Introduction
In order to complete this activity, I spoke with JM, our assistant principal, who proctors SAT and AP exams and proctored two sessions of the SAT and SAT II tests. Additionally, I served as Testing Coordinator at my last school.
Process
The process of administering these exams has become fairly standardized thanks to ETS but, since we are a unique school, there are some unique factors. The enrollment process is simple since the ETC handles it, usually online. The school receives the exams the week before the administration date and the Coordinator downloads rosters directly from ETS.
We are a religious school and, as such, we offer the exam on Sunday. This means that, in addition to our own students, we are a testing center for anyone looking for a Sunday exam session. The actual testing process is standardized, complete with posters, scripts for proctors to read out loud and simple forms to complete.
Once the test is complete, the Coordinator boxes everything up and ships it back to ETS on the following Monday. Everything is pre-arranged, all the way down to the shipping labels. The ETS really has made the process almost foolproof.
Problems
No problems of any serious sort came up in either session I proctored. There were some irregularities, for example, at one session, a student came to take a test he was not registered for and we didn’t have a copy of the exam for him. We sent him away, which upset him, but there was nothing we could do without a test and the error was his.
As a matter of fact, I don’t see how anything could go wrong unless the Coordinator or Proctor had not read the instructions – every possible scenario is anticipated and dealt with there. We held a brief training meeting the week before the test and reviewed procedures for 15 minutes that morning; no other preparation was required.
The only challenge we faces was setting up the room to prevent cheating and, in our case, this was simple since there were no more than seven students in each room. In the case or larger groups, we use a gymnasium and folding tables and, while this presents certain logistical and scheduling issues, it has never been a real problem.
Principal’s Role
In our school, the principal serves as testing coordinator. If that were not the case, his role would be smaller, but still important. Many of these exams are voluntary and it is important to create a culture which encourages students to strive for the sort of recognition these tests offer. This is one important role of a principal: to encourage participation and recognize achievement.