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Teleconference Questions and Answers
The following questions have been taken directly from those submitted to the New York State Education Department during the October 20th teleconference. The questions are unedited; they remain in their original form. Some were duplicates and have been combined. These questions and answers relate to ELA, Mathematics, and Special Populations. Questions and answers relating to other topics, such as assessments and accountability, will be posted as soon as information becomes available.
The following answers provide the most current information relating to New York State Learning Standards for Mathematics (Revisited) and English Language Arts (ELA) and Grade 3 – 8 ELA and Mathematics Testing Program.
We encourage schools to share the information with parents, students, school boards, and other interested parties.
MATHEMATICS
TEST
ADMINISTRATION (LOGISTICS, SCHEDULING, TIMING, CALCULATORS)
CURRICULUM GUIDANCE, TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS (ELA)
Test Format (CONTENT,
STRUCTURE, READABILITY, PSYCHOMETRICS)
Test Administration
(LOGISTICS, SCHEDULING, TIMING)
CURRICULUM GUIDANCE,
TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
SPECIAL POPULATIONS
REPORTING/ACCOUNTABILITY
Test Format (CONTENT, STRUCTURE, READABILITY, PSYCHOMETRICS)
Q.
Will the new 2005-06 math test look like
previous tests or assume the new grade-by-grade format?
A.
The Grade 3-8 tests are, in many ways, similar
in format to the current grades 4 & 8 assessments. Each of the grades 3-8 tests
will:
contain constructed response, extended response and multiple choice questions;
contain multiple choice questions which continue to measure student understanding of basic mathematics and arithmetic skills; and
continue to require students to support their solutions to mathematical problems by showing steps they used in the solution and explaining the mathematical processes and concepts involved.
Q.
Why do you have a different number of
multiple-choice questions on each math level test (grades 3-8)?
A.
On the grades 4 and 8, there are the same
numbers of multiple-choice questions as there were in the previous grade 4 and 8
program. For the other grades, varying amounts of time were allotted for the
multiple choices sections, all less than that of Grades 4 and 8. The designs for
those grades were created to maximize the number of points a student could earn,
while still providing an adequate number of constructed-response questions.
This process helped to maintain the integrity of the construct of the test
across the grades.
Q.
Why is only standard 3 listed on each of the
math tests grade 3-8?
A.
There are seven learning standards that
comprise the standard area “NYS Mathematics, Science, and Technology” (MS&T).
Standard 3: Mathematics is the content standard for mathematics and is one of
the seven MS&T learning standards. Standard 3 is currently under review by the
Board of Regents with approval anticipated in January 2005.
Q.
Testing moves to March 2005: 2/3 of the
curriculum will be covered. What about the other 1/3?
A.
Each grade level test will consist of content from March of the previous year to
March of the current teaching year. Each test could contain 1/3 of its content
that was taught in the previous year. Further guidance on these test
specifications will be forthcoming following the Regents Action on Standard 3 in
January 2005.
Q.
Who is CTB McGraw Hill using to write the items
of the various math tests? Are any actual math teachers writing the items?
A.
CTB McGraw Hill has a pool of in-house item
writers as well as item writers who work off-site, in a number of cities across
the country. All item writers are certified teachers, primarily common branch
for the lower grades and mathematics certified in the upper grades.
Q.
If we understand the info on how the tests will
be constructed with “items in common”, isn’t each year’s test assessing a range
of knowledge and skills that can span to years? For example, the Gr. 6 test is
1/3 (minimum) of items from grade 5 (which goes back to gr. 4, which goes back
to grade 3) plus 1/3 (minimum) of items from gr. 7 which will have items in
common with gr. 8. Why are the tests designed to assess students’ knowledge of
next year’s content?
A.
Each test will contain "overlapping items" in
the multiple-choice section of the tests. The content of these items, however,
will be based upon the content taught in the lower grade. For example, the
overlap items in the grade 5 mathematics test will include a few questions from
content areas that were covered in grade 4. These will be the overlap items
that will also be covered on the grade 4 test. The grade 5 test will also have
a few items that will be identical to the grade 6 test. These items will be
from content areas covered in grade 5, so they should be achievable for grade 6
students as well. The purpose of the overlapping items is to try to achieve a
vertical scale which is often seen as helpful in assessing the growth of
individual students from one grade level to the next. With some constraints, a
test that is placed on a vertical scale can be used to directly compare a
student's score from year to year.
