Getting Started Tips: I am new to CBT, where do I begin?

We want to welcome all new CBT schools to computer-based testing administration. In order to make sure all our new schools are comfortable and confident in organizing a successful CBT administration in the spring, we've created the below list of administration steps, articles, and resources on CBT Support that can help your school to prepare for and administer computer-based tests.

How to Get Started in the Nextera Administration System

1. Consult Appendix Y in the School Administrator's Manual for guidance on how to navigate Nextera Admin. (For CBT Field Testing, consult Appendix L in the SAM for Computer-Based Field Testing.)
2. Create accounts for additional users in the school who will help you to administer CBT.
3. Set your students' testing accommodations.
4. Consider if you want to organize your students for testing into groups/classes or keep them all in one container. 
   • Consider if you want to place any students who are not taking the CBT exams into a "Not Tested" class container (so you can focus only on the students who are testing in Nextera Admin). 
5. Make sure you are using the Chrome browser, and then navigate to the TESTS>Tests page to print student login tickets for your classes. 
6. Locate your Proctor PIN at the very bottom left (keep scrolling!) of the Nextera Admin homepage.
7. Assemble your testing classes' secure testing materials to distribute to proctors on the morning of testing. 

Your school technology coordinator must prepare student testing devices by downloading and installing the Questar Secure Browser. All students will test on computer by accessing the Nextera Test Delivery System, which launches as an application within the Questar Secure Browser. 

Nextera Admin Information

• Principals and/or District Test Coordinators will need to be able to access Questar's Nextera Administration System.
  • Please check your email inbox for a "Welcome to Nextera" email login credentials
    • If you cannot locate your Nextera Admin credentials, then please contact either Questar Customer Support or CBT Support to have your account reset.
• Navigating Nextera Admin:
  • Download the Nextera Secure Browser from the Help>Downloads Tab.
  • Watch a video tutorial about downloading the secure browser onto student devices.
  • You should use the steps noted in the Nextera Setup & Installation Guide for help to install and test the Questar Secure Browser.
• Set student testing accommodations. 
• Create Testing Classes.
• Create new users.
• Monitor test administrations from the Tests and Testing Status Details pages 
• Print student login tickets.

Technology Tips

•  The Best Practices: Computer-Based Testing "Tech Tips" article can function as a checklist for our schools as they prepare to begin CBT.

Students Should Use the Practice Tests

• The Question Sampler is a practice environment that closely resembles the Nextera Test Delivery system. For the best results using the Question Sampler, please use the Google Chrome Browser.
• For the best simulated practice of the Nextera testing platform, use the Nextera Secure Browser practice tests.
  • Practice tests are available for ELA, Math, and Science.
  • Practice tests are available for all CBT testing accommodations.
  • Practice tests are available for alternate languages available for CBT math.
    • Only Spanish is available as an alternate language option for CBT field testing.

Communication: Stay Informed about CBT!

• Sign up for new content alerting on CBT Support, our support content website. 

 

Related Articles: 

• New York Question Sampler (Online Practice Tests)
• Where can I find my school's field-testing assignment?