1. ELPA21 Test Administration Overview
For District Testing Coordinators
Welcome to today’s webinar on ELPA21 Test Administration for District Testing Coordinators. This training module will cover the major online systems used in administration of the ELPA21 assessments.
We are going to mute everyone‘s phone so that background noise from participants does not interfere with the webinar. If you have any questions, please submit them using the question box on the webinar screen. We will compile all questions and respond to them at the end of the webinar. If you think of additional questions after the webinar is over, you can send them to the ELPA21 Help Desk and we will respond through the Help Desk. We will tell you how to access the Help Desk in a few minutes.
We will post the slides from this webinar on the Nebraska ELPA21 Portal within the next couple of days. Let’s get started by looking at the Nebraska ELPA21 Portal and seeing how you can find information on the Portal.
Copyright © 2016 American Institutes for Research. All rights reserved.

2. Table of Contents Slides 3 to 5: Portal Slide 5: Help Desk
Accessing Resources
Slides 10 to 11:
Network Diagnostic Tool
Slide 12:
Overview of AIR Systems
Slides 13 to 21:
Overview of TIDE
Slide 22 to 25:
Adding, Viewing, Editing, and Exporting Users
Slides 26 to 32:
Adding, Viewing, Editing, and Exporting Students and Student Test Settings
Slides 33 to 35:
Paper Test Orders
Slide 36 to 38:
Test Settings and Tools
Slides 39 to 44:
Rosters
Slides 45 to 48:
Appeals
Slides 49 to 53:
Monitoring Testing Progress
Slides 54 to 58:
Overview of TA Interface
Slides 59 to 71:
Setting Up a Test Session and Student Login
Slides 72 to 83:
Student Testing Interface
Slides 84 to 85:
Monitoring Student Progress in TA Interface
Slides 86 to 89:
Pausing and Stopping Test Sessions
Slides 90 to 91:
Trouble-shooting

3. ELPA21 Portal
The ELPA21 Portal is a centralized location for all information about administering the ELPA21 test:
The ELPA21 portal is a centralized location for all information about administering the ELPA21 test.
The URL for the Nebraska ELPA21 portal is ne.portal.airast.org. The portal is open to the public and does not require a username or password for access. We recommend that you create a bookmark for the portal in your web browser because you will probably be returning to it frequently.

4. Navigating the Portal
The Portal can be navigated by clicking on the links at the top or the cards along either side:
The portal can be navigated by using the links at the top or the cards along the side.
One of the links at the top allows you to register to receive for updates. We strongly recommend that you do this. If you register, you will receive an anytime a new resource is posted on the portal.

5. Help Desk
Click on the “Contact Us” link on the Portal homepage for information about contacting the Nebraska ELPA21 Help Desk:
The “Contact Us” card on the portal links to a portal page with information about accessing the ELPA21 Help Desk. The Help Desk can answer questions about technology and AIR online testing systems.
The Nebraska ELPA21 Help Desk is open Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Central Time. The Help Desk is closed on weekends and federal holidays. You can contact the ELPA21 Help Desk by phone or , or you can use the chat feature on this page to chat online in real time with a help desk agent.

6. Secure Browser
The AIR Secure Browser must be installed on any computers used for secure student testing (operational ELPA21 test and ELPA21 pilot screener). Click on the Secure Browsers link on the Portal to access the Secure Browser download page.
There is a table on that page listing the operating systems and devices supported for secure student testing.
All students taking the ELPA21 operational tests and the ELPA21 screener pilot test must use a Secure Browser. The Secure Browser should be installed on student computers in advance of testing. Click on the Secure Browsers link on the Portal to access the Secure Browsers download page.

7. Downloading the Secure Browser
Scroll down the Secure Browser page and choose the appropriate tab for information about downloading the Secure Browser for your operating system:
To download the Secure Browser, scroll down the Secure Browser page on the portal and choose the appropriate tab for the operating system you will be using. All operating systems that are supported for ELPA21 testing are listed on these tabs.

8. Installing the Secure Browser
Each tab on the Secure Browsers page of the Portal includes a link to download the Secure Browser and an overview of the process for installing that Secure Browser.
The link for Important Information includes additional resources:
Secure Browser Installation Manual: detailed information about Secure Browser installation including instructions for installing the Secure Browser on multiple computers from a central network location.
System Requirements for Online Testing: detailed information about supported operating systems and recommended specifications (memory, hard drive size, etc.).
Technical Specifications Manual for Online Testing: Additional information about hardware and software configuration for online testing.
Each tab on the Secure Browsers page of the Portal includes a link to download the Secure Browser and an overview of the process for installing that Secure Browser.
The Important Information tab on the page has links to other resources that your district and school technical staff will find useful. These resources include a Secure Browser Installation Manual that includes supplemental detailed information about installing the Secure Browser, including instructions for installing the Secure Browser on multiple computers from a central network location. They also include the System Requirements for Online Testing which has detailed information about supported operating systems and recommended computer specifications including the amount of memory and size of the hard drive needed on computers used for student testing. The Technical Speciifications Manual for Online Testing is also posted here and it includes information about hardware and software configuration for online testing.
If you have questions about installing the Secure Browser or configuring the computers in our district for online testing that are not answered in these publications, please call the ELPA21 Help Desk. Help Desk agents can also help you if you have concerns about whether or not the computers you plan to use for ELPA21 testing meet the minimum specifications needed.

9. Accessing Resources
Each manual can also be accessed by clicking on the Resources link on the Portal home page and then choosing Technology Coordinators:
Most information on the Portal can be accessed in multiple ways. You can also access this technical documentation by clicking on the Resources link on the Portal home page and then choosing technology coordinators.

10. Network Diagnostic Tool
The main page of the Secure Browser includes a link to a network diagnostic tool:
After you install, you will see various links when you open it up. The practice tests and operational tests are not yet open so they cannot be accessed with the Secure Browser. However, the network diagnostic tool is available now and we recommend that you click on the link for this tool and run through the network diagnostics prior to the start of student testing.

