PARCC Logistics FAQ

Volume 1: Week of March 2, 2015

General
1. What is the test window and who is required to test?
PARCC is scheduled for all CPS students - including those in charter and Options schools - in grades 3-8
and high school students enrolled in English I and Algebra I/Integrated Math I. There are 2 components:
Performance Based Assessment (PBA): 3/9/15-4/2/15, End of Year Assessment (EOY): 4/27/15-5/22/15
Exceptions to participation:

Diverse learners who have a significantly modified curriculum will instead take DLM (formerly
IAA). Note: DLM in high school will continue to be for 11th graders.
English Learners (ELs) in their first year in U.S. schooling are exempt from ELA assessments. These
students MUST participate in math.

2. Will PARCC be administered online or using paper and pencil?

All 3rd 5th grade students will test using paper and pencil. All 6th 8th and English I, Algebra I or
Integrated Math I students will test online. The exception to online testing in 6th grade and above is for
students whose IEPs call for paper and pencil testing, due to the nature of specific disabilities.

Pearson AccessNext
3. What is the solution for separating out groups of students in Pearson AccessNext? Can this be applied
to charter campuses?
After the 3/1 load of new data, students in district and charter schools were automatically assigned to
sessions (Assessment Session Location) based on whatever is listed as their homeroom/division in SIM. It
will be formatted with the school shortname and homeroom (e.g. SchoolName 105). Test Coordinators
and Test Administrators can see this list of sessions by clicking TestingSessionsdown arrow next to
SearchShow All Results.
This will be applied to traditional district schools and charters. For charters, the short name will be the
name of the specific campus (e.g. Campus6_207).
NOTESchool Created Sessions: ONLY students who were not already scheduled to a session are now
reflected in these groupings. This will NOT overwrite the sessions that schools have already scheduled.
NOTEMoving students to different sessions: Test Coordinators should move students into different
sessions if students will not be testing with this homeroom/division (e.g. students testing separately with
accommodations or students in middle/high school testing by class not homeroom). Find directions to
move students into sections here. Coordinators should also rename sessions if desired.

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Volume 1: Week of March 2, 2015
4. Why cant I see students the students I expect to see in PANext?
There are 4 main reasons students may not be visible in the system.

Reason

Detail

Potential Solution

Students already
assigned to a session

You cannot add

students who are
already in a session
for the same
subject and grade.
Students scheduled
to test paper pencil
will not be visible
in PAnext for
session scheduling.

Review the Pearson AccessNext Guide slides 27-34 for details on

making changes to sessions.

Student assigned a
paper test

Students are in high

school classes not
originally designated
as PARCC tested
courses
Student is new to
school

School has a local

course that teaches
the same content
as the 3 PARCC
tested courses, but
is not listed.
New students will
not show
immediately, as
there is a delay
between student
arrival and data
loading to PANext.

If the student was mistakenly assigned paper testing, please fill out
this form to request a change in format: http://tinyurl.com/parcc-testformat-change. These will be processed from 3/5/15 to 3/11/15. The
deadline to submit a request is close of business 3/11/15.
If the student was assigned paper in SSM but the school team now
realizes the online format is more appropriate, please fill out this form
AND ensure the IEP is properly updated in SSM.
Designations for which non-charter high school courses would count
as English 1, Algebra 1 or Integrated Math 1 can be found here.
Please reach out to Matt Olson (mjolson@cps.edu) and Didi Swartz
(cmswartz@cps.edu) to investigate if this local course should be added
as a PARCC tested course universally at all schools where it is offered.
Per ISBE, students who have started testing at another school do NOT
have to complete testing upon entry to the new school.
If the student had not started testing, please follow the following:
3rd 5th and paper accommodations forms: Attempt to contact the
previous school to confirm if the student started testing previously If so,
DO NOT TEST. If testing had not started, ORDER PAPER MATERIALS.
6-8 and high school students within non-charter schools that use CPS
SIM for course scheduling: Students should show within Pearson Access
Next within 3 days of enrollment in SIM, and scheduling to PARCC tested
English 1 Algebra 1/Integrated Math 1 courses (HS only).
o If students show in PANext within 3 days: Check for whether the
ELA and/or Math test was started yet in PANext. If so, DO NOT
TEST. If testing had not started, schedule student to test.
o If students do not show in PANext within 3 days: Check with
previous school as to whether testing started for ELA and/or
Math. If so, DO NOT TEST. If testing had not started, ORDER
PAPER MATERIALS. Students may not show in PANext after
transferring if they havent been properly exited in ISBEs system
from the previous school.
High School Students in charter schools that do NOT use CPS SIM for
course scheduling: There is no nightly feed of charter high school
course data. These schools must check if testing started at the previous
school. If so, DO NOT TEST. If testing had not started, ORDER PAPER
MATERIALS.

