No. 107

  Date:   March 6, 2001
  To:   Senior High School Principals
  Subject:   ADMINISTRATION OF ADVANCED PLACEMENT (AP) EXAMINATIONS MAY 7 - 18, 2001
  Department  and/or  Persons  Concerned:   Principals, Vice Principals, AP Test Coordinators and Head Counselors, Financial Clerks
  Due Date:   Week I Tests:     May 7 - 11, 2001
Week II Tests:    May 14 - 18, 2001
  Reference:   Procedure No. 4845
  Action  Requested:   Administer AP examinations.
 

Brief Explanation:

  Schools are to administer the Advanced Placement (AP) tests during the weeks of May 7-11 and May 14-18 according to the schedule attached (Attachment A). Please note that although the AP tests are spread over two weeks, they must be administered at the specific times scheduled by Educational Testing Services (ETS). Also note that, according to Site Operations Circular No. 1081, dated May 26, 2000, beginning this year, students enrolled in AP courses must take the corresponding AP Exam to receive AP weighted credit. This circular contains a checklist of test administration activities and outlines the process for the return of test materials and remittance procedures.

A.    Materials

Testing Materials: AP examination materials may be picked up from the Testing Unit (Eugene Brucker Education Center - Annex 3). Sites will be notified when materials are available. Please inventory materials immediately to see that you have received the correct number of examinations in each subject your school will be administering. A sufficient number of tests and Master ID/Answer Sheets (MIDAS) will be shipped for your students and those students who will be coming to you from other schools.

Test booklets are not to be borrowed from outside the district. Call Agnes Zufelt (619 725-7061) if you need additional booklets for any examination.

Accessory Materials: The following materials only will be received in addition to the examinations and Master ID/Answer Sheets.

1.    One (1) Coordinator's Packet for each testing center containing:
       •    one (1) Coordinator's Manual (which includes a Coordinator's Comment Form),
       •    a red Irregularity Report Return Envelope (in which completed Irregularity Reports           are placed),
      •    checklists for Coordinators,
      •    answer sheet bands (which are placed around all same-subject answer sheets),
      •    an AP answer sheet envelope, and
      •    extra exam booklet seals.

    Also included in the packet are the following materials which are not to be used* and
    which can be discarded:
     •    Irregularity (IR) Labels,
     •    a blue Record Return Envelope,
     •    a green Remittance Return Envelope, and
     •    sheets of orange seals that read "Materials Enclosed Are Entirely Unused."

*    Except for the special arrangements which have been made with Henry, La Jolla, Point
      Loma, Scripps Ranch, and University City high schools.

2.    One (1) Advanced Placement Candidate Pack per student (which will be delivered to          the student's home school) containing:
       •    a College Information Card,
       •    an AP Response Form,
       •    a college code list, and
       •    a sheet of AP number labels with serial numbers to be used by students to identify
            tests. (Please make certain the numbers used match only the candidate to whom
            they are issued.)

3.    Approved Fee Reduction Rosters for students who applied for them (which will be
       delivered to the student's home school).

4.    Tapes for language examinations, CD/student response tapes for Music Theory
      examination, slides for the Art History examination, and portfolios for Studio Art.

B.    Alternate Testing Sites

To ensure schools are billed correctly for students taking AP exams at alternate testing sites, these students must be administered a numbered test assigned to a student's home school. It is extremely important that each AP Candidate Pack and Master ID/Answer Sheet (MIDAS) receive careful treatment, are filled out correctly and, above all, are not lost.

1.    AP Test Coordinator Responsibilities (Student's Home School):
       a)   Make arrangements with the AP Coordinator(s) at alternate site(s) for students
             who cannot take exams at their own school.
       b)   Provide students with information about alternate testing site(s) including name and
             phone number of AP Coordinator.
       c)   Send appropriate test booklet(s) and Master ID/Answer Sheets (MIDAS) to
             alternative testing site before the testing day.
       d)   Give AP Candidate Packets to students to take with them to alternative testing
             site(s).
       e)   If a student is taking AP exams at more than one alternative site, collect Candidate
             Packets following all but the last exam. (Students retain Candidate Packets after
             their last AP exam.)
       f)   Receive test booklets from alternate testing sites and return them with all other site
            materials.

2.    Student Responsibilities:
       a)   Contact the AP Coordinator at the alternate site at least two (2) weeks prior to the
             test date to get instructions regarding the exact time(s) and location of exam(s).
       b)   Take AP Candidate Pack to alternative testing site(s) on exam day(s). If taking AP
             exams at more than one alternative testing site, the Candidate Pack is to be
             returned to the home school following all but the last exam. (Students retain
             Candidate Packets after their last AP exam.)

3.    AP Test Coordinator Responsibilities (Alternate Testing Site):
       a)    Provide students with information about exact time(s) and location of exam(s).
       b)    Receive testing booklet(s) and answer sheet(s) from students' home school(s) and
              use during administration of exams(s). Students MUST take exams using a test
              assigned to their home school.
       c)    Return testing booklet(s) and answer sheet(s) to AP Coordinator at students' home
              school(s).

C.    Completing Forms and Administering Examinations

It is the responsibility of the Site Test Coordinator to ensure that the school’s six-digit College Board Number has been correctly entered as appropriate on all student documents.

