FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION
Gerard Robinson Commissioner of Education
KATHLEEN SHANAHAN, Chair
,
ROBERTO MARTÍNEZ Vice Chair
Members SALLY BRADSHAW GARY CHARTRAND DR. AKSHAY DESAI BARBARA S. FEINGOLD JOHN R. PADGET
MEMORANDUM
Contact Information CBT Certification Coordinator (850) 245-3250
[email protected] DPS: 2012-121
TO:
District School Superintendents
FROM:
Pam Stewart
DATE:
August 3, 2012
SUBJECT:
Computer-Based Testing Certification Guidelines for 2012-2013
I want to thank you for your critical role in ensuring that your schools achieved 100 percent Computer-Based Testing (CBT) readiness for the 2011-12 school year. Approximately 1.3 million computer-based student assessments were administered throughout the state, and I appreciate the efforts of you and your district staff who contributed to this success. The purpose of this memorandum is to provide information and resources regarding the Computer-Based Assessments Certification process and tool that will be implemented in 2012-2013 school year. This year, the Computer-Based Testing Certification tool will be completed for the following two assessment periods: Fall/Winter Certification: o FCAT Mathematics Retakes o FCAT 2.0 Reading Retakes o Algebra 1 EOC Assessment o Biology 1 EOC Assessment o Geometry EOC Assessment
PAM STEWART
CHANCELLOR OF PUBLIC SCHOOLS
325 W. GAINES STREET • TALLAHASSEE, FL 32399-0400 • (850) 245-0505 • www.fldoe.org
Computer-Based Testing Certification Guidelines for 2012-2013 August 3, 2012 Page 2
Spring Certification: o FCAT Mathematics Retakes o FCAT 2.0 Reading Retakes o FCAT 2.0 Grades 6,7,9, and 10 Reading o FCAT 2.0 Grade 5 Mathematics o U.S. History EOC Assessment o Algebra 1 EOC Assessment o Biology 1 EOC Assessment o Geometry 1 EOC Assessment o Civics EOC Field Test in selected schools
The certification tool will open on August 27, 2012, for the Fall/Winter Certification process. The tool will remain open for four weeks, and each district must submit school certifications of CBT readiness to the Florida Department of Education no later than September 21, 2012. The Department will then review the certifications prior to the first day of the fall/winter assessment window (October 8, 2012). As schools complete their certification tasks, you may advise them to complete the checklist portion of the tool closer to the deadline, which will ensure that your district has the most current and accurate information to evaluate CBT readiness. The timelines for the spring certification will be announced in the near future. The Infrastructure Trial will continue to be conducted at the local level on a timeline established by each district (not the Department). All schools that will participate in a CBT administration(s) must complete a trial. Since all elementary schools will be administering FCAT 2.0 Grade 5 Mathematics in the spring, it is especially important for elementary schools to participate in a trial to alert districts to any CBT readiness issues. Login Process: The website to log in to the certification tool is: https://app1.fldoe.org/CBT/CertificationTool. The district username is your two-digit district number (add “0” for 1-9) followed by four zeroes with no spaces (e.g., 010000). The first time you log in, your password will be the same as your username (two-digit district number and four zeroes), and then you will be prompted to change it. There will be one district-level login to be shared by all district staff who will access the tool. Please forward this information to your district assessment coordinator (or other designated contact) who will open the tool for school staff. For school logins, the username is the two-digit district number followed by the four-digit school number (e.g., 010112). The initial password is the same as the username and must be changed on the first login. The quality and proven stability of Pearson’s TestNav 6.9 testing software provided an optimal assessment experience for Florida students last year, and Florida will continue to use this testing software for the 2012-2013 school year.
