Ace PM2 with TestHound: Expert Advice from Orange County Public Schools

Halloween may be long over, but the spooky season of assessments continues! Just because PM1 is behind you doesn't mean the anxieties disappear.  

Our own Lara Miller and Max Gregory hosted a Conversations with Educators webinar, PM1 Reflections: Tricks & Treats for PM2 Success, to discuss how to turn assessment jitters into PM2 confidence with insights from Senior Administrators Barrington Maxwell and Tamirra Hutchinson, along with Director of Assessment Kacy Libersat from Orange County Public Schools.

Q: What was the biggest "trick" you encountered during PM1?

Barrington Maxwell: Oh, the wonderful fun we had with the Star Renaissance tiles! We were happy to learn that there was going to be a designated tile for the FAST test. We thought that all the deficiencies of the Renaissance testing platform were going to be addressed and fixed, but then the questions began.

Tamirra Hutchinson: Although we were able to block students from testing on the Star tile so that they could only test on the Florida FAST tile, we still had over 3,000 students who tested on the incorrect test tile.

Q: How did you address the issue of students testing on the wrong tile?

Tamirra Hutchinson: We worked with Renaissance, and Kacy had to provide an individual file for every school. Renaissance eventually was able to transfer those tests over, but a lot of schools ended up testing students multiple times.

Q: What was the most valuable "treat" you discovered during PM1?

Barrington Maxwell: The monitoring process allowed us to realize that we actually didn’t have a close eye on what schools were doing. It allowed us to use Smartsheets in a variety of ways, making sure that our own materials, in conjunction with TestHound, got returned to the vendor.

Q: How has TestHound helped you manage assessment materials?

Barrington Maxwell: Tamirra and I kind of have a mantra that we share with our test coordinators — hashtag no missing materials! We put a lot of pressure on our test administrators and test coordinators to keep track of those materials, and we have seen a great reduction in the number of materials that would not get returned because they were lost.

Max Gregory: TestHound's has a great material tracking system. Within TestHound, you can meticulously track the location and status of each test booklet, ensuring accountability and reducing the risk of lost or misplaced materials.

Q: Any advice on copying tests from PM1 to PM2?

Max Gregory: To allow for that in PM2 and PM3, and tests moving forward, you still have the consolidated versions of the test. You also have those grade level and subject area tests, so you'll copy the consolidated test from PM1 to PM2 in that grade level and subject area test.

Tamirra Hutchinson: Just make sure that you don't go ahead and add rooms or students when you do that, because once you have things already in there, it won't allow you to copy.

Q: How can districts be more proactive in their assessment planning?

Barrington Maxwell: We decided to shift our monitoring to the beginning, rather than waiting to the end, that way we know at the begining of the window if they aren't using TestHound to plan.

Q: What support resources are available for districts using TestHound?

Max Gregory: Our customer success team hosts regular office hours called “TestHound Tune-Ups." If someone out there is struggling, they can attend one of those, submit a support ticket, or reach out to our support team. We’ve all been testing coordinators before, so we know how important just-in-time support is.

Are you ready to join Orange County Public Schools and ditch the assessment anxieties?

Click here to book a demo and discover how TestHound will streamline your assessment process, minimize errors, and free up your valuable time to focus on what matters most - your students.