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Introduction for Supervisors Preparing for the TestPreparing for the TestIntroduction for SupervisorsUsing This ManualThis manual is your guide for supervising theadministration of the PSAT/NMSQT at your schooland for creating the best possible environment foryour students on test day. If someone else is in chargeof ordering materials, you’ll need to work together toorder the correct quantity, ensure receipt, and arrangesecure storage.Set aside time before test day to read this manualcarefully so that all procedures will be familiar andeasy to follow when you administer the test. Givestaff who will be assisting on test day advancecopies of the scripts and other relevant sections.These include: “Introduction for Associate Supervisors”(page 19). “Preadministration Scripts” (page 19), if studentswill fill out personal information on the answersheet before test day. “Test Day Instructions” (page 29). “Script 1: Standard Time” (pages 33–37). “Nonstandard Testing Scripts” (pages 38–53),if your school will be testing students withaccommodations.The PSAT/NMSQT helps students prepare for theSAT and provides entry to the National Merit Scholarship Program, an academic competitionconducted by National Merit ScholarshipCorporation (NMSC). We depend on you and yourstaff to administer the test according to this manualso that all students have the same opportunity to dotheir best.Failure to follow the policies and proceduresdescribed in this manual could result in scorecancellations. Schools that do not comply withthese policies and procedures may not be allowed toadminister the PSAT/NMSQT in the future and maybe held responsible for damages and costs incurredby the College Board or our administrative partner,Educational Testing Service (ETS), as a result. Weappreciate the efforts you and your staff make toensure that a test administration is efficient, secure,and fair for all students.In late August, you received an email withinstructions for required online training. The trainingcovers the fundamental aspects of administering thePSAT/NMSQT, including:PART 1: For SupervisorsPART 1: For Supervisors planning and staffing to support the testadministration understanding assessment sections and timing administering the assessment with SSDaccommodations ensuring test material security managing and reporting testing issues andirregularities packaging and returning your test materials following the remittance processPle se review the training with your staff as well.Using the Test Ordering SiteSign in at collegeboard.org/school to orderadditional tests, update and track your testmaterial orders, and calculate your remittanceonce test materials have been returned. Seepsat.org/important-dates for ordering deadlines.Be sure to order sufficient test materials forstudents from other schools and for homeschooledstudents who will be taking the test at yourschool. They must use the test materials for thattest day; no other test materials may be used.Changing Your School’sTest DateA school may administer the test only on the date forwhich test materials were ordered in the test orderingsite, using the test form specified for that date.If your test books have not yet been shipped toyour school, you may switch from one test date toanother by going online to collegeboard.org/school.Otherwise, call the PSAT/NMSQT office (see page ii)to request a change to your test date.If your school cannot test on October 11, October 14,or October 25, contact the PSAT/NMSQT officeimmediately to learn about your options.Supervisor Manual PSAT/NMSQT1

Preparing for the Test About the TestStudents testing on a date other than oneauthorized by the PSAT/NMSQT office or on a dayother than that specified on their test form will not beconsidered for entry to the National Merit ScholarshipProgram, and may not receive score reports.PART 1: For SupervisorsNOTE:Entering Scholarship Programsif a Student Cannot Take thePSAT/NMSQTIf any students miss the PSAT/NMSQT due toillness, an emergency, or other extenuatingcircumstances, advise them to immediately contactthe scholarship program(s) they wish to enter.Scholarship programs are described in the 2017PSAT/NMSQT Student Guide.All requests for information about another route ofentry to the National Merit Scholarship Programconducted by National Merit Scholarship Corporation(NMSC) should be mailed to NMSC (see page ii).The letter must be postmarked on or before April 1,2018. The earlier a school official or student writesto NMSC, the more options will be available forscheduling test dates. The alternate entry requestshould include the student’s name and home address,the contact information of the person making therequest, the name and address of the high school,and a brief explanation of why the student missed thetest. If you have any questions, please call NMSC at847-866-5100.About the TestThe 2017 PSAT/NMSQTThe PSAT/NMSQT assesses the same knowledge andskills as the SAT, the PSAT 10, and the PSAT 8/9.On the assessment, students will encounter: A clear and strong focus on the knowledge andskills that are the most