Benchmark / ACP Testing Calendar 2009-2010

26 Pages·2009·0.94 MB·English

http://benchmark.dallasisd.org
Table of Contents

Page
Basic Information about the Benchmarks

Testing Calendar ....................................................................................... 1

Using Your Test Coordinator Manual......................................................... 2

Explanation of the Benchmarks................................................................. 3

2009-2010 Benchmark Updates................................................................ 4

Benchmark Concepts ................................................................................ 5

Test Security.............................................................................................. 6

Test Preparation

Pre-Test Checklist...................................................................................... 8

Directions for Test Administration

Before the Testing Period.......................................................................... 9

During the Testing Period.......................................................................... 10

After the Testing Period............................................................................. 11

Testing Accommodations........................................................................... 12

Answer Sheet Bubbling ............................................................................. 13

Use of Reference Tools ............................................................................ 14

Secondary Teacher Headers .................................................................... 15

Secondary Student Answer Sheets .......................................................... 17

List of Middle School Benchmark Tests .................................................... 19

List of High School Benchmark Tests ....................................................... 21

Forms........................................................................................................... 22
Benchmark / ACP Testing Calendar
2009-2010

Available Early
Testing Scanning Grades
Assessments on Release Subjects
Period Dates Testing
MyData Day
K Math
Within 24
BENCHMARK October October October
hours of 1-2 Reading and Math
[October] 5-9 12-13 23
scanning
Reading, Math,
3-12
Science, S. Studies
(Scoring
WRITING Completed
November 1-2
BENCHMARK by N/A N/A Writing Composition
2-4 3-11
[November] November
13)
K-2 Reading and Math
Within 24
BENCHMARK January January January Reading, Math,
hours of 3-6
[January] 11-15 19-20 29 Science, S. Studies
scanning
4 (only) Revising & Editing
ACP January January January All Secondary
N/A 7-12
[January] 12-15 12-15 29 Subjects
May 28 May 28
ACP All Secondary
through through N/A N/A 7-11
[May] Subjects
June 1-3 June 1-3

* For secondary schools (grades 7-11) ‘Reading’ repre sents 2 separate tests:
o 1 for Reading
o 1 for English (Language Arts)

Note: In addition to the scanning dates listed, schools have the option to bring in their answer sheets

to scan on each day of testing. Answer sheets that are scanned by noon on Wednesday of the

testing week, can receive test results as early as Friday of the same week.

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Using Your Teacher Resource Manual

This test coordinator manual is your point of reference for the benchmark
tests scheduled during the 2009-2010 school year.

It includes the Local Assessment testing calendar, explanations of the
benchmarks, and samples of the various forms and online tools required to
facilitate the tests at your campus.

You are free to download additional copies of this manual and benchmark
forms from our web site located at: http://benchmark.dallasisd.org. Links to
this site are also available from the MyData Portal web site. Please be
mindful that photocopies of answer sheets and headers made from this
manual or the web site will not scan properly.

Any additional assistance or clarification needed beyond the scope of this
manual should be forwarded directly to the Local Assessment Office. We
look forward to working with you this during this school year.

Main number: [phone]
Email address: [email protected]
Web site: http://benchmark.dallasisd.org

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Explanation of the Benchmarks

Benchmark assessments are diagnostic tools will measure Dallas I.S.D.
student performance on the TEKS objectives. These are designed to help
inform instruction and promote student learning.

Benchmarks are criterion-referenced tests based on the curriculum outlined
for the core subjects: English/Language Arts/ESL, Math, Science, and
Social Studies. Students demonstrate their levels of mastery of different
Student Expectations (SE) for these content areas at different times of the
school year.

Benchmarks are not high stakes tests, yet they are still bound by
expectations of test security to ensure the integrity of the final data. The
benchmarks are created to be administered during one class period.
Students must test during one sitting. These tests cannot be taken home
nor should they be used as a study guide.

Acceptable student testing accommodations for the benchmarks are
outlined within this manual. Please contact the Local Assessment Office
regarding any other student needs that are not addressed.