Q.
Are these tests standardized? If so, what
normative procedures were used?
A.
The tests are standardized in that they are
administered exactly the same way each time, wherever and by whom they are
administered. Everyone is supposed to be given the exact same instructions in
sufficient detail that no differences in administration would take place between
a person administering the test in Manhattan to School 6 in Rochester, in Oneida
Elementary or at a BOCES to home schooled students. Norming for this test is
done at the state level, not the national level. The statewide test results from
the operational test are the comparison group. Therefore, it is critically
important to keep the statewide test development, administration, and scoring
the same from year to year. If it
changes, we are changing the "norming" sample rendering longitudinal tracking to
be questionable (especially when there are no common students or items from year
to year).
Q.
How are the test sections being weighed?
A.
Each multiple choice is worth 1 point, each
constructed response 2 points, and extended response 3 points each.
Q.
How is the readability
level being determined?
A.
Passages that are grade
appropriate are selected by CTB/McGraw-Hill. NYS classroom teachers review each
passage for vocabulary, subject matter, and grade appropriateness. Classroom
teachers also review all items written for the tests to determine clarity, and
grade appropriateness.
Q.
Are there going to be new tests each year?
A.
Yes. NYS will continue to release operational
tests after administration. New test forms will be administered each year
based on the same standards and same test blueprint.
Q. If the 2004-05 field-testing results will not be
used to scale these tests, what will?
A.
Data from the field tests administered in 2005
will be used to format the final operational (actual) test that will be
administered in Math for grades 3-8. The Department will use the actual results
from the operational tests to generate the data necessary to perform the
standard setting and corresponding scaled scores.
Q. Mention was made of additional time for the
Grade 8 Math test. Has the time students had for test taking up to this point in
Grade 5 been identified as a variable in the lower scores students attain
compared to Grade 4?
A. The administration times have been established
for each session of each test based on a timing formula. Each student will have
approximately 1.6 minutes to complete each multiple-choice question.
Q. The State needs to expand the number of
languages which tests are available providing there is a significant and growing
need. Translators are costly and hard to find (all on the same day). Are there
plans to expand translations?
A. Currently the State Education Department offers
tests in the following languages: Russian, Korean, Spanish, Chinese, and
Haitian-Creole. At this time, there is no plan to expand translations.
Q.
If all the mathematics tests are given at the
same time, how will schools be able to provide enough calculators for the
extended/constructed responses? Or will calculators not be allowed on these
questions?
A.
Calculators are not permitted on the
multiple-choice section of the Grade 3-8 tests. For the other sections of the
test, in grades 7 & 8, students must use at least a four-function calculator,
which contains a square root key. Schools will be required to make calculators
available to students during test administration.
Q.
Why the change from May to March for the math?
A.
The test date is in March to allow adequate
time for scoring and timely return of data to districts for planning purposes
the following school year.
Q.
A great question came up about manipulatives
for off-year tests.... any idea?
A.
Primary manipulative set, which contains a
ruler, counters, and a set of pattern blocks will be provided by the Education
Department for grades 3 & 4. Intermediate manipulative set which contains a
ruler, and a protractor will be provided by the Education Department for grades
5-8.
Q.
Will
there be a different make-up test for absentees to preserve the integrity of the
original exam?
A.
Students who are absent during the regularly scheduled testing dates will need
to take the same test during the make-up testing period. It is the
principal’s responsibility to facilitate the testing during the make-up period.
Students must be given every opportunity to make up any missed test session
Q.
Will there be separate test
books per each session?
A. Yes,
there will be separate testing booklets for each session of the Grades 3-8
testing program.
Q.
When
the new testing program first starts, there are usually many questions, many of
them which happen on the day of the test. Will the State have additional people
and phone lines to help administrators answer questions which come up during the
administration of the test?
A. Yes.
SED will try to answer as many questions as possible. Our goal is to anticipate
many of these issues and to work with districts and schools to address these
matters before the actual test administration period. However, we are
aware that certain problems and issues arise that just cannot be anticipated
despite our best planning. Therefore, the Office of State Assessment will have
staff available on phone lines and by e-mail to assist during the actual
administration period.
