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October 2001 TO: District Superintendents of Schools GENERAL INFORMATION This memorandum provides information concerning the shipping, storing and administration of test materials for the November 14–15, 2001, Grade 5 Elementary-Level Social Studies Test. Additional information, including test samplers, are available on the State Assessment web site: http://www.emsc.nysed.gov/ ciai/assess.html. If you have any questions about the information in this memorandum, you may call 518-474-8220. Each principal and superintendent is being sent one copy of this memorandum. SCHEDULING THE GRADE 5 ELEMENTARY-LEVEL SOCIAL STUDIES TEST The Grade 5 Elementary-Level Social Studies Test is to be administered on November 14 and 15, 2001. Makeups may be scheduled for November 16 and 19. STUDENTS TO BE TESTED The Grade 5 Elementary-Level Social Studies Test must be administered to all public school students. Nonpublic schools are strongly encouraged to administer this test. The exceptions below apply to students in public and participating nonpublic schools: Students Who Incur Disabilities Shortly Before Test Administration Principals may modify testing procedures for general education students who incur an injury (e.g., a broken arm) or experience the onset of a short- or long-term disability (e.g., epilepsy) sustained or diagnosed within 30 days prior to the administration of State assessments. In such cases, when sufficient time is not available for the development of an Individualized Education Program (IEP) or a Section 504 Accommodation Plan (504 Plan), principals may authorize certain accommodations that will not significantly change the skills being tested. These accommodations are limited to:
Eligibility for such accommodations is based on the principal’s professional discretion, but the principal may confer with members of the Committee for Special Education (CSE) or with other school personnel in making such a determination. Pursuant to Section 100.3 of the Regulations of the Commissioner of Education, building principals are responsible for administering State assessments and for maintaining the integrity of test content and programs in accordance with directions and procedures established by the Commissioner of Education. Prior permission need not be obtained from the Education Department to authorize testing accommodations for general education students. However, a full report concerning each authorization must be sent to the Office of State Assessment. Further, if the student is expected to continue to need testing accommodations, the principal must immediately make the appropriate referral for the development of an IEP or 504 Plan. Students With Disabilities The Committee on Special Education (CSE) must decide for each student on a case-by-case basis and document, on the student’s individualized education program, whether the student will participate in the Grade 5 Elementary-Level Social Studies Test or is eligible for the Department’s Alternate Assessment for Students with Severe Disabilities. This decision is based on current and historical documentation and evaluative information. The CSE must ensure that the decision regarding participation is not based on the student’s category of disability, excessive or extended absences, language differences, or cultural or environmental factors. The criteria that the CSE must use to determine a student’s eligibility are:
Students enrolled in grade 5 (or its chronological age equivalent for those in ungraded programs) who have been determined by the CSE to be eligible for the Department’s Alternative Assessment will not participate in the Alternate Assessment this school year. These students will participate in the Alternate Assessment when they reach grade 8 (or its chronological age equivalent for those in ungraded programs). Nevertheless, these students should be coded as eligible for the Alternate Assessment on the Grade 5 Elementary-Level Social Studies answer document. More information on the alternative assessment and testing accommodations is provided by the Office for Vocational and Educational Services for Individuals with Disabilities (VESID) on their web site: http://web.nysed.gov/vesid/sped/policy/alterassess.htm or ftp://unix2.nysed.gov/pub/education.dept.pubs/vesid/ oses/test.access.mod/testacce.txt. Limited-English-Proficient (LEP) Students The school principal must adhere to the following procedures in determining how LEP students will participate in the Grade 5 Elementary-Level Social Studies Test. LEP students scoring at or above the 30th percentile on a norm-referenced English reading test or the publisher’s recommended score on a measure of English as a Second Language (ESL) in reading must participate fully in the test. These students may take the test in either an alternative language or in English, whichever would be better for the student. LEP students may also use both an English and alternative language edition of the test during the test administration. Alternative language editions of the tests are provided in Chinese, Haitian Creole, and Spanish. LEP students scoring below the 30th percentile on a norm-referenced English reading test or the publisher’s recommended