Computer-Based Testing Certification Guidelines for 2012-2013 August 3, 2012 Page 3
The district-nominated CBT Advisory Committee will again serve as a support group to provide feedback on all aspects of CBT, meeting monthly via conference call with the Department’s CBT Communications Team. Attached please find the minimum technology specifications for computer-based testing and a chart that describes the transition to CBT over a five-year period. The Guide to the 2012-2013 Computer-Based Assessments Certification Tool, including screenshots of the tool, will be provided soon. Thank you for your support of computer-based testing. If you or your staff have questions, please contact
[email protected]. PS/bme Attachments
2012–2013 Computer-Based Testing System Minimum Specifications General Specifications (Windows/PC and Apple/Macintosh) Each computer must meet or exceed the following General Specifications in addition to the applicable Operating System Specifications below: 500 MB available disk space 1024x768 screen resolution Keyboard and mouse (or other pointing device) High-speed internet connection
Operating System Specifications Windows/PC
Apple/Macintosh
Windows XP (Service Pack 3) Pentium III 733 MHz processor 512 MB RAM
Windows Vista (Service Pack 1) Pentium III 1 GHz processor 1 GB RAM
Windows 7
Mac OS X 10.4 G3, G4, G5 500 MHz processor 512 MB RAM
Mac OS X 10.5 Intel, G4, G5 867 MHz processor 512 MB RAM
Mac OS X 10.6 Intel processor 1 GB RAM
Pentium III 1 GHz processor 1 GB RAM Mac OS X 10.7 Intel processor 1 GB RAM
Additional Specifications for TestHear (Accommodated Forms) TestHear will operate on Windows PC workstations and on Macintosh workstations that have Mac OS 10.5 or later installed and are running Windows (e.g., via Boot Camp). TestHear will not work on Mac OS X 10.4 or on Macs that cannot also run Windows. For students requiring the screen reader, the computer must be equipped with an audio card and headphones. Updated 11/18/2011
x x
x
For an optimal student experience, any computer that takes a noticeably long period of time (e.g., more than 10 seconds) to start and run applications, even computers which meet the requirements above, should not be used for high-stakes computer-based testing, if possible. The testing platform does not permit access to other applications during testing. This means that any applications that may automatically launch during testing will interrupt the student’s testing session, logging the student out of the test. Applications such as antivirus updates, power management software (laptops), screen savers, and email with automatic message notifications should be configured so they do not launch during test sessions Even though the specifications state that each computer must have a mouse, touchpads are permitted for students who are comfortable using them.
This paragraph describes information that users with screen readers may not be able to access in the table below. Grades and subjects which are optional by school in computer-based testing (C B T) or paper-based testing (P B T) are as follows: 2010-11 Spring FCAT Reading Retake; 2011-12 Fall and Spring FCAT Reading Retakes. Full C B T administration, except for accommodations, are as follows: 2010-11 Grade 10 FCAT Math and Spring FCAT Math Retake; 2011-12 and 2012-13 Fall and Spring FCAT Math Retakes; FCAT 2.0 Grades 7 and 10 Reading and Fall and Spring Reading Retake beginning 2011-12. FCAT 2.0 Grades 7 and 9 Reading and Grade 5 Math beginning 2012-13; FCAT 2.0 Grade 8 Reading and Grade 6 Math in 2013-14. All End-ofCourse assessments for all years indicated. All Common Core Assessments for all years indicated. For 2010-11, 2011-12, and 2012-13, the following PERT assessments: Elementary Algebra, Intermediate Algebra, College Algebra, Developmental Reading, Developmental Writing, and Freshman Composition.
Transition to Next Generation and Computer-Based Tests in Florida Computer-Based Tests: Grades and subjects which are optional by school in CBT or PBT are shown in bold, italic; full CBT administrations except for accommodations are shown in green, bold, italic, underlined.
FCAT
FCAT 2.0
End-of-Course
Common Core Assessments PARCC
2010-11 Science (5, 8, 11) Writing (4, 8, 10) Reading Retakes (fall, spring) Mathematics (10) Mathematics Retakes (fall, spring) Reading (3-10) (B) Mathematics (3-8) (B) Science (5, 8) (FT; embedded in FCAT)
Algebra 1 (B) Geometry (FT; sampled high schools) Biology 1 (FT; sampled high schools)
2011-12 Writing (4, 8, 10) Reading Retakes (fall, spring) Mathematics Retakes (fall, spring)
2012-13 Mathematics Retakes (fall, spring)
2013-14
Reading (3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10) (SS) Reading Retake (fall, spring) Mathematics (3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8) (SS) Science (5, 8) (B)
Reading (3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10) Reading Retake (fall, spring) Mathematics (3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8) Science (5, 8) (SS) Writing (4, 8, 10) Algebra 1 Geometry (SS) Biology 1 (SS) US History (B) Civics (FT; sampled middle schools)
Reading (3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10) Reading Retake (fall, spring) Mathematics (3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8) Science (5, 8) Writing (4, 8, 10) Algebra 1 Geometry Biology 1 US History (SS) Civics (B)
Reading Retake (fall, spring) Science (5, 8)
English/Lang Arts (311) (FT; sampled schools) Mathematics (3-8) (FT; sampled schools) HS Math EOCs (3 subjects TBD) (FT; sampled schools)
English/Lang Arts (311) (B) Mathematics (3-8) (B) HS Math EOCs (3 subjects TBD) (B)
Algebra 1 (SS) Geometry (B) Biology 1 (B) US History (FT; sampled high schools)
Design and development funded by RTTT Assessment Grant; In conjunction with 23 other states.
Florida Department of Education/ARM
2014-15
Biology 1 US History Civics (SS)
Updated: July 22, 2011
