Massachusetts Comprehensive
Assessment System
PRINCIPAL’S
ADMINISTRATION
MANUAL
Grades 3–8
Computer-Based and Paper-Based Tests
SPRING 2017
This document was prepared by the
Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education
Mitchell D. Chester, Ed.D.
Commissioner
The Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, an affirmative action employer, is committed to
ensuring that all of its programs and facilities are accessible to all members of the public. We do not discriminate on the
basis of age, color, disability, gender identity, national origin, race, religion, sex or sexual orientation.
Inquiries regarding the Department’s compliance with Title IX and other civil rights laws may be directed to the
Human Resources Director, 75 Pleasant St., Malden, MA 02148 781-338-6105.
© 2017 Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education
Permission is hereby granted to copy any or all parts of this document for non-commercial educational purposes. Please
credit the “Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.”
Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education
75 Pleasant Street, Malden, MA 02148-4906
Phone 781-338-3000 TTY: N.E.T. Relay 800-439-2370
www.doe.mass.edu
Purpose of This Manual
This Principal’s Administration Manual provides the information necessary for elementary
and middle school principals and school leaders to conduct a smooth and successful MCAS
administration. It is meant to be used in conjunction with the Test Administrator’s Manuals,
which provide instructions for test administrators as well as scripts to read to students during
the test administration sessions.
The Department has high expectations for proper MCAS administration and requests that
principals and test administrators take ample time to read and understand their respective
manuals. In order to have confidence that MCAS tests are eliciting students’ independent work
and assessing their comprehension of the tested subjects, we must all work to ensure that test
administration protocols are followed across the Commonwealth.
To help fulfill the goal of 100 percent computer-based testing by spring 2019, the spring 2017
grades 3–8 tests in English Language Arts and Mathematics will be administered for the
first time as computer-based tests, as well as paper-based editions. Schools doing computerbased testing should be aware that this manual is a companion to the MCAS Pre-Administration
Guide for the Spring 2017 MCAS Grades 3–8 Computer-Based Tests, which is posted on the
Department’s website at www.doe.mass.edu/mcas/testadmin/?section=g3-8. That manual
describes tasks that must be accomplished prior to the tasks that begin in this manual, including
establishing a test administration team that includes the new role in MCAS for an educational
technology coordinator.
If any information seems unclear, or if you have any special situations, specialists in the
Department’s Student Assessment Services Unit are available each day to answer questions.
You may also search for a keyword in the PDF version of this manual, which is posted at
www.doe.mass.edu/mcas/testadmin/manual/g3-8-PAM.pdf.
The Department counts on your leadership to maintain Massachusetts’s reputation for high
standards, high-quality assessments based on those standards, and educational excellence.
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The Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System:
Principal’s Administration Manual, Grades 3–8 Spring 2017
Important Contact Information and Resources
MCAS Test Administration Information and Online Services
MCAS Service Center
Hours:
7:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m., Monday–Friday
Telephone:
800-737-5103
Web:
mcas.pearsonsupport.com
Use this website to access training modules and other materials to
support test administration, including a link to the MCAS Service Center
website (mcasservicecenter.com) where schools will access the Principal’s
Certification of Proper Test Administration (PCPA) and order additional
materials, and PBT schools will also schedule UPS pickup.
Email:
[email protected]
Fax:
877-325-4421
MCAS Policy Information
Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education
Student Assessment Services Unit
Web:
www.doe.mass.edu/mcas/testadmin/?section=g3-8
Email:
[email protected]
Telephone:
781-338-3625
Fax:
781-338-3630
Questions regarding Student Information Management System
(SIMS) data should be directed to the district’s SIMS contact (go to
profiles.doe.mass.edu/search/search.aspx?leftNavID=11239,
select SIMS Contact from the Function menu, and click Get Results).
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The Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System:
Principal’s Administration Manual, Grades 3–8 Spring 2017
Important Information about Online Accounts and Passwords
Type of Account
How Login Information
Is Provided
Purpose
PearsonAccessnext (PAN, All schools will use PAN to do
mcas.pearsonaccessnext. the following:
com)
• Register students for tests,
including paper-based test
materials orders
• Upload selected accessibility
features and accommodations
for each student
CBT schools will also do the
following:
In late January, the Department
will create initial accounts for
superintendents, principals,
school and district test
coordinators, and technology
directors, based on information
in ESE School and District
Profiles. Additional accounts
should be managed at the
district or school level.
• Create and manage test
sessions
• Monitor online testing next
PearsonAccess
training site
(trng-mcas.
pearsonaccessnext.com)
CBT schools will use the training
site to run their Infrastructure
Trial and to give access to users
for practice prior to testing.
Users will receive passwords
for the training site around the
same time as logins for the live
site (see above).
If a user has an account in the
PAN live site as well as the PAN
training site, the password for
both sites will always match.
MCAS Service Center
All schools will use the MCAS
(mcasservicecenter.com) Service Center website to do the
following:
• Order additional materials
(manuals for CBT schools, and
test materials for PBT schools)
Use the secure password mailed
by the Service Center in early
January 2017 to access the PCPA.
Use the MP Ship Code printed
on the Materials Summary form
to order additional materials.
• Complete the Principal’s
Certification of Proper Test
Administration (PCPA) form
PBT schools will also do the
following:
• schedule UPS pickup
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The Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System:
Principal’s Administration Manual, Grades 3–8 Spring 2017
Spring 2017 MCAS Testing Schedule and Administration Deadlines
See Part III of this manual for requirements for scheduling test sessions.
Date/Time
Spring 2017 MCAS Tests for Elementary and Middle Schools
Grades 3–8 ELA and Mathematics computer-based tests (CBT) and paper-based tests (PBT)
Grades 5 and 8 STE tests
Complete the Student Registration/Personal
January 23–February 10
Needs Profile (SR/PNP) process
Before Testing for
CBT
Receive test administration manuals
March 20
Conduct Infrastructure Trials on the
PearsonAccessnext training site, including
downloading ProctorCaching software
(strongly recommended, particularly for
schools that did not do PARCC CBT in
spring 2016)
Available in mid-February
Schools should conduct the
infrastructure trial approximately
one month before testing.
Precache operational test content for spring
2017 testing
Operational test content will be
available for precaching on or
around March 20, but schools
should not precache until two
weeks prior to the start of their
testing window.
Complete PCPA (Before Testing section)
Order additional manuals, if necessary
Complete the Student Registration/Personal
Needs Profile (SR/PNP) process
Before Testing for
PBT
Test
Administration1
After Testing for
CBT
Receive test materials
Complete PCPA (Before Testing section)
Report packing discrepancies, if necessary
Order additional materials, if necessary
ELA test sessions
Mathematics test sessions
STE test sessions (grades 5 and 8)
Update students’ accommodations, if necessary
Complete PCPA
Mark students’ tests complete, if necessary
1
March 20–30, 12:00 p.m.
January 23–February 10
March 20
March 20–30, 12:00 p.m.
April 3–May 32
April 4–May 263
April 5–May 263
May 4, 3:00 p.m. for ELA
May 30, 3:00 p.m. for Math and STE
See pages 16–17 for the amount of time that each session is designed to be completed within, as well as other
information on testing time.
2
Make-up testing for students with extraordinary circumstances (i.e., students not able to participate in regularly
scheduled sessions or make-up sessions) may be completed May 4.
3
Make-up testing for students with extraordinary circumstances (i.e., students not able to participate in regularly
scheduled sessions or make-up sessions) may be completed May 30.
iv
The Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System:
Principal’s Administration Manual, Grades 3–8 Spring 2017
Spring 2017 MCAS Testing Schedule and Administration Deadlines
(continued)
Date/Time
Spring 2017 MCAS Tests for Elementary and Middle Schools Continued
Grades 3–8 ELA and Mathematics
Grades 5 and 8 STE tests
Update students’ accommodations, if necessary
After Testing for
PBT
Complete PCPA
Schedule UPS pickup
May 4, 3:00 p.m. for ELA
May 30, 3:00 p.m. for Math and STE
May 5 for ELA
(April 28: Early pickup for ELA)
Deadline for UPS pickup
May 31 for Math and STE
(May 24: Early pickup for Math and STE)
2017 MCAS Alternate Assessment (MCAS-Alt)
Receive MCAS-Alt materials
Before conducting
the MCAS-Alt
After conducting
the MCAS-Alt
February 27
Complete PCPA (Materials Received section)
Report packing discrepancies, if necessary
Order additional materials, if necessary
Complete PCPA
Schedule UPS pickup
Deadline for UPS pickup
February 27–March 23, 12:00 p.m.
March 30, 3:00 p.m.
March 31
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The Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System:
Principal’s Administration Manual, Grades 3–8 Spring 2017
Updates for the Spring 2017 MCAS Test Administration
Updates listed below are of particular importance, but note that this list is not exhaustive.
Reference
Page(s)
Topic
General Information
Organization of
This Manual
This manual includes information for both computerbased testing (CBT) and paper-based testing (PBT).
Instructions have been consolidated so that there
are similar protocols and processes for both testing
modes, which will be particularly important for schools
administering both CBT and PBT. Mode-specific
information is indicated by icons in the body of the
manual, and where there are separate sections, they
are identified in the Table of Contents. Instructions for
grades 5 and 8 Science and Technology/Engineering
testing are provided in the PBT sections; schools doing
CBT that have a student using a PBT accommodation
similarly should follow the PBT sections in this
manual. Experienced principals should note that the
previous March–April and May–June sections have
been consolidated to reflect the unified testing window
for the spring 2017 ELA, Mathematics, and STE
administrations, and streamline the document.
N/A
Testing Modes
Schools are expected to administer grades 4 and 8
computer-based MCAS ELA and Mathematics
tests (with exceptions for students who have been
determined to require a paper-and-pencil version of the
assessment). For grades 3, 5, 6, and 7, districts chose
to have their schools do either the computer-based or
the paper-based tests. The grades 5 and 8 Science and
Technology/Engineering tests remain paper-based only
for spring 2017.
N/A
Test
Administration
Manuals
Separate test administration manuals are provided in
spring 2017 for high schools and for grades 3–8. For the
grades 3-8 test administrations, there are separate CBT
and PBT TAMs, and STE instructions for grades 5 and 8
are contained solely in the PBT TAM.
N/A
Student
Questionnaire
Principals should be aware, for scheduling purposes,
that the student questionnaire will now be administered
after STE testing, and it should take approximately 15
minutes to complete.
20–21
Materials
Required during
Testing
Scratch paper is required to be provided to students
for English Language Arts and Mathematics testing for
grades 3–8 for both CBT and PBT. It is not permitted for
STE testing.
27
vi
The Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System:
Principal’s Administration Manual, Grades 3–8 Spring 2017
Updates for the Spring 2017 MCAS Test Administration
(continued)
Reference
Page(s)
N/A
Topic
General Information
Procedures for
Providing Student
Information
Section 1 of Appendix D (Providing Information
on the Answer Booklet) is available on the
Department’s website (www.doe.mass.edu/mcas/
testadmin/?section=g3-8) instead of this manual.
Updating Student
Information
Student information will need to be updated as
applicable in PearsonAccessnext after testing for students
who take computer-based and paper-based tests
as well as in the Department’s Student Information
Management System (SIMS). For paper-based testing,
less information is being collected on answer booklets
than in the past.
58–59,
68–69
Accessibility and
Accommodations
There are new accommodations and accommodation
numbers in 2017, as well as new accessibility features
available to all students.
22–23,
Appendix B
In addition, for Mathematics and STE testing, test
administrators may read a word aloud to a student at
the student’s request.
Accountability
Information has been removed from this manual on
accountability reporting. Visit
www.mass.gov/ese/accountability for information on
accountability.
N/A
vii
The Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System:
Principal’s Administration Manual, Grades 3–8 Spring 2017
Table of Contents
Purpose of This Manual . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . i
Important Contact Information and Resources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ii
Important Information about Online Accounts and Passwords. . . . . . . . . . . . . iii
Spring 2017 MCAS Testing Schedule and Administration Deadlines . . . . . . . . iv
Updates for the Spring 2017 MCAS Test Administration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . vi
Part I
MCAS Test Security Requirements. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
A. Responsibilities of the Principal and Designee. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
B. Shared Responsibilities of Principals, Test Administrators,
Technology Staff, and Other School Personnel Authorized to
Have Access to Secure Materials. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
C. Responsibilities of Test Administrators. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
D. Testing Irregularities. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Part II
Student Participation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
A. General Participation Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
B. Participation Requirements for ELL Students. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
C. Participation Requirements for Students with Significant Disabilities. . . . . . . 13
D. Participation Requirements for Students Educated in Alternate Settings . . . . 13
E. Participation Guidelines for Students Currently Participating in
Post-Concussion “Graduated Reentry Plans”. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Part III
Spring 2017 MCAS Test Administration Protocols . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
A. Coordinating Test Administration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
B. Scheduling Test Sessions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
C. Ordering Additional Materials . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
D. Universal and Designated Accessibility Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
E. Preparing the Test Administration Team. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
F. Ensuring Appropriate Testing Spaces . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
G. Testing Spaces for Computer-Based Testing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
H. Planning for Required and Prohibited Materials. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
I. Materials Required/Permitted during Testing for CBT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
J. Materials Required/Permitted during Testing for PBT. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
K. Materials Prohibited during Testing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
L. Distributing TAMs and Test Security Requirements. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
M. Training Test Administrators, Technology Staff, and Other
School Personnel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
N. Preparing Students for Testing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
O. Providing Accurate Student Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
P. Accounting for and Distributing Secure Materials . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
Part IV
Tasks to Complete for the Spring Test Administration. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
A. Prepare for Test Administration. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
B. Additional Steps before Computer-Based Testing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
C. Additional Steps before Paper-Based Testing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
D. Coordinate Test Administration. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
viii
The Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System:
Principal’s Administration Manual, Grades 3–8 Spring 2017
Table of Contents
Part V
Tasks to Complete After Testing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
A. Next Steps after Computer-Based Testing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
B. Next Steps after Paper-Based Testing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
Appendix A Procedures for Testing English Language Learner Students . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71
Appendix B Procedures for Testing Students with Disabilities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77
Appendix C Procedures for Submitting Typed Responses. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97
Appendix D Procedures for Providing Student Information. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101
Appendix E Sample Administration Forms and Test Materials . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105
CBT Student Roster. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106
CBT Student Testing Tickets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106
CBT Accommodations Report. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107
1. CBT Test Materials Internal Tracking Form
a. Sample Blank Form. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108
b. Sample Completed Form . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109
2. Principal’s Certification of Proper Test Administration (PCPA)
Statements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110
3. Sample Superintendent’s Assurance of Proper Test Administration . . . . . . . 112
4. PBT Test Materials Internal Tracking Form
a. Sample Blank Form. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113
b. Sample Completed Form . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114
5. MCAS Nondisclosure Agreement. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115
6. Request for Permission to Test a Student in an Alternate Setting . . . . . . . . . . 116
7. Sample Confirmation of Training Participation and Receipt of
Test Administrator’s Manuals (TAMs) and Test Security Requirements. . . . . . 117
8. Student Responsibilities during MCAS Testing (Grade 6–8)
a. Sample Form. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 118
b. Sample Letter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119
9. Answer Booklet Front Cover
a. When Student ID Label Is Used. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120
b. When Student ID Label Is NOT Used. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121
10. Materials Summary. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122
11. Sample UPS Return Service Label . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123
12. Answer Booklet Sample Inside Back Cover . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 124
13. Answer Booklet Sample Outside Back Cover. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125
14. MCAS-Alt Student Identification Booklet (SIB) Front Cover. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 126
15. Student Accommodation Refusal Form. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127
ix
The Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System:
Principal’s Administration Manual, Grades 3–8 Spring 2017
Part I
MCAS Test Security Requirements
PART I— MCAS Test Security Requirements
MCAS Test Security Requirements
The Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System (MCAS) tests are designed to elicit
students’ work in order to assess their comprehension of the subject being tested. The purpose
of the MCAS Test Security Requirements is to protect the validity of MCAS results.
Section A describes responsibilities of principals and designees (i.e., individuals authorized by
the principal to assist in coordinating test administration).
Section B describes shared responsibilities of all individuals who have access to secure test
materials.
Section C describes responsibilities of test administrators.
Section D provides instructions for reporting testing irregularities and describes the process the
Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (“the Department”) follows for investigation.
Principals and school personnel authorized to have access to secure materials and test
content must follow the requirements listed below and may not participate in, direct,
assist in, encourage, or fail to report any testing irregularity or act of misconduct.
Principals are responsible for ensuring that all test administrators and school personnel
authorized to have access to secure test materials comply with the requirements and
instructions contained in this part of the Principal’s Administration Manual (PAM) and in the
Test Administrator’s Manuals (TAMs).
Principals in schools that are conducting the MCAS Alternate Assessment (MCAS-Alt) are
also responsible for ensuring that educators submitting MCAS-Alt portfolios comply with the
requirements and instructions contained in the 2017 Educator’s Manual for MCAS-Alt and the
Principal’s Manual for MCAS-Alt. Principals must monitor the alternate assessment process to
ensure that students’ work is not duplicated, altered, or fabricated in any way that is false or
portrays the students’ performance inaccurately.
Please note the following definitions for the purposes of this section and this manual:
•
“Secure” materials and items include the following, except for certain materials listed
below after they are securely destroyed as directed in this manual:
oo
test questions not publicly released by the Department
oo
student responses to test questions
oo
test booklets for paper-based testing (PBT)
oo
answer booklets for PBT
oo
computer-based test content on-screen
oo
student testing tickets for computer-based testing (CBT)
oo
seal codes for CBT
oo
used scratch paper after English Language Arts and Mathematics testing
•
“Access” refers to handling test materials, but does not include reviewing tests or
individual questions, which is prohibited. Students may never transport secure test
materials.
•
“Locked storage area” refers to the central locked area that must be used to store
all MCAS test materials at all times when materials are not in use. Principals must
restrict access to the locked storage area to only those school personnel authorized by
2
The Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System:
Principal’s Administration Manual, Grades 3–8 Spring 2017
MCAS Test Security Requirements
PART I— MCAS Test Security Requirements
the principal to handle secure materials. For example, custodial or cleaning staff may
not enter the locked area where the principal stores secure materials.
Each principal must complete the Principal’s Certification of Proper Test Administration (PCPA)
to certify that the school has followed proper MCAS test security requirements and test
administration protocols. See Appendix E for the certification statements to which the principal
must attest.
A. Responsibilities of the Principal and Designee
1.
Before testing, review your plans for maintaining test security with your superintendent
so that he or she is comfortable with the procedures in the school building.
•
2.
Your superintendent may ask you to use the optional Superintendent’s Assurance of
Proper Test Administration form in Appendix E to document your preparations.
Authorize specific personnel to serve as test administrators, and train them to properly
administer MCAS tests. Designate other school personnel as necessary to maintain
a secure test administration (e.g., personnel permitted to access secure test materials,
personnel to serve as hallway or restroom monitors, technology coordinators) and train
them in MCAS security requirements.
•
Before the training session, distribute
oo
oo
3.
a copy of the appropriate TAM to every test administrator, and
a copy of the test security requirements to all school personnel who have access
to secure materials (available at
www.doe.mass.edu/mcas/testadmin/?section=g3-8).
•
Document that all test administrators have received TAMs and that school personnel
who have access to secure materials have received the test security requirements (see
sample form in Appendix E).
•
Train test administrators prior to test administration. The PAM and TAMs describe the
protocols necessary to conduct a proper MCAS test administration.
•
For test administrators who provide accommodations to students with disabilities,
or English Language Learner (ELL) students, provide training in the implementation
of accommodations in accordance with Appendices A and B and the Accessibility and
Accommodations Manual for the Spring 2017 MCAS Grades 3–8 Tests (available at
www.doe.mass.edu/mcas/accessibility).
Instruct students in MCAS test security requirements (see Part III, section N).
4. Develop local policies and procedures to ensure proper test security at all times.
•
Schedule tests to avoid conflicts with recess or lunch (see Part III, section B for more
information about scheduling test sessions).
•
Ensure that hallways are properly monitored during testing so that students are
supervised at all times when they leave testing rooms (e.g., to use the restroom or
transition to a test-completion room).
•
Ensure that tests are administered within the prescribed window and in the
prescribed order.
•
Ensure that test administrators administer tests according to section C on
pages 6–7.
The Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System:
Principal’s Administration Manual, Grades 3–8 Spring 2017
3
PART I— MCAS Test Security Requirements
MCAS Test Security Requirements
5.
6.
7.
8.
Keep MCAS test materials in locked central storage when MCAS tests are not being
administered.
•
Account for all secure test materials at the end of each test session and keep them in
the locked storage area when not in use.
•
Restrict access to the locked storage area to only those school personnel authorized to
have access to secure materials.
Monitor the receipt and return of all paper-based test materials.
•
Inventory paper-based materials immediately upon receipt and investigate any
discrepancies in counts of materials as described in this manual.
•
Return all paper-based materials to the testing contractor according to the prescribed
packing instructions and the deadlines in this manual.
Monitor printing, distribution, and collection of materials for computer-based testing.
•
Student testing tickets must be printed, distributed, and collected after testing.
•
Seal codes for CBT are also secure, and should be written on the board by test
administrators at the beginning of a session and erased at the end of a session.
Securely destroy the following materials after testing.
•
Student testing tickets, proctor testing tickets, and used scratch paper (i.e., written on
by students) during English Language Arts and Mathematics testing (CBT and PBT)
must be securely destroyed (e.g., shredded) following testing.
B. Shared Responsibilities of Principals, Test Administrators,
Technology Staff, and Other School Personnel Authorized to
Have Access to Secure Materials
1.
2.
Receive training in test security requirements and test administration protocols.
•
Principals are expected to participate in one of the Department’s training sessions on
MCAS test security and test administration protocols in February 2017.
•
Test administrators, test coordinators, and other school personnel authorized to have
access to secure test materials must attend the school training session. Appendix E
contains a sample form that principals may use to document participation.
Document the location of secure materials at all times.
•
3.
Track secure materials using the sample Test Materials Internal Tracking Form in
Appendix E or a similar document (principals keep these forms on file for three years).
See Part III, section P.5 for more information about requirements for internal tracking
forms.
Ensure the security of the testing location.
•
Do not allow unauthorized persons to enter the testing room. This includes parents,
researchers, reporters, students not scheduled to be testing at the time, and any school
personnel (including teachers) not assigned to the room as test administrators.
•
School administrators, district personnel, and Department observers may enter testing
rooms to monitor and observe testing procedures.
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The Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System:
Principal’s Administration Manual, Grades 3–8 Spring 2017
MCAS Test Security Requirements
4.
PART I— MCAS Test Security Requirements
•
Technology staff may enter testing rooms to troubleshoot problems with computerbased testing, but like other school personnel, are not permitted to photograph or
otherwise duplicate secure test content on-screen.
Ensure the security of test questions, test booklets, and other secure materials.
•
Do not leave secure MCAS materials unattended at any time unless they are locked in
the secure storage area.
•
For PBT, do not view the contents of test booklets or answer booklets before, during,
or after a test administration (see TAMs for exceptions).
•
For CBT, do not view computer-based test questions before, during, or after testing
(see TAM for exceptions).
•
Do not discuss or in any way reveal the contents of test booklets, answer booklets,
CBT test questions, or student responses to CBT questions before, during, or after test
administration (see TAMs for exceptions). Because MCAS test questions are secure
and confidential until the Department releases them publicly, school personnel should
not discuss or review test questions with students or adults even after testing has been
completed.
•
Do not duplicate any portion of test or answer booklets, or computer-based tests,
including but not limited to audiotaping, videotaping, photographing, photocopying,
typing, or copying by hand.4
•
Do not remove test materials from the school. For example, do not share test booklets
or answer booklets with another school or program housed in your building.5
•
For PBT, do not allow any portion of test booklets or answer booklets to be retained,
discarded, recycled, removed, or destroyed.6
•
Do not allow scratch paper to be retained, discarded, or otherwise removed by
students.
•
Be sure that testing tickets and used scratch paper have been destroyed after testing.
•
Ensure that seal codes are erased from the board after each test session.
•
Do not allow students access to secure test questions prior to testing.
•
Do not read or view any student responses.
•
Do not change any student responses.
4
The only exceptions are for test administrators who must transcribe student responses into answer booklets for
students with disabilities receiving certain accommodations or for students who did some or all of their work in
damaged, defective, or void booklets.
5
The only exception is for principals who receive prior written permission from the Department to test a student in
an alternate setting. Alternate setting requests must be resubmitted to the Department for approval for each test
administration, even if approved for a previous administration.
6
The only exception is for test materials that have become contaminated; see page 42 for procedures.
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The Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System:
Principal’s Administration Manual, Grades 3–8 Spring 2017
PART I— MCAS Test Security Requirements
MCAS Test Security Requirements
C. Responsibilities of Test Administrators
1.
2.
3.
Receive training from the principal/designee in administering test sessions properly and
securely.
•
Review the TAM and all relevant test security requirements before administering test
sessions.
•
Attend the training session led by the principal/designee before test administration.
Appendix E contains a sample form that principals may use to document participation
in training and receipt of TAMs.
•
Understand and follow the protocols related to administering tests to students with
disabilities and English Language Learners, and protocols related to administering
accessibility features.
Administer all tests according to appropriate protocols.
•
Administer tests during the prescribed testing window, and in the prescribed order.
•
Follow the directions and read the scripts in the TAM (and in any subsequent updates
provided to principals by the Department) verbatim to students.
•
Remove or cover any classroom displays that provide information related to the
content being assessed or to test-taking strategies (see page 26).
•
Provide students with all required test materials as listed in the TAM.
•
Prevent the use of prohibited materials (see pages 27–32 for lists of required/
permitted and prohibited materials). Note that results will be invalidated for students
who use cell phones or other prohibited electronic devices during a test session,
including after a student turns in his or her test materials, during a break, and during
the transition to a test completion area.
•
For CBT, write the seal code on the board at the beginning of each test session, and
then erase the seal code from the board at the end of each test session.
Focus full attention on the testing environment at all times.
•
Monitor the testing process by circulating around the room frequently. When not
circulating around the room, test administrators should maintain a clear view of the
students and keep their attention focused on them.
•
For paper-based testing, a test administrator may view students’ test booklets only
for the purposes of confirming that students are working in the correct session, or
in order to read aloud selected words during the Mathematics tests or Science and
Technology/Engineering tests as part of Universal Accessibility Feature 10 (UF10).
•
For computer-based testing, a test administrator may view students’ tests on-screen
only for the purpose of reading aloud selected words during the Mathematics tests
(UF10), or in order to assist a student who is having difficulty with the computer
interface. See Part III, section N.1 for more information about assisting students with
the computer interface.
•
Students must work only on the session being administered. For paper-based testing,
if a test administrator observes a student working in the incorrect session or section
of the answer booklet or reviewing the incorrect session of the answer booklet or
test booklet, this is a testing irregularity that must be reported immediately to the
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The Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System:
Principal’s Administration Manual, Grades 3–8 Spring 2017
MCAS Test Security Requirements
PART I— MCAS Test Security Requirements
principal. The principal must then report the irregularity to the Department. (For CBT,
a student cannot review a prior session or skip ahead to the next session without the
proper seal code.)
4.
Ensure that students provide answers that are strictly their own and do not participate in
any form of cheating.
•
5.
Ensure that students do not consult notes, textbooks, or other teaching materials;
do not access the Internet (with the exception of computer-based testing); do not
share test questions with other students; and do not consult other students, school
personnel, or anyone else during testing.
Do not give students any assistance or make suggestions for responding to any test
question.
•
•
Test administrators must not coach a student during testing or alter or interfere with a
student’s response in any way. Examples of coaching include, but are not limited to,
oo
providing answers to a student
oo
indicating that a student has answered a question incorrectly or left a question blank
oo
defining words or providing synonyms
oo
spelling words
oo
influencing a student’s responses by offering hints, clues, cues, facial expressions,
nods, or changes in voice inflection
oo
altering, explaining, simplifying, or paraphrasing any test question, reading
passage, writing prompt, or multiple-choice answer option
oo
providing any manner of assistance that could impact a student’s answers
oo
suggesting that a student write more on a question, check his or her work, or
review or reconsider a question
At any time during a test session, a test administrator may repeat a portion of the
TAM script if necessary for clarification.
6.
Do not read, view, or change student responses.
7.
Follow proper procedures for administering accommodations to students with
disabilities and English Language Learners.
•
Ensure that students are only provided accommodations that are listed specifically for
use during MCAS testing in an approved IEP or a 504 plan, or that were specifically
chosen as accommodations for English language learner (ELL) students.