important for college andcareer readiness and success. An emphasis on the meaning of words in avariety of contexts and on how word choiceshapes meaning, tone, and impact. A focus on math that matters the most, includingproblem solving, data analysis, algebra, andadvanced mathematical concepts. No penalty for guessing—students earn points forquestions answered correctly, and are encouragedto give their best answer to every question.2PSAT/NMSQTSupervisor ManualTest LengthPlan for 3 hours of total (standard) testing timeincluding breaks, plus approximately 50 minutesof procedural activities, such as seating students,handing out tests and answer sheets, and capturingdemographic information. (Conducting apreadministration session will reduce this time; see“Shorten Your Test Day” on the next page).Allot time after the test for associate supervisors orproctors to collect each answer sheet and test bookand to dismiss students. This may take 5 minutes ormore, depending on the number of students in thetesting room. If any students were unable to fill outthe identifying information on pages 1, 2, and 4 ofthe answer sheet before the test administration, theymust do so at the conclusion of the test, before theyare dismissed.Total Time, not including preadministration(45–50 minutes) and dismissal (5 minutes or more)TotalTesting TimeIncludingBreaksTotal TestingTime (notincludingbreaks)Standard Time2 hours,55 minutes2 hours,45 minutes100% ExtendedTime5 hours,55 minutes5 hours,30 minutes50% ExtendedTime4 hours,34 minutes4 hours,9 minutesStandardTime withExtra Breaks3 hours,10 minutes2 hours,45 minutesMath Only 100%Extended Time4 hours,15 minutes3 hours,55 minutesMath Only 50%Extended Time3 hours,41 minutes3 hours,21 minutesMP3 One-DayTesting6 hours,45 minutes6 hours,15 minutesMP3 Two-DayTesting, Day 14 hours,10 minutes3 hours,55 minutesMP3 Two-DayTesting, Day 22 hours,30 minutes2 hours,20 minutesIf you are testing students using the MP3 audioformat, your school may need to test thesestudents over two days. Contact the SSD officebefore conducting two-day testing (scores maybe invalid if two-day testing is conductedwithout permission).

Receiving and Storing Test Materials Preparing for the Test1. Check that you have received all cartons.If more than one carton was used for yourshipment, each will be marked accordingly(e.g., 1 of 3, 2 of 3, 3 of 3).Shorten Your Test Day2. Refer to the instructions for receiving andreturning materials included in the testshipment, which may supplement theinstructions in this manual.We strongly recommend that you schedule apreadministration session prior to test day. Thiswill make it easier to avoid rescheduling lunch,greatly reduce the time needed for pretest activitieson test day, and improve the test-taking experiencefor your students and staff. (See “PreadministrationInstructions” on page 10.)If you choose to complete the preadministration ontest day and it takes longer than expected, you muststill give students the full amount of time for each ofthe test sections and breaks.Scheduling Test Day ActivitiesAll students must take the test at the same time inthe morning. (Exceptions may be made for testingstudents with accommodations. See “ProvidingAccommodations on the PSAT/NMSQT” on page 8for more details.)Begin testing early enough to complete testing beforelunchtime. You may not break for lunch and thenresume standard testing. Testing at any other time ofday is not permitted.If you are testing students who are approved for50% or 100% extended time, you may conduct anextended break (we recommend no longer than20 minutes) so that those students may eat lunchwithout leaving the testing room.Check the school calendar to prevent disruptiveactivities—such as fire drills, unrelatedannouncements on the public address system, orband practices next to the testing room(s)—fromtaking place during the testing period.Receiving and Storing TestMaterialsAs a supervisor, you are responsible forprotecting test materials against unauthorizedaccess from the time they are delivered to yourschool until score reports are received. You willreceive an email alert to notify you that your testmaterials have been shipped. Once the shipmenthas arrived, you must:3. Without opening the shrinkwrap around the testbooks, check the covers to verify that they are thecorrect books for the test date you requested.PART 1: For SupervisorsBe sure to plan for the additional time it will taketo test any student(s) approved for extended time. Adetailed chart of the different types of timing and breaksis provided on page 41.NOTE:4. Within 24 hours of receiving your test shipment,in a secure area with only authorized staffpresent, count the test books and answer sheets(still keeping them in the unopened shrinkwrap)to make sure you have received the correct quantity.5. Contact the PSAT/NMSQT office immediately(see page ii) if the test books are for a date otherthan the one for which your school registered orif the number of tests and answer sheets does notmatch what was ordered.6. Use the checklist on page iv of this manual toverify that you have all materials. Contact thePSAT/NMSQT office