2. Session Overview
• “Housekeeping”
• Scenario Central
o Betty B. Good
o Mr. Harold the “Newbie”
o Mrs. Jamison
o Monitor Visit to Kansas Sunflower High School
o Monitor Visit to Kansas Flint Hilly Elementary School
o Danny Frank
o Paul, the New Test Coordinator
• Resource List, Reminders, and Questions
• Exit Slip
• Read Aloud (bonus/extra)
3. Housekeeping
Important Connections
Cherie Randall
crandall@ksde.org
Dave Bowman, KSDE
dbowman@ksde.org
Mary Matthew, Olathe Public Schools and KAAC
matthewm@olatheschools.org
4. Housekeeping
Expectations
• Adhere to our Quiet Signal
• Stay on topic in discussion groups (if you can)
• Speak one at a time and be respectful of others
when they are speaking
• Take care of your own personal needs (restroom,
stretching, etc.)
• Turn cell phones to “vibrate”
• If there is a fire – get out!
• Handout Packet and power point…will be posted
on KSDE website.
5. Stand Up, Sit Down
• Stand up if you are a test coordinator.
• Sit down, if you are a veteran test coordinator.
• Stand up if you are not a test coordinator.
• Stand up if you work at the elementary level.
• Stand up if you work at the middle level.
• Stand up if you work at the high school level.
• Stand up if you work for KSDE.
Line Up…
6. Scenario Central
• Betty B. Good
• Mr. Harold the “Newbie”
• Mrs. Jamison
• Monitor Visit to Kansas Sunflower High School
• Monitor Visit to Kansas Flint Hilly Elementary School
• Danny Frank
• Paul, the New Test Coordinator
Put a Star by positive things you see in the scenario!
Place a question mark by practices you wonder about.
Place a check mark by practices that you know are wrong!
7. Scenario: Betty B. Good
• Betty B. Good makes sure that she has her students
prepared for the state assessment tests that are
administered in April. She is quite proud of the fact that
100% of her students score at the meets standard level or
higher every year.
• She has been able to make photocopies of most of the
test’s questions over the past several years when she has
had the opportunity to administer a read aloud
accommodation and/or a paper and pencil
accommodation in her classroom. She is then able to
utilize these copies to prepare a month long test prep
unit for her students where they are given actual test
items and even some that she has adapted or changed
slightly to solve. Betty is able to explain the problems
when students miss them and she feels like this is an
excellent way for her students to have the knowledge
needed for the Kansas Summative Assessment.
8. Scenario: Betty B. Good
• What do you think?
• Is Betty in violation of
any ethical practices or
test security practices?
• What should she do?
Put a Star by positive things you see in the scenario!
Place a question mark by practices you wonder about.
Place a check mark by practices that you know are wrong!
9. Scenario: Betty B. Good
• Betty B. Good makes sure that she has her students
prepared for the state assessment tests that are
administered in April. She is quite proud of the fact that
100% of her students score at the meets standard level or
higher every year.
• She has been able to make photocopies of most of the
test’s questions over the past several years when she has
had the opportunity to administer a read aloud
accommodation and/or a paper and pencil
accommodation in her classroom. She is then able to
utilize these copies to prepare a month long test prep
unit for her students where they are given actual test
items and even some that she has adapted or changed
slightly to solve. Betty is able to explain the problems
when students miss them and she feels like this is an
excellent way for her students to have the knowledge
needed for the Kansas Summative Assessment.
10. Scenario: Betty B. Good
Betty is in violation of the following:
Test Security:
•Do not review tests or analyze test items before,
during or after the assessment is administered.
•Do not discuss any specific test items on the test with
students before, during or after the administration of
the assessment.
•Do not reproduce or rewrite test materials.
Unacceptable Test Preparation Practices
•Do not use actual or altered test questions (clone,
parallel) for practice or instruction.
•Do not conduct comprehensive reviews or drills the
day of the test or between testing sessions.
11. Scenario: Betty B. Good
Betty needs to stop this practice!
The district test coordinator should contact KSDE
and report the violation to determine what the next
step should be!
12. Scenario:
Mr. Harold the “Newbie”
• Mr. Harold is a new teacher at Happy Middle School. His
fellow teachers have shared with him how important
testing is at Happy Middle! He is a little nervous about
making sure his students are prepared so he asked an old
college friend that teaches the same grade/content in
another district for any practice materials they have. He
really wants to impress his fellow teachers by how well he
has prepared his students. He immediately begins
implementing the questions and passages that he
received from his friend and is now confident that his
students will be prepared.
