2015 Cover Memo and Teacher Notes

To:
District Test Coordinator
From:
William Adam & Gail Newcomb, NERIC Testing Coordinators
Re:
NYS Science Intermediate Level (Written & Performance) - Grade 8 Preprinted Answer Sheets
Date:
April 2015
Enclosed, please find the preprinted answer sheets for your district’s upcoming Science 8 test. Review the answer
documents and labels to make sure you have the correct sheets and labels for your school. Call Bill Adam or Gail
Newcomb, Testing Coordinators at 518-862-5310 / 5355, or send an email to [email protected] immediately if there is
a problem with the test materials.
New this year: NERIC requires that all answer sheets (preprinted and extra answer sheets, Class Rosters, completed
N24-2 forms, and unused labels) must be returned to NERIC after the tests have been scored.
Return Test Count Sheet: this form must be completed for every exam every time answer documents are sent to
NERIC or Regional Scoring Site.
For any writing on answer sheets, use black No. 2 pencil only. Please DO NOT write in, place labels on, or make any
marks in the area at the top of the answer sheet where NERIC has preprinted the District Number, Student ID, CD, and
School Number.
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A supply of “Extra Sheets” has been included to provide for any student without a preprinted answer sheet. The
student name field is blank and the student number starts with "89''. Please print the student's name, local student ID
number, grade, date of birth, and homeroom number in the shaded area only at the top of the answer sheet (see
attached sample).
A Class Roster will accompany the answer sheets. This roster is a list of your students and their student numbers.
Blank fields are listed for you to record the student name and ID number of the student who used each extra sheet. If
you use an “Extra Sheet” please print the student's name next to the sheet number used and print the student’s local ID
number, DOB, Grade, and Home Room in the place provided. It is not enough to record this info on the answer sheet as
noted above; you must record that information on the Class Roster as well. Send a copy of the Class Roster and
completed Extra Class Roster to your district CIO.
For each student using an “Extra Sheet,” please record complete demographic information on the N24-2 form (also
attached, and see attached SAMPLE for reference). When submitting the N24-2 forms, please submit one sheet for
each school building. For each student whose preprinted answer sheet contains incomplete or incorrect information (i.e.
Date of Birth, Homeroom, Local ID Number, etc.), include that student on a N24-2 form. Students in the same school
building may be recorded on the same N24-2 form, regardless of homeroom or grade. The data you provide on the
N24-2 form is used to complete scoring of the test alone. Send a copy of all completed N24-2 forms to your district
CIO to insure that these students are in the data warehouse prior to NERIC scanning the answer sheets. If these
students have not been added to the Data Warehouse in BOTH demographics and enrollment, and pushed to
Level 1, the assessment data cannot be loaded. These data in the Data Warehouse will be used by NYSED for all
statewide reports.
IMMEDIATELY following the last day of the make-up period, 6/3/15 or ASAP, give a copy of the following to
your district CIO: Preprinted Class Roster with notes, and completed N24-2 Forms. **Be sure to make a copy
for your records**.
Two [2] sets of preprinted labels are included with the answer sheets. There should be one label for each test book.
These labels are to be affixed to the front of the Science 8 Performance Test Booklet and the Science 8 Written Test
Booklet immediately before testing begins (see enclosed sample booklet page with label). No labels are provided for
the Extra Answer sheets. When using an Extra Sheet, write the Extra Sheet number and the Student Name on the front
of the Performance Test Booklet and the Written Test Booklet.
Science 8 answer sheets will NOT be produced for students taking the NYS Alternate Assessment in place of the
Science 8 exam. If you receive a preprinted Science 8 answer sheet for a NYSAA student; bubble Taking NYSAA on
the answer sheet, on the roster write “Taking NYSAA,” and make a copy of the roster for your district CIO. Your CIO
must update the student’s Program Services record in the Data Warehouse.
Your district CSE may have placed students in BOCES or out-of-district settings. You should immediately forward
these students’ answer sheets and booklet labels to the BOCES or out-of-district class. After test administration is
complete, the teacher in these settings will return the answer sheets and all booklets to the home school.
After the Written Test Part II and the Performance Test, Form A scores are bubbled on Page 2 of the answer sheets by
the raters, the answer sheets should be bundled together carefully (you may use adding machine paper tape to bundle the
answer documents). Place the Return Test Count Sheet on top of the bundled answer documents. Remember to
include answer sheets from your out-of-district placement students. Place in a sturdy box or large reinforced manila
envelope and ship to the address below. Do not include Test Booklets.
Northeastern Regional Information Center
Operations – Test Scoring
900 Watervliet-Shaker Road, Suite 102
Albany, NY 12205
Return the Science 8 answer documents to NERIC by 4:00 PM, Thursday, June 11, 2015
Reminder: NERIC requires that all answer sheets (preprinted and extra answer sheets, Class Rosters, completed N24-2
forms, and unused labels) must be returned to NERIC after the tests have been scored.
Do not send Test Booklets to NERIC.
