THE STATE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT / THE UNIVERSITY OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK / ALBANY, NY 12234

 

TO:	EMSC-VESID Committee
FROM:	James A. Kadamus
SUBJECT:	Update on New York State Testing Program
DATE:	September 26, 2005
STRATEGIC GOAL:	Goals 1 and 2
AUTHORIZATION(S):

 

SUMMARY

 

Issue for Discussion

 

In keeping the Board of Regents informed about the steps staff are taking to implement its policies concerning the grades 3-8 assessments in English language arts (ELA) and mathematics required under the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB), the New York State English as a Second Language Achievement Test (NYSESLAT), and the New York State Alternate Assessment (NYSAA), are their areas in which Board members would provide additional guidance?

 

Reason(s) for Consideration

 

Review of policy.
         

Proposed Handling

 

This question will come before the EMSC-VESID Committee on October 6, 2005.

 

Procedural History

 

Not applicable.

 

Background Information

 

The New York State Testing Program is designed to evaluate implementation of the State learning standards at the student, school, district, and statewide levels.  SED currently tests students in ELA and mathematics in grades 4 and 8 and at the commencement level with the Regents examinations.  The NYSAA for students with severe disabilities, who are tested at ages comparable to when their non-disabled peers are tested, is a data folio assessment in which students demonstrate their performance toward meeting the alternate performance indicator level of the State learning standards.  The NYSESLAT is an assessment designed to evaluate the English language proficiency of limited English proficiency/English language learners (LEP/ELLs) in K-12 in listening, speaking, reading, and writing.  The test is based on the English as a Second Language (ESL) standards, which are aligned to the State learning standards for ELA.

 

          In September 2003, we provided the Regents with a report on the operational changes being put in place to improve the State’s assessment system.  The initiatives outlined in that report have all been implemented with the exception of the agreement with an institution of higher education, although we have strengthened our contacts within the higher education community and they have played an integral role in recent curriculum and testing initiatives. 

 

          Since the 2003 report, in addition to administering Regents examinations, we have implemented or revised three key assessment systems: the grades 3-8 testing program, NYSAA and NYSESLAT.  The attached report provides updates on these assessment programs.  Some key web resources that we have provided for teachers and administrators are provided in Attachment A.

 

Recommendation

 

          The Board of Regents should review the steps that have been taken to implement the Board’s policies concerning the State’s testing program and determine if additional advice or direction is needed for staff.

 

Timetable for Implementation

 

          Not applicable.

 

 

Attachments

UPDATE ON NEW YORK STATE TESTING PROGRAM

 

          The following report provides updates on the Grades 3-8 Testing Program in English language arts (ELA) and mathematics, the New York State Alternate Assessment (NYSAA), and the New York State English As a Second Language Achievement Test (NYSESLAT).

 

 

Grades 3–8 Testing Program in English Language Arts and Mathematics

 

          New York State is required to administer tests in ELA and mathematics under the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB).  These tests must address the depth and breadth of the State’s content standards; be valid, reliable, and of high technical quality; and be designed to provide a coherent system across grades and subjects.

 

 

With the exception of the small population of severely disabled students who qualify to take the NYSAA, all students, both general education and special populations, in all public school districts are required to take these tests.  These new tests present the opportunity to annually evaluate the implementation of the State’s learning standards; measure individual student and cohort progress; and gather data on student readiness for study at the next level.

 

          New York State has designed tests that will also be of great benefit in classrooms across the State.  Assessment results will help schools in identifying students who may need additional academic assistance and in measuring the effectiveness of their instructional programs for all students in special populations through analysis of disaggregated data.

 

          Below is an update on some key implementation activities.

 

Test Administration Dates

 

The Office of Standards, Assessment and Reporting has, with a great deal of input from other Department offices and New York State school administrators, developed a flexible schedule for the statewide administration of all elementary and intermediate level tests for the 2005-06 school year.  This schedule (see Attachment B) was finalized and posted on the web in May 2005.

 

          People are concerned about whether the implementation of these new assessments will take too much time away from classroom instruction.  Our analysis of all State tests in grades 3-8 reveals that taking State assessments accounts for less than one percent of a student’s school time in the years between grades 3 and 8.  Attachment C provides more detail on this analysis.  After comparing the test times of the grades 3-8 tests with the testing times of the most widely purchased and used standardized tests, we found that students will spend significantly less time taking standardized tests as a result of the creation of one comprehensive system.  Based on these analyses, we continue to believe that these assessments do not impose a burden on students.