score on an approved measure of ESL in reading, may be exempted from taking the test if it is not available in their native language. The following testing accommodations may be provided to LEP students: Time Extension: LEP students are allowed extended test time. The principal may use any reasonable extensions, such as "time and a half," the required testing time plus one half of that amount of time, in accordance with their best judgment about the needs of the LEP students. Principals should consult with the student’s classroom teacher in making these determinations Separate Location: Schools are encouraged to provide the optimum testing environment and facilities for LEP students. State tests may be administered to LEP students individually or in small groups in a separate location. Bilingual Dictionaries and Glossaries: LEP students may use bilingual dictionaries and glossaries when taking the Grade 5 Elementary-Level Social Studies Test. The bilingual dictionaries and glossaries must not provide definitions or other explanations, only word-for-word translations. (Bilingual dictionaries or glossaries that provide definitions or explanations are not allowed.) SHIPPING OF TEST MATERIALS The shipment containing the test materials for the Grade 5 Elementary-Level Social Studies Test will be delivered on November 8, 9 or 13. All test shipments will be delivered by UPS and may be delivered at any time between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. Starting this year, schools can track the shipment of test materials to them from the Department on the Internet. Go to http://www.ups.com/tracking/tracking.html, click the Reference Number tab, and in the Reference Number field, type the BEDS code of the school where you indicated you want your tests to be shipped. Schools that do not receive their shipments by 12:00 p.m. on the November 13 should contact the Department via fax at 518-474-1989. SECURITY OF TESTING MATERIALS As soon as each shipment of test materials arrives at the school or other approved location, it should be checked to verify that all materials indicated on the packing sheet have been received. Secure test booklets should be counted through the sealed packages without opening them. If the sealed package has not been opened but a discrepancy of more than five exists in the number of test booklets, write the exact number received on the shipping notice and contact the Department via fax at 518-474-1989. (It is not necessary to contact the Department about discrepancies of less than five as long as the sealed package has not been opened.) Shrink-wrapped secure test materials must not be opened until the day that the test is scheduled to be administered. Except for taking inventory of your test shipment, you must keep all test materials in a secure location. If a school determines that some materials are missing from shipments, it may obtain most missing materials from the nearest regional center on the day of the test. Alternative language, braille, and large-type editions of these tests will not be available at most regional centers. For additional supplies of those materials, contact the Department via fax at 518-474-1989. Schools that need to obtain 25 or more copies of any one test from the regional center must notify the Department as well as the regional center coordinator (so as to ensure that the regional centers will have adequate supplies to accommodate all schools). A list of the regional centers and instructions for obtaining emergency supplies of test materials from the regional centers is enclosed with this memorandum. Test materials may be picked up from the regional centers only on the scheduled date for the administration of that part of the test. Please contact the official in charge of the regional center before sending a representative to pick up test materials. The person sent to pick up an emergency supply of test materials from a regional center must present authorization written on school letterhead stationery and signed by the principal that lists the materials to be picked up and authorizes the person to pick up those materials. The person obtaining test materials must provide picture identification and must countersign the authorization letter and leave it with the official in charge of the regional center. The principal of each school ordering tests is responsible for making the necessary arrangements for safeguarding the materials ordered for the school. The secure location where test materials are being stored should be checked daily to ensure that the test materials have not been tampered with and that the test materials remain secure. The combination or key to the secure location must be maintained under strict security conditions to preclude access to the test materials by students and other unauthorized persons. All teachers who assist in the administration of the Grade 5 Elementary-Level Social Studies test are expected to sign the Deputy and Proctor Certificate contained within the test manual. Similarly, principals are required to complete and sign the Examination Storage Certificate, also found within the test manual. These two documents, as well as student answer papers, must be retained on file in the school for one year. |