Special provisions handbook: External assessment trial

(1)

160501

Special provisions handbook

External assessment trial — Semester 1, 2017

March 2017

(2)

PO Box 307 Spring Hill QLD 4004 Australia Level 7, 154 Melbourne Street, South Brisbane Phone: +61 7 3864 0299

Email: [email protected] Website: www.qcaa.qld.edu.au

(3)

1 Introduction ______________________________________ 1

2 Applications _____________________________________ 1

2.1 Application due dates ... 1

2.2 Contacts ... 1

2.3 Grounds for application ... 2

2.4 How to apply ... 2

3 Two levels of provisions ___________________________ 3 3.1 Principal-determined provisions ... 3

3.2 QCAA-determined provisions ... 3

3.3 Student absence ... 4

3.4 Atypical or unrepresentative achievement ... 4

(4)

Special provisions handbook

External assessment trial — Semester 1, 2017

Queensland Curriculum & Assessment Authority March 2017 Page 1 of 4

The new senior assessment and tertiary entrance systems begin in Queensland with students entering Year 11 in 2019.

The model of senior assessment combines school-based assessment developed and marked by schools with common external assessment developed and marked by the Queensland

Curriculum and Assessment Authority (QCAA).

To support the introduction of external assessment, the QCAA is conducting trials in a range of subjects. The third phase of trials in Semester 1, 2017 includes the Year 11 subjects English, French, Japanese, Mathematics B, Physical Education and Visual Art. The assessment schedule is available at www.qcaa.qld.edu.au/senior/new-snr-assessment-te/external-assessment.

The QCAA recognises that some students have specific educational needs or exceptional circumstances that may affect their participation in the external assessment trial or prevent them from demonstrating their current knowledge and skills. A special provision program is available for this purpose. Schools should seek to support students where appropriate by applying for special provision on their behalf.

Schools should inform all students participating in the trial that special provisions are available.

Applications require student and parent/carer consent to proceed.

2 Applications

2.1 Application due dates

When Type Application due date

Before the trial Alternative format test papers

Wednesday 15 March 2017

Other special provisions Friday 28 April 2017

After the trial Absentee Applications are not required for this trial — see Section 3.3

2.2 Contacts

Subject Contact details

Special provision for the external assessment trial

Contact the Assessment Operations Unit:

• email: [email protected]

• phone: (07) 3864 0344 Special provision for school-based

assessment in Authority and Authority-registered subjects

Teachers seeking advice please contact the

Quality Assurance Unit by email at [email protected].

(5)

2.3 Grounds for application

In the external assessment trial, special provision may be approved for students with:

• physical disability

• a medical or psychological condition

• hearing impairment

• vision impairment

• a specific learning disorder

• other circumstances.

A student whose first language is not English may be eligible for special provision if there is evidence of a learning difficulty in their first language. However, unfamiliarity with English alone is not considered grounds for special provision.

2.4 How to apply

The senior external assessment (SEA) coordinator or delegated staff member submits an online application on behalf of the student through the QCAA School Portal

www.qcaa.qld.edu.au/schoolportal/login.

In the application, the school must indicate any provisions the student currently uses for internal (school-based) assessment. Supporting evidence is not required for all applications — see Section 3. If required, evidence may include:

• details of current or expired Educational Adjustment Program (EAP) verification

• school comments explaining how the student’s disability affects their performance in timed assessment situations

• medical or other expert evidence.

Once applications have been processed, the QCAA will email decision letters to schools.

Application workflow

QCAA progressively emails decision letters to schools School determines which students need provisions

Evidence included with application Evidence kept at school

If applying for any QCAA-determined provisions (see Section 3.2) If applying for principal-determined

provisions only (see Section 3.1)

School completes the application form using link in the QCAA School Portal

School submits applications by 15 March 2017 / 28 April 2017

(6)

3.1 Principal-determined provisions

Principal-determined provisions are specific practical arrangements authorised locally by the principal where there is an existing documented medical condition. An application form must still be submitted to the QCAA listing the provisions. However, supporting documentation is retained at the school.