 

Scoring, Scanning, and Processing Timetable

 

          SED created a timetable for the scoring, scanning, and processing of the grades 3–8 ELA and mathematics tests and associated data.  The complete schedule of important dates was provided to schools in July 2005 as part of a comprehensive information update that was posted on the web.

 

The Grades 3-8 Testing Program is a brand new testing program and it will need to undergo a number of complex quality control processes. The Department is committed to ensuring that all students receive valid and reliable test scores and that teachers have the time they need to score the exams. After the exams have been scored and submitted to Regional Information Centers and the Big 5 Scanning Centers, the student data must be sent to the vendor for standard-setting and scaling. Standard-setting is a process that requires large committees of New York State teachers to evaluate the student tests and set the cuts for student achievement. This is a one-time process that must occur after the operational exams, and it adds five to six weeks on the post-test timeline. After standard-setting, research scientists at CTB-McGraw Hill must design and certify the test scales. After that work is done, Department staff must validate that work to ensure its accuracy and do a final validity rules check on all data to be released to school districts. The time it takes after the data is uploaded to the vendor for these processes is approximately 140 days for each set of tests. In year two and beyond, we expect to condense these timelines considerably, while still ensuring the reliability and validity of the exams.

 

 

While we will not receive test results as soon as we would like in the first year, the data that the tests generate will be very important.  The Grades 3-8 Testing Program is a point-in-time summative testing program that will generate results that will allow teachers and administrators to compare district and student results against regional and State performance levels to help determine the efficacy of instructional programming. This type of data analysis will also be longitudinal in subsequent years. Administrators and teachers have been using data from the elementary and intermediate testing program for the past seven years. By testing in ELA and mathematics in grades 3-8, schools will have far more data points to compare from year-to-year and more detailed information about student performance in all tested grades. These data will help teachers and administrators to determine if school curricula are aligned to State learning standards and if students are meeting State benchmarks. 

 

By creating a unique student ID system and tying it to the test reporting system, administrators and teachers in schools will receive detailed reports about student performance regarding their scale score and performance level; additional value will be added to these scores by providing individual item analysis for each student on each item of the exam. Using appropriate data analysis techniques, administrators and teachers will be able to get a more detailed picture of student strengths and weaknesses as shown on these tests. They will be able to take this data set and compare it to other data points generated on the student in school, i.e., results from formative assessment programs, course grades, and attendance. Studied over time, these data will form a more complete picture of individual student achievement of the State’s learning standards. This information can be used to inform classroom instruction as well as academic intervention services. Finally, testing students each year will begin to provide a powerful longitudinal record of achievement and provide teachers and parents with information to help their students’ academic progress. This historical record is what provides reliability and validity to data driven decision-making in our schools.

 

Scoring Models

 

            For the 2005-06 school year, schools and school districts may use local decision-making processes to select the model for the scoring of the grades 3–8 ELA and mathematics tests that best meets their needs.  Schools will be able to score these tests regionally, district-wide, or individually.  Schools will be required to enter one of the following  “scoring model codes” on students’ answer sheets:

 

1)       One school only;
2)       Two schools within a district;
3)       Three or more schools within a district;
4)       Schools from two districts; or
5)       Regional scoring. 

 

We have advised schools and districts to carefully analyze their individual needs and capacities to determine their appropriate scoring model.   BOCES and the Staff and Curriculum Development Network (S/CDN) will provide districts with technical support and advice in making this decision. 

 

People are concerned about the time it will take for scoring the tests.  In response to those concerns as well as using the results to improve instruction, we have taken the following steps:

 

1)              Allowing schools/districts to select the model for scoring that best meetings their needs, as described above;

2)              Permitting districts to use two of the four superintendents’ conference days for rating the new grades 3-8 tests for two years;

3)              Conducting workshops for scoring leaders to provide instruction and guidance on scoring that they in turn will share with teachers who will be scoring the tests;

4)              Convening a practitioners’ workgroup to advise on test administration and scoring issues;

5)              Connecting the grades 3-8 testing with the new student information system to provide more detail on student performance outcomes and to permit longitudinal analysis;

6)              Developing online instructional resources via New York State’s Virtual Learning System (VLS); and

7)              Connecting the grades 3-8 score reporting (Grow Net) with VLS and Public Broadcasting Stations (PBS) resources to give schools the ability to see instructional strengths and weaknesses and access best instructional practice.

