1. ACT Aspire

2. What is ACT Aspire?
ACT Aspire is a new testing program from American College Testing (ACT).
Do not shorten the name; especially at the middle school and high school levels, we cannot have students/parents confused about this assessment program, ACT Aspire, and ACT, which is used for college admissions.
This is especially important for students who receive Accessibility Supports (ie Accommodations) on the ACT Aspire. When students take the ACT for college admissions, they have to apply in advance for accommodations on testing. We are allowed to provide approved Accessibility Supports that may not be provided on the ACT.

3. How are we using it in GCISD?
Reading and Math, grades 3-9
Determine college and career readiness (Index 4 on State Accountability)
Assess growth during the school year (Superintendent’s Goal)
Replaces MAP and some district benchmarks

4. ACT Aspire Periodic Summative Interim Assessments (3)
September, November, February
Classroom Assessments (5)
As they occur in curriculum
Summative
Summative Assessment
May

5. Online assessment
It is a Pearson product; it will look familiar to those who’ve administered TELPAS online reading, STAAR L, or an EOC online.
Teacher will start/stop testing from the teacher computer.
May use iPads
Test Nav app
Guided Access
May use Chromebooks
May use Computers in the Labs

6. Timing Interim Assessments (Sept./Nov./Feb)
45 minutes each subject
Classroom Assessments (As needed in curriculum pacing)
15-20 minutes each subject
Summative Assessments (May)
Reading: 60 minutes
Math
Grades 3-5: 55 minutes
Grades 6-7: 60 minutes
Grades 8-9: 65 minutes

7. Periodic assessment guide

8. Room supervisor (teacher) Responsibilities p.5
Read and thoroughly understand the policies, procedures, and instructions in this guide and other training materials provided.
Supervise a test room.
Start a test session.
Help students log in to the online testing system.
Read test instructions
Walk around the testing room during testing to be sure students are working on the correct test and to observe student behavior

9. Room supervisor (teacher) Responsibilities p.5
Monitor the online testing system as needed.
Pay careful attention to monitoring students’ behavior during the entire testing session.
Collect and account for all authorization tickets and scratch paper before dismissing students.
Ensure students have stopped testing and have correctly logged out of the online testing system.
Complete documentation of any irregularities.

10. TEST Day procedures p. 6 Verbal Instructions must be read verbatim.
Teachers/test proctors should ACTIVELY monitor test sessions.
Walk quietly through the room while testing.
Answer any student question about test content with , “Do your best.”
After testing, collect all scratch paper and student authorization tickets.
Ensure that students submit their responses and you see a “Completed” status on your proctor screen.

11. Room supervisor manual
This manual is for use with the summative assessment that will be given in May, but contains information that applies to all ACT Aspire testing. It will be provided at a later date.

12. Standardized Prohibited Procedures p. 2-3 Room Supervisor Manual
aiding or assisting a student with a response or answer to a secure test item, including providing formulas
rephrasing test questions for students
creating an answer key or “crib sheet” of answers to test questions
editing or changing student answers after completion of the test, with or without the student’s permission
allowing students to test in an unsupervised setting

13. Standardized Prohibited Procedures p. 2-3 Room Supervisor Manual
leaving test materials in an unsecured place or unattended
failing to properly report and document incidents of prohibited behavior involving students, staff, or others
allowing students to test longer than the permitted time
failing to return and account for all testing materials after the testing session has ended

14. Calculators Not allowed for grades 3-5, regardless of IEP
Grade 6-9 will have embedded calculator tool
Grade 6-9 may use a school provided calculator if stated in IEP

15. Scratch paper Students need to be provided scratch paper and pencils.
If a student uses scratch paper, please have the student write at the top:
First and Last Name
School Name
Subject (reading or math)
Grade
Used scratch paper must be collected and returned to the campus testing coordinator, who will destroy it.

16. Dictionaries English dictionaries may not be used by any student.
Word-to-Word dictionaries for Languages Other than English may be used if the student’s LPAC paper work designates the use of a dictionary

17. Bathroom Breaks Pause the test. Student goes one at a time
Must report the “Irregularity” in the ACT Aspire Portal
Time does not stop for the restroom break.
Just like STAAR

18. Electronic Devices
Must be collected/stored away from student during testing

19. Prohibited student Behaviors
looking at someone else’s computer screen or scratch paper
giving or receiving assistance
disturbing other students
using notes or unauthorized testing aids
using a calculator on any test other than the Grades 6–Early High School (Grades 9–10) Mathematics test
sharing a calculator with another student

20. Prohibited student Behaviors
using any device to share or exchange information at any time during the tests, during break, or after testing (All electronic communication devices, including cell phones, must be turned off from the time the student is admitted to test until dismissal after testing concludes)
attempting to remove or send test questions or answers from the test room by any means
exhibiting confrontational, threatening, or unruly behavior
creating a disturbance or allowing an alarm or phone to sound in the test room

21. Prohibited student behaviors
If you SUSPECT, remind the student that the suspected behavior is prohibited, allow the student to continue testing, closely observe the student.
Document suspicion and action in ACT Aspire Portal
If you OBSEVRE, close the student’s test session,
Call for your CTC who will
Tell the student his/her test will not be scored
Call parent
Enter note in irregularity reporting tool in ACT Aspire Portal

22. Reporting irregularities
A student engages in any instance of prohibited behavior as outlined above.
A student becomes ill or leaves the room during testing.
A student fails to follow instructions (responds to questions randomly, obviously does not read questions prior to responding, or refuses to respond to questions).
A general disturbance or distraction occurs which could affect one or more students’ results.
A student questions the accuracy or validity of an item.
A student has a technical issue that interrupts testing.

23. Accessibility & accommodations
Accommodations: requested in advance by entering Personal Needs Profile (PNP)
Open Access Tools: requested in advance by entering PNP
Default Embedded System Tools: available as needed to ALL students.
Student accommodations are already entered by the CTC.

24. Monitoring test sessions
Click on the link above.
You’ll be prompted to enter your address; enter it. You’ll go to the Monitoring Test Sessions Video.
Watch sections: 1, 2, 3, 4,

25. TEST NAV 8 Test Nav 8 Training Click on the link above.
You’ll be prompted to enter your address; enter it. You’ll go to the Test Nav 8 Training Video.
Watch Sections: 1,2, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12

26. Test Day procedures
Report to _____________ to collect your testing materials.
If using a lab, be sure that the computer screen is on the Test Nav student log in screen.
If using iPads, launch the Test Nav 8 app and start Guided Access.
Log into the ACT Aspire Portal with your teacher login credentials. Find your test session on the Interim Assessment screen. Start the test session.
Distribute student authorization tickets and scratch paper.
Read the verbal instructions in your ACT Aspire Periodic Assessment Guide.
Everyone reads pp
Reading, p. 18
Mathematics, 16-17
Everyone reads p. 25
ACTIVELY MONITOR testing

27. Test Day procedures Actively monitor tests.
Ensure that students submit their responses
End the test session
Collect all scratch paper and student authorizations and return them to the CTC