if any materials are missing.7. If your shipment includes the PSAT/NMSQTStudent Guide, remove copies of the guide andseparate them from test books for immediatedistribution to students. Make sure that no testbooks are included in the materials to be given tostudents before the test.8. Reseal the boxes with packing tape, sign yourname across the tape to extend across thecarton, and place all test materials in securestorage. Test materials are considered to be insecure storage when they are stored in a lockedarea at your school where only you and designatedassistants have access. No one is to open theshrinkwrapped test books until test day, whenyou will open them and distribute them to yourassociate supervisors.9. Keep the empty, prelabeled answer sheet returnbox included in your test shipment. You will useit to return answer sheets after the test.10. When you remove tests from secure storage ontest day, verify the number of test books given toeach associate supervisor. Distribute and collectmaterials individually, and in such a way that nostudent has access to test books except whiletaking the test. Students should never be allowed totransport, distribute, or collect test materials.See “After the Test” (page 14) for instructions on howto handle test books after the test.Supervisor Manual PSAT/NMSQT3

Preparing for the Test Test Day PlanningWhen student score reports arrive, you will bereturning test books to students.PART 1: For SupervisorsNOTE:Test Day PlanningChecklistHere’s a quick checklist to help you plan aheadof time for test day (more information on eachitem follows): Test taker count Number of test takers from your school Number of students from other schoolsand homeschooled students testing at yourschool Number of testing rooms Standard rooms Rooms with accommodations Testing room codes Optional codes Staff selection and training Your school’s address and six-digit code, andaddresses/codes for students from other schools Distribution of information to students Preadministration(such as MP3 audio) must be tested in separaterooms. Use different rooms for standard time,standard time with extra breaks, and each of thedifferent variations of extended time. If you areholding a preadministration session, plan to test anystudents who do not have a chance to participate inthe session (including students from other schoolsand homeschooled students) in a separate room fromthose who do.Testing rooms must have adequate lighting; desksor tables with good writing surfaces and room fora test book, answer sheet, and calculator side byside; an easily visible clock; and separation fromdistracting noise or activities. Tablet-arm chairs musthave a minimum writing surface of 12 15 inches(30 38 centimeters).Seats in testing rooms must have at least fourfeet between them (measured from center of deskto center of desk). All students must face thesame direction. Round tables are not permittedfor testing.Each testing room should have two timepieces toprevent mistiming.Several days before the test, make sure rooms areproperly heated or cooled, all lights and clocks areworking, and the general conditions are satisfactory.Remove (or cover) any display that might provideassistance to students during the test. Testing room kits Test day admissionsTest Taker CountYou’ll need to determine the total number of testtakers—including students from other schools andany homeschooled students who will be testing atyour school—before you can plan your test roomsand staffing. You’ll also need to know which studentshave been approved for which accommodations.We encourage you to allow homeschooledstudents (especially those within your community) totest with your school’s students. Reports and data forhomeschooled students will remain separate from yourschool’s data.NOTE:Test Rooms and SeatingRequirementsDetermine the number of rooms needed to seat alltest takers while maintaining the correct minimumdistance between them. Students testing withaccommodations that may distract other test takers4PSAT/NMSQTSupervisor ManualTesting Room CodesIf your school will be using multiple testing rooms,please take advantage of the testing room code field(box 14) on the answer sheet. Testing room codescan help you organize your test day experience andallow speedier resolution of any reported groupdisturbances for your school.After you have selected the rooms in which your schoolwill administer the test, assign each room its own uniquecode. These codes may be up to three-digits long.When using codes that are shorter than three digits, besure to include leading zeros (e.g., 001, 020). The staffwill then provide the testing room code to students toenter in box 14 of their answer sheets on test day.Retain a list of the testing room codes along withthe associate supervisors assigned to each room. Ifa group disturbance occurs, the testing room codewill help identify who may have been affected by theirregularity. This will help you quickly locate the rightpersonnel to answer any queries from ETS or NMSCrelated to group irregularities and help to ensure thatscores for your school are released as quicklyas possible.

