Texas Assessment Conference

1
Texas Assessment Conference

• The Nuts Bolts
• of
• Test Security
• Laura Witte, District Test Coordinator
• Sarah Howell, Testing Specialist
• North East ISD

2
Test Security and Confidential Integrity

• Code of Ethics Standards for Texas Educators
  under Principle II Professional Practices and
  Performance Number 5
• Rule violations will trigger consequences
• The signed oath is a legally binding document

3
The Law

• Texas Education Code (TEC) Chapter
• 39 Subchapter B
• Texas Administrative Code (TAC) 19 Subchapter
  101- Assessment
• Family Educational Rights Privacy Act of 1974
  (FERPA)
• Texas Penal Code 37.10 - Tampering

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Penalties for Prohibited Conduct

• Placement of restrictions on the issuance,
  renewal, or holding of a Texas Teacher
  Certificate, either indefinitely or for a set
  term
• Issuance of a reprimand
• Suspension of a Texas Teacher Certificate
• Revocation or cancellation of a Texas Teacher
  Certificate without opportunity for reapplication

5
It May Be The Student Who Pays The Price

• Irregularities in test security or confidential
  integrity may result in the invalidation of
  student results!

6
What is Test Security?

• Accounting for ALL secure materials before,
  during and after test administration
• Each campus has a packing list that lists all
  secure materials and security numbers.
• Campus Test Coordinators are trained to use the
  Materials Control Forms in order to keep tack of
  secure test booklets and manuals.

7
Confidential Integrity of the Test

• Involves protecting the contents of the test
  booklets, secure SDAA II test administrator
  manuals, answer documents and other materials
  containing student information.

8
Confidential Integrity Requires

• All testing personnel must be trained and sign an
  oath before handling test materials
• No person may view the contents of test booklets
  or answer documents before, during or after
  testing until tests are released to public unless
  instructed to do so by the manual.

9
Confidential Integrity Requires

• Secure materials may not be duplicated.
• Copies of compositions/Writing Images
• Subject area tests are sealed
• Tests must be administered in strict accordance
  with the instructions contained in the manual
• No person may reveal the contents of a secure
  assessment instrument or answer verbally or
  nonverbally any question that relates to the
  contents of the test unless specifically
  authorized to do so by the test administrator
  materials
• No person can review responses during or after a
  test administration unless specifically
  authorized to do so by the procedures outlined in
  the test administrator materials
• No person may change any response or instruct a
  student to do so

10
Security Policies Documentation

• Texas administrative rules and code
• District Campus Test Coordinator Manual
• Test Administrator Manuals
• Signed Security Oaths
• Training
• The integrity of the testing program must remain
  above reproach. Shirley Neeley

11
Security Violations Can Occur

• Before the Test
• During the Test
• After the Test

12
Before Testing Begins

• Accounting for test materials within 48 hours of
  delivery
• Storage of materials
• Unauthorized viewing of materials
• Training- Always train more staff than you think
  you will need
• Make sure that you have ordered enough manuals
  test materials
• Make sure that students will be assessed with the
  correct test
• Get special education bilingual/ESL to sign off
  on testing roster

13
Transporting Materials to Campuses

• How do you get the test materials to your
  campuses
• Campuses pick boxes up
• District Delivers boxes to campuses
• Make sure that campuses sign for the materials
  they are receiving
• NEISD Requires CTC or Principals signature
• Campuses need to be notified that a delivery will
  be arriving and make arrangements to lock up the
  materials as soon as they arrive

14
Additional Materials

• Campuses are e-mailed Campus Material Lists with
  a NEISD Additional Materials Order Form with
  directions and a deadline
• Testing Services fills the order and files the
  forms
• Testing Services adds the test booklet security
  numbers to the campus packing list and notes the
  additional order on either district overage or
  additional order packing list

15
During the Test

• Make sure that CTCs and principals are
  monitoring
• Consider District Monitors
• Following TA Manual
• Unauthorized Viewing of Materials
• Assistance
• Discussing Confidential Information
• Scoring
• Erasures
• Tampering

16
After the Test

• Unauthorized Viewing of Materials
• Checking Strategies
• Discussing Confidential Information
• Tampering
• Accounting for ALL Test Materials
• Collect Material Control Forms
• Condensing Room Forms

17
NEISD Training

• Training Calendar set in June and posted
• Campus Test Coordinators (CTC) receive training
  for each test administration
• CTC must use district training PowerPoint
  training and handouts at campus training
• Test Administrators must attend a separate
  training for each test administration and sign an
  oath
• Principals must also meet with CTC and go through
  each training PowerPoint in order to be apprised
  of all testing procedures

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Oaths

• Only test administrators that have been trained
  and signed an oath can have access to secure
  state testing materials.
• Non-certified educators may sign an oath, but a
  certified supervisor must also sign the oath.
• NEISD asks that CTCs keep training sign in
  sheets and signed oaths in training folder for 2
  years.