• Part 1: What do you think? Is this a good idea or not? Is Mr.
Harold in violation of any ethical practices or test security
practices?
13. Part 2 - Scenario:
Mr. Harold the “Newbie”
• During the first day of the KS
assessment one of his students
raises his hand and says, “Mr. H.
we already read this story in class
and answered these same
questions or ones that were really
close. Do we have to do this
again?”
14. Part 2 - Scenario:
Mr. Harold the “Newbie”
• What do you think?
• Is Mr. Harold in
violation of any ethical
practices or test
security practices?
What should Harold
do?
15. Part 2 - Scenario:
Mr. Harold the “Newbie”
Harold is in violation of the following:
Unacceptable Test Preparation Practices
•Do not use actual or altered test questions (clone, parallel) for
practice or instruction.
•Although Harold did not actually “create” the items he is a
“victim” by using the items (which he thought was from a trusted
source) with his students.
•Harold should contact his building/district testing coordinator
immediately. AND…The District Testing Coordinator would need
to contact KSDE, Cherie Randall.
Dr. Cherie Randall, Assessment Coordinator,
Kansas State Department of Education, 785.296.3996
16. Scenario: Mrs. Jamison
•Because she is eager for her students to perform well
on their mathematics tests, Mrs. Jamison gives her
students a graphic organizer to use during the year so
that when the time comes for the state math test they
will be prepared. Once students enter the computer
lab to take the assessment she distributes the
organizer she created and the students begin the test
by copying each problem onto the organizer and
answering each question. Upon completion of each
test part, Mrs. Jamison collects the graphic organizer
and scores each problem so that students have
feedback on how well they are doing.
17. Mrs. Jamison
• What do you think?
• Is Mrs. Jamison in
violation of any ethical
practices or test
security practices?
What should she do?
18. Scenario: Mrs. Jamison
•Because she is eager for her students to perform well
on their mathematics tests, Mrs. Jamison gives her
students a graphic organizer to use during the year so
that when the time comes for the state math test they
will be prepared. Once students enter the computer
lab to take the assessment she distributes the
organizer she created and the students begin the test
by copying each problem onto the organizer and
answering each question. Upon completion of each
test part, Mrs. Jamison collects the graphic organizer
and scores each problem so that students have
feedback on how well they are doing.
19. Scenario: Mrs. Jamison
Mrs. Jamison is in violation of the following:
Test Security
•Do not review tests or analyze test items before, during or after
the assessment is administered.
•Do not discuss any specific test items on the test with students
before, during or after the administration of the assessment.
•Do not construct answer keys so that an assessment may be
scored locally.
During Testing:
•Actively monitor the testing session. Moving around the room
encourages students to focus on their own work.
•Teachers may not require students to show work or use scratch
paper. Scratch paper may not be graded.
•Students may use blank paper to show and check their work.
This work must be collected and destroyed upon completion of
the entire test.
•Teachers may not require students to use manipulatives, graphic
organizers, or other tools during the assessment.
20. Scenario: Monitor Visit to Kansas
Sunflower High School: Lab 1
•Kansas Sunflower High School is having a monitor visit. The monitor
team has already checked in at the district level and found
everything to be in compliance. Next stop, Sunflower High School!
Upon arriving at the school, they are greeted by the building
principal and the building assessment coordinator. After reviewing
the documentation provided at the school level including the
Evidence of Standards based Goals for students taking a KAMM
(IEP’s) they are ready to visit testing rooms.
Lab 1:
•Upon entering the first computer lab they overhear the teacher/test
proctor say to a student, “Well, if you think back to what we learned
in class about finding the main idea I’m sure you will find the
answer.”
•What do you think? Is the test proctor in violation of any ethical
practices or test security practices? What should they do?
21. Scenario: Monitor Visit to Kansas
Sunflower High School Lab 1
Lab 1 Violation:
•Do not respond to questions during testing that would help
the students to understand the question, aid them in
responding to an item, or advise/encourage them to edit
or change a response.
•Readers may not clarify, elaborate, or provide assistance
to students in any way. When reading test items aloud,
readers must be careful not to give clues that indicate the
correct answer or help eliminate some answer choices.
The reader must avoid cueing the student by using voice
inflection or by providing information that is not in the test.
