PARCC Testing and PearsonAccess Next Testing

Summary

Here we detail the changes you need to make to your SecureSchool appliance to allow PARCC Testing and PearsonAccess Next for clients. Also, how to configure access to the ProctorCache Server.

The Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC) is a consortium of 18 states plus the District of Columbia and the U.S. Virgin Islands working together to develop a common set of K-12 assessments in English and math anchored in what it takes to be ready for college and careers.  The PARCC states include Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, District of Columbia, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Mississippi, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and Tennessee.

UPDATES - April 21st, 2017

Applies To

SecureSchool, ISBossBox, LibraryDoor, PARCC Testing

Client Access Configuration

1.) To make PARCC Testing work through SecureSchool, you need to create several firewall rules.  Go to "Firewall" -> "Protocol Rules" -> "Add A Rule".  Add a rule using these settings:

  • Rule Name: PARCC Testing
  • Reason: Allow Access to PARCC Testing Servers
  • Type: Allow
  • Protocol: ALL
  • Direction: From Inside
  • Source Address: "0.0.0.0/0"
  • Destination Address: 159.182.0.0/16
  • Add Protocol Rule
Repeat the process above with the destination address "content.testnav.com" , "systemcheck.parcc.testnav.com" , "parcc.testnav.com", "home.testnav.com", "elb.testnav.com", "<state>.testnav.com" (ie: nj.testnav.com, pa.testnav.com, etc), "thawte.com" , "comodoca.com" , "usertrust.com" , and the IP Ranges "52.0.0.0/11", "52.64.0.0/12", "54.192.0.0/12", "54.230.0.0/15", and "54.240.0.0/12"

2.) To make PARCC Testing work through SecureSchool, you need to make these certain sites unfiltered. Goto "Website Filtering" -> "Website Access" -> "Add a Site". Add a site using these settings:
  • URL: pearsonaccess.com
  • Reason for Change: Allow access to PARCC Testing
  • Filtering: Unfiltered
  • Port Access: Select/Check "Add Port Access Rules"
  • Select All: Select ALL Filter Sets
  • Submit
Repeat the process above with the URL of "testnav.com", "s3.amazonaws.com/tn8parcccontent", "thawte.com" , "google-analytics.com", "parcc.testnav.com", "pearsonaccessnext.com", "pearson.com", "pearsontestcontent.com" and "s3.amazonaws.com/tn8parccepatcontent" ,   "comodoca.com" , "usertrust.com"

 

3.) To make PARCC Testing work through SecureSchool, you need to make certain sites an Authentication Exception. Goto "Website Filtering" -> "Authentication Exception" -> "Add a site" Add a site using these settings:
  • URL: pearsonaccess.com
  • Submit
Repeat the process above with the URL of "testnav.com", "s3.amazonaws.com/tn8parcccontent", "thawte.com" , "google-analytics.com",  "parcc.testnav.com", "pearsonaccessnext.com", "pearson.com", "pearsontestcontent.com" and "s3.amazonaws.com/tn8parccepatcontent" , "comodoca.com" , "usertrust.com"

 

4.) Once you are done, go to "Commit Changes" then restart.  You should now be able to pass the PARCC SystemCheck. http://systemcheck.parcc.testnav.com/

 


ProctorCache - Proctor Caching Server Configuration

What is Proctor Caching? Proctor caching accelerates the delivery of test content to students and reduces the amount of bandwidth required for electronic testing. The computer running proctor caching should be located as close as possible on the network to the TestNav clients. Proctor caching can be implemented at the school or lab level. Administrator level access is required to install the software, Proctor Caching pulls and stores test content from Pearson to a local Proctor Caching computer. This stored or “cached” test content is then distributed to TestNav clients as testing sessions are started.  

Make the following changes for the Proctor Caching Server:

1.) Make sure the Proctor Cache Server is not in any IP groups.

  • Got to "User Auth" -> "IP Groups" -> "List Workstation IP's"
  • Make sure that the IP address of the Proctor Cache Server is NOT in any of the IP groups.

 

2.) Create a firewall rule to allow the computer running Proctor Caching Server out to the internet, without any restrictions.  

  • Go to "Firewall" -> "Protocol Rules" -> "Add A Rule".  Add a rule using these settings:

 

  • Rule Name: PARCC Proctor Caching Server
  • Reason: Allow PARCC Proctor Caching Server Access
  • Type: Allow
  • Protocol: ALL
  • Direction: From Inside
  • Source Address: "X.X.X.X"  - IP Address of Proctor Caching Server
  • Destination Address: ANY
  • Add Protocol Rule
  • Commit Changes and Restart

    •  

    3.) Remove all proxy setting from the Proctor Caching Server. NO Proxy Auto Detect, Proxy Config File or Static Proxy Settings.

    • Test this to be sure, go to a site you know should be blocked (ex. facebook.com), should be able to get there.
    4.) Make sure that all clients workstations are NOT going thru SecureSchool to access the local Proctor Caching Server.
      a.) If clients are using Proxy Auto Detect or Proxy Config Script, make sure the IP address of the Proctor Caching Server is listed in the exceptions.

     

  • "Setup" -> "Proxy Config Script" -> "Add and Exception"
  • Host: "X.X.X.X"  - IP Address of Proctor Caching Server
  • Type: Just this host
      •   b.) If using Static Proxy Setting (ex. Specifying the IP address of SecureSchool), then on client:

     

  • Control Panel -> Internet Options -> Connections -> Lan Settings -> Advanced -> Exceptions
  • Add "X.X.X.X"  - IP Address of Proctor Caching Server
    • 5.)  ProctorCache config file (<install_dir>squid\etc\squid.conf). Do NOT configure the ProctorCache computer to use an upstream proxy. Make sure the following lines ARE COMMENTED OUT (have the ## in front) in the
    "<install_dir>squid\etc\squid.conf" file:

     

    ## Upstream Proxy - Uncomment the following two lines and replace the four following values:
    ## address - The address of the parent proxy service.
    ## port - The port of the parent proxy service.
    ## user - The username of the parent proxy login credentials.
    ## pass - The password of the parent proxy login credentials.
    ## If the upstream proxy is unauthenticated, remove the "login=user:pass" clause.
    ## Example:  cache_peer 10.25.97.189 parent 4481 0 login=myuser:mypass default no-query http11
    ## cache_peer address parent port 0 default no-query http11
    ## never_direct allow all

     



     

     

     

     

    References

    http://www.parcconline.org/

    http://systemcheck.parcc.testnav.com/

    http://www.pearsonaccess.com/cs/Satellite?

    https://support.assessment.pearson.com/display/PAsup/System+Requirements

    https://support.assessment.pearson.com/display/TN/Install+ProctorCache

    http://pearsonaccessnext.com/

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PSJnAv41L6I

    http://www.nj.gov/education/assessment/training/DTCTrainingPARCC17P2.pdf 
    Posted 10 Years Ago, Updated 7 Years Ago
    https://kb.k12usa.com/Knowledgebase/50258/PARCC-Testing-and-PearsonAccess-Next-Testing