 

We will continue to explore other options for scoring, including electronic distributive scoring.

 

Scoring Operations Training 

 

          During the summer, SED and S/CDN hosted a full-day training session on scoring operations.  This was not training in scoring the tests, but a session to provide general guidance and instruction on scoring proposals and logistics; best practices in setting up scoring sites; use of the scoring materials, including the operations manual; and a hands-on demonstration of the scoring operations.

 

Scoring Train the Trainer Workshops 

 

          In September, 12 Train the Trainer scoring workshops for the ELA tests were held throughout the State to ensure access by all appropriate school and district staff.  These sessions provided scoring leaders with instruction and guidance that they will in turn be able to share with the teachers who will be scoring the tests. Similar sessions for the mathematics tests will be held in October.  We anticipate that approximately 840 scoring leaders will be trained statewide.

 

Implementation Workgroup 

 

          SED convened an implementation workgroup to provide advice and strategies that will ensure the effective implementation of the grades 3–8 tests across the State.  This workgroup includes a diverse sample of educational professionals from across the State who will help SED produce additional guidance and information that schools and districts can use to properly plan for their own individual test administrations in order to meet both their local needs and NCLB requirements. 

 

A Guide to the Grades 3–8 Testing Program with Sample Tests 

 

          In September, SED issued a complete Guide to the Grades 3–8 Testing Program.  The Guide includes a complete sample test in each subject at each grade level with the corresponding scoring materials.  The sample tests are similar in both format and content to the actual tests that will be administered in January 2006 for ELA and in March 2006 for mathematics.  The sample tests also include a complete set of scoring materials, including rubrics, so that teachers and other school and district staff can review student work at each grade level.  They also include information on testing accommodations for students with disabilities. 

 

Parent Brochure on the Grades 3–8 Tests in ELA and Mathematics 

 

          In September, SED will post a parent brochure describing the grades 3–8 testing program.  This brochure includes important information for parents about the tests that their children will be taking starting in 2005-06.  SED has partnered with various educational and parent groups throughout the State to make this brochure a source of useful information for parents.  Translations of the brochure will be made available in Chinese, Haitian Creole, Korean, Russian and Spanish. 

 

Additional information and updates are posted regularly on the Latest News on Grades 3–8 Testing web site at http://www.emsc.nysed.gov/3-8/home.html.  The web site is the best source for the latest information, and we continue to urge teachers and administrators to check it regularly.  Specific information for teachers and administrators addressing test ordering, test security, and test administration and scoring will be available well in advance of the tests.

 

New York City Data Needed for Promotion Decisions

 

To avoid the necessity of double testing New York City students in grades 3, 5 and 7, SED and the New York City Department of Education (NYCDOE) have agreed upon a process that will use statewide test data from the State assessments to calculate a promotion score for New York City, to be used to inform promotion/retention decisions. It should be noted that this process will generate scores for New York City promotion decision-making only.  Score reports for the ELA tests will be issued to all schools statewide in early August 2006.  Score reports for the mathematics tests will be issued to schools in late September 2006. 

 

 

New York State Alternate Assessment (NYSAA)

 

NYSAA assures that students with severe cognitive disabilities are included in the State’s testing program and that their results are accounted for as required by NCLB and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).  Participation in NYSAA ensures that students with severe disabilities have the opportunity to acquire and demonstrate the knowledge and skills addressed in the New York State learning standards.  NYSAA results contribute to each school district’s accountability under NCLB and are reported annually to parents and administrators of school districts and service providers. 

 

Eligibility

 

The Committee on Special Education (CSE) determines whether or not a student with a disability is eligible to take NYSAA based on the following criteria:

 

1.       The student must have a severe cognitive disability, significant deficits in communication/language, or significant deficits in adaptive behavior; and

2.       The student must require a highly specialized educational program that facilitates the acquisition, application, and transfer of skills across natural environments (home, school, community, and/or workplace); and

3.       The student must require educational support systems, such as assistive technology, personal care services, health/medical services, or behavioral intervention.

