Establishing Appropriate Testing Conditions

Test site coordinators, TAs, and TEs should work together to determine the most appropriate testing option(s) and testing environment based on the number of devices available, the number of students in each tested grade level or grade band, and the estimated time needed to complete each assessment. For the Smarter Balanced assessments, CAST, and CSA, testing students in classroom-sized groups is preferable; the CAA is delivered one-on-one. Establishing classroom-sized groups reduces test fear and anxiety for the students and facilitates monitoring and control for the TA. However, this also includes setting up testing rooms for students whose IEPs or Section 504 plans specify universal tools, designated supports, accommodations, or any combination of these that necessitate testing the students in a separate setting (that is, reading test questions aloud, accounting for extended testing time, providing additional breaks, and so forth).

The test administration should be conducted in a secure environment (refer to the section Security of the Test Environment).

When required, establish procedures to maintain a quiet testing environment throughout the test session, recognizing that some students will finish more quickly than others. The exception to this is the CSA speaking domain, which requires students to respond verbally and should be administered in a group setting.

If students are allowed to leave the testing room when they finish, explain the procedures for leaving without disrupting others and where they are expected to report once they leave. If students are expected to remain in the testing room until the end of the session, instruct them on what activities they may engage in after they finish the assessment. The activity, such as working on assignments for unrelated subjects or reading a book, should not be related to the assessment being given. Students’ use of electronic devices after they have completed testing should be monitored to ensure that the device is not being used to help other students who are engaged in a test session.

Additional Required Resources

Smarter Balanced for ELA

During administration of the Smarter Balanced for ELA, students may have access to and use of the following additional required resources for CAT items:

Headphones are required for the listening portion of the ELA assessment and for students requiring text-to-speech.
Scratch paper should be provided for notetaking or creating graphic organizers, if necessary. Only plain, unlined paper, lined paper, or a whiteboard with a marker is appropriate for ELA.

During administration of the Smarter Balanced for ELA, students may have access to and use of the following additional required resources for PTs:

Headphones are required for some PTs and for students requiring text-to-speech.
Scratch paper should be provided for notetaking if necessary. Only plain, unlined paper, lined paper, or a whiteboard with a marker is appropriate for ELA.
As long as the construct being measured is not impacted, assistive technology devices, including low-tech assistive technology (colored overlay), are permitted to make notes, including the use of digital graph paper.

Smarter Balanced for Mathematics

During administration of the Smarter Balanced for Mathematics, students may have access to and use of these additional required resources for CAT items:

Headphones are required for students requiring text-to-speech and for students requiring audio glossaries.
An embedded calculator is available for some mathematics items in grades six and above. A non-embedded calculator may only be used by students with a documented accommodation in an IEP or Section 504 plan per guidance provided in the Smarter Balanced Usability, Accessibility, and Accommodations Guidelines and can only be used during the calculator-allowed section of the mathematic assessment. The non-embedded calculator should have no internet or wireless connectivity, and all security procedures need to be followed.
Scratch paper is required for all grade levels.
Plain graph paper—no coordinate plane or other graphics—or a whiteboard with a marker may be used by a student in any grade level but is required beginning in grade six for students taking a mathematics assessment.
As long as the construct being measured is not impacted, assistive technology devices, including low-tech assistive technology (Math Window), are permitted to make notes, including the use of digital graph paper.

CAST

During administration of the CAST, students may have access to and use of the following additional required resources:

Headphones are recommended, but not required, for all students. They are required for students requiring text-to-speech, audio glossaries, or both.
An embedded calculator will be available for all items—students in grade five will use a four-function calculator; and students in grade eight, ten, eleven, or twelve will use a scientific calculator. A student who is unable to use the embedded calculator or requires a special calculator, such as a braille calculator or a talking calculator, can use a non-embedded calculator as an assigned designated support. The non-embedded calculator should have no internet or wireless connectivity, and all security procedures need to be followed.
Scratch paper (plain, lined, or graph) that is blank on both sides or a whiteboard with a marker is required for students in all grade levels who want to use scratch paper.
As long as the construct being measured is not impacted, assistive technology devices, including low-tech assistive technology (Math Window), are permitted to make notes, including the use of digital graph paper.

CAAs for ELA, Mathematics, and Science

During administration of the CAAs, students may have access to and use of the following additional required resources:

While headphones are permissible, the CAAs are administered one-on-one; it is recommended that the audio component for the CAAs for ELA and mathematics be played on the device’s or external speakers so that the TE may listen along with the student. No items on the CAA for Science have audio components.
Graph paper can be used on all mathematics and science assessments.
Only plain, unlined paper, lined paper, or a whiteboard with a marker can be used on all ELA and science assessments.

CSA

During administration of the CSA, students may have access to and use of the following additional required resources:

Headphones are required for the listening items of the assessment and for students requiring text-to-speech.
Headsets with microphones are recommended for the speaking items of the assessment.
Students taking the CSA who have been assigned the text-to-speech embedded designated support or accommodation must have a Spanish voice pack installed.
Scratch paper or a whiteboard with a marker should be provided for notetaking if necessary. Only plain, unlined paper or lined paper is appropriate.
As long as the construct being measured is not impacted, assistive technology devices, including low-tech assistive technology (colored overlay), are permitted to make notes.