Q.
What
are the testing times and testing schedule for all tests in 2005-06?
A.
For in-depth information regarding
the 2005-2006 testing schedule, please refer to the following website:
http://www.emsc.nysed.gov/3-8/home.htm for Grades 3-8 and to
www.emsc.nysed.gov/osa/inform/PROPOS~1.pdf for Grades 4 and 8.
Q.
Will children in advanced placement courses take the test the year they are
taking the course or the following year?
A.
Students will be administered tests for the
grade level in which they are registered in accordance with their individual
school record. For example, students registered in Grade 6 will take the grade
6 test etc…
Q.
There is insufficient time for the students to
complete the grade 8 ELA Session 3. Why would math gain extra minutes while
English loses time? Also, there are fewer requirements for the math and science
exams but the same amount of time, why?
A.
The test went from two sessions of 90 minutes
each, to 3 sessions of 45 minutes, 45 minutes, and 60 minutes, respectively.
The new sessions 1 and 2 (totaling 90 minutes) are equivalent in time and scope
to the previous tests. Since the independent writing prompt was dropped (which
used to be part of session 2), session three was set at 60 minutes (dropping the
30 minutes more time than is allotted to students to complete the listening task
once the passage has been read to them. That extra 15 minutes should allow
students sufficient time to read the two passages in the reading task.
Q.
What about the schools that are semestered in
regards to January 2006/March 2006 testing schedule. We need to have some
flexibility as to when these assessments are administered especially in 7th
grade.
A.
Due to overlapping items in the tests between grades, the test administration
window will need to be fairly consistent across the State. SED will be issuing
additional information on various test administration models for the 3-8 testing
program over the next few months.
Q.
Will the booklets for all grade levels be
secured and how?
A.
The principal of each school is responsible for
making the necessary arrangements for safeguarding the materials shipped to the
school. The principal must certify that the locked box(es) containing the
secure examination materials will e stored in a vault or safe that meets the
following requirements:
· Walk-in vaults must have all of the following: poured concrete floors; walls of reinforced concrete or reinforced cement block, sealed to a poured concrete floor below and structural floor or roof deck above; metal door in a metal frame with inside or welded-pin hinges; no windows or access panels; and a built-in dead latching combination or key lock that allows exiting at all times.
· Safes must meet or exceed the burglary resistance performance standards incorporated in Underwriters Laboratories (UL) classification TRTL-30, and must have all of the following: steel door at least 1 ˝ inches thick; steel walls at least 1 inch thick; 750 lb. Minimum weight; built-in combination lock; and minimum inside dimensions to contain the Regents box(es) for a school’s typical examination order.
Q.
How will snow days be
handled?
A.
SED will issue further advice
relating to inclement weather during test administration.
Q.
What happens to those
students who are transient and transfer from one school district to another or
come from another country? Will we be required to test these students in every
grade level?
A.
If a student transfers from one district to another, the student is still
required to take the appropriate tests. LEP students would be required to take
the NYSASLAT tests.
Q. What
guidance/materials can SED provide teachers and administrators as they prepare
for the administration of grades 3-8 testing in mathematics?
A. NCLB requires
grade-by-grade performance indicators for each of grades 3-8. NYS is committed
to providing performance indicators for PreK – 12 in both mathematics and ELA.
The following guidance/materials will be posted on the Department’s website at
www.emsc.nysed.gov throughout the school year.
December 2004: Introduction to the New York State Testing Program English Language Arts and Mathematics Tests Grades 3-8. Following Regents Approval of Standard 3: Mathematics, the Department will issue a supplement to this document for mathematics, which will provide grade-by-grade sample test items.
January 2005: Regents Action on Standard 3 Mathematics of the MST Learning Standards including grade by grade performance indicators for PreK – 12.
March 2005: Posting of “Vendor and Expert Reviews” of standard-based mathematics commercial products which impact the largest number of NYS students.
May 2005: Revised Mathematics Resource Guide with Core Curriculum which provides additional level of specificity and guidance including but not limited to learning experiences, vocabulary lists, pacing charts, and sample tasks.
Fall 2005: The Department will issue parallel tests for each of Grades 3-8.
