THE UNIVERSITY OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK

Regents of The University

Robert M. Bennett, Chancellor, B.A., M.S. ............................................................................ Tonawanda

Adelaide L. Sanford, Vice Chancellor, B.A., M.A., P.D. .................................................... Hollis

Diane O’Neill McGivern, B.S.N., M.A., Ph.D. ................................................................... Staten Island

Saul B. Cohen, B.A., M.A., Ph.D............................................................................................... New Rochelle

James C. Dawson, A.A., B.A., M.S., Ph.D. .............................................................................. Peru

Anthony S. Bottar, B.A., J.D. .................................................................................................. North Syracuse

Merryl H. Tisch, B.A., M.A. ....................................................................................................... New York

Geraldine D. Chapey, B.A., M.A., Ed.D................................................................................. Belle Harbor

Arnold B. Gardner, B.A., LL.B................................................................................................ Buffalo

Harry Phillips, 3rd, B.A., M.S.F.S. .......................................................................................... Hartsdale

Joseph E. Bowman, Jr., B.A., M.L.S., M.A., M.Ed., Ed.D...................................................... Albany

Lorraine A. CortÉs-VÁzquez, B.A., M.P.A......................................................................... Bronx

James R. Tallon, jr., B.A., M.A. ............................................................................................... Binghamton

Milton L. Cofield, B.S., M.B.A., Ph.D. .................................................................................. Rochester

John Brademas, B.A., Ph.D. ...................................................................................................... New York

President of The University and Commissioner of Education

Richard P. Mills

Chief of Staff

Counsel and Deputy Commissioner for Legal Affairs

Kathy A. Ahearn

Chief Operating Officer
Deputy Commissioner for the Office of Management Services
Theresa E. Savo

Deputy Commissioner for Elementary, Middle, Secondary and Continuing Education

James A. Kadamus

Assistant Commissioner for Standards, Assessment and Reporting

David Abrams

The State Education Department does not discriminate on the basis of age, color, religion, creed, disability, marital status, veteran status, national origin, race, gender, genetic predisposition or carrier status, or sexual orientation in its educational programs, services and activities. Portions of this publication can be made available in a variety of formats, including braille, large print or audio tape, upon request. Inquiries concerning this policy of nondiscrimination should be directed to the Department’s Office for Diversity, Ethics, and Access, Room 530, Education Building, Albany, NY 12234. Requests for additional copies of this publication may be made by contacting the Publications Sales Desk, Room 309, Education Building, Albany, NY 12234.

Contents

General Features of the Grade 8 Intermediate-Level Social Studies Test....................................... 1

Information for School Administrators................................................................................................ 2

General Information................................................................................................................................ 2

Administration Schedule......................................................................................................................... 2

Students To Be Tested........................................................................................................................... 2

Testing Accommodations ....................................................................................................................... 3

Security of the Test................................................................................................................................. 4

Administration of the Test....................................................................................................................... 5

Scoring the Test..................................................................................................................................... 5

Determining the Student’s Final Test Score............................................................................................. 5

Determining the Need for Academic Intervention Services....................................................................... 6

Recording Test Scores and Storing Student Answer Papers.................................................................... 6

Reporting Test Results to the Department ............................................................................................... 6

Review of Answer Papers by Students and Parents................................................................................. 6

General Test Administration Procedures............................................................................................ 7

Test Materials........................................................................................................................................ 7

Special Considerations for Assuring Optimal Student Performance.......................................................... 7

Test Administration Time........................................................................................................................ 8

Preparations for Testing.......................................................................................................................... 8

Emergency Evacuation of a School Building............................................................................................ 8

Student Cheating.................................................................................................................................... 9

Administering the Test....................................................................................................................... 10

Detailed Directions for Administering Booklet 1.................................................................................... 10

Detailed Directions for Administering Booklet 2.................................................................................... 12

Scoring the Test.................................................................................................................................. 15

Scoring Booklet 1 Answers.................................................................................................................. 15

Rating Booklet 2 Answers.................................................................................................................... 16

Organizing the Rating and Recording Process........................................................................................ 17

Detailed Directions for Training Raters.................................................................................................. 17

Suggested Rating Procedure................................................................................................................. 17

Method for Determining the Score for the Part III B Essay.................................................................... 20

Entering Scores on the Part III B Record Sheet..................................................................................... 20

Determining the Student’s Final Test Score........................................................................................... 21

Appendix I: Generic Scoring Rubric—Social Studies Document-Based Question............................... 22

Appendix II: Essay Rating Sheet............................................................................................................ 23

Appendix III: Part III B Record Sheet.................................................................................................... 25

Appendix IV: Class Record Sheet........................................................................................................... 27

Appendix V: Examination Storage Certificate........................................................................................ 29

Appendix VI: Deputy and Proctor Certificate......................................................................................... 31

Appendix VII: Instructions to Nonpublic Schools................................................................................... 33

Appendix VIII: Class Roster for Nonpublic Schools.............................................................................. 35

Information for School Administrators

General Information

For questions about general administration procedures for this test, contact the Office of State Assessment at 518-474-5902. For information about the rating of the Grade 8 Intermediate-Level Social Studies Test, contact JoAnn Larson or Lawrence Paska in the Office of Curriculum, Instruction, and Instructional Technology at 518-474-5922 or Gary Warren, Donna Merlau, or Greg Wilsey in the Office of State Assessment at 518-474-3860.

