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Ministry of Education
Graduation Numeracy Assessment Administration Guide, Part 1 – June 2017
Overview This guide is designed to help you prepare your school for
the new Graduation Numeracy Assessment in 2018. It
contains technical specifications, pre-assessment day
planning tips, support resources, and key Ministry of
Education contacts. A second, more detailed,
administration guide will be distributed in the fall.
In preparation for the electronic component of the
numeracy assessment, it is recommended that schools set
up their technical systems as soon as possible.
Take Note Students who have completed Grade 9 may write the
assessment at the most appropriate time for them within
their graduation years (Grades 10–12).
The assessment questions will be delivered electronically on a
computer, and will require responses through the computer as well as handwritten responses on
a paper response sheet. All schools will be required to receive, distribute, collect, and return
paper response sheets to the Ministry of Education for marking.
The Graduation Numeracy Assessment is not linked to a specific Mathematics course and will be
reported on a four-category proficiency scale.
Quick Links Graduation Numeracy Assessment: https://curriculum.gov.bc.ca/provincial-assessment/graduation
Provincial assessments: https://curriculum.gov.bc.ca/provincial-assessment
What’s Inside This Guide?Key changesPre-assessment day technical requirements and planning tipsAssessment day tipsResourcesKey Ministry of Educationcontacts
Model of the GraduationNumeracy AssessmentRevised adjudication criteriaQ&A
Districts and independent schools to inform the Ministry of their Graduation Numeracy Assessment liaisons – one district or independent school coordinator and one district or independent school IT contact
Sept 15, 2017 (new)
Late August 2017
September 2017
Fall 2017
August 2017
Check the adjudication website for further details about the revised adjudication criteria.
Check the Ministry website for the updated Handbook of Procedures for the Graduation Program.
You will receive the Graduation Numeracy Assessment Administration Guide, Part 2, with more detailed information for school principals and assessment invigilators about administering the assessment.
Check the BC Curriculum website for a sample Graduation Numeracy Assessment.
Put these Put these on your on your calendar!
calendar!
Put these on your calendar!
Deadline extended!
2
Contents
Key changes ..................................................................................................... 1
Summer 2017: Review technical requirements ................................................ 2
10–12 weeks prior to the assessment date ...................................................... 3
All schools register students .............................................................................................. 3
Revised adjudication criteria .............................................................................................. 3
Exam preparation materials ............................................................................................... 3
4–5 weeks prior to the assessment date .......................................................... 4
Checklists .......................................................................................................................... 4
Workstations ...................................................................................................................... 4
Calculator policy ................................................................................................................ 4
2 weeks prior to the assessment date .............................................................. 5
Paper response sheets ...................................................................................................... 5
Passwords ......................................................................................................................... 5
Assessment day ............................................................................................... 6
Assessment access and instructions for invigilators .......................................................... 6
During the assessment session ......................................................................................... 6
Concluding the assessment session ................................................................................. 7
Resources ....................................................................................................... 8
Key Ministry of Education contacts ................................................................... 9
Appendix A: Model of the Graduation Numeracy Assessment ....................... 10
Appendix B: Technical Specifications and Troubleshooting ........................... 11
Appendix C: Revised Adjudication Criteria ..................................................... 13
Appendix D: Questions and Answers ............................................................. 14
2Ministry of Education – June 2017
KEY CHANGES
The Graduation Numeracy Assessment
Administration
Registration
• The assessment is not linked to a specificMathematics course.
• Students who have completed Grade 9 may writethe assessment at the most appropriate time forthem within the graduation years (Grades 10–12).
• The assessment will be reported on a four-categoryproficiency scale.
• All schools will be required to register students writingthe assessment through MyEducation BC (or theirstudent information system for non-MyEd BC schools)and the Ministry’s Transcript and Examinations (TRAX)system. Timelines will be similar to those of theprovincial examinations (approximately 10–12 weeksin advance of the assessment session).
• The assessment will be delivered electronically on acomputer, but will include two questions requiringhandwritten responses on a paper response sheet.
• Each computer work station must have a writingsurface for the handwritten portion of the assessment.