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Volume 1: Week of March 2, 2015
5. Does each separate testing location require a separate "session," or can all students in a grade/course
be loaded to the same session?
After the 3/1 ISBE data load, students will automatically be separated out into sessions based on
homeroom/division, per #1 above. If schools are making changes to session assignments, they must
separate students out by the unique group of individuals who will be physically testing together. Having
all of a grade level in a single session could lead to Test Administrators mistakenly closing out tests of
students in other classes.
6. When students are absent and need to make up a test, do they use the tickets that were originally
generated, or do Coordinators have to create a separate make-up session each time students make up a
unit? I.e. can the original session be left open, with the make-up student just tested on that unit at a
later time?
Make up testers can remain in the same session, without creating a new make-up session, by following
the directions in the Pearson AccessNext Guide. This includes re-using the Testing Tickets that were
previously printed.
NOTE: Test Administrators (TAs) will have to diligently monitor students who are make-up testers and
testing with the rest of the class on the last unit of a subject. E.g. a student was absent for units 1 and 2
of ELA and is now on unit 3 with the rest of the class (will return to units 1 and 2 later), or a student
missed unit 1 of math and is now on unit 2. In this case, a student could easily click Submit Final
Answers which would exit the entire session without offering an opportunity to return to the previous
units (and the school would have to call ISBE to reverse this). Instead, to exit this unit of the test students
must click the gray button next to their name and choose the Logout of TestNav option. Then, click the
Save and Return Later button.
7. It seems it is possible to click Start for tests before the window opens. What are the implications of
this?
It is possible to Start a session now, but this will not affect student tests results as no data is transmitted
until a student logs in and starts testing. As a rule though, schools shouldnt click Start until they are
actually ready to test students. TAs should also only hand out/write on the board 1 seal code at a time to
make sure students dont accidentally proceed to the next session.
8. My students are listed as having critical errors. Is this something to be concerned about?
NO, these errors will not affect testing or sessions. These refer to 2 pieces of demographic data (gifted
and EL Title III status) that ISBE does not report on. They can be ignored.

Materials
9. How does a school order additional paper booklets for students in 3rd 5th grade that are missing
materials? What about students in 6th 8th or high school for students with accommodations?
If a school did not receive adequate materials for 3rd 5th grade, the Test Coordinator must follow the
Additional Order process outlined here.
Paper pencil requests for 6th 8th grade and English 1, Algebra 1 and Integrated Math 1 students should
be made after careful consideration of whether this accommodation is truly necessary for the student. As
a general rule of thumb, students who are able to independently engage in NWEA testing or other
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Volume 1: Week of March 2, 2015
formative computer-based assessment should not be assessed on paper. It is also important to consider
that there are many test features that are available online but not via paper pencil (e.g. math text to
speech, video/audio in ELA Research simulation, pop up glossary, line readeretc). If after reviewing a
students needs, the school determines paper testing is needed, schools must use the order processed
linked above, if material was not already delivered.
10. What should schools do if they need read aloud materials for testing 3rd 5th students in math?
Schools should order these through the Additional Materials Order process. NOTE: Readers kits come in
packs of 2: 1 test booklet for the teacher, 1 for the student. To expedite shipping of your order and to
avoid extra materials, please use the following rule:
a. Total number of students divided by 2 = enough booklets to cover all students
b. Total number of Test administrators = enough booklets to cover Test administrators and
ensure extras for other potential proctors.
c. E.g. School A has 18 3rd graders who need read aloud for math. There are 3 teachers who
will be administering the test with read aloud. The school would order 9 kits to cover
students and 3 to cover adults for 12 total kit orders and 24 total individual booklets.
11. How long will an order take to arrive at schools?
Orders should arrive 4-5 business days after placing the order. However, very large orders may be
delayed for verification of need and if there are back-ordered materials. Please see number 10 for a
suggestion to expedite read aloud kit orders.