All school personnel who will be involved in the administration and scoring of this test must have a copy of this manual, which may be photocopied.

Administration Schedule

Schools must administer the New York State Grade 8 Intermediate-Level Social Studies Test between June 1 and June 2, 2005. Schools must administer Booklet 1 and Booklet 2 in two separate sessions, which they may schedule on separate days or on the same day. Students who are absent for one or both parts of the test must complete the test within the period from June 3 to June 7.

Students To Be Tested

General Education Students

Except as noted below, all public school students in Grade 8 and all ungraded students who are age-equivalent to students in Grade 8 must take the Grade 8 Intermediate-Level Social Studies Test. Students retained in Grade 8 must retake the test. Nonpublic schools are strongly encouraged to administer State assessments.

Limited-English-Proficient (LEP) Students

All LEP students are required to participate in the Grade 8 Intermediate-Level Social Studies Test. LEP students may take the test either in an alternative language or in English, whichever would be better for the student. LEP students may also use both an English and an alternative language edition of the test simultaneously. Alternative language editions of the Grade 8 Intermediate-Level Studies Test are provided in Chinese, Haitian Creole, and Spanish. The test may be translated orally into other languages for those LEP students whose first language is one for which a written translation is not available from the Department. Schools are permitted to offer LEP students specific testing accommodations when taking this test (see page 4).

Students with Disabilities

The Committee on Special Education (CSE) must decide for each student with a disability, on a case-by-case basis, whether the student will be participating in the Grade 8 Intermediate-Level Social Studies Test or will not be participating in this assessment because the student will be participating in the New York State Alternate Assessment for students with severe disabilities (NYSAA) or in a locally selected assessment. The CSE’s decision must be documented on the student’s Individualized Education Program (IEP). The criteria that the CSE must use to determine a student’s eligibility to participate in the NYSAA are available at the web site: http://www.vesid.nysed.gov/specialed/alterassessment/alterassess.htm. Eligible students will participate in the NYSAA during the school years in which they reach
the appropriate ages. (See http://www.emsc.nysed.gov/irts/nysaa/irs198-2005.htm.) Information on the eligibility criteria for students with disabilities for a locally selected assessment is
available in the memorandum entitled Supplemental Guidelines for Participation of Students with Disabilities in State Assessments: Locally Selected Assessments. This memorandum is available at the web site: http://www.vesid.nysed.gov/specialed/publications/policy/participate.htm.

When determining which students will be participating in those tests, be sure to consider those students who attend programs operated by the Board of Cooperative Educational Services (BOCES) as well as any other programs located outside the school.

Testing Accommodations

Students Who Incur Disabilities Shortly Before Test Administration

Principals may modify testing procedures for general education students who incur an injury (e.g., a broken arm) or experience the onset of a short- or long-term disability (e.g., epilepsy) sustained or diagnosed within 30 days prior to the administration of the Grade 8 Intermediate-Level Social Studies Test. In such cases, when sufficient time is not available for the development of an IEP or a Section 504 Accommodation Plan (504 Plan), principals may authorize certain accommodations that will not significantly change the skills being tested. These accommodations are limited to:

· extending the time limit for a test,

· administering the test in a special location,

· recording the student’s answers in any manner, and

· reading the test to the student (only for students whose vision is impaired).

Eligibility for such accommodations is based on the principal’s professional discretion, but the principal may confer with members of the CSE or with other school personnel in making such a determination. Pursuant to Section 100.3 of the Regulations of the Commissioner of Education, building principals are responsible for administering State assessments and for maintaining the integrity of test content and programs in accordance with directions and procedures established by the Commissioner of Education.

Prior permission need not be obtained from the Department to authorize testing accommodations for general education students. However, a full written report concerning each authorization must be sent to the Office of State Assessment via fax to 518-402-5596. The report must be on school letterhead, must be signed by the principal, and must include the following information:

· the name of the student,

· the title of the test,

· a brief description of the student’s injury or disability, and

· a listing of the accommodations that were authorized by the principal.

If the student is expected to continue to need testing accommodations, the principal must immediately make the appropriate referral for the development of an IEP or 504 Plan.

Students with Disabilities

All students with disabilities must be provided full access to the Grade 8 Intermediate-Level Social Studies Test to the extent that such testing is consistent with their individual needs. Students identified by the CSE of the district as having a disability should be allowed to use the testing accommodations specified in their IEP. Students who have been declassified may continue to be provided with those testing accommodations recommended by the local CSE at the time of declassification and specified in the student’s declassification IEP.

Plan all necessary arrangements for implementing testing accommodations well in advance of the test date. The principal is responsible for ensuring that students are provided with the testing accommodations specified in their IEP or 504 Plan.

The Department’s Office of Vocational and Educational Services for Individuals with Disabilities (VESID) provides more information on testing accommodations for students with disabilities on its web site: http://www.vesid.nysed.gov/specialed/publications/policy/testaccess/guide.htm. You may contact that office via e-mail to vesidspe@mail.nysed.gov if you have questions on this topic for which you are unable to find answers on the web site.