• Assessment format (See Appendix A for a model):
• All schools will be required to receive, distribute,collect, and return paper response sheets to theMinistry of Education for marking.
1. The student will answer two sets of questionsonline, based on two tasks.
2. The student will then choose one of two tasks toanswer a more in-depth question. The questionwill be displayed on the computer screen. Thestudent will show their work and solution on thepaper response sheet.
3. The student will turn back to their computer toanswer another two sets of questions onlinebased on two tasks.
4. The student will repeat step 2.
2Ministry of Education – June 2017
SUMMER 2017: REVIEW TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS
The new Graduation Numeracy Assessment has online and handwritten components, and there
are a few things you should check well in advance of the assessment date to ensure a successful
administration.
PC OS requirement for each student workstation is
Windows 7, Windows 8, or Windows 10.
Mac OS requirement for each student workstation is
OSX 10.7+.
PC-supported web browsers are Firefox v.45+
(recommended), Internet Explorer v.11.0 and Microsoft Edge.
Mac-supported web browsers are Firefox v.45+
(recommended) and Safari v.6.1+.
The web browser requires some basic settings for
the Graduation Numeracy Assessment to function
correctly: 1. Popup blockers must be turned “Off” (i.e., you
should “Allow pop-ups”).
2. Cookies must be enabled (i.e., you should
“Accept cookies”).
3. Javascripting must be enabled.
4. Any proxy caching must be turned “Off.”
Appendix B also outlines troubleshooting tips to work through once the sample Graduation
Numeracy Assessment is released (by August 2017).
NEW!NEW!NEW! Each workstation must have a writing surface for the handwritten
portion of the assessment.
Who should I contact for technical support?
AWIS technical support:
• 1-866-558-5339 (toll-free)
Note: A. Willock Information Systems (AWIS) provides technical support for the Ministry’s electronic assessments.
2Ministry of Education – June 2017
10–12 WEEKS PRIOR TO THE ASSESSMENT DATE All schools register students All schools will be required to register students in order for their students to write the Graduation
Numeracy Assessment.
Exact timelines for registration will be published in the Handbook of Procedures for the Graduation Program 2017/2018, posted to the Ministry website in September 2017.
School administrators are responsible for registering the following categories of students:
• Students enrolled in their schools, including those who may be cross-enrolled
with a continuing education centre or distributed learning school
• Home-schooled students who are registered at their schools and who want to
write the Graduation Numeracy Assessment
If you have questions regarding registration, please contact [email protected].
Revised adjudication criteria Now is the time to think about students who are eligible for
supports during Provincial Graduation Assessments.
Schools are responsible for ensuring that text-to-speech or
speech-to-text software for students with identified needs is
configured to work with the assessments. Schools are required
to do a practice session with the students prior to the
assessment day. The Ministry will no longer provide voice
exams, as students should be using the same form of supports
for the assessment as used on a routine basis in the classroom.
Appendix C provides an overview of the revised adjudication
criteria and contact information.
Further details about the revised adjudication criteria are
available on the adjudication website.
Exam preparation materials To prepare students for writing the new Graduation Numeracy
Assessment and to help them maximize their performance, the
Ministry is developing a series of support materials, including a
sample assessment to try, student responses to explore, and
marking materials to understand how questions will be evaluated.
In addition, the Ministry is creating demonstration videos that will
illustrate how the numeracy problems work. These videos will allow
students and teachers to engage in collaborative learning to
prepare them for the assessment. These support materials will be
posted to the BC Curriculum website by August (sample, student
exemplars, marking materials) and September (videos) 2017.
All students are eligible for supports during Provincial Graduation Assessments, based on identified need rather than medical diagnosis, designation, or criteria set by the Ministry.
Keep in mind!
Set your students up for success!
Have them engage with the exam preparation materials.
2Ministry of Education – June 2017
4–5 WEEKS PRIOR TO THE ASSESSMENT DATE Checklists School administrators must visit the School Secure Website (SSW) and familiarize themselves
with three documents (under Examination Materials and Forms):
Procedures for Conducting Graduation Assessments and Provincial Examinations –
outlines the requirement that the e-Exam Security Control is installed on each
computer to be used for the Graduation Numeracy Assessment
Principal’s Assessment/Examination Worksheet
Invigilator’s Assessment/Examination Worksheet
Workstations Are your student workstations set up? Schools must
ensure that each workstation has a writing surface for the
handwritten portion of the assessment.
