When students are absent from testing or mark answers in a way that indicates an error in following directions, consider scheduling the students for make-up tests. The following examples are instances in which make-up testing may be appropriate:
A student misses all or part of a testing period because of illness, a scheduling conflict, or some other reason.
A student’s pattern of responses indicates a lack of understanding of the test directions (for example, the last response is marked for every item).
Make-up testing may not always be a reasonable response. Advise the test administrator to have a discussion with the student after testing to determine whether he or she, if retested, will be able to respond better to the test-taking tasks. Retesting could involve using a different form of the test (when possible), retaking the test, or retesting at a lower test level. If you believe the student will not benefit from a make-up test, consult with a test coordinator or other school-system personnel to determine whether to send the answer document for scoring and whether the student’s scores should be reported.
Promptly schedule make-up tests after the completion of regular testing to prevent delays in test scoring and enable the rapid return and analysis of score information. It is also important for maintaining standard testing conditions within the school system.
For example, a student who takes the Number Series subtest a month after completing the other subtests in the battery would receive Number Series scores not directly comparable to his or her other scores. The student’s extra month of real growth in math, relative to his or her growth in other test areas, would make it difficult to properly interpret the scores and identify relative strengths and weaknesses.
Schedule make-up tests within one week (and concluding no longer than two weeks) after completion of regular testing. While you cannot anticipate the number of students requiring retesting as you create a testing schedule, you can plan dates, testing sites, and staffing. Monitor needs based on test administrator feedback on daily test attendance and test-taking irregularities.