Testing Room Requirements

The testing room and seating guidelines for the digital test are the same as those for paper administrations, with some additions. Choose rooms with optimal access to power and strong internet; this is especially important for extended time testing rooms. You can use power strips, surge protectors, and extension cords if you have them.

To ensure an effective and secure administration, testing rooms must meet these requirements:

• Rooms must be located away from noisy areas and distracting activities.
• Rooms must be near restrooms for use during breaks.
• Rooms must be near the help room for students who need technical support during testing.
• Rooms must have:
  • Internet access with enough bandwidth to support the expected number of test takers.
  • A working clock, visible to students.
  • Proper lighting.
  • Proper ventilation.
  • No displayed materials related to test content, such as charts, maps, or math formulas. (Remove or cover them up during the test.)
  • An area to write or display Wi-Fi sign-in information and other test day instructions for students.
  • Outlets or power strips. (These are required in rooms where students are testing for more than 3 hours. Please be fair and use your judgment while providing power access for students testing for less than 3 hours.)
  • Proper seating that follows the seating requirements.

Plan for Test Day Impacts to Rooms and Students

• Arrange for bells and announcements to be silenced on test day.
• Review the schedule of classes that would normally meet in the rooms you have identified for testing.
• Determine which classes contain primarily students who will be testing and which classes have a mixture of testing and nontesting students. For test day, the school may need to adjust or relocate classes, and/or schedule study halls, field trips, practice testing, or other activities for students not testing.

Seating Requirements

Follow these seating requirements to prevent security problems and ensure student comfort. Proctors will assign seats. Never allow students to choose their own seats. Students who arrive together should be seated apart. Proctors can move students who lose power and need to access a power outlet if it does not disrupt other students.

Make sure each testing room has enough seats and meets these requirements:

• The chairs have backs.
• Seats face the same direction.
• Students can’t easily see each other’s screens.
• You have unimpeded access to every student and can easily see them.
• Students are separated by at least 3 feet on the right and left (measured from center of desk).
• Seating is arranged to provide optimal access to electricity without overloading outlets or creating unsafe conditions.
• Tables that seat more than 1 student are at least 6 feet long and have enough space for students to sit 3 feet apart.
• Students have a large, smooth writing surface, such as a desk or table.
• Tablet-arm chairs must have a minimum writing surface of 12 x15 inches (30 x38 centimeters).
• Students won't be seated at round tables, study carrels, seats with lapboards, language laboratory booths, or tables with partitions or dividers. (Partitions and dividers are allowed only if testing in a computer lab.)

IMPORTANT: If digital testing is in a computer lab, seats can face different directions, but students must not have a direct line of sight to other screens.

Technical Requirements

Your school must provide internet access to students and staff on test day and allow students to test on their own devices (if applicable). Choose rooms with a strong internet connection because all students and staff will use it. For information about network requirements, visit our Bluebook Readiness Checklist.

Work with school and district technology staff to make sure internet access is available to everyone, including students not affiliated with your school.

Note: Students who are taking digital in-school assessments (SAT School Day, PSAT/NMSQT, PSAT 10, and PSAT 8/9) do not need, and will not use, College Board accounts to test.

Help Room Requirements

Designate 1 room as the help room where students can go for technical support from the technology monitor. Ensure there are adequate desks or tables and access to power, and that it's near the testing rooms.