Calculator policy
What about calculators? The calculator policy is currently under review and
revision, and will be posted in advance of the first numeracy session in 2018.
Approved calculators will be allowed during the assessment. Invigilators must
be familiar with the new calculator policy and ensure that their students are
using calculators that adhere to the policy.
2Ministry of Education – June 2017
2 WEEKS PRIOR TO THE ASSESSMENT DATE Paper response sheets
The Ministry will send paper response sheets to each school approximately
10 days in advance of the Graduation Numeracy Assessment session. The
package will include a prepaid waybill. Keep this for when it is time to return the
assessments back to the Ministry for marking. If you do not receive a package
or if materials are missing, immediately email [email protected].
Passwords
Three days prior to the first day on which the
Graduation Numeracy Assessment is offered,
the Ministry will post a Password Letter on the
SSW. The Password Letter provides invigilators
with the passwords for each session of the
assessment. For example, it provides a password
for the Monday sessions, the Tuesday sessions,
and so on. Invigilators are required to keep this
information secure.
The Ministry will post a Password Letter on the SSW with the passwords required to log students into the assessment.
Keep in mind!
2Ministry of Education – June 2017
ASSESSMENT DAY Assessment access and instructions
for invigilators • The login site for access to the assessment is at
www.bced.gov.bc.ca/eassessment/eexams.htm
• Access “E-exam Administration” or “E-adaptations”
if this is applicable to your students.
• Invigilators MUST read aloud the assessment rules
and instructions prior to the official start time of the
assessment.
During the assessment session
The student will answer two sets of
questions online, based on two tasks.
The student will then choose one of two
tasks to answer a more in-depth
question. The question will be displayed
on the computer screen. The student will
show their work and solution on the
paper response sheet.
The student will turn back to their computer to answer another two sets of questions
online based on two tasks.
The student will repeat step 2. (See Appendix A for a graphic model.)
New assessment format!
Keep in mind!• It is essential that students
understand how to navigatethrough the new assessmentquestions, as it is differentfrom the former provincialmath exams.
• Invigilators MUST read aloudthe assessment rules andinstructions prior tothe official starttime of theassessment.
2Ministry of Education – June 2017
Concluding the assessment session
1. Students will stop work and hit the Submit button on the Graduation
Numeracy Assessment screen.
2. Invigilators must ensure that students have submitted their electronic
assessment prior to exiting the assessment room.
3. Invigilators must collect all paper response sheets and store them in a secure
location.
4. Using the instructions contained in the Password Letter, invigilators will check
the online Confirmation Codes report after the session is complete and ensure
that all students have submitted their work and are on the list with correct PEN
and surname information.
5. The Confirmation Code reports must be printed, filed, and available in case a
student’s paper response sheet is unaccounted for.
6. When all students have completed the Graduation Numeracy Assessment,
school administrators will ship the paper responses back to the Ministry of
Education (BCMail) using the prepaid waybill included in the original package.
Please also refer to Appendix D for a list of questions and answers regarding the Graduation
Numeracy Assessment.
2Ministry of Education – June 2017
RESOURCES Handbook of Procedures for the Graduation Program The Handbook of Procedures for the Graduation Program sets out
graduation requirements. It outlines procedures and policies pertaining to
the administration of provincial graduation assessments and provincial
examinations and will be a key resource in the delivery of the new
Graduation Numeracy Assessment. The 2017/2018 edition will be
available on the Ministry website in September 2017.
Sample assessments A sample assessment and student exemplars will be available for administrators, teachers,
students, and technicians on the BC Curriculum website by August 2017.
School administrators, teachers, and technicians should familiarize themselves with the electronic
assessment format well in advance of the delivery of the Graduation Numeracy Assessment.
