1. School Test Coordinators Training (Required for DTCs and STCs)

2. Big Picture Objectives
STC Training
Big Picture Objectives
Understand the roles and responsibilities of school test coordinators
Be able to support the DTC in training test administrators
Understand state policies so that you can help build effective school procedures
The STC role and responsibilities are described on p. 3 of the Test Administration Manual (TAM). STC training requirements are described on p. 6.

3. Training Overview Training will cover the following topics:
STC Training
Training Overview
Training will cover the following topics:
STC Training
TA Training
Accommodations
Test Security
OAKS Online
ELPA
Writing
Each training module is designed to take between 5 – 15 minutes to present.
“Dos, Don’ts, and Promising Practices” slides provide practical examples of how to successfully implement testing policies and rules.

4. Test Schedule STC Training OAKS Online 11/6 – 5/22
OAKS Online 11/6 – 5/22
*includes Braille Interface and Grade 3 Spanish Reading
1st Opportunity 11/6 – 1/2
Subsequent Opportunities 1/3 – 5/22
OAKS Writing (Paper/Pencil)
Winter (Grades 11 & 12 Only) 1/9 – 2/21
Spring (Grades 11 Only) 4/10 – 5/22
OAKS Writing (Online)
Winter (Grades 11 & 12 Only) 1/9 – 3/22
Spring (Grades 11 Only) 4/1 –5/22
Extended Assessment 2/21 – 4/25
ELPA 1/9 – 4/30
PSAT/NMSQT /17 or 10/20
NAEP 1/28 – 3/8
-Districts may only administer one opportunity per student of all OAKS Online assessments between 11/6/12 and 1/2/13.
-For Writing, students may either take Online or Paper (not both). New for , ODE and the Legislature have collaborated to expand support for the high school writing test to include 12th grade students who have not already met or exceeded the standards. Eligible 12th grade students may only test during the winter test window.
-ELPA window closes on 4/30/13

5. Required Assessment Options
STC Training
Required Assessment Options
Required OAKS Online Assessments*
Reading and Mathematics: grades 3 – 8, and 11
Science: grades 5, 8, and 11
Optional OAKS Online Assessment*
Social Sciences: grades 5, 8, and 11
OAKS Online Grade 3 Spanish Reading Assessment
Native language Spanish Reading assessment (not an English-Spanish side-by-side test)
Eligible ELL students may use Grade 3 Spanish Reading for accountability purposes
* Available through Braille Interface of OAKS Online
-Districts may choose to administer this assessment to non-ELL students (e.g., students in language immersion programs), but only ELL students will be able to use this assessment for accountability purposes.
-Eligibility defined on p. 35 of Test Administration Manual (in the U.S. for 3 or fewer consecutive years, districts can extend for up to 2 additional years based on local evaluation)

6. Required Assessment Options, cont’d
STC Training
Required Assessment Options, cont’d
Writing Performance Assessment
Only available for students in Grades 11 & 12
1 opportunity per student
Students may not take both online and paper/pencil format
11th grade students may test in either Winter or Spring test window
12th grade students may only test in the Winter test window
--Due to budgetary restrictions, Writing will not be offered in for students in grades 4, 7 or high school grades other than 11 and th grade students may only test in the winter test window.
--Students who took and passed HS Writing at an earlier grade do not need to test—their scores are banked. Students who took but did not pass at an earlier grade must test again this year.
--This year’s 11th and 12th graders can use passing Writing score toward Writing Essential Skills requirement in
--Additional information about the Writing Performance Assessment is available in Module 8: Writing and in Appendix G – Requirements for OAKS Writing Performance Administration of the Test Administration Manual.

7. Required Assessment Options, cont’d
STC Training
Required Assessment Options, cont’d
English Language Proficiency Assessment (ELPA)
1 opportunity for the following grade bands: K – 1, 2 – 3, 4 – 5, 6 – 8, and 9 – 12
Students must have LEP flag marked in the SSID system in order to access the ELPA
New for : the ELPA window will close on April 30th
Additional information about the ELPA is provided in Module 9: ELPA and in Appendix H – Requirements for ELPA Administration in the Test Administration Manual.

8. Required Assessment Options, cont’d
STC Training
Required Assessment Options, cont’d
OAKS Extended Assessments
Reading : 1 opportunity at Grades 3 – 8, and 11
Mathematics: 1 opportunity at Grades 3 – 8, and 11.
Science: 1 opportunity at Grades 5, 8, and 11
Writing: 1 opportunity at Grade 11 only

9. Multiple OAKS Test Opportunities
STC Training
Multiple OAKS Test Opportunities
New for :
2 test opportunities for students in grades 3 – 8
3 test opportunities for students in High School
Districts are not required to administer all available opportunities to each student
Best Practices Guide available
ODE offers multiple opportunities as a means of limiting the impact of the “real world” on a student’s results (e.g., adult errors, network problems, student illness, invalidation, or expiration). Individual test opportunities may be lost due to test expiration (the student does not complete the test within 45 days of starting it) or invalidation (based on an impropriety).
Best Practices Guide provides guidance on appropriate testing practices, including timing of test administration

10. STC Training
Retesting Students
Retesting students in grades 3 – 8 who have already met requires explicit parental consent
Consent must be for the current school year
Consent must be received prior to retesting
District must receive parent signature
Districts are not required to receive parental consent before retesting students in High School
Best Practices Guide available
-Districts may communicate with parents using existing communication protocols, such as fall registration materials, parent conferences, electronic media, or letters home. Signature may be received in hard copy or electronically.
-Best Practices Guide provides guidance on appropriate testing practices, including decisions about retesting students. Also, see pp of the Test Administration Manual for requirements around retesting students in grades

11. STC Training
Targeting Up
Targeting up to a higher grade level is available for students through grade 7 for OAKS Math and Reading.
Students in grades 9 and 10 may take the high school level OAKS tests. Students in grade 12 may also take the high school level OAKS tests.
Students in grade 8 may only take the high school level OAKS tests if they have received instruction at the depth and breadth of the high school standards.
Best Practices Guide available
Best Practices Guide provides guidance on appropriate testing practices, including decisions about targeting up. Also, see pp of the Test Administration Manual for requirements around targeting up.

