test will be excluded from the performance results. The student will not count for participation (for that content area) and will be excluded from both the numerator and denominator for proficiency calculations. Test Accommodations Manual

Refusal to Test

All students are required by federal and local law to take the DC CAS. The only exceptions are students with approved medical exemptions, home-schooled students, and ELL students who have been in the country less than 12 months and take the ACCESS test (and then, the student is only exempt from the reading and composition tests).There is no provision in current local or federal law permitting students to opt out of the reading, math, composition, science, or health statewide assessments.

Restroom Usage

Students should be encouraged to use restroom facilities, get drinks, etc., before starting to take the test. If there is an emergency and students must leave the room during the testing to use the restroom, they will be instructed to place their answer sheets in their booklets and close these booklets before leaving their seats, and submit them to the test administrator. Students must also submit any scratch paper, manipulatives, and electronic devices to the test administrator before leaving the room. These students will then be escorted to the restroom by a designated adult.

Retake Bubble

The retake bubble on the front of the test booklet must be filled in if the student is a retake (i.e. repeating a grade, or subject).

School-Based training

Prior to the first day of any standardized testing, all staff involved in test administration will be required to participate in an in-service led by the LEA Assessment Coordinator/Test Integrity Coordinator and/or the Testing Chairperson/Test Monitor, designed to train test administrators, proctors and others in administration procedures. Attendance must be taken. The in-service will stress the maintenance of test security during test administration. Security issues addressed will include handling materials in a secure manner, providing directions to students, responding to students' questions and monitoring the test setting.

School Security Checklists (Materials Control Form)

The Security Checklists (Materials Control Form) for Grades 2 – 10 test books will be provided with the test materials. Upon receipt of your security checklists, please verify that all packaged materials received match the materials on the checklist. The test security checklist may be reproduced, enlarged or scanned, but it should not be recreated.

School Test Monitoring

Principal and other school leaders will conduct monitoring while the test is being given. These building administrators and other designated individuals will move between classrooms to help monitor administration and to provide assistance as needed.

School-Wide Emergency

In the event that there is a school-wide emergency in which students are evacuated from the building, follow the LEA/school protocol. School procedures during testing may include the following if at all possible: (1) secure the tests, (2) take the student roster, (3) supervise students while escorting and waiting in the pre-assigned staging area (4) take student roster again upon building re-entry, (5) return students to their assigned seats, and (6) resume testing. Please fill out an Incident Report and submit to the LEA Assessment Coordinator and OSSE.

Scrap Paper

All scrap paper must be returned in the non-scorable box. Only plain, lined or unlined, scrap paper may be used in any session. Graph paper, grid paper, or recycled paper with content on either side is not allowed. Please write the student’s first and last name, and grade on the top of all scrap paper and sticky notes used.

Security Exceptions Survey

The Security Exceptions Survey should be used to report all secure test materials that are NOT being returned to CTB (i.e., contaminated, damaged or lost), or that were inadvertently returned outside the secure process described in the Test Chairperson’s/Test Monitor’s Manual (TCM).

Security File Storage

The Test Chairperson and school building leaders must maintain test integrity and test administration documents on file for five years. The file should include, at a minimum, the following documents: Test Plan and Schedule, Contact Information, NDAs, Security checklist, Medical Exemptions, Non-standard Accommodations, Observations, and a Signed Bill of Lading. If all documents listed above can be digitized, maintained electronically for the required five years, and accessible even if school/LEA personnel changes, then hard copies do not need to be maintained.

Security Incidents and Proper Reporting

There are three ways to report a test security incident:

report the incident to the principal or test chairperson who will then report  to OSSE
report directly to OSSE
or use the anonymous tip line

Any incident must be reported to OSSE within 24 hours of the incident. The guidelines and procedures to report an incident can be found via the following link:  Incident Reporting

 Security Seals

 A security seal has been placed on the outside of the secure test booklet. Only the student to whom the booklet is assigned is allowed to break this seal. If a booklet is needed for the mathematics or science read aloud accommodation, the teacher should write their name and the use of the test booklet (why they needed to use it for a purpose other than student assessment) on the test security sheet, as well as on the outside of the test booklet. OSSE, with the help of CTB, will monitor all test booklets with broken seals that are not assigned to students. If a student needs a scribe, an additional book is not needed. If there is a Broken Seal, please complete the Broken Seal form and submit to OSSE. The link to broken seal from can be found here: Broken Seal Form

 Secure Storage Areas

 All assessment materials are required to be kept in locked storage when not in use. LEAs and school administration must ensure that access to the secure storage area is limited to one or two personnel, preferably the Test Chairperson/Test Monitor, during the entire testing process. It is recommended that a single key be available for the locked area. LEA assessment coordinators/Test Integrity Coordinators should confirm that all public and non-public schools are meeting these storage requirements. Some LEAs have elected to use security seals overnight on their test storage, which is permissible but does not replace locks.

Stray Marks

Students should not make any additional marks in their test booklets unless instructed by the test directions. If students accidently make stray marks in their books, they may erase any marks that they do not want in their test booklet.

Sticky Notes Students may affix sticky notes to their test booklets. However, the student (and only the student) must be the person who removes these notes from the test booklet. All sticky notes must be removed from the test booklet/materials at the end of the testing session, and returned with the non-scorable materials.

Stop Signs

Stop sign images have been included in the 2014 DC CAS, to help prevent students from moving from session to session without directed permission to do so. The stop sign for the 2nd and 3rd grade booklets have been enlarged, and in grades 4-10, there is a stop sign banner across the bottom of the test booklet.