 

Changes in NYSAA for 2005-06

 

Beginning with the 2005-06 school year, NYSAA has been aligned with NCLB requirements by adding age-level equivalencies for grades 3-8 and once in high school.  Requirements for data folio content varies depending on the age level being assessed.  At the age equivalencies for grades 4, 8 and high school, students will be assessed on one mandatory and two additional Alternate Performance Indicators (APIs) for each of four content areas:  ELA, mathematics, science and social studies.  At the age equivalencies for grades 3, 5, 6 and 7, students will be assessed only on the mandatory APIs for ELA and mathematics, but more diverse verifying evidence is required than for grades 4, 8 and high school (see table below).  Maintaining the mandatory APIs for ELA and mathematics throughout the grade ranges 3-8 and high school provides a consistent point of measure across time and across participants.  These changes were guided by input from meetings held in spring 2005 with stakeholder groups, including school administrators, families, teachers and psychometric experts from the test development contractor, Measured Progress (MP).

 

NYSAA Age Ranges and Content for Testing in 2005–06

 

 

Implementation of Changes to NYSAA

 

Field guidance materials, including the Teachers’ Guide, Forms and Quick Reference Materials, were revamped during spring and summer 2005 and are now posted on the web.  Training materials, including training videos aligned with the changes, were developed during summer 2005 and schools were invited to sign up to obtain copies of in-service training packages.  These materials are currently being shipped. 

 

Measured Progress, the vendor with whom we work on this assessment, has customized an electronic data folio to fit with the new process.  Any teacher required to develop a data folio with the student can have online access to the downloadable template of forms found in Profile™.  The use of this electronic data folio will allow teachers to enter student data only once.  All forms will automatically contain student identifying information on all sheets in the data folio, saving time and assuring accuracy.  The data folio will guide teachers in assuring the completeness of verifying evidence and can incorporate even digitized photos, videos or audio examples of student work.  The data folio can be stored and submitted on a CD, saving districts the costs of storing, securing and shipping paper documents.

 

The network of turnkey trainers (staff designated by each BOCES and Big Five city school district) was expanded for the grades 3-8 NYSAA.  Measured Progress redesigned the turnkey training model from statewide to regional to facilitate participation and relieve travel time and costs incurred by the turnkey trainers.  Measured Progress also employed six Regional Lead Trainers to enrich the availability of training opportunities beyond just using turnkey trainers.  Six regional turnkey training sessions will be held in September on the use of the training package.  Turnkey trainers will then schedule training sessions for local school districts and providers in early fall and as needed throughout the assessment period.  Where additional trainers were not named by the BOCES or Big Five city school districts, training slots at turnkey sessions are being offered to the larger districts to increase their administrators’ understanding of the assessment process and how to lead teachers in conducting a reliable and appropriate assessment.

 

Registration

 

By October 31, 2005, school district administrators are required to identify and register with their Regional Information Center (RIC)/Big City Scan Centers all students with severe cognitive disabilities for whom their CSEs have determined that the 2005-06 NYSAA is the appropriate State assessment for the student to participate in as required by federal and State law.  This includes all age-eligible students with severe cognitive disabilities enrolled in the school district, including those placed by CSEs in the district, BOCES, private school, State-operated or State-supported school, or attending a charter school or approved private school.  This deadline for registration will enable teachers to identify appropriate students earlier in the assessment period and regional Score Site Coordinators to adequately plan for an increased volume of data folios to score.  A field memorandum summarizing all requirements is being sent to all superintendents and District Superintendents alerting them to this date change and providing a comprehensive overview of responsibilities, procedures and timelines for conducting NYSAA during 2005-06.  The electronic format will help administrator’s notify key participants about expectations for their participation.

 

Timeline for 2005-06 Administration and Scoring of NYSAA and Return of Data folios

 

• The initial training of teachers on administering NYSAA will be in September and October 2005. Training and technical assistance will continue through February 10, 2006 from a training network of turnkey trainers led by Regional Lead Trainers.
• The test administration period is October 3, 2005 through February 10, 2006.
• Data folios are scored regionally.  To ensure this, all completed data folios must be sent by districts to the scoring centers by February 21, 2006.  Scoring takes place at the BOCES or Big 5 regional scoring center of the student’s district of residence between March 27, 2006 and May 5, 2006. 
• The scoring centers submit the data files to SED’s contractor, Measured Progress.  Measured Progress converts the raw scores to performance levels and develops reports for schools and districts. Districts use the data to report student scores to SED.

