1. M-STEP Assessment Administration Training
Phoebe Gohs
M-STEP Reporting and administration Consultant
Michigan Department of Education

2. What’s New in 2019 Assessment Integrity Guide revision
No Seating Chart requirement
NEW Testing Schedule requirement:
district name, building name, building coordinator’s name
date of assessment administration; location of testing session(s) (i.e., room number, classroom, etc.); starting and ending time of testing session; assessment/grade/content being administered for each testing session; test administrator(s) and proctor(s) for each testing session

3. What’s New in 2019 Assessment Integrity Guide revision
Personnel who can administer the M-STEP
Hierarchical structure has been removed
Test Administrators (TAs) should be selected from the following list:
Licensed teachers or licensed educational administrators employed by the school district
Paraprofessionals or non-licensed administrative personnel employed by the school district
Licensed substitute teachers who are employed by the district for the purpose of administering the test

4. What’s New in 2019 Science Field Test: 2 parts for grades 5 and 8
All Science Field Tests includes 6 clusters (compared to 3 in 2018)

5. What’s New in 2019 8th Grade Testing
M-STEP Social Studies – 2 parts/2 test tickets
M-STEP Science Field Test – 2 parts/2 test tickets
PSAT 8/9 – English Language Arts and Mathematics
View the Grade 8 Assessments Overview and Grade 8 M-STEP Test Administration in the MME Day training, available at Follow the 2019 MME/PSAT and Grade 8 Assessment Trainings link.

6. What’s New in 2019
New Assessment Coordinator Training Guide – available on all of the assessment webpages (

7. What’s New in 2019
Assessment Bookmarks

8. What’s New in 2019 Scratch Paper Policy Update
Clarifies in which content/grades and scratch paper is allowed
Defines “used” and “unused” scratch paper

9. Preparing for the M-STEP
Important Dates Documents
Test Administration Manual has important policy and procedure information. Be sure to read this document!
Assessment Integrity Guide – defines all assessment security requirements
Cell phone/electronic device policy
Who can administer assessments
Testing schedules
Prohibited Behavior
Reporting testing irregularities

10. Preparing for the M-STEP: eDIRECT
Data Recognition Corp. (DRC) application
System used to manage online testing for M-STEP
Online test sessions
Assigning online supports and accommodations
Printing/managing test tickets
Monitoring student testing status
Access is granted through the OEAA Secure Site
District, nonpublic school, and public school administrators need access
Test Administrators do not need secure login to access tutorials, manuals, or other documents

11. Preparing for the M-STEP: eDIRECT
Available for online administrative tasks beginning March 8
Students who were pre-identified and put into online test sessions in the OEAA Secure Site by February 25 will be copied into the eDIRECT test sessions.
Students can continue to be pre-identified in the Secure Site after February 25, and will be copied into eDIRECT three times a day.
Students pre-identified after February 25 will have to be added to test sessions directly in eDIRECT.

12. Preparing for the M-STEP: Mini-Modules

13. Preparing Students for the M-STEP
MDE suggested plan:
View Student Tutorials with whole class
Model Online Tools Training (OTT) with whole class
Provide student opportunity to practice OTTs

14. Preparing for the M-STEP: eDIRECT District and Building Coordinator Training
Date
Event
Tuesday, March 5
10:00 am
District/Building Coordinator Training for eDIRECT
Friday, March 8
eDIRECT available to add/edit test sessions, assign designated supports and accommodations, print test tickets

15. Preparing Staff for the M-STEP
All staff involved in the administration must be trained in the policies and procedures of the M-STEP prior to administration.
Test Administrators must read the test directions for the assessment to be given prior to the test administration.
Be sure all Test Administrators have a hard copy of the test directions and that they review the Test Administration Manual.
There will be training template available in late February for use by Building and District Assessment Coordinators to use when training Test Administrators; the template should be edited for information specific to the building or district. (

16. Preparing for the M-STEP: Pre-ID
OEAA will pre-ID students using the fall MSDS general collection (student count day data).
OEAA will NOT do additional pulls from MSDS for pre-identification of students.
District/school are responsible for pre-identifying additional students directly on the OEAA Secure Site.
One student at a time through Student Search
Pre-ID File Upload
Pre-ID File Format and Template available on login page of the Secure Site before logging in
MSDS Copy Function on Secure Site
More information about how to Pre-ID students is available on the OEAA Secure Site training page at
Preparing for the M-STEP: Pre-ID

17. Preparing for the M-STEP: Setting up Test Sessions
Before February 25, 2019, students can be assigned to test sessions in the OEAA Secure Site. These test sessions will be pulled into eDIRECT and available in eDIRECT when it becomes available on March 8.
Students pre-identified after February 25 must be added to test sessions in eDIRECT.
If test sessions aren’t set up in the OEAA Secure Site by the February 25 deadline, the test sessions can be set up in eDIRECT.