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Secure Storage in NEISD

• Secure Storage should have limited access by CTC,
  Principal, Counselor or Assistant Principal
• Secure Testing Materials Storage Form
• Secretaries, bookkeepers, custodians students
  must not have access

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Secure Storage Cont.

• Test Materials Closet/Room should be locked when
  not in use.
• Secure Testing Materials Authorized Personnel
  Only! Sign should be posted on door(s).

22
Secure Storage in Classrooms

• Classroom with locked door is NOT secure storage
  since custodians and other persons who have not
  signed an oath may have a key.
• Teachers cannot leave test materials on desk and
  lock door of classroom.
• Teachers should lock up materials in closet or
  file cabinet and then lock door to classroom
• If a Test Administrators floats then he/she must
  lock up materials in a trained test
  administrators closet or carry materials with
  them wherever they go inside building.

23
Temporary Secure Storage

• Campuses that have master keys for closet/room
  where secure test materials are kept must place a
  secure materials lock device over door knob and
  secure with pad lock
• Red Plastic Cover
• Metal Cover

24
NEISD Campus Test Plan

• Each CTC working with the campus principal
  creates a test plan and submits it to district
  office in September
• Testing Services provides the template for the
  plan, but the campus completes the plan.
• The plan is given to the CTCs at the Fall
  Academy for Campus Test Coordinators in NEISD

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Let Visitors Know You Are Testing

• Post signs at entrance to school, so that all
  visitor know testing is going on
• Post Do Not Disturb Signs on each classroom
  door when testing begins

TESTING
DO NOT DISTURB!
TESTING
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Posters, Charts Instructional Aids

• Any posters, charts or visual aids in the content
  area being tested must be taken down or covered
  in testing rooms hallways (anywhere a student
  might walk during the testing day)
• Administrator should check classes and hallways
  prior to the day of testing to see that each
  class is prepared

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Classroom Doors

• If there is a window in classroom doors CTC have
  been asked to instruct test administrators to
  uncover window
• Doors should be unlocked

29
Unauthorized Devices

• Check for unauthorized devices in the testing
  room, such as calculator watches, PDAs, and
  phones with cameras
• Students should be asked to put backpacks, bags
  and purses in secure place in classroom away from
  desks
• NEISD does not allow the use of cell phones by
  students during testing
• Students still testing should not be allowed to
  use phone in testing room, in hallways, bathrooms
  or at lunch.
• Monitors Test Administrators must be on the
  lookout for unauthorized devices and if found
  should contact CTC and/or principal ASAP.

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Test Administrators Must

• Read Test Administrator Manual
• CTCs instruct Test Administrators where to begin
  reading the test directions to students
• Manual should be read prior to day of testing to
  avoid problems with reading directions
• Attend mandatory training
• Sign oath
• Keep testing materials secure

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Test Administrators Must

• Ask students to break seals on their test
  booklets
• Ask students to clean up or erase stray marks on
  their answer documents or in their scorable test
  booklets
• Refer to phrase in Test Administrator Manual
• Keep copies of compositions and short answers
  secure until embargo date
• Report violations or suspected violations
  immediately

32
Test Administrators Cont.

• Read test directions verbatim using the correct
  manual
• Test booklet numbers should be filled in on
  answer documents
• Be aware of students attempting to bubble in any
  information on the demographic portion of the
  answer sheet
• Require use of No. 2 pencils
• During testing, do not instruct students to use
  testing strategies or keep checklist of students
  using strategies.

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Test Administrators Cont.

