Parapro Assessment Information Bulletin 2014-2015
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ParaPro Assessment Information Bulletin www.ets.org/parapro 2014–2015 1 CONTENTS ParaPro at a Glance . 3 On Test Day . 8–11 Registration . 3 Identification (ID) Requirements . 8–9 Test Takers with Disabilities Testing Outside Your Country of Citizenship . 9 and Health-Related Needs . 3 Test Center Procedures and Regulations . 9–11 Test Preparation Material . 3 On Test Day . 9 On Test Day . 3 During the Assessment . 10 Dismissal From a Test Center . 10 About the ParaPro Assessment. 4 Registering a Complaint . 11 How the Assessment Was Developed . 4 Establishing Qualifying (Passing) Scores . 4 Scores & Score Reports . 11–12 Reporting Your Test Scores . 11 Contact Information . 5 Questions That Do Not Count Toward Your Score . 11 General Inquiries . 5 Scoring Services . 11 Disability Services . 5 Additional Score Reports (ASRs) . 11 Test Center Complaints . 5 Cancellation of Scores by ETS . 12 Test Question Inquiries . 5 Confidentiality of Information . 12 Test Preparation Resources . 5 Test Takers’ Performance Data . 12 File Corrections . 5 Additional Score Reports . 5 Forms 13–24 Certification of Documentation (PLNE) . 13 Registration Information . 6–8 Eligibility Form (PLNE) . 14 Fees for Tests and Related Services . 6 Registration Form . 15–18 Test Fee . 6 Testing Accommodations Request Form . 19–24 Special Services . 6 ETS Preferred Forms of Payment . 6 Lists . 25–48 Other Payment Policies . 6 Recipient Codes . 25–47 Registration Options . 6 Citizenship & Country or Region Codes . 48 Standard Computer-Delivered Testing . 6 Abbreviations . 48 If Your Primary Language Is Not English (PLNE) . 6 Test Takers With Disabilities and Passing Scores. 49 Health-Related Needs . 7 How to Request Accommodations For a Disability or Health-Related Need . 7 Using Previously Approved Accommodations . 8 File Corrections . 8 Test Retake Policy . 8 The policies and procedures explained in this Bulletin are effective only for the Copyright © 2014 by Educational Testing Service. All rights reserved. ETS, 2014–15 testing year (August 1, 2014 through July 31, 2015) and supersede the ETS logo, LISTENING. LEARNING. LEADING., PRAXIS, and THE PRAXIS previous policies and procedures. The fees, terms and conditions contained in SERIES are registered trademarks of Educational Testing Service (ETS) in the this Bulletin are subject to change. Educational Testing Service is dedicated to United States and other countries. Other products, services and brand names the principle of equal opportunity, and its programs, services and employment mentioned herein may be registered trademarks of their respective owners. policies are guided by that principle. 2 \ Contents www.ets.org/parapro 2014—15 ParaPro Assessment Bulletin Visit the ParaPro website at PARAPRO AT A GLANCE www.ets.org/parapro for the most up-to-date information. REGISTRATION The ParaPro Assessment is delivered on computer and is administered by appointment in participating school districts, regional offices of education and other agencies. Please be sure to determine if your state uses the ParaPro Assessment to fulfill the No Child Left Behind Act BEFORE scheduling a testing appointment at a test center near you. This assessment is a self-service application which the participating test centers are responsible for maintaining. Test centers that offer the assessment have all the necessary information needed to successfully administer the ParaPro Assessment and troubleshoot technical issues at their location. Candidates interested in the ParaPro assessment should contact their school district’s administrative office to get information regarding testing availability in their area and to schedule an appointment with a test center. No pre-registration is required. Candidates will provide their personal information and test fees at the test center on test day. Please contact the test center directly for payment information. The test fee for the ParaPro Assessment is $50.00; however, some test centers may charge a premium to test at their location. Please review the ParaPro Assessment website http://www ets org/parapro/about for additional information. TEST TAKERS WITH DISABILITIES AND HEALTH-RELATED NEEDS • ETS is committed to serving test takers with disabilities by providing services and reasonable accommodations that are appropriate given the purpose of the test. Testing accommodations are available for test takers with disabilities who meet ETS requirements. If you are requesting testing accommodations, you must send your request by mail through ETS and have your accommodations approved prior to testing. • For information on requesting testing accommodations due to a disability or health-related need, please see “Registration Options” on