ODE - FAQs

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PSAT/NMSQT Test
Beginning in fall 2008, all Oregon high schools are required to offer 10th grade students an opportunity to take a test that will provide students, teachers and parents with information about the student’s readiness for college or advanced coursework, possible career options, and major fields of study to consider. Through an open competitive process, the College Board was chosen to administer their test, the PSAT/NMSQT. Below are frequently asked questions and answers.

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1. How do I contact the College Board?
Information on the College Board web site:
For General Testing Questions, contact:
The PSAT/NMSQT Office: 888-477-7728 or
Western Regional Educational Manager, Nancy Potter
npotter@collegeboard.org eMail
(866) 392-4078 or (425) 643 7989
2. What does HB 2263 require?
HB 2263 required the ODE to select a contractor to administer a nationally norm-referenced assessment to all Oregon 10th graders and to pay for this test.
3. Did ODE support this bill?
No. The Oregon Department of Education provided information to the legislature upon request but did not endorse or oppose the bill.
4. Who must take the norm-referenced assessment?
The law requires every student enrolled in 10th grade in a public school to have the opportunity to take the test.
5. What is the test supposed to measure?
The purpose of the test is to predict the success of students in college and provide practice for students taking college entrance exams.
6. What is the benefit to students and parents?
The purpose of the test is to provide the following:
  • Predict the success of students on college entrance exams;
  • Identify students with high potential to excel in advanced placement (AP) or other honors courses;
  • Provide each student taking the assessment a career assessment and online exploration of colleges and career opportunities.
7. What is the benefit to schools?
The test must provide the following:
  • Predict the success of students on college entrance exams;
  • Identify students with high potential to excel in advanced placement (AP) or other honors courses;
  • Examine students in mathematics, reading and writing;
  • Provide results that can be used by Oregon's higher education institutions to recruit students; and
  • Supply schools with an item-by-item analysis of student performance.
8. How was the PSAT/NMSQT chosen?
ODE issued a Request for Proposals in an open, competitive process to all interested parties. The proposals were reviewed and scored by representatives of ODE and higher education. The highest scoring proposal has been named the apparent successful proposer. (For additional information on the bidding and scoring process click here.)
9. Why can't ODE purchase both the PSAT/NMSQT (College Board’s product) and the PLAN (ACT’s product) and allow districts to choose?
The law required that the Department of Education select a single contractor.
10. May a student request a waiver or exemption from taking the PSAT?NMSQT?
Yes. A student or his/her parent/guardian may request to be exempted from the test.
11. May a school district request a waiver from the ODE selected test?
Yes. A school district may request a waiver for one year if the district plans to provide a similar test during the 2008-2009 school year. This amendment was added to the original legislation during the special session in February 2008.
12. What are the conditions for the waiver?
The waiver may only be given if the school district had a contract and administered a 10th grade assessment during the 2007-2008 school year and the school district contractor meets the same criteria for testing as the state selected contractor.
13. When may districts request a waiver?
Waiver Requests must be submitted no later than September 15 each year. The waiver process is available online at http://www.ode.state.or.us/teachlearn/testing/admin/psat/waiverprocess0809.doc MS-Word
14. Does the College Board provide age/grade appropriate norming for the PSAT/NMSQT?
Yes. The PSAT/NMSQT has 10th grade state and national norms. Norms used for 11th grade students will not be applied to 10th graders.
15. Will the results of the PSAT/NMSQT be used for AYP or Report Card?
No. The PSAT/NMSQT will not meet federal requirements and can not be used to satisfy federal testing requirements. All students must take the Oregon Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (OAKS) by the end of 10th grade. Only the results from OAKS will be included in AYP, Report Card and reports of student achievement.
16. Is Oregon doing a "bulk" order or do schools need to order the 10th grade tests?
Schools will place their orders for the PSAT at the same time and in the same way in which they order PSAT tests from the College Board for 11th graders.
17. Is Oregon paying for all sophomore PSAT exams?
Yes, as long as the students are enrolled in a public school. The College Board will bill ODE for one 10th grade exam per student.
18. We normally test on the Saturday date (Saturday, October 18, 2008) in order to avoid students missing classes to test. Then we charge more for the PSAT so that we can pay proctors for their time running the exam. How are other schools staffing the exams that are given on the Saturday date?
From the College Board: “We know from experience that making the test available on a school day will be more inclusive. The goal of funding the PSAT/NMSQT for 10th graders is to encourage access and equity for more students to have the option of college upon graduation. It is also to give the schools free tools like AP Potential to identify more students for AP classes. While it will serve the motivated students, administering the test on Saturday is less likely to attract students who do not already see themselves as college bound. That being said, if you choose to administer the test on Saturday, there is no provision in the law for schools to be reimbursed for the cost of proctors.”
19. If we use the Tuesday date, we don't have a large enough facility to seat 350 test takers (uninterrupted). What do other schools do about that issue?
From the College Board: “The Tuesday date is now Wednesday, October 15, 2008. The facility challenge is a common one and schools have found many creative solutions, including administering the test in the gym and/or cafeteria. Some schools have a staggered schedule and start school early on that day for those taking the PSAT while having a late start for 9th and 12th graders so the classrooms can be used for the PSAT administration. Others use the day to encourage seniors to visit colleges while 9th graders engage in early college awareness activities. If there is a college nearby, the admission/outreach staff is often willing to talk to the 9th graders about college and design special programs for them including visiting classes.”
20. Will there be some type of communication from ODE on how they would like districts to handle testing sophomores?
When possible, administering the PSAT to sophomores on a school day will assure that more students can participate because it removes concerns about transportation or other schedule conflicts. However, the decision is up to individual districts.
21. Will the state pay for 11th graders to take the test instead of 10th graders?
No. The Legislature specifically targeted the money to pay for administering the PSAT to sophomores in order to provide students with early information about college and advanced course work. Districts may still test juniors, but they must handle payment in the same manner as in past years.
22. Does a school have to test on the same day for both 10th and 11th grade students or may 10th graders test one day and 11th graders test another?
From the College Board: Each high school must administer the PSAT/NMSQT® exclusively either on Wednesday Oct. 15, or Saturday, Oct. 18 to all students at that school. Individual schools within a district may test on different days. Many districts offer the PSAT/NMSQT® on Wednesday in the comprehensive high schools and then administer the test on Saturday at an alternative school using this administration as a make-up opportunity or for testing other grade levels.
23. If a school chooses a Saturday administration, does the school have to pay?
The Department of Education will pay the fee for all sophomores enrolled in a public school whether the test is administered on Wednesday or Saturday. Any additional custodial or salary expenses incurred with a Saturday test are the responsibility of the district.
24. Who orders the PSAT/NMSQT® and when?
From the College Board: Schools will order the PSAT/NMSQT® using the same procedures they have in the past, with one person ordering for the entire school, by going on line to the ordering portal: PSAT/NMSQT® Coordinator Site.