•
Follow guidelines on proper provision of MCAS accommodations as prescribed in
Appendices A and B and in the Accessibility and Accommodations Manual for the Spring
2017 MCAS Grades 3–8 Tests.
•
Test administrators for students who will be provided certain accommodations must
sign an MCAS Nondisclosure Agreement prior to their receipt of secure test materials.
Principals must keep signed Nondisclosure Agreements in the school files for three
years. See Appendix B for more information about which test administrators this
requirement applies to, and see Appendix E for the MCAS Nondisclosure Agreement.
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The Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System:
Principal’s Administration Manual, Grades 3–8 Spring 2017
PART I— MCAS Test Security Requirements
MCAS Test Security Requirements
D. Testing Irregularities
Testing irregularities are incidents that represent a deviation from prescribed testing procedures.
Testing irregularities may include student impropriety, test violations, educator misconduct, or
the mishandling of secure test materials. Large technology failures as described below are also
considered testing irregularities.
1.
School Observations
In order to ensure the security and proper administration of the MCAS program, the Department
may conduct announced and unannounced monitoring visits to schools to observe the procedures
followed during test administration. This may include entering testing rooms to observe students
and test administrators directly. The principal or designee should prepare to meet the observers
upon their arrival and also be available during the observation to answer any questions. School
staff may contact the Department’s Student Assessment Services Unit at 781-338-3625 to verify the
identity of Department observers.
Department observers will confirm that all test security requirements in Part I of the PAM are
being met, including the following:
2.
•
Materials are stored properly.
•
Staff have been trained.
•
Test administrators are administering tests appropriately.
•
The testing environment is secure.
Mandatory Reporting of Irregularities by All Personnel
Principals must contact their superintendent and the Department at 781-338-3625 immediately
after an irregularity occurs. Test administrators and other school personnel must contact
their principal or superintendent and the Department. If any school or district employee
with knowledge of a test irregularity has questions about his or her reporting obligations, the
Department can be consulted at 781-338-3625. Failure to report irregularities may result in
sanctions.
Technology issues during testing that cannot be resolved quickly by troubleshooting (see
Part IV, section D.1) should be immediately reported to the MCAS Service Center at 800-7375103. These issues, as well as any large-scale technology failures (i.e., ones that affect one
or more classrooms or in which the testing schedule is interrupted) should also be reported
to the Department at 781-338-3625. It is not necessary to report to the Department a loss in
connectivity that can be quickly restored with minimal interruption to student testing.
It is recommended that parents/guardians be informed when a student-specific irregularity is
reported to the Department.
When reporting an irregularity to the Department, the following information should be
provided:
•
a description of the alleged incident and the date it occurred
•
the name of the school involved, along with the district and school code
•
the name(s) of the individual(s) engaged in the inappropriate practices
•
the specific test(s) and specific session(s) affected
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The Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System:
Principal’s Administration Manual, Grades 3–8 Spring 2017
MCAS Test Security Requirements
PART I— MCAS Test Security Requirements
•
in student-specific reports: the student’s name, date of birth, grade, and
State-Assigned Student Identifier (SASID)
On occasion, individuals contact the Department anonymously to allege that testing irregularities
have taken place. These allegations are investigated if sufficient information is provided.
3.
Investigations into Irregularities
In response to a report of a serious irregularity, the Department may contact the school principal
or district superintendent, ask that he or she conduct a local fact-finding investigation into the
alleged irregularity, and require that he or she report back to the Department in writing, within
an established time frame, regarding the results of the investigation. Prior to making a final
determination, the Department will review the report and will request, if necessary, additional
information or documentation. The Department may also perform its own independent
investigation. Once the Department has determined whether an irregularity took place, the
Department will notify the school and district about any potential consequences, such as the
invalidation of results, which may follow from this determination.
4.
Investigations Based on Statewide Data Analysis
As part of its duty to ensure the validity of MCAS data and the integrity of the assessment
system, the Department performs statewide data analysis on all schools’ and districts’ MCAS
test results. Anomalous results are examined more closely and may be investigated. A school’s
MCAS test results may be placed temporarily under review until the investigation is concluded.
5.Consequences
Testing irregularities or misconduct may result in any or all of the following:
•
delay in reporting of district, school, or student results
•
invalidation of district, school, or student results
•
prohibition of school personnel from participating in a future MCAS test
administration
•
licensure sanctions for licensed educators
•
criminal sanctions
Consequences imposed by the Department or law enforcement do not limit a local district’s
authority to impose its own sanctions up to and including termination.
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The Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System:
Principal’s Administration Manual, Grades 3–8 Spring 2017
Part II
Student Participation
Student Participation
A. General Participation Requirements
Students educated with Massachusetts public funds are required by federal laws and the 1993
Massachusetts Education Reform Law, state law M. G. L. Chapter 69, section 1I, to participate in
statewide testing.
PART II— Student Participation
The statewide testing requirement includes the following groups of students:
•
students enrolled in public schools
•
students enrolled in charter schools
•
students enrolled in innovation schools
•
students enrolled in a Commonwealth of Massachusetts Virtual School (CMVS)
•
students enrolled in educational collaboratives
•
students enrolled in private schools who receive special education that is publicly
funded by the Commonwealth, including approved and unapproved private special
education schools within and outside Massachusetts
•
students enrolled in institutional settings who receive educational services from the
district
•
students in military families
•
students in the custody of either the Department of Children and Families (DCF) or
the Department of Youth Services (DYS) (See page 14.)
•
students who are English language learners (ELLs) (See the exception in section B that
follows.)
•
students with disabilities, including students with temporary disabilities such as broken
arms (See the exception for students with significant disabilities in section C that follows.)
•
students who have been expelled but receive educational services from the district
•
foreign exchange students who are coded as #11 under “Reason for Enrollment” in the
Student Information Management System (SIMS) in grades 3–8
Students in grades 3–8 must participate in MCAS tests only for the grade in which they are
enrolled and reported in SIMS.7
Participation requirements and guidelines for ELL students, students with significant
disabilities, and students educated in alternate settings are provided in the sections that follow.
See Part III for information about scheduling test administration, including scheduling make-up
sessions for students who are absent on the day of testing. All students who are present in school
must participate in testing, with the exception of students who have been diagnosed with a
concussion (see detailed participation requirements for students participating in post-concussion
“graduated reentry plans” on page 14).
7
Students must participate in the same grade’s tests in all subject area tests. Otherwise, results will be invalidated.
Also note that students must respond to at least one question in each test session to be counted as a participant for
accountability purposes.
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The Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System:
Principal’s Administration Manual, Grades 3–8 Spring 2017
Student Participation
B. Participation Requirements for ELL Students
ELL students must participate in all MCAS testing scheduled for their grades regardless of the
program and services they are receiving, with the exception of ELL students who are in their
first year of enrollment in U.S. schools (i.e., students first enrolled after the March 2016 SIMS
submission), for whom ELA testing is optional.
If a first-year ELL student participates in ELA testing, results are reported for diagnostic
purposes only. If a first-year ELL student does not participate in ELA testing, there is no need to
assign an answer booklet to the student (for PBT). For CBT, remove the student from the list of
students, if applicable, in PearsonAccessnext for ELA.
In addition, all ELL students are required to participate in the ACCESS for ELLs tests to comply
with federal and state laws.
See Appendix A for details on how ELL students participate in spring 2017 MCAS and ACCESS
for ELLs testing.
The MCAS-Alt is available for students with significant disabilities who, due to the nature and
severity of their disabilities, are unable to participate in the standard MCAS tests, even with
accommodations. The IEP or Section 504 plan must indicate whether a student requires an
alternate assessment.
A student may take the standard test in one subject and the alternate assessment in another. The
student’s IEP or 504 plan must include a separate decision for each subject scheduled for testing.
These decisions may be revised each time the team convenes.
The deadline for submission of MCAS-Alt portfolios is March 31, 2017 (see other MCAS-Alt
deadlines on page v). Appendix D includes information about the MCAS-Alt Student
Identification Booklet (SIB).
For more information, refer to the Department’s website at www.doe.mass.edu/mcas/alt.
PART II— Student Participation
C. Participation Requirements for Students with Significant Disabilities
D. Participation Requirements for Students Educated in Alternate Settings
1.
Home/Hospital Instruction and Other Settings
For the small number of students who are enrolled in a school but are unable to physically
attend school, and therefore receive tutoring services from their district, or have been expelled
but receive educational services from the district, every effort must be made to administer the
MCAS tests to these students in school. If this is not possible, school principals may submit
a request to test the student in an alternate setting off-site by using the form in Appendix E
(Request for Permission to Test a Student in an Alternate Setting). The form is also available
online at www.doe.mass.edu/mcas/testadmin/?section=g3-8. If the student is not able to be
tested at the school or in an alternate setting, the principal must contact the Department to
determine other options for the student’s participation in MCAS testing (options may include
the use of test accommodations or having the student participate in the MCAS-Alt).
Principals are encouraged to submit requests at least two weeks prior to testing. Requests must
be submitted for approval for each test administration, even if approved for a previous test
administration.
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The Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System:
Principal’s Administration Manual, Grades 3–8 Spring 2017
Student Participation
2. DYS and 45-Day Placements
For the small number of students who are enrolled in a school and are in the temporary custody
of the Department of Youth Services (DYS) or are attending a temporary 45-day placement,
every effort must be made to administer the MCAS tests at the student’s placement.
PART II— Student Participation
The principal of the sending school is responsible for the following:
•
contacting the placement to notify the director of MCAS participation requirements
•
confirming that the placement has been established as a site for testing and has a
Department district and school code for MCAS testing purposes (If not, refer the
facility’s director to the Student Assessment Services Unit at 781-338-3625.)
•
informing the placement of which test sessions, if any, the student completed at school
(Note: If a student participates in a session twice, the results may be invalidated.)
If it is determined that the student is not well enough to participate in one or more test sessions,
the student should be considered as having a medically documented absence (see instructions
later in this manual for marking students in PearsonAccessnext for CBT and for marking
students’ answer booklets for PBT).
If a student is removed from school during test administration after he or she participated in
a test session, and if the student took a paper-based test, complete the Change of Enrollment
Status section on the back cover of the answer booklet. This will help the Department merge
the student’s results from the sending school with results from the placement. For CBT, keep
records of the student’s transfer as part of your school files.
E. Participation Guidelines for Students Currently Participating in
Post-Concussion “Graduated Reentry Plans”
Massachusetts Department of Public Health regulation 105 CMR 201.010 requires that schools
place a student diagnosed with a concussion on a post-concussion graduated reentry plan for
academic and extracurricular activities. The graduated reentry plan must also document how
the student will participate in MCAS testing.
If it is determined that a student is well enough, he or she may participate in the standard MCAS
test using test accommodations or he or she may participate in the MCAS-Alt.
A student may be excused from testing only if it is determined that participation would impede
the student’s recovery or endanger the student’s health. If it is determined that the student is
not well enough to participate in one or more test sessions, the student should be considered
as having a medically documented absence (see instructions later in this manual for marking
students in PearsonAccessnext for CBT and for marking students’ answer booklets for PBT).
For more information about the participation of students diagnosed with concussions, refer to
the Guidelines for Participation in MCAS of Students Diagnosed with Concussions at
http://www.doe.mass.edu/mcas/accessibility/concussions.html.
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The Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System:
Principal’s Administration Manual, Grades 3–8 Spring 2017
Part III
Spring 2017 MCAS Test Administration
Protocols
Spring 2017 MCAS Test Administration Protocols
A. Coordinating Test Administration
PART III— Spring 2017 MCAS Test Administration Protocols
It is the principal’s responsibility to coordinate the school’s MCAS test administration. This
coordination responsibility includes the following:
•
understanding and enforcing the test security requirements and test administration
protocols
•
reviewing your plans for maintaining test security with your superintendent; he or she
may ask you to document your preparations using the sample form in Appendix E
•
ensuring that students participate in testing according to the requirements in Part II of
this manual
•
coordinating the school’s test administration schedule and ensuring that tests are
scheduled during the prescribed testing window, and in the prescribed order
•
ensuring that accommodations are properly administered and that transcriptions, if
required for any accommodation, are done appropriately (See Appendix B.)
•
completing the PCPA and ensuring the accuracy of information provided on the form
•
reading the Student Assessment Update emails throughout the year for important
information
•
providing the Department with the school’s correct contact information to receive
important notices via fax and email during test administration
B. Scheduling Test Sessions
1.
Requirements for Testing Time
Session Length
Test sessions for grades 3–8 remain untimed in 2017, but note that the recommended testing
times for English Language Arts and Mathematics are different from the 2016 MCAS testing
times. See the recommended testing times for the spring 2017 grades 3–8 tests in the tables
below. Note that test administrators may schedule one short break per session for English
Language Arts and Mathematics testing (see more information on page 18).
Spring 2017 Grades 3–8 MCAS ELA Recommended Testing Time
Grade
Session 1
Session 2
Session 3
Total
3
60
60
45
165
4
60
60
45
165
5
60
75
45
180
6
110
100
NA
210
7
110
100
NA
210
8
110
100
NA
210
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The Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System:
Principal’s Administration Manual, Grades 3–8 Spring 2017
Spring 2017 MCAS Test Administration Protocols
Spring 2017 Grades 3–8 MCAS Mathematics Recommended Testing Time
Grade
Session 1
Session 2
Total
3
65
65
130
4
70
70
140
5
70
70
140
6
70
70
140
7
70
70
140
8
70
70
140
Spring 2017 Grades 5 and 8 MCAS STE Recommended Testing Time
Grade
Session 1
Session 2
5
45
45
8
45
45
Total
90
90
Requirements and Recommendations for Scheduling Testing
The Department recommends that principals schedule tests in the early part of the testing
window to allow ample time for regular test sessions and make-up sessions, and to take
advantage of early return shipment options for paper-based testing.
Test Sessions
It is important for all testing to occur during regular school days and to begin at the start of the
regular school day, to ensure equivalent testing conditions in schools across the state and to
ensure that all students, including students with disabilities and ELL students, are afforded an
equal opportunity to benefit from untimed tests. The Department suggests that schools schedule
two to three hours for each test session depending on the recommended testing time.
Test Completion
Students who require time beyond the regularly scheduled session may take it, as long as they
are working productively. To that end, test administrators read scripts in the TAMs to guide
students through the session and inform them of the time available. Students may be moved to
another location to finish testing but must be supervised at all times during the transition.
For computer-based testing, students must complete each session on the same device. A student
may only be moved to a test completion location if it is possible to move the testing device;
the student will sign out of TestNav before moving the testing device; the device must be
transported by an adult; then, the test administrator will need to resume the student’s test in
PearsonAccessnext in the test completion location, and the student will need his or her testing
ticket to log back in.
For schools that choose to administer more than one session on the same day, if a student has
not completed the first session by the time that his or her class begins the next session, he or she
must be given the opportunity to finish working in the first session before beginning the next
PART III— Spring 2017 MCAS Test Administration Protocols
Test Dates
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The Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System:
Principal’s Administration Manual, Grades 3–8 Spring 2017
Spring 2017 MCAS Test Administration Protocols
one. The next session can be administered to the student in a separate setting from the regularly
administered session (as always, the test administrator must follow all protocols in the TAM).
Same-Day Requirement
No test session may extend beyond the end of the regular school day, and any individual test
session must be completed on the same day on which it begins. (If a student becomes ill during
a session and cannot continue testing, contact the Department for instructions on how the
student may complete the test.)
PART III— Spring 2017 MCAS Test Administration Protocols
The scripts in the TAMs that are read aloud throughout the session will help remind students how
much time they have, so extra time should not generally be needed beyond the end of a regular
school day. However, a principal may provide a student with a maximum of 15 additional
minutes to review and complete his or her work, provided that
•
the student requests the additional time him- or herself;
•
transportation is arranged if necessary (e.g., the school bus is held for the student, the
student’s parent/guardian is contacted); and
•
a test administrator stays with the student until the end of the allotted time.
Alternatively, if testing must occur on an “early release” day, arrangements must be made for test
administrators to stay with students who have not finished their work until the time at which
school would end on a regular school day.
Breaks and Lunch
Extended breaks, including recess, may not be scheduled in the middle of a session. The
Department recommends that students be provided snacks, drinks, and the opportunity to use
the restroom before the beginning of the test session. However, students are permitted to use
the restroom one student at a time during the session. Students must be supervised at all times
between the testing room and the restroom.
Principals are responsible for ensuring that tests are scheduled to avoid conflicts with lunch;
however, if a lunch break is required during testing, lunch shall be brought to the students
in the testing area. If this is not feasible, test materials must be secured, and students must
be escorted to the lunchroom, instructed that they may not discuss the test and that they still
may not access any prohibited materials, sufficiently monitored to prevent discussion of test
questions during the entire lunch period, and escorted back to the testing environment.
Since ELA and Mathematics test sessions will be longer than prior years’, schools may plan for
one short, supervised break per session (3–5 minutes) to be given at each test administrator’s
discretion. Test administrators must maintain security during the break (e.g., students may not
be permitted to discuss the test).
Test administrators should instruct students approximately midway through a session that they
may have a short break or they may continue working. To maintain the security of the test, test
administrators should follow the instructions in the Test Administrator’s Manual.
2.
Concurrent Administration Requirement
Requirements for Computer-Based Testing
For CBT, test sessions must be scheduled in such a way that all students taking that test
in the same school are tested as close together as possible (with the exception of make-up
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The Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System:
Principal’s Administration Manual, Grades 3–8 Spring 2017
Spring 2017 MCAS Test Administration Protocols
sessions). Schools are expected to schedule most students for the first administration of a
session; if space or device constraints require additional sessions, they should be scheduled
as close together as possible in order to maintain the security of the tests.
Requirements for Paper-Based Testing
Each test session must be administered simultaneously to all students taking that test
in your school. This requirement includes students in another school or program housed
in your building. The only exceptions to this concurrent testing requirement are the
administration of make-up sessions and the administration of tests to students receiving
designated accessibility feature DF3 (frequent brief supervised breaks) or DF10 (specific
time of day).
3.
Test Session Limitations
It is recommended that students take no more than two sessions on a single day, including
those administered as make-up sessions.
4.
Administration Sequence
The sequence for administering the spring 2017 MCAS tests must be as follows:
In addition, test sessions must be sequential: e.g., Session 1 must be administered before
Session 2 (see the exception below for students participating in make-up testing).
5.
Make-Up Testing
Students who are absent on the scheduled testing date for their grade for any reason (including
illness or other medical condition) must be scheduled for make-up testing as soon as they return
to school. Make-up tests may be administered at any time after the scheduled testing date and
before the end of the test administration window (see pages iv–v for dates). Please call the
Department at 781-338-3625 regarding exceptional circumstances related to make-up testing.
If a student is absent for a session of a test, he or she should take the remaining session(s) of the
test according to the school’s administration schedule and take the missed session during the
make-up period.
For CBT, if a student is absent for Session 1 (or Session 2, for grades 3–5 English Language Arts
testing), he or she may participate in the next session with other students testing that day and
then make up the missed sessions later on, but this does require some steps in PearsonAccessnext
to make sure that TestNav does not start the student in Session 1. See the Test Administrator’s
Manual for Computer-Based Testing: Grades 3–8, Spring 2017 for instructions on how to start a
student in a later session.
6.
Test Administration Interruptions
Circumstances over which you have no control (e.g., power failures) may interrupt testing.
The TAMs include specific instructions for test administrators to follow if an interruption
occurs. When normal conditions are restored, test administrators should resume testing. No
PART III— Spring 2017 MCAS Test Administration Protocols
ELA
followed by
Mathematics
followed by
STE (for grades 5 and 8)
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The Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System:
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Spring 2017 MCAS Test Administration Protocols
interruption should reduce the total amount of time that students are given to complete the
interrupted test session. Principals must report any major disruptions to the Department by
calling 781-338-3625.
For CBT, technology issues during testing that cannot be resolved quickly by troubleshooting
(see Part IV, section D.1), including any large technology failure that affects a classroom or more,
should be immediately reported to the MCAS Service Center.
Principals must also provide guidance to test administrators on handling regular interruptions,
such as students requesting to use the restroom or to go to the nurse’s office. Students may
not remove secure materials from the room. Test administrators must maintain test security
according to the requirements in Part I of this manual while any student is out of the room.
If possible during an interruption from computer-based testing, the test administrator should
instruct the students to exit the test by signing out of the student testing platform. When normal
conditions are restored, the test administrator will need to resume the students’ tests from
PearsonAccessnext by following the steps in the Test Administrator’s Manual for Computer-Based
Testing: Grades 3–8, Spring 2017.
PART III— Spring 2017 MCAS Test Administration Protocols
7.
Severe Weather
If severe weather forces the closure of a school for one day during the test administration
window, on the day it reopens the school should administer the session scheduled for that day
and make up the missed session(s) later. In this case, the principal must obtain prior written
approval from the Department if he or she would like to delay the return of materials (for paperbased testing) by one day to make up for the missed day of testing.
When severe weather forces a delayed opening in a school on a scheduled test administration
date, the principal should proceed with the test administration after students arrive, if this is
possible.
If a school is affected by severe weather for multiple days during test administration, principals
should call the Department for instructions.
8.
Scheduling the Student Tutorial (CBT) and Practice Tests (CBT and PBT)
In order to prepare students and educators for new question types as well as to gain experience
with the student testing platform, schools should schedule ample time for the student tutorial
and practice test.
Schools should view the available resources in order to determine the plan for conducting
practice test sessions and a session to view the tutorial. To estimate the time needed for the
practice tests, schools should be aware of the following:
•
English Language Arts practice tests have one session. There are 11 questions for
grades 3 and 4, and eight questions for grades 5–8.
•
Mathematics practice tests have two sessions. Each session contains six questions.
•
STE practice tests have one session and three questions each.
The tutorial should take approximately 20–30 minutes to complete.
9.
Student Questionnaires (Grades 5 and 8)
The student questionnaire is administered to students in grades 5 and 8. The questionnaire
should be administered at a convenient time after Science and Technology/Engineering (STE)
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The Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System:
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Spring 2017 MCAS Test Administration Protocols
testing is complete (students mark their responses to the student questionnaire at the top of the
inside back cover of their STE answer booklets).
It will take approximately 15 minutes to administer the student questionnaire.
A student may ask his or her test administrator for clarification about a particular question on
the student questionnaire if needed.
C. Ordering Additional Materials
After the student registration period during which the test forms and manuals for CBT and the
initial shipment of PBT materials are ordered (i.e., the Student Registration/Personal Needs
Profile process), additional materials should be ordered, if necessary, only after a complete
inventory, because extra standard test materials are included in the shipment. In order to
maintain a standard test administration schedule across all schools, additional materials must
be ordered according to the deadlines on pages iv–v. Additional materials are ordered
online at www.mcasservicecenter.com.
Upon receipt of materials, principals should inventory the number of TAMs received and order
additional TAMs (e.g., for administering tests to students in small groups). Instructions on
ordering additional TAMs as well as PBT test materials are included in Part IV, section B.4.
PART III— Spring 2017 MCAS Test Administration Protocols
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D. Universal and Designated Accessibility Features
1.
Universal Accessibility Features (UFs)
Universal accessibility features are tools and supports that are available to all students on the
grades 3−8 MCAS tests that are either built into the MCAS computer-based test platform or
provided by a test administrator on either the computer- or paper-based tests. Although the
majority of universal accessibility features will be available on the day of the test to any student
who wishes to use them, a small number must be requested prior to testing during the student
registration process, as shown in the table below.
“PNP” appears next to each feature below that must be documented or requested in the PNP
prior to the start of testing.
Universal Accessibility Features Available to All Students
#
Computer-Based Testing
Highlight tool
Highlighter
(Used in test booklets, not answer
booklets, by students in grades 4−8;
colored pencils may be used by students
in grade 3 for marking or underlining
passages. See page 30 for details.)
Alternative background and font color;
adjust contrast; use tinted lens(es)
Use colored overlays or tinted lens(es)
UF1
PART III— Spring 2017 MCAS Test Administration Protocols
Paper-Based Testing
UF2 The student can select a predefined color
(PNP) combination for text and background
(i.e., black on cream, black on light blue,
black on light magenta, white on black,
light blue on dark blue).
UF3
Screen magnification/zoom tool; or
large-format monitor or screen (provided
by school)
Magnification tool or device/low-vision
aid
UF4
Line reader tool
(Masks text so only one line can be
viewed at a time)
Tracking device, such as a straight edge
or similar tool
Answer masking
UF5
(All answer options are masked; student
(PNP)
clicks to reveal each answer option).
Eliminate answer choices
UF6
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Principal’s Administration Manual, Grades 3–8 Spring 2017
Mask text or answer(s) using a blank card
or cutout.
Use a pencil to eliminate answer choices.
(e.g., crossing out incorrect answer
choices). Students should do this in
their test booklets only, not their answer
booklets, since any stray marks in answer
booklets could cause problems with
scoring responses accurately.
Spring 2017 MCAS Test Administration Protocols
Universal Accessibility Features Available to All Students continued
Computer-Based Testing
#
Paper-Based Testing
Question flag/bookmark
Use a blank place marker to mark a
question for later review.
UF8
Audio aids
(e.g., volume control, amplification device,
or white noise machine, provided a
smartphone is not used for this)
Audio aids
(e.g., amplification device or white noise
machine, provided a smart phone is not
used for this)
UF9
Computer-based notepad for notes
during English Language Arts testing
N/A
UF7
UF10
Test administrator reads aloud (or signs, in the case of a student who is Deaf or Hardof-Hearing) selected words by test administrator on the Mathematics and/or STE
tests, as requested by the student.
The student will point to the word or phrase that he or she needs read aloud or
signed. Test administrator quietly reads aloud or signs selected word or phrase to
student. Students provided with this feature may be tested in groups of any size.
UF12
Read aloud, repeat, or clarify general test administration directions to student, as
needed.
UF13
Writing tools, including copy/cut/paste,
bold, underline, insert numbers/bullets,
undo
2.
N/A
Designated Accessibility Features (DFs)
Although most students will be tested in their regular classrooms according to the guidelines
and schedule intended for all students, principals have the flexibility to test any student,
including non-disabled and non-ELL students, using the designated accessibility features
described in the table on the following page, as long as all requirements for testing conditions
and staffing are met. Designated accessibility features may be provided regardless of whether
the student is taking a computer- or paper-based test.
It is advisable, although not required, to include designated accessibility features in the IEP or
504 plan of a student with a disability who requires them.
PART III— Spring 2017 MCAS Test Administration Protocols
UF11
Test administrator redirects a student’s attention to the test without coaching or
assisting the student to answer any questions (e.g., test administrator reminds student
to remain focused; it is not permissible to say, “Add more to your response” or “Make
sure to answer all questions”).
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Designated Accessibility Features Available to Any Student, at the Principal’s Discretion
#
Designated Accessibility Feature
DF1
Small group test administration (A small group may include up to 10 students.)
DF2
Individual (one-to-one) test administration (The student must be tested in a separate
setting.)
DF3
Frequent brief supervised breaks
DF4
Separate or alternate test location
DF5
Seating in a specific area of the testing room, including the use of a study carrel
DF6
Adaptive or specialized furniture (seating, desk) or lighting
DF7
Noise buffer or noise-cancelling earmuffs/headphones
(May be used only after the test administration instructions have been read to student.
Music or other recordings may not be played on headphones worn during testing.)
DF8
Familiar test administrator
DF9
Student reads test aloud to self (The student must be tested in a separate setting.)
PART III— Spring 2017 MCAS Test Administration Protocols
DF10 Specific time of day
“Stop Testing” policy (If student does not appear to be responding to test questions
after a period of 15−20 minutes, the test administrator may ask if the student is
DF11
finished. If so, the test administrator may collect the student’s test materials and the
student can either sit quietly or be excused from the test setting.)
E. Preparing the Test Administration Team
1.
Qualified Test Administrators
It is the responsibility of the principal to authorize individuals to serve as test administrators.
Test administrators’ responsibilities are described in the TAMs.
To the extent possible, test administrators should be licensed classroom teachers working in the
school. When necessary, other education professionals, such as administrators employed by the
school or district, may be authorized to serve as test administrators.
Individuals prohibited from being test administrators include anyone not employed by the
district and anyone who is not an education professional.
To assist in maintaining security, the Department recommends that whenever possible,
principals assign two test administrators per testing space and/or assign test administrators to
students other than their own.
2.
Technology Staff
The principal should authorize technology staff to assist with CBT set-up and trouble-shooting.
Technology staff should complete the following tasks:
•
Conduct an infrastructure trial. See the Guide to Conducting an Infrastructure Trial at
mcas.pearsonsupport.com/technology-setup (click on the “User Guides” dropdown
menu), and the MCAS Pre-Administration Manual for details.
