Assigning Test Sessions and Student Classes Version 3.0

Updated August 24, 2016

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Assigning Test Sessions and Student Classes Note: The procedures covered in this document must be completed BEFORE a Test Coordinator can perform the Prepare step for sessions. For more information about the Prepare step, Test Coordinators should reference the PearsonAccessnext Online User Guide. The purpose of this document is to provide guidance for creating and managing student test sessions and classes in PearsonAccessnext. The following topics are covered in this guide:

Classes (also referred to as Groups in the PearsonAccessnext Online User Guide) o What are Classes? o How are Classes Used? o Class Naming Conventions o Creating and Adding Students to Classes by Importing a Student Registration/Personal Needs Profile (SR/PNP) o Manually Creating Classes in PearsonAccessnext o Manually Adding, Removing, or Moving Students to Classes in PearsonAccessnext

Test Sessions o Auto-Creating and Adding Students to Sessions by Importing a SR/PNP o Manually Creating Test Sessions in PearsonAccessnext o Manually Creating Human Reader Test Sessions in PearsonAccessnext o Manually Adding, Removing, or Moving Students to Test Sessions in PearsonAccessnext o Updating Students’ Test Sessions by Importing a SR/PNP

The ability to perform these tasks is tied to different user roles and add-on roles. Refer to the User Role Matrix located on the secure support page of PearsonAccessnext for information regarding user abilities.

What are Test Sessions? Test sessions are used before and during testing; students can be grouped together by where they will take a computer-based test. On the Student Registration/Personal Needs Profile (SR/PNP), the field is called the Session Name (Column AP). Students can be placed into a test session based on the value of the Session Name field and test assignment. Computer-based test sessions will be created automatically and students added to them if the Session Name field is populated. If this field is left blank, test sessions can be auto-created at a later time by importing an updated SR/PNP or sessions will need to be manually created and students manually added to them in PearsonAccessnext. There are two options to move students to different test sessions:

1. Users can manually move students to different sessions through the user interface, or 2. Users can remove students from the current test sessions and then import an SR/PNP with updated Session Name field values

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If students are currently assigned to a test session, then updating the Session Name field and re-importing the SR/PNP will not move students to new sessions or update the current session name. An SR/PNP file import can be used to add students to existing sessions that are in a not started status, but cannot be used to add students to started sessions. Students will need to be added to started sessions manually through the User Interface. Note: The Session Name field does not appear in the user interface on the Manage Student Test Screen. For computer-based tests, the current session assignment will appear on the SR/PNP export. If the student was manually removed from a test session, then the Session Name field will appear blank on the SR/PNP export. Note: For paper-based testing, the Session Name field is for sorting and rostering of student and their Student ID labels during the initial distribution of test material. The SR/PNP export will show the current populated value of the Session Name field.

What are Classes?

Class Name field (Column AQ on the SR/PNP) is used for class rosters for test reporting. This field can be used to add students to computer-based test sessions by class through the user interface. Student classes are assigned to a student’s test registration level. This is because a student may have multiple test assignments (e.g., Math and ELA/L) and may be in different classes for each test.

Session Name and Class Name Comparison

Session Name Class Name

Used before and during testing

Can be used in combination with test assignment to auto-create and/or update test sessions when importing an SR/PNP

Can be used for sorting and rostering of student paper-based test material

Used for reporting and student roster reports Can be used to add students to session by class in the user interface

Session and Class Naming Convention Before adding students to sessions or classes, decide on a naming convention. If you choose to auto-create test sessions, sessions will be named after the Session Name field value. Having a systematic naming convention may help you and other users identify the correct session to manage within the system. For example, you may consider naming sessions using the convention: “Grade” - “Subject” - “Room or Teacher” (Gr3 - Math - Room 02). The session name can utilize up to 45 characters including spaces. Refer to the SR/PNP Field Definitions Document on the secure support page of PearsonAccessnext to access the list of acceptable characters.

Creating and Adding Students to Classes by Importing a SR/PNP Importing an SR/PNP file is the quickest and easiest way to add student class assignments within PearsonAccessnext. This is done by populating column AQ (Class Name) in the SR/PNP.