11. Network Diagnostic Tool (continued)
The network diagnostic tool allows you to run two checks:
Network Diagnostics Test checks for bandwidth
Recording and Playback check confirms that your computer’s recording system is working correctly for testing ELPA21 speaking.
The network diagnostic tool allows you to check that you have sufficient bandwidth in your school for the number of students who will be simultaneously taking the ELPA21 tests. We recommend that you run the bandwidth checker at approximately the same time of day that you will be administering the tests, since other user’s demands on your network bandwidth may vary at different times of the day.
The recording and playback check can be used to confirm that your computer’s recording systems and headsets are working correctly with the ELPA21 test. We recommend checking the recording and playback on all computers that will be used for ELPA21 student testing prior to the start of the testing window. Network Diagnostics will return the same result for all computers on your network, so it is not necessary to run that test on every computer.

12. Overview of AIR Systems
Test Information Distribution Engine (TIDE)
Stores student demographic information and test settings
Used to manage user accounts for all systems
Test Delivery System (TDS)
Used by TAs to administer tests and monitor students
Includes interface used by students to navigate through test
We will now discuss two AIR systems that will be used for administering the ELPA21 tests: TIDE and TDS. TIDE stores information about students and student test settings.
TIDE also stores information about users, including test administrators who will be administering the ELPA21 tests.
The Test Delivery System, or TDS, is the system that is actually used to administer tests.
We will schedule a separate webinar to go over how to use the Online Reporting System when that system opens up with student test results.
AIR also has a fourth system, the Data Entry Interface or DEI, is used by Test Administrators to enter responses for scoring for students who must take the paper version of the ELPA21 tests and for students who take the Braille ELPA21 tests. Because we expect the number of students in Arkansas who take the paper test to be very small, we are not including information about the DEI in this training. We will post information about using the DEI on the portal when the ELPA21 test opens. Instructions for using the DEI will also be presented in the TA User Guide.

13. TIDE Objectives Preparing for Testing
Activating your new TIDE account and logging in to TIDE
Navigating the TIDE interface
Understanding account permissions
Managing user accounts
Managing student information and test settings
Viewing and editing orders for paper/pencil test materials
Administering Tests
Managing appeals
Monitoring test progress
The first system we will discuss is TIDE. TIDE includes tasks that typically take place when preparing for testing and those that take place during test administration.
The TIDE User Guide, which is posted in the Resources section of the Portal, includes all the information we will cover here. We recommend that all TIDE users download the TIDE User Guide and refer to it the first time they navigate through the TIDE system.
Appeals will be discussed later in this presentation.

14. Activating a TIDE Account
When you are initially added to TIDE, you’ll receive an with instructions to activate your TIDE account. This contains a temporary password, and an activation link. The will come from the address If you think you have been added to TIDE but you do not receive an , please check your Spam folder. You can also use the “Forgot your password” link on the TIDE landing page to request a new temporary password if you cannot find the with the password.
To activate your account, click the link in the activation . A page will appear with fields to re-enter your and temporary password. Click Secure Login, and a new page will appear prompting you to reset your password. In the Password and Confirm Password fields, type a new password for your account. Passwords have a length requirement and must include different character types; see your TIDE User Guide for details.
After entering your new password, click Submit. Return to the Login Page and log in using your and new password. When you log in, a form for adding a security question will appear. Select a security question and enter an answer. You will be required to add three security questions in order to proceed. You’ll need this information in order to reset a forgotten password.
Please note that if an account is created for an incorrect address, it will need to be deleted, and a new account created for the user.

15. Logging in to TIDE
To log in to TIDE, go to your portal. Click the appropriate user role card. On the next page, click the TIDE system card. Enter the username and password you created when activating your account. Then click Secure Login to go to the TIDE home page.
You can see on this slide that the TIDE card has a small lock appearing in the bottom right hand corner. All systems that require a username and password to access have this lock to indicate that they are secure systems. 15

16. TIDE Home Page
The TIDE home page appears after you log in. The home page is designed to reflect the stages of the testing process as directly and simply as possible. Each of TIDE’s two sections list menus for the tasks available in that section. For example, the Users menu contains options for viewing and exporting users. To expand a task menu and view its set of related tasks, click the down arrow on the end of that menu. To perform a task, click the name of that task listed in the menu.

17. Overview of TIDE Tasks
Tasks in the Preparing for Testing section are typically performed before testing begins. This category includes tasks for managing records for users, students, test settings, and rosters.
TIDE can group students into rosters. A roster is a collection of students sharing a similar characteristic who are assigned to a specific teacher. Rosters typically represent classrooms, but can also be used to group students with special needs or students participating in particular activities or programs. Rosters are helpful for users who want to view participation reports for a group of students. Additionally, once scores are calculated, users can visualize how a roster of students performed as a group. However, students do not need to be in a roster to take a test.
Additionally, TIDE allows users to place and manage orders for paper test materials.

18. Overview of TIDE Tasks
Tasks in the Administering Tests section are typically performed during the administration window.
Test administrators may use TIDE to invalidate a test, reset a test, or reopen a test.
TIDE can also monitor test progress and generate test participation reports.

19. Banner
A banner appears at the top of each TIDE page showing the current test administration and your current user role. On the left there is a drop-down list for accessing other AIR applications. You will also find a Help button that displays the TIDE User Guide, a Manage Account drop-down list where you may set up your account details, and a Logout button. The TIDE User Guide can also be accessed through the Resources section of the Portal.

20. Navigation Toolbars
When you enter any task page, a navigation toolbar appears at the top of the page. This toolbar allows you to access each task and action that was available on the dashboard. To view the task menus for a particular TIDE category, click the icon for that category above the toolbar.
Some pages in TIDE are divided into multiple panels. Each panel contains a group of related settings and fields that you can edit. You can click the minus sign in the upper-left corner of a panel to collapse it, or click the plus sign in a collapsed panel to expand it. Additionally, a floating Go To Section toolbar appears on the left side of pages with multiple panels. This toolbar includes a numbered button for each panel in the form. You can hover over a button to display the label of the associated panel and click the button to jump to that panel.

21. Help Text
Most pages in TIDE have help text that describes the page and how to use it. To show or hide detailed help text on a page, click the gray more info link under the page title.