Q.
Will the grade-by-grade
curriculum be developed prior to the NYS assessments?
A.
NYS does not have a statewide curriculum. The Education Department will issue
grade-by-grade performance indicators and core curriculum with additional
curriculum resources and materials. Curriculum development remains a local
school district responsibility which is guided by state level standards and core
curriculum.
Q.
For timelines of 3-8
testing cycle it appears that we are creating curricular years (as opposed to
grade level) how will we know what is pre-test vs. post-test?
A.
Once the Board of
Regents approves Standard 3: Mathematics the Department will issue grade by
grade performance indicators PreK – 12 along with pre/post March testing
specifications.
Q.
The Math A panel recommended “suggested
curriculum guides,” when will these be available to teachers?
A.
NYS does not write grade-by-grade curriculum.
The revised cores with additional resources and guidance will be available in
May 2005.
Q.
What will State Ed. do to help districts
provide quarterly professional development for the classroom teachers to help
them implement the new standards?
A.
NYS Education Department will continue to
provide resources on the NYS Education Department Virtual Learning System and is
partnering with State networks, such as the regional school support centers,
BOCES/SCDN, statewide professional organizations and teacher unions, to make
available professional development opportunities.
Q.
Is there a math curriculum development
committee?
A.
NYS Education Department has numerous teachers
of mathematics, directors of mathematics and retired mathematics teachers
working with SED to create guidance materials and resources to help guide local
initiatives. Teachers interested in working on these initiatives are encouraged
to complete the “Call for Expertise”
http://emsc.nysed.gov/ciai
Q. What does SED suggest to school districts in regards to the need for the continued use of other standardized tests in 2006 and beyond?A. Local school/districts use other standardized test for their own tracking purposes. However, it is projected that the new Grades 3-8 tests, with their student tracking system, will/could eliminate this expense.
Q.
Will the grading rubrics for ELA be similar on the new exams?
A.
There will be some similarities and some differences. The teachers will be able
to see all the rubrics when the booklet: An Introduction to the New York
State Grade 3-8 Testing Program for ELA and Math is released. The rubrics
for Grades 4, 6, and 8 will be similar to the rubrics for the former Grade 4 and
Grade 8 tests (with Grade 6 mirroring Grade 8) – with an exception of the ELA
cluster rubric for Grades 6 and 8. This rubric is changing from a 6-point to a
5-point rubric. The rubric for the short-response items in Grades 3, 5, and 7
is the same as that for the short-response reading rubric currently used at
Grade 4. NOTE: There is one completely new rubric – this is the rubric being
applied to the editing paragraph in Grades 3, 5, and 7.
Q.
ELA grade 3 assessment, Session 2 Part 2
constructed response, grade 5 assessments Session 2 Part 1 constructed response,
why do 3rd graders have more work to do than 5th grade
students?
A.
The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001
mandates testing in Grades 3 through 8. In New York State, field-testing will
be in February 2005 and operational testing will be in January 2006. The matrix
(dates for the scheduling of tests in schools) is available at
http://www.emsc.nysed.gov/osa/3-8testing.htm. The Grades 3-8 tests are
designed to measure the progress of students on a yearly basis. Students must
demonstrate adequate yearly progress. In order to determine if a student is
making progress, it is necessary to have an initial test that provides a more
encompassing picture of the skills and knowledge of the student, i.e., what the
student should know and be able to do. This process is similar to an initial
visit to a physician, where baseline tests are administered to determine the
overall health of the individual before the first treatment. Therefore, the
Grade 3 test, as the initial test, is slightly longer (by five minutes) to
provide this baseline picture of each student.
Q.
How will the editing paragraph be structured? The description of the editing
paragraph seems terribly narrow to evaluate the writing process. What exactly
will be assessed here? For the editing paragraph in 3-7 will the students be
editing for content and style or for mechanics? Will the questions be multiple
choice?
A.
An editing paragraph assesses writing mechanics
and is part of the Grades 3, 5, and 7 tests. At the beginning of Session 2,
students in these grades will be given a sample paragraph to edit with their
teacher. They will be instructed to correct the mistakes in the short paragraph
by drawing a line through a mistake and by writing the correct answer above the
mistake. Grade 3 students will have to correct mistakes in the use of capital
letters and punctuation only. Grades 5 and 7 students will correct mistakes in
the use of capital letters, punctuation, grammar, and usage. Spelling errors
will NOT be assessed on any grade level. The editing paragraph will be scored by
using a 3-point editing rubric.