18. Test Session Time Estimates: Grades 3-7

19. Test Session Time Estimates: Grade 8

20. Preparing for the M-STEP: Material Orders
Initial Material Orders (IMO) are done through the OEAA Secure Site, based on pre-ID.
IMOs are sent to the M-STEP Coordinator as listed in EEM
Users can select the date for delivery: for example, the default delivery date for the first window is March 25-27, An alternate delivery date is available and can be selected for April 1-3, 2019.
Additional Material Orders (AMO) are also done through the OEAA Secure Site, but are based on materials selected by the user after the IMO window has closed.
The dates for the IMO order window and AMO order window are posted in the M-STEP List of Important Dates document on the M-STEP web page (

21. Preparing for the M-STEP
Test Directions are mailed to schools with IMO; can also be printed from M-STEP web page
Scheduling Test Sessions
Test schedules are required and retained by the school for 3 years; specific requirements are in the Assessment Integrity Guide (AIG).
Test time estimates provided by MDE do not include time spent preparing devices, reading directions, etc.
Paper/pencil testing must follow the published paper/pencil testing schedule.
M-STEP is not a timed test; students must be given time to complete their test.

22. Preparing for the M-STEP: Student Supports and Accommodations Overview
Tools are categorized into 1 of 3 groups:
Universal Tools
Available to all students-use is primarily student driven
Designated Supports
Available to students who have a specific need-use is primarily educator driven
Accommodations
Available to students with disabilities or those who have 504 plans whose need for the accommodation is documented in IEP/504 plan
Preparing for the M-STEP: Student Supports and Accommodations Overview

23. Preparing for the M-STEP: Student Supports and Accommodations
Create a process to review which tools students are using in the classroom.
Is there a match between what is used in the classroom and what is available/allowable on the state tests?
Review the Supports & Accommodations Guidance Document.

24. Consider students’ individual needs
Preparing for the M-STEP: Selecting and Assigning Universal Tools, Designated Supports, and Accommodations
Consider students’ individual needs
Do not enable or provide a Designated Support or Accommodation to all students in a grade level, building, or district.

25. Preparing for the M-STEP: Assigning Universal Tools, Designated Supports, And Accommodations in eDIRECT
Users can see whether a tool is considered a Universal Tool (UT), Designated Support (DS), or Accommodation (AC) while assigning tools

26. Preparing for the M-STEP: Off-site testing
Available for either large groups of students or for small groups or individual students
Off-site testing is used for students who are suspended, expelled-with-services, or home- bound students
The Off-Site Test Request is available on the M-STEP web page
Please plan to allow 3 business days for review
If you need a faster response time, please and we can expedite the process.

27. Preparing for the M-STEP
Responsibilities of Assessment Coordinators during testing
Communication!
Central point of contact between Test Administrators, Technology Coordinators, and OEAA
Resource – information about policies and procedures, testing schedules
Address any test irregularities – investigations, submitting incident reports, gathering any necessary documentation, etc.
Monitor testing:
Ensure rooms used for testing do not contain any cuing visual materials (see AIG)
Manage test ticket printing, distribution, secure storage
Manage handling of all secure materials – paper/pencil as well as online
Monitor test completion in eDIRECT

28. Materials Needed During Online Administration
Online Test Administration Directions – specific by grade
Secure materials – must be collected after testing
Students may only have one test ticket at a time.
Most accommodations are listed on student test tickets and rosters, but Test Administrators need to be aware of all supports and accommodations prior to the start of the test session.
Test Tickets and Rosters
Materials Needed During Online Administration

29. Materials Needed During the Paper/Pencil Administration
Test Administration Directions – specific by grade
Answer Documents
Be sure the Barcode Labels are affixed to each student’s Answer Document in the space provided.
If necessary, barcode labels can be printed from the OEAA Secure Site.
Accommodations and Supports should be completed by a Test Administrator or Building Coordinator only.
Test Booklets

30. Scratch Paper and Calculators
Secure Material – be sure to collect after testing
Calculator
Grades 3, 4, and 5: NO Calculators are allowed for any students – including students with accommodations
Grades 6 and 7:
NO Calculators for any students on part 1 of the paper/pencil math assessment
Online: Calculators are embedded into the assessment and are available on items when a calculator is allowed. Handheld calculators are available as an accommodation only for students with documented Individualized Education Program (IEP) or 504 plans.