Please never STAPLE, FOLD, WRAP WITH RUBBER BANDS, ATTACH PAPER CLIPS, or Post-it Notes® to
the answer sheets.
If you have any questions about the answer sheets, demographic data, extra sheets, Class Roster or labels please contact
Bill Adam or Gail Newcomb via phone (518)862-5310 / 5355 or via email [email protected]. Thank you for your
cooperation in this effort.
Rev. 3/19/15 WA
Notes for Test Administrators of the NYS Intermediate Level Science 8 Test
SCIENCE 8 Performance Administration Dates: May 20 thru May 29, 2015
SCIENCE 8 Performance Make-up Dates: Make-ups must be given within the testing window
SCIENCE 8 Written Test Administration Dates: June 1, 2015
SCIENCE 8 Written Test Make-up period Dates: June 2 – June 3, 2015
SCIENCE 8 Scoring Window for Constructed Response Items: Following make-up dates, but no later than
Thursday, June 11, 2015
SCIENCE 8 Answer Sheets due to NERIC for scanning by 4:00 PM, Thursday, June 11, 2015
(Please share this sheet with Science 8 Teachers and test administrators)
•
Please DO NOT write in, place labels on, or make any marks in the area at the top of the answer sheet where
NERIC has preprinted the District Number, Student ID, CD, and School Number.
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The Group Code is not used by NERIC, please leave blank.
•
Please DO NOT place booklet labels any where on the answer sheet.
•
Students and Scorers must use black lead No. 2 pencil only.
•
Students and Scorers must make heavy black marks that fill the circle completely.
•
Students and Scorers must erase cleanly any answer they may wish to change.
•
Students and Scorers must make no stray marks on the answer sheet.
•
For those students who have IEP or 504 Plan Accommodations, the test administrator should bubble in all the
testing accommodations used by the student at the time of the test.
•
For those students who have ELL Accommodations, the test administrator should bubble in all the testing
accommodations used by the student at the time of the test.
•
The test administrator should bubble the Translated Edition bubble for students authorized to take the test in one
of the alternate languages: Chinese, Haitian Creole, or Spanish.
Rev. 3/19/15 WA
•
REASONS NOT TESTED – bubble the answer sheet AND write the reason not tested on the roster report:
• Absent: Students who are absent for any part of the test or the entire test, will be counted as not tested in
verification reports and for accountability calculations, whether or not there are any response records.
o Absent for entire test bubble should be filled in for students who miss all parts of the test and are
unable to attend the make-up sessions.
o Absent Written Test bubble should be filled in for students who are absent for that part of the test and
are unable to attend the make-up sessions.
o Absent Performance Test bubble should be filled in for students who are absent for that part of the test
and are unable to attend the make-up sessions.
• Refused to take entire test bubble on the answer sheet should be filled in for students who refuse to take the
entire exam. These students will be considered to have “no valid test score” and will be counted as not tested in
verification reports and for accountability calculations.
• Administrative error, no score bubble should be filled in for a student who is unable to take the exam due to
an administrative problem or for students who take the test and it is determined after-the-fact that an
administrative error has taken place. You must inform SED and NERIC in writing of any test misadministration
(Please see Coding of Invalid Tests in the SAM).
• Not enrolled at time of test bubble should be filled in only for students who:
o Have moved out of the district before the test administration. Be sure to inform your CIO.
o EXCEPTION – Preprinted answer sheet with incorrect grade level: If you receive a preprinted
answer sheet for a student but that student is not in 8th grade, DO NOT bubble “Not Enrolled at Time of
Test.” On the answer sheet draw a line through the wrong grade and write the correct grade. On the
roster report next to the student’s preprinted name, draw a line through the wrong grade and write the
correct grade. List this student on an N24-2 form. Be sure to inform your CIO of the error in grade.
• Medically excused bubble should be filled in for a student: who is incapacitated by illness or injury during the
test administration and make-up periods and have on file documentation from a medical practitioner that the
student is too incapacitated to be tested at the school, at home, or in a medical setting. Medically Excused
students, are considered to have no valid test score, and must be reported with a final score of 999 and a
standard met code of 93. These students are excluded from the numerator and the denominator of the
participation and performance accountability calculations.
• Taking NYSAA bubble should be filled in for students taking the NYS Alternate Assessment in place of the
Elementary Level Science 8 exam.
• Taking Regents bubble should be filled in for students taking a Regents Science Exam in place of the Science 8
Exam.
• Took Science 8 in Grade 7 bubble should be filled in for students who took the Science 8 exam in grade 7 and
are not taking a Regents Science exam in Grade 8.
•
Test Coordinators should review completed answer sheets to make sure all bubbles are filled in correctly, that all
erasures are complete and that there are no stray marks on the answer sheet.
•
Return the Science 8 answer documents to NERIC by 4:00 PM, Thursday, June 11, 2015.
If you have any questions about the Answer Sheets, Extra Sheets, Class Rosters, or Labels please contact Bill Adam or
Gail Newcomb via phone at 518-862-5310 / 5355 or via email at [email protected]. Thank you for your cooperation in
this effort.
Rev. 3/19/15 WA