Q.
What was the rationale for limiting the independent writing task?
A.
Prior to 1999, the New
York State Regents Examination in English had an independent writing prompt.
This task was eliminated during the revision of the Regents test in 1999. Since
the Grades 3-8 tests have been designed to align with (mirror) the Regents Exam,
the independent writing prompt was removed from the Grades 3-8 tests, as well.
Additionally, teachers and scoring professionals found the independent writing
prompt to be the most problematic section to score - despite the use of
rubrics. Given all of this information, the independent writing prompt was
removed from the Grades 3-8 tests.
Q.
Will the independent writing prompt be a part of the Jan. 2005 ELA exam grade 8?
A.
Yes, the independent writing prompt will continue to be part of the current
format of the Grades 4 and 8 tests in January 2005. No change will occur to
these tests in 2005. However, starting with the field testing of the Grades
3-8 tests in February 2005 and continuing with the operational testing in 2006,
there will be the changes. These changes will be 1) no independent writing
prompt at any grade level and 2) the Grades 3, 5, and 7 tests will have an
editing passage. For complete information regarding these tests, please refer
to
www.emsc.nysed.gov Ongoing:NCLB Info. On ELA
Q.
For ELA 5, 6, 7 will students take notes once or twice during listening section?
A.
Note taking is to assist students in remembering the details of the story but is
neither a scored nor a required activity. Grades 3, 4, and 5 students are
advised not to take notes on the first reading but to listen to the
passage, only. It is advisable for these students to first get an overview of
the entire passage (during the first reading) - before listening for detailed
information (during the second reading). Grades 6, 7, and 8 students may take
notes during both readings.
Q.
Will the listening section of the 3-8 ELA continue to require students to listen
and take notes not knowing the questions they will be asked or the general idea
of the response that follow? The 11th grade ELA test is set up so
that students are aware of the tasks following the listening.
A.
Students are not shown the constructed response questions (that accompany each
listening passage) before hearing the passage. In Grades 3, 4, and 5 students
will actively listen to the entire passage; that is, they will listen without
taking notes. In the constructed response questions, students are asked to
provide details from the passage to support their writing. Students will need
to have knowledge of both the text of the passage as a whole, plus its details.
This is best done through active rather than selective listening. Students in
Grades 6, 7, and 8 will take notes and listen to passages, simultaneously.
Q.
It is not uncommon for passages in the 4th Grade ELA test to be
written at a higher readability than appropriate. Several passages last year
reached a 10th Grade readability level. Will efforts be made to control the
readability of the ELA testing at each level?
A.
Readability is one method of anticipating or predicting the difficulty of a
reading passage for a particular grade of students. Passages, selected by CTB/McGraw-Hill,
are at grade-appropriate levels. Classroom teachers have reviewed each passage
for vocabulary, subject matter, and grade appropriateness.
Q. If we understand
the info on how the tests will be constructed with “items in common”, isn’t each
year’s test assessing a range of knowledge and skills that can span to years?
For example, the Gr. 6 test is 1/3 (minimum) of items from grade 5 (which goes
back to gr. 4, which goes back to grade 3) plus 1/3 (minimum) of items from gr.
7 which will have items in common with gr. 8. Why are the tests designed to
assess students’ knowledge of next year’s content?
A.
Each test will contain
"overlapping items" in the multiple-choice sections of the tests. The content
of these items, however, will be based upon the content taught in the lower
grade. For example, the overlap items in the Grade 5 ELA test will include a
few questions from content areas that were covered in Grade 4. These will be
the overlap items that will also be covered on the Grade 4 test. The Grade 5
test will also have a few items that will be identical to the Grade 6 test.
These items will be from content areas covered in Grade 5, so they should be
achievable for Grade 6 students as well. The purpose of the overlapping items
is to try to achieve a vertical scale, which is often seen as helpful in
assessing the growth of individual students from one grade level to the next.
With some constraints, a test that is placed on a vertical scale can be used to
directly compare a student's score from year to year.