Once posted, questions about the content of the sample assessment may be directed to Allison
Chapman, Numeracy Assessment Coordinator, Curriculum and Assessment: 778-678-1658 or
Demonstration videos To prepare students for writing the new assessment and to help them
maximize their performance, the Ministry is developing demonstration
videos. These are anticipated for release by September 2017 and will
be posted to the BC Curriculum website.
2Ministry of Education – June 2017
KEY MINISTRY OF EDUCATION CONTACTS Adjudications
CL Mar, Adjudications Coordinator: 250-380-8260
Assessment administration and invigilation [email protected]
Morag Masterton, Assessment Administration Coordinator: 250-356-0953
Assessment registration and general questions [email protected]
Sample assessments [email protected]
Allison Chapman, Numeracy Assessment Coordinator: 778-678-1658
Systems or technical issues AWIS technical support
1-866-558-5339 (toll-free)
Technical data submission [email protected]
2Ministry of Education – June 2017
APPENDIX A: Model of the Graduation Numeracy Assessment
For more details, please review the Graduation Numeracy Assessment DRAFT Design Specifications on the BC Curriculum website.
2Ministry of Education – June 2017
APPENDIX B: Technical Specifications and Troubleshooting
Technical Specifications
Computer OS Requirements
PC:
Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 10
MAC:
OSX 10.7
Supported Web Browsers
PC:
Internet Explorer (v.11.0)
Firefox (recommended) (v.45+)
Microsoft Edge
MAC:
Safari (v.6.1+)
Firefox (recommended) (v.45+)
Check these basic settings
Your web browser requires some basic settings for the Graduation
Numeracy Assessment to function correctly. Please ensure that these
basic settings are correct.
1. Popup blockers must be turned “Off” (i.e., you should “Allow pop-ups”).
2. Cookies must be enabled (i.e., you should “Accept cookies”).
3. Javascripting must be enabled.
4. Any proxy caching must be turned “Off."
2Ministry of Education – June 2017
Troubleshooting
The following information can be worked through with the sample
Graduation Numeracy Assessment once live (by August 2017)
Check your browsing history (temp files)
To ensure web pages and any images are fully loaded as you navigate
through the assessment, you may need to adjust your Temporary Internet
Files settings in your browser. Ensure that you have the “Check for
newer versions of stored pages” option set to “Every time I visit the
webpage” in the temporary internet files settings (this will differ slightly from
browser to browser).
Check the browser fonts
The standard Browser Font setting for should be:
• Language Script: Latin Based
• Web Page Font: Times New Roman
• Plain Text Font: Courier New
• Encoding: Western European (ISO)
Check your trusted sites
You may need to list the assessment server as a trusted site in your web
browser or proxy server. If so, please use https://www.awinfosys.com as the
trusted site.
Check your lab desktop security
If your school labs deploy desktop security such as Centurion Guard, Deep
Freeze, Drive Shield, Clean Slate, Fortress, or any similar software that
controls which software can permanently reside on the workstation, please
add the PC Active X control and/or MAC control to your list of allowed
software.
Having login difficulties?
If you are having difficulties on the Login page, you may be using an
incorrect student PEN, or assessment password. Re-check the student PEN
and your Password Letter, or contact the support number below.
Technical Support: A Willock Information Systems (AWIS):
Phone: 1-866-558-5339
Email: [email protected]
2
Ministry of Education – June 2017
APPENDIX C: Revised Adjudication Criteria The Ministry of Education, in consultation with a committee comprised of provincial stakeholders,
conducted a review of the adjudication criteria in spring 2017, resulting in changes that will take
effect for the 2017/18 school year. Based on the review, the Ministry will move to a universal
model of supports in the 2017/18 school year. This model allows for supports currently provided
to students in the classroom (extra time and speech-to-text or text-to-speech software) to also be
provided during the Provincial Graduation Assessments.