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3.
•
Review lessons learned from the infrastructure trial with the test administration
team (e.g., error codes, connectivity issues, issues with logging into TestNav). After
resolving issues discussed with the team, the technology set-up should not be
changed prior to testing.
•
Prepare student testing devices as well as computers for test administrators.
•
Precache the operational tests by following the steps outlined in the PearsonAccessnext
User Guide (https://support.assessment.pearson.com/display/PAsup/
Understand+Proctor+Caching). Schools should not precache secure operational test
content until two weeks prior to the start of their testing window.
•
Confirm that the tests are precached by entering the following URL into a browser:
http://[Caching Computer’s IP Address]:4480.
Other School Personnel
The principal may want to authorize other school personnel, such as a test coordinator, to
assist him or her with the distribution and return of secure test materials. Also, the Department
suggests that principals assign monitors for hallways, restrooms, and other areas to ensure a
secure testing environment. Anyone authorized to have access to secure test materials must be
employed by the school or district and fulfill the requirements in Part I of this manual.
It is the responsibility of the principal to ensure that testing spaces are free from noise and
distractions and are adequately lit, ventilated, and furnished so that students can work
comfortably and without disruption. Principals must ensure that each student assigned to the
testing space will have adequate work space and be sufficiently separated from other students
to support a secure testing environment. Further, the Department recommends the following:
•
Schools should avoid the use of large, open areas (e.g., cafeterias).
•
If students are seated next to each other at a long table, partitions should be placed
between them. Alternatively, students can be seated at the ends of the table or
diagonally on opposite sides of the table.
Principals must identify appropriate testing spaces for students who will be testing with
Designated Accessibility Features (DFs) that require changes in the test setting, presentation, or
mode of response.
Because test administrators are required to read grade- and subject-specific scripts verbatim
to students, the Department strongly recommends that schools do not administer tests for
different grades in the same testing space. The Department also recommends that schools do
not administer computer-based and paper-based tests in the same location.
As long as all requirements for testing conditions and staffing are met, principals have the
flexibility to test students in appropriate groups and testing spaces other than regular classrooms.
See Part III section D of this manual for details on the Universal Accessibility Features (UFs) and
Designated Accessibility Features (DFs) available to all students.
PART III— Spring 2017 MCAS Test Administration Protocols
F. Ensuring Appropriate Testing Spaces
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Materials That Must Be Covered/Removed
Prior to testing, principals must verify that test administrators have covered or removed from
the testing spaces all materials containing content in the subject areas being tested, including
any materials that might help students answer test questions. Examples of materials that must
be covered or removed include, but are not limited to, posters, maps, charts, graphic organizers,
word lists, number lines, multiplication tables, definitions, writing formulas, and mathematical
formulas/theorems. It is not necessary to cover or remove calendars, posters displaying the
alphabet or consonant blends, or posters displaying the Pledge of Allegiance.
G. Testing Spaces for Computer-Based Testing
PART III— Spring 2017 MCAS Test Administration Protocols
Computer-based testing brings additional considerations for creating a secure testing
environment. Because the screens on most testing devices are vertical, it is much easier for
students to see each other’s tests than in a paper-based testing environment where testing
materials are generally kept flat on desks. Thus, a separation between desks that is appropriate
for PBT may not be adequate for CBT. The following are strategies to create a secure
environment in CBT testing rooms. However the room is arranged, students must not have a
view of any screen but their own.
•
Seat students at least two seats away from each other.
•
Arrange monitors back-to-back.
•
Seat students back-to-back.
•
Seat students in a wide semi-circle with all the students facing into the center of the
circle.
•
Seat students in every other row.
Physical barriers can also be used:
•
tri-fold display boards around testing devices
•
cardboard or heavy cardstock placed on desks or taped to the sides of monitors to
create a barrier
•
partitions between students sitting at the same table
Additional Preparations for Computer-Based Testing
Ensure all devices to be used for testing are charged prior to each test session. Make sure
sufficient power cords and power strips are available as well as extra testing devices if needed.
Confirm that accessories, such as external keyboards for tablets and headphones for students
using the text-to-speech edition, are available and in working order prior to testing.
Be sure that all students’ testing devices have TestNav installed. For details, visit
download.testnav.com.
Be sure also to assign computers to test administrators to complete tasks in PearsonAccessnext.
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H. Planning for Required and Prohibited Materials
Principals are responsible for developing local procedures to ensure that students are provided
required materials for testing and that they do not access prohibited materials (see section K on
the following pages). Principals must communicate these expectations to test administrators,
and must keep students and parents/guardians informed about the policies on prohibited
materials so that they can plan accordingly.
•
Test administrators need to make sure that students have all the required materials for
testing (e.g., scratch paper for ELA and Mathematics tests).
•
Test administrators must monitor the room actively to ensure that students do not
access prohibited materials (e.g., cell phones, notes), and must know how to handle a
situation if a student is found with a prohibited item.
•
Students and parents/guardians need to know that cell phones and other electronic
devices are not permitted during testing and that students will not be permitted to
contact their parents/guardians via cell phone during the test session, even after
turning in their own test materials.
•
Test administrators may collect cell phones from students and keep them at the front
of the room during testing.
•
Students may put their cell phones away in their lockers.
Schools are ultimately responsible for implementing procedures that ensure students do not
possess cell phones or other electronic devices during testing.
I. Materials Required/Permitted during Testing for CBT
1.
Materials Required for Student Use for CBT
The following materials are required to be provided for student use during testing:
•
a device for testing that meets technical specifications
(www.doe.mass.edu/mcas/testadmin/NextGenMCAS-TechSpecs.pdf)
•
scratch paper
Test administrators must supply at least one sheet of unused scratch paper (blank,
lined, or graph) for each student. Students can request more scratch paper, if needed.
Test administrators may provide up to two pages at any time. (If a student needs
additional pages, he or she will need to turn in used scratch paper.)
Test administrators are responsible for collecting all used scratch paper to be securely
destroyed (e.g., shredded) after test administration by the principal or designee.
Schools may use scratch paper if the paper is completely blank.
•
PART III— Spring 2017 MCAS Test Administration Protocols
Test administrators read a script to students to inform them of the materials prohibited during
testing and the consequences of being found with a prohibited item. In addition, principals may
direct test administrators to read a recommended script in the TAM that instructs students to
put their phones and other electronic devices away in their backpacks at the side of the room.
Other options instead of the recommended script include the following protocols that should be
clearly communicated to test administrators and students:
a writing instrument for use on the scratch paper
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2.
Tools Embedded in the Computer-Based Test for Students
Reference Sheets and Rulers
Students taking the computer-based Mathematics test have rulers (grades 3–8) and reference
sheets (grades 5–8) embedded in the student testing platform that will be available during
testing. Students have access to two separate rulers: a centimeter ruler and a 1/8-inch ruler.
Students are not permitted to use handheld rulers on the computer-based test.
Calculators for Computer-Based Testing
PART III— Spring 2017 MCAS Test Administration Protocols
•
28
Grades 7 and 8: Students taking the computer-based test have a calculator embedded
in the student testing platform that will be available during the calculator session.
Students who prefer to use handheld calculators during testing may use one that is
an equivalent version to the one that is provided in the student testing platform, as
described in the “Materials Permitted for Student Use during CBT” section on the
following page.
oo
Grade 7 Mathematics Session 2 only: a five-function calculator (i.e., a fourfunction calculator with a square root key)
oo
Grade 8 Mathematics Session 2 only: a scientific calculator
Additional Tools
3.
•
notepad during English Language Arts testing
•
highlighter
•
bookmark feature
•
test review screen
•
answer eliminator
•
magnifier
•
line reader
Additional Materials for CBT
•
Computers for test administrators
Test administrators will need computers to complete tasks in PearsonAccessnext
during test sessions (separate from the student testing devices). Test administrators
administering certain accommodations (e.g., signing the test) will also need to
use their own computer in order to access a proctor testing ticket and therefore be
provided with a test administrator edition of the test (more information is available in
Part IV, section B).
•
Seal codes
Seal codes for computer-based testing are analogous to a seal that must be broken on
a paper-based test booklet in order to open the booklet (note that paper seals are not
used for MCAS). They are four-digit codes generated in PearsonAccessnext for each
“test session” in PearsonAccessnext.
Test administrators write seal codes on the board at the beginning of each session,
and then students (as directed by their test administrators reading scripts in the TAM)
must type in seal codes in order to begin each test session. Because seal codes provide
The Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System:
Principal’s Administration Manual, Grades 3–8 Spring 2017
Spring 2017 MCAS Test Administration Protocols
access to secure test content, test administrators must take care to only write on the
board the seal code for the test session they are currently administering, and to erase
the seal code at the end of each session.
•
Student testing tickets
Student testing tickets contain the login information that students need to type in to
begin each test session along with the seal codes. There is one separate student testing
ticket for each grade and subject area test (e.g., one student testing ticket for Jonathan
Ward for grade 8 Mathematics and a separate student testing ticket for Jonathan Ward
for grade 8 English Language Arts). The same student testing ticket is used for all
sessions of a test. A sample student testing ticket is shown below:
Because student testing tickets provide access to secure test content, they must be
tracked and accounted for like secure test booklets for PBT.
At the start of each test session, as directed by the TAM, test administrators will
distribute student testing tickets to students. Because it is recommended that schools
use an identifier for student testing devices in case of technology issues, there is a line
on the student testing ticket for students to write in the testing device ID at the start of
each session. (There is one line; if students change testing devices after each session,
each device can be written next to the first.)
4.
Materials Permitted for Student Use for CBT
•
pens, pencils, highlighters, and colored pencils
•
printed Mathematics reference sheets for students in grades 5–8
Schools may provide printed reference sheets to students in grades 5–8 who prefer to
use them instead of the online version. Reference sheets for computer-based schools
may be printed from the Department’s website. (Printed copies are not available for
ordering.)
•
handheld calculators (See requirements in section J on page 30 for handheld
calculators.)
•
printed copies of authorized bilingual word-to-word dictionaries and glossaries for
current and former ELL students (See Appendix A for more information.)
•
headphones for students with disabilities using the text-to-speech or line reader
accommodations (See Appendix B for more information.)
PART III— Spring 2017 MCAS Test Administration Protocols
Prior to the day of testing, principals/designees must print out student testing tickets,
cut the pages to separate the tickets, and then prepare them for distribution using
internal tracking forms following the instructions in section P.
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J. Materials Required/Permitted during Testing for PBT
1.
Materials Required for Student Use for PBT
PART III— Spring 2017 MCAS Test Administration Protocols
The following materials are required to be provided for student use during testing:
•
#2 pencils (wooden)
•
scratch paper for English Language Arts and Mathematics testing
oo
Test administrators must supply at least one sheet of unused scratch paper
(blank, lined, or graph) for each student. Students can request more scratch
paper, if needed. Test administrators may provide up to two pages at any time
(if a student needs additional pages, he or she will need to turn in used scratch
paper).
oo
Test administrators are responsible for collecting all used scratch paper to be
securely destroyed (e.g., shredded) after test administration by the principal or
designee. Schools may use scratch paper if the paper is completely blank.
•
calculators for designated test sessions only (See the “Calculators” section below for
more information.)
•
reference sheets and rulers for designated tests that are included in shipments of test
materials (See lists of required test materials in the TAMs.)
Calculators
Each student must have sole access to a grade-specific calculator listed below during the
following test sessions:
•
Grade 7 Mathematics Session 2 only: a five-function calculator (i.e., a four-function
calculator with a square root key)
•
Grade 8 Mathematics Session 2 only: a scientific calculator
Test administrators must ensure that students do not have access to calculator instructions or
formula sheets that accompany calculators.
2.
Materials Permitted for Student Use for PBT
The following materials may be used by students:
•
pens, highlighters, and colored pencils as follows:
No writing instruments other than #2 pencils may be used by students to mark
their responses to test questions. Students in grades 4 and above may use pens
and highlighters in test booklets only. Students in grade 3 may use a colored pencil
(e.g., for marking or underlining passages), but they must use only a #2 pencil to
answer test questions.
•
printed copies of authorized bilingual word-to-word dictionaries and glossaries for
current and former ELL students (See Appendix A for more information.)
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K. Materials Prohibited during Testing
Prohibited materials include, but are not limited to, materials that must be covered or removed
from the testing space (see page 26) as well as the materials listed below. Materials listed
in section 1 below are not permitted at any time during test sessions, and materials listed in
section 2 may only be provided after a student has turned in his or her test materials. None of
the materials in section 1 or 2 are permitted while a student has his or her test materials.
1.
Materials Not Permitted at Any Time during a Session
Materials listed in this section are NOT permitted at any time during test sessions, including
after a student turns in his or her test materials, during a break, or during the transition to a test
completion area.
cell phones (See the following page for more information.)
•
other electronic devices (See the following page for more information.)
oo smart watches
oo e-book readers or electronic dictionaries
oo music players for one student’s personal use or that of the whole class,
earphones, ear buds, or headphones
oo any device capable of taking photographs
oo game consoles
oo pocket translators
oo calculators (See page 30 for exceptions.)
oo computers or electronic tablets other than the one being used for testing, if the
student is taking a computer-based test
oo any device that provides access to the Internet other than the one being used for
testing, if the student is taking a computer-based test (such as a calculator)
oo editing devices (e.g., spelling or grammar checkers)
•
English-language dictionaries or thesauruses
•
encyclopedias
•
school-provided rulers and unapproved reference sheets, including MCAS rulers from
previous years
•
accommodation materials unless specified by a student’s approved IEP or 504 plan
(e.g., graphic organizers, whisper phones)
•
scratch paper for Science and Technology/Engineering test sessions
•
for CBT: handheld rulers (The only rulers that students need are included in the
student testing platform.)
Materials That May Be Permitted Only after a Student Has Completed Testing
Materials listed in this section may be provided only AFTER a student has completed testing
(i.e., CBT: marked the test complete; PBT: turned in test materials), and at the principal’s
discretion.
•
flags or sticky notes
•
books
PART III— Spring 2017 MCAS Test Administration Protocols
2.
•
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Spring 2017 MCAS Test Administration Protocols
•
textbooks for subjects other than the one being tested
•
notebooks or other notes
•
pens and highlighters for grade 3 paper-based testing (Grade 3 students may only use
#2 pencils in their test & answer booklets to mark their responses. Students in other
grades are permitted to use pens and highlighters in their test booklets only.)
Cell Phones and Other Electronic Devices
It is the responsibility of the principal and test administrators to ensure that students do not
have access to cell phones or other electronic devices during testing. Results will be invalidated
for students who use cell phones or other electronic devices at any time during a test session,
including after a student turns in his or her test materials, during a break, or during the
transition to a test completion area.
PART III— Spring 2017 MCAS Test Administration Protocols
During the Test Administrators’ Training, the principal will inform test administrators either
to read the script in the TAM instructing students before each test session to turn off their cell
phones and other electronic devices and place them in their backpacks, or to follow another
procedure to ensure that students do not have access to cell phones or other electronic devices.
See section M on the following page for more information about the Test Administrators’
Training.
Note: Students with disabilities may be allowed, under certain circumstances, to use as test
accommodations certain tools and materials that are otherwise prohibited. However, under no
circumstances may students with disabilities access the Internet (except on the testing device for
CBT) or a cell phone. Test accommodations must be listed in the student’s IEP or 504 plan and
documented on the student’s answer booklet by the principal or designee (see Appendix B for
details).
L. Distributing TAMs and Test Security Requirements
Principals must distribute a copy of the appropriate TAM to each test administrator for
review before the training so that test administrators can familiarize themselves with security
requirements, protocols, and procedures. Principals should be aware there are separate TAMs
for CBT and PBT. Instructions for the grades 5 and 8 Science and Technology/Engineering tests
are contained solely in the PBT TAM. Note that instructions for administering the Braille and
large-print editions can be found in appendices in the PBT TAMs.
Other school personnel authorized to have access to secure materials must also be provided a
copy of the test security requirements (available at
www.doe.mass.edu/mcas/testadmin/?section=g3-8) before the training session or before
handling secure materials.
Principals must establish procedures to document the distribution of TAMs and test security
requirements.
Principals may use the sample form in Appendix E or create their own that includes the same
elements.
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M. Training Test Administrators, Technology Staff, and Other
School Personnel
It is the responsibility of the principal before test administration to meet with designated test
administrators, technology staff, and other personnel authorized to have access to secure
materials to explain the test security protocols and procedures that will be followed at the
school. Principals also need to meet with the technology coordinator to discuss topics listed in
this section and in section E.2.
In the training session, principals must describe the test security requirements contained in
Part I of the PAM and the TAMs, and confirm that all involved school personnel understand
the requirements therein. In addition, there are different ways that schools may meet the test
security and test administration protocols, and principals must describe these procedures
at these training sessions (see topics listed below). Principals should also familiarize test
administrators with major tasks they will be completing (see list below).
Describe school policies and procedures regarding the following topics:
the school’s testing schedule – including practice tests, the student tutorial, and
the student questionnaire, as applicable – as well as testing time for each session,
including test completion sessions for students who require additional time to
complete a test session (Also instruct CBT test administrators on the requirement for
students to complete each test session using the same device.)
•
the school’s communication plan: how test administrators may contact the principal
or designee during testing, as well as how to contact technology staff during CBT
testing, if necessary
oo
•
CBT schools: internal communications protocols in case of a technology failure
(Principals should provide test administrators with a policy for technology
failures as well as resources.)
the distribution and tracking of secure materials before, during, between, and
following test sessions, using internal tracking forms
oo
The test administrator and the test coordinator will each independently count
materials before signing tracking forms any time custody of secure materials is
transferred.
oo
Also provide information on new CBT secure materials as well as new scratch
paper for ELA and Mathematics.
•
test administrators’ assignment of specific testing spaces and groups of students (Also
instruct test administrators on the use of new accessibility features that students may
use that may affect their testing space.)
•
how test security will be maintained in testing spaces (e.g., who will remove secure
content from walls, how CBT testing spaces will be arranged)
•
how students will be supervised during test sessions, between test sessions (e.g.,
transporting students and test materials to test completion areas), during make-up
sessions, and during breaks
PART III— Spring 2017 MCAS Test Administration Protocols
•
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•
whether test administrators read the recommended script in TAMs instructing
students to put away cell phones and other electronic devices in their backpacks at the
side of the room, or if a locally developed script will be used instead
•
whether students who arrive late for testing will be read the scripts and participate
during the remainder of the session, or if other policies will be followed
•
additional information as needed regarding providing test accommodations for
students with disabilities and ELL students, including checking printed copies of
authorized bilingual word-to-word dictionaries and glossaries for current and former
ELL students
•
new policies and procedures at the school
PART III— Spring 2017 MCAS Test Administration Protocols
Additional topics for CBT:
•
procedures related to school preparations (e.g., where to find additional power strips
and resources)
•
whether students will be provided with printed reference sheets as well as handheld
calculators during Mathematics testing, in addition to the versions available in the
student testing platform (Calculators are only allowed for Session 2 for grades 7
and 8.)
•
Students can ask questions during testing if they have trouble using the computer
interface (see the Test Administrator’s Manual for Computer-Based Testing: Grades 3–8,
Spring 2017 for details).
Additional topics for PBT:
•
whether Student ID Labels will be applied before test sessions or applied by students
after answer booklets are distributed
•
who to contact in the event that secure test materials become contaminated
Test administrators are required to do the following:
•
Maintain security in their testing space by circulating among the students.
oo
It is important to review the requirements that test administrators may not
review secure test content or student responses except in specific situations listed
in the TAMs, and they may not coach students or provide assistance that could
impact a student’s answers.
oo
Test administrators must closely monitor students during testing to ensure that
they do not view one another’s booklets or testing device, pass notes, turn back
to previously completed sessions for PBT, use prohibited materials such as cell
phones, or engage in any form of cheating.
•
Read the scripts in the TAMs verbatim to students, including students taking make-up
sessions and students starting late.
•
Confirm that they have all the required materials for each test session, including
scratch paper for grades 3–8 ELA and Mathematics (full lists are provided in the
TAMs on the first page for each session). Test administrators should be aware that
calculators are only allowed during Mathematics Session 2 for grades 7 and 8.
Additionally, PBT test administrators should be familiar with the following:
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oo
Students in grade 3 write their answers in test & answer booklets. They may
underline using a pencil or colored pencil but must use only a #2 pencil to mark
their responses. They may not make any other marks in the areas that contain
answer circles.
oo
Students must be provided with MCAS rulers in grades 3–8 Mathematics and
with Mathematics reference sheets in grades 5–8.
oo
Writing instruments other than #2 pencils may be used only in test booklets for
students in grades 4 and above. Emphasize that students may use only #2 pencils
in grade 4 and above answer booklets and grade 3 test & answer booklets (see
grade 3 exception on page 30; the use of pens and highlighters in answer
booklets is prohibited).
•
For PBT, write on the board the test administrator’s name (students must write this on
the front covers of their answer booklets for all subjects).
•
For CBT, complete tasks in PearsonAccessnext during testing, including confirming
before testing if students using accommodations have the correct test form assigned
to them (e.g., test-to-speech). Prior to testing, test administrators should be familiar
with CBT tasks including starting testing, generating seal codes, as well as stopping,
pausing, and resuming testing.
Test administrators will write seal codes on the board for students for each
session. It is important they only write the seal code for the session they are
currently administering.
•
Monitor students to confirm they do not have access to prohibited materials (see
pages 27–32 for lists of required/permitted and prohibited materials).
•
Make a list of all students assigned to them who were not tested so that they can be
scheduled for make-up testing, and give this list to the principal. It is important to
keep accurate records of who has been tested, particularly for paper-based testing,
as it is not permissible to look through assigned answer booklets to check whether
students have completed testing.
•
Never leave MCAS materials unattended (unless they are locked in secure storage).
•
Sign an MCAS Nondisclosure Agreement if they are authorized to review secure
MCAS test content in order to administer MCAS tests to students with disabilities
using certain accommodations (See Appendix E for the agreement.)
Individuals must sign in to demonstrate that they attended a training session. Test
administrators must also sign an acknowledgment that they received TAMs for the test(s) they
will administer, and all school personnel who have access to secure materials must sign an
acknowledgment that they received a copy of the test security requirements (see sample form in
Appendix E).
Principals will retain in their school files for three years the following: agendas, sign-in sheets,
and any other relevant documentation to demonstrate they trained test administrators and
other school personnel authorized to have access to secure test materials.
In addition, principals/designees should view online training modules posted at
http://mcas.pearsonsupport.com/training-modules/ and designate others to view the modules
as needed. The following modules are relevant for the spring grades 3–8 test administration:
PART III— Spring 2017 MCAS Test Administration Protocols
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Modules to assist with pre-administration tasks
•
Infrastructure trial for technology coordinators
•
Infrastructure trial for test coordinators and test administrators
•
Creating sessions
•
Accessibility features and accommodations
Modules to assist with tasks to complete during testing
•
Moving students between sessions
•
Updating PNP (steps to take if a student starts CBT without the correct
accommodation assigned)
•
Sessions management
N. Preparing Students for Testing
1.Meetings
PART III— Spring 2017 MCAS Test Administration Protocols
General Meeting with Students
Feedback from principals and teachers indicates that a serious, yet supportive, testing
environment has a positive impact on student performance. The Department recommends that
the principal or test administrators should meet with students before each test administration to
give them information about testing procedures at the school.
The Department suggests that principals distribute a document describing test security
requirements for students in advance of the meeting. Also, principals may want to include an
explanation of appropriate activities that students can do when they finish testing and turn in
their test materials.
During the general meeting, provide students with the following information:
•
New information about the 2017 tests for grades 3–8
oo
The grades 4 and 7 Composition has been eliminated.
•
They will need to come to school on the scheduled test days.
•
Most students should not need extra time and will be able to finish within the
suggested time limits. However, students will be allowed additional time to finish
their work beyond the end of the regularly scheduled session if they need it and are
working productively. No session may extend past the end of the regular school day.
•
For CBT, students should be familiar with the tools available to them during testing
and navigating through the test because they will be taking practice tests and given a
student tutorial. They can ask questions during testing if they have trouble using the
computer interface.
•
Students will have scratch paper available to them for English Language Arts and
Mathematics testing.
•
They should read questions carefully, be thorough in their responses, and be sure to
answer all parts of multipart questions. They should also try their best to answer all
the questions on the test.
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•
Their test administrators cannot give them any help, or answer any question that
relates to the content of the test, with the exceptions of assisting students with
questions about the computer interface and during Mathematics and STE testing,
reading aloud a word at the student’s request (UF10).
•
Their test results may be invalidated if they engage in any of the following activities
during a test session (including after turning in their test materials, during a break, or
during the transition to a test completion area):
duplicating any portion of the test or answer booklets or secure test content on screen
(e.g., photographing, copying)
oo
accessing prohibited materials such as cell phones or other electronic devices (see
lists in section K) for any purpose
oo
communicating with other students (e.g., talking, whispering, writing notes)
oo
looking at any other student’s test booklet, answer booklet, or computer screen
oo
consulting notes, books, or instructional materials during testing
oo
for paper-based testing, working in a session other than the one being
administered, looking at questions or test pages beyond the stop sign, or going
back to a previous session
oo
for paper-based testing, damaging their test materials or removing any part of
them from the testing room
•
Their test results may also be invalidated if they discuss the content of test booklets
or their responses to questions with anyone, including teachers.
•
Students may bring a book to each test session to read in the event they finish a test
session early.
•
For Mathematics only:
oo
Students in grades 7 and 8 will need at least a four-function calculator with a
square-root key for Session 2 of the Mathematics test. Such a calculator will be
provided to any student who does not have one for paper-based testing. For
computer-based testing, calculators will be provided in the interface for students,
but they may use a handheld calculator if they want.
Meeting with ELL Students
If there are significant numbers of ELL students in the school, it is also important to meet with
the students, in small groups if possible, to explain the participation guidelines (see Appendix A).
During the meeting with ELL students, communicate the following to them:
•
They will be participating in tests that they may find difficult because they are still
learning English.
•
The purpose of having them participate is to establish a starting point from which their
progress over time can be measured, and because they are required to participate.
•
Current and former ELL students may use printed copies of authorized bilingual
word-to-word dictionaries and glossaries or other ELL accommodations (see
Appendix A for more information).
PART III— Spring 2017 MCAS Test Administration Protocols
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Meeting with Parents/Guardians
In addition, the principal or designee may want to meet with parents/guardians (e.g., hold an
open house) before testing to explain testing procedures, the testing schedule, participation
requirements, and the student questionnaire in grades 5 and 8.
Alternately, principals may include MCAS testing information for parents/guardians in their
regular communications (e.g., parent newsletter).
For suggestions for communicating information on the next-generation computer-based tests, refer
to the appendix in the MCAS Pre-Administration Guide for the Spring 2017 Grades 3–8 Computer-Based
Tests.
2.
Students’ Responsibilities during Testing
PART III— Spring 2017 MCAS Test Administration Protocols
Students are expected to provide answers that are strictly their own and not participate in
any form of cheating. To help remind students about their responsibilities, principals may ask
students in grades 6 through 8 to read a form containing statements and to sign the form to
acknowledge that they understand their responsibilities. This may be done during the general
meeting with students.
See Appendix E for the sample form for students to sign, as well as a sample letter that can be
used to notify parents/guardians. If these forms are used, principals should retain them for
their school test administration files.
3.
Student Tutorial (CBT) and Practice Tests (CBT and PBT)
It is important for schools to schedule ample time for the practice tests as well as the student
tutorial (CBT) to familiarize students and educators with new types of test questions, and to
gain experience with the computer-based testing platform, including the tools and accessibility
features that will be available to students during testing. The Department strongly encourages
schools to have all students view the tutorial and take practice tests.
As shown in the table below, there are two different ways to access practice tests. Whether the
resources are accessed via the web or the TestNav app, the practice tests are the same for each
grade and subject area. Upon completion of practice testing, a score for multiple-choice test
questions is provided for diagnostic purposes. Rubrics are provided for constructed response
questions. (Note that there is a third way to access practice tests through PearsonAccessnext for
schools to use when conducting an infrastructure trial; more information will be provided in the
Guide to the Infrastructure Trial.)
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In addition to the resources listed in the table, there are also paper-based versions of the practice tests
to prepare students who will be taking paper-based tests (mcas.pearsonsupport.com/tutorial).
Item
Student
tutorial
Web location
Description
mcas.pearsonsupport.com/
tutorial/
The Department strongly recommends that CBT schools
have all their students view the student tutorial, even
those who have previously participated in computerbased testing, and especially students who have not
previously participated in computer-based testing.
