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Grades 3-8 ELA and Math Assessments

Dates of Assessments

This year’s assessments will be administered on the following dates:

English Language Arts (Grades 3-8)                  

Mathematics – (Grades 3-8)                                   

Daily Survey

Schools will be required to answer a daily survey providing participation counts for the Grades 3-8 ELA and Math assessments. The link will be sent to principals daily during the testing windows.

Changes to the Assessments

Several key changes have been made to the design and administration of assessments at the Elementary and Middle school levels.  These changes are intended to improve the testing experience for students as well as the validity of the assessments.

Further information can be found in the NYSED memo: http://www.buffaloschools.org/files/119419/changes2016grades3%2D8ela%2Dmath%2Dtests.pdf

Parent Letters

The district has made available several translations of the Parent Letter regarding Grades 3-8 Test Changes.  All of these letters can be found on the BPS OSA site: http://www.buffaloschools.org/SharedAccountability.cfm?subpage=119429

Field Test Assignments

Field Test Assignments are not yet available for the Grades 3-8 tests and June Regents' Examinations. We will share the link when available.  

Teacher Feedback Forms

Suggestions and feedback from teachers provide an important contribution to the test development process. The NYSED provides an online evaluation form for State assessments. It contains spaces for teachers to respond to several specific questions and to make suggestions. If you are interested in responding, the link is: http://www.p12.nysed.gov/assessment/teacher/evaluation.html

Gr 3-8 ELA/math validity rules:

• If the student is present for the entire test - They are considered TESTED in the participation/performance calculations. 
• If the student is absent for any session of the test* - They have "no valid score" and are considered NOT TESTED in the participation/performance calculations. 
• If the student is leaves the test session session in the middle of the test and can't make it up - school determines if absent or if a score should be calculated based on completed sessions. 
• If the student refuses the entire test - They have "no valid score" and are considered NOT TESTED in the participation/performance calculations. 
• If the student refuses the test BUT the student answers at least one question - They are considered TESTED in the participation/performance calculations. 
• If the student's test has an administrative error - They have "no valid score" and are considered NOT TESTED in the participation/performance calculations. 
• If the student is medically excused - The student has "no valid score" and is EXCLUDED from the participation/performance calculations. 

Test Security

Principals and test designee staff have test security protocols and test designees trained on NYSTP test security requirements. Below are highlights of test security protocols below that schools must monitor during the testing. Further information is available in the School Administrator Manual on pages 6-8. These pages detail security responsibilities and planning procedures that must be followed, specifically:

• -        The security and accounting measures of secure testing materials;
• -        Specifications of who is responsible for maintaining test security;
• -        The chain of responsibility in test security; and
• -        Types of testing irregularities and how to report them.

Testing Irregularities and/or Mis-administrations 

Examples of this are:

• All student infractions of the Department’s policy prohibiting the possession or use of cell phones and other communications devices during State tests. 
• All confirmed cases of students cheating.   
• All interruptions of test sessions, including those caused by power outages or fire alarms. 
• All instances in which a State test is administered without Department authorization on a date outside the published statewide administration or make-up schedule.   
• All instances in which scorers do not rate State tests in accordance with the scoring materials provided by the Department. 
• All instances of school officials or staff members providing students with unauthorized/ inappropriate testing accommodations or tools. 
• All instances of school officials or staff members providing students with other nonstandard test administrations, unrelated to cheating. 

Students with Cell Phones

Any student observed with any prohibited device while taking a State exam must be directed to turn it over to the proctor or monitor immediately. The incident must be reported promptly to the school principal.

Mandatory Reporting of Testing Improprieties by Adults 

Examples of Improper Testing Conduct:

• All suspected or confirmed cases of a school official or staff member giving aid or impromptu lessons on specific test content to students immediately before or during a State test or altering student responses on a test paper.
• All instances of an administrator or teacher instructing another administrator or teacher to alter or interfere with a student’s test score.

Accountability Inclusion/Exclusion for Participation/Performance at the Elementary/Middle Level (from NYSED SIRS Manual)

Students enrolled/tested during the period of continuous enrollment shown in the table below will be included in the document/calculations indicated.

Students’ Inclusion in Document/Calculations

Untimed Testing 

For planning purposes only, below are estimated average times that most students will need to complete test sessions. Some students will take more or less time than the estimated averages provided above for both ELA and mathematics. Please plan accordingly to allow students who are productively working to complete the test at their own pace each day. The approximations provided above are an estimate that can be used for planning purposes only.

For more information, please see the NYSED Memo: http://www.p12.nysed.gov/assessment/ei/2016/changes2016grades3-8ela-math-tests.pdf

For ELA and mathematics, students are estimated to need the following amounts of time: 

Given that the spring tests have no time limits, schools have the discretion to create their own approach to ensure that all students who are productively working are given the time they need to continue to take the tests.

Other Helpful Links

Link to NYSED Information: Elementary-Middle Testing General Information