page 6. • To request a large-print copy of this Bulletin, contact ParaPro Disability Services. See “Disability Services” on page 5. TEST PREPARATION MATERIAL ETS is committed to helping you do your best on the ParaPro assessment by offering a variety of test preparation materials. We offer both free and low-cost test preparation materials including study companions, online tutorials, practice tests, and other resources to help you feel ready and confident on test day. Find your test preparation materials at the ParaPro website at www ets org/parapro/testprep. ON TEST DAY • Arrive on time. If you arrive late, you may not be permitted to test. • Review the section on ID Requirements on pages 8–9 and be certain to take the required documents with you. Without the required ID documents, you will not be permitted to test. • Do not bring your cell phone, smart phone, smart watch, or any other electronic, photographic, scanning, listening, or recording device to the test center. You will not be permitted to test if you have any of these devices in your possession. For other important information regarding the test day, see • ID Requirements (pages 8–9) • Test Center Procedures and Regulations (pages 9–11) • Cancellation of Scores by ETS (page 12) 2014—15 ParaPro Assessment Bulletin www.ets.org/parapro ParaPro at a Glance \ 3 ABOUT THE PARAPRO ASSESSMENT www ets org/parapro/about The ETS ParaPro Assessment was developed in response to the federal Each edition of the test is reviewed for accuracy, fairness and No Child Left Behind Act, which was signed into law by President relevance many times during its development. After the test is Bush in January 2002. Effective January 8, 2002, the law requires that administered, but before scores are released, each question undergoes paraprofessionals serving in an instructional capacity satisfy one of rigorous statistical analysis to confirm that it is accurate, comparable the following: to previous tests and fair to subgroups of test takers. These • An associate of arts degree OR procedures meet and exceed the exacting standards of the professional measurement community and ETS’s own Standards for Quality and • Two years of college OR Fairness. • Demonstrate, through a state or local academic assessment, knowl- The ParaPro Assessment is reviewed and updated on an ongoing edge of, and the ability to assist in, the instruction of reading, basis to confirm that it provides the valid, reliable information states writing, and math and districts need to meet legislative mandates. The choice of test(s) to satisfy the third option is left to the discretion of states and districts. Establishing Qualifying The ParaPro Assessment measures prospective and practicing paraprofessionals’ skills and knowledge in reading, mathematics and (Passing) Scores writing, as well as the ability to apply those skills and knowledge to ETS does not set qualifying (passing) scores for the ParaPro assist in classroom instruction. Assessment. Each agency (state, district, or other institution) The Assessment is available in computer-delivered format only. that elects to use the Assessment for purposes of qualifying Please note: the ParaPro Assessment is administered in English paraprofessionals is responsible for establishing its own qualifying only. (passing) score. ETS offers to work with agencies to conduct passing score studies in accordance with recommended professional practices, as described, for example, in the ETS Standards for Quality and How the Assessment Was Fairness and the Standards for Educational and Psychological Testing, Developed developed jointly by the AERA, APA and NCME. ETS’s agreement The ParaPro Assessment reflects research and professional judgment with agencies using the ParaPro Assessment for purposes of fulfilling 1 the No Child Left Behind Act is that scores from the assessment not and experience of educators across the country. The 2 /2 hour test was developed with the assistance of an advisory committee composed of be the sole criterion for decisions reached by the agency. To view paraprofessionals and teachers who work with paraprofessionals. A a current list of states and school districts that use the ParaPro thorough job analysis was conducted to determine what knowledge Assessment along with their passing scores, please visit: and skills in the areas of reading, writing and mathematics are http://www ets org/parapro/state_requirements/. important for paraprofessionals. 4 \ About the ParaPro Assessment www.ets.org/parapro 2014—15 ParaPro Assessment Bulletin CONTACT INFORMATION GENERAL INQUIRIES Mail: ADDITIONAL SCORE REPORTS ETS—ParaPro Assessment 1-800-772-9476 Phone: Disability Services 1-800-275-1391 (TTY) 1-800-772-9476—U.S., U.S. Territories and PO Box 6054 Monday–Friday Canada Princeton, NJ 08541-6054 8:00 a.m.–7:45