22. Roles and Permissions
Your TIDE account is assigned a role, and that role has certain permissions. This table gives an example of the permissions associated with roles in your state. For example, a district-level user may be able to perform tasks that are not available to a test administrator.
Permissions also limit the scope of data access. A district-level user can work with data pertaining to that district, and a building-level user can work with data pertaining to that school.
For a detailed list of user roles and associated permissions, see your TIDE User Guide.

23. Users
Before testing begins, and throughout the school year, TIDE is used to manage user accounts for TIDE itself, the TA Interface, the Online Reporting System (referred to as ORS), and other AIR systems. The Users task menu allows you to view and export users.

24. View/Edit/Export User
District Coordinators and Building Coordinators may use the View/Edit/Export User page to retrieve users who match particular search criteria. The user’s role, district, and school are required criteria. Other criteria are optional, such as the first or last name, are optional. Click Search to continue. The search panel will automatically collapse, and your search results will appear below.

25. View/Edit/Export Users
After clicking Search, TIDE will display all the users satisfying the search criteria.
To export user information, mark the checkboxes next to the users you wish to export and click the export button above the search results.
To make the search form re-appear and search for additional users, click the plus sign in the Search Users panel, which appears as a blue bar.
For more detailed information on managing users, see your TIDE User Guide.

26. Students
TIDE manages student information and keeps track of which assessments students are eligible to take. The Students task menu allows you to add students; view, edit, or export students; and upload student test settings.

27. Add Students
District and Building coordinators can manually add students from the Add Students page. This page contains three panels: Student Demographics, Race and Ethnicity, and Student Settings/Accommodations.
First, add information to the Student Demographics and Race and Ethnicity panels. The fields marked with an asterisk are mandatory.

28. Add Students
Finally, in the panel for Student Settings/Accommodations, select the appropriate settings using the drop-down lists. Click Save to add the student.

29. View/Edit/Export Students
The View/Edit/Export Students page includes a form for setting selection criteria to retrieve students. The fields for District and School are mandatory and marked with an asterisk. Other criteria are optional, such as the SSID and the student’s name.
The students you can retrieve on this page are limited by your role’s scope. For example, if you are a district-level user, you can retrieve students enrolled within your district. If you are a building-level user, you can only retrieve students enrolled within your school.
Click Search to continue. The search panel will automatically collapse, and your search results will appear below.

30. View/Edit/Export Students
TIDE will display all the students satisfying the search criteria. You can edit a student’s information, including test settings and accommodations by clicking the green pencil icon.
Print or export student information or delete students from TIDE by selecting the desired students and clicking the Print, Export, or Delete button above the search results.
To make the search form re-appear and search for additional students, click the plus sign in the Search Students panel, which appears as a blue bar. For more detailed information on managing students, see your TIDE User Guide.

31. Upload Student Settings1 2 3
District and Building Coordinators may also edit test settings and tools in TIDE by using the Upload Student Settings page to compose an upload file in Excel or CSV format and then upload that file. This method is easiest if you have many students who need settings applied and you don’t want to edit them one at a time.
The easiest way to compose an upload file is to download an available template, which you can do by clicking Download Templates and selecting either Excel or CSV. AIR recommends that most users select Excel format.
Open the template using Excel or another program, and enter the information for each student you wish to add. Enter the information into each column from left to right, using one row per student, per test setting. Save the file when you are finished. Detailed instructions for composing an upload file can be found in the TIDE User Guide. To see a list of the files you have previously uploaded, click the blue plus sign to expand the Upload History panel.
When your file is ready to upload, return to TIDE, click Browse, and select the file you just saved.
Click Next to upload the file. A file preview page will appear, allowing you to verify that you are uploading the correct file. If the preview is correct, click Next to continue. 4

32. Upload Student Settings
TIDE will validate the file and display any errors or warnings according to the legend on the page. Click the orange error icons and blue warning icons in the validation results to view the reason a field is invalid. If a record contains an error, that record will not be included in the upload. If a record contains a warning, that record will be uploaded, but the field with the warning will be invalid.
To complete the upload, click Continue with Upload.
To upload a different file, click Upload Revised File.
To cancel the upload, click Cancel.
If your file contains a large number of records, TIDE will process it offline and send you a confirmation when complete. While TIDE is validating the file, do not press Cancel, as TIDE may have already started processing some of the records.
To view a PDF file listing the validation results for the upload file, click Download Validation Report in the upper-right corner of the page.
When the upload is complete, a confirmation page will appear with a message that summarizes how many records were committed and how many were excluded.

33. Orders
The Orders task menu allows District Coordinators to manage orders for paper and pencil test materials in their district. Districts will automatically be shipped paper writing tests for the kindergarten and grade 1 paper writing supplement based upon the student enrollment numbers initially provided by your state. Each districts will also receive some additional tests for students who enrolled after we received the counts from the state. These materials will be packed by school and shipped to the district. Districts that need a paper test for a student as an accommodation, or a Braille test, will need to order those materials through TIDE.

34. Track Shipments
District coordinators can track shipments of paper materials on the Track Shipments page. The Shipment Tracking panel contains a list of all tracking shipments that have been assigned tracking numbers. Click a tracking number to view the current tracking status of a shipment. Other documents, such as packing lists, may also be displayed on this page.

35. Track Return Shipments
District Coordinators may track shipments as they are returned on the Track Return Shipments page. Tracking information for each return shipment is displayed in the Return Shipments panel, with delivery status appearing on the right side. To view detailed information about a shipment, click that shipment’s tracking number.

36. Test Settings and Tools
TIDE keeps track of student test settings, such as background color choices. The Test Settings and Tools task menu allows you to view, edit, export or upload test settings and tools.

37. View/Edit/Export Test Settings and Tools
The View/Edit/Export Test Settings and Tools page includes a form for setting selection criteria to retrieve a student’s test settings and tools. The fields for District and School are mandatory and marked with an asterisk. Other criteria are optional, such as the SSID and the student’s name.
Click Search to continue. The search panel will automatically collapse, and your search results will appear below.

38. View/Edit/Export Test Settings and Tools
TIDE will display all the students satisfying the search criteria. You can edit a student’s test settings and accommodations by clicking the green pencil icon.
Print or export student information or delete students from TIDE by selecting the desired students and clicking the Print, Export, or Delete button above the search results.
To make the search form re-appear and search for additional students, click the plus sign in the Search Students panel, which appears as a blue bar. For more detailed information on managing students, see your TIDE User Guide.

