NERIC Testing Service - Frequently Asked Questions

 

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How do I get an answer sheet for a newly enrolled student?

·    NERIC provides a quantity of Extra Answer Sheets for each test administration.  These Extra Sheets can be found at the end of package of preprinted answer sheets.    

 

I have more newly enrolled students in my school than Extra Answer Sheets and Booklet Labels.  How do I get more Extra Sheets and Booklet Labels?

 

I have a student who transferred to another school within my district?

 

What do we do with answer sheet(s) for Students who were never enrolled but data was sent to the DW? 

 

I am short test booklets or I need a special test booklet such as a Large Print or Braille test booklet, what do I do?

 

What does the district do with answer sheets for students who were added to the DW but attend non-pub schools?

 

What does the district do with answer sheets for students who are home schooled but don't take a test. 

 

A student is taking the NYSAA, what do I indicate on the answer sheet and corresponding documents?

·        Bubble “Taking NYSAA” on the answer sheet.

·        Next to the students name on the Answer Sheet Roster Report write "Taking NYSAA".  

·        In the Data Warehouse this student:

Ø   MUST be ungraded (13=K-6, or 14=7-12) in both Demographics and Enrollment.  The SED NYSAA DOB chart determines the level of test to be administered to this student.

Ø   MUST have a program service code of 0220 : Eligible for Alternate Assessment in Program Services.

 

I have a disabled student who does not quality for the NYSAA; what level of test is administered to this student? 

·        If the student is in grade 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, or 8 you test the student at the grade level he/she is enrolled.

·        If the student is ungraded (13=K-6, or 14=7-12), test the student at the grade level determined by their DOB, refer to the chart in the SED SIRS Policy Manual, page 15.  The DOB on the chart determines the appropriate assessment to administer.

 

Who should be tested?

·        All public school students in Grades 3-8:

Ø   This includes students who have been retained in these grades.

Ø   Ungraded students, the birth dates of ungraded students with disabilities should be used to determine who must be tested and which grade-level test they will take.

Ø   Students who attend programs operated by the BOCES as well as any other programs located outside the district.

Ø   ELA Test - Limited-English-Proficient (LEP) Students.  All LEP students, regardless of grade, must take the New York State English as a Second Language Achievement Test (NYSESLAT). 

Ø   Nonpublic schools are to follow the same guidelines for each grade-level test they are administering.

·        EXCEPTIONS:

Ø   ELA Test - Limited-English-Proficient (LEP) Students.  Only those LEP students who, on January 2nd of the current school year (i.e. January 2, 2008 for the 2007-2008 school year) will have attended school in the United States (excluding Puerto Rico) for less than one year.  These students take the NYSESLAT only.  All other LEP students are required to participate in the Grades 3-8 ELA Tests.

Ø   Students with Disabilities.  The CSE must decide for each student whether the student will participate in the general State assessment or in the New York State Alternate Assessment (NYSAA) for students with severe disabilities. 

Ø   Medically Excused.  A student may be medically excused from testing if documentation from a medical practitioner is kept on file at the school indicating that the student is too incapacitated to test at the school, at home, or in a medical setting.

 

I received an answer sheet for a student who has an Enrollment Code of 5905; what do I do?

 

Do you have to test Foreign Exchange Students?

 

What happens if a student is absent for a portion of an assessment?


Testing and reporting elementary- and middle-level students who transfer to a different school during the testing period.  (see SIRS Policy Manual, pg 18)

 

What NYS Elementary/Intermediate assessments are the nonpublic schools to administer?

·        2005-2006:

Ø   Nonpublic schools may transition to full implementation of the Grade 3-8 testing program by administering the Grades 4 and 8 assessments in 2005-06.  

Ø   SED will provide nonpublic schools with the following services in grades 4 & 8: ELA, Mathematics, Science 4/8, and Social Studies 5/8 tests: test booklets, scannable answer sheets, scanning of answer sheets, and printed score reports. 

Ø   Nonpublic schools interested in administering the Grades 3, 5, 6 and 7 ELA and Mathematics tests and Science 4/8, Social Studies 5/8 in 2005-06 MUST first make arrangements to obtain the necessary services from a RIC for grades 3-8.  (Reference memo dated July 2005 to Principals of nonpublic schools.)

·        2006-2007:

Ø   SED will provide nonpublic schools with the following services; ELA and Math grades 4, 6, and 8, Science 4/8, and Social Studies 5/8 tests: test booklets, scannable answer sheets, scanning of answer sheets, and printed score reports.

·        2007-2008 (refer to Nonpublic Schools - Administering & Reporting State Assessments - J. Stevens memo - Nov. 2007):

Ø   SED will provide nonpublic schools with the following services: ELA and Math grades 3-8 test booklets ONLY; no scannable answer sheets, scanning of answer sheets, and printed score reports will be provided. 

Ø   In order to receive OFFICIAL scores the nonpublic school MUST make arrangements to obtain the necessary services from a RIC for ELA and Math. 

Ø   SED will provide nonpublic schools with Science 4/8, Social Studies 5/8, and NYSESLAT test booklets, scannable answer sheets, scanning of answer sheets, and printed score reports. 

 

Who is administered the NYSESLAT (New York State English as a Second Language Achievement Test)?

·        In the Data Warehouse this student MUST:

Ø   have the LEP duration field populated in Demographics.

Ø   have the correct grade in both Demographics and Enrollment for the level of test administered.  NOTE: For ungraded students, refer to the chart found on page 35 of the NYSESLAT School Administrators Manual - this chart is to be used to ascertain the appropriate grade band test to administer to those LEP students with disabilities who are ungraded.

Ø   Have a program service code of 0321 : Lep Eligible in Program Services.

Ø   In Program Services add an exit date and include an Exit Reason of 849 : Student Achieved English Proficiency. 

 

An ESL student did not get a score for the Listening/Speaking and/or Reading/Writing portion of the NYSESLAT.  What would be the reason for that?

 

Can a 7th grade student take the Science 8 test?

 

Can an 8th grade student take the Science Regents test?

 

Can an accelerated 7th grade student take the Math or ELA grade 8 test?

 

Can an 8th grade student take the Math Regents test?

 

If a student takes a test but is off by one (1) or a couple questions can the student erase and re-bubble or can the teacher give the student an extra answer sheet and have the student transfer the bubbles to the extra answer sheet?  The teacher would then write the reason the student used an extra answer sheet on the roster report."  If this scenario is noticed by the teacher/proctor can they mention it to the student or is this something ONLY the student can make the teacher/proctor aware of?  On page 8 of the SAM it states "Teachers may give students assistance only in the mechanics of taking the tests such as understanding where to record their responses," does this statement refer to this scenario?

 

 

Scoring Committee - The state has recommended and districts have set up scoring so that a separate scorer does each section. There is no place on the answer sheet to indicate who scored the writing mechanics/editing paragraph portion of the test.  Any ideas why this is the case or how districts are to code the third scorer?

 

What is the 3rd academic indicator?

 

How long do school districts have to keep the test booklets?

 

How is the PI (Performance Index) calculated?  Below is an example from 2005-2006.

 

Calculating the Grade 3-8 Performance Index

Grade Level

 

Number of Students

 

Level 1

Level 2

Level 3

Level 4

3

 

35

 

12

7

10

6

4

 

43

 

3

6

20

14

5

 

30

 

6

10

10

4

TOTAL

108

 

21

23

40

24

PI =140

The formula to calculate Performance Index is ((23+40+24+40+24)/108)*100=140

 

 

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