Schools should order the PSAT/NMSQT® by June 16, 2008 in order to ensure that student preparation materials and fee waivers for juniors will be available in the fall. Schools have until August 29, 2008 to reduce the number of test books and until September 24 to increase the number of books. Schools may change test dates from Saturday to Wednesday until September 17.
25. What about Special Ed students?
Students with disabilities have two options:
  1. If the student’s IEP indicates that the student is not to be included in standardized testing, or if the student’s parents and IEP team feel that participation in the PSAT/NMSQT® would not be of value to the student, the student may be exempted from the test.
  2. Students with disabilities are entitled to accommodations on the PSAT/NMSQT®. Accommodations must be requested in advance using a special form, which is easily ordered by calling, 800-257-5123. Students may take the test with their special education teacher. The following procedures and dates must be followed:
    1. School verification – the Student Eligibility Form is completed and the SSD Coordinator verifies that the student meets the 3 eligibility criteria and that the disability documentation meets the Guidelines for Documentation. Student Eligibility Form due to College Board by September 10.
    2. Documentation Review – The College Board reviews a student’s disability documentation to determine if it meets the Guidelines. Students can directly request that the College Board’s SSD office make the eligibility determination. Student Eligibility form due to College Board by August 27.
    Once a student has been approved for accommodations, the accommodations are valid for all College Board tests, (AP ®, SAT® and PSAT/NMSQT®) as long as the school annually verifies that eligibility requirements and Guidelines are met.

    For Questions about Services for Students with Disabilities, contact:
26. What do other schools do with freshmen, juniors not taking the PSAT and seniors on testing day if they test on Wednesday?
Some schools make the school day a “late start” day for freshmen, seniors and non-testing juniors.

Other schools plan specific activities for freshmen and seniors such as career education planning/opportunities, senior visits to colleges or job shadowing, community service activities, or other instructional activities.
27. If a school offers the PSAT/NMSQT on Saturday, October 18, are they required to provide transportation for students?
Yes. Since the test is part of the instructional program, students who would normally have access to school bus transportation to get to school must have this transportation available to them on Saturday. The expense is reimbursable as part of Pupil Transportation according to OAR 581-023-0040.
28. Are there any options for ELL students, students with disabilities, or other students who need additional time or different testing environments?
Yes, ODE has arranged with The College Board to offer the PSSS® test at the same cost per student. Information about the PSSS® is available at http://www.ode.state.or.us/teachlearn/testing/admin/psat/psssbenefits.doc MS-Word
29. Is there any help available to assist us in administering the test and answering questions about it?
Yes. Workshops are being offered around the state during September and early October. See the list of workshops at www.ode.state.or.us/go/psat.
30. How will ODE detemine which students are considered 10th graders for purposes of PSAT/NMSQT testing?
Students who were designated by the District as 10th graders in the Fall Membership collection would be considered 10th graders for the purpose of the PSAT/NMSQT test.