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For more information regarding the SR/PNP, including step-by-step instructions for importing an SR/PNP, please view the SR/PNP Field Definitions Document located on the secure support page of PearsonAccessnext.

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Manually Creating Classes in PearsonAccessnext

Classes can be manually created in PearsonAccessnext. Follow the directions in the tables in this section to add students to classes.

Steps Screen Shot

Go to Setup > Classes, select Create / Edit Classes under the Tasks drop down menu, and select Start.

Go to Setup > Classes, select Create / Edit

Classes under the Tasks drop down menu, and select Start.

On the Create / Edit Classes screen, select an Organization from the Organization drop-down menu. Then, enter the name in the Name field. You may enter a Description.

Once all fields are populated, select Create.

You will also be able to edit existing class names and delete classes from Setup > Classes screen. Note: You will need to remove all students assigned to a class before deleting it.

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Manually Adding/Updating/Removing Students to Classes in PearsonAccessnext Once classes are created, students can be added to them. Follow the directions in the tables in this section to add students to classes.

Steps Screen Shot

Go to Setup > Students, select the students you would like to add to class, select Manage Student Tests (option 1) or Manage Classes (option 2) under the Tasks drop down menu, and select Start.

Option 1:

On the Manage Students Tests screen, select the test registration for the student found on the left side of the screen.

Select the class from the Class Name dropdown menu (Note: you will see all classes for your organization as they are not grade or subject specific).

Select Save.

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Option 2:

On the Manage Classes screen, select the test registration for the student found on the left side of the screen.

Select the class from the Class Name dropdown menu (Note: you will see all classes for your organization as they are not grade or subject specific) or select the New Class option (to create a new class).

Select Assign Class to Selection Student Tests.

Select Save.

Manually managing student class assignments must be done individually for each student at the test registration level. Therefore, it is recommended to import an SR/PNP if you need to need to add more than a few students to a class.

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Test Sessions Test Sessions are created for computer-based tests and contain individual students with the same test assignment. Students can be manually assigned to a test session individually or by class.

Important Computer-based test sessions will be created automatically and students added to them if the Session Name field is populated. If this field is left blank, test sessions can be auto-created at a later time by importing an updated SR/PNP file, or sessions will need to be manually created and students manually added to them in PearsonAccessnext. There are two options to move students to different test sessions:

1. Users can manually move students to different sessions through the user interface, or 2. Users can remove students from their current test sessions and then import an SR/PNP with updated Session Name field values.

If students are currently assigned to a test session, then updating the Session Name field and re-importing the SR/PNP will not move students to new sessions or update the current session name. An SR/PNP can be used to add students to existing sessions that are in a not started status, but cannot be used to add students to a started session. Students will need to be added to started sessions manually. Students requiring a Human Reader for a computer-based test should be placed in specific Human Reader test sessions. To do this, change the Session Name field to a different value to automatically place students requiring a read-aloud test in a separate session(s). Once created, the sessions will need to switch to Human Reader test sessions manually in the PearsonAccessnext user interface. Two sessions can have identical names within an organization if the test assignments (Grade/Subject) are different between the sessions. See recommendation for naming conventions on page 2.

When should you use a file import to auto-create sessions and when should you use the user interface in PearsonAccessnext to manually create test sessions? There is no specific rule, so the method of creation depends upon the user’s familiarity with both procedures. Generally, if there are a large number of student records impacted, a file import may be more efficient. If there are only a handful of students to be added to a session, the user may prefer using the user interface to work with records individually.

Auto-creating sessions by importing a SR/PNP File Importing an SR/PNP with the Session Name field (column AP) populated will create test sessions automatically and add students to those sessions. Students will be placed into test sessions automatically by test assignment, unless they are currently assigned to a test session for that test assignment. If students are currently assigned to a session, then the students will need to be removed from the session prior to importing an updated SR/PNP. Also, students cannot be

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added to “started” sessions by importing an SR/PNP file. Students will need to be added to started sessions manually through the user interface. Refer to the SR/PNP training module for directions on importing a SR/PNP.