39. Rosters
The Rosters task menu allows you to add rosters; view, edit, or export rosters; and upload rosters from an external file.
Once test scores are calculated, roster information is used to generate reports of how students in the roster performed as a group.

40. Add Roster
You can manually create a roster on the Add Roster page. Rosters are used by the Online Reporting System to group students’ assessment results for users who want categories below the school and district level. The use of Rosters is optional. To add a new roster, select the district and school to which the roster belongs. You can optionally search for students in a specific grade or who have been added to TIDE within a specified period of time.
To search for students with specific test settings enabled, expand the Test Settings and Tools Filters panel by clicking the plus sign. When you are finished entering your search criteria, click Search.

41. Add Roster
In the Add/Remove Students to the Roster section, enter a roster name and select the name of the teacher who should be associated with the roster.
In the table below, the students in the left column are available to be added to the roster, and students in the right column are currently in the roster.
To add a single student to the roster, click the green plus sign next to a student in the left column. You can add multiple students to the roster by marking checkboxes next to the students you want to add, and then clicking Add Selected.
To remove a single student from the roster, click the orange X next to a student in the right column. You can remove multiple students from the roster by marking checkboxes next to the students you want to remove, and then clicking Remove Selected.
When you are finished adding students, click Save to save the roster.

42. Upload Rosters 1 2 3
A second way to add new rosters into TIDE is to use the Upload Rosters page to compose an upload file in Excel or CSV format and then upload that file. This method is easiest if you need to create many rosters, and you don’t want to add them one at a time.
The easiest way to compose an upload file is to download an available template, which you can do by clicking Download Templates and selecting either Excel or CSV. AIR recommends that most users select Excel format.
Open the template using Excel or another program, and enter the information for each student you wish to add to a roster. Save the file when you are finished. Detailed instructions for composing an upload file can be found in the TIDE User Guide. To see a list of the files you have previously uploaded, click the blue plus sign to expand the Upload History panel.
When your file is ready to upload, return to TIDE, click Browse, and select the file you just saved.
Click Next to upload the file. A file preview page will appear, allowing you to verify that you are uploading the correct file. If the preview is correct, click Next to continue.

43. Upload Rosters
TIDE will validate the file and display any errors or warnings according to the legend on the page. Click the orange error icons and blue warning icons in the validation results to view the reason a field is invalid. If a record contains an error, that record will not be included in the upload. If a record contains a warning, that record will be uploaded, but the field with the warning will be invalid.
To complete the upload, click Continue with Upload.
To upload a different file, click Upload Revised File.
To cancel the upload, click Cancel.
If your file contains a large number of records, TIDE will process it offline and send you a confirmation when complete. While TIDE is validating the file, do not press Cancel, as TIDE may have already started processing some of the records.
To view a PDF file listing the validation results for the upload file, click Download Validation Report in the upper-right corner of the page.
When the upload is complete, a confirmation page will appear with a message that summarizes how many records were committed and how many were excluded.

44. View/Edit/Export Rosters
The View/Edit/Export Rosters page includes a form for setting selection criteria to retrieve rosters. After selecting your criteria, click Search to display a list of matching rosters.
Print or delete rosters from TIDE by selecting the desired rosters and clicking the Print or Delete button above the search results.
Click the pencil icon next to a roster to view or edit its details. The Edit Roster form will appear. This form is similar to the form used to add rosters, and you may edit the roster name, teacher name, and students in the roster in the same way that you would for a new roster.

45. Appeals
In the Administering Tests section of the TIDE dashboard, the Appeals task menu allows you to view pending appeals; create new appeals; view, approve, or export appeals; and upload appeals.
In the normal flow of a test opportunity, a student takes the test in the Test Delivery System and then submits it. Next, the Test Delivery System forwards the test for scoring, and the Online Reporting System reports the test scores.
Appeals are a way of interrupting this normal flow. Reasons for appeals can vary. For example, a student may need to retake a test or have another test opportunity. A Test Administrator may need to invalidate a test because of an impropriety.
For information on your state’s particular terminology, policies, and procedures, please consult the Test Administration Manual.

46. Create Appeals
The Create Appeals page is where District and Building Coordinators can create an appeal for a test.
The first step is to select the type of appeal you want to create. The TIDE User Guide lists the available appeal types and explains the implications of each.
Next, search for the test result for which you wish to create an appeal. From the drop-down lists and in the text field, enter your search criteria and click Search. TIDE will display the search results below.
Mark the checkbox next to each test result for which you wish to create an appeal, and click Create. A window will pop up asking you to enter a reason for the appeal. To create the appeal, enter a reason and click Submit.

47. Status of Appeals Appeal Status Description of Status Error Occurred
An error occurred while the appeal was being processed.
Item Information Sent
Information regarding a Report Problem with Item appeal was sent to the designated recipients.
Pending Approval
Appeal is pending approval.
Processed
Appeal was successfully processed and the test opportunity has been updated.
Rejected
Another user rejected the appeal.
Rejected by System
Test Delivery System was unable to process the appeal.
Requires Resubmission
Appeal must be resubmitted.
Retracted
Originator retracted the appeal.
Submitted for Processing
Appeal submitted to Test Delivery System for processing.
After an appeal is created, its status can change throughout its life cycle. This table describes the possible statuses an appeal can have.

48. Upload Appeals
District Coordinators may also create new appeals in TIDE by using the Upload Appeals page to compose and upload a file in Excel or CSV format. This task is performed by following the same steps used to upload student test settings.

49. Monitoring Test Progress
The tasks available in the Monitoring Test Progress task menu allow you to generate various reports that provide information about a test administration's progress.
Several types of participation reports are available:
The Plan and Manage Testing Report details all of a student’s test opportunities and the status of those test opportunities.
The Test Completion Rates Report summarizes the number and percentage of students who have started or completed a test.