Universal supports may be used on Provincial Graduation Assessments if the required supports:
are routinely used in the classroom
have been recommended by the School Based Team (rather than an individual
teacher, administrator, or other school staff member)
have been recommended in consultation with a BCASP-certified school psychologist
or BC-registered psychologist (who may be part of the School Based Team)
are documented in either an Individual Education Plan (IEP) or Student Learning
Plan (SLP)
show use over time
If use of the supports began during the secondary years, in addition to demonstrated need for the
specific supports, documentation is required in the form of:
• report cards, School Based Team minutes, and/or other school records
indicating the student’s need for assistance in reaching academic goals
• standardized academic achievement results or a psycho-educational
assessment report and/or relevant reports from outside agencies
Adaptations to Provincial Graduation Assessment conditions will only be allowed when the
specific adaptations relate directly to the individual student’s identified needs:
The specific adaptations must be appropriate for the student’s documented
needs in the Individual Education Plan or the Student Learning Plan.
The adaptation must be consistent with classroom assessment practices.
Further demonstration of use could be reflected in report card data referencing how the supports
assisted the student in achieving goals.
For more information about adjudication, please see Chapter 8 of the Handbook of Procedures
for the Graduation Program 2017/2018, to be posted to the Ministry website in September 2017.
For questions regarding adjudication, please email [email protected]
Further details about the revised adjudication criteria are available on the adjudication website.
2
Ministry of Education – June 2017
APPENDIX D: Questions and Answers
Why do ALL schools have to register their students?
All schools will be required to register students writing the Graduation Numeracy Assessment to
ensure that each school receives the correct number of paper student response sheets.
What is the registration deadline?
Exact registration deadlines will be published in the Handbook of Procedures for the Graduation Program 2017/2018 posted to the Ministry website in September 2017. They will be similar to those
of the provincial examinations (approximately 10–12 weeks in advance of the assessment session).
Can students walk into the session and write the assessment without
being registered?
Yes. They will be considered a walk-in and will have to provide the appropriate identification, as
outlined in the Handbook of Procedures for the Graduation Program 2017/2018, posted to the
Ministry website in September 2017.
Who is responsible for registering students and invigilating at the
assessment?
School administrators will need to work with their teachers and school districts or education
authority to decide what will best meet the needs of students in their districts and the operations
of their districts.
What will invigilators need to know?
Invigilators should familiarize themselves with this document and keep it handy. Page 3 provides
a brief outline of the key changes in the administration of the new Graduation Numeracy
Assessment.
The Handbook of Procedures for the Graduation Program 2017/2018, posted to the Ministry
website in September 2017, will provide further information.
Registration
Delivery
2
Ministry of Education – June 2017
There will also be more detailed instructions coming this fall, in the Graduation Numeracy Assessment Administration Guide, Part 2. Updated resource materials for assessment invigilators
will be posted to the School Secure Web (SSW) this fall.
Sample assessments and exemplars will be available for administrators, teachers, students, and
technicians on the BC Curriculum website by August 2017.
School administrators, teachers, and technicians should familiarize themselves with the electronic
assessment format well in advance of their delivery session.
Administration questions?
Morag Masterton, Assessment Administration Coordinator: 250-356-0953 or [email protected]
Technical questions?
AWIS technical support: 1-866-558-5339 (toll-free) or [email protected]
Assessment design and content questions?
Allison Chapman, Numeracy Assessment Coordinator, Curriculum and Assessment: 778-678-1658
What kind of space will students need to write the assessment?
Schools must ensure that each workstation has a computer plus a writing surface. During the two-
hour writing period, all assessment questions will be delivered to the student electronically. The
student will answer a series of questions electronically and two questions with handwritten
responses, showing their work and answers on a paper response sheet provided by the Ministry.
Will security protocols change as responses are both electronic and paper?
No. The existing security protocols for provincial examinations remain and will be outlined in the
Handbook of Procedures for the Graduation Program 2017/2018, posted to the Ministry website
in September 2017.
Invigilators must pay attention to the organization of the assessment room to ensure that they
have clear lines of sight to observe students responding both on the computer and on the paper
response sheet.
Do students need to sign in?
Yes. Sign-in procedures will be similar to the procedures for provincial examinations, and details
will be outlined in the invigilator information materials on the SSW.
2
Ministry of Education – June 2017
When will students write the Graduation Numeracy Assessment?
