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New York State Grades 3-8 Testing Program
English Language Arts
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
From the Train the Trainer Workshops
Questions about the Sample Test
General questions about the tests and the testing program
Questions about testing accommodations
Questions about scoring the test
Questions about scoring training and logistics
Questions regarding test results
Scoring the Editing Paragraph:
Q1: Should students be told how many errors there are in the editing paragraph?
A: No, students should not be told how many errors to look for. Students might stop reviewing the rest of the paragraph because they believe they have found all the targeted errors when, in fact, they have misidentified one or more elements in the paragraph as being incorrect. It is best to encourage students always to review the entire paragraph.
Q2: What is the definition of a “neutral” correction?
A: A neutral correction is a revision made by the student (to any part of the paragraph) that is not grammatically or mechanically incorrect. Such a revision does not result in any penalty to the student.
Q3: If a student changes a word in a paragraph, but the word is grammatically correct and fits the sentence, is that revision acceptable?
A: Such a revision is acceptable, provided that the revision does not alter the meaning of the sentence to such a degree that it no longer fits the context of the paragraph. This is an example of a neutral correction.
Q4: How do we score a response in which a student has crossed out a serial comma before the word “and”?
A: Since the serial comma before “and” is considered optional, the change is treated as a neutral correction. The change does not make the sentence incorrect and so is permitted.
Q5: Why have commas been included in the editing paragraphs?
A: Knowledge of commas is part of the New York State Learning Standards. Please refer to the English Language Arts Core Curriculum, at www.emsc.nysed.gov/ciai, for grade- specific information.
Q6: If a student introduces a spelling error in the process of revising the paragraph, will the introduced spelling error count against the student’s score?
A: No. Since spelling is not assessed via the editing paragraph, spelling errors introduced by the student will not be counted either.
Q7: Is the misuse of homophones (e.g., “to/too/two”) considered to be a spelling error or a usage error? Would a student be penalized for introducing a homophone error?
A: Homophones are considered to be usage errors. In Grades 5 and 7, students will be held accountable for introducing such errors. Since the Grade 3 editing paragraph assesses only capitalization and punctuation and does not assess usage, students at that grade will not be held accountable for introducing homophone errors.
Q8: If the error calls for a student to correct the tense of a verb, and the student misspells the new word, can that correction be given credit? (Example: If “hear” should be corrected to “heard,” can “herd” be given credit?)
A: The correction should be given credit, provided that the word clearly and accurately represents the correction in tense despite the misspelling.
Q9: Is a student permitted to cross out an entire sentence or part of a sentence rather than making the necessary correction? How much deleted text can be allowed?
A: A student is not permitted to cross out an entire sentence to avoid making a correction.
If a student crosses out a small portion of a sentence, but the sentence is still grammatically intact and the meaning of the sentence remains unchanged, such a revision is acceptable.
Q10: Will students be given credit for corrections made using proofreading marks?
A: Proofreading marks will be allowed, provided that the errors are clearly indicated and corrected by the proofreading marks.
Q11: Can a student be penalized if the scorer does not recognize proofreading marks?
A: If a scorer is unfamiliar with proofreading marks, the scorer should consult the table facilitator or scoring leader.
Q12: If a student corrects an error by using means other than proofreading marks or the revision method described in the directions, will the response still receive credit?
A: If the correction is made clearly and accurately, full credit may be given. Some examples of acceptable corrections include:
§ circling the error rather than crossing it out
§ crossing out the part of the word that is incorrect rather than crossing out and rewriting the entire word
§ crossing out an unnecessary punctuation mark rather than crossing out the preceding word and punctuation mark and rewriting the word without the punctuation mark
§ directly inserting missing punctuation rather than crossing out the surrounding words and rewriting them above the crossed out section with the correct punctuation inserted.
In each of these cases, as long as the correction made is accurate and clear to the scorer, the correction is acceptable.
Q13: Is a correction acceptable if a student makes the correction but does not cross out the original error?
A: Such a correction is acceptable, provided that the correction is completely clear, with no further interpretation necessary on the part of the scorer.
Q14: If a student makes more than one error of a particular type (e.g., failing to capitalize a proper noun), is each instance considered an error, or are these errors grouped together and considered to be a single error?
A: In order to be considered a single error, the repeated error needs to be identical. For example, if a student repeatedly fails to capitalize a particular name, that is considered a single error, even though it occurs more than once. However, if the error occurs in two different names, then that is considered to be two separate errors.
Q15: Is there a list of the types of errors that will be included in the editing paragraphs?
A: While there is no comprehensive list of assessable errors, the English Language Arts Learning Standards and the Core Curriculum (accessible at www.emsc.nysed.gov/ciai) provide guidelines regarding grade-specific content coverage, and the Sample Test provides examples of grade-level-appropriate concepts.
Questions about the Sample Test:
Q16: Is the Sample Test a complete test?
A: Yes. The Sample Test is equivalent to the Operational Test in content and scope. It adheres to the same test design and blueprint, and its format mirrors that of the Operational Test.
Q17: When will the field have access to the Sample Test?
A: The Sample Tests, along with the accompanying Answer Sheets, Teacher Directions, and Scoring Guides, are currently posted on the Department web site as part of the Guide to the Grades 3–8 Testing Program. A printed copy of this comprehensive guide, along with a CD of its contents, will be shipped to the districts for distribution to the schools in November.
Q18: From where are the sample materials taken?
A: The questions in the English Language Arts Sample Tests were developed by CTB, reviewed by committees of New York State teachers and staff from the Department, and then field tested with students in New York State.
Q19: For what grades are Sample Tests available?
A: Sample Tests are available for Grades 3 through 8.
Q20: How is the Sample Test administered?
A: It is recommended that administration of the Sample Test adhere to the same rules as administration of the Operational Test.
Q21: Are there item maps for each Sample Test?
A: Item maps are included in the scoring guide sections of the Guide to the Grades 3–8 Testing Program, which is currently posted on the Department web site at www.emsc.nysed.gov, and which will also be shipped to schools in November 2005.
General questions about the tests and the testing program:
Q22: Are nonpublic schools required to participate in the Grades 3–8 Testing Program?
A: Nonpublic schools are not required to participate in the Grades 3–8 Testing Program but may participate as an option.
Q23: When will the School Administrator’s Manual be available?
A: The School Administrator’s Manual will be sent out by the end of the year.
Q24: Why not administer the 3–8 tests in June, as the Regents tests are?
A: The decision was made to test in January and March so that all of the score reporting could be released in a timely fashion in order to be of the best use to New York State school districts.
Q25: Can tests be administered in the afternoon?
A: Yes, the test may be administered in the afternoon, but all students from the same grade must be tested at the same time.
Q26: Are the passages available for training in the classroom?
A: All the passages in the Sample Test may be used for training in the classroom.
Q27: Will SED put the listening selections on tape?
A: No. The listening selections will be read by the proctor administering the test.
Q28: Are there three separate books for Grade 8?
A: Yes; however, for Grade 8, Books 1 and 2 will be administered on Day 1, while Book 3 will be administered on Day 2.
Q29: Why do the written directions to the students not specify that the answers must be text-based?
A: Students are informed at the beginning of the test that, since this is a test of reading and listening comprehension, their answers should be based on what they have read or listened to rather than on their personal opinions.
Q30: When are students allowed to take notes during the listening section?
A: At Grades 3, 4, and 5, students are instructed to listen only during the first reading of the passage (so they may focus on the passage more fully) and to take notes during the second reading. At Grades 6, 7, and 8, students may take notes during either reading.
Q31: Are student permitted to use highlighters during the test?
A: Yes, students may use highlighters as they read. However, they must be careful not to use the highlighters in their responses or on their answer sheets.
Q32: What are the requirements of an essay response to a test question?
A: An effective response to an essay test question is complete, logically organized, and comprehensible to the scorer. The response should be able to provide the scorer with evidence of the listening or reading comprehension skills of the student.
Q33: When writing answers, are students permitted to copy text?
A: For short-response questions, students may cite text from the passage in order to answer the questions if the text cited is appropriate and applicable. Students may also include cited text from the passage when supporting ideas presented in extended responses. However, if the student’s answer to an extended-response question consists primarily of a retelling of the story or article by means of copying whole sections of the passage, then only the original work provided by the student may be scored.
Q34: Are there multiple-choice questions in the listening portion of the test?
A: There are both multiple-choice and short-response questions in the listening section of the test at Grades 3, 5, and 7. At Grades 4, 6, and 8, there are only short- and extended-response questions.
Q:35 During the administration of the Grades 3, 5, and 7 tests, are teachers permitted to write the practice editing paragraph on the chalkboard?
A: No, teachers should not record the practice editing paragraph on the chalkboard. Teachers may, however, administer the Sample Test editing paragraph or practice editing paragraph at any point prior to the day of test administration to provide students with practice in taking this part of the test.
Q36: Will students in Grade 3 be using a scannable answer sheet?
A: Yes, Grade 3 students will record the responses to the multiple-choice questions on a scannable answer sheet. The Teacher’s Directions provide guidance to the teachers in leading the students through this process.
Q37: How is the listening section statistically valid if we are “scoring” listening but students have to read and understand the questions and write a response? Don’t the reading and writing elements of the test questions confound the results?
A: While the students do need to read the questions and provide written responses, the information they gather in order to respond to the questions is assessed to see how well the students have understood and interpreted the selection read to them. This task involves a distinctly different set of skills than that used for responding to questions based on a reading selection.
Questions about testing accommodations:
Q38: Are students with IEPs that include the test accommodation of “tests read to them” permitted to have this test read to them?(revised12/5/05)
A: Students with the “tests read” accommodation in their IEPs may have all parts of the test read to them except the reading selections and questions pertaining to the reading selections. To do so would alter the construct of the test, and so is not permitted for the reading comprehension sections of the test.
Those individuals seeking more detailed information regarding the testing of students with disabilities should review information contained in pages 5-7 of the 2005 School Administrator's Manual that can be found on the SED web site at http://www.emsc.nysed.gov/osa/eliinfogen/pages1to34sam2005elaandmath.pdf
Q39: Are students with IEP accommodations permitted to have the editing paragraph read to them?
A: The editing paragraph may be read to students who have the “tests read” accommodation in their IEPs.
Q40: Can LEP exempt students take the test anyway, but not be included for accountability?
A: If an LEP student takes the test, he or she will be included in the overall accountability.
Q41: Do LEP students take the Grades 3, 5, 6, and 7 ELA tests? (revised12/5/05)
A: In accordance with the provisions of NCLB, all LEP students in Grades 3 through 8 who have attended school in the United States (not including Puerto Rico) for three or more consecutive school years are required to take the English Language Arts Test, unless an exemption is granted.
Those individuals seeking more detailed information regarding LEP student requirements regarding the Grades 3-8 Tests should access page 3 of the letter dated June 2005 from Assistant Commissioner David Abrams found on the SED web site at http://www.emsc.nysed.gov/osa/ei/det905.pdf
Q42: At all grade levels, are LEP- or IEP-mod students permitted to take notes for listening during both readings?
A: The students may take notes during both readings if it is allowed in their LEP or IEP accommodations document.
Q43: Are students with disabilities who have testing accommodations specified in their IEPs permitted to have the listening passage read to them more than twice?(revised12/5/05)
A: Students with disabilities may have the listening passage read to them more than twice if this is specified as a testing accommodation in their IEPs. The IEP should specify the number of additional readings to be provided.
Questions about scoring the test:
Q44: Why are the Grades 3, 5, and 7 teachers allowed to score the multiple-choice section, while the Grades 4, 6, and 8 teachers are not?
A: Multiple-choice questions at all grades are machine scored and not scored by teachers.
Q45: In the scoring materials, does the annotation “text detail” refer only to information directly stated in the passage?
A: The annotation “text detail” refers to information taken directly from the passage. That information may be quoted from the passage or rephrased.
Q46: Why do the scoring guides no longer have comments in the margins regarding incorrect student work?
A: Since the rubrics focus on what is right in the student papers, the scoring guides now also focus on the strengths exhibited in the papers. Papers with few strengths would fit into the lower score points, and, conversely, those exhibiting good transitional phrasing, voice, and thorough elaboration would fall in the upper ranges. Please note that the number of details included in a student’s response should not be tallied to determine the final score point.
Q47: Why was the 6-point rubric changed to a 5-point rubric?
A: The original 6-point rubric did not have clear performance descriptors for each level of work. The 5-point rubric is less cumbersome and fits the students’ work better, making the responses easier to score.
Q48: Why is there cluster scoring at Grades 4, 6, and 8 only?
A: The cluster-scoring model includes extended-response questions. The tests at Grades 4, 6, and 8 allot longer testing periods, allowing for extended-response questions. The shorter time allotment for the tests at Grades 3, 5, and 7 does not allow sufficient time for these questions.
Q49: How are the clusters scored?
A: In Grades 4, 6, and 8, all the responses in the Listening section of the test are scored together as a cluster and receive a single score, as are the responses in the Reading section. For Writing Mechanics, the extended response from the Listening cluster is combined with the extended response from the Reading cluster, which are scored together to receive a single score. The Reading and Listening clusters are each scored using a 0–4 point rubric at Grade 4 and a 0–5 point rubric at Grades 6 and 8. Writing Mechanics at all three grades is scored using a 0–3 point rubric.
Q50: Is voice still an important consideration in scoring student responses, or are the number of text details included in the response a more important factor?
A: Both the content of the essay and the writing style are important considerations in scoring a student’s response. Both factors are included in the holistic rubrics.
Q51: Does the word “essay” mean that a student’s response must include an introduction, a body, and a conclusion?
A: While points should not be automatically deducted if one of these elements is weak or absent, the presence of an introduction, a body, and a conclusion is evidence of good organization in an essay, which is one of the considerations of the English Language Arts holistic rubric.
Q52: Is any correct piece of information in a Reading or Listening cluster (e.g., a single correct response in a web) enough to merit a score point 1 instead of a score point 0?
A: In order to receive a score point 0, the entire cluster must be incorrect, irrelevant, or incoherent. However, the scorer must be sure that the piece of information provided is accurate and pertinent to the question being asked.
Q53: Should a scorer score a response based only on what is actually stated in that response, or should the scorer try to infer what the student means?
A: While a scorer may (and in fact, should) overlook errors in writing mechanics when scoring a student’s response for listening or reading comprehension, the meaning of the student’s response must be clear to the scorer. Scorers should not put themselves in the position of assuming or guessing the student’s intent, since those assumptions may be incorrect.
Q54: Can a holistic score for a cluster be determined by giving each question in a cluster an individual score, adding up the scores, and then finding the average score?
A: No, that is not permitted. That type of scoring process is analytic in nature rather than holistic. The entire cluster of responses should be reviewed together and considered as a holistic body of evidence of how well the student has understood the text and task presented.
Q55: How is the response scored if a student at Grade 4, 6 or 8 has written the response in all capital letters?
A: If no evidence regarding the student’s control of capitalization is present, then the scorer cannot assume that the student understands the rules regarding capitalization. Please note, however, that if a student’s writing style consists of large and small capital letters (as opposed to capital letters and lowercase letters) to indicate capitalization, this is acceptable.
Q56: How do we score a response that is written partially in a foreign language?
A: Only the part of the response written in English may be scored.
Q57: Is starting a sentence with “And” or “But” acceptable?
A: This is acceptable in both the extended response and editing paragraph. Since current style guides now accept this practice, students will not be penalized.
Q58: Are students penalized for using abbreviations (e.g., “w/o” for “without”) and/or symbols (e.g., “&” for “and”) in their responses?
A: Since students do not have the same amount of time to review and edit their work in a testing situation as they do in the classroom, students taking the Grades 3–8 tests are not penalized for this practice.
Q59: Must students include a comma following an introductory prepositional phrase?
A: According to current style guides, this kind of comma may be omitted from very short prepositional phrases (five words or less), provided that the meaning of the sentence is not compromised by the lack of the comma.