Limited-English-Proficient (LEP) Students

Schools may provide the following testing accommodations to LEP students:

· Time Extension: Schools may extend the test time for LEP students. Principals may use any reasonable extensions, such as “time and a half” (the required testing time plus one-half of that amount of time), in accordance with their best judgment about the needs of the LEP students. Principals should consult with each student’s classroom teacher in making these determinations.

· Separate Location: Schools are encouraged to provide optimal testing environments and facilities for LEP students. They may administer State tests to LEP students individually or in small groups in a separate location.

· Bilingual Dictionaries and Glossaries: LEP students may use bilingual dictionaries and glossaries when taking this examination. The bilingual dictionaries and glossaries may provide only direct translations of words. Bilingual dictionaries or glossaries that provide definitions or explanations are not permitted.

· Simultaneous Use of English and Alternative Language Editions: LEP students may use both an English and an alternative language edition of the test simultaneously. However, they should be carefully instructed to record all of their responses in only one of the two editions. The alternative language edition used by the student should be so indicated on the student’s answer document.

· Oral Translation for Lower Incidence Languages: Schools may provide LEP students with an oral translation of this examination when there is no translated edition provided by the Department. All translations must be oral, direct translations of the English editions. Written translations are not allowed. No clarifications or explanations may be provided. Translators should receive copies of the English edition of the tests one hour prior to administration. The Department’s Office of Bilingual Education and the Bilingual Education Technical Assistance Centers (BETACs) can assist schools in locating suitable translators.

· Writing Responses in the Native Language: LEP students making use of alternative language editions or of oral translations of this examination may write their responses to the open-ended questions in their native language. Scoring the tests is the responsibility of the school. However, the Department’s Office of Bilingual Education and the BETACs can assist schools in locating persons who can translate the students’ responses into English to facilitate scoring of the answer papers.

Security of the Test

All test booklets, both used and unused, all scoring keys and rating guides, and all student answer papers must be considered secure during the entire test administration period designated by the Department. The package containing the scoring materials must not be opened until after Booklet 1 has been administered. Scoring materials for Booklet 2 must be kept secure until that part of the

test has been administered. Caution scorers not to discuss the test content and scoring rubrics except during scoring sessions. Once the Department-designated test administration period including make-up days has ended, the test materials are no longer secure.

A new form of the test will be provided for use each spring. The test booklets, scoring keys, and rating guides will be enclosed in sealed packages, which must be placed in a secure location as soon as they arrive in the school. The sealed packages must not be opened until the Booklet 1 and Booklet 2 administration dates, and then just early enough to permit the distribution of materials prior to the starting time of the test.

After the Department-designated test administration period has ended, schools may retain any unused test booklets for later use in their instructional programs. Also, teachers may keep the unused test booklets on file for use in discussions with students about their test performance. In addition, teachers and administrators are authorized to make photocopies of these materials for use within their own school buildings following the conclusion of the testing period.

This Manual for Administrators and Teachers is not secure; copies of this publication should be distributed to teachers in advance of the administration date(s) so they may familiarize themselves with the procedures for administering the test. Since this manual is not secure, schools may make photocopies of this publication if necessary.

Administration of the Test

If the Grade 8 Intermediate-Level Social Studies Test is to provide an accurate measure of student achievement in social studies, both students and teachers should be properly prepared for its administration. This manual provides recommendations for preparing students to take the test. School personnel who administer the test must be familiar with the test materials and directions for administration provided in this manual.

Scoring the Test

It is the school’s responsibility to make the necessary arrangements for scoring the test. Nonpublic schools must use the answer sheet for Part I provided by the Department. (See instructions for nonpublic schools in Appendix VII.) Public schools may also use this answer sheet, or they may use an answer sheet of their choosing, such as one developed by their large city school district or Regional Information Center (RIC). The answer sheets provided by the Department may be either hand scored or machine scored. The Department provides a scoring key for hand scoring the answer sheet. Only equipment that can score NCS test materials can be used to machine score these answer sheets. The answer sheet contains fields for recording scores for the Part II constructed-response questions and the Part III document-based question.

Determining the Student’s Final Test Score

A chart for converting the student’s total-test raw score to a scaled score will be provided on the Department’s web site at: http://www.emsc.nysed.gov/osa. Because the scaled scores corresponding to raw scores in the conversion chart change from one test administration to another, it is crucial that, for each administration, teachers use only the conversion chart provided for that specific administration to determine the student’s final score. Take extreme care in recording the student’s scores on each part of the test and using the conversion chart to obtain the correct scaled score.

Determining the Need for Academic Intervention Services

Section 100.2(ee)(i) of the Regulations of the Commissioner of Education requires schools to provide academic intervention services to students who score below the State-designated performance level on
the State assessment in intermediate-level social studies. All students who achieve a final score in performance levels 1 or 2 (that is, a score below 65) must receive academic intervention services. These services must commence in the September immediately following the administration of the test.

Recording Test Scores and Storing Student Answer Papers

The Department does not keep records of individual student scores on State tests. Therefore, the school must maintain complete and accurate records. A student’s score and the date of administration must be entered on the student’s permanent record. Student answer papers must be retained in the school files for at least one year.