What should they do?
•Say to students, I’m sorry I can’t help you, just do your best.
22. Scenario: Monitor Visit to Kansas
Sunflower High School: Lab 2
•Upon entering the next computer lab they overhear
the teacher/test proctor say to a student, “Would it
make the question easier, if I told you that you just
need to find the main idea? I know that question is a
little wordy. I think if you eliminate the ones right away
that you don’t know it will be easy to spot the right
answer because a couple of those choices aren’t
even plausible.”
•What do you think? Is the test proctor in violation of
any ethical practices or test security practices? What
should they do?
23. Scenario: Monitor Visit to Kansas
Sunflower High School Lab 2
Violation:
•Do not coach or cue students in any way during test
administration. This includes gestures and facial expressions.
•Do not respond to questions during testing that would help the
students to understand the question, aid them in responding to
an item, or advise/encourage them to edit or change a
response.
•Readers may not clarify, elaborate, or provide assistance to
students in any way. When reading test items aloud, readers
must be careful not to give clues that indicate the correct
answer or help eliminate some answer choices. The reader must
avoid cueing the student by using voice inflection or by
providing information that is not in the test.
•What should they do?
•Say to students, I’m sorry I can’t help you, just do your best.
24. Scenario: Monitor Visit to Kansas
Sunflower High School: Lab 3
•Upon entering the third computer lab they overhear
the teacher/test proctor say to a student, “Thank you
for showing me the End Review Screen, you have
answered all of the questions and may exit the test.”
A second teacher is present in the room and is
actively monitoring the test session by moving around
the room.
•What do you think? Is the test proctor in violation of
any ethical practices or test security practices? What
should they do?
25. Scenario: Monitor Visit to Kansas
Sunflower High School Lab 3
No violation:
•After Testing
•The teacher may verify the End Review Screen (KCA)
to see that all test questions have been answered
before a student exits the test.
•Collect and destroy (shred) student notes, scratch
paper, and drawings, etc. upon completion of each
test part.
•Having two adults in the room is a great way to
prevent test security violations!
26. Monitor Visits
• Schools/Districts can • About 5% of KS schools
volunteer to receive a will have a monitor visit!
monitor visit Just because you
volunteer doesn’t
• OR Schools/Districts mean you will have a
can be randomly visit!
selected – visits would
be considered – How to Volunteer:
“unannounced” •Complete the Exit Slip provided
today to indicate you would like to
volunteer your school/district
•OR - Contact Cherie Randall at
KSDE (by email)
28. Monitor Visits
What did we learn from our 2010-2011 visits?
• Great things are Opportunities for Improvement
happening in Kansas! •Very few “incidents” or issues
were reported
• 81 schools/districts
•Of those…
participated in o Responding to student
successful monitor visits questions during the
• 100% of the assessment
o Small group size – more
schools/districts were than 3 (no appropriate)
able to verify & show o Reading Directions from the
required elements Manual
o Materials posted on walls
29. Scenario: Monitor Visit to Kansas
Flint Hilly Elementary School
•Kansas Flint Hilly Elementary School is having a monitor
visit. The monitor team has already checked in at the
district level and found everything to be in compliance.
Next stop, the school building!
•Upon arriving at the school, they are greeted by the
building principal who has all of the training
documentation for test security and the read aloud
accommodation training in a three ring notebook along
with the teacher sign-off forms to verify they have been
trained. Things look to be in good shape!
•The monitor team is ready to visit testing rooms.
30. Scenario: Monitor Visit to Kansas
Flint Hilly Elementary School
Lab 1:
•Upon entering the first computer lab they hear the test proctor
assigning each student to a computer so that students are not
sitting side by side with the same test form number. Once this
task is completed, the test proctor begins to read the directions
from the Examiner’s Manual and students begin testing.
•On the front table a variety of math manipulatives are on
display for students to use if they so choose. The monitor team
notices that measuring cups and spoons with more than one
fraction marked on them are part of the manipulatives provided
along with a metric conversion chart. The team also notes that
the walls are covered with information on the metric system and
other math helpful hints and tips for solving problems!
•What do you think? Is this a violation of any ethical practices or
test security practices? What should they do?
