I was able to ask a few more questions at an ETS webinar. Here’s what I learned (the answers are not direct quotes):
Q: Will results come back in six calendar days or six business days now?
A: Six calendar days.
Q: How significant are pauses when students are answering questions in the speaking section?
A: They can be very significant and can affect the score a lot.
Q: Could the same human grader score all four speaking responses?
A: No.
Q: Will a new Official Guide be published in 2019?
A: No. That has not been prioritized.
Q: Could students get only NINE reading questions with a specific reading passage?
A: Yes. This will happen if a fill-in-a-table question is given.
Q: Is it okay to mention the reading first in integrated essay body paragraphs?
A: The order “does not matter.” The scoring rubric is “not that structured.”