Principal-determined provisions are listed in the table below.

Provision Description and conditions

Bite-sized food A sufficient quantity of bite-sized food in a clear container may be brought in to the assessment room. Food must be unobtrusive in nature, i.e. must not be crunchy, strong-smelling or wrapped in noisy packaging.

Drink A drink (other than water) required for a medical reason may be brought in to the assessment room in a clear unlabelled bottle.

Students with diabetes

Includes food; drink; blood-glucose meter; breaks to eat, measure blood-glucose level or access toilet facilities; varied seating and recovery time if required. Further information is available in the Students with diabetes information sheet under

‘Resources’ in the School Portal. Schools copy this document and provide it to eligible students.

Individual instructions

A clean, unannotated copy of the written instructions is permitted.

The written instructions will be available for each external assessment trial subject as a PDF document under ‘Resources’ in the School Portal. Schools copy this document and provide it to students eligible for individual instructions.

Medication May be brought in to the assessment room in a clear container.

Physical equipment

Includes special desk, special chair, cushion, pillow, crutches, heat pack, ice pack, towel or other physical aid.

Varied seating Determined by the SEA coordinator/supervisor, options include:

• single student supervision (separate from the main assessment room/s)

• small group supervision (separate from the main assessment room/s)

• seated at the back, front or side of the main assessment room/s.

Vision aids Coloured transparency overlay, special lighting, other vision aids.

3.2 QCAA-determined provisions

QCAA-determined provisions are other practical arrangements that can only be approved by the QCAA following assessment of supporting evidence supplied with the application.

The most frequently used QCAA-determined provisions are listed in the table below. The list is not exhaustive; contact the QCAA for pre-application advice about provisions not listed.

Provision Description and conditions

Alternative format test materials

Examples include braille, A4 to A3 enlargement; electronic format; large print papers (e.g. N18, N24, N36), black-and-white materials.

Assistance • Teacher aide assists with manipulation of equipment and other practical tasks.

(7)

• Supervisor/carer may use the student’s name in reading assessment instructions, provide support and reassurance, prompt the student to start or continue writing.

Computer Use of a desktop computer or laptop with either Microsoft Notepad or Microsoft WordPad. Further information about computers and document formatting is available in the Computers information sheet under ‘Resources’ in the School Portal and is also supplied with the decision letter.

Extra time Additional working time of five minutes per half hour of assessment time.

Reader Reads the assessment or student’s response aloud as often as the student requests. Further information is available in the Readers and writers information sheet under ‘Resources’ in the School Portal and is also supplied with the decision letter.

Rest breaks Five minutes per half hour of assessment time taken at any time during the assessment. Further information is available in the Rest breaks information sheet under ‘Resources’ in the School Portal and is also supplied with the decision letter.

Writer Transcribes the student’s verbal response or directions during the assessment.

Further information is available in the Readers and writers information sheet under

‘Resources’ in the School Portal and is also supplied with the decision letter.

3.3 Student absence

If students do not complete the external assessment trial due to absence, schools should apply their school-based special provisions or late and non-submission procedures. In these cases, folios for monitoring may include evidence of achievement and course coverage other than a response to the external assessment. Students who are absent may require an alternative assessment.

For more information about late submission or non-submission responsibilities and principles, see the A–Z of Senior Moderation, Section 1.2, available at www.qcaa.qld.edu.au/senior/moderation- hub/special-provisions.

3.4 Atypical or unrepresentative achievement

If the assessment grade is atypical because of a medical condition, impairment or exceptional circumstance, schools should consider their school-based special provisions.

If an assessment result is unrepresentative, a school can replace the assessment following the guidelines in the A–Z of Senior Moderation, Protocol 2.13, available at www.qcaa.qld.edu.au/

senior/moderation-hub/handbooks.

In both these cases, folios for monitoring may include evidence of achievement and course coverage other than a response to the external assessment.

Special provisions handbook: External assessment trial