March 2013

General Information

1. What are CommonExams?

  • CommonExams are state-mandated secure assessments. They measure student learning in subjects and grades not covered by the state testing program.
  • The assessments will contain both multiple-choice and constructed-response questions.

2. What are the goals of CommonExams?

The NCDPI stated goals are:

  • To develop and increase the effectiveness of teachers.
  • To have an effective teacher in every classroom in every school.
  • To see evidence of achievement and growth of all students.

3. How will these exams be used/not used?

  • Exam results will be used as baseline data for Standard 6 of the McRel teacher evaluation tool.
  • High school students enrolled in a tested subject must participate in that exam in order to receive credit for thatparticular course.
  • Common Exam scores will not be used as 25% of a student’s final grade in that class in the 2012-13 school year.

4. What are the subjects/courses being tested?

High School

  • Science: Earth Environmental Science, Physics, Chemistry, Physical Science
  • English Language Arts: ELA I, III, IV
  • Math: Pre-Calculus, Advanced Functions and Modeling, Geometry, Algebra II/Integrated Math III
  • Social Studies: World History, U.S. History, Civics & Economics
  • Occupational Course of Study: ELA I, III, IV, Financial Management, Introductory Math, Applied Science

Middle/Elementary School

  • Science: Grades 4, 6, 7
  • Social Studies: Grades 4-8

5. Who will score constructed response items?

  • Constructed response items will be scored by CMS content teachers who are teaching the course or licensed in the content area.
  • Scorers may be selected at the discretion of the principal.

6. Will compensation be offered for scoring?

  • Compensation will not be offered for teacher scoring.

7. When will scoring be performed?

  • Scoring will occur during the school day, as much as possible.

8. What is a Lead Score Facilitator?

  • A Lead Score Facilitator is a teacher at each tested school agreeing to take on the extra duty of facilitating the scoring process and training all scorers.
  • Lead Score Facilitators will receive additional compensation.
  • Lead Score Facilitators have been or will be recommended by their principals.
  • Lead Score Facilitators cannot be the school’s testing coordinator.

Training

  1. What training is required?
  • For Test Coordinators
  • Test coordinators must participate in the administrative procedures and guidelines training offered by the Office of Accountability in April. This training will be incorporated in the EOC/EOG training.
  • For Scorers
  • Scorers must participate in the online modulesoffered by NCDPI for all content teachers.
  • High school content teachers must participate in the online modules by March 31.
  • Elementary and middle school content teachers must participate in the online modulesby April 30. (Grades 4-8 online module not available until 1st week of April)
  • Online modulesinclude:
  • Overview and Purpose
  • Design and Structure of MSLs
  • Content Specific
  • For School Site Trainings
  • Test administration process
  • Teacher scoring process
  • For Lead Score Facilitators
  • Lead score facilitators must complete the online modules and participate in the sessions provided in April by the Office of Accountability and C&I.
  1. How do I accessthe on-line module?
  • Click on link below or paste into your browser
  • Click on PD Online modules(on the right)
  • Scroll down and click on MSL: Grades 9-12
  • Click on Continue
  • If you have an account,
  • Select, Log-in(on the left)
  • This page houses all the PD modules
  • If you do not have an account,
  • Select, ‘Create new account”(on the right)
  • Follow all prompts
  • Go to your email and verify account
  • Click on link, then select ‘Courses’
  • Answer security questions, click ‘Continue’
  • Go back to email to verify again
  • Click ‘here’(in email)
  • You are now on ‘Courses Overview Tab’
  • In course search box, (on the right) type: Measures of Student Learning Grades 9-12
  • Click on MSL Grades 9-12
  • Click on ‘Enroll Me’
  • This page houses all the PD modules

Test Administration

11. When will Common Exams beadministered?

  • The testing window is May 13–31
  • No testing can occur on May 15 or16due to religiousholidays
  • All testing must be completed by May 31
  • All exams will be timed for 90 minutes, excluding general instructions and break time.
  • Administration of multiple exams in one day ispermitted.

12. Are make-ups required?

  • Yes. Any absent student should make up the test upon returning to school, within the established testing window.

13. Are retests required?

  • Retests are not required except in case of a misadministration.
  • Retesting cannot be completed earlier than five consecutive calendar days following the prior administration.

14. Are there Alternate Assessments?

  • Alternate assessments will NOT be available.

15. Who is required to participate?

  • All middle and high school studentsenrolled in the tested subjects, including students who are repeating the course.
  • All elementary school students taught science or social studies by a teacher not teaching them math or language arts.
  • 95% of eligible students in each school must be tested.

16. Who is NOT required to participate?

  • Students currently being instructed on the Extended ContentStandards and who have NCEXTEND1 documented in their IEP.
  • Students identified as LEP who score BELOW level 4.0 Expanding on reading subtest of the W-APT, are not required to be assessed on English Language Arts I, III, IV, and OCS English Language Arts I, III and IV.
  • Students taking a course for credit recovery.
  • Students enrolled in courses taught by non-CMS employees.
  • Students enrolled in NCVPS.
  • Students approved for a medical exemption.
  • Students enrolled in AP / IB classes.
  • Elementary school students who are taught science or social studies by the teacher who also teaches them math or language arts.

17. Are proctors required?

  • Proctors are required when the test administrator is the teacher of record.
  • Proctors are NOT required if test administrator is NOT the teacher of record (swapping classes).

18. Are calculators allowed?

  • Yes. Graphing calculators are a minimum requirement for Algebra II, Advanced Functions in Modeling and Pre-Calculus.
  • Yes. Scientific calculators are a minimum requirement for Chemistry, Physical Science, Physics, Earth/Environmental Science.

19. Will support materials be provided?

  • Yes. Graph paper, periodic tables and formula sheets will be delivered to schools with their testing materials.

20.Will accommodations be provided to students?

  • Yes. Students using accommodations on Common Exams must have their accommodations documented specifically for Common Exams in theirIEP, LEP and 504 testing plans.
  • The deadline for entering documentation is 30 days prior to testing.

Audits

21. Will audits be performed?

  • Audits may be performed during test administration and performance task scoring.

Scoring

22. How will scoring be done?

  • Constructed response items will be scored using the two scorer method.
  • Scorer 1 will be the teacher of record.
  • Scorer 2 will be another qualified scorer.
  • A process is being developed for schools without a second qualified scorer.
  • CommonExams contain both multiple-choice questions and performance tasks.
  • Multiple choice scoring
  • All exams will be scanned using State provided software.
  • Scanning will take place at the Scoring Center.
  • Constructed responsescoring
  • Scored based on State provided rubric

23. When does my school score?

  • Scoring may begin after all original test administrations in a particular subject area have been completed (i.e. when all Physics exams have been administered, Physics may be scored)
  • Scoring does not have to wait for make-up testing

Information

24. Where can I get more information?

  • The NCDPI provided the following link to general information and guidelines

Contact Information

Who should I contact if I have additional questions?

Mary Paradzinsky,

Doug Jones,

Katy Dula,

March 2013