Overview of Online Assessment

The online assessment is an optional component of PowerSchool Special Programs.

Online assessment depends on the availability of a question catalog, which is a collection of question items aligned to the curriculum. The question catalog is covered in detail in the Work with Question Items topic.

Before administering an assessment online, an assessment definition must be prepared, which consists of the specific question items on the assessment and the answer key. When students log in to take the test online, the questions presented to them are specified by the assessment definition.

Administer an Assessment Online

The general process for online assessment at the classroom level is as follows. Refer to the linked procedures for step-by-step instructions.

1. Before the online assessment, an assessment definition must be prepared that specifies the question items that will appear on the test.
   There are two approaches to creating such an assessment definition:
   • The first approach is to build an assessment from the question item library.
   • The second approach is to create an assessment definition using ad-hoc questions. This allows you to prepare the entire assessment and specify what the actual questions will be without using the question item library.
2. Next, you will create an assessment administration for your class, which stores the students' responses to the questions.
3. You then activate online assessment for the assessment administration. This involves selecting the students from the class who will take the assessment, and specifying a password that those students are required to provide when they take the test. The password provides an additional level of control over students taking the test. You also specify a time limit in minutes, and the timing begins the moment you activate online assessment.
4. The students submit their answers. The time limit you specified is used to guide students but is not strictly enforced by the system. You must still deactivate online assessment for the assessment administration at the cutoff time when you no longer want to allow students to submit additional answers.
5. The students' responses are collected into the assessment administration. An item analysis report is immediately available based on the data in the assessment administration.
6. To prepare individual and group results analysis reports based on the assessment results, you must "process" the assessment administration. This updates all scores and mastery information necessary for reporting. Refer to Process an Assessment Administration.