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Brief Explanation:

At the beginning of the last school year, testing materials were delivered to all middle, junior high, senior high, and selected atypical schools in the form of a kit to use when testing 1) students new to the district or 2) returning students who for some reason had no reading or mathematics placement test scores. The materials in the kits included reading and mathematics tests, answer sheets, answer keys, scoring templates, and placement guidelines. All materials were in black plastic file boxes (11 x 10 x 12 inches) with instructions to keep in a secured location and to use the materials for placement purposes throughout the year. Most often, these materials were kept in the counseling center either by the head counselor or the counseling secretary. Please check that the person responsible for testing new students at your site has the kit in hand. A new kit containing testing materials and current placement guidelines for the 2002-03 school year will be delivered to schools during the week of August 19. Please be ready to turn in last year's kit when the new materials are delivered. We are collecting last year's testing materials for test security reasons.

Placement Test Materials
District literacy and mathematics placement tests include the Stanford Diagnostic Reading Test (SDRT), the District Mathematics Test (DMT), and the Mathematics Diagnostic Testing Project (MDTP) Geometry Readiness Test. During the week of August 19, you will receive the appropriate tests, answer sheets, and placement guidelines needed to test new students. These materials must be kept in a secured location. Please keep in mind that the hand-scorable SDRT answer sheets cost $1.00 each and should be used judiciously. Questions regarding test materials should be directed to the Standards and Assessment Office at (619) 725-7172.

Students to be Tested
The only students to be tested for placement purposes are:

• Students new to the district; or
  
• Students new to your school who do not have district reading and/or mathematics test scores available on the Student Achievement Data System.

Students who already have test scores from spring and/or summer 2002 are NOT to be retested using the placement test materials.

The chart below indicates which tests should be administered by grade level and school configuration.

* SDRT: Administer to newly-enrolled students (including English-speaking students, English Learners enrolled in the district three or more years, and English Learners enrolled less that three years whose English language proficiency is Early Advanced or above) at any time during the school year. (Note: The California English Language Development Test [CELDT] must be administered to newly enrolled English learners who do not have prior language proficiency information from the district.)

** DMT: Administer to newly enrolled students at any time during the school year.

*** MDTP Geometry Readiness Test: Administer to incoming ninth graders who completed a full year of Algebra in eighth grade. (Students who did not take or complete Algebra in eighth grade should be placed in Algebra Explorations 9th.) For ninth-grade students transferring into the district after the opening of school, placement in a mathematics course should be based on both the course in which the student was enrolled at the previous school and the mathematics transfer grade. Students who enter the district without information regarding their previous placement or without transfer grades should be placed in Algebra Explorations 9th. The placement can be modified, if needed, should additional information become available.

Testing of English Learners
Newly enrolled English learners should be tested using the guidelines provided above. Refer to the Updated Placement Guidelines and Directions for Scheduling Students into Blueprint-Related Courses for Fall Semester 2002 for further information. Specific questions regarding the testing of English Learners should be directed to the Biliteracy Office at (619) 725-7267.

Testing of Special Education and 504 Plan Students
Newly enrolled non-severe special education students and students with 504 plans should be tested using the regular education guidelines provided above. Testing accommodations should be consistent with the student's IEP/ISP. Refer to the Updated Placement Guidelines and Directions for Scheduling Students into Blueprint-Related Courses for Fall Semester 2002 for further information. Special Education questions should be directed to Mary Sue Glynn at (619) 725-5650. Questions regarding 504 Plan issues should be directed to your site 504 Plan coordinator. If you need further assistance with 504 Plan issues, please call the District 504 Plan Coordinator, Sally Tucker, at (858) 627-7583.

Data Collection and Score Reporting
Test and student placement information in literacy and mathematics for newly enrolled students will be collected on a monthly basis via rosters available in the black box testing kit. Completed rosters with student test scores and course placement decisions are due back to the Standards and Assessment Office by the first Friday of each month. SDRT, DMT, and MDTP scores for students new to the district will be available to schools on the Student Achievement Data System via selected reports and through Student Information System Client Server (SISCS) queries. This is a change from last year. Information regarding how to access this data will be provided to site techs and counselors in the near future.

Eileen Poole,
Program Manager
Standards and Assessment Office