31. Scenario: Monitor Visit to Kansas
Flint Hilly Elementary School
Lab 1:
•Upon entering the first computer lab they hear the
test proctor assigning each student to a computer so
that students are not sitting side by side with the same
test form number. Once this task is completed, the
test proctor begins to read the directions from the
Examiner’s Manual and students begin testing.
ese are Good things…
All of th
32. Scenario: Monitor Visit to Kansas
Flint Hilly Elementary School
Lab 1: Violation:
•In the Examiner’s Manual a complete list of appropriate math
manipulatives is available. In this example, measuring cups and
spoons with more than one fraction marked on them are not on
the approved list, neither is a metric conversion chart.
•It also states on the KSDE Testing Fact Sheet and the Examiner’s
Manual that you are to:
•Remove or cover (with opaque material) bulletin board displays,
charts and diagrams, and other instructional material which may
give assistance or advantage during testing.
•What should they do?
•Remove the items from the table and take down the displays.
33. Scenario: Monitor Visit to Kansas
Flint Hilly Elementary School
Lab 2:
•Upon entering the second room the monitor team is
able to see a small group read aloud
accommodation being administered. The reader has
made sure that the three students are far enough
apart so that they can’t see each other’s answers and
is standing behind the students reading the questions
out loud.
•What do you think? Is this a violation of any ethical
practices or test security practices? What should they
do?
34. Scenario: Monitor Visit to Kansas
Flint Hilly Elementary School
Lab 2: No violation…
•A small group read aloud should have no more than
3 students in the group. Students should be separated
so that they cannot see each other’s answers. Having
the reader stand behind or beside students when
reading is recommended.
35. Scenario: Monitor Visit to Kansas
Flint Hilly Elementary School
Lab 2: No violation…
•Readers may not clarify, elaborate, or provide
assistance to students in any way. When reading test
items aloud, readers must be careful not to give clues
that indicate the correct answer or help eliminate
some answer choices. The reader must avoid cueing
the student by using voice inflection or by providing
information that is not in the test.
•Nothing may be read from the reading passage!
36. Read Aloud Reminders
• Absolutely nothing from a reading passage may be read
or pronounced, including single words.
• It is important that the reader wait until all the students in
the small group are ready before reading the next item.
• Positioning is another important consideration. The
reader should stand to the side or behind the student to
avoid facial expressions, eye contact, and body
language that might inadvertently cue the student.
• Reminder…read aloud – yearly training! (end of this ppt.
you can find options for this training but the KSDE website
has additional resources)
37. Scenario: Danny Frank
• Danny Frank has taught for 15 years and given the state
assessment for the last 6 years. He has been the building test
coordinator for the past 3 years. One of his duties is to make
sure that test materials are kept in a secure, locked location
before testing, between test sessions and upon completion of
testing.
• Danny decided to distribute everything to the teachers and
ask them to find a place in their classroom to keep them safe.
He placed the Examiner’s Manuals, the tickets, and the read
aloud scripts in all of the teacher’s mailboxes on a Friday
afternoon before the school dance with a note that said,
“Please keep these secure.”
• Near the end of the testing window Danny placed a huge
box outside his classroom labeled, “Recycle your Test
Materials Here!” He sent a note to the rest of teachers letting
them know where the box would be located!
38. Scenario: Danny Frank
•What do you think? Is Danny Frank in
violation of any ethical practices or test
security practices? What should he do?
39. Scenario: Danny Frank
• Danny Frank has taught for 15 years and given the state
assessment for the last 6 years. He has been the building test
coordinator for the past 3 years. One of his duties is to make sure
that test materials are kept in a secure, locked location before
testing, between test sessions and upon completion of testing.
• Danny decided to distribute everything to the teachers and ask
them to find a place in their classroom to keep them safe. He
placed the Examiner’s Manuals, the tickets, and the read aloud
scripts in all of the teacher’s mailboxes on a Friday afternoon
before the school dance with a note that said, “Please keep these
secure.”
• Near the end of the testing window Danny placed a huge box
outside his classroom labeled, “Recycle your Test Materials Here!”
He sent a note to the rest of teachers letting them know where
the box would be located!
• What do you think? Is Danny Frank in violation of any ethical
practices or test security practices? What should he do?
40. Scenario: Danny Frank
Building level person’s responsibilities:
•The building test coordinator is responsible for test security at
the building level and must follow procedures outlined by
District Test Coordinator.
•Store test materials (booklets, tickets) in a secure, locked
area before and between each session(s) and after testing.