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2009-2010 Benchmark Updates

New designs and colors for the answer sheets
• Grades 9-12 answer sheet is a brighter red

K-2 online answer sheet entry officially launched
• All K-2 teachers will enter their student scores online
• No optional answer sheet printing
• Training manual and video provided online

Dyslexia Proper Nouns List created
• For grades K-8 only
• Downloadable from http://benchmark.dallasisd.org

Benchmark Solutions Manual - Analysis of Answers
• Clarifies how students arrived at each answer choice or guessed
• For grades 3, 5, and 8 only
• Provided for Reading, Math, Science, and Social Studies
• In PDF form from our web site - not printed at the classroom level

Grade 5 Math Example from January 2009 Benchmark
3 Sixty-two students signed up for the field day relay race activity. The students
will be split up to form seven teams. If the number of students on each team
has to be equal, then how many students will NOT be able to participate?
A 13 students used the wrong multiple of 7 : 49 instead of 56
B 8 students found the number of teams because 62 ÷ 7 = 8 r 6
C 6 students correct – found the remainder of 62 ÷ 7 = 8 r 6
D 1 student 62 is only 1 away from 63, which is a multiple of 7

Grade 6 Math Pre-AP test added for 6th grade students on middle
school campuses (only)

All Spanish Grade 6 subjects will be eliminated from the January
Benchmark

AP English III Benchmark removed from high school test list
- 4 -
Benchmark Concepts

Please consider the following reminders as you administer the benchmark
and review the results:

Benchmarks ARE intended to:
Identify gaps in understanding
Identify concepts for staff development
Ensure fidelity to scope and sequence
Focus on instruction
Identifying students needing additional help
Reallocate resources

Benchmarks ARE NOT intended to:
Rate and rank teachers
Rate and rank schools
Evaluate Teachers
Entered as grades for students
Measure growth
Summarize student knowledge

- 5 -
Test Security

The expectation of testing security involves the ability to account for all
materials before, during, and after testing. Ethical test practices must be
followed at all times. The confidentiality of test questions and answers are
principal in maintaining the integrity and validity of the tests.

The importance of testing security is critical for making valid inferences on
student performances. It also ensures a means for giving accurate
measures of students’ abilities, timely adjustments in instruction, and
intervention.

The testing environment should be a quiet, well-lit, ventilated, and
suitable location. Each student must have adequate working space.
Functioning pencil sharpeners, erasers, and extra pencils should be
available resources, if required.

Benchmarks are not timed tests. They designed to be completed within a
regular class period.

Benchmarks are not secure tests. However, the test booklets cannot be
made available in any format for students to review and study, until all of
the tests are administered and the results are scored. This includes
photocopies and any form of discussions or oral exams.

A final measure to support the district’s goals for ensuring the validity and
integrity of test data, is informing teachers not to review their students
with benchmarks from previous school years.

- 6 -
Test Security cont.

THINGS TO DO

- Make arrangements to avoid any disruptions during testing.
- Be mindful of what grades and subjects have administrator manuals.
Before
- Become familiar with the test directions in the administrator manuals.
the
- Be certain that students know how to mark their answers.
test
- Encourage students to do their best on the test.
- Encourage students to attempt to answer every item on the test.

During - Circulate among students to ensure proper testing procedures are followed.
the
- Follow the directions written in the Administrator Manual (K-1 only).
test
- Answer questions only about the test item directions.

After
- Collect all student answer sheets from your teachers and keep them in a
the
secured area, until they are scanned at the Local Assessment office.
test

THINGS NOT TO DO

- Do not read test questions out loud or use them for any type of study.
Before
- Do not allow students to take the benchmark test booklets home.
the
- Do not review with the current benchmarks before the testing period.
test
- Teachers cannot review with old benchmarks from previous school years.

- Do not leave students unsupervised during testing.
- Do not offer hints that indicate answers or help eliminate answer choices.
During
the - Do not discuss correct answers during the testing period.
test - Do not allow students to be disruptive or to distract each other.
- Do not have students linger over the test for several hours.
- Do not leave room displays within view that give clues to test answers.

After
- Do not alter answer sheets after the testing has completed.
the
test

- 7 -
Preparing for the Benchmarks

Pre-Test Checklist

___ Forward the correct number of your students testing in Spanish or
needing large print tests to your test coordinator.

___ No. 2 lead pencils

___ Teacher header sheets (pre-coded and blanks)

___ Student answer sheets for each class period

___ List of student ID numbers (for filling out blank answer sheets)

___ Test booklets for each section

___ Verify required testing accommodations for your students

___ Scheduled times to test your classes (see your test coordinator)

___ Follow the campus procedures for collecting and turning in your
completed answer sheets (see your test coordinator)

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