Testing with iPads, Chromebooks

12. What guidance is there for testing with Chromebooks or iPads?
a. Please visit the PARCC Technology FAQ for links to guidelines for all types of devices. Quick
reminders:
b. App Initial Login: If the TestNav app is newly downloaded and hasnt been opened yet, have an
adult open the app on each testing device BEFORE a student. One of the prompts will be to select
a specific test site...select Illinois. If this doesnt occur and a student is the first person to open the
app and selects the wrong location, they will not be able to enter with their username and
password. NOTE: Selecting IL only needs to happen the first time an app opens. Each subsequent
time the app will default to IL and students will just enter their username and password.
c. Other apps: Close out other apps that were running.
d. Restricting access: Put Chromebooks in kiosk mode and iPads in Guided Access to block other
apps.
e. Shutdown: Fully shutdown the device before charging. Dont just shut the lid/turn off the screen,
as there will still be other apps running in the background that could cause memory problems the
next day for testing.
f. Charging: Charge devices each night.
g. Additional devices: Have an extra few devices on hand to switch students onto if the original
device runs out of battery power/experiences an issue.
h. Troubleshooting: If an iPad loses connection to the wireless access point, hard restart to ensure
immediate startup with Guided Access on and the TestNav app opened.
13. What should schools do if they experience technology issues?
Please use the resources, phone numbers and email addresses in the PARCC Communications Plan.
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TestNav
14. Will a test automatically close at the conclusion of the unit time?
No. A Test Administrator controls the start and stop points of each unit.
15. How do schools access the TestNav browser/apps?
Please visit the PARCC Technology FAQ for links to Setup Guides for Windows, Macs, iPads and
Chromebooks.

Test Administration Policy

16. Can students in different grade levels be grouped together, especially for make-up testing?
Students in different grades can only be grouped if the materials for both grades and the testing times are
the same. Find a complete list of test materials and test times in the Administrator and Coordinator
Training (slides 11-13, 62-64).
17. Can provisionally licensed teachers administer the test?
YES. See the IL Appendix in the Test Coordinator Manual.
18. If a student transfers mid-test (i.e. finished one or more units within PBA then transferred) should they
finish at the new school? What about a transfer between PBA and EOY?
Students who move within a window, either PBA or EOY, do not have to continue testing at the new
school if testing started. They may, but it is not required. See the table above on page 2 for how to
handle transfers.
If students move between PBA and EOY, there are 2 scenarios. If the students did not take PBA at all, the
student does not test in EOY. If a student did test in PBA at the former school, the student must test in
EOY.
19. What kinds of marks are paper pencil testing students allowed to make in their test booklets?
Please follow the guidance here. In brief, students must avoid marking areas that will be scanned.

Accommodations
20. What is the protocol if a school ordered paper pencil test for a student, but now realizes that the
accessibility features available online would actually be more helpful? Only online testers currently
show in Pearson Access.
If these students were erroneously listed as paper testers for students without accommodations, this may
have been resolved in the 3/1/15 data load to ISBE. However, if the students dont show and/or the
paper-pencil designation still remains in the IEP, then fill out this form by Wednesday, March 11 to
request a change: http://tinyurl.com/parcc-test-format-change.
21. What is the protocol for switching from English math to Spanish math or vice-versa?
Please indicate this switch using this form: http://tinyurl.com/parcc-test-format-change. Fill this out by
Wednesday March 11