All instructions in the Coordinator's Manual should be followed carefully with the following exceptions:

1.    Questions/Contacts and Return of Materials: Return all materials and direct all
       questions/contacts to the Testing Unit (619 725-7061), Eugene Brucker Education
       Center - Annex 3. DO NOT RETURN MATERIALS TO OR CONTACT ETS
       (Educational Testing Service) WITH QUESTIONS. Ignore all references to schools
       contacting ETS directly or returning materials to ETS.*

*    Except for the special arrangements which have been made with Henry, La Jolla, Point
      Loma, Scripps Ranch, and University City High Schools.

2.    Things to Note/Changes to Instructions in the Coordinator's Manual:
       •    "Instructions For An Optional    Do not confuse school code with the AP
            Preadministration Session" and number on label. "General Examination
            Instructions" sections    Students complete information in reference to
            their home schools ONLY. If a student is taking an exam at other than the home
            school, she/he will still use the name of the home school and other data in reference
            to it. The home school is responsible for giving student the home school code
            numbers.

       •   "After the Exam" section     Return to the Testing Unit - Annex 3:
           -Completed Coordinator's Comment Forms.
           -    Completed AP Fee Reduction Request Form.
           -    ALL exam booklets, master and student response tapes, master Music Theory
                 CD, studio art portfolios, and Art History slides (if used for the alternate form of
                 the exam).
           -    Used answer sheets.
           
       •   "Calculating and Submitting Your Ignore this section. You will receive a memo
           Remittance" section     informing you of the amount to be abated to the Testing Unit.

Pencils (No. 2 only) are preferred for the free response sections of the Computer Science, Mathematics and Physics examinations. Black or dark blue ballpoint pens are preferred for the free response sections of all other examinations. If a candidate begins an essay section with a pen and it runs dry, she/he may continue in pencil. No. 2 pencils must be used on all objective answer sheets and Master ID/Answer Sheets.

Schools wishing to administer tests at other than the times (8 a.m. and 1 p.m.) and dates directed by ETS may only vary the times BY PLUS OR MINUS TWO (2) HOURS. No exceptions are allowed. Deviating from the specified times could disqualify all students in the district who are taking the same exam. Also, if additional students are scheduled to come from other schools for the test, it is the testing school's responsibility to notify the home school of any time change. The home school is responsible for notifying the student.


D.    Payment of Fees and Refunds   
               
The school financial office should:

1.    Collect fees from all students before the test.

2.    Record and deposit into ASB trust account and write ASB check.

3.    Deposit check into district trust account.

4.    Report fees to the District Cashier using the school's "District Daily Remittance Advice."

5.    Send a statement of funds so credited to the Testing Unit, Eugene Brucker Education
       Center - Annex 3 (in accordance with SDUSD Administrative Procedure No. 4845).

The financial office should collect $77 for each examination. Once an examination package has been opened, the candidate is expected to pay the full amount. This year, the amount to be abated to the Testing Unit is $73 per examination. The $4 retained by the school constitutes a rebate. Rebates help schools meet a portion of the cost for administering the exams and for other Advanced Placement expenses. Candidates who have been awarded fee reductions pay $5, however, $13 should be collected and $8 will be refunded if the test is taken. In this case, schools are expected to forego the $4 rebate for each exam these candidates take. A fee of $13 will be assessed for each test ordered but not opened. This fee is charged by ETS to the Testing Unit and will then be passed along to the school site.

Students may request a refund if fees were paid and the tests were not taken by submitting a letter to the Board of Education via the principal with the receipt attached. No refund can be made if any part of a test was taken, except in the event of illness during the testing period. Any charges incurred by the district as a result of returning unused exams to ETS will be subtracted from the amount of such refunds.

E.    Returning Test Materials

The Testing Unit is responsible for returning all testing materials to ETS. Please refer to the attached checklist regarding materials to be returned to the Testing Unit. All materials MUST be hand-delivered* (refer to Attachment B for materials to be returned) no later than 5 p.m. on Friday, May 18, 2001 (there are NO exceptions!) to:

Testing Unit
Eugene Brucker Education Center - Annex 3

*    Except for special arrangements which have been made with Henry, La Jolla, Point
      Loma, Scripps Ranch, and University City High Schools.

F.    Security of Test Materials

When not being used, all AP testing materials must be secured in a locked storage area. The sealed examination packets should be placed in locked storage immediately upon receipt and kept there until they are administered. The multiple-choice sections of all exams are always confidential. No one should examine any multiple-choice questions except the candidates while taking the exam. Also, treat all tape recordings as confidential. Play them only during the testing. Reproduction or copying of any multiple-choice questions or tape recordings is not allowed.

To increase examination security for all candidates, you and your proctors should collect the green and blue inserts at the end of each administration. The inserts must be stored securely for no less than 48 hours (2 school days) after they are collected. After the minimum 48-hour holding time, the inserts may be given to the appropriate AP teacher(s) to return to the students.

Thank you for your cooperation in using these directions to make AP testing smooth and efficient. If you have any questions, please call Agnes Zufelt (619 725-7061) or Bob Raines (619 725-7058).
 

Robert Raines
Program Manager
Testing Unit


APPROVED:

Terrance L. Smith
Chief of Staff
  ATTACHMENT A ATTACHMENT B