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Manually Creating Test Sessions through the User Interface

Test Sessions can be manually created in PearsonAccessnext by following the steps in the PearsonAccessnext User Guide: https://support.assessment.pearson.com/display/PAsup/Create+an+Online+Test+Session You will be able to edit existing sessions and delete sessions from the Testing > Sessions screen. Note that you will need to remove all students assigned to a session before deleting it.

Manually Creating Human Reader Test Sessions through the User Interface Human Reader test sessions must be set up separately from other test sessions. In these test sessions, the Test Administrator will be given access to the form to read aloud to students as they work through items. All students will take the same form of the test. Before a test session is started it may be changed to a Human Reader test session. Once a test session has been started, it cannot be changed. Note: When adding students to a session, ensure that the students’ test registration matches the test assignment for the session. For example, Grade 4 ELA (non-accommodated) should not be added to a Grade 4 ELA Read-Aloud Session. This will result with the inability to start the session. Students’ whose test registrations do not match must be removed from the session in order to start the session.

Steps Screen Shot

Go to Testing > Sessions, select Create / Edit Sessions under the Tasks drop down menu, and select Start.

On the Create / Edit Session screen, populate all required fields.

Check the box for Proctor Reads Aloud

Select Human Reader from the Form Group Type. o Note: For mathematics, you may choose

the Human Reader Spanish form to read the Spanish mathematics assessment aloud.

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Add students by Name/ID or by Class

To add students by Name/ID, select the field below Students and select the students to add to the session.

To add students by Class, select the down arrow to the left of Find by Name or ID and Select Find by Class. Then select the classes to add to the session.

By Name/ID

By Class

Select Create to create the test session.

Manually Adding, Removing, or Moving Students to Test Sessions through the User Interface

Steps Screen Shot

Go to Testing > Students in Sessions and add the sessions you need to manage to the Session List.

For removing and moving students, select the students to remove or move from the list at the bottom of the screen.

Select the task you would like to complete under the Tasks drop down: o Add Students to Sessions o Remove Students from Sessions o Move Students between Sessions

Click Start.

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Adding Students

On the Add Students to Sessions screen, click the Session drop down to choose the session.

Search for the student in the Find available students search bar or click the arrow to choose Show all results and see all students assigned to the test.

Click the check box for the students to add to the session. Then, click the Add button.

Removing Students

On the Remove Students from Sessions screen, click the check box for students who need to be removed from the session. Then, click the Remove button.

Moving Students

On the Move Students between Sessions screen, click the Sessions search box to move the student to an existing session or click the Create button to move the student to a new session. o If creating a new session, complete the

session details in the pop-up window and click the Create button.

o Students cannot be moved: If the student status is active,

completed, or marked complete. To a Human Reader session if they are

not already in one.

Click the check box for the session to move the student(s) to and click the Move button.

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Updating Students’ Test Sessions by Importing an SR/PNP This method is available to users who have the Delete Student Add-On Role and Sensitive Data Add-on Role. This method involves deleting the current student registrations via a Student Registration Delete file import (this automatically removes students from sessions) and then re-importing the SR/PNP (assigns students to new sessions) file. Note: If you do not have the Delete Student Add-on Role, you can remove students manually from test sessions through the user interface and then use an SR/PNP file import to update session assignments. Students in a Ready status will be removed automatically from test sessions.

1. Export the SR/PNP. 2. Keep the student registration records that you would like to DELETE and remove all records. 3. Import the SR/PNP as a Student Registration Delete in PearsonAccessnext.

1. Note: The student registration export, import, and delete files have the same layout. However, the file will need to be reformatted before re-importing if using MS Excel to manipulate it.

4. Use the same file that was just used to delete students and update the value of the Session Name field (Column AP). 1. The Session Name field should be blank (indicates the student isn’t currently assigned to a session). If this field is not blank, then manually

remove the student from the session in PearsonAccessnext. 5. Import the file as a Student Registration Import. Students will be assigned automatically to the sessions indicated in column AP.