During the tutorial, students will click through
different screens and review brief descriptions on how
to navigate through the student testing platform. The
tutorial shows students how to use different onscreen
tools and accessibility features, as well as how to enter
seal codes at the beginning of a session, and how to
review responses before submitting a test. (Since the
practice tests do not include seal codes, this part of the
tutorial will help familiarize students with them.)
Student
tutorial
continued
All of the accommodations are demonstrated in the
student tutorial.
The tutorial contains no audio component, so educators
may want to view the tutorial to become familiar with
the tools and features before viewing it with students.
mcas.pearsonsupport.com/ These can easily be shared with parents/guardians
Web-based
and the school community. Web-based practice tests
practice tests tutorial/
mimic the environment of the TestNav student testing
platform without a need to download the application.
A text-to-speech version of the practice tests will
be available later this winter for schools to prepare
students who will be using this accommodation.
Practice tests
accessed via
the TestNav
app
mcas.pearsonsupport.com/
technology-setup/
Download the TestNav8
application, choose
Massachusetts, and select
the Practice Tests link on
the sign in screen.
This version of the practice tests more closely reflects
the actual student testing experience since they will
access the test via the TestNav application during live
testing.
A text-to-speech version of the practice tests will
be available later this winter for schools to prepare
students who will be using this accommodation.
PART III— Spring 2017 MCAS Test Administration Protocols
The tutorial is intended to supplement the practice tests
in familiarizing students with the online test-taking
experience.
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O. Providing Accurate Student Information
It is the responsibility of the principal or designee to ensure the accuracy of student information
submitted to SIMS and to provide accurate information on answer booklets and MCAS-Alt SIBs.
1.SIMS
The Department uses districts’ SIMS submissions to determine student enrollment. If a student
is reported in both March and June SIMS as being enrolled in the same grade and school, but
the student does not participate in testing, the student will automatically be reported as absent
without medical documentation.
Therefore, it is critical that each principal ensure the accuracy of the school’s SIMS data
submitted by the district to the Department between March and the end of the school year.
Any questions regarding SIMS submissions should be directed to the district’s SIMS contact
(see page ii for instructions for finding your district’s contact).
PART III— Spring 2017 MCAS Test Administration Protocols
2.
State-Assigned Student Identifiers (SASIDs)
It is imperative that each student’s SASID be provided accurately on his or her answer booklet
or in PearsonAccessnext. Results may not be reported correctly if a valid SASID is not provided.
If there is a question about a SASID for a student, call your district’s SIMS contact (see page ii
for instructions on finding your district’s SIMS contact).
3.PearsonAccessnext
Student information in PearsonAccessnext also needs to be updated. Add new students who
transferred into or out of your school after the student registration was submitted, and update
students’ Personal Needs Profiles if new accommodations are needed or if accommodations
were not uploaded correctly.
4.
Answer Booklets
Applying Student ID Labels
For each test administration, a school’s shipment of test materials includes Student ID Labels
based on the October SIMS submission, with updates made during the student registration
period (which includes new students who were added after the October SIMS report). Student
ID Labels link to information critical for reporting MCAS test results for individual students,
schools, and districts. Therefore, principals must ensure that the SASIDs on the labels are correct
for each student. Labels with incorrect SASIDs must not be applied to answer booklets.
Incorrect SASIDs or information on a label cannot be corrected by crossing it out on the label.
Correct information needs to be reported to the district SIMS contact.
Student ID Labels are applied to the front covers of standard answer booklets. The labels
may be applied either by test administrators prior to the first test session or by students at
the beginning of the first test session. However, to ensure the proper application of labels, the
Department strongly recommends that labels be applied by test administrators, especially for
younger students.
The labels are not intended to be used as a roster but to ease the burden of completing all the
information required on answer booklets. Therefore, if a school receives a Student ID Label for
a student not enrolled in the school at the beginning of the testing window, the label should
not be affixed to an answer booklet. The label should be returned (unaffixed, unused) with the
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The Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System:
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shipment of nonscorable materials, and the district SIMS contact should be notified that the
student is no longer enrolled in the school.
Like all other test materials, Student ID Labels may not be provided to another school.
If a student does not have a label, the principal must ensure that the SASID is filled in correctly
on the answer booklet.
Completing Answer Booklet Front Covers
The TAMs contain instructions for completing the front covers of answer booklets. Appendix E
of this manual provides samples of a completed answer booklet front cover with and without a
Student ID Label.
Completing Answer Booklet Back Covers
To maintain the confidentiality of information provided, the inside and outside back covers of
answer booklets should be completed by the principal or designee after students have finished
testing. See Appendix D for instructions.
5. Guidance on Testing for Transfer Students
When a student transfers, School B should contact School A to determine which sessions the
student has completed in School A. (Alternatively, School A may wish to contact School B, if it is
known where the student is transferring to.) If it is not possible to make contact with School A,
School B should call the Department’s Office of Student Assessment Services for assistance.
The Department offers these general guiding principles.
•
A student should not have to “double-test” in a subject.
•
If a student completed testing in a subject at School A, then the student should not do
any more testing in that subject at School B.
•
If a student completed testing in only one subject at School A, then the student needs
to participate in the untested subject at School B.
•
If a student transfers to a new school (School B) that is administering a different mode
than School A (e.g., CBT in School A, and PBT in School B), it is acceptable for the
student to have taken one subject area test in School A in one mode, and participate in
the remaining subject at School B in the other mode (e.g., taking ELA CBT in School A
and taking Mathematics PBT in School B).
•
For grades 5 and 8: If a student does not complete MCAS STE testing at School A, the
student should complete STE testing at School B (a transfer student who completes
MCAS STE testing at School A should not do any more MCAS STE testing at
School B).
If a student transfers to a new school (School B) that is administering the same mode
as School A (i.e., CBT in School A and CBT in School B), School B should administer
the remaining session(s) to the student.
PART III— Spring 2017 MCAS Test Administration Protocols
Below is guidance for administering MCAS tests to students in grades 3–8 who transfer between
a CBT school and a PBT school, and vice-versa, as well as guidance for when a student transfers
between schools administering the same mode. For the purpose of this section, “School A”
refers to the student’s original school, and “School B” refers to the school the student transfers to.
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If a student has taken one or more sessions (but not all sessions) in School A, and
transfers to a different-mode school, follow the guidance below. (Only tests completed
in the same mode can be merged across schools for transfer students – i.e., CBT in
School A to CBT in School B, and PBT in School A and PBT in School B.)
Guidance when a student transfers from a PBT school to a CBT school, if he or she has taken
one but not all sessions at School A
The school will need to contact the MCAS Service Center at 800-737-5103 to order PBT materials
for this student to complete the remaining sessions in this subject area test. The “Change of
Enrollment” section on the answer booklet will need to be completed.
Guidance when a student transfers from a CBT school to a PBT school, if he or she has taken
one but not all sessions at School A
PART III— Spring 2017 MCAS Test Administration Protocols
The school will need to administer the remaining sessions in this subject area test to the student
on computer. Schools should feel free to contact the Department or the MCAS Service Center if
there are any questions (policy questions should be directed to the Department, and logistical
questions can be directed to the MCAS Service Center).
42
P. Accounting for and Distributing Secure Materials
It is the responsibility of the principal to account for secure test materials throughout test
administration.
For CBT, this means accounting for secure testing tickets once they are generated and printed,
tracking their location throughout test administration, and ensuring that they are securely
destroyed after test administration.
For PBT, this means inventorying materials immediately upon receipt, tracking the location of
materials throughout test administration, and ensuring that all materials are returned to the
testing contractor. The Department recommends that principals account for secure materials
using the identification numbers listed on the packing slips and document the identification
numbers on internal tracking forms. The Department also recommends having more than one
person present to count materials upon receipt and when preparing for their return. The school
and district will be held responsible for any secure materials that were received at the school
but not returned.
For CBT, principals must account for secure materials by tracking student testing tickets and
proctor testing tickets on internal tracking forms, and ensuring that used scratch paper is
securely destroyed.
1.
Distributing Test Materials
It is critical that students have the correct test materials for each day’s test. When preparing
materials for distribution to test administrators, be sure to view the grade and subject listed.
2.
Contaminated Test Materials (PBT)
If a test booklet, answer booklet, or other secure test material becomes contaminated with
bodily fluids, the principal or designee must contact the MCAS Service Center immediately for
instructions. Procedures for these materials should follow district and school guidelines based
on appropriate protocol for universal precautions issued by the Massachusetts Department of
Public Health.
The Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System:
Principal’s Administration Manual, Grades 3–8 Spring 2017
Spring 2017 MCAS Test Administration Protocols
3.
Seal Codes
Since seal codes provide access to secure test content (when used with student testing tickets),
they are considered secure. Test administrators write the seal code on the board at the beginning
of each session, and then erase it at the end of each session. Principals/designees should
monitor testing spaces to ensure that seal codes are erased from boards after testing.
4.
Student Testing Tickets
Prior to the day of testing, principals/designees must print out student testing tickets from
PearsonAccessnext (refer to the online PearsonAccessnext User Guide for instructions:
support.assessment.pearson.com/display/MI/MCAS+Reference+for+the+PearsonAccess+Next+
Online+User+Guide). There are options to print one per page, four per page, or a grid of eight
per page. After printing pages of tickets, principals/designees should cut the pages to separate
the tickets, and prepare them for distribution. Student testing tickets should be treated as
having the same level of test security as paper-based test booklets.
5.
Establishing a Chain of Custody for Test Materials
The principal must use the forms listed below to account for and maintain the security of test
materials.
The Materials Summary is used to inventory materials immediately upon receipt and, for
schools doing paper-based testing, to reconcile secure materials being returned at the end of
testing. The school receives one Materials Summary for each grade in the shipment of materials
(for CBT schools, the Materials Summary will only list manuals). The information recorded
on the Materials Summary will help principals of PBT schools when they complete the online
PCPA. A sample form is provided in Appendix E.
The Materials Summary is also used when ordering additional materials, including manuals
for schools doing computer-based testing. Schools need to use the MP Ship Code printed on the
form when placing an additional materials order.
The Materials Summary lists only the materials shipped to each school. Complete lists
of test materials available for each grade are posted online at
www.doe.mass.edu/mcas/testadmin/?section=g3-8.
Packing Slips
For schools doing paper-based testing, a packing slip is included in each carton of test materials.
Each packing slip provides the identification number of any secure materials shipped in the
carton. If the principal discovers a discrepancy between the number of secure materials listed as
shipped and the number received at the school, he or she can use the identification numbers to
determine the specific material(s) missing.
Internal Tracking Forms
Principals must establish and follow document tracking procedures so that they can determine
at all times the location of materials not in the central secure storage area (CBT schools should
refer to the list of secure materials on page 2). Document tracking procedures must also
make it possible for principals to trace the movement of materials from the time they are
removed from secure storage until they are returned to the central secure storage area.
PART III— Spring 2017 MCAS Test Administration Protocols
Materials Summary
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The Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System:
Principal’s Administration Manual, Grades 3–8 Spring 2017
Spring 2017 MCAS Test Administration Protocols
The Department recommends that principals use one of the Test Materials Internal Tracking
Forms in Appendix E (CBT or PBT as appropriate). If principals choose to create their own
internal tracking form, the following items must be included on the form:
•
the specific count of materials at the time of distribution
•
the specific count of materials at the time of return
•
a place to indicate that used scratch paper has been returned
•
a place to indicate that student testing tickets and used scratch paper have been
securely destroyed
•
signature areas for the test administrator and the test coordinator to sign the form
Scratch paper used during testing is secure and its return to the test coordinator must be
tracked. It must then be securely destroyed and documented.
PART III— Spring 2017 MCAS Test Administration Protocols
Test administrators and the test coordinator should independently count materials before
signing the internal tracking form. Signature stamps may not be used to sign internal tracking
forms.
Immediately investigate any irregularity in the use of tracking documents or in the
information recorded on them. Call the Department immediately at 781-338-3625 if any
situation occurs that could compromise test security.
Principal’s Certification of Proper Test Administration
The purpose of the PCPA is for the principal to certify that all students participated in testing
as required and that test administration protocols described in this manual were followed,
including those related to the security of test materials. While the principal may designate an
individual to assist with many other test administration tasks, the PCPA may not be completed
by a designee. The principal must complete the PCPA and is responsible for all information
submitted on the form.
The principal must go online to complete the PCPA before testing to verify the receipt of secure
materials (for PBT) and that appropriate preparations have been made (for CBT) and after
testing to record the number and type of secure materials being returned (for PBT) or securely
destroyed (for CBT), and that CBT tests have been marked complete, and to certify that the test
administration was conducted properly.
Instructions and deadlines for completing the online PCPA can be found in the subsequent
sections of this manual, and the certification statements on the PCPA are in Appendix E.
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The Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System:
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Part IV
Tasks to Complete for the Spring
Test Administration
PART IV—Tasks to Complete for the Spring Test Administration
Tasks to Complete for the Spring Test Administration
A. Prepare for Test Administration
Use the following list of tasks to help you keep track of your responsibilities during MCAS
testing. Note that some items on the list apply only to specific tests or grades.
1.Principals are expected to participate in one of the Department’s training sessions on
MCAS test security and test administration protocols in February 2017.
2.
3.
4.
46
Develop a plan for maintaining test security at your school.
•
Review MCAS Test Security Requirements (see Part I).
•
Review your school’s plans for maintaining test security with your superintendent.
He or she may ask you to use the sample Superintendent’s Assurance of Proper Test
Administration form in Appendix E.
•
Establish a document tracking system (see Appendix E for sample internal tracking forms).
•
Designate a central locked area for secure storage of test materials including CBT test
materials that will be printed.
•
Before the training session, distribute TAMs to test administrators and distribute a copy
of the test security requirements (available at
www.doe.mass.edu/mcas/testadmin/?section=g3-8) to all school personnel who have
access to secure test materials.
•
Document that test administrators and school personnel have received the documents
listed above (see Appendix E for a sample form).
Plan logistics for test administration at your school.
•
Identify all students who will be participating in each grade’s tests. See Part II for
information about student participation requirements. See Part III for information on
assigning accessibility features and accommodations.
•
Authorize individuals to serve as test administrators and other school personnel to
have access to secure materials, and designate appropriate testing spaces.
•
Assign students and testing locations to test administrators.
•
For school files, prepare a record of test administrators and their students for each session.
•
Schedule test administration sessions and locations. Schools doing paper-based
testing are encouraged to set schedules to take advantage of the recommended early
return shipping option.
•
Train test administrators (see list of topics in Part III, section M), and train all school
personnel authorized to have access to secure test materials in test security requirements.
•
Meet with students (see list of topics in Part III, section N.1).
•
Review data before the district submits the March SIMS report (students’ names,
demographic information, grade levels) and confirm each student has a SASID.
Identify and prepare to provide accessibility features and accommodations for testing.
The Department recommends that schools prepare a list or spreadsheet that relevant staff
can refer to, including students’ names, grades, subject area, test administrator name,
testing location, and accessibility features and accommodations (accommodation number
and a brief description).
The Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System:
Principal’s Administration Manual, Grades 3–8 Spring 2017
Tasks to Complete for the Spring Test Administration
See Appendix B for more information. For a student with a disability such as a broken
bone or fracture in his or her writing hand or arm, the development of a 504 plan must be
initiated, even if the disability is expected to be temporary.
Test administrators for students with disabilities using certain accommodations must sign
an MCAS Nondisclosure Agreement prior to reviewing secure test materials. Principals
must keep signed agreements in the school files for three years. See Appendix B for
more information about which test administrators this requirement applies to, and see
Appendix E for the MCAS Nondisclosure Agreement.
5.Verify that prohibited materials have been covered or removed from the walls of each
testing space and that additional preparations for CBT have been completed (see page 26).
6.Administer practice tests and the student tutorial (available online at
mcas.pearsonsupport.com/tutorial). See Part III, section N.3 for more information.
B. Additional Steps before Computer-Based Testing
1.
PART IV—Tasks to Complete for the Spring Test Administration
For CBT, generate a report in PearsonAccessnext that shows all the accessibility features
and accommodations assigned to students, and share the information with relevant
staff. Access the PNP report in PearsonAccessnext which provides a separate row for each
student for each subject, the accommodations assigned, the student’s session name, and
the test format (CBT or PBT). To find the report, go to Reports > Operational Reports,
check the “Students & Registrations” checkbox on the left-hand side of the screen, and
then click the “PNP Report – Accessibility Features and Accommodations for Student
Tests.” Filter by Accommodation, Organization, or Test; or, generate the entire report for all
accommodations and tests. See a sample report in Appendix E.
Verify receipt of test administration manuals.
Verify receipt of manuals immediately upon their delivery to your school. Materials will
arrive by March 20. Each grade’s manuals are shipped separately. Call the MCAS Service
Center if you do not receive materials by this date.
2.
Inventory your school’s shipment of manuals, and store them.
Using your Materials Summary, inventory your shipment of manuals upon receipt.
There is no need to use the Materials Summary to inventory manuals for return; after the
inventory, it can be stored in school files. There is no need to retain shipping cartons.
To inventory the manuals, complete the “Qty Received” column of the Materials Summary
for each grade according to the “Before Testing” directions on the form.
Designate an area to store the manuals. You may want to use the secure, locked storage
area that you will be using to store testing tickets when printed.
3.No later than March 30 at 12:00 p.m., complete the “Before Testing Confirmation”
section of the PCPA for each grade tested at your school.
To access the PCPA, the principal must go online to www.mcasservicecenter.com (the
form may NOT be completed by a designee), select MCAS from the menu, and then
select Principal’s Certification from the list of options. Follow the onscreen instructions to
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The Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System:
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PART IV—Tasks to Complete for the Spring Test Administration
Tasks to Complete for the Spring Test Administration
confirm that your school is prepared for computer-based testing. (You will not be able to
print out this part of the PCPA; you will be asked to do so after testing.)
4.
Order additional materials if necessary.
If applicable, order additional materials by March 30 at 12:00 p.m. Locate your MP Ship
Code on the Materials Summary, and have the code available when you go online to order
additional materials at www.mcasservicecenter.com. Follow the onscreen instructions to
place your order. Materials ordered online will be shipped for receipt on the following
business day if the order is received before 12:00 p.m.; orders received after 12:00 p.m. will
be shipped for receipt on the second business day.
5.Meet with the technology coordinator and ensure that the steps listed in Part III,
section E.2 have been completed.
6.Assign and update user roles for test administrators and other school personnel as
necessary.
The Department created initial accounts for principals and test coordinators for
PearsonAccessnext. Schools should be assigning user accounts for test administrators
and other school personnel as necessary. Refer to the Guide to Importing Users into
PearsonAccessnext, and the User Role Matrix for PearsonAccessnext, which are posted at
mcas.pearsonsupport.com/pearsonaccessnext/ (click on the “User Information” dropdown
menu), for more information about user roles and creating user accounts.
7.
Verify test form assignments for accommodations, and assign all students to sessions.
To assign students to a Read Aloud or Human Signer session (each of which may have a
maximum of five students), go to Testing > Sessions, check the box next to the Read Aloud
session, and then go to Select Tasks > Create/Edit Sessions > Start. Check the “Proctor
Reads Aloud” checkbox, and then select the correct Form Group Type (Human ReadAloud or Human Signer). This step is critical so that the test administrator will receive a
proctor testing ticket, and so that all the students in this group will be assigned the same
form. See Appendices A and B in the CBT TAM for more details.
Precache the operational tests by following the steps outlined in the PearsonAccessnext
User Guide (https://support.assessment.pearson.com/display/PAsup/
Understand+Proctor+Caching).
Verify form assignments (for form-supported accommodations: Text-to-Speech (TTS),
Screen Reader Edition (SR), and Assistive Technology (AT)).
•
In PearsonAccessnext, select Testing > Students in Sessions.
•
On the Students in Sessions screen, add test sessions to the Sessions List by typing
the test session name in the Add text field.
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The Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System:
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Tasks to Complete for the Spring Test Administration
Check for an accommodation indicator next to each student’s SASID as applicable, as
shown below.
Because it is critical that students start a test with the correct accommodated test form, test
administrators should also generate this report to do a last check before testing.
8.
9.
Prepare school-supplied materials for testing.
•
Print, cut, and sort student testing tickets. Once student testing tickets are printed,
they must be accounted for and tracked using internal tracking forms.
•
Steps to prepare student testing tickets can be found at: https://support.assessment.
pearson.com/display/PAsup/Retrieve+Resources+for+an+Online+Test.
Prepare Sessions in PearsonAccessnext when SR/PNP information is correct.
Steps to prepare sessions can be found at https://support.assessment.pearson.com/
display/PAsup/Manage+an+Online+Test+Session.
C. Additional Steps before Paper-Based Testing
1.Verify receipt of test materials immediately upon their delivery to your school. Materials
will arrive by March 20. Each grade’s materials are shipped separately. Call the MCAS
Service Center if you do not receive materials by this date.
2.
PART IV—Tasks to Complete for the Spring Test Administration
•
Using your Materials Summary, inventory test materials immediately upon receipt.
To inventory test materials, complete the “Qty Received” column of the Materials Summary
for each grade according to the “Before Testing” directions on the form.
Shrink-wrapped materials must remain unopened until the time specified either in this
manual or in the TAMs. Therefore, to inventory your materials, count the spines of the
booklets in each shrink-wrapped package.
The Department recommends two independent counts of test materials to verify that all
materials have been received by your school.
3.Store materials in the secure, locked storage area that you previously designated. Retain
all original shipping cartons for the return of materials following testing.
4.No later than March 30 at 12:00 p.m., complete the “Before Testing Confirmation” section
of the PCPA for each grade tested at your school, and report packing discrepancies, if
applicable.
To access the PCPA, the principal must go online to www.mcasservicecenter.com (the form
may NOT be completed by a designee), select MCAS from the menu, and then select
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The Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System:
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PART IV—Tasks to Complete for the Spring Test Administration
Tasks to Complete for the Spring Test Administration
Principal’s Certification from the list of options. Follow the onscreen instructions to certify
counts of materials received, and report discrepancies in quantities of materials. (You will
not be able to print out this part of the PCPA; you will be asked to do so after testing.)
5.
Order additional test materials or manuals if necessary.
•
Only if applicable, order additional materials, including manuals, by March 30 at
12:00 p.m.
•
Locate your MP Ship Code on the Materials Summary, and have the code available
when you go online to order additional materials at www.mcasservicecenter.com.
Follow the onscreen instructions to place your order. Materials ordered online will
be shipped for receipt on the following business day if the order is received before
12:00 p.m.; orders received after 12:00 p.m. will be shipped for receipt on the second
business day. Packing discrepancies in additional orders must be reported within two
business days of receipt of the order.
•
It is not necessary to order additional materials to administer tests to students
requiring the human read-aloud or signing to a deaf student accommodations.
There will be enough materials shipped in overage to cover these additional tests for
English Language Arts and Mathematics testing. Specially marked packages of six test
booklets are provided for Science and Technology/Engineering testing for grades 5
and 8.
6.Apply Student ID Labels to answer booklets (see page 40) if school personnel will be
applying labels before testing.
Principals may open the shrink-wrapped packages of answer booklets prior to testing for
the sole purpose of applying Student ID Labels to front covers.
The Department strongly recommends that Student ID Labels for grade 3 be applied to
test & answer booklets the day of testing, but elementary school principals may open the
shrink-wrapped packages of test & answer booklets one day prior to testing for this sole
purpose. Test & answer booklets must then be sealed in envelopes (supplied by the school)
and the inventory documented on the envelopes immediately after labels are applied.
Envelopes may not be reopened until immediately before testing. Remember that all test
security requirements (see Part I) must be followed.
7.
8.
Gather school-supplied testing materials.
•
Collect #2 pencils to provide to any students who do not bring them.
•
Approve bilingual word-to-word dictionaries and glossaries for current and former
ELL students.
Using your school’s document tracking system, organize test materials for distribution.
Each test administrator should receive extra test materials to replace possible defective
booklets. If you did not receive enough materials to distribute extra shrink-wrapped
materials to each test administrator, you may open the minimum number of packages
necessary to distribute extra materials.
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The Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System:
Principal’s Administration Manual, Grades 3–8 Spring 2017
Tasks to Complete for the Spring Test Administration
1. Manage Test Sessions in PearsonAccessnext (CBT).
The principal or technology coordinator will need to create “test sessions” in PearsonAccessnext
containing separate groupings of the students who will take a test at the same time and in the
same testing location (see Appendix E for an example of a student roster).
When creating sessions, the Department recommends that schools use a naming convention
that will help test administrators quickly and easily find the test they are administering. It
is suggested that test session names include the following: test administrator name, testing
location, grade, and subject area test. A session name can be up to 50 characters long. In
PearsonAccessnext test sessions, School Test Coordinators may need to view or edit test session
details (e.g., add, remove, or move students) and add or change the test form assigned to
students. Test sessions will also be used to generate seal codes and print student testing tickets.
Note: Read-Aloud and Human Signer test sessions must be set up separately from other
PAN test sessions. For more information on managing test sessions in PAN, see the
PearsonAccessnext User Guide: https://support.assessment.pearson.com/display/PAsup/
Manage+an+Online+Test+Session.
Troubleshooting Steps (CBT)
Technology coordinators and their staff should be on hand to address any technology issues.
Provide them with the following information so that they can assist if needed.
If a student exits TestNav (either unintentionally or intentionally) before completing a test:
•
Verify that TestNav is shut down for the student.
•
Resume the student’s test in PAN.
oo
If the student exited due to an issue with network connectivity, the student’s
test will need to be put in Resume Upload status. When the student logs in,
locate the Saved Response File (SRF) and the system will upload any test
responses that the student entered after the interruption if resuming on the
same testing device. More information on locating SRFs can be found in the
TestNav User Guide: https://support.assessment.pearson.com/display/TN/
Find+SRF+and+Log+Files.
oo
Have the student log back into TestNav using the login information on the
student testing ticket.
oo
The student’s test will resume from the point at which the test was interrupted.
PART IV—Tasks to Complete for the Spring Test Administration
D. Coordinate Test Administration
Error codes for TestNav and guidance for resolving computer-based testing issues can be
found in the TestNav8 User Guide at
https://support.assessment.pearson.com/display/TN/Error+Codes.
Technology coordinators should contact the MCAS Service Center immediately if there is
an issue that cannot be resolved. It is acceptable to contact the Service Center using a cell
phone, but it is not permissible to photograph students’ testing devices (e.g., to show an
error message). Be prepared to provide logs from the testing devices if the Service Center
requests them.
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The Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System:
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PART IV—Tasks to Complete for the Spring Test Administration
Tasks to Complete for the Spring Test Administration
2.
Using your document tracking system, distribute materials.
Immediately before test administration, distribute the necessary materials for that day
to each test administrator, including student testing tickets for CBT. Be sure that test
administrators and the test coordinator independently count materials before signing the
internal tracking form. See the TAMs for the specific list of materials necessary for each test.
3.Distribute lists of SASIDs to test administrators if they will be entering SASIDs on
answer booklets.
4.
5.
Monitor your school’s test administration.
•
Enforce test security requirements.
•
For CBT, monitor test sessions in PearsonAccessnext.
•
Have #2 pencils available for students who do not bring them.
•
Have printed copies of authorized bilingual word-to-word dictionaries and glossaries
available for current and former ELL students.
•
For English Language Arts and Mathematics, have scratch paper available to
distribute.
•
Ensure that your school’s document tracking system is used each time test materials
are moved.
•
Collect lists of students who were not tested and schedule them for make-up testing.
Securely store test materials between sessions and after each day of testing.
Use your document tracking system to verify that all materials are secure between sessions
and are returned to you each day after testing. Account for materials at the end of each test
session.
For CBT, at the end of each session test administrators should check that students have
submitted their responses and logged out of TestNav.
Test administrators should erase seal codes from the board and collect student testing
tickets.
The Department recommends locking each session for additional security, following the
instructions in the PearsonAccessnext User Guide
(https://support.assessment.pearson.com/display/PAsup/Unlock+or+Lock+a+Test).
6.
After testing is completed, verify that test materials have been returned to you.
•
The Department recommends two independent counts of secure materials to verify
that all materials have been returned to you. Be sure to account for student testing
tickets for CBT, and for used scratch paper for ELA and Mathematics.
•
Use your document tracking system to verify that test administrators have returned
all secure materials to you. Schools doing paper-based testing must be able to account
for and return all secure materials that were shipped to them.