31. M-STEP Assessment Administration
Cell phone/electronic device policy
How the district will handle secure materials
How to manage any items used during testing
Test Administrators Need to Know:
Must be retained in one secure, locked location within the school
During testing, must be distributed and collected each day
Online testing:
Test rosters and tickets
Used scratch paper and used graph paper
Paper/pencil testing:
Test Booklets
Answer Documents – all used and unused ELA and mathematics
First language (L1) glossaries
Accommodated versions of the test
Managing Secure Materials
M-STEP Assessment Administration

32. Testing Irregularity: any deviation from any test policy during the test administration.
Reasons a testing irregularity may occur:
Student prohibited behaviors: cell phone use, copying/cheating
Student Supports and Accommodations – either assigned when they should not be or not assigned when they should be
Building emergency during a test administration; other unexpected event
What may happen when there is a testing irregularity:
Test may be unlocked or regenerated (NOTE: these are very different)
Test may be invalidated – marked “Do Not Score” or “Prohibited Behavior”, etc.
Incident Reporting

33. Incident Reporting: What should I do?
Get the facts:
What happened?
Who was involved?
What was the impact to testing?
Get statements from staff involved, as appropriate
The District Assessment Coordinator must report the testing irregularity using the OEAA Secure Site Incident Reporting Tool
Login to the Secure Site
Select the Student Assessments Tab, and then Incident Reports from the drop-down menu

34. Incident Reporting: Reporting Tool
Report the Incident using the Incident Reporting Tool – information about how to use the tool is available in the Secure Site training document Incident Reporting (
More information about what constitutes a testing irregularity is available in the M-STEP Test Administration Manual and Incident Report Guide – be sure to read these and refer to them when there is any testing irregularity.

35. NEW Feature on Incident Reporting Tool!
New in the 2019 Incident Reporting tool is the MDE Action Request section. Users will select either all students or select students individually – depending on the incident.
The user then selects from the list:
No MDE Action
Mark as Nonstandard Accommodation
Unlock Online Test
Mark as Do Not Score
Mark as Misadministered
Regenerate Online Test
Mark as Prohibited Behavior
Order Emergency Materials

36. After Testing: Making sure all students have tested
Online Tests:
In eDIRECT, go to Manage Test Sessions
Search for your school’s sessions, and then select “Status Summary”
After Testing: Making sure all students have tested

37. After Testing: Have all students tested?
You can also view testing status in total, by grade, content area, and assessment. If you prefer to view the information as text, select the grid of the upper-right of the graph in question.
After Testing: Have all students tested?

38. The directions and timelines for materials return are very specific and must be followed exactly.
Be sure to refer to the M-STEP Test Administration Manual for all materials return directions and questions.
You will find information about:
deadlines for shipment
secure and non-secure materials
materials that must be returned
materials to be kept by the school
materials to securely destroy
Materials Return

39. Materials Return Important Notes about Material Return
If test booklets and/or answer documents are not returned within the specified timeline, they will not be scored.
Each district/building is required to ensure that all materials are returned. OEAA monitors the return of secure testing materials for all of the state’s assessments.
Material Return Timeline
Refer to Important Dates Document
Materials Return

40. Materials Return Important Note about Material Return
If it is found that your district/building did not return all materials, OEAA may put you on our target monitoring list and require that you submit training plans and chain of custody forms, and conduct test administration observations.
Materials Return

41. Common Problems Online Session Locked
If 5 or fewer questions have been answered, contact the Call Center at and select Option 2
If more than 5 questions have been answered, an Incident Report is required
Student becomes ill/parents remove student during test
Online: Pause and Exit; resume with original test ticket in a makeup session
Paper/Pencil: Collect materials and flag the last question answered; resume during a makeup session; submit an Incident Report

42. Common Problems
INSIGHT disconnections, not advancing, or other technical error
Contact your local tech support
If tech support cannot resolve the problem, the Technology Coordinator should contact DRC Customer Support
If resolution is still needed after contacting Customer Support, the District Coordinator submits an Incident Report

43. Quotation marks and apostrophe will not work on Chromebooks:
Common Problems
Quotation marks and apostrophe will not work on Chromebooks:
Chromebook keyboard must be set to US Keyboard
Go to Settings > Show Advanced Settings > Language and Input Settings – and ensure US Keyboard is set
If this occurs DURING testing, click outside of the writing area, then CNTRL + Shift + Space Bar and toggle the keyboard to US Keyboard

44. Common Problems Using the fraction button
Select the fraction button once
Type in the value for the numerator
Select or tab to the value for the denominator

45. Common Problems Using the fraction button (continued)
If the student clicks the fraction button multiple times, additional fractions will begin to populate and create a pyramid in the answer area
If this happens several times in a row, you will see an error message that reads “Maximum Equation Nesting Depth Reached”
The student will have to delete the fraction, and select the fraction button one time only to proceed.

46. Resources Available on the M-STEP Web page (www.michigan.gov/mstep)
M-STEP Test Administration Manual
M-STEP List of Important Dates
Assessment Integrity Guide (updated for Spring 2019)
Student Supports and Accommodations Guidance Document
Online Tools Training links (OTTs)
New Assessment Coordinator Training Guide
Assessment related bookmarks
Much more!

47. Stay Informed!
Spotlight

48. Thank you.
Phoebe Gohs, M-STEP Test Administration & Reporting Consultant
Phone: