This memorandum provides information concerning the shipping, storing, administration, and return of test materials for the Spring 2003 Grade 4 Elementary-Level Science, Grade 8 Intermediate-Level Science (Written), and Grade 8 Intermediate-Level Social Studies Tests. If  you have any questions about the information in this memorandum, you may call 518-474-8220.

Each principal and superintendent is being sent one copy of this memorandum.

Except as noted below, all public school students in grades 4 and 8 and all ungraded students who are age equivalent to students in grades 4 and 8 must take the State assessments administered for their grade level. This includes students who have been retained in grades 4 and 8. Nonpublic schools are strongly encouraged to administer these tests to their students in accordance with these same provisions. The chronological ages of students in ungraded classes should be used to determine who must be tested. When determining which students will be participating in these tests, be sure to consider those students who attend programs operated by the Board of Cooperative Educational Services (BOCES) as well as any other programs located outside the school.

The Grade 8 Intermediate-Level Science Test should be administered to students in the grade in which they will have completed all the material in the Intermediate-Level Science Core Curriculum (5–8). While this is typically grade 8, the test may also be administered to students in grade 7 who will have completed all the material in the Intermediate-Level Science Core Curriculum (5–8) and are being considered for placement in an accelerated high school-level science course when they are in grade 8. The school may not use this assessment to retest any students who participated in this assessment last school year while in grade 7. This spring, schools are expected to administer this assessment to those students in grade 8 who did not take this assessment last school year while in grade 7, unless such students will be taking a Regents Examination in science at the end of this school year. School principals have the discretion to either require or waive the Grade 8 Intermediate-Level Science Test for those accelerating grade 8 students who did not take this examination during the last school year but who will be taking a Regents Examination in science at the end of this school year. For those accelerating students for whom the school waives the Grade 8 Intermediate-Level Science Test, the student’s achievement in science will be measured by the student’s performance on the Regents Examination in science.

Students with Disabilities

The Committee on Special Education (CSE) must decide for each student with a disability on a case-by-case basis, and document on the student’s Individualized Education Program, whether the student will be participating in the general State assessment or will not be participating in this assessment because the student is eligible for the New York State Alternate Assessment (NYSAA) for Students with Severe Disabilities or for a locally selected assessment. The criteria that the CSE must use to determine a student’s eligibility to participate in NYSAA is available at the web site: http://www.vesid.nysed.gov/ specialed/alterassessment/home.html. Information on the eligibility criteria for students with disabilities to participate in a locally selected assessment is available at: http://www.vesid.nysed.gov/specialed/ publications/policy/participate.htm.

The school principal must adhere to the following procedures in determining how LEP students will participate in the Grade 4 Elementary-Level Science, Grade 8 Intermediate-Level Science, and Grade 8 Intermediate-Level Social Studies Tests. All LEP students are required to participate in these tests. Students may take the tests in either an alternative language or in English, whichever would be better for the student. Alternative language editions of the Grade 4 Elementary-Level Science, Grade 8 Intermediate-Level Science, and Grade 8 Intermediate-Level Social Studies Tests are provided in Chinese, Haitian Creole, and Spanish. These tests may be translated orally into other languages for those LEP students whose first language is one for which a written translation is not available from the Department. Schools are permitted to offer LEP students specific testing accommodations when taking these tests (see page 4).

Principals may authorize certain testing accommodations for general education students who incur an injury (e.g., a broken arm) or experience the onset of a short- or long-term disability (e.g., epilepsy) sustained or diagnosed within 30 days prior to the administration of State assessments. In such cases, when sufficient time is not available for the development of an Individualized Education Program (IEP) or a Section 504 Accommodation Plan (504 Plan), principals may authorize certain accommodations that will not significantly change the skills being tested. These accommodations are limited to:

• extending the time limit for a test
• administering the test in a special location
• recording the student’s answers in any manner
• reading the test to the student (only for students whose vision is impaired)

Eligibility for such accommodations is based on the principal’s professional discretion, but the principal may confer with members of the Committee for Special Education (CSE) or with other school personnel in making such a determination. Pursuant to Section 100.3 of the Regulations of the Commissioner of Education, building principals are responsible for administering State assessments and for maintaining the integrity of test content and programs in accordance with directions and procedures established by the Commissioner of Education.

 Prior permission need not be obtained from the Department to authorize testing accommodations for general education students. However, a full report concerning each authorization must be sent to the Office of State Assessment. Further, if the student is expected to continue to need testing accommodations, the principal must immediately make the appropriate referral for the consideration of an IEP or 504 Plan.

Students with Disabilities

All students with disabilities must be provided full access to State assessments to the extent that such testing is consistent with their individual needs. Students identified by the CSE of the district as having a disability should be allowed to utilize the testing accommodations specified in their IEP. Students who have been declassified may continue to be provided with testing accommodations if recommended by the local CSE at the time of declassification and in the student’s declassification IEP.