•
If necessary, investigate any discrepancies in the number of materials that were
distributed to test administrators and the number returned to you. PBT schools that
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The Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System:
Principal’s Administration Manual, Grades 3–8 Spring 2017
Tasks to Complete for the Spring Test Administration
•
For PBT, if any answer booklets have become damaged or defective during testing,
make sure that the “void answer booklet” circle is filled in on the outside back cover
of each affected booklet, and that VOID is written in large letters across the front
cover. If a student completed any work in an answer booklet that was later deemed
void, his or her work must be transcribed verbatim into a replacement answer
booklet.
•
For PBT, if any test materials have become contaminated, call the MCAS Service
Center for instructions.
7.Maintain and, if necessary, update the record of test administrators and their students
for each session, including make-up and test completion sessions.
PART IV—Tasks to Complete for the Spring Test Administration
do not return materials according to instructions will be subject to the sanctions
described in Part I.
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The Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System:
Principal’s Administration Manual, Grades 3–8 Spring 2017
Part V
Tasks to Complete After Testing
Tasks to Complete After Testing
A. Next Steps after Computer-Based Testing
1.Go online by May 4 for ELA and May 30 for Mathematics and STE to complete the PCPA
for each grade tested at your school.
To access the PCPA, the principal must go online to www.mcasservicecenter.com (the form
may NOT be completed by a designee), select MCAS from the menu, and then select
Principal’s Certification from the list of options.
PART V—Tasks to Complete After Testing
CBT schools should disregard sections 3 and 4, and scroll to certify that your school
followed test security requirements. Provide your “signature” (exactly as the name
appears in the Department’s School/District Profiles [profiles.doe.mass.edu]). If you are
signing as an interim principal or co-principal, please indicate this by writing “interim” or
“co-principal” after your name in the signature box.
Print the confirmation and save it for your records.
2.
3.
Retain the following materials in your school files for three years:
•
agendas, sign-in sheets, and any other relevant documentation from the Test
Administrators’ Training and the training session for other authorized school
personnel to demonstrate that they have been trained and received TAMs and test
security requirements
•
Materials Summary(ies)
•
printout(s) of PCPA confirmation(s)
•
Test Materials Internal Tracking Forms
•
completed Student Responsibilities during MCAS Testing forms, if applicable, for
grades 6–8
•
documentation for absences due to medical reasons, if applicable
•
documentation for students who were removed from or added to the school’s
enrollment during the testing window
•
approved Request for Permission to Test a Student in an Alternate Setting forms, if
applicable
•
record of test administrators and their students for each session, including make-up
and test completion sessions
•
completed MCAS Nondisclosure Agreements from test administrators for students
with disabilities using certain accommodations
•
completed Student Accommodation Refusal forms, if applicable
•
accommodations lists/spreadsheets, if applicable
Recycle or discard the following materials:
•
Test Administrator’s Manuals
•
Mathematics reference sheets, if printed
•
cartons that were used to ship manuals to your school
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The Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System:
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Tasks to Complete After Testing
4.Securely destroy (e.g., by shredding) scratch paper used by students during ELA and
Mathematics testing, student testing tickets, and proctor testing tickets. Indicate on the
internal tracking form that this step has been completed.
5.Ask the district SIMS contact to include in the next SIMS submission any students for
whom a 504 plan was developed because of a temporary disability, such as a broken arm.
6.
Complete Cleanup Tasks in PearsonAccessnext.
a.
b.
You can do this by going to Setup > Students, and checking the box next to the
student’s SASID. Then, go to Select Tasks > Manage Student Tests > Start.
Check the Not Tested Code or Void Test Score Code box and select the Not Tested or
Void Test Score reason from the appropriate drop down menu; click Save. To confirm
a student’s test has been marked Void, scroll to the top to view the student’s name,
and you will see “DNR” next to the student’s name.
d.
PART V—Tasks to Complete After Testing
c.
If students were removed from your enrollment before testing, remove them from
the sessions. Follow instructions posted at https://support.assessment.pearson.com/
display/PAsup/Remove+Students+from+Online+Test+Sessions.
Make sure all student tests are either in Complete or Marked Complete status
(e.g., if students did not complete testing and have a status of Exited, Resumed, or
Resumed Upload). Follow the guidance at https://support.assessment.pearson.com/
display/PAsup/Mark+Student+Tests+Complete.
Indicate “Not Tested” reasons for students who had a medically documented
absence or who were unable to complete testing due to a technology failure.
Also, indicate “Void Test Score” reasons for students who started the test with the
wrong accommodation(s) before they were assigned a new test with the correct
accommodations, students with a technical failure who did not complete testing, or
other unspecified reason.
Stop Test Sessions
Sessions where students did not complete testing are indicated in PearsonAccessnext
as “In Progress” and will need to be “stopped” (this may be a needed step if students
were moved to a different session for make-up testing but were not removed from the
initial session).
First, check the box next to each session that is still listed as “In Progress.” Go to
Testing > Students in Sessions (this will automatically pull all those sessions to that
screen). Then, click on the “Session Status” column to sort alphabetically to find “In
Progress” (alternatively, you may use the filter on the left-hand side of the “Sessions”
screen to filter by student status), as shown on the next page:
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The Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System:
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PART V—Tasks to Complete After Testing
Tasks to Complete After Testing
After identifying the sessions that are still “In Progress,” students in these sessions
must be marked complete (see instructions in the step above).
Once all students are in “Complete” or “Marked Complete” statuses, then all sessions
are ready be stopped. Sessions can be stopped by clicking “Stop All Sessions” as
shown below.
e.
Update student data in PearsonAccessnext for:
• students added to or removed from your school’s enrollment
•
accommodations that were wrong in the initial SR/PNP or have been added to or
removed from student’s IEP/504 plan
•
accommodations that a student refused during testing
Also, ask the district SIMS contact to include in the next SIMS submission whether
students were added to or removed from your school’s enrollment (provide them
with students’ names and SASIDs).
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The Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System:
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Tasks to Complete After Testing
f.
Instructions for updating student data in PearsonAccessnext
Follow the steps below to update student data in PearsonAccessnext.
•
View the top of the screen to confirm that you are in the correct Administration.
•
Go to Setup and select Students.
•
Locate the students whose data needs to be updated and check the box next to
their SASIDs.
•
Go to Select Tasks, check Create/Edit Students, and Registration (it will autocheck all registration tasks) and click Start.
•
Make the appropriate changes in these tasks and click Update when changes are
made. Then, Exit Tasks when done.
B. Next Steps after Paper-Based Testing
Schools are encouraged to return materials as soon as testing is completed for each grade using
return option 1 or 2 as described below. Regardless of the option that is used, schools must
schedule a UPS pickup.
If all students are tested in time to schedule an early pickup, schools are encouraged to use
return option 1 (a complete early shipment).
If make-up testing is needed, schools are encouraged to use return option 2 (a partial early
shipment) by returning a shipment of used standard answer booklets8 on the early pickup
deadline, retaining all other testing materials for make-up testing, and scheduling a pickup for
these remaining materials as soon as testing is completed.
PART V—Tasks to Complete After Testing
Alternately, changes can also be made by exporting a Student Registration File,
updating the SR/PNP, and then re-importing the SR/PNP file. More information can
be found in the Guide to the Student Registration/Personal Needs Profile Process posted
at: http://mcas.pearsonsupport.com/resources/technology-resources/Guide_to_
Importing_the_SRPNP_Grades3-8.pdf.
8
Used answer booklets are those that have been assigned to a student (front cover completed and/or Student ID
Label affixed) or used by a student during testing. A standard booklet is one that is not large-print or Braille.
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The Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System:
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Tasks to Complete After Testing
The following table shows the options for return and the corresponding instructions that should
be followed.
Recommended
PART V—Tasks to Complete After Testing
Recommended
Options for Returning Spring 2017 MCAS Test Materials
Option 1: A complete
early shipment
Use this option if all
testing is completed
by the deadline for
scheduling an early
pickup.
Early pickup
of all scorable
and nonscorable
materials
Option 2: A partial
early shipment
Use this option if
make-up testing is
needed after the
deadline for scheduling
an early pickup.
•ELA
•ELA
Early pickup of
April 27 at 3:00 p.m. April 28
used standard
answer booklets for •Math and STE
•Math and STE
students who have
May 23 at 3:00 p.m.
May 24
completed testing
by the deadline
•ELA
•ELA
May 4 at 3:00 p.m.
May 5
AND
•ELA
•ELA
April 27 at 3:00 p.m. April 28
•Math and STE
May 23 at 3:00 p.m.
•Math and STE
May 24
•grades 3–8 Math
Pickup of all
and STE
remaining scorable
May 30 at 3:00 p.m.
and nonscorable
materials as soon as
all testing has been
completed
•grades 3–8
Math and STE
May 31
•ELA
Pickup of all
May 4 at 3:00 p.m.
scorable and
nonscorable
•Math and STE
materials as soon as May 30 at 3:00 p.m.
all testing has been
completed
•ELA
May 5
•Math and STE
May 31
Instructions
Follow
instructions
in section A
Follow
instructions
in section B
Follow
instructions
in section C
and
following
Option 1: Complete Early Shipment
a.
b.
Follow the instructions in sections 3–5 to prepare and pack all test materials
(scorable and nonscorable) for return.
Follow the instructions in section 6 to schedule and confirm UPS pickup of test
materials as follows:
• ELA: Schedule pickup by April 27; pickup on April 28
•
c.
2.
Deadline for
Pickup
Description
Option 3: A regular
shipment
1.
Deadline to
Schedule Pickup
Return Option
Mathematics and STE: Schedule pickup by May 23; pickup on May 24
Follow the instructions in section 7.
Option 2: A Partial Early Shipment
a.
b.
Follow steps a–f in section 3.
Record on the “Qty Returned” column of the Materials Summary the number of
used standard answer booklets you are returning in your early shipment.
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Tasks to Complete After Testing
c.
Pack used answer booklets for return.
• Place used standard answer booklets in the Return Envelope marked with the
corresponding grade.
•
Locate the prelabeled, folded Return Cartons you received in your school’s
shipment of test materials. The labels on the Return Cartons are color-coded
by grade. It is important that you pack the appropriate grade’s materials in its
labeled carton.
•
Seal the Return Envelopes and pack them in the Return Cartons.
•
Fill any empty spaces at the top of the carton with crumpled paper to keep items
from shifting during shipping. Do not use plastic peanuts or shredded paper.
•
Seal each packed carton using heavy-duty packing tape.
Record the UPS tracking numbers from the labels already affixed to the scorable
cartons you are returning, and retain this list in your school files.
You will need the tracking numbers when scheduling pickups. Each tracking number
is located in the center of the UPS Return Service (RS) label and begins with “1Z 0W8.”
A sample RS label is provided in Appendix E.
e.
Retain all remaining materials for make-up testing and later return, including the
following:
• Materials Summary
•
all test booklets
•
unused answer booklets
•
all other materials listed on page 65 in section 5
Remember that all test booklets (including Braille test booklets and large-print
test booklets), Braille Administrator’s Copies, and answer booklets are secure
materials and must be retained in locked storage.
f.
Follow the instructions in section 6 to schedule UPS pickup of scorable test
materials as follows:
• ELA: Schedule pickup by April 27; pickup on April 28
•
g.
h.
PART V—Tasks to Complete After Testing
d.
Mathematics and STE: Schedule pickup by May 23; pickup on May 24
After make-up testing has been completed, follow steps c–k in section 3 to prepare
your second return shipment. Make sure to add your counts from your early
return of materials to your counts from your second return of materials when you
complete the Materials Summary and the PCPA.
Follow the instructions in sections 4–6 to pack and schedule pickup of all remaining
scorable and nonscorable materials.
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Tasks to Complete After Testing
3.
Option 3: A Regular Shipment
a.
Make sure that you have a used standard answer booklet9 assigned to the following
students:
• students who participated in one or more test sessions
•
PART V—Tasks to Complete After Testing
b.
c.
students who were absent with medical documentation (documentation on file at
the school) for one or more test sessions and did not make up the session(s) (See
Appendix D for instructions.)
Do NOT submit a used answer booklet assigned to the following students:
• students who were absent without medical documentation for all the test
sessions in that answer booklet (See Appendix D for instructions.)
•
students who transferred into or out of your school during the testing window
and who did not participate in any test sessions in that answer booklet
•
students who participated in the MCAS-Alt for every subject in that answer
booklet (Note: An MCAS-Alt SIB must instead be submitted for each student
who participates in the MCAS-Alt.)
•
students in a DYS facility or 45-day placement who were removed from your school’s
enrollment and did not participate in any test sessions in that answer booklet
•
for ELA only: answer booklets for first-year ELL students who did not
participate, since their participation in ELA testing is optional (Note: First-year
ELL status is reported in SIMS instead of the answer booklet.)
If applicable, verify that responses are transcribed completely and accurately into
standard answer booklets for the following:
• students who had void answer booklets
•
students who took the Braille edition of the test (accommodation A3.2) who are
not submitting typed responses
•
students who used large-print answer booklets (accommodation A2)
•
students in grade 4 or above who recorded their answers directly in their test
booklets (accommodation A11)
•
students who wrote part of their response to a test question in their answer
booklet and typed part of their response to the same test question (For
accommodation A12, a student’s response to any single question must be
submitted only one way, i.e., all typed or all written.)
Follow instructions in Appendix B for proper transcription.
All answers must be transcribed verbatim into the student’s standard answer booklet
in order for the student to receive credit for his or her work.
d.
If applicable, verify that each typed response from a student with a disability
using accommodation A12 has been inserted inside the front cover of the student’s
answer booklet.
All answers must be submitted appropriately in order for the student to receive credit
for his or her work (see Appendix C for instructions).
9
62
Used answer booklets are those that have been assigned to a student (front cover completed and/or Student ID
Label affixed) or used by a student during testing. A standard booklet is one that is not large-print or Braille.
The Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System:
Principal’s Administration Manual, Grades 3–8 Spring 2017
Tasks to Complete After Testing
e. Complete student information on answer booklets (see Appendix D for instructions
and Appendix E for sample covers).
• Verify that SASIDs and dates of birth have been entered correctly on answer
booklets for all students who do not have Student ID Labels.
•
f.
Complete confidential student information on the inside and outside back covers
of answer booklets.
Count the number of used standard answer booklets you are returning, separately
for each grade.
In your counts, make sure to include the following answer booklets:
•
standard answer booklets containing typed responses (See Appendix C.)
•
standard answer booklets in which responses have been transcribed (See step d.)
g.
h.
Separately for each grade, count the following materials you are returning:
• void answer booklets
•
unused answer booklets
•
test booklets
Using your counts from steps f and g, complete the “Qty Returned” column of the
Materials Summary for each grade.
Record on the Materials Summary the quantities of test booklets and answer booklets
being returned for each grade according to the “After Testing” instructions on the
form (there is no need to record quantities of other materials being returned). All test
booklets, including Braille test booklets and large-print test booklets, are secure
materials and must be returned. Make a copy of the completed form(s) for your
records.
PART V—Tasks to Complete After Testing
As you count, arrange the answer booklets so that the student name grids on the
front covers are facing up (the booklets do not need to be alphabetized). Ensure that
used answer booklets are free of extra materials, including rubber bands, paper clips,
binder clips, staples, tape, and extraneous paper.
You will need to use the information from your completed Materials Summary when
you go online to complete the PCPA.
i.
Go online by May 4 for ELA and May 30 for Mathematics and STE to complete
sections 3 and 4 of the PCPA for each grade tested at your school.
To access the PCPA, the principal must go online to www.mcasservicecenter.com (the
form may NOT be completed by a designee), select MCAS from the menu, and then
select Principal’s Certification from the list of options.
Follow the onscreen instructions to provide information regarding the number
of materials being returned and to certify that your school followed test security
requirements. Then provide your “signature” (exactly as the name appears in the
Department’s School/District Profiles [profiles.doe.mass.edu]). If you are signing
as an interim principal or co-principal, please indicate this by writing “interim” or
“co-principal” after your name in the signature box.
Print the confirmation and save it for your records.
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The Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System:
Principal’s Administration Manual, Grades 3–8 Spring 2017
Tasks to Complete After Testing
j.
Place special materials in the appropriate envelopes.
• Place the materials listed below in the Special Handling Envelope for each grade.
•
k.
PART V—Tasks to Complete After Testing
4.
oo
used large-print answer booklets (folded in half) with corresponding
transcribed standard answer booklets
oo
standard answer booklets containing typed responses
Place void answer booklets in the Void Envelope for each grade. Void booklets
will not be scored.
Place remaining used standard answer booklets in the Return Envelope marked
with the corresponding grade.
Pack the Scorable Test Materials
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
f.
g.
Make sure that all the envelopes being used (Special Handling, Void, and Return)
are sealed.
Locate the prelabeled, folded Return Cartons you received in your school’s
shipment of test materials. The labels on the Return Cartons are color-coded by
grade. It is important that you pack materials in the correct carton.
Using the diagram on the following page as a guide, pack each grade’s scorable
materials in the Return Carton(s) for that grade in the following order:
• Return Envelope(s) (on the bottom)
•
Special Handling Envelope(s)
•
Void Envelope(s) (on the top)
Repeat step c for each grade tested at your school, making sure to pack materials in
the Return Carton(s) specified for that grade.
Fill any empty spaces at the tops of the cartons with crumpled paper to keep items
from shifting during shipping. Do not use plastic peanuts or shredded paper.
Before sealing your cartons, verify that all scorable materials have been packed in
the cartons.
Use heavy-duty packing
tape to seal carton seams
using the H-taping method
(see diagram).
H-taping method
h.
Record the UPS tracking numbers from the labels already affixed to the scorable
cartons you are returning, and retain this list in your school files.
You will need the tracking numbers when scheduling your pickups. Each tracking
number is located in the center of the RS label and begins with “1Z 0W8.” A sample
RS label is provided in Appendix E.
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The Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System:
Principal’s Administration Manual, Grades 3–8 Spring 2017
Tasks to Complete After Testing
Packing Diagram for SCORABLE Materials Return Shipment
Each grade’s materials must be returned in separate grade-specific cartons.
Packing Diagram for Grade 3
Void Envelope containing
void test & answer booklets
Void Envelope containing
void answer booklets
Special Handling Envelope(s) containing
large-print test & answer booklets
(with corresponding transcribed standard
test & answer booklets) and standard
test & answer booklets with typed responses
Special Handling Envelope(s) containing
large-print answer booklets
(with corresponding transcribed standard
answer booklets) and standard answer
booklets with typed responses
Return Envelope(s) containing
scorable test & answer booklets
Return Envelope(s) containing
scorable answer booklets
Pack the Nonscorable Test Materials
a.
b.
c.
Locate the original shipping carton(s) in which you received your test materials.
Using the diagram on the following page and the list below, pack the nonscorable
test materials. Start by packing the materials for the highest grade on the bottom of
the first carton, and continue by packing materials sequentially for each lower grade.
You may pack multiple grades in a carton. For example, pack all materials listed
below for grade 8, followed by all materials for grade 7, followed by all materials for
grade 6, and so on. Pack the Materials Summary(ies) for all grades together on the top
of the last carton (for a list of materials specific to grade 3, see the packing diagram).
• unused answer booklets for the highest grade tested at your school (on the
bottom of the first carton)
•
used, unused, and void standard test booklets
•
used, unused, and void large-print test booklets, if any
•
used and unused Braille test booklets and Braille Administrator’s Copies, if any
•
accommodation materials, if any (e.g., Kurzweil 3000 CDs for grades 5 and 8 STE,
graphic organizers [including any of the pre-approved graphic organizers posted
on the Department’s website], templates, checklists, Mathematics or STE reference
sheets, typed response drafts)
•
unused Student ID Labels, if any
•
unused Return, Special Handling, and Void Envelopes
•
unused UPS labels (Note: Make sure to save a label for each carton of
nonscorable materials you are returning.)
•
unused scorable Return Cartons
•
unused large-print answer booklets, if any
•
completed Materials Summary(ies) for all grades (at the top of the last carton)
PART V—Tasks to Complete After Testing
5.
Packing Diagram for Each Grade,
Grades 4 and Above
Fill empty spaces at the tops of the cartons with crumpled paper to keep items from
shifting during shipping.
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The Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System:
Principal’s Administration Manual, Grades 3–8 Spring 2017
Tasks to Complete After Testing
d.
e.
Seal carton seams using the H-taping method shown on the previous page.
Affix one UPS RS label with Measured Progress listed in the “Ship to” section to
the top of each carton.
You may either remove the existing label from the carton or place the new label over
it. UPS RS labels were included in your shipment of test materials (see Appendix E for
a sample label).
If you need more labels, call the MCAS Service Center. UPS RS labels may not be
photocopied.
f.
Record the UPS tracking numbers from the labels on the nonscorable cartons you
are returning, and retain the list for your school files.
PART V—Tasks to Complete After Testing
Packing Diagram for NONSCORABLE Materials Return Shipment
Nonscorable materials for multiple grades may be packed in the same carton.
Packing Diagram for Grade 3
Completed Materials Summary10
Unused
large-print test & answer booklets
Unused scorable Return Cartons
Unused UPS labels
Unused Return, Special Handling,
and Void Envelopes
Unused Student ID Labels
Accommodation materials
Used and unused Braille test & answer
booklets and Braille Administrator’s Copies
Unused standard
test & answer booklets
Packing Diagram for Each Grade,
Grades 4 and Above
Completed Materials Summary(ies)
for all grades
Unused
large-print answer booklets
Unused scorable Return Cartons
Unused UPS labels
Unused Return, Special Handling,
and Void Envelopes
Unused Student ID Labels
Accommodation materials
Used and unused Braille test booklets
and Braille Administrator’s Copies
Used, unused, and void
large-print test booklets
Used, unused, and void
standard test booklets
Unused answer booklets
10
10
If grade 3 materials are returned with other grades in the same shipment, pack the grade 3 Materials Summary with
the Materials Summary(ies) for the other grades in the shipment, as shown in the diagram for grades 4 and above.
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The Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System:
Principal’s Administration Manual, Grades 3–8 Spring 2017
Tasks to Complete After Testing
6.
Schedule and Confirm UPS Pickup of All Test Materials
a.
Schedule your school’s UPS pickup appointment. Schedule your UPS pickup by
May 4 for ELA and by May 30 for Mathematics and STE.
• Do not take test materials to UPS yourself or otherwise remove materials from
your school.
Do not schedule a separate pickup for each carton.
•
Complete the PCPA for each grade before scheduling your school’s UPS pickup.
To request a pickup, first locate a UPS tracking number on one of the RS labels
you are using, and have that number available when you go online to
www.mcasservicecenter.com. Select MCAS from the menu, and then select UPS
Pickup Request from the list of options. Follow the onscreen instructions to
complete your request.
Requests for pickup on the following business day must be placed by 3:00 p.m.
Requests for same-day pickup cannot be fulfilled. Requests made two or more days in
advance also cannot be fulfilled.
If you have regularly scheduled UPS service, you may give your cartons to the UPS
driver during normal pickup. If you do, call the MCAS Service Center at 800-737-5103
or email [email protected] to report that the pickup has been made.
Do not leave secure MCAS materials unattended while awaiting UPS pickup. The
principal is responsible for ensuring that test materials are kept in locked storage
until they are given directly to the UPS driver.
b.
Confirm that all scorable and nonscorable test materials are picked up by UPS.
Regardless of the shipment option you choose, all test materials must be returned by
Friday, May 5 for ELA, and Wednesday, May 31 for Mathematics and STE.
Call the MCAS Service Center immediately at 800-737-5103 if your cartons are not
picked up as scheduled. You may also want to use your UPS tracking numbers to
confirm delivery of your return shipment to Measured Progress by calling the MCAS
Service Center.
7.
PART V—Tasks to Complete After Testing
•
Next Steps
a.
Retain the following materials in your school files for three years:
• agendas, sign-in sheets, and any other relevant documentation from the Test
Administrators’ Training and the training session for other authorized school
personnel to demonstrate that they have been trained and received TAMs and
test security requirements
•
packing slips from your school’s shipment
•
photocopies of Materials Summaries
•
printout(s) of PCPA confirmation(s)
•
Test Materials Internal Tracking Forms
•
completed Student Responsibilities during MCAS Testing forms, if applicable,
for grades 6–8
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The Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System:
Principal’s Administration Manual, Grades 3–8 Spring 2017
PART V—Tasks to Complete After Testing
Tasks to Complete After Testing
b.
c.
d.
e.
f.
•
documentation for absences due to medical reasons, if applicable
•
documentation for students who were removed from or added to the school’s
enrollment during the testing window
•
UPS tracking numbers used
•
printout of UPS pickup request
•
approved Request for Permission to Test a Student in an Alternate Setting forms,
if applicable
•
record of test administrators and their students for each session, including
make-up and test completion sessions
•
completed MCAS Nondisclosure Agreements from test administrators for
students with disabilities using certain accommodations
•
completed Student Accommodation Refusal forms, if applicable
•
accommodations lists/spreadsheets, if applicable
Recycle or discard the following materials:
• Test Administrator's Manuals
•
practice tests
•
unused nonscorable return cartons
•
blank cards or cutouts used by students who had Universal Accessibility
feature UF5
•
blank place markers used by students who had Universal Accessibility feature UF7
Securely destroy (e.g., by shredding) scratch paper used by students during ELA
and Mathematics testing. Indicate on the internal tracking form that this step has
been completed.
Ask the district SIMS contact to include in the next SIMS submission any students
for whom a 504 plan was developed because of a temporary disability, such as a
broken arm.
You may keep MCAS rulers for future classroom use; these materials may not be
used for future MCAS testing.
Update student data in PearsonAccessnext for:
• students added to or removed from your school’s enrollment
•
accommodations that were wrong in the initial SR/PNP or have been added to or
removed from student’s IEP/504 plan
•
accommodations that a student refused during testing
Also, ask the district SIMS contact to include in the next SIMS submission whether
students were added to or removed from your school’s enrollment (provide them
with students’ names and SASIDs).
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The Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System:
Principal’s Administration Manual, Grades 3–8 Spring 2017
Tasks to Complete After Testing
g.
Instructions for updating student data in PearsonAccessnext
Follow the steps below to update student data in PearsonAccessnext.
•
View the top of the screen to confirm that you are in the correct Administration.
•
Go to Setup and select Students.
•
Locate the students whose data needs to be updated and check the box next to
their SASIDs.
•
Go to Select Tasks, check Create/Edit Students, and Registration (it will autocheck all registration tasks) and click Start.
•
Make the appropriate changes in these tasks and click Update when changes are
made. Then, Exit Tasks when done.
PART V—Tasks to Complete After Testing
Alternately, changes can also be made by exporting a Student Registration File,
updating the SR/PNP, and then re-importing the SR/PNP file. More information can
be found in the Guide to the Student Registration/Personal Needs Profile Process posted
at: http://mcas.pearsonsupport.com/resources/technology-resources/Guide_to_
Importing_the_SRPNP_Grades3-8.pdf.
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The Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System:
Principal’s Administration Manual, Grades 3–8 Spring 2017
Appendix A
Procedures for Testing English Language
Learner Students
Appendix A—Procedures for Testing ELL Students
State and federal laws require that ELL students participate in statewide assessments.
Massachusetts students will meet this requirement by participating in both the MCAS and
ACCESS for ELLs tests.
A. Definition of an ELL Student
An ELL student is defined by the Department as “a student whose first language is a language
other than English and who is unable to perform ordinary classroom work in English.” The
terms “ELL” and “LEP” are used interchangeably.
When a student has been evaluated by the school district and meets the above criteria, he or
she is considered an English language learner regardless of whether the student’s parent or
guardian “opts out” of a program of language support or services.
B. Identification and Reporting of ELL Students
Districts are required to have a procedure in place to evaluate the English proficiency of all
students whose home language is not English to determine whether they are ELLs. Students
must be evaluated in the areas of reading, writing, listening, and speaking (603 CMR 14.02).
APPENDIX A— Procedures for Testing ELL Students
In addition, districts must have a procedure in place for determining when a student is no
longer an ELL.
Questions regarding the identification screening, placement, and reclassification of ELL
students should be directed to the Office of English Language Acquisition and Academic
Achievement at 781-338-3584 or via email at [email protected].
The Department uses data submitted by districts in SIMS as the source for student information
when reporting results for assessment and accountability purposes. Because of this, districts
must report a student’s ELL (LEP) status in SIMS in October, March, and June and remove the
designation when the student is no longer identified as an ELL. The status in SIMS for ELL
students is LEP (limited English proficient).
Questions regarding SIMS should be directed to the district’s SIMS contact (see page ii for
instructions for finding your district’s contact).
