A description of step-by-step procedures is printed within each test booklet and is listed below.

• Read PASA Administrator's Manual
• Get test booklet (A, B, or C) assigned to the student for reading, math, or science
• Thoroughly review test booklet
• Gather/assemble/adapt materials
• Review the student's IEP to determine what method of recording was agreed upon with the parents (videotape or narrative notes)
• Make a schedule for test administration
• find someone to video record or take narrative notes of student performance
• find a location in which to administer the test
• Complete the Supporting Documentation form
• Notify the student's parents of date of test administration
• Help the student become familiar with being recorded or watched by the note-taker
• Tell the student about the test and what he or she can expect on the test day
• Remind the student that the day for the test has arrived

During Test administration:

What follows are:

1. a description of the general procedures that should be followed administering the test, and
2. guidelines for making adaptations to the test to accommodate the needs of individual students.

General Procedures

• Introduce the student and the test

If you are recording a student's performance on video, please capture the following information on video before beginning the test:

• the name of the student (give their full name and nickname, if used)
• the name of the Test Administrator
• the subject matter (reading, math, or science) being assessed
• the grade and difficulty level (A, B, or C) of the test being administered

Present materials

Place the materials used for each test item within the student's reach and visual field and in the order illustrated in the thumbnail sketch in the Test Booklet. Some students select an answer based on location/position, and failure to place the materials in the order specified in the Test Booklet may be judged as a skill modification and result in a lower score.

Use effective communication modes

Provide instructions to the student and obtain responses from the student in the mode of communication that is typically used. Incorporate into the test any assistive technology that the student needs in the same way that assistive technology is used on a regular basis in the classroom as documented in the IEP. It may be useful to "narrate" a student's performance if the student's communication is unclear. Narrating the student's performance means explaining what the student pointed to, said, or signed, to make sure that the scorers can make accurate judgments about the student's performance. For example, it may be helpful to say, "I see that you are raising your hand to say that this is your choice." Or to acknowledge whether a student's response is correct or incorrect by saying, "That's right. You chose the number 12." or "No, it's not that one. Why don't you try again?"

Provide sufficient opportunities to respond

Allow the student time to respond after giving the beginning prompt and before giving a second prompt. This “wait time” can reduce the amount of assistance needed by the student and increase his/her score. Allow the student to answer each of the test items to the best of his/her ability. You can provide all levels and types of assistance normally provided during instruction to encourage the students to make correct responses; however, the level and type of prompting you offer can affect the student's score. Read the next section of this Manual (beginning on page 9) for more information on prompts and their impact on scores.

Encourage partial participation

A student will be given credit for all that he/she is able to accomplish and participate in (even completing the skill using full hand-over-hand assistance).

Present skills in order

Complete all skills in the order specified in the Test Booklet. Rearranging the order of skills can result in scoring errors. Remember that the student will receive a higher score if an item is attempted than if a skill is skipped.

Discontinue the test if…

The Reading, the Math, or the Science test may be discontinued if the student is unable to participate meaningfully in the test regardless of the accommodations and modifications provided. This lack of meaningful participation is demonstrated to the scorers by three consecutive skills in which the student is only passively participating (earning a score of 1). The attempt to complete the skill must be captured on video or narrative notes and must occur within the first four skills of the Reading, the Math, or the Science test. Do not discontinue testing just because three consecutive incorrect responses occur in the middle of the test. When you discontinue the test, the student will earn the lowest performance level (emerging) and scaled score (700) in that subject area, but he/she will be included in theaccountability process.

Motivate the student to perform

During the test, incorporate the same positive behavioral supports that the student requires on a regular basis in classroom instruction. If during the test the student is unable or unwilling to continue and/or the student's behavior is considered unusual, stop the test and reschedule it for another time during the day or on another day. Test sessions may be attempted as many times as necessary in order to capture the student's typical performance, provided that all sessions occur within the designated test window. Do not use the test process to teach the skills being assessed; instead, capture what the student can already do. Erase from the tape all student performances that were aborted or considered "practice sessions," so that scorers will view only performances that are supposed to be scored.

How should the test be submitted for scoring?

After conducting the test, prepare materials for return to the Assessment Coordinator.

Collect materials

If student performance was recorded on video:

1. retrieve the recorded medium from the camera.
• If student performance was recorded on a DVD camera, be certain to FINALIZE the DVD before removing it from the camera. Instructions for finalizing come with the camera. DVDs cannot be played back if this last step is not completed! Indicate the model # and brand on the student's Supporting Documentation form. Failure to finalize a DVD or to identify the recording device may result in our inability to score the student's performance.
2. check to ensure that all of the test skills have been recorded in their entirety and that prompts, responses, and materials can be seen and/or heard.
3. if submitting a videotape, rewind so it is ready for viewing.
4. affix the preprinted student label in a way that will not affect playback of the medium. Please do not put labels on disks. Write the Student ID # on the disk with a marker and put a label on the case.
5. if more than one video was required to capture the student's performance, create a label and affix it to the second video (or DVD or cassette). Provide the same information that is on the preprinted label (student's name, student identification number, and the name of the service provider). Write 1 of 2 on the first label and 2 of 2 on the second label.

If student performance was recorded with narrative notes:

1. have the notes typed or rewritten clearly,
2. affix the preprinted student label to the first page of the narrative notes,
3. verify that there are notes for both the Reading and Math tests or for the Science test, and that the content area is clearly indicated, and
4. staple together all the narrative notes.

Return materials

Return all used and unused test documents to the Assessment Coordinator. Follow the instructions on the test kits regarding the return of test kit materials. Check that, for each student, two pieces of test information have been affixed with a preprinted student label and placed in the plastic bag provided:

1. the medium or the narrative notes
2. the completed Supporting Documentation form

Affix the third preprinted student label to the plastic bag and return it to the Assessment Coordinator along with all other PASA documents.