All necessary arrangements for implementing testing accommodations should be planned well in advance of the test date. The principal is responsible for insuring that students are provided with the testing accommodations specified in their IEP or 504 Accommodation Plan.

More information on testing accommodations for students with disabilities is provided by the Office of Vocational and Educational Services for Individuals with Disabilities (VESID) on its web site: ftp://unix2.nysed.gov/pub/education.dept.pubs/vesid/oses/test.access.mod/testacce.txt.

Schools may provide the following testing accommodations to limited-English-proficient students:

• Time Extension: Schools may extend the test time for LEP students. Principals may use any reasonable extensions, such as "time and a half" (the required testing time plus one-half of that amount of time), in accordance with their best judgment about the needs of the LEP students. Principals should consult with each student’s classroom teacher in making these determinations.
• Separate Location: Schools are encouraged to provide optimum testing environment and facilities for LEP students. They may administer State tests to LEP students individually or in small groups in a separate location.
• Bilingual Dictionaries and Glossaries: LEP students may use bilingual dictionaries and glossaries when taking these examinations. The bilingual dictionaries and glossaries may provide only direct translations of words. Bilingual dictionaries or glossaries that provide definitions or explanations are not permitted.
• Simultaneous Use of English and Alternative Language Editions: For these examinations, LEP students may use both an English and an alternative language edition of the test simultaneously. However, they should be carefully instructed to record all of their responses in only one of the two editions. The alternative language edition used by the student should be so indicated on the student’s answer document.
• Oral Translation for Lower Incidence Languages: Schools may provide LEP students with an oral translation of these examinations when there is no translated edition provided by the Department. All translations must be oral, direct translations of the English editions; written translations are not allowed. No clarifications or explanations may be provided. The translator should receive a copy of the English edition of the test one hour prior to administration. The Department’s Office of Bilingual Education and the Bilingual Education Technical Assistance Centers (BETACs) can assist schools in locating suitable translators.
• Writing Responses in the Native Language: LEP students making use of alternative language editions or of oral translations of these examinations may write their responses to the open-ended questions in their native language. Scoring the tests is the responsibility of the school. However, the Department’s Office of Bilingual Education and the Bilingual Education Technical Assistance Centers (BETACs) can assist schools in locating persons who can translate the students’ responses into English to facilitate scoring of the answer papers.

The principal of each school ordering tests is responsible for making the necessary arrangements for safeguarding the materials ordered for the school. All test materials must be placed in a secure place immediately upon arrival at the storage location. In addition, the sealed packages of secure test materials must not be opened prior to the day each test is scheduled to be administered. The packages should be opened just early enough to permit distribution of the materials for each test.

The supply of test materials for your school will be sent in up to three shipments, depending on the tests requested. All test shipments will be delivered by UPS and may be delivered at any time between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. The dates of shipments will be as follows:

Schools that do not receive their shipment of secure test materials by 12:00 noon on the last delivery date on the table above should track the shipment of test materials to them from the Department on the Internet. Go to: http://www.ups.com/tracking/tracking.html. Click the Reference Number tab. In the Reference Number field, type the 12-digit BEDS code of the school where you indicated you wanted your tests to be shipped. If you are unable to track your shipment or notice some other irregularity, contact the Office of State Assessment via fax at 518-474-1989.

As soon as each shipment of test materials arrives at the school or other approved location, it should be checked to verify that all materials indicated on the packing sheet have been received. Secure test booklets should be counted through the sealed packages without opening them. If the sealed package has not been opened but a discrepancy of more than five exists in the number of test booklets, write the exact number received on the shipping notice and contact the Department via fax at 518-474-1989. (It is not necessary to contact the Department about discrepancies of less than five as long as the sealed package has not been opened.)

Shrink-wrapped secure test materials must not be opened until the day that the test is scheduled to be administered. Except for taking inventory of your shipment, you must keep all secure test materials in a secure location. Packages containing scoring materials may not be opened until after the test has been administered in the school. If a school determines that some materials are missing from shipments, contact the Department via fax at 518-474-1989.

The secure location where test materials are being stored should be checked daily to ensure that the test materials have not been tampered with and that the test materials remain secure. The combination or key to the storage location must be maintained under strict security conditions to preclude access to the test materials by students and other unauthorized persons. Please note that after the tests have been administered, all test booklets must be collected and securely stored.

Principals will be required to return all Grade 4 Elementary-Level Science objective test booklets; unused performance test answer booklets, including large-type, braille, and alternative language editions; and all scoring materials to the Department’s Test Distribution Unit following the scoring of tests. For the Grade 8 Intermediate-Level Science Test, only the unused performance test answer booklets, including large-type, braille, and alternative language editions, and all performance test rating guides must be returned to the Department’s Test Distribution Unit following the scoring of the test.

Enclosures