Ensuring Test Security through Active Monitoring

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Ensuring Test Security throughActive Monitoring

• Gloria Zyskowski, Ph.D.
• Director of Test Administration

S T U D E N T A S S E S S M E N T D I V I S I
O N T E X A S E D U C A T I O N A G E N C Y
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• What is active monitoring
• and why is it so important?

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Active Monitoring

• Active monitoring means that test administrators
  are actively engaged while students are working
  on the test, moving about the room so they can be
  more aware of students actions.

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Active Monitoring What Its Not

• Catching up on e-mail
• Grading papers
• Surfing the web
• Checking your horoscope
• Taking a nap

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Why is active monitoring so important?

• Failure to properly monitor students can result
  in
• invalidation of students tests
• loss of testing opportunities
• greater potential for testing irregularities
• increased opportunities for student cheating

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A little history
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2004-2005 Testing Year

• Approximate number of monitoring related
  incidents 449

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Actions Taken to Address This Issue in 2005

• Increased focus during training (ESC training,
  assessment conference mini-sessions, TETNs)
• Introduction of the Test Security Supplement
• FAQs

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2005-2006 Testing Year
Approximate number of monitoring related
incidents 278
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Monitoring issues during the 2005-2006
administrations

• Eighty-two incidents involving blank answer
  documents being accepted (almost 30 of reported
  monitoring-related incidents)
• Numerous transcription requests after score
  reports received indicating that blank answer
  documents were not detected by campus coordinators

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More monitoring issues during the 2005-2006
administrations

• Students not bubbling in answers for the correct
  subject (i.e., students recorded their reading
  answers in the math section of the answer
  document)
• Students moving ahead to another subject area
  test
• Students using pens
• Marking through all responses on the scorable
  test booklets

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(No Transcript)
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Actions Taken to Address This Issue in 2006

• Additional material added to 2007 District and
  Campus Coordinator Manual , including revised
  oaths
• Continued focus during training (including this
  presentation and associated Powerpoint)
• Additional emphasis added to revised Test
  Security Supplement

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Promoting Active Monitoring

• Continue to emphasize the importance of
  monitoring every chance you get.
• Consider use of checklists for test
  administrators to review before test
  administrations.
• Increase oversight of test administrations (the
  principals presence is a powerful motivator!).

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New in 2007 Revised Oaths

• (Initial each statement.)
• ____ I have received training on testing
  procedures specific to this administration
• ____ I have read and understand the test
  administrator manual governing the administration
  of the statewide student testing program, and I
  understand my responsibilities concerning the
  administration of this test
• ____ I am aware that testing procedures require
  me to actively monitor during test
  administrations
• ____ I understand my responsibilities as a test
  administrator, and I am aware of the range of
  penalties that may result from a departure from
  the documented test administration procedures
• ____ I understand my obligations concerning the
  security and confidential integrity of this test,

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The inevitable

• Mistakes are still going to be made.
• Not all situations can be prevented or detected
  through active monitoring.

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What to do When a Monitoring Incident Occurs

• Gather the facts district must determine
  whether there was sufficient monitoring to
  prevent the situation
• Determine if student cheating occurred generally
  this is handled at the local level

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Submit Incident Report and Supporting
Documentation

• FYI - Student cheating no incident report
  required if student is caught or the district
  determines that sufficient monitoring was in
  place. Documentation should be maintained at the
  district level.
• FYI - Student cheating incident report and
  supporting documentation IS required in the case
  of inadequate monitoring
• FYI - Blank answer document accepted incident
  report and supporting documentation IS required

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Questions