Test Day Planning Preparing for the TestIf your school uses testing room codes and agroup irregularity occurs, you must provide a roster ofaffected students on the SIR. Otherwise, scores maybe held for the entire school until inquiries into theirregularity have been resolved by NMSC or ETS.NOTE:Optional CodesUse optional codes to have your students’ paper scorereports sorted for easier distribution. Supervisorsshould work with staff to identify how score reportswill be returned and assign the codes accordingly.Some schools assign two-digit codes to particularcounselors or specific homerooms. The optionalcodes are then provided to students to be enteredinto box 13 on their answer sheets. If optional codesare not used, the paper score reports will be returnedalphabetically by students’ last names. The optionalcode will not appear in the reporting portal. Be sureto give associate supervisors directions for box 13 toread to students.If you assign optional codes, score reports willbe sorted by grade level, your optional codes, and thenalphabetically by student last name.NOTE:Selecting StaffMost schools will need additional staff to assist thesupervisor. Select one associate supervisor for eachtesting room. Add room proctors for each room ifneeded: for 35–50 students, add one proctor; for everyadditional 50 students, add an additional proctor.A supervisor or an associate supervisor must bepresent in each room to read aloud the instructionsfrom this manual. In large testing rooms, if studentsmight have difficulty hearing instructions, you mayuse a microphone or public address system. Do notuse a public address system to administer the test inmore than one room simultaneously.Associate supervisors should be current or retiredteachers, counselors, administrators, or othereducators familiar with test administration. Associatesupervisors must: read this manual ahead of time to be thoroughlyfamiliar with test procedures prepare seating plans for their assigned roomsand complete the seating plan chart on test day assume responsibility for test materials inan assigned room, including distributing,accounting for, collecting, and counting testbooks and answer sheets before dismissingstudents administer the test according to the manual’sdirectionsPART 1: For SupervisorsSee page 13 for information about reportingirregularities. If you are using the testing roomcode, mark the code in section 6 on the Supervisor’sIrregularity Report (SIR) for any group irregularitiesthat occur, and provide the names of the studentsaffected by the irregularity in section 10. If a groupirregularity affected the entire school, the testingroom code does not need to be provided. return test materials to the supervisor afterstudents are dismissedProctors may be members of the school’s staff orother adults who have been trained to help youand the associate supervisors. Proctors will notadminister the test, but they may: seat students distribute and collect test materials monitor adjacent areas during breaks perform other assigned dutiesNeither the PSAT/NMSQT supervisor norany associate supervisor or proctor may be amember of the household or immediate familyof a student taking the test on the same date,even if the student is testing at a differentschool. In such instances, the related student’sscores are subject to cancellation.No one involved with paid coaching or test prepfor College Board tests may serve on the staffadministering the PSAT/NMSQT in any capacity.Visitors, other than authorized ETS, College Board,or NMSC test observers with proper ID, are notpermitted in testing rooms during test administrationor near the storage location of the te

for administering the PSAT/NMSQT with accommodations. See page 8. Copies of the PSAT/NMSQT Student Guide and removable full-length practice test for distribution to students. (These will arrive earlier if your school ordered by June 30.) Separate them from the test books and ensure that no test materials are accidentally given to students