State Testing Basics
During the last quarter of the school year (March-May), schools set aside time for end-of-year testing required by their state. The grades and subject areas that are tested can differ by state, but if you are substituting at a school during a testing day, it is important to know what to expect!
- Testing is usually spread across several days or weeks, with one block of time set apart for testing each scheduled day.
- No more scantrons! Most state tests are administered through computers on a dedicated website or software application. Students need login information, which often comes in the form of a "testing ticket" that they receive for the testing session. Paper-based tests are typically only used for special circumstances or for students needing specific accommodations.
- Generally, substitutes are not asked to administer state testing, but you may be supporting a classroom where students are testing. You may be asked to read directions, pass out materials, circulate the room, escort students leaving the classroom, or relieve teachers briefly for breaks.
- School staff receive special, required training to be able to administer state testing, and in some states, are required to sign documentation that training has been completed and that they agree to all test administration requirements established by the state. If you are a long-term substitute and are expected to administer state testing, you will need to participate in these trainings.
What Do I Need to Know?
Even though most substitutes aren't responsible for administering state testing, it is good to understand the following 3 important aspects so that you are prepared if you are subbing on a scheduled test day.
1) Test Security
To protect the integrity of state tests, school personnel must take the utmost care with how any testing materials are accessed, stored, and destroyed. Since most tests are now computer-based, this means following procedures to manage when and how students log in to tests, pause and resume tests, and finish tests.
Both students and school personnel are to refrain from discussing specific test items, and no photographs, screenshots, or notes should be taken about the content of the test. Some tests do allow students to take notes or work out math problems on scratch paper; school personnel should follow set procedures to collect and store or dispose of those materials at the end of each test session.
Older students are typically given brief, escorted breaks if they use the restroom during a testing session to minimize the risk of using a personal device to search for answers on a topic. Students should have all personal devices kept away throughout the testing session, including smart watches.
If there are any students using a paper-based test, those materials should be secure at all times, which means that they are returned to a testing coordinator at the school or stored in a locked location between testing sessions.
2) Testing Ethics
It is important to understand the special set of ethics that surround state standardized testing in schools. School personnel are expected to hold themselves to the highest standards, keeping themselves from any situation or conversation that can influence students' performance during testing. Because these tests impact teacher and school evaluations, the main concerns are about giving unethical hints, help, or feedback to students during a test or between test sessions.
Below are a few common examples of unethical behavior, excerpted from Utah's Testing Ethics Policy:
- Changing, altering, or amending any student’s online or paper response answer
- Re-wording or clarifying questions, or using inflections or gestures to help students answer test questions
- Allowing students to use unauthorized resources during testing (e.g. dictionaries, math formulas, etc.)
- Displaying materials on walls or other high visibility surfaces that may provide answers (e.g. posters, word walls, formula charts)
- Allowing parents to assist with the proctoring of a test their child is taking
- Reviewing a student’s response and instructing the student to, or suggesting that the student should, rethink their answers
- Explicitly or implicitly encouraging parents to exclude their students from participating in a statewide assessment
Unless a student has a special accommodation confirmed by school personnel, staff should not help read, rephrase, or explain a test question or item. When a student says, "I don't understand what it's asking," "I don't understand the question," or "What does _____ mean?" the appropriate response is something like, "I'm not allowed to explain since this is a test, but keep thinking about it and do your best." You might feel bad having to refuse help, but it is necessary to keep an ethical testing environment.
For more details about testing ethics, you can refer to your state's policies and training materials:
ARIZONA Staff Test Security and Ethics Agreement
FLORIDA Test Administration and Security Agreement
FLORIDA Test Administrator Prohibited Activities Agreement
NEVADA Test Security Procedures (see especially pgs. 8-10)
NEW YORK Tips for Ethical Testing
TEXAS Oath of Test Security and Confidentiality
UTAH Standard Test Administration and Testing Ethics Policy
UTAH Standard Test Administration and Testing Ethics Training
3) Active Monitoring
A third important aspect to understand during state testing is the need for active monitoring of students during testing sessions. Because testing sessions are long blocks of time, it is important to keep a continuous, visible presence around the room for many reasons:
- to prevent conversations or other distractions
- to get to students quickly when they need your attention
- to monitor for sleeping or inattention to the test
- to monitor for cheating or test security violations
Specific State Tests
Below, you can get a general idea of the specific tests that are used in your state.
Jump to: Arizona | Florida | Nevada | New York | Texas | Utah
Arizona
Test: Arizona's Academic Standards Assessment (AASA)
Grades: 3rd-8th
Subjects: Language Arts & Mathematics
Test: Arizona's Science Test (AzSCI)
Grades: 5th, 8th, & 11th
Test: ACT Aspire / ACT
Grades: 9th & 11th
Subjects: English, Math, Science, & Writing
* The Aspire is a preparatory assessment given to 9th graders; by 11th grade, students take the regular ACT test.
Florida
Test: Florida Assessment of Student Thinking (FAST)
Grades: Kindergarten-10th
Subjects: Language Arts Reading & Writing
Test: FAST Math
Grades: Kindergarten-8th
Test: Statewide Science Assessment
Grades: 5th & 8th
Test: End of Course Assessments
Grades: 9th-12th
Subjects: Math, Science, & Social Studies
* Exams are given at the end of specific required courses in the subjects noted above. Testing may be throughout the year as courses end by quarter or semester.
Nevada
Test: MAP Growth Reading
Grades: Kingdergarten-3rd
Test: Smarter Balanced Assessments (SBAC)
Grades: 3rd-8th
Subjects: Language Arts & Mathematics
Test: Nevada Science Assessment
Grades: 5th & 8th-12th
Test: ACT Plus Writing
Grades: 11th
New York
Test: New York State English Language Arts, Math Tests
Grades: 3rd-8th
Test: New York State Science Test
Grades: 5th & 8th
Test: New York State High School Regents Exam
Grades: 9th-12th
* Unlike other state tests, Regents Exams take place in January, June, and August.
Texas
Test: State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR)
Grades: 3rd-8th
Subjects: Reading, Language Arts, Mathematics, Science, & Social Studies
Test: STAAR End of Course Exams
Grades: 9th-12th
Subjects: Language Arts, Mathematics, Science, & Social Studies
* Exams are given at the end of specific required courses in the subjects noted above. Testing may be throughout the year as courses end by quarter or semester.
Utah
Test: Readiness Improvement Success Empowerment (RISE)
Grades: 3rd-8th
Subjects: English Language Arts, Mathematics, & Science
* 3rd grade does not test in science.
Test: RISE Writing
Grades: 5th & 8th
