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ACT State and District TestingThe ACT WorkKeys Program Overviewfor South Carolina

Please Call (866) 216-6835 for audioParticipant access code: 138617

Abby Montgomery, Senior Coordinator Operational Program Management, ACT, Inc.

November 18, 2015

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1. SC State and District Testing2. Test dates3. Establishment4. SCDE Requirements5. Communications6. ACT-Hosted Webpage & Testing Resources7. Facilities8. Testing Staff9. Materials 10. Accommodations11. Test Day Activities12. Preparing for Makeup Testing13. Packing and Returning Materials14. ACT WorkKeys Online 15. Reporting16. Upcoming Trainings17. Resources and Contact Info

Agenda

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• ACT WorkKeys (Applied Mathematics, Locating Information, Reading for Information)

South Carolina State and District Testing

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Test Dates

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ACT WorkKeys DatesACT WorkKeys Standard Time Paper Initial Test Date March 2, 2016

ACT WorkKeys Standard Time Paper Makeup Test Date

March 16, 2016

ACT WorkKeys Accommodations Testing Window March 2 – 16, 2016

ACT WorkKeys Online Test Window Feb 22 – March 18, 2016

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• Confirmation of students eligible to test • STC signs the staff agreement• Confirm availability to receive secure

materials at scheduled arrival• Alternative schools

Establishment

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• Grade 11 students (per Department, as on other testing programs, this includes homebased, homebound, and home schooled students; suspended students; foreign exchange students; students in residential treatment facilities, and out of state students. See SCDE for more information.)

• SCDE Test Security Requirements will apply to this testing program. In the event of a test security violation, contact SCDE in addition to ACT, Inc. Test security agreement forms will be posted on the SCDE webpage.

SCDE requirements

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District and School Test Coordinators

Communications

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Schedule of events - Manuals -Training resources -Links

ACT hosted webpage

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• Include:– Test administration policies

and instructions– Verbal instructions for paper

testing, including those for completing the non-test portions of the answer document

– Required forms to complete

for paper administrations

Administration Manuals

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• Room selection• Room capacity• Seating requirements• Writing surface• Environment• Off-site testing

Facility Requirements

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• Select room which:– Can be reserved for the entire test session– Can be rearranged to met seating requirements– Are quiet and as free as possible from distraction

• Type and size of rooms– Prefer single-level classrooms up to 30 students;

no more than 100– Avoid multi-level seating

Room selection and capacity

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• Distractions– An uninterrupted period is required for testing– Post signs outside the room about testing– If possible, no audible signals or announcements

• Writing Surfaces for Paper Testing– Accommodate test booklet and answer document– No lapboards

• Bulletin Boards– Cover info related to potential test questions and

test-taking strategies• Carrels for online testing

Room Setup

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• Testing may only occur at locations which meet ACT facility requirements

• Off-site testing is available for all test dates including the accommodations and online testing windows

• Each location must be approved in advance in writing by ACT

Off-site testing

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• Avoiding conflicts of interest• School Test Coordinator requirements• Room supervisor requirements• Proctor requirements

Testing Staff Requirements

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• Relatives or Wards testing– For paper, relative may not be testing within

the state– For online, relative may not be testing at your

site

• Test Preparation• Staff who plan to take ACT WorkKeys

within the following 12 months

Avoiding the appearance of a Conflict of Interest

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• STC responsibilities• Primary contact for school• Requesting offsite testing• Ordering paper materials• Receiving and returning paper materials• Training staff• Maintaining security of materials• Ensuring complete documentation

Testing Staff Requirements

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Testing Staff Requirements• Room Supervisor

• One required in each testing room• Responsible for compliance with test

policies and procedures• Reading verbal instructions• Monitoring examinees• Completing test day documentation

• Proctor• Assist room supervisor• Responsibilities include• One proctor per 25 examinees

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• Orders placed in Pearson Access next• Standard time• Accommodations

Materials

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Ordering Materials

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• Sent to the attention of the test coordinator• Scheduled to arrive the week of February 1st• The ACT WorkKeys shipment will include:

• Administration manuals for standard time• Administration manuals for special testing• Answer documents • Barcode labels – white

• Follow check in procedures found in the manual• Paper pretest sessions prior to initial test day optional

