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TEST ADMINISTRATION QUESTIONS

What are the qualifications for Test Administrators?
Test Administrators should be a certified staff member (classroom teacher, school counselor, speech language pathologist, etc.) Retired teachers or educational consultants working for the school system may administer the tests.  All Test Administrators must be trained on administering the test via the online test administrator training at www.wida.us 

 Are Test Administrators required to administer all modules of the ACCESS for ELLs test (Reading, Writing, Listening and Speaking)? 

Yes, all sections are required.

 Do I have to score every section of the test?

You will only score the Speaking section on-site.  All other sections (Reading, Writing and Listening) are sent to MetriTech for scoring.  

 How does the OPI determine tier placement for a student?
MetriTech ships the appropriate number of materials for students in each tier based on the number indicated in the file sent to them after the October count.  School systems must ensure the correct tier placement has been chosen in AIM.  You can most accurately determine tier placement for your students by using the W-APT screener test through WIDA.  

 What if a special education student’s disability limits their participation in a certain component of the test?

Special education students should participate in as many domains of ACCESS as possible.  For example, if the student is verbal and can respond, even minimally, to basic questions posed to him or her in English, he or she should participate in the speaking portion of the test.  For all domains, the test is stopped when the test administrator determines that the student has reached the limits of his or her language proficiency.  If it is impossible to administer the test in a given domain due to the student’s disability, the “Special Education Deferred” box for that domain should be bubbled in on the back cover of the answer booklet.  There is also a newly developed ACCESS for ELLs Alternate test in development.  

 How are the grade-level tests banded?
Tests are banded into five grade-level clusters: 

• Kindergarten

• Grades 1-2

• Grades 3-5

• Grades 6-8

• Grades 9-12

 Within each grade-level cluster (except Kindergarten), ACCESS for ELLs has three forms: Tier A (beginning), Tier B (intermediate), and Tier C (advanced).  This keeps the test shorter and more appropriately targets each student’s range of language skills.   

 Note that a student cannot score higher that a 4.0 on a Tier A test, and can score no higher than 5.0 on a Tier B test in the domains of Reading and Listening.  The highest score possible is 6.0.   

 What are the components of the test?

For students who are absent for one or more parts of the assessment, ABS should be marked on the box in the bottom right-hand corner of the back cover of the test booklet for the appropriate test section.  Systems should make every effort to schedule a make-up time for students who are absent.  The last day of the testing window, including make-up tests, is January 29, 2013. 

Two students were caught cheating during testing. Testing was stopped, but what is the next step? Does the test get invalidated or are they required to retake it separately? Is there suspension involved?

That part of the test needs to be invalidated  on the back cover of the test answer booklet, on the lowest right hand box in the row labeled INV (for invalidate).  Bubble the section in which the students cheated, L=Listening; R=Reading; W=Writing; S=Speaking; that section(s) will be invalidated, but the students, under close supervision, may take the remaining sections.  Suspension would be a school policy issue.