Overview
Although the content and rigor of the test is still the most important thing to prepare for, and although it won’t change this year, there are some formatting changes to get used to. Above all, there are the Technology Enhanced Items (TEI’s) and Pearson’s on-screen testing features. 

TEI’s are nothing to be afraid of, though they will require students to give a different kind of answer than they may be used to. As for the on-screen features, these will only help our students. They essentially just digitize techniques that they’re already familiar with through working with ibidPREP, like crossing off bad answer choices and bookmarking questions to revisit. The Student Readiness Tool [Resource 1] is the essential guide for getting comfortable with these changes.

In this document you will find a comprehensive description of the new test’s consistencies with the old, paper SHSAT as well as its changes. At the bottom, we’ve provided the resources which informed this document and which you should check out if you’re looking for more detail.

Consistencies
All of this was pulled from Resource 3

• Content and rigor
  • 57 questions (now called “items” because of their diverse nature) per section
  • Grid-ins (though there may be less in order to incorporate TEIs–more info on these below)
  • 3 hours total if student does not have an accommodation
• Free navigation, i.e. students can jump around test at will
• Paper version still available for students with specific IEPs or 504 plans

Changes

• This year’s test will be taken online using a platform made by Pearson
• Students will use DOE devices (likely Chromebooks) [3]
• Not clear whether they will have mouses our if it will be completely touch screen [3]
• There will be a new style of question, TEIs, probably on both sections
  • These will likely be limited to ~5 per section [3]
  • TEIs vary greatly. They can include: drag and drop, typing numbers with exponents using an on-screen calculator, filling in blanks, selecting multiple correct answers, and more [2]
    There are a host of digital features intended to help students
• Crossing out answer choices, note-taking, bookmarking questions, and more [1]
• English Language Learners (ELLs) will have access to glossaries in their language for certain words. These words will be underlined, and their definitions will appear if you hover your mouse over them [3]

Resources

• Student Readiness Tool (SRT) to help adapt to TEIs
• PDF explanation of TEIs
• DOE SHSAT overview with description of changes