•Count test materials (read aloud scripts, paper pencil
accommodation, Braille, etc.) upon arrival, between each
session, and after testing;
•Distribute test materials to teachers immediately before the
testing session (*see Read Aloud Accommodation) and
collect upon completion of the testing session;
•Instruct teachers not to open test booklets prior to
administration (*see Read Aloud Accommodation);
41. Scenario: Danny Frank
Danny is in violation of the following:
•Danny did not keep materials in a secure locked
location – before, between and after testing.
•His recycle bin (although good for the environment)
would not be a secure way to collect materials upon
completion of the assessments.
•Danny needs to find a different way to distribute and
collect testing materials so that they remain secure!
Each district testing coordinator is responsible for
establishing guidelines/expectations for building test
coordinators to follow.
42. Sample Task List
• Packet – page 14
• District and Building Assessment Coordinators – p. 8
of the Fact Sheet
43. Scenario: Paul, the New
Test Coordinator
•Paul is a new test coordinator for his school district. He
feels proud of the fact that he is responsible for test security
at the district level and takes his new job seriously. After
attending the state conference session on Test Security for
New Test Coordinators he actively begins to plan out his
next steps for implementation. In his notes he wrote, “be
prepared to show them our ethics sign-off sheets” but he
can’t remember where to find this or what to do.
•What should Paul do?
44. Scenario: Paul, the New
Test Coordinator
•What should Paul do?
•Paul could search the KSDE website for examples,
LOOK in the KS Examiner’s Manual for a sample and/
or contact any member of the Kansas Assessment
Advisory Council.
•The Kansas Assessment Advisory Council is a
representative group of test coordinators from across
the state.
45. KAAC 2011-2012 Kansas Assessment Advisory Council Members
Dr. George Abel, Assistant Superintendent - Teaching & Learning (Emporia)
Sue Amos, Testing and Assessment Coordinator (Gardner-Edgerton)
Braden Anshutz, Elementary and Junior High Principal (Mission Valley)
Dr. Mike Aytes, Director of Teaching and Learning (Manhattan)
Stephanie Bird, Multilingual Education Services, Teaching Specialist (Wichita)
David Bowman, Assessment Education Program Consultant KSDE
Vicki Chance, Jr/Sr. High Counselor and Test Coordinator (Rawlins County)
Ann Connor, Associate Superintendent (Archdiocese of KC)
Membership
Stephen Court, Consultant with KSDE
Lee Cox, Assistant Director (SCKSEC)
Randy Doerksen, Prosperity Elementary Principal (Buhler)
Jackie Farha, Supervisor for Title I Improvement (Wichita)
list can be
Beth Fultz, NAEP Coordinator KSDE
Dan Gruman, Director of Assessment and Research (Shawnee Mission)
Joyce Harting, Director of Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment (Mulvane)
Dr. Jim Heiman, Consultant for KSDE
found with
Ruth Heinrichs, Director of Curriculum & Instruction (Great Bend)
Dr. Neal Kingston, CETE Director (Kansas University)
Dr. Andy Koenigs, Associate Superintendent (Andover)
Teresa Kraft, Curriculum Assessment Coordinator (KS School for the Deaf)
your
Dr. Laura Kramer, CETE Assistant Director (Kansas University)
Dr. Jackie Lakin, Information Management Program Consultant KSDE
Gabriele Leite, Assessment & Evaluation (Salina)
Bill Losey, Data Analyst Management Consultant SWPRSC
Scenario
Mary Matthew, Director of Assessment & School Improvement (Olathe)
Deborah Matthews, Special Education Program Consultant KSDE
Matt Meek, Asst. Superintendent of Curriculum/Instruction/Assessment (Paola)
Gary Nelson, Superintendent (Lincoln)
Janet Neufeld, Asst. Superintendent of Instruction & Professional Development (Newton)
Answers!
Steve Nordby, Assessment Coordinator (Garden City)
Julie Parker, Curriculum/Test Coordinator (Beloit)
Elizabeth Parks, Director of Assessment & Research (Blue Valley)
Dr. Cherie Randall, Assessment CoordinatorKSDE
Dr. Will Roth, Superintendent (Hays)
Dr. Teresa San Martin, Assistant Superintendent for Academic Affairs (Goddard)
Kris Shaw, Standards & Assessment Services Reading Program Consultant KSDE
Please stand!
