1. National Conference on Student Assessment 2008 June 17, 2008 Tom Hicks, Coordinator Special Education Unit Arkansas Department of Education

2. Arkansas Comprehensive Testing, Assessment, and Accountability Program (ACTAAP) Established by State Law Governs the State’s assessment activity Requires (in part) – Testing of ALL Students – Monitoring of exams

3. Curriculum, Assessment, and Research Unit Responsibility Test development Training and professional development Administration of tests Scoring process Range finding/standard setting Score reporting

4. Special Education Unit/Curriculum, Assessment, and Research Unit combined activities Professional development training Decision making Range finding/standard setting Bias Review Problem Solving Test Monitoring

5. On-site Monitoring Activity Involves ALL Units of the Department of Education Curriculum and Assessment Special Education Standards Assurance School Improvement Title Programs Accountability Content/Curriculum Specialists

6. Selection of Schools for Monitoring Random Selection Previous Violations New Administrators

7. Tests Monitored Benchmark Exams Grades 3-8 (Math/Literacy) End of Course Exams – Algebra – Geometry – Biology Literacy Exam grade 11

8. SEA Training for Monitoring Visits Test administration protocol Basic rules for test administration IEP Team recommendation vs actual testing – IEP review Type of test to be administered Accommodations – Observations

9. On-site Monitoring Visit Interviews – School test coordinator – Test security – Distribution of test materials – Principal – Test Administrator Observations Complete monitoring checklist

10. Local district monitoring Self-reporting Parents reporting

11. Required training District Test Coordinator Test Administrators (teachers, etc.)

12. Local Training Test Administrators (Certified/Licensed Teachers) – Regular Teachers – Special Education Teachers – Librarians – Counselors – Coaches – Substitute Teachers – Retired Teachers

13. SEA Test Investigation Training (with the Manual) Rigorous Detailed Fact Finding Activity Report Writing Procedures

14. Test Investigation Teams Conduct On-Site Investigations Collect Data Material Collection Other Information