Q.
Are these tests
standardized? If so, what normative procedures were used?
A.
The tests are standardized
in that they are administered exactly the same way each time, wherever and by
whomever they are administered. Everyone must be given the exact same
instructions in sufficient detail that no differences in administration would
take place between a person administering the test in Manhattan to School 6, in
Rochester, to Oneida Elementary School or in a BOCES or a home schooled
students. Norming for this test is done at the state level, not the national
level. The statewide test results from the operational tests are the comparison
group. Therefore, it is critically important to keep the statewide test
development, administration, and scoring the same from year to year. If these
change, the "norming" sample changes rendering longitudinal tracking to be
questionable (especially when there are no common students or items from year to
year).
Q.
How are the test sections
being weighed?
A.
Each multiple choice item is
worth 1 point, each constructed response item is worth 2 points, and each
extended response is worth 3 points.
Q.
How is the readability
level being determined?
A.
Passages that are grade
appropriate are selected by CTB/McGraw-Hill. NYS classroom teachers then review
each passage for vocabulary, subject matter, and grade appropriateness.
Classroom teachers also review all items written for the tests by CTB/McGraw-Hill
to determine clarity and grade appropriateness.
Q.
Are there going to be new
tests each year?
A.
Yes. NYS will continue to
release operational tests after administration. New test forms will be
administered each year based on the same standards and same test blueprint.
Q.
If the 2004-05 field-testing results will not be
used to scale these tests, what will?
A. Data from the field tests administered in 2005
will be used to format the final operational (actual) test that will be
administered in ELA Grades 3-8. The Department will use the actual results from
the operational tests to generate the data necessary to perform the standard
setting and corresponding scaled scores.
Q.
Will children in advanced placement courses take the test the year they are
taking the course or the following year?
A.
Students will be administered tests for the
grade level in which they are registered in accordance with their individual
school record. For example, students registered in Grade 6 will take the grade
6 test, etc.
Test Administration (LOGISTICS, SCHEDULING, TIMING)
Q.
In grade 4, session 3 the writing prompt response was eliminated but the time
frame remained the same, why? Why has listening section on grade 4 ELA time
decreased from 60 minutes to 45 minutes?
A.
Data analysis of items is used to determine that sufficient time is allotted for
the reading of passages and for the completion of the writing tasks for each
test. The test format of the current Grade 4 test is comparable to the
new Grade 4 test, i.e., the independent writing prompt was replaced by
additional passages to be read and critical responses to be composed. Time to
complete the listening section was decreased from 60 minutes on the current
Grade 4 test to 45 minutes on the new Grade 4 test due to fewer tasks
(items) to complete.
Q.
It is our understanding that ELA 8 will remain in January and Math 8 in May. The
7th grade assessments in ELA will also be in January and Math in March.
A.
The Grades 4 and 8 ELA tests will be administered in January 2005, in their
current test format. Under NCLB, the new, federally-mandated Grades 3-8 ELA
tests will be field tested in February 2005 and will be operational in January
2006. The Grades 4 and 8 math tests will be administered in May 2005, in
their current test format. Under NCLB, the new, federally-mandated Grades
3-8 math tests will be field tested in March 2005 and will be operational in
March 2006. For additional details regarding the tests dates and schedule
(matrix) for school assignments, please refer to
http://www.emsc.nysed.gov/osa/3-8testing.htm.
Q.
You gave us information today that the Grade 4 ELA would be given in January
2005. Previous information from NYSED said the Grade 4 ELA would be given
January 31 to February 4. Have these dates now changed?
A. Yes. The Grade 4 ELA
test, in its current test format, will be administered from January 31 –
February 4, 2005. For additional information regarding the dates of elementary-
and intermediate-level State assessments for the 2004-2005 school year, please
refer to
http://www.emsc.nysed.gov/osa/inform/PROPOS~1.pdf and to
www.emsc.nysed.gov/osa/eliinfogen/importantdatesgr4and8mathela05.pdf
Q. Has there ever
been consideration to preorder a tape-recorded copy of the listening passage for
Regents and 3-8 ELA?
A.
Yes, the State Education Department (SED) has considered this request. However,
SED will not tape record the listening passage because the quality of the tape
and the availability of equipment to run the tape cannot be ensured.