Q60: When scoring the extended responses for Writing Mechanics, if both extended responses are left blank, does the scorer apply Condition Code A even if the student has responded to the short-response questions in the clusters?
A: Yes. If both extended responses are left blank, then there is insufficient evidence upon which to make any determination as to the student’s control of the conventions of written English.
Q61: Why can’t students preview the questions in the listening section of the test?
A: Some of the performance indicators to which the questions in the listening section are mapped assess how well the student recognizes salient points and determines when it is appropriate and important to take notes. Previewing the questions would diminish the ability to assess those skills.
Q62: Does the extended response have more weight?
A: The extended response should be judged as part of the overall cluster rather than being considered as a separate entity. A strong extended response can help to raise the student’s overall cluster score, while a weak response can contribute to lowering that score.
Q63: If Condition Code A is applied to a student’s response, is the effect on the student’s score different than if the response had been scored as a 0?
A: While the application of Condition Code A provides important statistical information, the effect on the student’s score is the same as receiving 0 score points.
Questions about scoring training and logistics:
Q64: What is the purpose of training on the Sample Test materials?
A: Training on the Sample Test materials will help to familiarize scorers with the rubrics and scoring policies for the Grades 3–8 Testing Program, thereby helping to prepare for scoring the Operational Tests.
Q65: Will there be a separate set of training materials for the Operational Test? Will there be a more extensive and representative set of student responses for each cluster score point?
A: Yes there will be a complete and more extensive set of training materials, which will include printed manuals, DVD’s, a Phone/Fax Hotline, and a living FAQ section on SED’s web site. Each Scoring Guide will include a sufficient number of student responses per score point.
Q66: What materials should be expected to be shipped, and when? (revised 12/13/05)
A: The scoring materials for the operational testing will arrive during the last three days of the make-up period for each test. Each school will receive quantities of printed scoring materials commensurate with the size of the school's examination request. In addition, each public school district and each nonpublic and charter school will receive one set of DVD training materials.
Q67: Will operational training tapes be available in media other than DVDs (i.e., video tapes)?
A: Starting in 2006, the recorded training will be in DVD format only.
Q68: Whom can people contact for questions regarding scoring training?
A: For information on scoring the Sample Test materials, please email questions to NY_TTT@ctb.com. For information regarding Operational Test scoring, questions may be emailed to NY scoring@ctb.com.
Q69: Can those who have just been trained start to train others right away?
A: Yes, if trainers have completed a full training using the Sample Test items, they may start training immediately.
Q70: How many types of scorers are recommended? What is considered a reasonable ratio of scorers to tests in order to complete the scoring in one day? What are the qualifications recommended for the Scoring Site Coordinator? Scoring Leader? Training Models: What are schools doing to train scorers (e.g., grouping by grade bands, by single grades, or by 3/5/7 and 4/6/8 groups)?
A: Please communicate with your S/CDN member to assist with your scoring site requirements. They have been asked to guide you through these processes.
Q71: What is the Consistency Assurance Set and how is it administered?
A: A Consistency Assurance Set (CAS) will be provided for each grade. The CAS is to be incorporated into the scoring training process so as to:
a) establish a uniform process statewide for training Scorers, and
b) improve the reliability of statewide scoring.
The CAS should be used to train all Scorers for the statewide tests, familiarizing them with the expectations for being a Scorer.
Q72: Will the Consistency Assurance Sets be included in the DVD training?
A: The DVDs will provide training for item scoring but will not have training for the CAS. The CAS will be included in the printed scoring materials.
Questions regarding test results:
Q73: When test scores are reported for Grade 4, will there no longer be a separate reading score as in the past?
A: There will not be a separate reading score at any grade. The tests at each grade will provide an overall English Language Arts score.
Q74: Will SED publish the results of the tests at Grades 3, 5, and 7?
A: Yes, the test results for all grades in the Grades 3–8 Testing Program will be published.
Q75: When will conversion tables be released for the 2006 tests?
A: The conversion tables will not be released until the beginning of the next school year. New levels of performance need to be established for Grades 3 through 8 before the conversion tables can be released.
revised 12/13/05