• Can not ask to view a students work
• Students who have finished testing and who remain
  in the room may read a book or rest
• Consider using Condensing Rooms
• A trained test administrator must be present at
  all times Do not leave a testing room
  unsupervised during testing
• Monitors that relieve administrators must enter
  room before the administrator leaves room
• TAs need to know how nurse will handle the
  distribution of medicines
• TAs need to know what the plan is in case of an
  emergency during testing

34
Test Administrators Cont.

• Never ask an individual to violate test security
  or confidential integrity
• Do not talk about the test content with students,
  peers, spouse etc.
• No individual may view the contents of any test
  before, during, or after the test administration
• Administrator may not read compositions after
  tests have been turned in

35
Test Administrators Cont.

• Do not give signals for answers to test questions
• Do not review or clean up any answer documents or
  scorable test booklets
• Do not suggest or indicate a response or answer
• Do not help students with answers to test
  questions
• Do not allow students to remove secure test
  materials from the room
• Test must not be discussed

36
Test Administrators Cont.

• No individual may review student responses during
  or after the test administration unless the
  individual has permission to transcribe responses
• Use Transcription Rooms with counselor or
  principal monitoring to avoid any allegations or
  misconduct
• No person may change a student response or
  instruct a student to do so

37
Restroom Breaks

• Carefully monitor all rest-room breaks according
  to the manual.
• Students testing should never be out of the view
  of a test administrator or monitor.
• Students cannot discuss test during breaks
• Restroom monitors need to be trained and know
  what their responsibilities are.
• NEISD Monitors who enter testing rooms or are in
  contact with secure materials must be trained and
  sign an oath.

38
Copying Test Materials

• Secure test materials may not be duplicated
  except for compositions open ended responses.
• Copying should be done by test administrators and
  should be monitored
• Bad copies should be shredded
• Copies must be locked up ASAP
• Ask data processor for labels with student names
• Principals may not make copies of secure test
  materials if a student draws an obscene picture
  or writes something against school policy.

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Answers Must Appear on A/D

• Once a student has turned in the test and the
  testing session has ended, no one may transfer a
  students answers from the test book to the
  answer sheet.
• If student failed to transfer answers to the
  answer document, the test administrator may
  address the student directly before the end of
  the testing session
• If student has already turned in materials, they
  may be returned to the student to record his/her
  answers
• There are directions in manual that instruct
  students to put all answers on answer document.
• This is not an O Code!

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REWARDS

• Rewards/incentives for individual student
  performance are prohibited
• Entire grade level or campus may be rewarded
  (i.e., ALL students get a field day if campus
  reaches goal)
• 95 of 7th grade is commended on TAKS Writing
• See TEA letter dated 4-12-2001

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We Support Our Campuses!

• NEISD has an excellent track record with test
  administration.
• We all expect that the tradition will continue
  this year!
• NEISD is giving added support to campuses in the
  form of District Test Monitors for each live
  test.

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NEISD District Test Monitors

• Monitors will be on campuses during each live
  test.
• Monitors will help campus principals to actively
  monitor the testing process.

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District Office Monitors Cont.

• Every campus is assigned at least one monitor.
• Testing Services will train all district monitors
  and make campus assignments.
• Must be trained test administrator with signed
  oath.
• Monitor will check in with campus coordinator.
• Observe test administration. Keep eyes ears
  open!
• Must not answer test administrative/procedural
  questions.
• Be available to help if needed.

45
District Test Monitors Cont.

• A monitor needs to spend meaningful time on a
  campus in order to get a true picture of testing.
• Monitors are looking for GOOD Testing Practices
  and will complete reports on the campus and
  individual classrooms.

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Monitors Will Ask Questions

• Monitor can and should ask questions
• Any person with access to secure testing
  materials should be trained and have an oath on
  file
• Accommodations other than allowable accommodation
  should have an approved Accommodation Request
  Form on file
• Monitors may ask to see testing assignments
  hall monitor lists

47
Testing Irregularities

• Make sure that your CTCs know to report any
  suspected irregularity to you ASAP
• Cover investigations in your CTC training, so
  CTCs know how to respond to a suspected
  irregularity
• Get the FACTS
• What occurred?
• When did it occur?
• Who was involved?

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Investigations

• Get the facts ASAP
• Get written statements from all parties involved
• CTCs send reports to you and you must make the
  district report
• Campus Plan of Action
• Meet with Superintendent
• Send to Student Assessment

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How to Prevent Irregularities

• Train your CTCs well
• Provide consistent training for TAs district
  wide
• CTCs must issue manuals before training
• District Test Monitors
• Good District Wide Inventory Control
• Be Available Before, During and After Testing for
  Questions

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It Can Happen to You!

• No matter how good your training or how many
  safeguards you have in place there is always the
  possibility that a TA will elect to make a bad
  decision
• What counts then is HOW you deal with the
  incident!

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Contact Information

• Laura Witte
• District Test Coordinator
• North East ISD
• Email lwitte_at_neisd.net
• 8961 Tesoro Dr., Suite 500.14
• San Antonio, TX 78217
• 210-804-7140
• Fax [phone]