In 2015, schools and LEAs will have flexibility to choose their testing windows for PARCC. Each school must choose a Performance Based Assessment (PBA) and End of Year (EOY) testing window of 20 or 10 consecutive school days within the total administrative windows listed below:

When considering the dates, the following items should be noted:

General window scheduling

• The PARCC has two required components, the PBA and the EOY, administered in separate windows. All students in tested grades must take both the PBA and EOY components.
• The Performance Based Assessment (PBA) component should fall approximately at the 75% academic year.
• The End of Year (EOY) component should fall approximately at the 90% academic year mark.
• Schools need not begin testing on a Monday, but they will need to commit to and notify OSSE of their first day of testing.

Test modes and windows

• The window for computer based assessment is 20 school days (4 weeks), and the window for the paper based assessment is 10 school days (2 weeks). The window days must occur on consecutive school days.
• Schools may choose to administer both paper and computer tests, but all students in a grade at a school

  must test in the same mode unless a different mode is when required by individual students’ testing accommodations. (Example: 3rd grade students can take paper tests while 4th grade students take computer tests, but Ms. A’s 4th grade class may not take their tests on paper while all other 4th grade classes are using computers).

• Schools administering both paper and computer tests must have the same start dates for paper and computer tests, so paper and computer windows within a school will happen concurrently, not consecutively.

Breaks and holidays

• As mentioned above, only consecutive school days count against the window, so DC or federal holidays will not be counted against the 20/10 days (example: if Emancipation Day falls in the middle of your 20 day window, Emancipation Day will not be counted as one of the 20 days).
• Other breaks (ex: spring break) may fall into the middle of a window, and will not count against the 20/10 days as long as testing days remain within the overall administrative window and fall on consecutive school days, but:
  • All students in a grade who begin testing before a week-long break must finish all their test units in that subject before the break.
  • Schools who will have secure testing materials in their buildings during a break should address material security in their LEA testing security plans.
• Adding on extra days to account for a break or holiday is not possible after the last day of the administrative windows (5/8 and 6/5, respectively).