No. 40

A. OVERVIEW OF PSAT/NMSQT

The PSAT/NMSQT measures verbal and mathematical reasoning abilities that are important for success in college. Taking the test enables students to practice for the SAT I: Reasoning Test, enter scholarship competitions, seek information from colleges, and get feedback about critical academic skills.

In 1994, PSAT scores were recentered to allow for direct comparison with recentered scores for SAT I and SAT II. The scoring scale for PSAT/NMSQT has remained 20-to-80, however.

B. TEST ADMINISTRATION

Schools must administer the test on their preregistered testing date--either Tuesday, October 17, or Saturday, October 21, 2000. Braille, large-type, cassette, and script editions of the test must be administered on Tuesday, October 17, 2000--even if the school has registered for Saturday. The majority of high schools will administer the test on October 21. However, a few schools will be administering the test on Tuesday, October 17, and may be available to serve as "alternate" test sites. Contact Agnes Zufelt at (619) 725-7061 for specific information.

Test coordinators should place an announcement concerning the PSAT/NMSQT test in the school bulletin to notify students of testing dates and eligibility requirements for the National Merit Program and the National Achievement Scholarship Program (African American students only). Students who identify themselves as Hispanic or Latino are automatically considered for the National Hispanic Scholar Recognition Program. A checklist of test administration activities for testing coordinators is attached for your convenience.

Total testing time for the 2000 PSAT/NMSQT is two (2) hours and 10 minutes. An additional 40-45 minutes is needed to distribute and collect test materials, have students complete preassessment information, and provide students with a short break before beginning the test. The 2000 test will be administered in five (5) sections:

• two (2) 25-minute verbal sections (a total of 50 minutes),

• two (2) 25-minute math sections (a total of 50 minutes), and

• one (1) 30-minute section on writing skills (multiple-choice questions to identify sentence errors, improve sentences, and improve paragraphs).

Two breaks should be scheduled during the tests:

• a five-minute break between sections 2 and 3 and

• a one-minute break between sections 4 and 5.

Sample test questions, answers, and explanations are available to students and parents and counselors by accessing the following College Board Online Internet address:

http://www.collegeboard.org

Proctors should be recruited according to the number of students taking the test. Educational Testing Service (ETS) recommends that one (1) proctor be used for every 50 students testing. Proctors may be members of the site's certificated or classified staff. Hiring and payment of proctors is a site responsibility. Sites should budget for at least three hours and 15 minutes (3 1/4 hours) of work for each proctor at the appropriate rate. As needed, sites may collect additional fees from students to cover the cost of proctors. Section D below (Budget Information, Fees, and Fee Waivers) includes specific budget information related to the hiring of proctors.

Test coordinators should carefully monitor the administration of the test to ensure that test directions and time intervals are followed. A meeting should be arranged with proctors prior to the testing date to review test procedures and to emphasize the importance of test security.

C. ARRIVAL AND RETURN OF TEST MATERIALS

Test booklets and Supervisor's Manuals are scheduled to arrive at school sites by October 2, 2000. Sites must use the envelopes provided to return the following directly to ETS (Trenton, NJ):

a. answer sheets,

b. defective test books,

c. Irregularity Report (if needed),

d. Supervisor's Cover Sheet and Security Certificate, and

e. completed Fee Waiver Roster.

Note: Schools should keep copies of items c, d, and e. In addition, copies of items c, d, and e must be sent to the Testing Unit. (See Section D.)

See the "After the Test Session" section of the Supervisor's Manual for specific details about return of test materials. Used and unused test books are retained on-site (in a locked area) until student scores are received. Test books may then be returned to students with the score reports.

D. BUDGET INFORMATION, FEES, AND FEE WAIVERS

No monies are to be remitted by schools to ETS. A single invoice from ETS for all schools in the district will be sent directly to the Testing Unit. Monies collected at school sites for the PSAT/NMSQT tests are to be abated to the Testing Unit's budget #473-AA-4305-0901.

The test fee is $9.50 for each student whose answer sheet is returned and for whom no fee waiver has been authorized. Sites needing to charge students an additional fee to cover the cost of proctors should deposit those funds into the following account(s) based upon employment classification and complete time cards accordingly:

• Classified employees: CC#-AA-2357-0601 • Certificated employees: CC#-AA-1955-0601

There is no test charge for students with approved fee waivers. Sites will be contacted with specific information about the number of fee waivers approved. A copy of the following should be sent by October 27, 2000, directly to Agnes Zufelt, Testing Unit, Eugene Brucker Education Center - Annex 3:

• Supervisor's Cover Sheet and Security Certificate and

• completed Fee Waiver Roster (indicating the number and names of students tested at your site).