Q.
Will the grade 11 ELA exam be given the same week as the grades 3-8 tests?
A.
2005: The administration of the English Regents exam will be during the
week of January 25 – 28, 2005. Field-testing of the Grades 3-8 tests in English
Language Arts will be administered during the week of February 7-11, 2005.
2006:
The administration of the English Regents exam will be during the week of
January 24 – 27, 2006. The operational Grades 3-8 tests in English Language
Arts will be administered in January 2006. However, specific dates have yet to
be determined by SED.
Q.
Will there be a different make-up test for absentees to preserve the integrity
of the original exam?
A. Students
who are absent during the regularly scheduled testing dates will need to take
the same test during the make-up testing period. It is the principal’s
responsibility to facilitate the testing during the make-up period. Students
must be given every opportunity to make up any missed test session.
Q.
Will there
be separate test books per each session?
A. Yes,
there will be separate testing booklets for each session of the Grades 3-8
testing program.
Q.
When the new testing program first starts, there are usually many questions,
many of them which happen on the day of the test. Will the State have
additional people and phone lines to help administrators answer questions, which
come up during the administration of the test?
A. Yes. SED will try to answer
as many questions as possible. Our goal is to anticipate many of these issues
and to work with districts and schools to address these matters before
the actual test administration period. However, we are aware that certain
problems and issues arise that just cannot be anticipated despite our best
planning. Therefore, the Office of State Assessment will have staff available
on phone lines and by e-mail to assist during the actual administration period.
Q.
What are the testing times and testing schedule for all tests in 2005-06?
A.
For in-depth information regarding the 2005-2006 testing schedule, please refer
to the following website:
http://www.emsc.nysed.gov/osa/3-8testing.htm for Grades 3-8 and to
www.emsc.nysed.gov/osa/inform/PROPOS~1.pdf for Grades 4 and 8.
Q.
Will children in advanced placement courses take the test the year they are
taking the course or the following year?
A. Students will be
administered tests for the grade level in which they are registered in
accordance with their individual school record. For example, students
registered in Grade 6 will take the grade 6 test etc…
Q. There is
insufficient time for the students to complete the grade 8 ELA Session 3. Why
would math gain extra minutes while English loses time? Also, there are fewer
requirements for the math and science exams but the same amount of time, why?
A. The Grade 8 test
went from two sessions of 90 minutes each, to 3 sessions of 45 minutes, 45
minutes, and 60 minutes, respectively. The new sessions 1 and 2 (totaling 90
minutes) are equivalent in time and in scope to the previous tests. Since the
independent writing prompt was dropped (which used to be part of session 2),
session 3 was set at 60 minutes (dropping the 30 minutes more time than is
allotted to students to complete the listening task once the passage has been
read to them.) That extra 15 minutes will allow students sufficient time to
read the two passages in the reading task.
Q. What about the
schools that are semestered in regards to January 2006/March 2006 testing
schedule. We need to have some flexibility as to when these assessments are
administered especially in 7th grade.
A.
Due to overlapping items in the tests between grades, the test administration
window will need to be fairly consistent across the State. SED will be issuing
additional information on various test administration models for the Grade 3-8
testing program over the next few months.
Q. Will the booklets
for all grade levels be secured and how?
A. The principal of
each school is responsible for making the necessary arrangements for
safeguarding the materials shipped to the school. The principal must certify
that the locked box(es) containing the secure examination materials will be
stored in a vault or safe that meets the following requirements:
· Walk-in vaults must have all of the following: poured concrete floors; walls of reinforced concrete or reinforced cement block, sealed to a poured concrete floor below and structural floor or roof deck above; metal door in a metal frame with inside or welded-pin hinges; no windows or access panels; and a built-in dead latching combination or key lock that allows exiting at all times.
· Safes must meet or exceed the burglary resistance performance standards incorporated in Underwriters Laboratories (UL) classification TRTL-30 and must have all of the following: steel door at least 1˝ inches thick; steel walls at least 1 inch thick; 750 lb. minimum weight; built-in combination lock; and minimum inside dimensions to contain the Regents box(es) for a school’s typical examination order.
Back to New York State
Learning Standards for Mathematics
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English Language Arts (ELA)