C. Accommodations for ELL Students
ELL students are eligible for a select group of accommodations listed in the table on the
following page. Decisions about accommodations for ELL students should be made by an
informal group of educators familiar with the student; the group will identify the appropriate
features and accommodations for each ELL student. The decisions of the informal decisionmaking team should be documented as described in the Accessibility and Accommodations Manual
for the Spring 2017 MCAS Grades 3–8 Tests.
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The Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System:
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Appendix A—Procedures for Testing ELL Students
In addition to universal features and designated features available to all students, the following
accommodations are available to ELLs, either with or without disabilities, on MCAS tests.
#
EL1
Accommodations for ELL Students
Paper-based edition of the grades 3−8 ELA or Mathematics test may be
administered to an ELL student with a low level of English proficiency (i.e., either
a newcomer, or student who has scored Levels 1 or 2 on ACCESS for ELLs), if the
student is unfamiliar with or unable to use a computer. (This accommodation is
intended for a small number of ELL students).
(Note: Science and Technology/Engineering tests will be administered in paperbased format only in spring 2017)
EL2
Authorized Bilingual Word-to-Word Dictionary and Glossary (English/Native
language)
(Note: this accommodation is also available to former ELLs)
Text-to-speech (TTS) (EL2.1) for Mathematics tests only; or Human read-aloud
(EL2.2) for Mathematics and/or Science and Technology/Engineering tests
If administering the paper-based test with a human reader, the test
must be read word-for-word in English, exactly as written. The test
administrator may not provide assistance to the student regarding the
translation or meaning of words. The test administrator should read with
emphasis only when indicated by bold or italicized text.
•
If a human reader is used, the test must be administered in a separate
setting either individually or to a group of 2–5 students all of whom are
receiving the human reader accommodation.
•
If the TTS-enabled English-only edition of the computer-based test is read
aloud to a student using headphones, students may be tested in a typicalsize group. If not using headphones, then student must be tested in a
separate setting.
•
only paper-based STE tests are offered in 2017; TTS not available
and
EL3.2
Note: Reading aloud selected words on the Mathematics and/or Science and
Technology/Engineering tests is a universal accessibility feature (UF10). See page 23.
Scribe for the Mathematics or STE tests, using either
EL4.1
and
EL4.2
•
a human scribe that records student’s responses verbatim at the time of
testing (EL3.1); or
•
a student dictating responses using speech-to-text or other external
communication device, with subsequent transcription by an adult, either
onscreen or in the student’s answer booklet
EL5
Read aloud/repeat/clarify general administration directions in English
EL6
Read aloud/repeat/clarify general administration directions in student’s native
language (if a native language speaker is available)
APPENDIX A— Procedures for Testing ELL Students
EL3.1
•
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The Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System:
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Appendix A—Procedures for Testing ELL Students
D. Participation Requirements
MCAS Participation Requirements
ELL students must participate in all MCAS tests scheduled for their grades regardless of the
language program and services they are receiving or the amount of time they have been in the
United States. The one exception applies to first-year ELL students who enrolled in U.S. schools
after March 1, 2016, and who did not appear in the March 2016 SIMS report. Schools have the
option to administer ELA tests to first-year ELL students, provided they have also participated
in ACCESS for ELLs testing. First-year ELL students must participate in MCAS Mathematics
and STE tests although results will be reported only for diagnostic purposes, and will not be
included in school and district summary results, or in state and federal accountability reporting.
ELL Participation Requirements for Spring 2017 MCAS Tests
Subject Area of Test
ELA
Mathematics
STE
First-Year ELL Students
**
Optional
Required
Required
All Other Students
Required
Required
Required
*
* Results for first-year ELL students are not included in MCAS school and district summary results.
**Optional, provided that the student has participated in ACCESS for ELLs testing.
APPENDIX A— Procedures for Testing ELL Students
MCAS Test Administration Guidelines
If an ELL student does not seem to be responding to test questions after an appropriate period
of time (e.g., 15–20 minutes), the test administrator may ask if the student is finished. If so,
collect the test materials. The student may sit quietly or read a book until the test session ends.
Foreign Exchange Students
Foreign exchange students who are coded as #11 under “Reason for Enrollment” in SIMS are
required to participate in MCAS tests.
ACCESS for ELLs
All ELL students are required to participate in ACCESS for ELLs testing to comply with federal
and state laws. For more information, refer to the Department’s website at
www.doe.mass.edu/mcas/access.
E. MCAS Participation Requirements for ELL Students with Disabilities
ELL students with disabilities must participate in MCAS by taking either
•
the MCAS test(s) with or without accommodations
•
the MCAS Alternate Assessment (MCAS-Alt) in the content areas required for the
assessment of other students in that grade.
OR
The ELL student’s IEP or 504 plan must indicate how the student will participate in MCAS
testing. Additional information is available in the Requirements for the Participation of Students
with Disabilities in MCAS (2016–2017 Update), which is posted on the Department’s website at
http://www.doe.mass.edu/mcas/accessibility/g3-8-manual.pdf.
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Appendix A—Procedures for Testing ELL Students
F. Use of Bilingual Word-to-Word Dictionaries and Glossaries by ELL
Students on MCAS Tests
ELL students, including those who have been identified as LEP in the past, but are no longer
reported as LEP, may use an authorized bilingual word-to-word dictionary or glossary on the
following MCAS tests:
•
ELA—authorized word-to-word dictionary (if available)
•
Mathematics—authorized word-to-word dictionary and glossary (if available)
•
STE—authorized word-to-word dictionary and glossary (if available)
Bilingual dictionary use for MCAS tests is strictly limited to those that provide word-to-word
translations. Dictionaries that include definitions, synonyms, antonyms, phrases, and other
information are prohibited. Electronic dictionaries are also not allowed.
A list of authorized bilingual dictionaries and glossaries is available on the Department’s
website at http://www.doe.mass.edu/mcas/testadmin/lep-bilingual-dictionary.docx.
To discuss the approval of a word-to-word dictionary not included in the list, please call
781-338-3625.
G. Reporting Results for ELL Students
MCAS
State and Federal Accountability Reporting for First-Year ELL Students
How Results Are Reported for MCAS Tests
ELA
(Testing optional)
Mathematics
(Testing required)
STE
(Testing required)
Student-Level
MCAS Results
Student item analysis
roster report (if tested)
Student item analysis
roster report
Student item analysis
roster report
Participation
for
Accountability
Counted as participating
whether tested or
not, provided that the
student participated
in ACCESS for ELLs
Counted as participating
if tested
Counted as participating
if tested
Achievement and
Growth
for
Accountability
Not included in
state and federal
accountability
calculations
Not included in
state and federal
accountability
calculations
Not included in
state and federal
accountability
calculations
APPENDIX A— Procedures for Testing ELL Students
Results for ELL students are reported with those of other students, and separately in the
ELL/Former ELL and high-needs subgroups. The one exception is the reporting of results for
first-year ELL students, as shown in the following table. In reporting results for state and federal
accountability, scores for ELL students with disabilities are included in the following subgroups:
students with disabilities, ELL students, and high-needs.
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Appendix A—Procedures for Testing ELL Students
ACCESS for ELLs
ELL students who are required to participate in ACCESS for ELLs testing, but do not participate,
will be reported as nonparticipants for ELA in MCAS accountability reporting, even if they
participate in ELA testing. For the ACCESS for ELLs participation requirements, see
http://www.doe.mass.edu/mcas/access/.
H. Recording on the Answer Booklet the Status of ELL Students in Their First
Year of Enrollment in U.S. Schools
APPENDIX A— Procedures for Testing ELL Students
A first-year ELL student is defined as a student who was first enrolled in a U.S. school after the
SIMS submission of March 1, 2016. Students’ first-year ELL status is no longer being collected
on answer booklets, since this information is reported in SIMS. See Appendix D for further
information.
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Appendix B
Procedures for Testing Students
with Disabilities
APPENDIX B— Procedures for Testing Students with Disabilities
Appendix B—Procedures for Testing Students with Disabilities
For spring 2017, the following components of the grades 3–8 tests have been modified from
previous MCAS administrations:
•
the categories and numbering system for the new accessibility features and
accommodations;
•
the eligibility of certain students to use the new accessibility features and
accommodations; and
•
the options for providing new accessibility features and accommodations, depending
on whether a student is taking the computer- or paper-based test.
•
More information on the changes, including a comparison of new and previous
MCAS accommodations and accessibility features, can be found in the Accessibility and
Accommodations Manual for the Spring 2017 MCAS Grades 3–8 Tests, which is posted at
www.doe.mass.edu/mcas/accessibility.
The new accessibility features and accommodations for grades 3–8 tests are listed as follows:
•
any supports that were previously considered accommodations are now available
M
to all students and are called Universal Accessibility Features (UFs), either on the
computer-based tests or on the paper-based equivalent. Universal Accessibility
Features may be used by any student. See Part III of this manual for the list of
Universal Accessibility Features.
•
ther supports, called Designated Accessibility Features (DFs), may be provided
O
to any student, at the discretion of the principal (or designee). These include
changes in the location of testing rooms, seating of students, and scheduling of test
administrations. See Part III of this manual for the list of Designated Accessibility
Features.
•
Accommodations (As) will be available as before to students with disabilities, with
several new accommodations now available to English language learners. Teams and
educators responsible for developing Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) and
504 plans must make decisions regarding accommodations, and these must be listed
in the plan of each student.
•
pecial Access Accommodations (SAs), formerly called nonstandard accommodations,
S
will be offered as before to students who meet certain guidelines and criteria.
1. Participation of Students with Disabilities in MCAS
A. Definition of a Student with a Disability
For the purposes of MCAS, a student with a disability is defined as a student having an approved
Individualized Education Program (IEP) provided under the Individuals with Disabilities
Education Improvement Act of 2004 and Massachusetts General Law, Chapter 71B, or a plan
provided under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (i.e., a 504 plan).
B.
English Language Learners with Disabilities
ELL students with disabilities are entitled to receive test accommodations or to participate in
the MCAS-Alt, as determined by their IEP or 504 teams. See Appendix A for more information
about the participation of ELL students.
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Appendix B—Procedures for Testing Students with Disabilities
The Department has issued guidelines, including MCAS testing policies, for students who are
returning to school after being diagnosed with concussions (see page 14 for more information).
D. Determining How Students with Disabilities Will Participate in MCAS
Each student’s IEP or 504 team must determine during its annual meeting how the student will
participate in MCAS for each subject scheduled for assessment. This information, including any
accommodations that a student will use, must be documented in the student’s approved IEP or
504 plan. Guidelines for making participation decisions for individual students appear in the
Accessibility and Accommodations Manual for the Spring 2017 MCAS Grades 3–8 Tests.
2. Nondisclosure Agreements for Test Administrators Administering Certain
Accommodations
Test administrators for students with disabilities using accommodations A2, A3, A5, A6, A8,
A10.1, A11, A12, A13, A14, and A15, and special access accommodations SA1.2, SA2, SA3.1, and
SA6 must sign an MCAS Nondisclosure Agreement (see Appendix E) prior to viewing secure
test materials. Principals must keep signed agreements in the school’s files for three years.
The accommodations are described in section 3, below.
3. MCAS Test Accommodations
A. Definition and Purpose of Test Accommodations
A test accommodation is a change in the way a test is administered or in the way a student
responds to test questions. Similar to instructional accommodations, test accommodations are
intended to offset the effects of the disability and to provide students with the opportunity to
demonstrate knowledge and skills on statewide assessments.
B.
APPENDIX B— Procedures for Testing Students with Disabilities
C. Students Diagnosed with Concussions
Eligibility for Test Accommodations
ELIGIBLE: students with disabilities served by a consented-to IEP or a 504 plan
The right of a student with a disability to receive allowable accommodations on MCAS tests
is protected by federal and state laws. The student’s IEP or 504 plan must specify precisely
which MCAS accommodation(s) he or she will receive. Before an accommodation may be
given, the IEP must be signed by the parent/guardian, or a student’s 504 plan must be in place
or in development; in cases where a 504 plan is under development, the school personnel
responsible for writing the plan must have already met and agreed upon the necessary MCAS
accommodation(s) before a student may be provided the accommodation(s).
English Language Learners
Students designated as English language learners (ELLs) are eligible for a select group of
accommodations listed in Appendix A. Decisions about accommodations for ELL students
should be made by an informal group of educators familiar with the student; the group will
identify the appropriate features and accommodations for each ELL student. The decisions of
the informal decision-making team should be documented as described in the Accessibility and
Accommodations Manual for the Spring 2017 MCAS Grades 3–8 Tests.
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APPENDIX B— Procedures for Testing Students with Disabilities
Appendix B—Procedures for Testing Students with Disabilities
NOT ELIGIBLE: students without documented disabilities and students with documented
disabilities not served by an IEP or 504 plan
A student who does not have a documented disability and is not served by an IEP or 504 plan
is not eligible to receive accommodations on MCAS tests, regardless of whether the student
already receives instructional support or accommodations.
C. General Requirements for the Use of Test Accommodations
The use of accommodations is based on the individual needs of a student with a disability and
may only be provided when all of the following conditions have been met:
1.
The student has a disability (nondisabled students may not use test accommodations)
that is documented in an IEP or a 504 plan and requires the use of one or more
accommodations to participate in MCAS testing.
AND
2.
The accommodation is listed as an approved accommodation in this appendix (or if not,
prior written approval has been obtained from the Department); the accommodation
is listed on the “State- and District-Wide Assessment” page of the student’s IEP and
the IEP has been signed by the student’s parent(s)/guardian(s) prior to the date of test
administration; or is listed as an MCAS accommodation in a 504 plan developed for the
student.
AND
3.
The student uses the accommodation routinely (with rare exceptions) during classroom
instruction and assessment in the subject, both before and after the MCAS test is administered
and is comfortable and familiar with its use. Use of an accommodation during instruction does
not necessarily qualify a student to receive the same accommodation during MCAS testing; for
example, the student must meet additional eligibility requirements to receive a special access
accommodation on an MCAS test.
AND
4.
If a special access accommodation will be provided, the student meets all of the eligibility
criteria for that accommodation listed in section K of this appendix.
IEP teams must reconvene at least annually and determine which accommodations are needed
for state- and district-wide assessments. If an IEP team believes that a test accommodation listed
in a student’s IEP should be removed because it is no longer necessary and appropriate for the
student, the team must amend the plan accordingly prior to testing. Similarly, the 504 plan
must reflect only those accommodations required by the student, as determined by one or more
adults familiar with the student. Districts are required to obtain written consent on an IEP (or
amendment) before any changes can be implemented, although this consent is not required on a
504 plan.
It is acceptable for teams to list an accommodation in the plan with the notation “as requested
by the student,” signifying that the student may require the accommodation only periodically
during testing; for example, a student who tires easily may need a scribe only during the latter
part of a test session.
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Appendix B—Procedures for Testing Students with Disabilities
•
alter, explain, simplify, paraphrase, or eliminate any test question, reading passage,
writing prompt, or multiple-choice answer option;
•
provide verbal or nonverbal clues or suggestions that hint at or give away the correct
response to the student;
•
contradict test administration requirements or result in the violation of test security; e.g.,
oo
t est questions may not be modified, reordered, or reformatted in any way for any
student;
oo
tests may not be photocopied, photographed, scanned, altered, or duplicated;
oo
screen shots of computer-based tests may not be taken or reproduced;
oo
English-language dictionaries are not allowed for any student on any test.
If the above conditions have been met and the accommodation is listed in the IEP or 504
plan, the accommodations must be provided to the student during MCAS testing. If an
accommodation is provided that does not meet the conditions stated above, the student’s test
score may be invalidated.
If a student refuses to use an accommodation listed in his or her plan, the accommodation must
remain available to the student during testing. The school should document in writing that
the student refused the accommodation and keep this documentation on file at the school (see
sample form in Appendix E). Students should not be asked to sign an agreement waiving their
right to receive an accommodation.
Accommodations used by the student must be indicated on the student’s answer booklet
according to instructions in Appendix D.
APPENDIX B— Procedures for Testing Students with Disabilities
Accommodations may not
Reporting an Irregularity during MCAS Testing
In the event that a student was provided a test accommodation that was not listed in his or her
IEP or a 504 plan, or if a student was not provided a test accommodation listed in his or her
plan, the school should immediately contact the Department at 781-338-3625.
D. Definition of an Accommodation
For the purposes of MCAS, an accommodation is defined as a change in the routine conditions
under which students take an MCAS test that does not alter what the test is intended to
measure. Standard accommodations are grouped into the following four categories:
•
changes in timing or scheduling of the test; for example, administering the test in
short intervals or at a specific time of day
•
changes in test setting; for example, administering the test in a small group or a
separate setting
•
changes in test presentation; for example, using a large-print or Braille edition of the test
•
changes in how the student responds to test questions; for example, dictating
responses to a scribe
A list of accommodations can be found in section I.
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APPENDIX B— Procedures for Testing Students with Disabilities
Appendix B—Procedures for Testing Students with Disabilities
E.
Definition of a Special Access Accommodation
For MCAS, a special access accommodation is defined as an accommodation that
•
changes the way an MCAS test is presented;
OR
•
changes the way a student responds to test questions;
AND
•
alters a portion of what the test is intended to measure.
A list of special access accommodations and the conditions under which they may be used
appears in section K.
Special access accommodations are intended for use by a very small number of students who would
not otherwise be able to take the test because of a disability that severely limits or prevents
them from performing the skill in question. Teams must exercise caution when considering
whether a student requires a special access accommodation since these accommodations may
alter part of what the test is designed to measure, and therefore will affect the interpretation
of the test results. Teams must carefully review the criteria described for each special access
accommodation on the list. Test results for a student who took the test using special access
accommodation(s) must be interpreted with caution by parents/guardians and schools.
The Department will review the rates of special access accommodations use among districts.
Districts must ensure that IEP and 504 teams are applying appropriate criteria for use of special
access accommodations by carefully reviewing all criteria and eligibility requirements for
the special access accommodations listed in section K and revising the IEPs and 504 plans of
students with disabilities accordingly.
Please call the Student Assessment office at 781-338-3625 with any questions about
accommodations.
F.
Untimed Test Sessions
All MCAS test administrations are untimed. Refer to Part III, section B, of this manual for
more information about scheduling test sessions.
G. Use of Dictionaries on MCAS Tests
The use of English-language dictionaries is prohibited for all grades 3–8 MCAS tests. Students
who are reported as English Language Learners (ELL), or who have been reported as ELL at any
time in the past may use authorized word-to-word bilingual dictionaries and glossaries on all
MCAS tests. A list of authorized word-to-word dictionaries is available at
www.doe.mass.edu/mcas/accessibility.
H. Determining School Resources and Other Testing Needs
Prior to MCAS testing, designated staff (e.g., special educator or special education supervisor)
should provide information to the principal or test coordinator regarding each student who will
require test accommodations, including the specific accommodation(s), resources, and/or space
required for each student. Special test editions, including Braille, large-print, and American
Sign Language DVD, must be ordered online by the principal or designee during the Student
Registration/Personal Needs Profile (SR/PNP) process. Test administrators who will be
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Appendix B—Procedures for Testing Students with Disabilities
A PNP Report is provided in PearsonAccessnext by going to Reports > Operational Reports,
checking the Students & Registrations check box on the LH side of the screen and then
clicking the PNP Report – Accessibility Features and Accommodations for Student Tests. You
may filter by Accommodation, Organization, or Test or you can pull the entire report for all
accommodations and tests.
The report will show which accommodations have been given to which students, the sessions
the students are in, the test format (paper or online), and the Test Name (Grade 8 ELA, for
example).
I.
Accommodations Lists
This section contains a table of the MCAS test accommodations available to students with
disabilities on the computer-based test, and where available, the comparable accommodation on
the paper-based test.
Note: Accommodations that must be requested in advance in the Personal Needs Profile (PNP)
are displayed in italics.
Table 1. Test Presentation Accommodations for Students with Disabilities
Test Presentation Accommodations
#
A1
Computer-Based Test
Paper-Based Test
Paper-based edition of the grades 3–8
ELA or Mathematics test may be
administered as an accommodation for
a student with a disability who is unable
to take the computer-based test due to a
disability.
APPENDIX B— Procedures for Testing Students with Disabilities
providing accommodations to students with disabilities should receive additional training
prior to MCAS testing to ensure the proper provision of MCAS accommodations.
N/A
(Note: Science and Technology/
Engineering tests will be administered
in paper-based format in spring 2017.)
Large print edition (approximately
18-point font size on 11x17-inch paper)
N/A
A2
(See UF4 on page 22 for information
on screen magnification.)
• S
tudents are not required to use
the large-print answer booklet, so
IEPs and 504 plans should indicate
whether student taking the largeprint test also requires a large-print
answer booklet. Students who do
not require the large-print answer
booklet may record their answers in
a standard answer booklet.
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APPENDIX B— Procedures for Testing Students with Disabilities
Appendix B—Procedures for Testing Students with Disabilities
Test Presentation Accommodations
#
Computer-Based Test
Paper-Based Test
• All responses in the large print
answer booklet must be transcribed
verbatim from the large-print
answer booklet to the student’s
standard answer booklet in order for
the student to receive credit for his
or her work.
A2
cont.
• A
dditional large-print special
instructions will accompany the
large print test.
• T
est administrators for students with
disabilities using accommodation A2
must sign an MCAS Nondisclosure
Agreement (see Appendix E) before
viewing secure test materials.
A3.1 – Screen reader for a student who
is blind or visually impaired
A3.1
and
A3.2
A3.2 – Braille edition (hard copy)
• All answers must be either scribed
• I f the student will use a screen
or transcribed verbatim into the
reader, a separate hard-copy Braille
student’s answer booklet in order for
edition test should also be ordered
the student to receive credit for his
to provide the student with the
or her work.
appropriate Braille graphics.
• Additional Braille special
• All answers must be entered, either
instructions will accompany the
by the student or test administrator,
Braille test.
onscreen.
• Test administrators for students with • See Appendix D of the Accessibility
and Accommodations Manual for
disabilities using accommodation
the Spring 2017 MCAS Grades 3–8
A3.1 must sign an MCAS
Tests for a schedule of the planned
Nondisclosure Agreement (see
transition of MCAS tests to Unified
Appendix E) before viewing secure
English Braille (UEB).
test materials.
• Test administrators for students with
disabilities using accommodation
A3.2 must sign an MCAS
Nondisclosure Agreement (see
Appendix E) before reviewing secure
test materials.
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#
Computer-Based Test
Paper-Based Test
Text-to-speech (TTS) (i.e., computerbased read-aloud) for grades 3–8
Mathematics tests
A4
N/A
• I f TTS-enabled version of the
computer-based test is read aloud to
student using headphones, students
may be tested in a typical-size
group. If not using headphones, then
student must be tested individually
in a separate setting.
• STE paper-based tests only are
offered in 2017; TTS is not available.
• Kurzweil test editions will only be
available for grades 5 and 8 STE
tests; they will not be available for
grades 3–8 ELA or Mathematics tests.
• TTS for ELA is a special access
accommodation (SA 1.1). See
Table 3 for guidelines to receive this
accommodation.
Human read-aloud for the grades 3–8 Mathematics and/or Science and
Technology/Engineering tests (computer- or paper-based tests)
A5
• T
he test must be read word-for-word, exactly as it appears. The test administrator
may not provide assistance to the student regarding the meanings of words,
intent of any test item, or responses to test items. The test administrator should
read with emphasis only when indicated by bold or italicized text.
• The test must be administered in a separate setting, either individually or
to a small group of 2–5 students, all of whom receive the human read-aloud
accommodation.
• Reading aloud the ELA test is a special access accommodation. See Table 3 for
guidelines on this accommodation.
APPENDIX B— Procedures for Testing Students with Disabilities
Test Presentation Accommodations
• For computer-based testing, students must be placed in a separate session so
that they are assigned the same test form and so that the test administrator
receives a proctor testing ticket.
Note: Reading aloud selected words to any student on the Mathematics and/or
STE test(s) is a universal accessibility feature. See UF10 on page 23.
Test administrators for students with disabilities using accommodation A5 must sign an
MCAS Nondisclosure Agreement (see Appendix E) before viewing secure test materials.
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Appendix B—Procedures for Testing Students with Disabilities
Test Presentation Accommodations
#
Computer-Based Test
Paper-Based Test
Human signer for the grades 3–8 Mathematics, Science and Technology/
Engineering, and test items only (but not reading passages) for the ELA tests for a
student who is Deaf or Hard-of-Hearing (computer- and paper-based tests)
•
•
A6
he test must be signed exactly as it appears. The signer may not provide
T
assistance to the student regarding the meanings of words, the intent of any
test question, or in responding to test questions. The signer may finger-spell
key words in addition to providing the sign for a term, in cases where a signed
term may be unfamiliar to the student. The signer should read with emphasis
only when indicated by bold or italicized text.
The test must be administered in a separate setting, either individually or to
a small group of 2–5 students, all of whom are receiving the human signer
accommodation.
• For computer-based testing, students must be placed in a separate session so
that they are assigned the same test form and so that the test administrator
receives a proctor testing ticket.
Notes:
• Under secure conditions supervised by the principal, interpreters may review
the test materials once they become available, either online or delivered to
the school, for the purpose of preparing to sign the test. Test materials may
not be removed from the school or accessed online outside of the school. Test
administrators and interpreters who review the test prior to testing will be
asked to sign non-disclosure agreements.
• If preferred, selected words, phrases, or sections of the Mathematics or Science
and Technology/Engineering test(s) may be signed to the student, as requested,
rather than signing the complete test.
• S
igning the ELA reading passages is a special access accommodation. See
Table 3 for guidelines to receive that accommodation.
• Test administrators for students with disabilities using accommodation A6
must sign an MCAS Nondisclosure Agreement (see Appendix E) before
viewing secure test materials.
A7
Human signer for test directions only for a student who is Deaf or Hard-ofHearing
Track test questions (i.e., helping the student move from one test question to the
next)
A8
Test administrators for students with disabilities using accommodation A8 must
sign an MCAS Nondisclosure Agreement (see Appendix E) before viewing secure
test materials.
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Response Accommodations
#
Computer-Based Test
Paper-Based Test
Use a Department pre-approved graphic organizer, checklist, or supplemental
reference sheet for grades 3−8 ELA, Mathematics, or Science and Technology/
Engineering tests (computer- and paper-based tests).
Individualized graphic organizer and reference sheets for ELA and Mathematics
may no longer be submitted to the Department for approval. Only the
pre-approved versions made available by the Department may be used as an
accommodation.
Only the pre-approved versions made available by the Department may be used
as an accommodation for grades 3−8 MCAS tests for a student with a disability who
has this accommodation listed in his or her IEP or 504 plan.
Notes:
A9
• Pre-approved graphic organizers and reference sheets are available on the
Department’s website. These have been customized for use on next-generation
MCAS ELA tests based on: the 2011 Curriculum Framework standards measured
by MCAS tests; the MCAS test design; expectations for how student essays and
text-based responses will be scored; and versions of graphic organizers and
reference sheets that were previously submitted and approved.
• Graphic organizers without any text may be used without Department approval
by a student with a disability who has this accommodation listed in his or her
plan.
APPENDIX B— Procedures for Testing Students with Disabilities
Table 2. Response Accommodations for Students with Disabilities
• A student may use no more than two different pre-approved graphic organizers
or supplemental reference sheets per test session (i.e., two pages total).
• Educators will have an opportunity to provide suggestions on future editions
of graphic organizers and supplemental checklists after the spring 2017
administration of the next-generation MCAS tests.
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Appendix B—Procedures for Testing Students with Disabilities
Response Accommodations
#
Computer-Based Test
Paper-Based Test
Scribe responses for the Mathematics and/or Science and Technology/Engineering
tests using either a
• human scribe (A10.1), who will record the student’s responses verbatim, either
onscreen (computer-based test) or in the student’s answer booklet (paper-based
test), as dictated by the student at the time of testing. The student must be tested in
a separate setting.
OR
A10.1
and
A10.2
• speech-to-text (A10.2) or other external augmentative communications device
(other than a smartphone) to generate responses, under the direct supervision
of a test administrator. The test administrator must transcribe the student’s
responses verbatim (either onscreen or in student’s answer booklet) anytime prior
to the end of the testing window. The student must be tested in a separate setting.
If the student is unable to use his or her writing hand or arm at the time of testing
due to a recent fracture, injury, or recovery from surgery, the scribe accommodation
must be
• listed in a 504 plan or an approved IEP (no approval by the Department is
required);
OR
• in cases where a 504 plan is under development, the staff responsible for
writing the plan must have already met and agreed upon the need for the scribe
accommodation before a student may be provided with it.
• Test administrators for students with disabilities using accommodation A10.1 or
A10.2 must sign an MCAS Nondisclosure Agreement (see Appendix E) before
viewing secure test materials.