All schools must keep their students’ Booklets 1 and 2 on file in the school for at least one year. In addition, public schools must keep their students’ Part I answer sheets on file for the same period. Nonpublic schools must send their students’ Part I answer sheets to the Department along with the Class Roster in Appendix VIII. Nonpublic schools are advised to make copies of their students’ Part I answer sheets before sending them to the Department. This provides a record of the Part I answers for the school’s use and protects the student data should a package get lost in the mail.

Reporting Test Results to the Department

Public schools are required to submit the Grade 8 Intermediate-Level Social Studies Test data
through the Local Education Agency Program (LEAP) reporting system. For more information
about reporting results, public school administrators should review the LEAP manual found at http://www.emsc.nysed.gov/irts/leap/home.html or contact their LEAP coordinator, their local Regional Information Center (RIC), or their Large City School District Scanning Center.

Nonpublic schools report scores directly to the Department. For more information, nonpublic school administrators should refer to Appendix VII in this manual or contact the Office of Information and Reporting Services at 518-474-7965.

Review of Answer Papers by Students and Parents

Students and parents/guardians of students who have taken the Grade 8 Intermediate-Level Social Studies Test have the right to review student answer papers after the scores have been recorded, as described above. Answer papers should be reviewed in the presence of the principal, or the principal’s designee, to ensure that no changes are made on the answer papers as they are being reviewed. The principal may also use a copy of the student’s answer papers for this purpose.

General Test Administration Procedures

Test Materials

The Department provides the following test materials for administration of the two required student components of the Grade 8 Intermediate-Level Social Studies Test:

For the objective and constructed-response questions:

· Booklet 1 (contains Part I and Part II)

· separate answer sheet (hand scorable and machine scorable on NCS equipment)

· scoring key for the separate answer sheet

· Rating Guide for Booklet 1

For the document-based question:

· Booklet 2 (contains Part III A and Part III B)

· essay answer booklet, in which students are to write their final document-based essay

· Rating Guide for Booklet 2

The school must provide students with No. 2 pencils for the Part I objective questions in Booklet 1 and scrap paper for planning the Part III B essay in Booklet 2. Instruct students to write their names on all scrap paper. Be sure to collect all scrap paper at the conclusion of the test and keep it with the student’s test booklet.

The test is available in large-type and braille editions. Alternative language editions of the test are available in Chinese, Haitian Creole, and Spanish. These are direct translations of the English edition. The directions to students in the alternative language editions are the same as those in the English edition. The Department does not provide separate directions for administering the alternative language editions of the test. Teachers who speak the language should be able to administer the alternative language editions by using a copy of the test in the appropriate language and the directions provided in this manual. If the test is administered by a teacher who does not speak the language, the directions in the alternative language edition should enable students to complete the test by themselves.

The separate answer sheets for the multiple-choice section of the test contain several grids with spaces for recording various types of student identification information. If the answer sheets are to be machine scored, it is essential that the school develop uniform written directions about the completion of these grids and provide these directions to all teachers administering the multiple-choice section of the test. Such directions should be based on careful consideration of the types of student and score information the school needs, as well as on the processing requirements of the scoring center the school is using. Note that the machine-scorable answer sheets the Department provides are scorable only on NCS equipment.

Special Considerations for Assuring Optimal Student Performance

The person in charge of administering the Grade 8 Intermediate-Level Social Studies Test should review and become thoroughly familiar with the directions for administering the test. Since the purpose of the test is to obtain the most accurate estimate possible of a student’s achievement in social studies, it is essential that students be given an opportunity for fair assessment.

Students must not be given help in interpreting the test questions. They should be advised to answer the questions according to their best judgment. However, the teacher should give students all the

assistance required in the mechanics of taking the test, such as filling out the headings on the answer sheet and the answer booklets and understanding where to record the answers.

Test Administration Time

Each of the two sessions of the test requires 1½ hours of testing time. In addition, schools should schedule approximately 15 minutes per session for teachers to give directions to the students and for students to record the student identification information on all test materials. Schools must make arrangements to provide the testing accommodations indicated in the IEP or 504 Plan of students with disabilities. Such accommodations often include extended time.

Preparations for Testing

Arrangements for administering the test should interfere as little as possible with the normal school routine. The test may be administered in the students’ regular classroom or classes may be arranged into smaller or larger groups, at the convenience of the school.

Pay special attention to the following points when making arrangements for the testing sessions:

· The Testing Room. Make sure that the testing room is adequately lit and ventilated and free from noise and other distractions. It should have a chalkboard or a white board. Maps, charts, and blank or completed graphic organizers on the walls and all board work related to social studies should be removed or covered over prior to the administration of the test.

· Orientation of Students. Inform students about the test a few days before the test administration. Make announcements in such a way as to increase the students’ interest in the test and at the same time not cause them to become overly anxious and tense. Notify parents/guardians of the dates of testing.

· Orientation of Teachers. Make sure each teacher who will be administering the test is familiar with the detailed directions for administering the test (pages 10-14 of this manual) prior to the testing date.

· The Test Materials. Assemble sufficient quantities of the nonsecure materials needed to administer the tests, such as pencils and answer documents, at least one day before the test administration.

Do not open the sealed packages of secure test materials until the test administration date, and then just early enough to permit the distribution of materials prior to the scheduled starting time.