Students writing the Graduation Numeracy Assessment will write during the same week as the
Language Arts 12 Provincial Examinations. However, in each scheduled exam week, the
Graduation Numeracy Assessment will be offered over multiple days between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m.
each day, whereas the various Language Arts 12 exams are set once on specific days. The
2017/2018 Graduation Assessment Schedule is available on the Ministry of Education website.
Is the assessment still two hours, like the provincial exams?
Yes. The Graduation Numeracy Assessment is designed to be completed in two hours. Students
are permitted up to 60 additional minutes, if required.
How do I ensure that my students’ workstations have the correct
software and are ready to go on assessment day?
Please review page two of this guide to get started. Appendix B also outlines troubleshooting tips
to work through once the sample Graduation Numeracy Assessment is released (by August 2017).
For technical support please contact AWIS: 1-866-558-5339 (toll-free) or [email protected].
What does the assessment look like? Are there sample assessments
for students to use?
A sample assessment and student exemplars will be posted to the BC Curriculum website by
August 2017.
What percentage of time is allotted for the online numeracy tasks
versus the constructed responses on the paper response sheet?
It is recommended that teachers and students review and practise with the sample assessment
well in advance to determine the amount of time they think will be required for each. The sample
will be posted to the BC Curriculum website by August 2017.
Workstation technology set up
Student/teacher preparation
2
Ministry of Education – June 2017
Should students use pen or pencil?
They can use either, as long as they use a dark pencil or pen; this is essential, as the paper
response sheets will be scanned for marking. In instances where invigilators observe students
writing with a light pencil or pen it is recommended that they provide the student with a darker
writing tool. Invigilators should inform students that if they do not write clearly or dark enough
there is a risk that their response will be illegible and markers will not be able to assign a score.
How will schools get paper response sheets from, and then back to,
the Ministry for marking?
As with provincial examinations, the Ministry of Education will send paper response sheets to
schools based on the number of students that the school administrator has registered. Schools
will ship materials back to the Ministry of Education following the timelines and shipping
instructions that will have been provided.
Who will be marking the paper response sheets?
BC certified teachers who have been trained and credentialed will mark the paper response sheets.
Will the assessments be marked locally or provincially?
The assessments will be marked provincially at central locations by BC certified teachers. At this
point in time, there is no local marking in school districts of either assessments or provincial
examinations.
How many times may a student write the Graduation Numeracy
Assessment?
A student may make three attempts at writing the assessment: one write, two rewrites. The first
attempt is considered Write #1 (an attempt with less than 50% of questions answered still
constitutes one write); the second attempt is considered Rewrite #1; and the third attempt is
considered Rewrite #2 and is the last opportunity for a student to improve their standing on the
proficiency scale.
Paper response sheets
Results and transcripts
2
Ministry of Education – June 2017
What constitutes completion of an assessment?
Students must respond to a sufficient number of questions for markers to be able to assign a
proficiency category; the benchmark to satisfy this requirement has been set at fifty percent.
At the minimum, students must answer at least half of the questions in order to “complete” the
assessment and meet the graduation requirement.
Less than fifty percent completion would not meet the completion requirement, but would be
considered as one of the three allowable attempts.
How does completion of an assessment align with completion of
graduation requirements?
Students are not required to reach a minimum category of proficiency to graduate. They must,
however, complete the assessment. Please see the question above regarding minimum
completion requirements.
Will the mark associated with the Graduation Numeracy Assessment
affect Grade 12 students graduating in 2018?
No. The Graduation Numeracy Assessment will not affect Grade 12 students graduating in early
2018 because they will have met the former graduation requirement by writing a Mathematics 10
examination.
How will the score for the Graduation Numeracy Assessment be
illustrated on a transcript?
The Graduation Numeracy Assessment will be scored on a four-category proficiency scale and
identified as a stand-alone item on a student’s transcript.
How are the Graduation Numeracy Assessment questions weighted?
The two student-choice written response questions will be weighted more heavily than the other
questions. Please see the detailed table of specifications in the final Graduation Numeracy Assessment Design Specifications to be posted to the BC Curriculum website by August 2017.
Will assessment results be provided to schools?
Yes. As with provincial examinations, the results will be released to school administrators
following the completion of the marking process and analysis.