Nonsecure Materials Shipment – ACT WorkKeys

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• Produced for all examinees who were included in a file received by ACT

– Unused barcode labels may be securely destroyed after all testing is complete

Barcode Labels

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• Paper accommodations examples– Extended time– Testing over multiple days– Braille– Large print– Audio DVD

Accommodations

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• Secure test materials arrive week of February 22nd

• Check-in within 24 hours• Keep secure• Retain cartons for return

Secure Test Materials

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• Limited access• Locked safe or vault if possible• Locked in a file cabinet or closet if:

– Access to the cabinet or closet is limited to the school test coordinator

– Door to the room is locked when not in use– Location not accessible through a window or drop

ceiling

Material Storage

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• Should be consistent with the plan on file at the school• Does not disrupt testing• Does not afford an advantage• No additional breaks• May be provided with standard time (paper and online)

or accommodations administrations• Examples:

– Preferential seating– Small group– Snack or medication

Accommodations with Standard Time Materials

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Test Day Information and Activities

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• Before dismissing examinees for paper testing– Account for all test materials, test books and answer

documents for each tested examinee• Verify the following:

– Answer documents and test booklets are signed– Form number is grid– Barcode label matches examinee name– State assigned student ID grid if barcode label is

missing

The School Test Coordinator is responsible for verifying complete forms are returned from each room supervisor

Test Day Documentation: Room Supervisor Responsibilities

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• Testing must only occur on the designated test days

• Paper testing to begin no later than 9:00 a.m.

• Only authorized personnel may enter the testing area– District and state level personnel with identification are

authorized

• Briefing sessions

Test Day Administration

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Tests must be administered in this order for all examinees testing with paper • Test 1 (Reading for Information) first• (no break)• Test 2 (Applied Mathematics) second• (15 min break)• Test 3 (Locating Information) third

ACT WorkKeys Test Sequence and Timing

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• Complete the following forms for ACT WorkKeys Paper:– Test booklet count form* (standard time)– Testing roster– Testing time verification form*– Seating diagram*– Testing staff list*– Irregularity report (if applicable)

Completing Required Forms

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• Test irregularities are interruptions or distractions which affect testing

• Prohibited behaviors are actions which result in an examinees dismissal and voiding of his/her test

• Complete an irregularity report to inform ACT of situations which have impacted testing

• Paper form in manual, online form available on webpage

Completing an Irregularity Report

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• ACT’s policy applies to all testing, including in-school State administrations

• Updated policy can be found on actstudent.org– http://www.actstudent.org/faq/calculator.html– Calculators with built-in CAS functions are prohibited– Some calculators are permitted, but only if CAS

functionality, programs have been removed• It is the examinee’s responsibility to know if their

calculator is permitted for ACT WorkKeys testing

Calculator Policy

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• Administer tests in order• Do not provide extra breaks• Time tests accurately• Complete all administration forms

• Anonymous reporting of security concerns– www.act.ethicspoint.org

Tips for the administration

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• Determining who should test– Only examinees who were absent, arrived late or did

not complete the entire battery on the initial test date– Examinees dismissed for prohibited behavior are not

eligible to test on the makeup administration• Materials to return or set aside

– Return used manuals, all test booklets, used answer documents and administrative documentation (copies should be retained at the school)

– Set aside all unused answer documents and manuals

Makeup testing information

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• Ordering makeup materials– An email with ordering information will be sent to all STCs and

DTCs. Orders will be placed in the PearonAccessnext portal.– New test booklets will be shipped

Makeup testing information

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Packing and Returning Test Materials

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• Turn Answer Documents to face the same direction

• Complete Supervisor’s Report form– Initial– Makeup– Accommodations

• Place SRF on top of answer documents

Supervisor’s Report FormPacking Answer Documents for Return

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• Answer Documents• Site Header

ACT WorkKeys Return Envelopes – Standard Time - Orange

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• Test Staff List• Test Booklet Count Forms• Irregularity Reports• Room Rosters• Seating Diagrams• Test Time Verification Forms

ACT WorkKeys Return Envelopes – Standard Time - Black

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• Black Envelope• Orange Envelopes

ACT WorkKeys Polymailer - Pink

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• After Initial Testing• All unused test booklets • All used test booklets • Packing List • All used manuals

Do not keep any test booklets; different booklets will be shipped for makeup testing.