 

Materials Available to Assist Teachers, Administrators and Families

 

·       The New York State Alternate Assessment Teacher’s Guide and video (August 2005).

·       Using iEnrollment to Order Training Materials for the Comprehensive New York State Alternate Assessment - 2005-06.

·       Electronic Data Folio Template, ProFile™, customized for teacher use.

·       New York State Alternate Assessment and Accountability (July 2005).

·       English Language Arts Resource Guide to the Learning Standards and Alternate Performance Indicators for Students with Severe Disabilities.

·       Mathematics Resource Guide to the Learning Standards and Alternate Performance Indicators for Students with Severe Disabilities.

·       Science Resource Guide to the Learning Standards and Alternate Performance Indicators for Students with Severe Disabilities.

·       Brochure:  The New York State Alternate Assessment for Students with Severe Disabilities.

 

Development of Modified Achievement Standards and a Modified Assessment

 

The U.S. Department of Education (USDOE) offered states that meet certain criteria flexibility to judge two percent of students with disabilities against modified achievement standards.   The criteria included:

 

·       demonstrating the improved performance of students with disabilities in English and mathematics;

·       the availability of an alternate assessment (based on alternate achievement standards);

·       appropriate accommodations on all State assessments; and

·       sound education policies related to students with disabilities.

 

An additional criterion was that 95 percent of students with disabilities statewide at each applicable grade level had to be tested in English and mathematics in 2003-04.  SED applied for the flexibility and committed to having in place no later than 2006-07 a reliable and valid alternate assessment based on modified achievement standards for a limited group of students with disabilities.

 

USDOE determined that New York met the criterion on three accountability measures:  elementary-level ELA and mathematics, and middle-level ELA.  New York did not meet the criterion in middle-level mathematics or high school ELA or mathematics and is not approved to use this flexibility with these criteria.  With the approval on three accountability measures, New York can adjust the adequate yearly progress (AYP) determination for the students with disabilities subgroup for the 2004-05 school year as an interim measure until measures of modified achievement standards are developed.  This interim AYP adjustment is for the 2004-05 school year only and only for eligible states. These issues will be revisited while USDOE is developing a regulation related to modified achievement standards for a limited group of students with disabilities. USDOE has not announced how this process will work for 2005-2006.

 

 

New York State English as a Second Language Achievement Test (NYSESLAT)

 

          NCLB holds states accountable for increases in English proficiency and core academic content knowledge of LEP/ELLs by requiring: (a)  demonstrated improvements in the English proficiency of LEP/ELLs each fiscal year; and (b) adequate yearly progress for LEP/ELLs, including immigrant children and youth.  To meet these federal requirements, the Department developed the NYSESLAT to measure the English language arts proficiency of LEP/ELLs. It is administered each spring to students in grades K-12.  Harcourt Assessment, Inc. has extensive experience in helping states assess the progress of LEP/ELLs, as required by Title I and Title III of NCLB.  

 

Implementation Activities

 

SED staff is working with educators from across the State and our testing contractor, Harcourt Assessment Inc., to ensure that NYSESLAT is linked to the State’s English as a Second Language (ESL) standards and ensures the success of students who exit from bilingual/ESL programs to the general education environment.  These efforts have led to the increased involvement of ESL educators in the test development process and the dissemination of additional resources for parents, teachers, and administrators.   The NYSESLAT web home page is a key resource.  Additional activities are being planned for the development of NYSESLAT 2006.  

 

NYSESLAT 2005

 

New York State ESL educators participated in the following NYSESLAT test development activities this year: Range Finding, Standard Setting, Passage Review, and Item Review.  The following new information was posted on SED’s website at http://www.emsc.nysed.gov/osa/ to provide information to parents, teachers, and educators:

 

·       Parent Brochure -- An informational brochure that describes NYSESLAT and how it measures the progress of LEP/ELLs.   From this brochure, parents will also learn what they can do to help their students meet the challenges of NYSESLAT. The brochure is available in English, Chinese, Haitian-Creole, Korean, Russian and Spanish.  