Emergency Evacuation of a School Building

Evacuation of a school building during a test may be required because of an emergency, such as a fire alarm or bomb threat. In any situation in which the safety of the students is endangered, the principal has full authority to interrupt the tests immediately. If it is possible, the students should be kept under supervision during the emergency. Then, if work can be resumed, the time for the test should be extended so that the students will be allowed their full time for the test. Following the test, a written report of the circumstances should be sent by mail or fax to the Office of State Assessment.

Student Cheating

Students must not be permitted to obtain information from or give information to other students in any way during the test. If, in the opinion of a proctor, such an attempt has occurred, the students should be warned that any further attempts will result in the termination of their tests. If necessary, the students should be moved to another location. If these steps fail to end attempts to obtain or give information, the principal should be notified immediately and the students’ tests terminated. At the conclusion of the test, all suspected acts of fraud must be reported to the principal.

If, in the judgment of the principal, the student has given aid to or obtained aid from another person during the test, the principal must follow the school’s disciplinary procedure for student cheating and invalidate the student’s test. No score may earned by a student who, in the judgment of the principal, has attempted to obtain aid from or give aid to another student or has otherwise committed fraud during a test.

Administering the Test

Detailed Directions for Administering Booklet 1 (Objective and Constructed-Response Questions)

Make sure that sufficient quantities of all test materials are on hand. The following materials are needed:

For each student:

· Booklet 1

· answer sheet

· scrap paper

· No. 2 pencil

For the teacher:

· “Detailed Directions for Administering Booklet 1” (pages 10-12 of this manual)

· Booklet 1 (for demonstration purposes)

· answer sheet (for demonstration purposes)

· extra answer sheets, scrap paper, and pencils

· instructions for completing the student identification grids on the separate answer sheet
(These instructions will vary according to the answer sheet used by the school.)

After the desks have been cleared of books and papers and when the students are ready to begin, say:

Today you are going to take a test in social studies. I will now give each of you a test booklet. Please leave the test booklet face up on your desk. Do not open the booklet until I tell you to do so.

Distribute one test booklet, face up, to each student. Then say:

I will now give out the answer sheets and scrap paper. Please do not write on the answer sheet until I tell you what to do.

After you have distributed the answer sheets and scrap paper, give directions for marking any machine-readable name or number grids. Then say:

Look at the cover of your test booklet. In the spaces provided, print your name and the name of the school. Print your name on all scrap paper.

After the students have filled in their names and the school name, say:

Read the information on the cover to yourself while I read it aloud.

The test has three parts. Parts I and II are in this booklet. Part III is in Booklet 2.

Part I contains 45 multiple-choice questions. Record your answers to these
questions on the separate answer sheet. Use only a No. 2 pencil on your answer sheet.

Part II consists of several short-answer questions. Write your answers to Part II in this test booklet.

You will have 1½ hours to answer the questions in Booklet 1.

Now, open your test booklet to page 3. Read the directions for Part I to yourself while I read them aloud.

DIRECTIONS

There are 45 questions on Part I of the test. Each question is followed by four choices, numbered 1–4. Read each question carefully. Decide which choice is the correct answer. On the separate answer sheet, mark your answer in the row of circles for each question by filling in the circle that has the same number as the answer you have chosen. Use a pencil to mark the answer sheet.

Read the sample question below.

Sample Question

Which city is the capital of the United States?

(1) Boston

(2) Washington, D.C.

(3) New York City

(4) Philadelphia

The correct answer is Washington, D.C., which is choice number 2. On your answer sheet, look at the box showing the row of answer circles for the sample
question. Since choice number 2 is the correct answer for the sample question, the circle with the number 2 has been filled in.

Answer all the questions on Part I in the same way. Fill in only one circle for each question. Be sure to erase completely any answer you want to change. You may not know the answers to some of the questions, but do the best you can on each one.

When you finish Part I, go on to Part II.

If students do not understand the sample question, the marking of the answer sheet, or the directions for Part II, explain the appropriate directions until everyone knows what to do.

After all questions have been answered, say:

When I tell you to, turn to question 1 and begin work. Answer all the questions in this test booklet. When you are finished, close your test booklet and place it on top of your answer sheet.

Now, turn the page and begin work.

Record the time the test begins. If a clock is not visible to all students, post the starting time on the board. Tell students when there are 30 minutes remaining in the test.

Walk around the room and make sure that all students understand the directions for Part I and are marking their answer sheets correctly. Explain the test-taking procedures again to any student who appears to be having difficulty.

When students are working on Part II, make sure they understand the directions and are writing their answers in the test booklet.

If the test is administered in a regular classroom setting, students should remain quietly at their desks and be allowed to work on other assignments when they finish their tests. You may collect the test materials either as students complete the test or when most of the students have finished. In either case, you must collect all test materials before allowing a student to begin other assignments.

If the test is being administered in a large-group setting, schools may prefer to allow students to hand in their test materials as they finish and then leave the room. If so, take care that students leave the room as quietly as possible so as not to disturb the students who are still working on the test.

Detailed Directions for Administering Booklet 2 (Document-Based Question)

Make sure that sufficient quantities of all test materials are on hand. The following materials are needed:

For each student:

· Booklet 2

· essay answer booklet

· scrap paper

· pen (Students may use pencils to write their final copy if using pens would present problems for them.)

