Test Config: Creating a District or State Test

  • Updated

Follow the steps in this article to create a new district or state test. Make sure that:

  • you have role permissions to add and publish tests, and
  • a form has already been created (note the name of the Form so you can use it later).

Workflow: Create a New Test → Publish Test → Create New Practice Test or Administration.

Pay special attention to the names you give to each of these pieces. There may be subtle differences among them.

Create a New Test

The first step is to create a new test using an existing form. Similar to how the form is the package holding the content (Instructions, sections, and items), the test is the package holding the forms.  

The test configuration defines:

  • which forms are used (using accommodation rules or spiraled)
  • connection information to OSCAR

The settings and overrides define:

  • Test type (dynamic - deliveries, practice - practice tests and scheduled - administrations)
  • Secure Access for Kiosk settings (requiring the lockdown browser) 
  • Access Window – determines when the test is available as a Delivery, Practice Test or Administration
  • TTS enabled or disabled for Practice Tests
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To create a test:

  1. Go to Test Management > Tests.
  2. Click the Create New button.
  3. Complete Test Config (step 1), then click the Next button.
    • Test Name – Follow your naming convention.
    • Test Display Name – Optionally, enter a test display name for students.
    • Status – Active, Inactive, or Retired.
    • Details – Optional.
    • Grade – Optional.
    • Subject – Optional.
    • Student Accommodation Profile – Select the accommodation profile to use on the test. Select the "Do not use" option if accommodations are not used on the test. See Accommodations (Client Settings & Assigning).
    • Test Platform – QTI or Learnosity
    • Bank – Choose bank containing the Forms for this test.
    • Battery – Select a battery if the test is a battery test. See Client Settings: Battery.
    • Battery Unit – Select a battery unit.
    • Form(s)
      • Spiral – Choose the Form(s) from the dropdown, clicking the Add button after each Form is selected from the dropdown. Select "Spiral Forms based on Percentage of Population" checkbox to apply a percentage to each form; for example, 75% for the first form and 25% for the second.
      • Accommodation – Select if you are delivering specific forms based on student accommodations (only available if an accommodation profile is selected in step 3 above). Choose the accommodation type, and then choose the form for that accommodation. Select the "Don't Deliver To" checkbox to prevent the test from being delivered to users that match this accommodation. For Language accommodation forms, you can specify an Alternate Test Name so that students will see the test name in the language used on the form. For example, the test name will appear to students in English for the English form and Spanish for students assigned the Spanish form.  
    • Test Prerequisite – Select the tests and condition (any or all) for this test. Enter a message that students will see if they have not taken the prerequisite tests.
    • Human Scoring Settings
      • Show Human Score Pending – When selected, the progress report will show the human score pending count for submitted sessions.
      • OSCAR Field – If you are configuring scoring to be performed by OSCAR, then the corresponding OSCAR fields need to be configured. Discuss configuration with ADAM support.
      • OSCAR Item Filter
      • Select Human Scoreable Item
      • Allow Teacher to Grade Tests
    • Miscellaneous Settings 
      • Student Form Selection – Select to allow students to choose the form to administer.
      • Disable Manual Submit of Test Sessions – Proctors will not be able to manually submit student sessions.
      • Allow Training Administrations – This test can be made available for training administrations.
      • Disable Auto Submit – Student test sessions will not be automatically submitted.
      • Maximum Test Attempts – Students will get limited attempts for tests. Enter the number of attempts allows.
      • Disable Unsubmit Sessions – The proctor will not be able to unsubmit sessions on the Proctor Dashboard.
      • Allow Section Move – Proctors will be able to move students to a new section on the Proctor Dashboard. This checkbox is only available for tests with multiple sections (and that are not computer-adaptive tests).
      • Admin Code – An Admin Code is required for TestNav tests.
      • Prevent Teacher Assignment – Assumes test is published to schools.
  4. Complete Settings and Overrides (step 2), and then click the Next button.
    • Test Types – This setting determines if this Test is visible for each of the Test Types.  One or all of the test types can be selected:
      • Dynamic – Allows this test to be used when creating Deliveries.
      • Practice – Allows this test to be used when creating Practice Tests.
      • Scheduled – Allows this test to be used when creating Administrations.
    • Kiosk Only 
      • Set a default value that can be changed when creating the PT, ADMIN, or DELIVERY (Allow).
      • Set here and do not allow changes when creating the PT, ADMIN, or DELIVERY (Lock).
      • Do not set a value here and defer to when creating the PT, ADMIN, or DELIVERY (Defer).
    • Access Window – Same as the Kiosk options above.
    • Auto-Enable TTS – Select this option if you want TTS enabled for the Practice Test. If you want a practice test with TTS and a practice test without TTS, you will need to create two tests (Allow).
    • Reporting Thresholds – Select from the dropdown list to enable thresholds to enhance reporting visibility in QTI Class List.
  5. Complete Program Settings (step 3), and then click the Next button. See Program Configuration for more information.
    • Program – Select a program to make the Performance Report available for this test.
    • Testing Window – Select a test window.
    • Grade – Select a grade for the test.
    • Content Area – Select a content area, such as ELA or Math.
    • Review Reports – Select this checkbox to place all reports for the test under review. Users with permission can review the test reports, and then clear the checkbox here or on the Program Configuration > Test Edit tab to make the reports available to other users.
    • Review the performance objectives at the bottom of the page. In some cases, you can override the default settings from the program (such as the cut scores for Performance Level).
  6. Confirm your choices on the Review (step 4) page, and then click the Submit button.

Publish the Test

The second step is to publish the test. You must publish a test before it becomes available for creating Practice Tests or Administrations. Publishing allows you to control which tests are available based on the user’s Org Scope when they create Practice Tests or Administrations.

Changes to which orgs a test is published to only affect the Test dropdown when creating new Practice Tests or Administrations. Changes do not change a user’s access to existing Practice Tests or Administrations.

This step is critical when users at the District or School level are given permission to create Administrations for their students to take.  A teacher at School A can only create Administrations using Tests that are published to their school.

To publish the test:

  1. Go to Test Publishing > Orgs to Test. This option lets you choose a test and assign the organization to the test. The other option (Test to Orgs) lets you choose the organization and assign the test to the organization.
  2. Search for the test and click the edit icon on the test row.
  3. Search for the Organizations that should see this test when creating Deliveries, Practice Tests, or Administrations and select the checkbox in the Actions column.
  4. Click the Submit button. After the test has been published, it can be used to create Practice Tests, Administrations, and Deliveries.

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