I have a concern about one of the test questions my students showed me. Is it possible for me to comment on the question?

Yes!  Here’s is the information regarding submitting comments.

When a student is taking a test, you may notice a Comment button below each question.  The comment button allows teachers (or the person administering the test) to submit comments or concerns regarding test question content. If a student encounters an issue with a test question, the teacher should click on the Comment button to report the problem.  You will enter the password and type in a description of the issue.

Don’t worry–the comment feature is password protected to prevent students from filing comments   The password is located under Test Delivery > Test Session > 5th bulleted item directly above where you approve students for testing.

Algebra CAT test and reports

An Algebra CAT test is now available for assignment for students, and is the default assignment for Grade 9 students.  Middle schools really should not be using this CAT.

Some of my students took the VARDT test in 07-08. Are their scores available for me to review?

If a student took the VARDT test in 07-08 while attending a school in Henrico, their scores from last year will be available for review.

Is there an easy way for students to log out in the middle of the test if they cannot finish?

A pause button has be added which allows students to close the test and complete it at a later time.

The student is returned to the login page after pausing or completing a test, rather than the browser automatically closing.

One of my students needs audio accomodations. Does VARDT support text-to-speech?

The new text-to-speech feature allows delivery of CATs and Strands to students in need of audio accommodations.  The secure browser pushed to student iBooks supports text-to-speech without any additional software being installed.

The student profile contains a text-to-speech option that MUST be enabled for any student that requires the audio accommodation (see screenshot below).  Once this option is enabled in the student profile, it is active for all VARDT tests that student is assigned.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Most teachers do not have the user rights to edit student information in the VARDT website; therefore, cannot enable the text-to-speech option for their students.  Because this is a new feature, each school will need to determine who will edit the student information at their school for this accommodation.

This feature must be enabled PRIOR to the student logging in to take the test. If the text-to-speech button is enabled after testing has begun, the test in progress will not include the audio accommodation and only subsequent tests will be affected. Once enabled, all tests taken by the student will include text-to-speech.

Do the protractor and ruler rotate this year?

The ruler and protractor have been replaced with new versions that are easier to move and rotate.

Scores ending in 99–is that a good thing?

A score ending in 99 on any of the 5 strand scores (the ones that makeup a student’s total score on the CAT test) indicates a pattern of understanding could not be made based on the student’s answers. Usually this means a student is guessing.

In order to gain a better understanding of the student’s strengths and weaknesses, you should assign strand tests for the student in that category

Suppose a 6th grade student scores 1699 in Number and Number Sense, which appears exceptional on the teacher report, yet scores low on all other strands. The teacher should assign strand tests in Number and Number Sense to determine what specific skills and concepts to remediate.

How do my students access the strand tests I have assigned?

Before a student can access the strand tests you have assigned to them, you must create a new test session under Test Delivery. It’s the same procedure used to created the test session to administer the CAT pretests. After you create a new test session, give the students the test session number. The students will launch the secure browser and log in using their name and birth date. Upon login, students will see a list of tests, which will include any strand tests you have assigned as well as the CAT test. Make sure they know the name of the strand test you want them to access. Just as you did for the CAT test, you will need to be logged in to the VARDT site ready to approve students for testing.

How do I transfer students?

Currently, teachers cannot move a student’s information from one school to another within the VARDT system (even if the student transferred from another HCPS school).

However, if you call tech support at 1-866-697-3026, they will perform the transfer. If the student has moved from another HCPS school, the VARDT history will be transferred. If it’s from another school system, the information will not follow.

What type of reports are available for teachers?

2 types of reports are available:

1. CAT Test Report: includes a total score as well as scores for the 5 core strands (Number and Number Sense; Computation and Estimation; Measurement and Geometry; Probability and Statistics; and Patterns, Functions and Algebra).  The student’s strengths and weaknesses by SOL are identified in this report.

2. Individual Strand Test Reports