For the teacher:

· “Detailed Directions for Administering Booklet 2” (pages 12-14 of this publication)

· Booklet 2 (for demonstration and reference purposes)

· essay answer booklet and scrap paper (for demonstration purposes)

· extra essay answer booklets, scrap paper, pens, and pencils

After the desks have been cleared of books and papers, distribute the essay answer booklets and the scrap paper.

If students are allowed to use pencils for writing their final copies, modify the directions that follow accordingly. Make any necessary changes before Booklet 2 is administered.

When the students are ready to begin, say:

This is a test of your thinking and writing skills in social studies. On your desk, you should have an essay answer booklet and scrap paper. (show) At the top of your essay answer booklet, check the box for Grade 8 Intermediate-Level Social Studies Test and print your name, the name of the school, and today’s date. You should use a pen to write this information.

After the students have completed the heading on the essay answer booklet, distribute one Booklet 2, face up, to each student. Then say:

Please leave the test booklet face up on your desk. Do not open the booklet until
I tell you to do so.

Then say:

In the spaces provided on the cover of Booklet 2, print your name and the name of the school. Print your name on all scrap paper.

After the students have filled in their names and the school name, say:

Read the information on the cover to yourself while I read it aloud.

The test has three parts. Parts I and II are in Booklet 1. Part III is in this booklet.

Part III is based on several documents.

Part III A contains the documents. Each document is followed by one or more questions. Write your answer to each question in this test booklet in the space provided.

Part III B contains one essay question based on the documents. Write your answer to this question in the separate essay answer booklet, beginning on the first page of the booklet.

You will have 1½ hours to answer the questions in Booklet 2 and write your essay.

If students do not understand the directions for Booklet 2, you may explain the appropriate directions until everyone knows what to do.

After all questions concerning the directions have been answered, say:

When I tell you to, turn to page 3 and begin work. When you are finished, close your test booklet and place it on top of your essay answer booklet.

Now, turn the page and begin work.

Record the time the test begins. If a clock is not visible to all students, post the starting time on the board. Tell students when there are 30 minutes remaining in the test.

Walk around the room and make sure that all students understand the directions about answering the questions and are beginning the test correctly. Explain the test-taking procedures to any student who appears to be having difficulty.

If the test is administered in a regular classroom setting, students should remain quietly at their desks and be allowed to work on other assignments when they finish the test. You may collect the test materials either as students complete the test or when most of the students have finished. In either case, you must collect all test materials before allowing a student to begin other assignments.

If the test is administered in a large-group setting, schools may prefer to allow students to hand in their test materials as they finish and then leave the room. If so, take care that students leave the room as quietly as possible so as not to disturb the students who are still working on the test.

In either situation, collect all test materials (test booklet, essay answer booklet, and scrap paper) from each student before allowing the student to leave the room.

Note: No one, under any circumstances, including the student, may alter the student’s responses on the test once the student has handed in his or her test materials. Teachers and administrators who engage in inappropriate conduct with respect to administering and scoring State examinations may be subject to disciplinary actions in accordance with Sections 3018 and 3020 of Education Law.

Scoring the Test

Any clarifications or changes to the scoring materials for this examination will be posted on the Department’s web site at: http://www.emsc.nysed.gov/osa. Be sure to check this web site before starting your scoring process and several times after the end of the testing period.

Scoring Booklet 1 Answers

The rating materials for Booklet 1 include:

· scoring key for the multiple-choice questions (Part I)

· specific scoring rubrics for the constructed-response questions (Part II)

Scoring Part I (Multiple-Choice Questions)

The student’s score on Part I is the total number of questions that the student answers correctly. A list of correct answers is printed on the scoring key.

The separate answer sheets provided by the Department for Part I may be either machine scored or hand scored.

a. Machine Scoring: The separate answer sheets provided by the Department can be processed only
on NCS scoring equipment. If the school is making arrangements with a scoring center for machine-scoring services, be sure that the scoring center is able to score the type of answer sheets submitted by your school.

b. Hand Scoring: The separate answer sheets can be hand scored using the scoring key printed on translucent paper that is provided with the test. Boxes printed on the key show the correct answers. When the key is aligned properly with the answer sheet, each correct answer will be visible in a box. To hand score the answer sheets, use the following procedures:

1. Scan each answer sheet to make certain that the student has marked only one answer for each question. If two or more answers have been marked, draw a horizontal line with colored pencil (do not use pen) through all of the answer circles, so that no credit will be allowed for that question in scoring.

2. Place the scoring key on the answer sheet so that the box indicating the correct answer for each question corresponds to the row of answer circles for that question.

3. To obtain the total raw score, count the number of correct answers. Record the student’s raw score (total number correct) in the space for Part I provided on the answer sheet. (A box for recording scores also appears at the end of Part I in the student’s test booklet and on the back cover of Booklet 2.)

Rating Part II (Constructed-Response Questions)

The rating guide contains specific rubrics for the Part II constructed-response questions. Follow your school’s procedures for training raters. This process should include:

Introduction to the Constructed-Response Questions

The introduction to the constructed-response questions may take place once the administration of the test has begun. However, you may not remove the actual Booklet 1 Rating Guide from the package of scoring materials for use by raters until the school has finished administering Booklet 1.

· Raters read the questions.

· Raters identify the answers to the questions.

· Raters discuss possible answers and summarize expectations for student responses.