·       2005 NYSESLAT Test Samplers and Teachers Directions -- The purpose of the test samplers is to prepare students for taking the NYSESLAT, so they will be familiar with the types of questions that will appear on the test. There are five NYSESLAT test samplers with directions for administration for students in grades K-1, 2-4, 5-6, 7-8, and 9-12.

 

The following improvements were made to NYSESLAT for 2005:

 

·       Unique cut scores for each grade;

·       Increased number of multiple-choice questions in all subtests;

·       Increased number of open-ended speaking questions;

·       Color printing of student test booklets; and

·       Electronic ordering of tests via Harcourt Assessment, Inc.’s web site.

 

NYSESLAT 2006

 

·       In September, Harcourt Assessment, Inc. will conduct regional item writing training sessions for teachers at regional centers across the State.

·       NYSESLAT will be field tested in October and November 2005.

·       Six regional turnkey training sessions will be held in Long Island, New York City, Albany, and Rochester in the spring.  

·       A professional videotape on scoring the 2006 NYSESLAT will be produced and distributed to schools.

 

SED is considering extending the testing accommodations currently in place for LEP/ELLs to former LEP/ELLs.  As a result, LEP/ELLs who reach the English proficient level on the NYSESLAT would be able to take advantage, during their first two years as English proficient, of the current testing accommodations.  During that time, student progress in meeting State standards would be monitored. This two-year extension in testing accommodations would provide former LEP/ELLs with a safety net that would assist them in meeting State assessment requirements.  As we move forward with these discussions, we will keep the Board informed and will return to you for approval of any policy change. 

 Other Updates on State Assessment

 

Online Exam Ordering

 

The Office of State Assessment (OSA) has worked closely with SED’s Office of Information and Technology Services (ITS) to streamline the data-entry method used by schools to request State examinations.  A multiple-page, machine-scannable form has now been transformed into an online request system utilizing a series of Department web pages made available to school principals.  The new system was pilot tested during summer 2005.  

 

In preparation for the January 2006 Regents examination period, all secondary level principals will have read/write access via a secure password to their own school’s shipping information and examination quantities on the OSA database.  Starting in September 2005, principals will submit requests and subsequent revisions to their initial requests for the January examinations by that method alone.

 

In May 2006, elementary and intermediate-level assessments will be added to the online request system so the vast majority of State examinations will be sent to schools based on data submitted by principals using the online method. 

 

The Online Examination Ordering System benefits schools as follows:

 

·       School principals will be able to submit and revise the examination quantities they need as their local situation changes and at virtually any time of any day. 

·       School principals will receive confirmation of their examination requests by e-mail within 48 hours of their submission of examination quantities to SED.

·       The information packages sent by SED prior to the beginning of each examination request cycle and prior to each Regents examination period will be sent by e-mail which will not only reduce postal/shipping expenses for SED, but also make it much easier for school officials to distribute this important policy and procedure guidance to their faculty, staff, and administrative colleagues at the local level. 

·       OSA will maintain a current database of e-mail addresses for school principals in all buildings statewide.  This will help SED’s efforts to keep in contact with the field.

·       The system allows staff in OSA to better use their time providing support to school districts.

School Administrator’s Manual

 

The School Administrator’s Manual is SED’s official policy guidance on the specific regulations and procedures to be followed in requesting, administering, and rating Regents examinations, Regents Competency Tests, and second language proficiency examinations. This resource has not been updated since 2001. The many changes and developments that have occurred in New York’s testing programs since then make updating the manual a necessity at this time.

 

In the coming months, OSA will prepare a revised manual that will be ready for use in the field by the June 2006 Regents examination period. To ensure that the revised manual is as complete, accurate, and up-to-date as possible, we will work with staff from the Offices of Vocational and Educational Services for Individuals with Disabilities (VESID), Curriculum, Instruction and Instructional Technology, Information and Reporting Services, Bilingual Education, Nonpublic Schools, and the Office of Counsel.  Topics to be covered in the revised manual will include academic integrity requirements and how violations are to be reported to the Department, school accountability, accessibility and LEP/ELLs.

 

In addition to changes in the manual’s content, we plan to use technology to improve the manual’s format and utility. The 2006 edition of the manual will be a strictly web-based, user-friendly tool that would enable administrators and others in the field to access the document and print it according to their specific needs.