50. Plan and Manage Testing
Plan and Manage Testing reports detail all of a student’s test opportunities and the status of each test opportunity.
To generate a report from the Plan and Manage Testing page, first go to the Step 1: Choose What panel and select a test and administration. Optionally, you may also choose a test name, enrolled grade, or test settings.
Next, in the Step 2: Choose Who panel, select a district and school, if applicable. Optionally, you may also choose a teacher from the Teacher drop-down list.
Finally, in the Step 3: Get Specific panel, choose one of the three available options as desired and select parameters for that option.
Click Generate Report to view your Plan and Manage Testing report, or click Export Report to open the report in Excel.

51. Plan and Manage Testing
Clicking Generate Report will display the report and collapse the Report Criteria panel. Because not all columns can fit on the screen at once, you may need to click the blue arrow on the right side of the screen to scroll right and display more information.

52. Plan and Manage Testing
Which students have not yet tested?
Which students have paused tests?
Did all the students in a test session submit their tests?
This slide illustrates some common questions that can be answered using the options available in the Step 3: Get Specific panel.
To find students who have not yet tested, select the first radio button and search for students who have completed their first opportunity in the selected administration.
To find students who have paused tests, select the second radio button and search for students on their first opportunity in the selected administration with a status of paused.
To find out if all students in a test session submitted their tests, select the third radio button and search for students by test session ID between the dates when the test session took place.

53. Test Completion Rates
The Test Completion Rates report summarizes the number and percentage of students who have started or completed a test.
To generate a report from the Test Completion Rates page, choose whether to generate a State, District, or Institution report from the Report drop-down list. Select a district and school from the corresponding drop-down lists, if available. If desired, select a test name.
To view the report on the page, click Generate Report. The report will appear below the Report Criteria panel. To open the report in Excel, click Export Report.
Test Completion Rate reports are updated only once each day, in the early morning hours. They will not reflect students who tested on the day you run the report.

54. Test Delivery System (TDS) Objectives
Use the Test Administrator Interface to start and run a test session
View student test settings and accessibility resources
Monitor the testing process
Pause and stop a test session
Print test session information
Exit and log out of the Test Administrator Interface
In the next section of the webinar, we’ll discuss the Test Delivery System (TDS), which includes the Student Interface used by students to navigate through the test, and the Test Administrator Interface used by TAs to manage test sessions and monitor student testing progress.
The procedures for administering operational tests, practice tests, and the ELPA21 Pilot Screener using a TA session are identical. However, students must use the Secure Browser to take an operational test. They can take a practice test using either the Secure Browser or a supported non-Secure Browser. The Supported Browsers page of the portal lists the non-Secure Browsers that can be used for student practice tests.
We strongly recommend that all test administrators administer a practice test before they administer an operational test. Two test administrators may want to work together while doing this for the first time, with one test administrator as the teacher and one as the student. Students should also always take a practice test to become familiar with the software before they take an operational test. The practice tests will be available on January 17.

55. Logging in to the TA Interface
To log in to the TA Interface, go to your portal. Click the appropriate user role card. On the next page, click the system card used for operational or practice test administration. Enter your username and password, and then click Secure Login to continue.
There will be separate cards for operational tests and practice tests. The operational tests include the main ELPA21 tests and the ELPA21 Pilot Screener tests. 55

56. Test Administrator Interface: Overview
Once the Test Administrator has logged in according to the directions on the previous slide, he or she will see the Test Administrator Interface with the Test Selection window open by default. From the Test Administrator Interface, you can access the features you need to create and manage test sessions, look up students, and access help information. We will begin with an overview of the interface.
The screen shot on this slide shows the ELPA21 operational tests. The ELPA21 Screener Pilot tests will also be available for the TA to select when the TA sets up a test session for operational tests.

57. Test Administrator Interface: Overview (continued)
When a user first logs in to the Test Administrator Interface, the Test Selection window appears automatically. This window closes when the Test Administrator starts the session.
After starting a session, the session ID appears at the top of the Test Administrator Interface along with a Stop button. When students start signing in to the test session, an Approvals button also appears next to the session ID. Once the Test Administrator approves students for testing, the Test Session table appears in the center of the Test Administrator Interface, displaying students’ testing progress.
Additional features are available in the banner at the top of the screen.

58. TA Interface: Banner
In the banner at the top of the screen, you will see a set of buttons and your user name.
You can click Student Lookup to search for student login information and verify that the student’s login credentials are correct.
Click Approved Requests to view a list of student print requests that you approved during the test session.
Click Print Session to print a screenshot of the TA Interface.
Click Help Guide to access additional information about the TA Interface.
Click Alerts to view messages sent by your state department of education.
Click Logout button when you want to exit the TA Interface.

59. Create a Test Session
The first step in administering a test is to create a test session. This should be done less than 20 minutes prior to starting the test in order to prevent the system from timing out. The list of students in the session will generate automatically when the students log in to the session.
You create test sessions in the Test Selection window that appears when you log in. You can click the Plus Sign button next to a category name to view the tests in that category. To create a test session, click one or more tests to administer. You may select all available tests listed, for all grade levels and all content areas. Students will only have access to the tests you select for them that they are eligible to take. 
Once you select your tests, the Start Session button in the lower-left corner of the window activates. Click the Start Session button. Please note, the exact name of this button may vary depending on whether the TA is in the practice test administration site or the operational test administration site. The system will automatically generate a session ID. This ID must be provided to students in order for them to log in. The Test Administrator may write it on the board or provide it to students using a printed card or similar method. If you do provide students with the information on paper, be sure to collect and destroy it when the session is complete.
You should also note the session ID for your own records. If you are involuntarily logged out of the session due to an inactivity timeout or other event, entering the session ID will allow you to resume the session. If you do not have this information when you try to resume, you will be unable to do so.

60. Student Lookup
If a student is having trouble logging in, use the Student Lookup feature to verify that the student’s login credentials are correct. You can use either the Quick Search or Advanced Search option to view the information entered for the student in the Test Information Distribution Engine (or TIDE). With Quick Search, you simply enter the student’s state-assigned student ID and click the Submit SSID button. Advanced Search allows you to narrow your search using several filters, including District/School, Grade, and First and Last Name.
When using either Quick Search or Advanced Search, if the search results in matches, the information will appear in the bottom of the window. If there is no match, you will see an error message.