Dr. Scott Smith, Standards & Assessment Services Assistant Director KSDE
Jill Stout, Director of Data and Testing (Liberal)
Bonnie Williams, Director of Curriculum & Instruction (Royal Valley)
Bob Winkler, Director of Research and Assessments (Topeka)
Ray Wipf, Executive Director of Management Information Services (Dodge City)
Dr. Dan Wright, Director Dept. of Educational Research & Assessment (Kansas City)
46. Additional Resources
• KSDE Website
• Kansas Assessment Fact Sheet: Appropriate Testing
Practices
• Kansas Examiner’s Manual
• KSDE Read Aloud Information
• Handout Packet, Answer Key and Power Point…will
be posted on KSDE website.
47. Session Exit Slip
• Counts has your “attendance/requirement” to
attend yearly training on Test Security and Ethics
• Provides a method to collect information about
volunteering for a Monitor Visit!
• Shares Questions and Feedback…
• Scenario Answer Key – Please pick us as you drop
off your Exit Slip!
48. KSDE Live Meetings
Additional Options
• Test Security Refresher Training for Veteran
Test Coordinators:
o November 7th 11:30-12:30
o November 14th 3:30 -4:30 (tentative)
• Test Security 101 for NEW Test Coordinators:
o November 11th 11:30-12:30
o November 16th 3:30-4:30 (tentative)
49. Cherie Randall
crandall@ksde.org
Dave Bowman, KSDE
dbowman@ksde.org
Mary Matthew, Olathe Public
Schools and KAAC
matthewm@olatheschools.org
50. Read Aloud
• Readers administering the read-aloud
accommodation must have annual staff
development on reading an assessment to a
student.
51. Read-Aloud Accommodation
Policy and Guidelines
Student Need
•A student who needs a read-aloud accommodation is
one whose ability to convey knowledge of the subject /
content area is severely limited by his/her inability to read
the assessment materials. The student cannot or would not
be successful in the classroom without the read aloud
accommodation. The read-aloud accommodation is for a
student who needs the entire assessment (except the
reading passage) read to him. The read-aloud
accommodation does not refer to an adult reading an
occasional word, an occasional distracter, an occasional
stem, or an occasional question to the student.
52. Read-Aloud Accommodation
Policy and Guidelines
Student Need
2.In order to use the read-aloud accommodation on
the state assessment, the student must have the read-
aloud accommodation provided in the classroom on
a regular basis (i.e., as an on-going practice for both
classroom instruction and classroom assessments/tests.
o Just because a student is an ELL student does not mean they can
automatically receive this accommodation.
o Just because the student is a SPED student does not mean they can
automatically receive this accommodation.
o Just because the student is a Title 1 student does not mean they can
automatically receive this accommodation.
o Just because a General Education student has a student improvement
plan does not mean they can automatically receive this
accommodation.
53. Read-Aloud Accommodation
Policy and Guidelines
Student Need
Note: It is the local district’s responsibility to define
“severely” in item #1 above and to quantify on a
“regular” basis for classroom instruction and
assessments/tests in item #2 above.
Tools for determining need and resources available
are known only to individual districts. However, the
general expectation is that students will be more than
1 year below grade in reading and that the
accommodation is being systematically applied at
least 50% of the time on classroom assignments and
100% of the time on classroom assessments
contributing to classroom grades.
54. Read-Aloud Accommodation
Policy and Guidelines
Student Need
3. A student’s need for the read-aloud
accommodation must be documented on one of the
following plans:
•Pre-intervention plan (student improvement plan)
•ELL plan
•504 plan
•IEP
55. Read-Aloud Accommodation
Policy and Guidelines
Student Need
4. The following information must be included on a student
improvement plan, ELL plan, or IEP that serves the purpose of
documenting student need for a read-aloud accommodation.
•Student name
•Student grade
•Building/district
•Evidence documenting need for the read-aloud
accommodation, including, but not necessarily limited to
o Reading test scores
o Progress monitoring data
o Reading level of instructional materials used in classroom
o Documentation that the read-aloud accommodation is used in the classroom
setting for both instructional materials and assessments/tests and the date that this
accommodation was implemented
o For plans other than IEPs, signatures of team members involved in the decision to
recommend the read-aloud accommodation, including at least the student’s
teacher and building administrator.
o IEPs must have all documentation required for providing any accommodations to
students with an Individual Education Plan.
