Stories from the Field
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Testing Accommodations
The state-mandated standardized test in mathematics was being administered to a small group of special needs students whose IEP accommodations included small group, extended time, and the oral reading of the test. The principal, having been trained in the test administration, was acting as the monitor and reader for the test. Everything went according to plan—students were attentive, they understood the importance of the test, and there were no problems at all. After all the students were finished, and the tests and answer sheets had been collected, one of the students said to the principal, “Do you know that we did not all have the test you were reading?” Startled, the principal glanced quickly at the test booklets and noticed that there were indeed two different forms of the tests. When questioned as to why they didn’t say anything, the students replied, “You were doing such a good job of reading, we didn’t want to hurt your feelings. And we didn’t really need to have the test read to us.”
Lesson Learned: If you are the test administrator in such a situation, be sure that you are reading the test the students actually have in front of them.