61. Student Lookup
If you see the student you are looking for, click the Eye button next to the student’s name. A new window displaying the student’s information will display. Note that the information displayed may vary slightly from what is shown here.
On the next few slides, we will look at what students see when they log in to take a test.

62. Student Login
To log in to the online testing system using the secure browser, students must enter three pieces of identifying information: their first name, their SSID, and the current session ID. Only the session ID is unique for each test administration and each proctor, so this is the only information that will change through the test window. TIDE allows teachers to print out students’ information on “Test Tickets” so students can log in to the online testing system without needing to memorize their SSID number.
When entries are complete, students will click the Sign In button to log in to the test. The Test Administrator may assist students with logging in, if necessary.
The session ID is generated when the Test Administrator creates the test session. It needs to be given to students by the Test Administrator when it is time for them to log in to the test. Session IDs should not be generated more than 20 minutes before students are ready to log in.
Students log into the practice test following exactly these same procedures. More information is provided in the Test Administrator Manual which will be posted when the practice tests open.

63. Login Errors Issue Error Message What to Do
Student first name and SSID do not exactly match what is in the system.
Please check that your information is entered correctly. If you need help, ask your Test Administrator.
Verify that the student has entered the correct first name and exact SSID. You may need to use the Student Lookup Tool, which is located in the Test Administrator Interface, to verify that the student is in the system.
Student enters the session ID incorrectly.
The session is not available for testing.
Verify that the student has entered the correct Session ID with no extra spaces or characters.
Student enters a session ID for an incorrect or expired session.
Session has expired.
Ensure that the student enters the correct Session ID for the current session. If this does not work, verify that your session is open using the Test Administrator interface.
One person (either the TA or the student) is using the Operational Test Administration Site, and the other is using the Practice Site.
If taking a practice test, make sure that you and the student are both on the Practice Site. If taking an operational test, make sure the student is using the Secure Browser, and you are using the Operational Test Administration Site.
If a student is having difficulty logging in, an error message and code will display on the login screen. The most common errors occur when the student’s first name and SSID do not match what is in the system and when SSIDs are entered incorrectly. If the student receives an error message indicating that he or she has entered incorrect information in the first name or SSID fields, the TA should use the Student Lookup Tool in the TA Interface to verify the student’s information.
Another common error occurs when the student enters an incorrect session ID. If a student receives the message “The session is not available for testing,” verify that the session ID was entered correctly, with no extra spaces or characters. The session ID can be found in the TA Interface. If a student receives the error message “Session has expired,” ensure that the student has entered the correct session ID for the current session. If the student has entered the session ID correctly, use the TA Interface to verify that your session is still open.  
Finally, if administering a practice test, make sure that the TA and the student each use the appropriate practice and training test site. If administering an operational test, ensure that the TA is using the Test Administration site and the student is using the Secure Browser.

64. Student Login and Test Selection
After logging in, students need to complete a few more steps before they begin testing. Students will be asked to view and verify their personal information. If their information is correct, students should click Yes to proceed. If their information is incorrect, they should click No to return to the login page. Test Administrators must then contact their Building or District Test Coordinator to have the student’s information updated in TIDE before the student attempts to log in again.

65. Student Login and Test Selection
On the “Your Tests” screen, students will see a list of their assigned tests for this test session. ELPA21 has separate tests for reading, writing, listening and speaking. TAs should only include the tests that they want students to take in the test session.
If the test displayed is incorrect, or the expected test is not listed, students should click the Back to Login button to return to the login page, and consult the Test Administrator to resolve the issue. If a test has already been completed, the test selection button will be grayed out. If there are no errors, students should select the correct test and wait for Test Administrator approval to proceed.
Once students select a test to take, they must wait to be approved by their TA.

66. Approving Student Entry
Let’s return to the Teacher Administrator Interface, which shows all students in the session who are ready to start their test.
Once the Test Administrator starts the test session and students log in, he or she must approve students’ test settings before they can access their tests. It is very important to pay close attention to the test name prior to approving to be sure that students selected the appropriate test. You can do this by clicking the Approvals button. A list of students will display, organized by test name. The Test Administrator should review the list to make sure that all students chose the correct content area and test. The Test Administrator should also ensure that all student settings are correct. This is done using the Eye button in the See Details column. See the TIDE User Guide for more information about test settings.
If no changes are needed, click the green check mark next to a student’s name to approve that student. Click Approve All Students to admit all students to the session. If a student selected an incorrect test, you must deny that student entry to the test session by clicking the X button in the Action column.

67. Denying Student Entry
Deny entry to a test session in these circumstances:
The student is not supposed to enter this session.
The student’s demographic information is incorrect.
The student’s required accommodations are incorrect.
Although you can approve all students at the same time, students must be individually denied entry into the test session.
The Test Administrator should deny students entry into the session in these circumstances:
• The student is not supposed to enter this session.
• The student’s demographic information is incorrect.
• The student’s required accommodations appear to be incorrect and the TA needs to gather more information.
Denying the student entry into the test session will not prevent other approved students from beginning their tests.
If the student’s test settings are incorrect, the settings can be updated in TIDE or in the TA interface before the student takes the test.
Note that no settings can be changed while the student is actively testing. The student must pause the test and log out if it is necessary to change the student’s test settings. Once the student is no longer actively testing, the student’s test settings can be updated in TIDE.

68. Login Confirmation
After the Test Administrator approves students for a test session, students will see a screen titled “Is This Your Test?” This screen displays the name of the test and whether or not any accessibility resources have been selected. If the information is correct, they should click Yes. If any of the information is incorrect, they should click No and then wait to be advised by the Test Administrator. Note that the actual settings students see may vary from what is shown on this slide. Be sure to refer to the scripts located in the Test Administration Manual to guide students through the login and confirmation process.

69. Audio Playback Check
Be sure that all students taking ELPA21 tests have headphones. After selecting a test requiring audio, students will see a “Sound Check” screen. They will be prompted to click the sound icon and indicate whether the sound was audible by choosing either the I heard the sound or I did not hear the sound button.
If students click I heard the sound, they will proceed to the test. If they click I did not hear the sound, they will receive a message advising them to tell the Test Administrator that they are having an audio problem. From there, they can click Try Again to listen to the sample audio again or click Logout to leave the test and work with the Test Administrator to adjust their audio settings.

