OST Test Administration and Accessibility 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which group of students may be eligible for English Language Learner (ELL) linguistic supports during OST?
- Students identified as English Learners through an official language proficiency assessment (Correct answer)
- Any student whose parents speak a language other than English at home
- All students born outside the United States
- Students who have studied a foreign language for two or more years
Correct answer: Students identified as English Learners through an official language proficiency assessment
Only students officially identified as English Learners through a state-approved language proficiency assessment qualify for ELL accommodations on the OST.
Question 2: A text-to-speech feature that reads test content aloud to a student on the OST is classified as which type of support?
- An accommodation (Correct answer)
- A universal tool
- A modification
- A testing irregularity
Correct answer: An accommodation
Text-to-speech for test content is an accommodation because it changes the standard testing conditions and must be documented in a student's IEP, 504, or ELL plan.
Question 3: What is the key difference between an accommodation and a modification on the OST?
- An accommodation changes how a student accesses content without changing what is being measured; a modification changes what is being measured (Correct answer)
- An accommodation is available to all students; a modification requires an IEP only
- Accommodations are provided by the teacher; modifications are provided by the state
- There is no practical difference between the two terms in OST policy
Correct answer: An accommodation changes how a student accesses content without changing what is being measured; a modification changes what is being measured
Accommodations provide equal access without altering the construct being assessed, while modifications change the actual content or skill being tested, which is not permitted on the OST.
Question 4: Which of the following is an example of a testing irregularity that must be reported during OST administration?
- A student accessing prohibited materials such as notes or a phone during the test (Correct answer)
- A student using the built-in highlighter tool on a reading passage
- A student requesting scratch paper from the test administrator
- A student raising their hand to ask a procedural question
Correct answer: A student accessing prohibited materials such as notes or a phone during the test
A student accessing prohibited materials such as notes or a phone constitutes a testing irregularity that the test administrator must document and report to the district test coordinator.
Question 5: When may a student use a calculator during the OST Mathematics assessment?
- Only on calculator-permitted sections as specified by the test (Correct answer)
- At any time throughout the entire math test
- Only if documented in the student's IEP
- Calculators are never permitted on any portion of the OST Math test
Correct answer: Only on calculator-permitted sections as specified by the test
The OST Math test is divided into calculator and non-calculator sections; students may only use a calculator during the designated calculator-permitted sections.
Question 6: What is the purpose of requiring test administrators to sign a Test Security Agreement before OST administration?
- To confirm they understand and will uphold the confidentiality and security protocols for all test materials (Correct answer)
- To acknowledge that they have passed a background check
- To certify that their classroom technology meets minimum requirements
- To agree to personally score student responses after testing
Correct answer: To confirm they understand and will uphold the confidentiality and security protocols for all test materials
The Test Security Agreement ensures that administrators understand their legal and ethical obligation to protect the integrity and confidentiality of OST materials.
Question 7: For which students is a Braille version of the OST available?
- Students who are blind or have visual impairments and whose IEP specifies Braille as an accommodation (Correct answer)
- Any student who requests it during the test window
- Only students attending schools for the blind
- Students with any documented print disability
Correct answer: Students who are blind or have visual impairments and whose IEP specifies Braille as an accommodation
Braille versions of the OST are reserved for students whose IEP specifically identifies Braille as a required accommodation, typically those who are blind or have significant visual impairments.
OST Test Administration and Accessibility 2
Which group of students may be eligible for English Language Learner (ELL) linguistic supports during OST?