Remember to keep unused manuals for makeup testing, if applicable.

ACT WorkKeys – Packing the Cartons

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• After Makeup Testing• All unused test booklets • All used test booklets • Packing List • Unused answer documents• All used manuals • Any other materials which are not returned in the

polymailer

ACT WorkKeys – Packing the Cartons

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• Test Administration forms Envelope- Purple– All completed administration forms– Site header– Answer documents to be scored

• Carton– All test booklets – all formats– Unused answer documents and manuals

ACT WorkKeys – Accommodations Materials Return

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• Refer to the Schedule of Events• Pre-scheduled carrier• Call ACT if carrier does not arrive by close of

business on the scheduled date• Keep materials

secure until pickup

Materials pickup

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ACT WorkKeys Online Testing

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ACT WorkKeys Online

• SCDE Notice– Test mode– Accommodations– No lockdown browser– Printing score reports– Manuals– Batch loading

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• Include:– Test administration

policies and instructions– Test day activities– Accommodation

information– Using ACT WorkKeys

Online

Administration Manuals

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Technical Requirements

http://www.act.org/workkeys/tech/index.html

For 2015-16, to help meet our customers’ needs, ACT is allowing for the delivery of ACT WorkKeys Online tests on any computer that meets ACT technical specifications as listed at the webpage above. This includes the use of student-owned or school-owned laptop computers, provided proctors observe delivery protocols and procedures to ensure fairness and maintain the security of ACT’s test forms.

Note: ACT WorkKeys Online does not support tablets.

Online Testing

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Testing Staff Requirements

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Validus® Virtual Test Center (VTC)

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IT Department

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Ineligible Accommodations

X X X

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• Online accommodations examples– Extended time

• Standard time x 1.5• Standard time x 2.0• Standard time x 3.0

– Testing over multiple days– Signing of verbal instructions– Scribe

Online Accommodations

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ACT Test Security Requirements

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Test Schedule for Online Testing

ACT WorkKeys Test Time Limit

Applied Mathematics 55 minutes

Locating Information 55 minutes

Reading for Information 55 minutes

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Breaks Between Tests

Two tests

Three tests

10 minutes

15 minutes 15 minutes

Test 1 Test 2

Test 1 Test 2 Test 3

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• Inclement weather• Emergency evacuations• Power failure• Copying tests• Disturbances / distractions

http://www.act.org/workkeys/forms/cbt.html

Group Irregularities

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• Defective test materials• Duplication of test materials• Student illness• Irrational or prohibited behavior

http://www.act.org/workkeys/forms/cbt.html

Individual Irregularities

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Reporting

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Student and School Level Reports for ACT WorkKeysStudents with valid scores earned from a paper

administration will receive the following printed documents, delivered to the high school:

• Memo to examinee

• Summary for examinee(not provided for examinees who tested online)

All examinees with valid scores from both paper and online administrations will receive:

• Online scores available at myworkkeys.act.org

• Printed National Career Readiness Certificate (NCRC)

The State will receive a student level data file

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Score Reports

• Research-based• Industry-recognized• Portable• Measures and

certifies essential work skills

Certification

Certification

Training and Other Resources

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• Online Test Administration Webinar– Friday Jan 8, 2016 from 10 – 11:30 a.m. eastern

• Online Groups and Batch Loading Webinar– Wednesday Jan 20, 2016 from 10 – 11:30 a.m. eastern

• Q&A Webinar– Tuesday Feb 9, 2016 from 10 – 11 a.m. eastern– Thursday Feb 11, 2016 from 2 – 3 p.m. eastern

Registration links will be provided at a later date

Additional Trainings Scheduled

• ACT State and District Testing Website for South Carolina http://www.act.org/aap/southcarolina/workkeys.html

ACT Calculator Policy and FAQ http://www.actstudent.org/faq/calculator.html

ACT WorkKeys Web Resources

• Standard Time Paper• Phone: 800.553.6244, ext. 2800• Email form: www.act.org/aap/state/contact.html• Hours: Monday – Friday (except holidays),

8:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. (Eastern time)

• WorkKeys Online• 800.967.5539• workkeys@act.org• Hours: Monday – Friday (except holidays),

8:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m. (Eastern time)

ACT Contact Information