Storage of Secured Materials

The DC CAS tests are to be administered over a series of days. Therefore, test booklets and answer sheets will be collected each day immediately following testing, counted by the test administrator, and re-counted by the Test Chairperson/Test Monitor before being kept in a locked storage.

Student Escort/Hallway Monitor Role A Student escort and/or hallway monitors may be non-employees, such as parents, guardians, and volunteers who have been trained on state test procedures and work under the direction of the test chairpersons/school leaders. All monitors must have been thoroughly screened by the school or LEA consistent with the LEA policy related to school volunteers (e.g., background checks) and may not be used in a classroom in which the volunteer has a direct relationship (parent, guardian, sibling, etc.) with a child.

Student Injuries

LEA Assessment Coordinators must complete the Emergency Standard Accommodations for Students with Injuries form and provide a doctor’s statement or medical release form identifying the injury. Documentation must be submitted to OSSE by close of business, April 11, 2014. This form should be used only to request testing accommodations for students with temporary impairments (caused by injury, accident, etc.), that would make it difficult to participate in state assessments. Emergency Accommodations Form

Tardy Students

If a group of students arrive after test administrators have finished reading the script in the Test Directions Manual to their respective classes, those tardy students should be tested in a Late Arrival room (with a later start and end test session time). If students arrive after the start of the Late Arrival testing session has already begun, tardy students should be scheduled to take the test during a make-up test session within the testing window.

Test Administrator and Proctor

OSSE recommends, when possible, that more than one person per class administer the DC CAS. For each class, it is suggested, though not mandated, that one person is trained as the test administrator and one as the test proctor. This allows for the administrator to read the standardized test directions while the proctor supervises and manages classroom behaviors and assists with the distribution of test materials.

New this year, two trained adults must be in the classroom for only those classrooms where the test administrator received a minor or moderate finding through the Test Integrity investigations the previous year. Individual test administrators who had a critical finding in the previous year are not permitted to serve as test administrators this year.

To avoid the appearance of a conflict of interest and to protect relatives or guardians from allegations of impropriety, test administrators and proctors may not be assigned to proctor, administer, or volunteer with any test grouping class in which they are related to any testing student. Relatives include children, stepchildren, grandchildren, nieces, nephews, siblings, in-laws, spouses, and persons under their guardianship. Relatives may assist with other test groups, hall monitoring, and the escorting of non-related students, etc.

Test Administrator Role

A Test Administrator is a professional employee of the District of Columbia Public School or Public Charter School (e.g., teacher, guidance counselor, school administrator, librarian, or other District or school employee) who is responsible for administering the DC CAS to a student or group of students.

Non-school employees (e.g., volunteers, aides, contractors) may assist in testing if they meet the criteria of authorized personnel, however, they may not serve as Test Administrators for the statewide assessment.

Test Calendar/Window

All testing, including make-up sessions, must be completed during the test window, March 31-April 11, 2014. LEAs and schools may determine their own testing calendars. OSSE recommends that LEAs complete math and reading assessments in the first week of the window (March 31-April 4). If the LEA cannot complete math and reading in the first week, the LEA must, in their detailed School Test Plan, describe how they plan to ensure that all testing is completed within the test window (March 31-April 11).

Students may not be tested before the prescribed testing window and dates. Students who are absent may make up the test(s) during the testing window according to instructions in the State Security Guidelines.

Test Directions

Test Administrators must read the test directions verbatim.

Test Environments

Classrooms should be prepared for the most optimal testing environment. OSSE recommends that students are positioned with seats facing the same direction when the classroom layout allows. Desktops should be clear of any notes, letters, or other non- testing material before testing begins. Classrooms should be maintained to minimize outside distractions from hallways or non-tested areas in the school. Teachers must assist Test Administrators in covering or removing ALL test-taking strategies (blank or filled-in), content related posters, graphics, copies of student work, or other materials in the testing room. Use professional judgment regarding the covering of curriculum materials, content and student work displayed in hallways or other public areas.

Test Items

Discussing, reviewing, sharing or copying non-released test items is strictly prohibited and is a critical violation of Test Integrity.

Test Proctor Role A Test Proctor is a professional or paraprofessional who has been trained on state test procedures and works under the direction of the Test Administrator. A Test proctor supervises and manages classroom behaviors and assists with the distribution of test materials.

Test Site Observation

Test Observation forms have been provided to aid LEA/schools with the development of a testing plan and as a resource to guide appropriate testing environments. LEAs/schools are encouraged to use this form or adapt it for their specific internal monitoring purposes. If you wish to review the OSSE monitor’s expectations, a copy of the form is located on the OSSE website.

Test Times

Although the DC CAS is an untimed test, the 2014 Test Chairperson’s/Test Monitor’s Manual on page 6 gives the recommended time for each test session. If a student or group of students have not finished within the allotted time period, it is not necessary for the entire class to sit during an extended period. It is better to give the student a few more minutes in class to finish, and if additional time is required, move the student or groups of students to an ‘extended time’ room to complete the test session. Please refer to the LEA/school testing plan for additional information.

Transcribing

Transcribe responses (when necessary) only under the supervision of the Test Chairperson/Test Monitor. Once transcribed both the test chairperson and transcriber must sign and date the booklet that contained the transcribed answers.

Unusable Books

If a book/answer sheet cannot be used (i.e. the student destroys the book or a student is ill on the book/answer sheet), the book should be shredded or destroyed and reported to CTB on the exception form. Please transcribe (under the supervision of the test chairperson), the original information to a new answer sheet before destroying.

2014 DC CAS Frequently Asked Questions

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2014 DC CAS Frequently Asked Questions

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2014 DC CAS Frequently Asked Questions

General Information

Frequently Asked Questions Alphabetized by Topic