1. The 10 Things I Wish I‘d Known When I Started This Job What I’ve Learned Over the Last 10 Years Mary Anne Barber, Floresville ISD

2. Page  2 # 10—Not everyone is going to be happy to see you.  Some will be angry at testing in general  Some will be anxious and nervous  Some will be clueless  Some will be scared to death  Don’t take it personally…You really are a nice person!  We’re all in this together.

3. Page  3 # 9 —You really do need to read ALL of the manuals— several times.  DCCM—Read it until you can quote it!  Test Security Supplement  Accommodations Manual  General Test Administrator Manual  Specific Administration Manuals  Accountability Manuals  FAQs  Emails — TEA — Pearson — RATS

4. Page  4 # 8—If you really want something done, require a signature.  Don’t accept a verbal agreement when it’s something important –It’s not that you don’t trust people, BUT …  Forms –Secure Storage –Precodes  Document absolutely everything –Phone Calls/Conversation Logs

5. Page  5 # 7—There is no such thing as planning too early.  Get organized –Calendar –Campus Plans –Training Sessions  Get your plan and processes established early  Plan for the spring in the fall –Things move much too quickly in the spring to plan and execute at the same time  If you want others to observe your deadlines, make sure you stick to your own deadlines

6. Page  6 # 6—Don’t assume anything.  Plan as if no one knows anything  Always start training with the basics—even if you have veteran CTCs  Make sure everyone knows the acronyms—Make sure you know the acronyms  Give as many “packages” as possible –Training PowerPoints  Document, document, document

7. Page  7 # 5—Honesty is always the best policy.  If you don’t know the answer, admit it, BUT… –Get the answer from someone that knows –Get the answer back to the person that asked you ASAP  It’s ok not to have all of the answers all of the time  It’s better to admit that you simply don’t have an answer at the time than to give incorrect information  If you make a mistake, admit it  Document, document, document

8. Page  8 # 4 Be available. Keep lines of communication open.  Make sure everyone feels free to contact you (even if the news isn’t necessarily good) –CTCs –Campus Administrators –Superintendent –Special Ed –Bilingual  Be available to everyone during test administrations  Make sure Administrators know what’s happening on their campuses  Document, document, document

9. Page  9 # 3–People are human.  You may have testing incidents –Learn from them –Roll them into CTC/Campus training –Write everything down—You think you’ll remember, but you won’t!  Don’t delay in reporting testing incidents and conducting investigations  Document, document, document

10. Page  10 # 2–You need lots of friends!  You’ll need friends in your district— –Your support personnel –CTCs –Administration –Warehouse  You’ll need friends outside your district— –RATS –T-SNAP –Region XX –TEA –Pearson  Don’t reinvent the wheel—Beg, borrow, steal

11. Page  11 # 1—Remain calm—even in the midst of disaster.  Take a deep breath and then count to 10  People are looking to you for answers  People are looking to you for a solution to the problem  People are looking to you for reassurance  People are looking to you as the expert  People are looking to you as a leader in your district –Don’t over-react—Things will calm down by tomorrow…maybe…a little bit –Take a moment to think things through, read a manual, make a phone call –Don’t say something you’ll regret  Document, document, document

12. Page  12 QUESTIONS?