56. Read-Aloud Accommodation
Policy and Guidelines
Documentation
•A copy of the student’s plan (Individual Student
Improvement Plan) or a summary sheet must be kept
on file with the District Test Coordinator.
•KSDE will be monitoring 5-10% of assessment
administrations this year and may ask to see
documentation for the need of paper/pencil and
read-aloud accommodations.
57. Read-Aloud Accommodation
Policy and Guidelines
Read-Aloud for Groups of Students
•Best practice is to provide the read-aloud
accommodation to individual students. However, it is
allowable to provide the read-aloud accommodation
to small groups of two or three students.
58. Read-Aloud Accommodation
Policy and Guidelines
Read-Aloud for Groups of Students
•Best practice is to provide the read-aloud
accommodation (individual or small group) in
conjunction with Accommodation a separate quiet or
individual setting.
•It is not appropriate to provide the read-aloud
accommodation in proximities that would distract
those receiving the accommodation or those
engaged in other activities including state
assessments. The intent of read-aloud via a human
reader is to deliver the read-aloud in a normal
conversational voice.
59. Read-Aloud Accommodation
Policy and Guidelines
Read-Aloud for Groups of Students
•A group is defined as two or three students
who receive exactly the same read-aloud
accommodation at the same time. The
students will all have the same form, and the
reading will be directed to all of these students
at the same time and in the same place using
KSDE prepared scripts.
60. Read-Aloud Accommodation
Policy and Guidelines
Read-Aloud for Groups of Students
•Best practice is for Groups of two or three students to
receive the read-aloud accommodation in
conjunction with the paper / pencil accommodation.
However, it is allowable for a read-aloud to occur with
small groups of student arranged in a small cluster of 2
to 3 computers in a separate quiet setting and to
respond to the script directly on the computer.
61. Read-Aloud Accommodation
Policy and Guidelines
Read-Aloud for Groups of Students
•A group is NOT a number of students in a particular
room who are taking different forms of the assessment
and who are raising their hands at various times to
have a word or a distracter pronounced or an item
stem read.
62. Read-Aloud Accommodation
Policy and Guidelines
The Reading Assessment
•Absolutely nothing from a reading passage may be
read or pronounced, including single words. If
reading passages to a student on the state reading
assessment is allowed on the student’s plan, the
student will then be counted as not participating.
63. Read-Aloud Accommodation
Policy and Guidelines
Allowable Practices
•Practices such as pronouncing an occasional word,
an occasional distracter, an occasional stem, or an
occasional question should be considered
acceptable assessment, practice requiring no special
documentation and no special coding of the answer
sheet. The teacher should use professional discretion
regarding the number of times a student may request
assistance. Again, absolutely nothing from a reading
passage may be read or pronounced.
64. Read-Aloud Accommodation
Policy and Guidelines
• There are two options for students who need to
have extensive portions of the tests read to them:
the read-aloud accommodation using readers or
using the KCA audio voice software.
• Scripts will be available in spring, 2012. No scripts
will be available for Fall OTL testing.
o Accessibility to (pdf) copies of the test for the paper/pencil
accommodation and to read-aloud scripts must be determined by the
district office.
65. Read-Aloud Accommodation
Policy and Guidelines
Read-aloud Accommodation and Scripts
•For the Reading Assessment, the reading passage
may not be read to the students. Only the question
stems and answer choices may be read aloud.
•Scripts for the general assessment as well as for the
KAMM have been prepared for readers to follow for
the mathematics, reading, and science assessments.
They include all text and labels that may be read
aloud.
66. Read-Aloud Accommodation
Policy and Guidelines
Read-aloud Accommodation and Scripts
•The scripts must be used for the read-aloud
accommodation.
•Scripts are not to be distributed to readers more than 24
hours prior to the assessments.
•The reader may read the test to ensure that they are able
to pronounce all words.
•The reader must return the script to the testing coordinator
or building principal once they have read the script for
purposes of becoming familiar with the material that will be
read.
•The read-aloud scripts should never be taken out of the
building.
67. Read-Aloud Accommodation
Policy and Guidelines
Read-aloud Accommodation and Scripts
•Store test materials (copies of the assessments, scripts,
and tickets) in a secure, locked area (before, between
and after testing).
•Distribute test materials immediately before the
testing session. Collect test materials immediately
following the testing session.
•Numbering scripts/test (recommended) – is an easy
way to keep track that you have all of the materials
returned.