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#
Computer-Based Test
Paper-Based Test
Responses recorded by student in test booklet, rather
than in the answer booklet.
• Responses must be transcribed by a test administrator
into the student’s answer booklet.
A11
N/A
• If the student transcribes his or her own responses,
then transcription must occur during the test session
and be completed on the day in which the test session
began.
Note: this accommodation is typically provided to students
in grades 4–8, since grade 3 students use a combined test
and answer booklet.
Test administrators for students with disabilities using
accommodation A11 must sign an MCAS Nondisclosure
Agreement (see Appendix E) before viewing secure test
materials.
Typed responses
• Responses must be printed out, one response per page,
and inserted in the student’s answer booklet with all
required information on each page (see Appendix C).
• No transcription is necessary.
A12
N/A
• After printing out, responses must be deleted from
word processor or device.
APPENDIX B— Procedures for Testing Students with Disabilities
Response Accommodations
• Test administrators for students with disabilities
using accommodation A12 must sign an MCAS
Nondisclosure Agreement (see Appendix E) before
viewing secure test materials.
A13
Student records responses on an external recording device (other than a
smartphone) while reading the test aloud, then transcribes responses into the answer
booklet while playing back recorded segment(s). Responses must be deleted from the
device once transcription is completed.
Test administrators for students with disabilities using accommodation A13 must
sign an MCAS Nondisclosure Agreement (see Appendix E) before viewing secure test
materials.
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APPENDIX B— Procedures for Testing Students with Disabilities
Appendix B—Procedures for Testing Students with Disabilities
Response Accommodations
#
A14
Computer-Based Test
Paper-Based Test
Responses signed onto video (for a student who is Deaf or Hard-of Hearing), then
transcribed by the student onscreen or into the answer booklet during playback. The
video must be deleted after transcription.
Test administrators for students with disabilities using accommodation A14 must
sign an MCAS Nondisclosure Agreement (see Appendix E) before viewing secure test
materials.
Monitor placement of responses in the appropriate area onscreen or in the answer
booklet by the test administrator.
A15
A16
A17
Test administrators for students with disabilities using accommodation A15 must
sign an MCAS Nondisclosure Agreement (see Appendix E) before viewing secure test
materials.
Refreshable Braille Display/Braille notetaker (specific external device used in
conjunction with screen reader. A hardcopy edition of the Braille test should also
be ordered.)
Braille note-taker (specific external
device used in conjunction with hardcopy Braille test)
Braille writer (specific external device
used in conjunction with screen reader
and hard-copy Braille test)
Braille writer (specific external device
used in conjunction with the hard-copy
Braille test)
Note: Braille notes should be returned
with the school’s nonscorable shipment.
Note regarding transcribing student responses: The process of transcribing a student’s
responses onscreen or into his or her answer booklet by a test administrator (e.g., from the largeprint answer booklet) may occur anytime during the testing window, but must be monitored and
supervised by the principal, test coordinator, or another test administrator.
J.
Requirements for the Use of Special Access Accommodations
IEP and 504 plans may include the use of one or more of the following special access MCAS
test accommodations only when ALL of the criteria are met, as described below each special
access accommodation. The accommodation can only be provided to a student with a disability
on an MCAS test when it is documented on the State- or District-Wide Assessment page in an
approved IEP or listed in the student’s 504 plan specifically as an MCAS accommodation. Use
of an accommodation during instruction does not necessarily qualify a student to receive the
same accommodation on an MCAS test.
The Department will continue to review the number of students with disabilities who receive
special access accommodations in each district. IEP and 504 teams are encouraged to make
consistent, defensible, and appropriate decisions for each student, and to amend the IEPs and
504 plans of students who do not meet the following criteria.
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Appendix B—Procedures for Testing Students with Disabilities
This section contains a table of special access test accommodations for students with disabilities.
Table 3. Special Access Accommodations for Students with Disabilities
Special Access Accommodations
#
Computer- and Paper-Based Tests
Text-to-speech (SA1.1) or Human read-aloud (SA1.2) for the ELA test, including oral
presentation of test questions, response options, and passages, using either
• text-to-speech (embedded in the grades 3−8 computer-based ELA tests), with or
without headphones;
OR
• a human reader (for which the test administrator either reads aloud the
computer-based test either logged in to a nearby computer or sitting next to the
student; or reads aloud the paper-based test to the student, or to a group of up to
five students).
This accommodation is intended for a small number of students with documented
disabilities that severely limit or prevent them from reading, as documented in
locally administered diagnostic evaluations.
The student must meet all of the following criteria:
• be virtually unable to read, even after varied and repeated attempts to teach the
student to do so (i.e., the student is at the very beginning stages of learning to
SA1.1
read, and not simply reading below grade level); and
and
• uses this accommodation routinely (except during reading instruction); and
SA1.2
• receives ongoing intervention to learn the skill.
APPENDIX B— Procedures for Testing Students with Disabilities
K. Table of Special Access Accommodations
This accommodation may also be provided to a student who is blind or has a visual
impairment and uses a screen reader and/or has not yet learned (or is unable to use)
Braille. If the student will use a screen reader, a separate hard copy Braille test edition
must be ordered for the student in order to provide the student with the appropriate
Braille graphics (see accommodation A3.1).
The student
• may be tested in a typical-sized group if using text-to-speech with headphones;
•
must be tested individually, in a separate setting, if text-to-speech will be used
without headphones; and
•
may be tested in a group of no more than 5 students if a human reader is used.
Test administrators for students with disabilities using accommodation SA1.2 must
sign an MCAS Nondisclosure Agreement (see Appendix E) before viewing secure test
materials.
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APPENDIX B— Procedures for Testing Students with Disabilities
Appendix B—Procedures for Testing Students with Disabilities
Special Access Accommodations
Human Signer for ELA test to a student who is Deaf or Hard-of-Hearing
This accommodation is intended for students who are Deaf or Hard-of-Hearing,
and who are severely limited or prevented from reading, as documented in locallyadministered diagnostic evaluations.
The student must meet all of the following criteria:
•
be virtually unable to read, even after varied and repeated attempts to teach the
student to do so (i.e., the student is at the very beginning stages of learning to
read, and not simply reading below grade level), due to a documented disability
and/or history of early and prolonged lack of exposure to and use of language;
and
•
uses this accommodation routinely, except during reading instruction; and
•
receives ongoing intervention to learn the skill.
SA2
The student must be tested in a group of no more than five students, unless approval
is obtained from the Department to increase group size in rare circumstances.
Test administrators for students with disabilities using accommodation SA2 must
sign an MCAS Nondisclosure Agreement (see Appendix E) before viewing secure test
materials.
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Appendix B—Procedures for Testing Students with Disabilities
• a human scribe (SA3.1) (records student’s responses verbatim during testing);
OR
• speech-to-text (SA3.2) or other external augmentative communications device
(other than a smartphone) used by student to dictate or generate responses,
under the direct supervision of a test administrator. The test administrator must
transcribe the student’s responses verbatim (either onscreen or in the student’s
answer booklet) at any time prior to the end of the testing window.
This accommodation is intended for a student who either:
1. has a language-processing disability and requires the dictation of virtually all
written responses to a scribe or an electronic speech-to-text conversion device to
generate responses;
OR
2. who is unable to use his or her writing hand or arm at the time of testing
due to a fracture, severe injury, or recovery from surgery. In this case, the
accommodation must either be
a. listed in a 504 plan or an approved IEP (no additional approval by the
Department is required); OR
SA3.1
and
SA3.2
b. in cases where a 504 plan is under development, school personnel
responsible for writing the plan must have already met and agreed upon the
necessary MCAS accommodation(s) before a student may be provided the
accommodation(s).
APPENDIX B— Procedures for Testing Students with Disabilities
Special Access Accommodations
Scribe responses on the ELA test, using either:
Clarification on the role of a scribe for the ELA test:
• The test must be administered individually in a separate setting.
• The scribe may enter student responses either onscreen (computer-based test) or
in the student’s answer booklet (paper-based test) at the time of testing.
• The scribe must write exactly what the student dictates. The scribe may not edit
or alter the student’s dictation in any way. When scribing, the scribe may assume
that each sentence begins with a capital letter and ends with a period. All other
capitalization, punctuation, and paragraph breaks are the responsibility of the
student.
• After the student has finished dictating his or her response(s), the scribe must
ask the student to do the following:
a. Spell key words, including proper nouns, multi-syllable words, and other
words relevant to the topic.
b. Review the draft composition and make any necessary edits, including edits
to capital letters, punctuation, and paragraph breaks. The student may make
edits independently or may direct the scribe to make the edits. The scribe
must not assist the student in making decisions during the editing process.
Test administrators for students with disabilities using accommodation SA3.1 or SA3.2
must sign an MCAS Nondisclosure Agreement (see Appendix E) before viewing
secure test materials.
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APPENDIX B— Procedures for Testing Students with Disabilities
Appendix B—Procedures for Testing Students with Disabilities
Special Access Accommodations
Calculation device or other mathematics tool (e.g., addition/subtraction or
multiplication/division tables; or manipulatives) on the non-calculator sessions of the
Mathematics test.
This accommodation is intended for a small number of students with documented
disabilities that severely limit or prevent them from performing basic calculations
without a calculation device or other mathematics tool, as documented in locallyadministered diagnostic evaluations, even after varied and repeated attempts to teach
the student to do so.
The student must meet all of the following criteria:
SA4
• be virtually unable to calculate (i.e., unable to perform single-digit addition,
subtraction, multiplication, or division without a calculation device or other
mathematics tool); and
• uses the calculation device or tool during routine instruction in mathematics;
and
• receives ongoing intervention to learn the skill.
The student’s IEP or 504 plan must specify which calculation device or tool will be
used.
Manipulatives and other mathematics tools (excluding calculators and arithmetic
tables) must be approved by the Department prior to their use on MCAS tests. Please
contact Student Assessment Services at 781-338-3625 or [email protected] to request
approval.
(Note: Calculators are allowed for all students and will be provided on designated
calculator sessions of the computer-based Mathematics test. Schools must provide a
calculator to students receiving this accommodation for the non-calculator session.)
Spell-checker for the ELA test, including an external spell-checking device for the
paper-based test; or in conjunction with the typed response accommodation for the
paper-based test.
This accommodation is intended for a small number of students with disabilities
that severely limit or prevent them from spelling correctly, even after varied and
repeated attempts to teach the student to do so.
The student must meet all of the following criteria:
SA5
• be virtually unable to spell simple words (i.e., at the beginning stages of
learning how to spell), as documented in locally-administered diagnostic
evaluations; and
• produces understandable written work only when provided this
accommodation, which the student uses during routine instruction; and
• receives ongoing intervention to learn the skill.
The student may not use grammar check or access the Internet.
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Appendix B—Procedures for Testing Students with Disabilities
A list of assistive technology devices’ compatibility with TestNav (i.e., the computerbased test) will be available on PearsonAccessnext.
Word prediction external device provides a bank of frequently or recently used words
after the student keyboards the first few letters of a word.
This accommodation is intended for a small number of students who:
1. have disabilities that severely limit or prevent them from recalling and
processing language to write or keyboard written responses without the use of a
word prediction device, application, or software; AND
SA6
2. can access written expression only through the use of word prediction software
that they use routinely to generate written responses.
A test administrator should facilitate the transfer of information from the external
device or application to the answer booklet or onscreen. Written responses must either
be transcribed by the student at the time of testing or be transcribed by an adult prior
to the end of the testing window.
During testing, Internet access must be turned off/restricted; and the “predict-ahead”
and “predict online” functions must be turned off, since these functions automatically
select words for the student.
Test administrators for students with disabilities using accommodation SA6 must
sign an MCAS Nondisclosure Agreement (see Appendix E) before viewing secure test
materials.
APPENDIX B— Procedures for Testing Students with Disabilities
Special Access Accommodations
Word prediction for the ELA test, using an external device, application, or software
compatible with the computer based test platform.
4. Procedures for Using Test Accommodations A5, A6, SA1.2, and SA2:
Reading or Signing MCAS Tests Aloud
The test administrator may read the test aloud or sign the test to a small group of students,
provided that each student has an IEP or 504 plan that lists either accommodation A5/A6 (for
the Mathematics or STE test) or special access accommodation SA1.2/SA2 (for the English
Language Arts test).
The procedures below must be followed:
•
No more than five students may be grouped together for reading tests aloud or
signing the tests, since students typically proceed through the test at different rates.
•
he principal or designee must supervise the assignment of students to groups that
T
will have test questions read aloud to them. Student test booklets may not be opened
or reviewed by students or test administrators prior to testing.
•
For STE tests only, shrink-wrapped packets of six test booklets, each of the same
numbered test form for use when providing this accommodation, contain one booklet
for a group of up to five students and one for the test administrator to read from
during testing. All of the booklets are secure and must be returned as instructed.
•
For English Language Arts and Mathematics tests, test administrators should take a
test from overage, as all tests will be the same number form.
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APPENDIX B— Procedures for Testing Students with Disabilities
Appendix B—Procedures for Testing Students with Disabilities
5. Submitting Student Identification Booklets (SIB) for Students with
Disabilities Participating in the MCAS-Alt
For a student participating in the MCAS-Alt, the principal or designee must submit an MCAS-Alt
SIB with the student’s MCAS-Alt portfolio.
6. Guidelines for Transcribing Student Responses (Paper-based testing only)
Certain situations may require a Test Administrator to transcribe a student’s response in a
standard answer booklet. These situations may include:
•
A student takes the test using a special test format that requires answers to be
transcribed (e.g., large print or Braille).
•
A student uses a speech-to-text converter, augmentative communication device, or
assistive technology device that requires answers to be transcribed.
•
As an accommodation, a student records answers in a test booklet, answer document,
or on blank paper, instead of in the required test booklet or answer booklet.
•
Answers were recorded either in the wrong section of an answer booklet, or in an
incorrect answer booklet.
If a student’s responses must be transcribed after test administration is completed, the following
steps must be followed:
•
At least two persons must be present during the transcription of student responses.
One of these persons will be the transcriber, and the other will be an observer
confirming the accuracy of the transcription. It is recommended that one of the
individuals be the school or district test coordinator or principal.
•
The student’s response must be transcribed verbatim into the answer booklet or the
student’s computer-based test.
•
Original student responses that were printed from an external device or recorded
separately on blank paper or in a test booklet must be securely shredded.
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Appendix C
Procedures for Submitting Typed Responses
Appendix C—Procedures for Submitting Typed Responses
Follow the instructions in this appendix to submit responses for a student with a disability
whose IEP or 504 team has determined that he or she will participate in MCAS testing using
accommodation A12 (typed responses).
General Information
APPENDIX C— Procedures for Submitting Typed Responses
Only written responses to questions may be submitted as typed responses. A student’s
responses to multiple-choice questions must be marked in the student’s standard answer
booklet.
A student’s response to each test question must be submitted using one of the following
methods:
•
typed on paper and inserted inside the front cover of the student’s answer booklet;
•
handwritten by the student in his or her answer booklet; or
•
transcribed into the student’s answer booklet (if the student also used
accommodation A10, EL4, A11, or SA3.1).
If a student would like to submit a chart, diagram, or graph with a response, it must be included
on the typed response (handwritten or produced on a computer).
All of the responses for an individual student do not need to be submitted using the same
method. Regardless of which method is used, submit only one response per question. Any
draft responses are to be marked “DRAFT” and returned in the nonscorable shipment.
Before Test Administration
1.
Provide a standard answer booklet along with appropriate tracking documents to each test
administrator.
2.
Ensure that test administrators understand and follow the instructions in the TAMs
regarding the following:
3.
•
security information, including the prohibition against students accessing the Internet
•
formatting requirements (See requirements below and the template at the end of this
appendix. Also see the relevant appendix of each TAM for further instructions.)
•
instructions for submitting a typed response for the Mathematics or STE
administrations for students using a graphic in their response to a question
Disable access to the Internet from the student’s computer or AlphaSmart. If a student will
be using an electronic tablet, please contact the Department prior to testing.
Formatting Requirements
Formatting:
•
Use a font size between 8-point (minimum) and 12-point (maximum).
•
Set margins to be one inch.
•
Set line-spacing to be single-spaced.
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Appendix C—Procedures for Submitting Typed Responses
IMPORTANT–Page limits:
For responses to Mathematics:
•
Submit a separate page for each open-response or short-answer question.
•
A maximum of one page may be submitted for each response.
For responses to English Language Arts:
•
The answer booklet (or test & answer booklet for grade 3) will indicate the number of
pages available for written responses. Do not exceed these page limits.
A student’s responses to multiple-choice questions cannot be submitted as typed responses.
Instead, they must be marked by the student or transcribed into his or her standard answer
booklet. Otherwise, the student will not receive credit for his or her work.
1.
Fill in all information requested on the front and back covers of the student’s standard
answer booklet, including the circle for accommodation A12 on the inside back cover.
2.
Refer to the TAMs for instructions on preparing typed responses for submission.
3.
Mark drafts of typed responses “DRAFT” and return them with nonscorable materials.
4.
Ensure that all student responses are deleted from the computer by test administrators
according to the instructions in the TAMs.
5.
Submit the standard answer booklet according to the instructions in this manual.
APPENDIX C— Procedures for Submitting Typed Responses
After Test Administration
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Appendix C—Procedures for Submitting Typed Responses
APPENDIX C— Procedures for Submitting Typed Responses
Sample MCAS Typed Response Template
Student Name: Jonathan Ward
Student SASID: 1012345678
Answer Booklet Serial Number*: 1234567890
Subject: ELA Reading Comprehension
Question Number: 35
In this area, the student will type the response to the test
question.
For more information, see the formatting requirements in
this appendix.
* (located on the lower right-hand corner of the answer
booklet front cover)
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Appendix D
Procedures for Providing Student Information
Appendix D—Procedures for Providing Student Information
It is the responsibility of the principal to provide accurate information for every student
enrolled. Consequences for not doing so include inaccurate reporting of MCAS student results
and results for school and district performance. See Part III, section O in the manual for more
information about providing accurate student information.
Section 1 provides instructions for completing student information on the inside and outside
back covers of answer booklets, and will be provided in a separate document posted on the
Department’s website (www.doe.mass.edu/mcas/testadmin/?section=g3-8).
Section 2 summarizes the demographic information that the Department will use for reporting
results based on information provided by districts in SIMS.
Section 3 provides information regarding the MCAS-Alt SIB.
APPENDIX D— Procedures for Providing Student Information
Principals will have the opportunity to report data discrepancies prior to the reporting
of official results in fall 2017. However, since the purpose of discrepancy reporting is to
correct SASIDs or test participation status, it is critical for information to be provided
accurately on answer booklets and in SIMS.
1. Providing Information on the Answer Booklet
This section is available at www.doe.mass.edu/mcas/testadmin/?section=g3-8.
2. Providing Information in SIMS
Data Elements Collected in SIMS
The Department uses data submitted by districts in SIMS as the source for student information
when reporting results and for assessment and accountability purposes. Therefore, it is critical
that principals ensure the accuracy of student information provided in SIMS submissions.
As required by the federal Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), student results are
disaggregated for the following subgroups:
•
ELL and formerly ELL status
•
first-year ELL status (In previous years, first-year ELL status was collected on answer
booklets. See the following page for more information about how first-year ELL status
is used for MCAS and Accountability reporting.)
•
economically disadvantaged
•
students with disabilities
•
race/ethnicity
As required by other federal and state requirements, results are also disaggregated for the
following subgroups:
•
“high needs” (an unduplicated count of students belonging to any of the following
three subgroups: ELL and formerly ELL, students with disabilities, low income)
•
Title I status
•
ever ELL (students who have ever been enrolled as an ELL in Massachusetts)
•
gender
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Uses of SIMS Data
The October SIMS submission is used as the source for producing Student ID Labels and to
establish which students have been enrolled in the same school since October 1, 2016, for MCAS and
accountability reporting purposes. School results will be summarized for MCAS and accountability
reporting based only on students who were enrolled in a school on or before October 1.
Results for students first enrolled in your school after October 1 will be included only in district
participation and performance for MCAS and accountability, based on SIMS data from March
and June. Names and dates of birth are based on June SIMS.
All students will be included in summary results for districts and for schools in single-school
districts (e.g., charter schools, regional vocational technical schools, districts with only one school).
Data from SIMS (this information is not collected on the answer booklet) are used as the basis
for reporting student enrollment information including
whether a student was absent without medical documentation for all test sessions
during a testing window;
•
whether a student transferred out of or into the school during the testing window and
did not complete any test sessions; and
•
whether an ELL student is in his or her first year of enrollment in a U.S. school
(i.e., a first-year ELL student).
Students in Out-of-District Placements
If a student is tested at a private school, collaborative, or other out-of-district placement (e.g., districtbased alternative program not recognized by the Department as a school), SIMS is used as the
source for identifying the sending district and school. Results are aggregated as follows:
•
Results for a student tested at a private school or collaborative are aggregated with the
results of the sending district and are included in district accountability calculations.
•
Results for a student tested at a district-based alternative program not recognized by
the Department as a school are aggregated with the results of the sending school and
district and are included in school and district accountability calculations.
•
Superintendents must be mindful that each school must maintain at least a 95 percent
participation rate in ELA, Mathematics, and STE to meet accountability requirements,
and that all students in out-of-district placements are included in school participation
rates. The 95 percent participation standard applies to students in the aggregate, as
well as to students in each of the eleven mandated student subgroups.
First-year ELL students
MCAS reporting
ELL students reported in SIMS in their first year of enrollment in a U.S. school (i.e., first-year
ELL students) must participate in MCAS Mathematics and STE tests for diagnostic purposes,
but their results are not included in official school and district results, provided they were
reported as first-year LEP in SIMS.
The participation of first-year ELL students in ELA tests is optional, and results for students
who do participate are not included in school and district results. Students’ results are reported
with a test status code of NTL–Not Tested First-year Limited English Proficient. Students
APPENDIX D— Procedures for Providing Student Information
•
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Appendix D—Procedures for Providing Student Information
who earned an achievement level of Needs Improvement or higher receive scaled scores and
achievement levels but not student growth percentiles. These students are not included in
achievement level or Composite Performance Index (CPI) aggregations, provided they were
reported as first-year LEP in SIMS.
Accountability reporting for all ELL students
Students reported in SIMS as LEP for any number of years are required to participate in
ACCESS for ELLs testing. Any ELL student who does not participate in ACCESS for ELLs
testing will be reported as a nonparticipant with a test status code of Not Tested Absent (NTA)
in MCAS ELA participation calculations, even if the student participated in the MCAS ELA
tests.
APPENDIX D— Procedures for Providing Student Information
Any ELL student who does not participate in ACCESS for ELLs testing will be reported as
a nonparticipant for ELA in accountability participation calculations. In addition, any firstyear ELL student that does not participate in the Mathematics and/or STE MCAS tests
associated with his or her grade of enrollment in SIMS will be counted as a nonparticipant
for accountability participation calculations. MCAS results for first-year ELL students are not
included in accountability performance calculations.
Questions about SIMS Data
Questions about your SIMS data should be directed to the district’s SIMS contact, who is
responsible for submitting the data to the Department in October, March, and June. See
page ii for instructions for finding your district’s contact.
3. Providing Information on the MCAS-Alt Student Identification Booklet (SIB)
The principal or designee must use the MCAS-Alt SIB to document participation in the
MCAS-Alt. An MCAS-Alt SIB must be submitted instead of an MCAS answer booklet for
each student who participates in the MCAS-Alt. MCAS-Alt SIBs, along with instructions for
completing and returning them, will arrive with a school’s shipment of MCAS-Alt materials.
SIBs are returned to the contractor with students’ portfolios.
A sample MCAS-Alt SIB front cover is provided in Appendix E.
Performance level results for students participating in the MCAS-Alt are included with standard
test scores in school and district reports; no scaled scores are reported for these students. Results
for students participating in the MCAS-Alt and standard MCAS tests are combined in school
and district CPI scores.
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Appendix E
Sample Administration Forms and
Test Materials
APPENDIX E— Sample Administration Forms and Test Materials
Appendix E—Sample Administration Forms and Test Materials
CBT Student Roster
CBT Student Testing Tickets
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Appendix E—Sample Administration Forms and Test Materials
APPENDIX E —Sample Administration Forms and Test Materials
CBT Accommodations Report
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APPENDIX E— Sample Administration Forms and Test Materials
Appendix E—Sample Administration Forms and Test Materials
Sample Blank Form for Computer-Based Testing
Spring 2017 MCAS Administration
Test Materials Internal Tracking Form
Principals must account for all secure materials at all times.
Use this form to track the distribution and return of all secure materials.
Test Administrator’s Name: ___________________________________________ Room Number: _________
Grade: ____________
Subject/Sessions: ____________________________________________________
Materials Moved from Locked Storage Area to Room #_______________
Date: ____________________________________
Time: _____________________________________
# of Proctor Testing Tickets for Certain
Accommodations (See PAM for details.)
# of Student
Testing Tickets
Principal’s or Designee’s Count
Test Administrator’s Count
Principal’s or Designee’s Signature:
Test Administrator’s Signature:
_________________________________________
__________________________________________
Materials Moved from Room # _______________ to Locked Storage Area
Date: ____________________________________
# of Student
Testing Tickets
Time: _____________________________________
# of Proctor Testing Tickets
for Certain Accommodations
Scratch Paper Used?
(no count needed)
Principal’s or Designee’s Count
Test Administrator’s Count
Principal’s or Designee’s Signature:
Test Administrator’s Signature:
_________________________________________
__________________________________________
Date: ____________________________________
Check this box to confirm that scratch paper and testing tickets have been securely destroyed at the school.
Retain this document in your school files for three years.
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Appendix E—Sample Administration Forms and Test Materials
Spring 2017 MCAS Administration
Test Materials Internal Tracking Form
Principals must account for all secure materials at all times.
Use this form to track the distribution and return of all secure materials.
250
Alexander Smith
Test Administrator’s Name: ___________________________________________
Room Number: _________
3
Grade: ____________
Mathematics
Subject/Sessions: ____________________________________________________
250
Materials Moved from Locked Storage Area to Room #_______________
4/5/2017
Date: ____________________________________
8:30 a.m.
Time: _____________________________________
# of Student
Testing Tickets
# of Proctor Testing Tickets for Certain
Accommodations (See PAM for details.)
Principal’s or Designee’s Count
15
15
Test Administrator’s Count
15
15
Principal’s or Designee’s Signature:
Test Administrator’s Signature:
_________________________________________
__________________________________________
APPENDIX E —Sample Administration Forms and Test Materials
Sample Completed Form for Computer-Based Testing
250
Materials Moved from Room # _______________
to Locked Storage Area
4/5/2017
Date: ____________________________________
2:00 p.m.
Time: _____________________________________
# of Student
Testing Tickets
# of Proctor Testing Tickets
for Certain Accommodations
Principal’s or Designee’s Count
15
15
Test Administrator’s Count
15
15
Scratch Paper Used?
(no count needed)
Principal’s or Designee’s Signature:
Test Administrator’s Signature:
_________________________________________
__________________________________________
4/5/2017
Date: ____________________________________
Check this box to confirm that scratch paper and testing tickets have been securely destroyed at the school.
Retain this document in your school files for three years.
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The Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System:
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APPENDIX E— Sample Administration Forms and Test Materials
Appendix E—Sample Administration Forms and Test Materials
English Language Arts Administration Sample
Principal’s Certification of Proper Test Administration (PCPA) Statements
Note: Only the principal may complete this section of the PCPA. This section may NOT be
completed by a designee.
a.
I certify that each of the following statements is true.
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
My superintendent conducted a formal review of my plans for maintaining test
security.
I understand that I was expected to participate in one of the Department’s training
sessions in February 2017 on MCAS test security and test administration protocols.
I received and read a copy of the Principal’s Administration Manual (PAM). I complied
with and enforced all MCAS security requirements prescribed in the PAM, including
keeping test materials in a central locked storage area at all times when the materials
were not in use. In addition, I coordinated my school’s MCAS test administration
and ensured compliance with all MCAS test administration protocols prescribed in
the PAM.
I am aware that the Department has the authority to send observers to my school
before, during, and after test administration. If Department observers were sent to my
school, I granted them access to my school building and allowed them to observe my
school’s test administration.
I coordinated my school’s test administration schedule and ensured the spring English
Language Arts test was administered within the prescribed testing window listed in
the PAM.
I authorized specific individuals in my school to have access to secure materials,
following the criteria set forth in the PAM.
o
Before testing, I ensured that each individual authorized to have access to secure
materials was provided a copy of the MCAS test security requirements.
o
Only these individuals accessed secure test materials.
o
I provided training in test security and test administration protocols to these
individuals.
o
Each individual who had access to secure test materials followed the test security
requirements prescribed in Part I of the PAM.