12. School-Imposed Test Windows
STC Training
School-Imposed Test Windows
Definition: A shortened test window set at the school level for a particular OAKS or Writing assessment
Purpose: To allow the school to appropriately allocate resources toward testing based on projected student enrollment
Must Haves:
Begins no later than first school day in April for OAKS Online or applicable start date for OAKS Writing;
Ends no later than the end date for the statewide test window identified in the Test Schedule
Lasts for at least four calendar weeks for OAKS Online or two weeks for OAKS Writing
School-imposed test windows are not permitted for the ELPA or Extended Assessments
Requirements around school-imposed test windows appears on pp. 32 – 33 of the Test Administration Manual.

13. Test Administrator Training
STC Training
Test Administrator Training
Ensure that all TAs in your building:
Receive training using ODE-provided modules:
Module 3: TA Training
Module 4: Accommodations
Module 5: Test Security
Module 6: OAKS Online (required for OAKS Online TAs, including Braille Interface)
Module 7: ELPA (required for ELPA TAs)
Module 8: Writing (required for Writing TAs)
Read and understand the Test Administration Manual
Sign assurance of test security form
STCs are responsible for working with their DTC to ensure that all TAs receive their local test administration and security training, have read and understand the Test Administration Manual, and have signed an Assurance of Test Security Form. The requirement to train TAs includes TAs administering the ELPA, the Extended Assessments, and OAKS Online through the Braille Interface. It also extends to substitutes and volunteers who may be involved in test administration.
To ensure consistency in training, new for districts are required to incorporate ODE’s training modules when training TAs. TA training requirements are included on pp. 6 – 7 of the TAM.

14. Test Administrator Training, cont’d
STC Training
Test Administrator Training, cont’d
In addition to Test Administration and Security Training, ensure that:
All Braille Interface TAs in your building receive additional ODE- provided training specific to configuring the Braille Interface
All Extended Assessment TAs in your building receive additional ODE- provided Qualified Trainer or Qualified Assessor training
Information about Braille Interface training is included in Part VIII – Students with Disabilities of the TAM. Information about Extended Assessment training is included in Appendix I of the TAM.

15. STC Training
Do’s and Don’ts
Do’s
STCs must coordinate determination of appropriate assessment options for students
Test format (includes Braille, English- Spanish, Extended, and targeting up)
Number and timing of test opportunities (includes retests)
STCs must ensure that all TAs in the building receive required training
STCs may set school test schedules for OAKS Online and Writing tests in collaboration with DTCs

16. STC Training
Do’s and Don’ts
Don’ts
Schools may not set school test schedules for Extended Assessments or the ELPA
Schools may not extend the school test window once it is in progress or test students outside of that window
Schools may not retest students in grades 3 – 8 who have already met or exceeded unless the school first receives explicit parental consent

17. Promising Practices STC Training
To ensure valid tests, STCs should keep track of which staff (including subs and volunteers) have received training and set up procedures to ensure that only these staff enter the secure test environment.
To ensure that students receive the appropriate assessment, STCs should keep track of student test settings, including accommodations, test format, and restricted resources.
To manage access and pace of testing opportunities, STCs may restrict students in TIDE from accessing OAKS Online for specific test subjects.
To avoid test expirations, STCs should track which tests are close to expiration and ensure those students complete testing before the 45-day expiration period ends.

18. STC Training
In a Nutshell
The Assessment options generally are the same this year as last year, except:
Only 2 OAKS test opportunities per student in grades 3 - 8
No retesting students in grades 3 – 8 who have met or exceeded without explicit parental consent
Only one test opportunity per OAKS subject 11/6 – 1/2
TA trainings must incorporate ODE-provided training modules

19. STC Training
In a Nutshell, cont’d
STCs coordinate determination of appropriate assessment options and test settings for students
STCs coordinate local test windows and ensure that all students are tested

20. Online Resources STC Training
ODE staff contact information:
Assessment and Accountability webpage:
Regional ESD Helpdesk contact information:
Test Administration Manual and Best Practices Guide:
Promising Practices:

21. STC Training
Acorn for Storage
How can an STC ensure that Test Administrators are administering the assessment consistent with state and district policies?
How can an STC ensure that students are tested at the appropriate time and make appropriate decisions about retesting students?
How can an STC ensure that all students receive the appropriate test format?
-Ensure staff have read and understand the pertinent sections of the Test Administration Manual and Accommodations Manual. Provide training using ODE-provided training modules and provide TAs with an opportunity to ask questions and get clarification. Review promising practices with staff and use the training site to practice setting up and administering tests.
-Review the Best Practices Guide and Part VI of the Test Administration Manual to review guidance and requirements on establishing school-imposed test windows and retesting students in grades 3 – 8. Work closely with the DTC to establish school-imposed test windows, keeping in mind timing for instruction and when students will be ready to test and establish a procedure for collecting parental consent before retesting students in grades 3 – 8 who have already met or exceeded.
-Coordinate with students’ education teams (classroom teachers, SpEd teachers, IEP teams, LEP teams) to identify which assessment formats are appropriate for a student. Use student restriction feature in TIDE to block students from accessing tests they should not receive. Establish clear procedures and activities for students who are not testing with the rest of the class.