68. Read-Aloud Accommodation
Policy and Guidelines
Read-aloud Accommodation and Scripts
•If the established read-aloud practice/strategy on
classroom assignments and assessments is for the
reader to read the item stems and responses first, then
the student reads the passage, followed by the
reader re-reading the item stems and responses; then
it is acceptable to do so, on the read-aloud state
assessment. This is the only time it is acceptable to
vary from the script.
69. Read-Aloud Accommodation
Policy and Guidelines
• The following management tasks are required:
o Download the pdf file from the CETE website. (district level)
o Make paper copies of read-aloud script for building(s) by printing the pdf
file.
o Delete from any computer the pdf file used to create the paper copies.
o Maintain security of the read-aloud scripts by not delivering the copies to
the readers more than 24 hours before the tests are to be administered.
The scripts may not be copied nor taken out of the building.
o Deliver the read-aloud scripts to appropriate people (either to building
test coordinators if the manager is the district test coordinator or to the
readers if the manager is the building test coordinator).
o Shred all paper copies of the read-aloud scripts after they have been
used. No copies may be retained at either the building or the district
level.
o Maintain documentation of test security.
70. Important Administration
Guidance
•It is important that students who receive the read-aloud
accommodation on Kansas State Assessments receive the
same accommodation for instruction and classroom
assessment throughout the school year.
•Students need to have the opportunity to practice
listening carefully to an adult reader while following along
in text.
•Students should have the opportunity to experience an
electronic voice in the same manner, and to the extent
possible hear the CETE electronic voice prior to the
assessment. Since there is an additional memory load for a
student using the read-aloud accommodation, he/she
needs to practice to be able to use the accommodation
effectively.
•
71. Important Administration
Guidance
• When providing the read-aloud accommodation,
readers may not clarify, elaborate, or provide
assistance to students in any way. When reading
the script, readers must be careful not to give clues
that indicate the correct answer or help eliminate
some answer choices. The reader can
inadvertently cue the student using voice inflection,
or by providing information that is not in the text.
• Positioning is another important consideration. The
reader should stand to the side or behind the
student to avoid facial expressions, eye contact,
and body language that might inadvertently cue
the student.
72. Important Administration
Guidance
• When a student is provided the read-aloud
accommodation on an individual basis, the reader
should adapt the pace (i.e., knowing when the student
is ready to have the next item read) to the needs of the
individual student. If the read-aloud accommodation is
being provided to a small group of two or three students,
pacing becomes problematic. It is important that the
reader wait until all the students in the small group are
ready before reading the next item. A student should
have the option of asking a reader to slow down or
repeat text, no matter which setting is used to provide
the read-aloud accommodation. If one student needs
pacing that differs widely from the other students in the
small group, then that student should receive the read-
aloud accommodation individually.
73. Important Administration
Guidance
• The potential for a student copying another student’s
answers or being influenced by another student’s
behavior may be a problem when the read-aloud
accommodation is provided in a small group. The adult
reader must carefully consider how students will be
seated, or whether carrels or dividers need to be used
with a particular group of students. If one student marks
an answer immediately after hearing an answer choice
and this action influences another student to do the
same thing, the reader might consider asking students to
listen to the entire item before marking their answers. It is
the responsibility of the reader to make sure that any
student receiving the read-aloud accommodation in a
small group is not being influenced by another student.
74. Important Administration
Guidance
• Readers will not be given more than 24 hour access to
review read-aloud scripts. Read-Aloud scripts are never
to leave the building. It is important that the readers
review scripts before the administration of the
assessment. The readers need to review the entire script
to make sure they know how to pronounce all of the
words, abbreviations, and symbols contained in the
assessment. If a reader does not know the correct
pronunciation of a word, he/she should check a
dictionary or ask a content area teacher in the building
or district for assistance. Only individual words, and not
whole items, should be shown to content area teachers
when asking for assistance.
• The local district test coordinator will be responsible for
maintaining test security during the review period.
75. Important Administration
Guidance
Reader Criteria
•Best practice is for the regular classroom teacher to be the
designated “Reader” of the read-aloud assessment. When
that is not possible then a licensed teacher employed by
the school district is the next best choice. However, we
know in certain circumstance this is not always possible.
KSDE strongly recommends that if “readers” other than
licensed teachers must be used, that the reader be a
trained employee of the school district. KSDE does not
allow student readers (i.e., students in the school system
reading to other students) and parent volunteers.