Non standard conditions (NSC) and Exclusions to the ISA standard testing conditions

Schools are required to list the details of any student who completed the assessment under non-standard conditions (NSCs) and advise if any students should be excluded from aggregate results. 

In this article:

• Record NSC and exclusions
• Classifying the non-standard conditions (NSC)
• Exclusions

Record NSC and exclusions

1. Go to Students.
2. Select the students that the NSC and exclusions apply too. Note: Select groups of students that have the same NSC and/or Exclusion. If you select more than one student the NSCs and Exclusion will apply to all these students.
3. Select Manage.
4. Select Non-standard conditions/exclusions.
5. Select the relevant test(s) that the NSC apply too and add a description of the NSC. Note: Refer to the table below for examples of valid NSCs.
6. Select the relevant test(s) that the exclusions apply too and the reason for exclusion. Note: A generic reason should be provided to explain why it is appropriate to exclude the student from aggregate results.
7. Remember to de-select these students before selecting the next student(s) to enter a different NSC or exclusion.

Note: Staff with the role of School Coordinator and Candidate Manager can submit NSCs and exclusions.

Non-standard conditions relate to the administration of the assessment. They include variations to the standard testing conditions of the assessment such as special support, use of a scribe and disruptions. Examples of valid non-standard conditions are provided in the table below.

Classifying the non-standard conditions (NSC)

Non-standard conditions relate to the administration of the assessment. They include variations to the standard testing conditions of the assessment such as special support, use of a scribe and disruptions. 

Please refer to the table below to help you determine whether you should record a non-standard condition.

ACCEPTABLE NON-STANDARD CONDITIONS	UNACCEPTABLE NON-STANDARD CONDITIONS
"15 minutes additional time" Additional time of 10 minutes of more is outside of the standard testing conditions and should be recorded as a non-standard condition.	"5 minutes additional time" Additional time of less than 10 minutes is within standard testing conditions and does not need to be recorded.
"The student completed the test with a scribe" The use of a scribe is outside of standard testing conditions and should be recorded.	"The student completed the test with a scribe due to a broken wrist" Underlying reasons for non-standard conditions should not be included when recording a non-standard condition.
"The student used a dictionary" The use of a dictionary is outside of the standard testing conditions and should be recorded. The student may also need to be excluded from the aggregated results.	"The student used a calculator" The use of a calculator is within standard testing conditions and does not need to be recorded. Refer to the Administration Handbook for more details on materials.
"The student left halfway through the testing session" This circumstance would impact the results of the student and should be recorded.	"The student was absent for the testing session" It is not necessary to record a total absence from the test as a non-standard condition.
"The student completed the test in a separate room" This described circumstances outside of standard testing conditions and should be recorded.	"The student sat the test under special conditions" A specific description of the circumstances and how they differ from standard testing conditions is required.
"The student used speech to text software" The use of speech to text software is permitted for students with special needs who require it. It should be recorded as a non-standard condition.	"The student has dyslexia" This is not a valid non-standard condition as it does not describe any changes to standard testing conditions and personal details should not be included.

Useful tips:

• If teachers have recorded a non-standard condition in the session attendance sheet, these will need to be transferred to the non-standard conditions and exclusions form.
• A note will be included in the individual report for all students that tested under non-standard conditions to alert teachers and parents to factors they may need to take into consideration when interpreting the student’s results.

Exclusions

An exclusion should be recorded when a student’s test results should not be included in the aggregate scores of the school. This may be for the whole assessment or for a particular test. The table below outlines how to record exclusions.

Students who are excluded will receive an individual report and appear on the class report, but their data will not contribute to the class mean scores or the school mean scores for the excluded tests.

The decision to exclude a student from the results is at the discretion of the school. An exclusion should be recorded where it is determined that including the results would not be appropriate or comparable to the testing cohort.

A generic reason should be provided to explain why it is appropriate to exclude the student from aggregate results, for example if:

• the student fell ill during the testing session and was unable to complete a test, or;
• the level of support the student was given was too extensive for this student’s data to be comparable with that of other students.

An exclusion does not need to be recorded for students who are absent for any of the tests unless non-standard conditions apply.

ACER will decide if the exclusion is appropriate based on the information provided by the school and will seek further clarification from the school where required. 

Please do not provide specific information regarding diagnosed medical conditions or learning disabilities.