70. Microphone Check Start/Stop Recording Start/Stop Playback
Be sure that all students taking ELPA21 tests have headphones and microphones. Preferably, students will be equipped with headsets that have built-in microphones.
After verifying the test audio is functioning, students taking ELPA21 tests will need to verify their microphones are functioning as well. First, they should click the microphone icon on this screen. Students should say their names into their microphones, and then click the same button again to stop recording.
Students should then click the play button to hear their recording.
If students clearly hear their names, they should click the I heard my recording button to proceed to the test.
If the audio is not clear, students should click the I did not hear my recording button and receive a message advising them to tell the TA about the microphone problem. From there, they can click Try Again to record an audio sample again, click Select New Recording Device to try recording using a different attached audio device, or click Logout to leave the test and work with the Test Administrator to adjust their microphone settings.
TAs are permitted to help students with test navigation, including these record and playback buttons, throughout the test. However, if students practice first with the practice test they should be able to do this on their own.

71. Test Instructions and Help Screen
After confirming that their microphones are working, students will see the Test Instructions and Help Screen.
When students click Begin Test Now, they will be presented with the first question of the test.

72. Tools in the Student Testing Site
Navigation Buttons
Test Tools
Now we will review how students navigate the student interface and use test tools.
The global menu appears at the top of the student interface. The left side of the menu contains navigation buttons that students use to advance through the test:
All students can navigate between pages using the Back and Next arrow buttons. Students can also navigate between items using the questions drop-down menu located above the navigation buttons.
The Save button ensures a response is committed. However, the Save button is not required to save an item. Other actions, such as moving forward to the next question, will also save the response.
The Pause button pauses a student’s test and logs the student out of the student interface. We will discuss how pausing works in more detail later in this presentation.
Test tools can be found on the right side of the menu:
The Masking tool allows students to “cover” an area of the item so they can focus on certain item elements.
The Notes tool brings up an online notepad that students can use to type notes while testing.
Students use the Zoom Out and Zoom In buttons on the right side of the menu to decrease and increase the size of text and graphics on the page.
For more information on managing test settings and accessibility resources in TIDE, refer to the TIDE User Guide. For a detailed list of all available test tools and accommodations, including non-embedded accommodations, please consult the Accessibility and Accommodations Manual on your state’s portal.
Finally, students can access the “Test Instructions and Help” page at any time by clicking the question mark in the upper-right corner of the toolbar.

73. Test Items: Example of an Interactive Item
Students will encounter several types of items during testing. To answer selected-response items, students must click the desired answer option so that the letter A, B, C, or D becomes shaded. For interactive items, students need to follow the instructions given to know how to indicate their answer. For example, students may be told to click an object to identify the appropriate answer, drag pictures or words in a table, or click on a keypad. If they wish, students may click the Save button while working on interactive items to save their work. Regardless of whether they click Save or not, their answers will save automatically when they navigate to the next part of the test. After answering all items on a page, students will click Next to go on.
We strongly recommend that all students take the practice tests to become comfortable with different item types, before taking the operational test. The practice tests will be available on the portal on January 17.

74. Test Items with Audio Many test items contain audio clips.
Audio will automatically play once the page with the item or stimulus loads.
Students can pause or replay audio by clicking the corresponding button.
Only one audio clip can play at a time.
Many test items contain one or more audio clips. The audio will automatically play once the page with the item or stimulus loads. Students can pause the audio or replay the audio clip by clicking the corresponding button.
Note that only one audio clip can play at a time. In order to play a different clip, students must pause the clip that is currently playing.

75. Test Items with Multiple Elements
Note that some stimuli have several elements.
Students will see navigation buttons below this type of stimulus.
The arrow buttons allow the student to move between stimulus elements.
Note that some stimuli have several elements. Students will see navigation buttons below this type of stimulus. The arrows allow the student to move between the stimulus elements. Students can also pause and play audio, as needed.

76. Speaking Items
The process for recording a speaking response mirrors the steps the student takes during the microphone check process.
Press the microphone to start recording.
Click the stop button when finished speaking.
Click the green play button to listen to the response.
If needed, click the microphone again to re-record the speaking response.
The process for recording a speaking response mirrors the steps the student takes during the microphone check process.
Press the microphone to start recording.
Click the stop button when finished speaking.
Click the green play button to listen to the response.
If needed, click the microphone again to re-record the speaking response. If students rerecord, their previous recording will be deleted. It is not possible to add to a recording after the student stops recording. If the student wants to add additional information the student must start over and record the entire response from the beginning.

77. Context Menus Context menus allow students to: Mark items for review
View item tutorials
Send print requests to the TA (if available)
Access additional features depending on test settings and item types
Some test items and stimuli contain context menus. Students may use context menus to mark items for review, view item tutorials explaining how a particular item type works, send print requests to the TA (if test settings allow), and access additional test features.

78. Mark Items for Review
To flag an item for later review, students select Mark for Review in the content menu.
After marking an item for review, the drop-down navigation menu will show “marked” next to the item number. Additionally, the item number at the upper-left of the item will appear with a folded corner and a small flag icon.

79. Item Tutorial
To get more information about a particular item type, students can select Tutorial from the context menu. A pop-up message will appear that shows how that type of item works (for example: whether they should select an answer, drag-and-drop answers, or type a response in an answer space).

80. Pause and Test Timeout Pausing a Test
Students returning to a paused test during the test window can finish their test, revisit any items, and change their answers if desired.
Test Timeout Due to Inactivity
As a security measure, after 20 minutes of test inactivity, students are logged out and their tests are paused automatically.
Inactivity is determined by whether the student is interacting with the test by selecting answers or using navigation tools.
Students will receive a warning message prior to being logged out and must click OK on the pop-up message within 30 seconds in order to avoid automatic logout and pausing of their test.
As a security measure, after 20 minutes of test inactivity, students are logged out, and their tests are paused automatically. Inactivity is determined by whether or not the student is interacting with the test by selecting answers or using navigation tools. Students will receive a warning message prior to being logged out and must click OK on the pop-up message within 20 seconds in order to avoid automatic logout and pausing of their test. If a student’s test is paused, the student can log back in at any time during the test window to resume testing and change answers.