I authorized specific individuals in my school to serve as test administrators, following
the criteria set forth in the PAM.
o
Before testing, I ensured that each test administrator received his or her
administration-specific Test Administrator’s Manual (TAM).
o
Only these individuals served as test administrators.
o
I provided training in test security and test administration protocols to these
individuals.
o
Each test administrator in my school followed the instructions set forth in the
administration-specific TAM.
Students in my school were made aware of their responsibilities during testing.
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The Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System:
Principal’s Administration Manual, Grades 3–8 Spring 2017
Appendix E—Sample Administration Forms and Test Materials
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
b.
My school administered the MCAS spring English Language Arts test according to the
student participation requirements prescribed in the PAM.
I have complied with the policies for testing students with disabilities, including
verifying that
o
only those test accommodations listed in students’ approved IEPs or 504 plans were
provided during test administration;
o
all student responses recorded somewhere other than on the computer-based or
paper-based answer booklet, due to the provision of an accommodation
(e.g., responses that were Brailled, responses from large-print answer booklets),
were transcribed verbatim by me or my designee into the student’s computer-based
test or paper-based answer booklet (with the sole exception of typed responses);
and that only test administrators providing certain accommodations to students
with disabilities were authorized to view secure MCAS test booklets. Before doing
so, these individuals signed an MCAS Nondisclosure Agreement.
I have complied with the policies for testing students designated as English language
learners, including verifying that ELLs were provided only those accommodations
permitted for ELLs and if they also have an approved IEP or 504 plan, accommodations
for students with disabilities.
All student information was provided completely and accurately as prescribed in the PAM.
For computer-based testing, I am following instructions in the PAM to void tests or
remove students from a session and indicate a not tested reason, if applicable.
I am returning all paper-based MCAS test materials in the manner prescribed in the PAM
on or before the scheduled deadline, and I am ensuring that all computer-based student
tests are marked complete on or before the scheduled deadline.
I am securely destroying scratch paper used by students during testing as prescribed in
the PAM, and for computer-based testing, I am securely destroying student testing
tickets, seal codes, and any printed materials that provided access to computer-based
tests.
I will retain school files containing the items listed in Part V of the PAM for three years.
I properly and promptly reported any testing irregularities to the Department by calling
the Student Assessment Services Unit at 781-338-3625.
APPENDIX E —Sample Administration Forms and Test Materials
•
I certify that the information provided by me on this form is true and accurate.
Principal’s Signature:
(The name should appear exactly as it appears in the Department’s
School/District Profiles [profiles.doe.mass.edu]. If you are an
interim principal or co-principal, write “Interim” or “Co-principal”
after your name.)
Password (same password used to log in):
Date:
Information entered on this form will not be saved until you click “I certify that these
statements are true” below.
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The Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System:
Principal’s Administration Manual, Grades 3–8 Spring 2017
APPENDIX E— Sample Administration Forms and Test Materials
Appendix E—Sample Administration Forms and Test Materials
Sample Form
Superintendent’s Assurance of Proper Test Administration
Instructions: Superintendents may use this form to collect assurances from their principals that
all test security requirements and test administration protocols will be met. This form should
be kept on file in the district office. Do not submit this form to the Department or the testing
contractor.
By signing below, I am assuring my superintendent that each of the following statements is
true and accurate:
•
I will read the Principal’s Administration Manual (PAM).
•
I will participate in one of the Department’s training sessions in February 2017
on MCAS test security and test administration protocols.
•
I will comply with and enforce the test security requirements prescribed in the PAM.
•
I am aware that the Department may observe my school during testing. If observers
are sent to my school, I will grant them access to my school building and allow them
to observe the test administration.
•
I will authorize specific individuals to serve as test administrators, following the
criteria in the PAM, and only these individuals will serve as test administrators.
•
I will authorize specific individuals to have access to secure materials, following
the criteria in the PAM, and only these individuals will have access to the secure
materials.
•
I will distribute Test Administrator’s Manuals to test administrators, and I will
distribute test security requirements to individuals with access to secure materials. I
will document their receipt of these materials.
•
Consistent with the PAM, I will train test administrators and other individuals in my
school with access to secure materials. I will document that they have been trained.
•
I will inform you and the Department of any testing irregularities.
Principal’s Name: ________________________________________________
Principal’s Signature: _____________________________________________
Date: ___________________________________________________________
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The Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System:
Principal’s Administration Manual, Grades 3–8 Spring 2017
Appendix E—Sample Administration Forms and Test Materials
Spring 2017 MCAS Administration
Test Materials Internal Tracking Form
Principals must account for all MCAS test materials at all times.
Use this form to track the distribution and return of all MCAS materials.
Test Administrator’s Name: ___________________________________________ Room Number: _________
Grade: ____________
Subject/Sessions: ____________________________________________________
Materials Moved from Locked Storage Area to Room #_______________
Date: ____________________________________
Time: _____________________________________
# of Standard
Test Booklets
# of Standard
Answer Booklets
# and Type of Special Materials
Principal’s or Designee’s Count
Test Administrator’s Count
Principal’s or Designee’s Signature:
Test Administrator’s Signature:
_________________________________________
__________________________________________
APPENDIX E —Sample Administration Forms and Test Materials
Sample Blank Form for Paper-Based Testing
Materials Moved from Room # _______________ to Locked Storage Area
Date: ____________________________________
# of Standard
Test Booklets
Time: _____________________________________
# of Standard
Answer Booklets
# and Type of
Special Materials
Scratch Paper Used?
(no count needed)
Principal’s or
Designee’s Count
Yes
No
Test Administrator’s
Count
Yes
No
Principal’s or Designee’s Signature:
Test Administrator’s Signature:
_________________________________________
__________________________________________
Date: ____________________________________
Check this box to confirm that scratch paper has been securely destroyed at the school.
Retain this document in your school files for three years.
The Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System:
Principal’s Administration Manual, Grades 3–8 Spring 2017
113
APPENDIX E— Sample Administration Forms and Test Materials
Appendix E—Sample Administration Forms and Test Materials
Sample Completed Form for Paper-Based Testing
Spring 2017 MCAS Administration
Test Materials Internal Tracking Form
Principals must account for all MCAS test materials at all times.
Use this form to track the distribution and return of all MCAS materials.
250
Alexander Smith
Test Administrator’s Name: ___________________________________________
Room Number: _________
3
Grade: ____________
Mathematics
Subject/Sessions: ____________________________________________________
250
Materials Moved from Locked Storage Area to Room #_______________
4/5/2017
Date: ____________________________________
8:30 a.m.
Time: _____________________________________
# of Standard
Test Booklets
# of Standard
Answer Booklets
# and Type of Special Materials
Principal’s or Designee’s Count
15
15
1 large-print test booklet and
1 large-print answer booklet
Test Administrator’s Count
15
15
1 large-print test booklet and
1 large-print answer booklet
Principal’s or Designee’s Signature:
Test Administrator’s Signature:
_________________________________________
__________________________________________
250
Materials Moved from Room # _______________
to Locked Storage Area
4/5/2017
Date: ____________________________________
2:00 p.m.
Time: _____________________________________
# of Standard
Test Booklets
# of Standard
Answer Booklets
# and Type of
Special Materials
Principal’s or
Designee’s Count
15
15
1 large-print test booklet
and 1 large-print answer
booklet
Yes
No
Test Administrator’s
Count
15
15
1 large-print test booklet
and 1 large-print answer
booklet
Yes
No
Scratch Paper Used?
(no count needed)
Principal’s or Designee’s Signature:
Test Administrator’s Signature:
_________________________________________
__________________________________________
4/5/2017
Date: ____________________________________
Check this box to confirm that scratch paper has been securely destroyed at the school.
114
Retain this document in your school files for three years.
The Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System:
Principal’s Administration Manual, Grades 3–8 Spring 2017
Appendix E—Sample Administration Forms and Test Materials
Background
In order to ensure the security and validity of Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System
(MCAS) tests, the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (the
Department) requires that all individuals authorized by their principals to administer MCAS tests
to students with disabilities who require any of the test administration accommodations listed
below accept the terms of this nondisclosure agreement. Principals are required to keep the signed
agreements on file at the school.
This nondisclosure agreement should be used only with test administrators who are administering
MCAS tests to students with disabilities using accommodations A2, A3, A5, A6, A8, A10.1, A11, A12, A13,
A14, A15, SA1.2, SA2, SA3.1, and SA6. This form should be distributed to and signed by test administrators
prior to their reviewing secure test materials. Since no other individuals in schools are authorized to
review secure MCAS test booklets, a nondisclosure agreement is not required for any other staff.
Agreement
•
With the exception of test questions released by the Department for informational
purposes, all MCAS test questions are deemed secure instruments. The materials are
specifically excluded from the Massachusetts Public Records Law. (G. L. c. 4, § 7(26) (l))
Therefore, I agree not to reproduce, discuss, or in any way release or distribute test
questions and associated materials.
•
Details about MCAS test construction, including the positions of questions in test forms,
must be kept secure. Consequently, I agree not to share MCAS test blueprints, test booklet
formats, or any information related to MCAS test blueprints.
•
I further agree to refrain from using any advance knowledge of MCAS test questions to
prepare students for testing or provide them with any information that might give them
an advantage in answering questions.
APPENDIX E —Sample Administration Forms and Test Materials
MCAS Nondisclosure Agreement
By signing below as a test administrator for students with disabilities who require one of the
accommodations listed above, I acknowledge and accept that I am bound by the terms of this
agreement prohibiting the disclosure of information regarding secure materials. I also acknowledge
and accept that my failure to abide by any term of this nondisclosure agreement will result in serious
consequences, including but not limited to action to limit or revoke my Massachusetts educator license.
Name: _____________________________________________________________________________
Test To Be Administered: _____________________________________________________________
District and School: __________________________________________________________________
Signature: __________________________________________ Date: __________________________
Return the form to your principal, who will keep this agreement in the school files for
three years. Do not submit this agreement to the Department or the testing contractor.
115
The Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System:
Principal’s Administration Manual, Grades 3–8 Spring 2017
APPENDIX E— Sample Administration Forms and Test Materials
Appendix E—Sample Administration Forms and Test Materials
Request for Permission to Test a Student
in an Alternate Setting
Instructions: To request permission to test a student in an alternate setting for an MCAS test administration,
complete and fax this request form to the Department’s Student Assessment Services Unit, to 781-338-3630. Requests
should be submitted at least two weeks prior to testing, if possible.
Responses will be sent via fax prior to the testing window. Please contact the Student Assessment Services Unit at
781-338-3625 with any questions.
Retain documentation on file for three years.
1. Contact Information
Principal’s Name:
School:
Telephone Number:
District:
Fax Number:
2. Student Information
First Name:
Middle Name:
SASID:
Grade:
Reason that the student is unable to be tested at school:
(e.g., medical, disciplinary, personal)
Last Name:
When will the alternate setting be used? (check one or more)
April
May
Note: You must resubmit a form for May if an alternate setting was approved for March–April and is still needed.
3. Proposed Test Administrator
First Name:
Last Name:
Test administrator’s position in the school or district:
(See the Principal’s Administration Manual [PAM] for the policy on designating qualified test administrators.)
Date of training in administering MCAS tests:
(See the PAM for information about training test administrators.)
4. Proposed Test Administration Details
The principal of the school must attach a separate sheet with details describing the following:
•
the proposed alternate setting
•
plans for ensuring secure testing conditions and secure transport of test materials each day
•
procedures for materials to be returned to central locked storage at the school each day
•
proposed test administration dates, if the student will be participating in make-up sessions
The principal of the school must sign below to acknowledge the following:
•
All test materials will be kept secure as they are transported between the school and the alternate setting
and during test administration.
•
The test administration will follow all protocols described in the PAM and the appropriate
Test Administrator’s Manual, including the prohibition of visitors from the testing environment.
•
The student’s test materials will be returned along with test materials for all other students according
to instructions in the PAM.
Principal’s Name ______________________ Principal’s Signature _________________________ Date __________
5. Approval/Denial of Request – For Department Use Only
(This section will be completed and returned to your school prior to testing.)
Check one:
This request has been approved.
OR
Department of Elementary and Secondary Education
Staff Person Name and Position:
Signature:
116
The Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System:
Principal’s Administration Manual, Grades 3–8 Spring 2017
Date:
This request has been denied.
Appendix E—Sample Administration Forms and Test Materials
Spring 2017 MCAS Administration
Confirmation of Training Participation
and Receipt of Test Administrator’s Manuals (TAMs)
and Test Security Requirements
Test administrators must sign below to indicate they have attended their school’s MCAS training
session and have received a copy of the MCAS TAM for the test they will be administering.
Other school personnel who have access to secure materials must sign below to indicate they have
attended their school’s MCAS training session and have received a copy of the MCAS test security
requirements (available at www.doe.mass.edu/mcas/testadmin/?section=g3-8).
Principals should retain this document in their school files for three years.
Date of Time
Training
Printed Name
of Individual
Individual’s Role
(e.g., Test Administrator,
Test Coordinator, Hallway
Monitor)
Signature of Individual
By signing below, I acknowledge that
1. I am documenting my attendance at
my school’s MCAS training session
in proper test administration
protocols and procedures.
2. I am receiving the MCAS TAM
for the test I will administer or the
MCAS test security requirements.
I will read and understand the
protocols in it, and I will abide by
the terms specified within.
APPENDIX E —Sample Administration Forms and Test Materials
Sample Blank Internal Form
117
The Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System:
Principal’s Administration Manual, Grades 3–8 Spring 2017
APPENDIX E— Sample Administration Forms and Test Materials
Appendix E—Sample Administration Forms and Test Materials
Sample Form
Student Responsibilities during MCAS Testing
(Grade 6–8)
By signing below, I understand that my test results may be invalidated if I do any of the following
activities during a test session (including after turning in my test materials or closing my
computer-based test, during a break, or during the transition to a test completion area):
•
duplicating any portion of the test or answer booklets or secure test content on a
computer screen (e.g., photographing, copying)
•
accessing prohibited materials such as cell phones or other electronic devices
(e.g.,music players, game consoles, any device capable of taking photographs) for
any purpose
•
communicating with other students (e.g., talking, whispering, writing notes)
•
looking at any other student’s test or answer booklet or computer for online testing
•
consulting notes, books, or instructional materials during testing
•
working in a session other than the one being administered, looking at questions
or test pages beyond the stop sign, or going back to a previous session during
paper-based testing
•
damaging test materials or removing any part of them from the testing room
for paper-based testing
I also understand that my test results may also be invalidated if I discuss the content of test
booklets or my responses to questions with anyone, including teachers.
If I have any questions about these statements, I will talk with my teacher or principal.
I understand that there may be consequences if I do any of the activities listed above or
otherwise violate test administration rules.
I have read these statements and understand them.
Student’s Printed Name ___________________________________________________________
Student’s Signature _______________________________________________________________
Date ____________________________________________________________________________
Return this form to your teacher.
Instructions for Test Administrators: Return all your students’ signed statements to your
principal, who will keep them in the school files for three years. Do not submit this
agreement to the Department or the testing contractor.
118
The Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System:
Principal’s Administration Manual, Grades 3–8 Spring 2017
Appendix E—Sample Administration Forms and Test Materials
Dear Parent(s) or Guardian(s):
Students will be asked to read statements about their responsibilities during MCAS testing and
to sign an acknowledgement indicating they understand these responsibilities. The statements
are shown below. We recommend that you discuss them with your child along with the school’s
handbook and related policies.
Thank you for your involvement in your child’s education.
Sincerely,
_____________________________________________________________
Principal
By signing below, I understand that my test results may be invalidated if I do any of the following
activities during a test session (including after turning in my test materials or closing my
computer-based test, during a break, or during the transition to a test completion area):
•
duplicating any portion of the test or answer booklets or secure test content on a
computer screen (e.g., photographing, copying)
•
accessing prohibited materials such as cell phones or other electronic devices
(e.g.,music players, game consoles, any device capable of taking photographs) for
any purpose
•
communicating with other students (e.g., talking, whispering, writing notes)
•
looking at any other student’s test or answer booklet or computer for online testing
•
consulting notes, books, or instructional materials during testing
•
working in a session other than the one being administered, looking at questions
or test pages beyond the stop sign, or going back to a previous session during
paper-based testing
•
damaging test materials or removing any part of them from the testing room
for paper-based testing
APPENDIX E —Sample Administration Forms and Test Materials
Sample Letter
I also understand that my test results may also be invalidated if I discuss the content of test
booklets or my responses to questions with anyone, including teachers.
If I have any questions about these statements, I will talk with my teacher or principal.
I understand that there may be consequences if I do any of the activities listed above or
otherwise violate test administration rules.
I have read these statements and understand them.
Student’s Printed Name ___________________________________________________________
Student’s Signature _______________________________________________________________
Date ____________________________________________________________________________
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The Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System:
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APPENDIX E— Sample Administration Forms and Test Materials
Appendix E—Sample Administration Forms and Test Materials
Sample Completed Answer Booklet Front Cover
When Student ID Label Is Used
Test Administrator’s Name(s): (PLEASE PRINT)
8
MARKING INSTRUCTIONS
Session 1:
• Use a No. 2 pencil only.
Session 2:
• Make solid marks that fill the circles completely.
• Do not use ink, ballpoint, or felt-tip pens.
• Erase cleanly any marks you wish to change.
School Name: Sample School
• Do not make any stray marks on this form.
• Do not fold, tear, or damage this form.
District Name: Sample District
STUDENT NAME GRID
LAST NAME
FIRST NAME
BIRTHDATE
MI
MONTH
W A R D
J O H N
D
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Notes: 1. This MCAS answer booklet is secure. It may not be
duplicated in any way. This answer booklet must
be returned as directed.
2. Results may not be repor ted correctly if a valid
SASID is not provided.
WARD, JOHN D
NLP
Barcode
Here
JAN
FEB
MAR
APR
MAY
JUN
JUL
AUG
SEP
OCT
NOV
DEC
DAY
1
The Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System:
Principal’s Administration Manual, Grades 3–8 Spring 2017
YEAR
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DOB: 08/21/04
Place
Label
Place Student
Student
IDStudent
Label ID Label
PlaceID
centered
this
x.
centered in
in
this bo
bo in
x.this box.
centered
1012345678
120
Spring 2017
MASSACHUSETTS COMPREHENSIVE
ASSESSMENT SYSTEM
Grade 8 Mathematics Answer Booklet
1234567890
Appendix E—Sample Administration Forms and Test Materials
MASSACHUSETTS COMPREHENSIVE
ASSESSMENT SYSTEM
Grade 8 Mathematics Answer Booklet
Test Administrator’s Name(s): (PLEASE PRINT)
Spring 2017
8
MARKING INSTRUCTIONS
Session 1:
• Use a No. 2 pencil only.
Session 2:
• Make solid marks that fill the circles completely.
School Name:
District Name:
• Do not use ink, ballpoint, or felt-tip pens.
Sample School
• Erase cleanly any marks you wish to change.
Sample District
• Do not fold, tear, or damage this form.
• Do not make any stray marks on this form.
STUDENT NAME GRID
LAST NAME
W A R D
FIRST NAME
J O H N
D
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\
Notes: 1. This MCAS answer booklet is secure. It may not be
duplicated in any way. This answer booklet must
be returned as directed.
2. Results may not be repor ted correctly if a valid
SASID is not provided.
BIRTHDATE
MI
MONTH
JAN
FEB
MAR
APR
MAY
JUN
JUL
AUG
SEP
OCT
NOV
DEC
DAY
YEAR
1
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\
APPENDIX E —Sample Administration Forms and Test Materials
Sample Completed Answer Booklet Front Cover
When Student ID Label Is NOT Used
STATE-ASSIGNED STUDENT
IDENTIFIER (SASID)
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Place Student ID Label
centered in this box.
1
1234567890
The Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System:
Principal’s Administration Manual, Grades 3–8 Spring 2017
121
APPENDIX E— Sample Administration Forms and Test Materials
Appendix E—Sample Administration Forms and Test Materials
MATERIALS SUMMARY
Spring 2017 MCAS English Language Arts
The principal must use this form to accurately account
for all materials received and being returned.
Before Testing:
 Record the total count of materials received in the “Qty Received” column. For example, if you receive 5
packages of 20 test booklets, write “100” in the “Qty Received” column. You will need to use some of this
information when you go online to complete the Principal’s Certification of Proper Test Administration
(PCPA).
 Compare the “Qty Shipped” column to the “Qty Received” column.
 Any discrepancies between the total count in the “Qty Shipped” column and the number actually
received must be reported in the “Comments About Materials Received” box (section 2) of the PCPA.
Refer to the Principal's Administration Manual: Spring 2017 (PAM) for the deadline for reporting
discrepancies.
 This form shows only those materials included in your school’s shipment. A complete list of test materials is
available for your reference at www.doe.mass.edu/mcas/testadmin. If you discover while inventorying your
school’s shipment of test materials that you need more materials, log on to www.mcasservicecenter.com to
order additional materials no later than the deadline specified in the PAM.
After Testing:
 Record the total quantity of materials packed for return in the corresponding “Qty Returned” column. The list
posted at www.doe.mass.edu/mcas/testadmin shows the individual components of each test materials packet.
You will need to use some information from this form when you go online to complete sections 3 and 4 of the
PCPA.
 Print and sign your name, and date the form.
 Retain a copy of this form for your records. Pack the original inside the last carton of your nonscorable
materials return shipment.
Ship To:
MP Ship Code:
0000000000260713
Contract:
162003
District Code:
1234
School Code:
1234
Contract Name:
Spring 2017 G3–8 ELA and Mathematics/STE
District Name:
YOUR DISTRICT
School Name:
YOUR SCHOOL
Total Cartons Shipped:
Carton Label
000000115527001
Contents:
Date Packed:
Month/Day/Year
Administration:
2017
Grade:
08
2
Qty
Shipped
* Materials Summary
1
* UPS Shipping Instructions and Preprinted UPS Shipping Label(s)
1
* Principal's Administration Manual, Spring 2017
1
* Return Envelope
1
* Special Handling Envelope
1
* Student ID Labels
1
* Test Administrator's Manual, Grades 4–8, March–April 2017
1
* Void Envelope
1
Carton Label
000000115527002
Contents:
Enrollment:
5
Qty
Shipped
Grade 8 ELA Answer Booklet
5
Grade 8 ELA Test Booklet
5
* Prelabeled Return Carton (1.0 - small)
1
Qty
Received
Qty
Returned
Qty
Received
Qty
Returned
Principal’s Name_______________________ Principal’s Signature __________________________Date__________________
122
MP Ship Code: 000000000007935
The Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System:
Principal’s Administration Manual, Grades 3–8 Spring 2017
Page: 2 of 2
Appendix E—Sample Administration Forms and Test Materials
Note that each RS
label lists the test
administration in
the line marked
as “DESC:”.
Please choose the
correct RS label
when scheduling
the UPS
pickup for each
administration.
APPENDIX E —Sample Administration Forms and Test Materials
Sample UPS Return Service Label
The test administration listed in the “DESC” description line should assist you in preparing
materials for return, particularly when trying to distinguish among the school administrations
that occur during a brief time span in the spring. Return all leftover, unused labels after the
Mathematics/STE test administration.
123
The Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System:
Principal’s Administration Manual, Grades 3–8 Spring 2017
APPENDIX E— Sample Administration Forms and Test Materials
Appendix E—Sample Administration Forms and Test Materials
Answer Booklet
Inside Back Cover
TO BE COMPLETED BY PRINCIPAL OR DESIGNEE
Refer to the Principal’s Administration Manual for instructions on completing these sections on the inside and outside back
covers of the answer booklet.
ACCOMMODATIONS FOR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES
This student with a disability has an IEP or 504 plan (or a 504 plan is being developed) and was provided with
the accommodations indicated below to complete the Mathematics test.
\ Large-print (Accommodation A2)
\ Braille (Accommodation A3.2)
\ Typed Response (Accommodation A12)
Please refer to the Principal’s Administration Manual for instructions on the return of materials for students with disabilities
using the large-print, Braille, or typed response accommodation.
IMPORTANT: New for 2017, schools must identify selected accommodations for each student in the student’s
Personal Needs Profile (PNP) in PearsonAccessnext (PAN). If accommodations were not uploaded in
the PNP or were uploaded incorrectly, schools should correct the data in PAN.
The Department reserves the right to invalidate results for a student who uses accommodations that
are not documented in his or her IEP or 504 plan.
NOTE:
Do not submit an assigned MCAS answer booklet for a student who is participating in the MCAS
Alternate Assessment (MCAS-Alt) in this content area. The principal or designee must instead
submit an MCAS-Alt Student Identification Booklet (SIB) for each student who participates in the
MCAS-Alt.
ELL STATUS: FIRST YEAR OF ENROLLMENT IN U.S. SCHOOLS
Students’ first-year ELL status is no longer being collected on answer booklets because this information is reported
in SIMS. Any student’s first-year ELL status that was not included in March SIMS must be updated in the June
SIMS report.
124
19
The Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System:
Principal’s Administration Manual, Grades 3–8 Spring 2017
Appendix E—Sample Administration Forms and Test Materials
TO BE COMPLETED BY PRINCIPAL OR DESIGNEE
Refer to the Principal’s Administration Manual for instructions on completing these sections on the inside and outside back
covers of the answer booklet.
ABSENCE
\ This student was absent with medical documentation for one or both Mathematics test sessions
(documentation on file at the school).
Note: There is no need to also indicate the student’s medically documented absence in PearsonAccessnext.
Other Absences
A student will be reported as absent if there are no responses in one or both Mathematics test sessions.
If a student responded to any questions, submit the booklet with other students’ used answer booklets in the scorable
shipment. Test item analysis results will be reported for these test questions.
If the booklet has been assigned to a student (using a Student ID Label or the student’s information is filled in on the
front cover), but the student did not respond to any test questions in this booklet, do not submit it with other students’
used answer booklets. Instead, mark the booklet as void by filling in the circle below in the “VOID ANSWER
BOOKLET” section, write VOID in large letters across the front cover, and return the booklet in the Void Envelope
in the scorable return shipment.
CHANGE OF ENROLLMENT STATUS
Removed from Enrollment
Added to Enrollment
\ This student participated in one but not both
\ This student participated in one but not both
Mathematics test sessions because the student
transferred out of the school during the
Mathematics testing window.
Mathematics test sessions because the student
transferred into the school during the Mathematics
testing window.
NOTE: Do not submit an assigned MCAS
answer booklet for a student who
transferred out of the school during
the Mathematics testing window and
did not participate in any Mathematics
test sessions.
NOTE: Do not submit an assigned MCAS
answer booklet for a student who
transferred into the school during
the Mathematics testing window and
did not participate in any Mathematics
test sessions.
APPENDIX E —Sample Administration Forms and Test Materials
Answer Booklet
Outside Back Cover
VOID ANSWER BOOKLET
\ This is a VOID booklet and WILL NOT be scored. No student results will be reported from this booklet.
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126
The Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System:
Principal’s Administration Manual, Grades 3–8 Spring 2017
centered in this box.
MASSACHUSETTS COMPREHENSIVE ASSESSMENT SYSTEM
2017 MCAS Alternate Assessment (MCAS-Alt)
Student Identification Booklet (SIB)
Place Student ID Label
APPENDIX E— Sample Administration Forms and Test Materials
Appendix E—Sample Administration Forms and Test Materials
Spring 2017
Alt
Appendix E—Sample Administration Forms and Test Materials
Student Accommodation Refusal Form
Instructions: If a student refuses an accommodation listed in his or her IEP or 504 plan, the school
should document in writing that the student refused the accommodation, and the accommodation
must be offered and remain available to the student during testing.
This form can be completed and placed in the student’s file, and a copy sent to the parent. IEP and
504 plan teams should consider this information when making future MCAS accommodations
decisions for the student.
This is not a required form. If this form is used, principals should retain it in their school files for
three years. Do not submit this form to the Department or the testing contractor.
Student Information
Student’s name: ______________________________________________________________________
SASID: ___________________________________ Date of birth: _____________________________
School name: ______________________________ District name: ____________________________
Accommodation(s) Being Refused and Reason for Refusal
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
APPENDIX E —Sample Administration Forms and Test Materials
Sample Form
____________________________________________________________________________
MCAS Test Administration
Place a check mark next to each test administration this form will be used for.
Subject Area:
ELA
Mathematics
STE
Test administrator’s name: ____________________________________________________________
Comments
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
127
The Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System:
Principal’s Administration Manual, Grades 3–8 Spring 2017