 

We plan to develop the manual as an HTML file, which will be broken down into sections and would include internal links to make it easier to navigate. With this new format, users will be able to click on these internal links and be taken directly to the section(s) or page(s) of the manual that contain the specific information they seek at any given time. Users would also be able to use external links within the manual to take them to relevant information posted on other areas of the SED’s website (e.g., VESID). This new format will also enable the SED to more easily and efficiently update, revise, and amend the manual as our policies and procedures change over time.

 

Attachment A

Resources for Schools

 

Resource	Web Address
Latest News on Grades 3-8 Testing (including ELA and Mathematics curriculum)	http://www.emsc.nysed.gov/3-8/home.html
Introduction to the Grades 3-8 Testing Program in English Language Arts and Mathematics (includes sample ELA questions)	http://www.emsc.nysed.gov/3-8/intro.pdf
Grades 3–8 English Language Arts Tests Home Page	http://www.emsc.nysed.gov/3-8/e-home.htm
Mathematics Toolkit: Curriculum Guidance, Materials and Resources, including: ·       Mathematics Core Curriculum ·       Pre-March/Post-March Indicators ·       Template for Analysis of Mathematics Programs/Series ·       Learning Standards Crosswalk o      Professional Development Modules o      Glossary for teachers/Suggested Lists of Mathematical Language o      Sample Mathematics Questions	http://www.emsc.nysed.gov/3-8/guidance.htm
Grades 3–8 Mathematics Tests Home Page	http://www.emsc.nysed.gov/3-8/m-home.htm
NYSESLAT K-12 Home Page	http://www.emsc.nysed.gov/osa/nyseslat/home.shtml
Office of Curriculum, Instruction and Instructional Technology	http://www.emsc.nysed.gov/ciai/
Office of State Assessment	http://www.emsc.nysed.gov/osa
NYS Alternate Assessment Home Page	http://vesid32.nysed.gov/specialed/alterassessment/
ProFile™ Electronic Data Folio for NYSAA	http://www.measuredprogress.org/Assessments/SpecialEducation/Software.html

 

                                                                                                    Attachment B

 

2005–2006 School Year

 

 

 ^*  Schools must arrange to administer the English Language Arts and Mathematics Tests to students during the specified administration week for the test. Within each grade, schools are to administer the test on the same day to all general education students except for those students who are absent. Schools may schedule the tests for different grades on different sets of days within the specified week; for example, the school may administer the Grade 6 Mathematics Test on Monday, March 13, and Tuesday, March 14, while administering the Grade 8 Mathematics Tests on Thursday, March 16, and Friday, March 17.

 ^□  This data folio test is also administered to secondary-level students with severe disabilities during the same administration dates.

 ^{^}  The make-up week, which immediately follows the administration week, is to be used for administering make-up tests to students who were absent during the primary administration week. The make-up week can also be used to complete the initial administrations in schools that were closed due to inclement weather or other unexpected events for one or more days of the primary test administration week. In addition, this make-up period may be used to administer tests to those students with disabilities and limited-English-proficient students whose testing accommodations would have, in the school’s judgment, been difficult to provide during the primary administration week. Make-up testing may begin during the primary administration week on any days that remain following the school’s completion of initial testing and must be completed no later than the last day of the make-up week.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                                                                                                                            Attachment C

Time Spent Taking Required State Assessments                      (as percentage of total time in school – Grades 3-8)
	Total Minutes per Exam: Grades 3-8	Grade 3	Grade 4	Grade 5	Grade 6	Grade 7	Grade 8
ELA *	845	95	180	95	185	105	185
Mathematics *	795	95	170	115	120	120	175
Science	300		120				180
Social Studies	360			180			180
Total Testing Minutes	2,300	190	470	390	305	225	720
Total Testing Hours	38.3	3.2	7.8	6.5	5.1	3.8	12.0
Total Hours in School	5,580	900	900	900	900	990	990
Testing Time as Percent of Total	0.69%	0.35%	0.87%	0.72%	0.56%	0.38%	1.21%
*  Includes 20 - 35 minutes test prep time per State exam. **  Assuming 5 hours per day in grades 3-6 and 5.5 hours per day in grades 7-8.