81. Screen Savers
If a screen saver is activated during testing, the security breach feature will log the student out of the test.
To avoid any such interruption, schools should either:
deactivate screen savers before students start testing, or
ensure that screen savers are set to more than the allocated testing time.
Additionally, if a screen saver is activated during testing, the security breach feature will log the student out of the test. To avoid any such interruption, schools should either deactivate screen savers before students start testing or ensure that screen savers are set to more than the allocated testing time.

82. Test End
When students answer the final question on their test, the End Test button will appear in the upper-left section of the screen, along with a message advising them that the test has been completed and is ready to be submitted. If students click the Next button at this point, they will see a pop-up message advising them to click the End Test button when they have completed reviewing their answers. They may also click the Back button to go back and revisit previous items.

83. Test End
When students are ready to end the test, they should click the End Test button. A pop-up message will appear allowing them to select Yes if they are ready to finish the test and No if they are not. If students select No, they will return to the last item of the test and can revisit previous items. If students click Yes, they will be taken to the review screen, where they have the choice to review their answers or submit the test.
Students who are ready to submit their tests should click Submit Test to finish. They will receive a confirmation pop-up message asking if they are sure they want to submit. Clicking No will return them to the review screen. Clicking Yes will take them to the end screen, which shows a message indicating that the test was successfully submitted and advising the student to log out.

84. Monitoring Student Status
While students are taking their test, their test administrator can monitor their status from this screen. A table shows each student’s name, SSID, Opportunity Number, Test Name, Requests, Student Status, Test Settings, and a Pause Test option.
The Requests column displays a notification when students request a printout. We will discuss this in more detail shortly.
The Test Settings column will display either Standard or Custom. This column displays Custom when a student’s test settings are different from the default settings for that test. Click the Eye button to view a student’s test settings.
The Student Status column indicates the student’s progress through the items in the test. It shows the total number of items completed thus far and the total number of items in the test.

85. Printing Test Session Information
If you wish to print a snapshot of the Test Administrator Interface in its current view, click the Print Session button. This can be useful for tracking which students did not complete their tests and may need to be scheduled for another session. It may be necessary to set the page layout to landscape or adjust the margins in the Print Preview screen in order for the list to fit on the page. Remember that any printouts containing personally identifiable student information must be securely stored and should be destroyed after use.

86. Pausing and Stopping Sessions
Pause Individual Student’s Test
Affects only one student
Test session continues for all other students in the session
The student whose test is paused may rejoin the test session before it ends.
Stop Test Session
Affects ALL students in test session
All unsubmitted tests are automatically paused.
If a session stops, it cannot be resumed. You must start a new session if students need to resume testing.
There are two options within the Test Administrator Interface to pause or stop testing once it has begun. You can pause an individual student’s test, or stop the entire session. This slide lists some differences between the pause and stop functions. Note that if you stop an entire test session you will need to start a new session and students will need to log back in again in order to resume testing.

87. Pausing and Stopping Sessions
To pause an individual student’s test, click the Pause button on the monitoring screen for that student. When prompted, click OK to confirm that you want to pause the test. This option would be appropriate if a student becomes ill, for example. In the event of an emergency that requires all students to stop testing, the Test Administrator can pause all students’ tests by stopping the session.
If you stop the session, all in-progress tests will be paused. If a session stops, it cannot be resumed. The Test Administrator will have to create a new session and give the new session ID to students so that they can resume testing. To stop the entire test session for all students:
• Click the Stop button in the upper right corner of the screen. A pop-up message will appear requesting verification to end the session and log students out.
• Click OK to continue.
If you forget to log out before leaving the testing area, the session will close automatically after 30 minutes of inactivity on both the Test Administrator and Student computers. The Test Administrator would then need to create a new session and provide the new session ID to students in order to resume testing.

88. Pausing and Stopping Sessions
When the system detects that a student is no longer in a test session, an information icon will appear in the Pause Test column for that student. Click the i button to view a description of the student’s status, including why the student is no longer in the test session.
This information can help you diagnose why a student has unexpectedly left a test session. The information that appears will tell you whether a student’s test has been paused due to the student clicking the Pause button, a session timeout, or some other reason.
For a full list of status descriptions that can appear during a test session, please consult the TA User Guide.

89. Logging Out of the Test Administrator Interface
To log out of the Test Administrator Interface, click the Logout button in the upper-right corner of the screen. It is preferable to log out only after stopping your active test session, as logging out will cause all in-progress tests to be paused. A confirmation message will appear, asking you to confirm that you want to exit the site and pause all students’ in-progress tests. This scenario also occurs when you navigate to another site from the Test Administrator Interface. However, regardless of when or how you log out or navigate away from the Test Administrator Interface, student data will NOT be lost. If the Test Administrator needs to access another application, we recommend opening it in a separate browser window.
Click Yes to proceed. When all students have completed testing, refer to the Test Administration Manual for instructions on destroying any printed testing materials and reporting testing improprieties or irregularities.

90. Troubleshooting Description What to Do
What should I do if a session ends?
Log in and start a new session. Provide the students with a new session ID.
What should I do if a student gets logged out of a test while a session is still active?
If a student’s test session is interrupted, the student should log back in and rejoin the session.
What should I do if forbidden applications are running?
The secure browser will not allow the student to begin testing if forbidden applications are running. You will see messages advising you which applications must be closed before testing can begin.
What should I do if a student’s test freezes?
Force quit the secure browser and log back in. For instructions, refer to the Test Administration Manual.
This table presents some of the common issues that Test Administrators or students may encounter during a test session. Please take a moment to review this information. For more detailed information and additional technical tips, please refer to the Test Administration Manual and the Technical Specifications Manual for Online Testing.

91. Thank You! Further Information
ELPA21 Portal:
ELPA21 Help Desk:
Thank you for participating in today’s training webinar. Please take some time to review the Resources posted on the Portal and sign up to receive notifications as additional resources are added to the portal.
Now, we will respond to questions. Let’s start with the written questions that have already been submitted.