Introduction to the Specific Rubric

The trainer may begin the introduction to the specific constructed-response rubric once the school has finished administering Booklet 1.

· Trainer leads review of the specific rubric for each constructed-response question.

Rating the Constructed-Response Questions

· Each student’s answer to each of the constructed-response questions is scored by one rater.

· The rater records the score for each constructed-response question in the student’s test booklet.

The scoring coordinator is responsible for organizing the movement of papers, calculating a Part II score for each student, and recording that score on the student’s Part I answer sheet and/or in the student’s test booklet at the end of Part II. (A box for recording scores also appears on the back cover of Booklet 2.)

Rating Booklet 2 Answers

The Booklet 2 Rating Guide contains:

· a specific scoring rubric for the document-based question (DBQ) including scaffold (open-ended) questions (Part III A) and the DBQ essay (Part III B),

· prescored anchor papers at each essay score level, with commentary explaining why a particular student paper was awarded that specific score,

· prescored practice papers with scoring commentaries,

· a chart indicating the score ranges for each of four student performance levels, and

· a chart for converting the student’s multiple-choice (Part I), constructed-response (Part II), and DBQ scaffold question (Part III A) scores and total essay (Part III B) score to a final test score.

The reliability of the scores is a fundamental concern in the measurement of the student’s achievement. Therefore, at least two qualified teachers must score each student’s essay. Only one qualified teacher
need score the short-answer, document-based scaffold questions. Qualified raters include teachers of Grades 7–12 social studies and special education teachers who are knowledgeable about the intermediate-level social studies curriculum. Raters should have received some school-level, district-level, and/or regional training on scoring social studies essays and/or scaffold (open-ended) questions before scoring these tests.

It is recommended that schools with a small number of qualified social studies raters form a consortium of teachers to score as a group the answer papers from several schools.

To ensure reliable scoring, the principal of each school administering the Grade 8 Intermediate-Level Social Studies Test must appoint a scoring coordinator who will:

· manage the training and logistics of the scoring process,

· provide task-specific training, including review of the rating guide just prior to scoring, and

· assign two teachers to rate each essay response independently, with a third teacher available to resolve discrepant scores. (A discrepant score is one that varies by more than one point on
a 5‑point rubric.) Only one rater is needed for the scaffold questions. If staffing is sufficient, separate teams of teachers should rate the Part III A scaffold questions and the Part III B essay.

Every effort should be made to avoid having a teacher rate his or her own students’ responses. When this is not possible, a teacher should score no more than one part of his or her students’ papers (i.e., the scaffold questions or the DBQ essay).

Organizing the Rating and Recording Process

Before a school reads and rates its students’ responses, it must set up a procedure for collecting, arranging, and processing the answer papers and for maintaining records of the test results. The school should design a procedure that will produce a reliable score for each student and will facilitate maintenance of the school’s records of each student’s score. (See “Suggested Rating Procedure” below.)

Detailed Directions for Training Raters

In training raters to score student answers for Part III of the test, follow the procedures outlined below:

a. Introduction to the Scaffold Questions and the Essay Task

The trainer may begin the introduction to the scaffold questions and the essay task once administration of the test has begun. However, you may not remove the actual Booklet 2 Rating Guide from the package of scoring materials for use by raters until after the school has finished administering Booklet 2.

1. Raters read each scaffold question and/or the essay task.

2. Raters identify answers to each scaffold question and/or the essay task.

3. Raters discuss possible answers and summarize expectations for student responses.

b. Introduction to the Specific Rubric and Anchor Papers

The trainer may begin the introduction to the specific rubric and anchor papers once your school has finished administering Booklet 2.

1. Trainer leads review of the specific rubric with reference to the essay task.

2. Trainer leads discussion of procedures for assigning holistic scores (i.e., by matching evidence from the response to the content-specific rubric).

3. Trainer leads review of each anchor paper and commentary.

c. Practice Scoring Individually

1. Raters score the practice papers independently without looking at the scores and commentaries provided after the papers.

2. Trainer records scores and leads discussion of scoring criteria until raters feel comfortable enough to move on to actual scoring.

3. If additional practice is required to reach scoring consensus, the trainer may use a sample of student answer papers from the current administration of the test.

Suggested Rating Procedure

The following procedure is recommended for managing the mechanics of the rating process. Appendix II contains a copy of the Essay Rating Sheet and Appendix III contains a copy of the Part III B Record Sheet. You may photocopy as many copies of these sheets as you need, or you may create your own forms.

1. The person assigned as the coordinator of the rating process, or other designated representative(s), will be responsible for coordinating the movement of papers, calculating a final score for each student’s essay, recording that information on the student’s Part I answer sheet or on the last page of Booklet 2, and determining the student’s final score and performance level for the test.

2. Set aside one room as a central location for collecting, sorting, circulating, and storing answer sheets/essay answer booklets and for preparing and maintaining records for these tests.

3. Provide a suitable location for the rating of essays.

4. Allow time to provide training for scoring the specific task for all raters immediately before the rating of the students’ responses (about 2 hours for the essay and about 30-40 minutes per document). It is strongly recommended that teachers be trained on one document and score those responses, then be trained and score the next document’s response(s), etc.