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Volume 1: Week of March 2, 2015
NOTE: Please use the PNP Report to see which students are assigned to receive a translated math test.
If this is not correct it MUST be changed before online testing is started, or else students will be locked
in to testing in the incorrect language.
22. What is the protocol for adding closed captioning or on-screen ASL?
Please indicate this using this form: http://tinyurl.com/parcc-test-format-change. Fill this out by
Wednesday March 11
NOTE: Please use the PNP Report to see which accommodations students are assigned to receive. If
they are not listed as having ASL or closed captioning, this MUST be changed before online testing is
started, or else students will be locked in to testing without these.
23. What is the protocol if a student is showing another discrepancy between the IEP and the
accommodations reflected in Pearson? E.g. human scribe noted but not needed, human reader noted
for entire test but should reflect only directions read aloud, extended time is not notedetc.
If what is reflected in the IEP does not match with what is reflected in Pearson Access for issues that dont
require a change in test form (e.g. change to Spanish, change to online, change to Brailleetc), follow the
students IEP. I.e. if the accommodations noted in Pearson do not match the IEP, but are all
accommodations related to the Test administrators actions (e.g. reading certain parts aloud, scribing or
not, extending timeetc), follow the guidance in the IEP. CPS is working to resolve discrepancies in data
loaded to Pearson Access.
24. What types of instructional aides are allowed for students with IEPs, where aides are listed. Page 20 of
the Coordinator Manual lists 2 particular instructional aides (multiplication table and 100s chart) that
can be used for students who have these in their IEPs. What about other aides? Should these be
requested as unique accommodations?
The PARCC consortium of states allows the use of multiplication tables and 100s charts for students with
IEPs that designate these, as it was decided that these dont provide application information for related
math skills. No other instructional aide that is explicitly prohibited in the Test Coordinator Manual is
allowed. Use of the Unique Accommodations request (TC Manual Appendix G) is not intended for
accommodations that are already explicitly prohibited in the TC manual.
25. Can a Test Administrators providing read aloud support in math only read certain words or phrases that
a student requests? This is possible with online text to speech since students control what is read, but is
it possible with human read-aloud?
YES. Students can request read-aloud for just specific words/phrases without the TA having to read aloud
the entire test. However, students would have to be tested individually or small-group (with adequate
spacing) to avoid other students being distracted by requests and the TA reading aloud).
26. Will students who receive read aloud (as an accommodation or accessibility feature) be granted
extended time, due to the extra time it takes to read aloud?
YES. The Test Administrator will guide the pace of testing, and can account for the increased time it takes
to read test items aloud in math to extend the total unit time.
27. Is there any guidance on extended time accommodations for ELs? For students with IEPs, we assume
we follow what the IEP states, however ELs dont have similar plans that indicate testing
accommodations. Is this purely up to Test Administrator discretion? What if the EL has an IEP?
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Volume 1: Week of March 2, 2015
All students with IEPs/504 plans and ELs have up to 1 day to complete a unit, REGARDLESS of a specific
time that might already be listed in the IEP. It is up to school discretion to determine if a student with an
IEP needs additional time past what was provided based on the IEP, or if the time provided was
sufficient. The same flexible guidance exists for ELs...schools can use their discretion in scheduling extra
time for students.
Students receiving extended time would have to be tested individually or in small groups to avoid the
distraction of students leaving at different times.
28. Will Text to Speech be provided in Spanish
YES, this was loaded to student Personal Needs Profiles.
29. Read aloud in math is a listed accommodation for ELs only in Spanish this year. CPS has many ELs who
speak a variety of other languages. Is it possible to translate the directions or the test to another
language?
NO, it is not possible to translate test items this year, since there is no readers script available for other
languages and translations may not be accurate. The PARCC consortium is working on additional math
translations for future years.
YES, it is possible to have directions ONLY translated into a students native language. A Test
Administrator or other proctor can translate the directions from the English Test Administration Manual.
Find scripts for 10 languages here. Scroll down to the S section and click on Scripts (Language
Translation).
30. What language do responses have to be provided in for EL testers?
In ELA responses must be provided in English. In math, the student can respond in Spanish or English,
depending on what format they are testing in. If the student is also receiving the scribing
accommodation, the Test Administrator will transcribe exactly what was spoken in that language. I.e.
responses proved in Spanish would be written in Spanish.
31. Is the first year in the US exemption from ELA provided based on less than 180 instructional days in the
US or based on being in the first calendar year of US schooling?
If the start of the test is within the first 12 months of enrollment (or 180 instructional days) in school in
the US, then the student would be exempt from the whole PARCC ELA administration.
NOTE: A student can be exempted from the ELA test only one time during that 180 days. For example, if a
student did not take the EOY after arriving in a US school in April, and then the PARCC PBA in the
following year is within the 180 days, the student would have to take PARCC.
32. Which ELs are eligible to test and how do I run a report to find this?
All state-active ELs are required to test in both literacy and math. The only exception to this is student
who are in their first year in US schoolingthese students are exempt from literacy only. You can use the
Roster of Students for ACCESS testing available on the Dashboard Reports page for this list of students.
33. If a student has a read-aloud/text-to-speech accommodation or a calculator for a non-calculator section
accommodation, the manual states that the respective fluency scores will not be reported. Will these
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students still receive other literacy/math scores? Will these students still be counted in state
accountability toward meeting the 95% tested threshold?
Use of these accommodations will not negate participation. Also, math fluency will no longer be reported
on separately. There may still be an asterisk on the report though to indicate a calculator was used.
Other reporting decisions are not finalized.
34. How do I run a report of all students and their accommodations?
Follow this guide.