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PARCC INFRASTRUCTURE TRIAL

1/23/2015
LESSONS LEARNED
1. STUDENTS ARE RECEIVING AN ERROR MESSAGE THAT
SAYS NO LOGIN SERVERS ARE AVAILABLE WHEN
ATTEMPTING TO LOGIN TO THE COMPUTERS.
A major firmware update has been done to all of the wireless switches since
the first infrastructure trial, so this error should not be as common.
However, if it does occur:
STEP 1: Ensure that the username and password are correct and try to log
in again two or three more times.
STEP 2: Plug the computer into the network with a data cable and log in.
In order to mitigate this problem (particularly in elementary schools) some
BTCs are logging in all of the computers and launching PARCC TestNav
BEFORE students come to the testing room.

2. WHAT DO I DO IF THE PARCC ICON IS NOT ON A


COMPUTER?
STEP 1: If the computer was turned off for a long period of time prior to
trying to test, reboot the computer, login and leave it running for 2 to 4
hours. You may consider hardwiring it to the network with a data cable if it is
wireless.
STEP 2: If that doesnt work (or you are in a hurry) install the icon manually
by clicking on the start button in the lower right hand corner of the screen:
In Windows XP, go to Start then Run and type in: \\s\s\t
In Windows 7 go to Start and type in: \\s\s\t
If a security warning window pops up, click on Run
Once the script is run, if you do not see the icon, then
In Windows XP, go to Start then Run and type in: gpupdate
In Windows 7 go to Start and type in: gpupdate
STEP 3: Still no luck? Please enter an online help desk ticket requesting
assistance from technology.

3. WHAT DO I DO WHEN STUDENTS ARE KICKED OUT OF A


TEST AND NEED TO LOG BACK IN?
The proctor must resume the student in PearsonAccessNext.com before he
or she can log back in.
BTCs may choose to train TAs to log in to PearsonAccessNext.com and
resume students in their testing group, but most schools are setting up a
central command center where the BTC or principal monitors student
progress throughout the school and resumes students as needed. This
allows TAs to focus on monitoring the test.
To RESUME a test when a student has exited (either intentionally or
unintentionally), before finishing the test and you want the student to
continue the same test:
Log in to pearsonaccessnext.com
Select SESSIONS from the TESTING menu
Click on the box beside the Session(s) to be monitored.
Select STUDENTS IN SESSIONS from the TESTING Menu
Choose either COMBINED VIEW (to monitor all identified sessions) or
the name of the individual session to be monitored from the SESSION LIST
on the left hand side of the screen.
Select the student from the list of students.
Select Resume Student Tests from the TASKS list at the top of the
screen.
Only students in Active or Exited status can be resumed. Students in Ready,
Submitted, Completed, or Marked Complete statuses cannot be resumed.
Problems? Please call PARCC at 1-888-493-9888

4. PARCC TESTNAV GETS STUCK OR TAKES A VERY LONG


TIME LOADING.
Please make sure that you have PRECACHED your test content before
students attempt to login to TESTNAV. The PRECACHE or UPDATE CACHE
button is right beside the START button on the STUDENTS IN SESSIONS
screen.
STEP 1: Ensure that all popups are enabled, that Java is running and that
the computer is connected to the internet.
STEP 2: Close down TestNav and try launching it and logging in again.
STEP 3: Close sown TestNav, reboot the computer and try launching and
logging in again.

STEP 4: Try a different computer and/or call the PARCC Help Desk at 1888-493-9888.

5. THE INTERFACE AND TOOLS ARE COMPLICATED AND


UNFAMILIAR TO STUDENTS.
It is HIGHLY recommended that students are given the
opportunity to use the tutorials found at
http://parcc.pearson.com/tutorial/ to familiarize themselves with
the navigation tools and accessibility features built into PARCC
(equation editor, text to speech feature, line reader etc.).
6. THE FORMAT OF THE QUESTIONS IS COMPLICATED AND
UNFAMILIAR TO STUDENTS.
It is HIGHLY recommended that teachers use the PARCC SAMPLE ITEMS,
http://parcc.pearson.com/sample-items/, and the PARCC PRACTICE TESTS,
http://parcc.pearson.com/practice-tests/, as tools to instruct students on
PARCC test taking skills and strategies.

7. HOW DO I PRINT MULTIPLE TEST TICKETS PER PAGE?


The only way to do this (as far as we know) is to cut and paste the tickets
into a Word document and then play with the margins and font size to make
them fit. On several computers changing the margin setting in Word to
narrow and the font size of the tickets to 13 was the magic combination.

8. HOW DO I KNOW WHICH ACCOMMODATIONS TO ASSIGN


TO EACH STUDENT?
There are some significant differences between the accommodations
allowable for PARCC and those allowable for NMSBA. Chief among those
differences is that PARCC is a timed test while NMSBA Science is NOT a timed
test; the text to speech accommodation for Math is available to ALL students
identified ahead of time on PARCC and only to ELLs or SWDs for NMSBA
Science; ALL students need headphones for PARCC while only students
receiving the text to speech accommodation need headphones for NMSBA.
Please make sure that you are only providing accommodations to ELL and
regular education students that have been documented on the GMCS
PARCC Accommodations Checklist SAT- Fall 2014 form or to students

with disabilities as documented in their IEPS or 504 plans. All of this


information was compiled by BTCs onto the Accommodations
Spreadsheet-PARCC- Fall 2014 upon completion of SAT meetings in the
fall. Please update these spreadsheets with your current student information
and submit them to Crystal Analla.
Accommodations may not be provided to a student on the test without prior
documentation and practice in the classroom. Improper assignment of
accommodations will result in a testing irregularity and possible invalidation
of test results.

OTHER PROBLEMS OR QUESTIONS?


PLEASE CONTACT THE PARCC HELP
DESK AT
1-888-493-9888.

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