5. Provide adequate time for rating (approximately 3-5 minutes per response for each essay, 1 minute per response for each scaffold question scored 0-2, and ½ minute per response for each scaffold question scored 0-1).

For Part III A:

1. Follow a similar procedure for processing the papers.

2. The short-answer (open-ended) questions need be scored by only one qualified teacher.

3. The scores for each scaffold question may be recorded in the student’s test booklet.

4. Record the total Part III A score in the space provided on the student’s Part I answer sheet. (A box for recording scores also appears on the back cover of Booklet 2.)

For Part III B, continue with these procedures:

Provide at least two qualified teachers to score each essay question. Divide raters into two-person teams. Designate one team member as Rater 1 and the other as Rater 2. After the test has been administered, keep the essay booklets together and shift them between raters.
Arrange the essay answers according to a sequence, using whatever order is most convenient for your school, e.g., class period, alphabetical, or local identification number. Beginning with the first paper in the sequence, enter each student’s name on a copy of the Part III B Record Sheet. (See Appendix III of this manual.)
Divide each group of essays into bundles of 25 papers.

4. Prepare an Essay Rating Sheet for each bundle. (See Appendix II of this manual.) After recording the students’ names on the rating sheet, photocopy the rating sheet. Each rater will need a separate rating sheet for each bundle of essay papers he or she rates. The second rater must not be aware of the score assigned by the first rater.

5. Distribute the bundles of essay papers to the rating teams, making sure that each rating team receives two rating sheets for each bundle of papers. Each rater on a team should rate one of the bundles and record his or her ratings on one of the rating sheets. The two raters should then exchange bundles. The second rater should only record his or her scores on the second rating sheet. No scores or corrections should be indicated on the essay papers.

6. After each team has completed rating a bundle, the team should return those answer papers to the designated central location. Remove the rating sheets completed by each rater from the bundles and enter the scores on the Part III B Record Sheet. Make sure there are two independent ratings for each response.

7. Review the two scores for each student to determine whether or not the student’s scores for the essay are discrepant, i.e., a difference of more than one point between the two scores. If the two scores are not discrepant, enter the resolved score in the appropriate column on the Part III B Record Sheet.

8. Separate the students’ responses with discrepant scores and make another bundle. Prepare a separate rating sheet for those discrepant papers. List the names of the students on a new rating sheet and attach the sheet to the corresponding bundle of student responses. Assign each of these bundles to a rater to obtain a third independent rating of the students’ responses. Make sure that the third rater is not one of the original two raters of that task and that the third rater has undergone the training for scoring that task.

9. After the necessary third ratings have been obtained, remove the rating sheets from the bundles of student responses and determine the resolved scores by using the method for resolving discrepant scores described on the next page. Enter the resolved scores in the appropriate column on the Part III B Record Sheet.

10. Transfer the resolved scores to the space provided on the students’ Part I answer sheets. (A box for recording scores also appears on the back cover of Booklet 2.)

Method for Determining the Score for the Part III B Essay

Two Ratings:

1. Compare the two ratings.

2. If the two ratings agree, the student receives that score.

3. If the two ratings are contiguous, the student receives the average of the two scores. Do not round this score up to a whole number.

4. If the two ratings are not contiguous, obtain a third rating.

Three Ratings:

1. Compare the three ratings.

2. If two of the three ratings agree, the student receives that score.

3. If the three ratings are different, the student receives the middle score.

Examples:

Student’s Name	Rater 1	Rater 2	Rater 3	Resolved Score*	Reason
Student A	2	2	—	2	Two ratings agree. Use that score.
Student B	2	3	—	2.5	Two ratings are contiguous. Use the average of the two scores.
Student C	2	4	4	4	Two ratings are more than one point apart. A third rating is done. Two of the three ratings agree. Use that score.
Student D	2	4	3	3	Two ratings are more than one point apart. A third rating is done. The three ratings differ. Use the middle score.
Student E	0	1	—	0.5	Two ratings are contiguous. Use the average of the two scores.

Entering Scores on the Part III B Record Sheet

The examples below show how students’ scores should be recorded on the Part III B Record Sheet. (See Appendix III of this manual.)

Student’s Name		Rater 1	Rater 2	Rater 3	Resolved Score*
1.	Student A	4	2	3	3
2.	Student B	1	4	2	2
3.	Student C	4	3	—	3.5

* Individual raters may not assign scores ending in .5 to an essay. Such scores are obtained only when two contiguous scores are averaged. Resolved scores must not be rounded up to the next whole number.

Test Date:				Rater’s Name:
Rater Number: 1 2 3 (circle one)
School:				Date:

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Student’s Name	Part I Score	Part II Score	Part III A Score	Total Parts I, II, and III A Scores	Part III B Essay Score	Final Test Score
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General Features of the Grade 8 Intermediate-Level Social Studies Test

Information for School Administrators

Testing Accommodations

Students Who Incur Disabilities Shortly Before Test Administration

Students with Disabilities

Administration of the Test

Sample Question

Scoring the Test

Scoring Booklet 1 Answers

Rating Booklet 2 Answers

Method for Determining the Score for the Part III B Essay

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Entering Scores on the Part III B Record Sheet

Student’s Name

REVISED GRADE 8

Appendix II

Student’s Name

Essay Score

Appendix III

Student’s Name

Appendix IV