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Get Organized: From August to June - How to Get Ahead of the Testing Crunch �

SKYE RASCHKE M.ED.�REGIONAL ASSESSMENT COORDINATOR (DTC), KIPP TEXAS PUBLIC SCHOOLS: HOUSTON

TSNAP MEMBER

SKYE.RASCHKE@KIPPTEXAS.ORG

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Handouts - needs updating w/ links

Google Drive Folder with all Materials:

Handouts
Slidedeck
check lists
etc.

Please make a copy of all documents before editing them!

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Session Goals:

Participants will leave with several concrete strategies and next steps to better organize their testing.
Participants will be presented with several best practice organizational strategies and procedures for preparing testing materials, communicating with test administrators, and training test administrators on how to run a high stakes test session. Strategies include google drive, bin organization, communication folders, accommodation organization, and training staff to apply it all. These skills can be used to prep for any assessment including STAAR, TELPAS, STAAR ALT, Interim assessments, etc.
At least one concrete take away (hopefully more) to make testing life easier for you!

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A little about me…

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Organizational Strategies to make your life easier

Google Drive
Virtual testing tips
Checklists, checklists, checklists
Help Charts
Testing bin organization
Label everything
Color code everything
Communication folders
Accommodation bags, labels, and coversheets
Train everyone, hold staff to high expectations
Incentives for test administration
Run all assessments like STAAR

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Day one – August – who are your kids, staff, and special pops needs

First thing I do in August every year is create my rosters w/ special pops and accommodation info based off of student homerooms [document is for me and SST/LT members only]
Use it to create rosters through out the year
Update accommodations through out the year
Helps with test orders
Helps with planning for groups/small groups/staffing decisions
Document usually has many tabs – it’s where I make groups, rearrange schedules etc. before copying to a public document to share with staff

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Google Drive

Set up a google drive for all of your staff facing documents at the beginning of the year.
Train staff on how to access it
Add to it for each test experience

Pro tip – If you want to automatically prompt a teacher to make a copy of a google document (for example seating charts), change the end of the address to /copy
Once your document is done and permissions have been granted for anyone with the link, then copy the link and change the last word from edit or view to copy.

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Google Drive

Some things included in my Testing Drive:

Schedules [example]
Rosters
Groups
Scripts
Examples of approved supplemental aides
Seating charts
Training materials
Important links

Some things in my drive that are only shared with certain staff members/groups:

Room accommodation reports
Testing accommodation documentation
Incident reports
District testing reports
Family Facing Drive w/ testing schedules and expectations

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Virtual Testing Tips – things we’ve learned during the pandemic

Have a backup plan – always – technology doesn’t always do what you want it to do!
Have a zoom/meets for the whole staff- this helps monitor test admins and is a place for staff to ask questions and get answers quickly [tab mute extension]
Virtual proctors still need breaks!

Floaters for monitoring, and floaters for breaks

Have a document where staff can log students with technology issues (this is helpful for makeup testing and following up with tech help tickets/parents)
Have a lost student room and/or tech help room

Sometimes students will need more tech help than the TA can do in a session

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Virtual Testing Tips – things we’ve learned during the pandemic

Virtual testing oaths for faculty, families, and students – everyone knows the expectations and agree to them ahead of testing (ours are a google form)
Testing dry-runs and training for families

We did a school wide town hall before our first virtual testing with families reviewing how to check tech, set up testing, expectations, etc.
We also did practice test dry runs with staff and students before the real test
Preemptive tech solutions

Test directions in google slides (it’s easier to show examples than just reading from a script)
Cameras must be on, visual sweep of student testing environment before starting
Students who cannot handle the added responsibility

must test w/ parent present
Alternate testing sessions to accommodate families if needed

If possible, have a staff member to run the testing software (lead proctor) and staff member monitor the students testing (Room Proctor)

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Checklists and help charts are your friends and your TAs friends

Use one page checklists as a quick reference for TAs
Step by step how to test
Before, During, After
Quick reference help charts – allow TAs to get answers fast
Digital Checklists and Google Forms [for virtual testing]

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Checklists examples

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Help Chart Examples

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Testing Bins

Everyone involved in testing gets materials

TA
Hall bins
Floater folders

Helps ensure all staff check in and turn in technology
Hanging folders – everything has it’s place
Bags for tape, sharpeners, pencils, highlighters, erasers, etc.
Labels on everything
Color coding for everything
Accommodations bags

SA cover sheets
Accommodation guides
List of room accommodations

Testing Day Pro Tip

Pre-check out

Teachers set up appointments the days before testing to come in review accommodations, rosters, count materials, ask questions, review procedures, etc.
Did whole group pre-checkout for the first window as an additional training this past year
Pre-check bins are marked with a post it
Day of – they just pick up the bin, turn in tech, sign out and go

Check In/Out Checklist

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Testing Bins

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Organized Communication

Put all testing help charts, door signs, forms, reminders etc. in one organized space

Prong folders
Binders
Google Drive

I used google drive more the past year due to virtual testing.
when it came to in person testing I also included the printed materials in the bins via folders

Teach them how to use them

Scavenger hunt
Separate trainings for returners and newbies

Use them for EVERY test event through out the SY

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Red Folders

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Incentives – The Awesome List

Holds staff accountable for testing expectations and bin organization
Adds a little fun
Healthy competition
End of testing week I use a random name selector and pick 2-3 people to win a gift card
Staff is really into it

we might just be super competitive type A people ☺; even to the point that teachers asked for a virtual version last year!

Works on district level too

CTCs and SLs are very competitive

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Awesome List Example

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Accommodation Organization

Supplemental Aid cover sheets
Accommodation bags
Labels on everything (mail merge from excel)
Accommodation acronym cheat sheet
Color code the accommodations report for teachers
*Pandemic tip* all students get a bag with their materials for sanitization purposes (no shared resources)

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Training and Practice

Train everyone (ops, cafeteria, office, security, parent volunteers, etc.) If they are a grown up and will be in the building on STAAR days they get trained.
Differentiated training for new staff/new teachers
Testing should be able to run smoothly even if you are not there
Make sure you have a backup person to cover for you (APs, School leaders, Specialists, etc.)

Administration should have time blocked for testing
Give specific tasks to admin on testing days – i.e. – building monitor, walkthrough times, a checklist for room walkthroughs, etc.

Run every big assessment like a STAAR test (MAP, Stanford, Interims, Benchmarks, BOY assessments, etc.)

Follow up face to face with staff who do not meet expectations
Improvement plans – it is a professional expectation

On STAAR days you are the boss!