Clute Intermediate TAKS Training

1. Presented by: Marilou Duchaney February 23, 2011 Clute IntermediateTAKS Training

2. This Training Does NOT Take the Place of Reading the Appropriate Manual. Please Note:

3. What does TEA require? • Secure materials storage • Appropriate training of staff • Secure handling of testing materials • Active monitoring by test administrators • Proper testing environment • Secure processing of materials district wide Brazosport ISD District Monitor Training

4. Resources • 2011 DCCM • 2011 District and Campus Coordinator Supplement • General Test Administrator Manual and Test Administration Directions • 2010-2011 Test Security Supplement • 2010-2011 Accommodations Manual • 2010-2011 ARD Manual • LPAC Manual • LAT and TELPAS test administrator manuals • GPC Manual • DBA Instructions • Online Accommodation Request Form • Online Incident Report Form • Corrective Action Plan template • Locally Determined Disciplinary Actions Form • FAQs • Technical Digest 4

5. Key Changes in Testing Policy and Procedures 5

6. Directions must be read verbatim Students must write their own name on their test booklet Even if there is a sticker with the student’s name on it.

7. Key Changes in Testing Policy & Procedures • Policy Regarding Composition Retention and Duplication • District personnel may retain a copy of each student’s composition and/or open-ended responses for the following TAKS administrations in March only: • grade 4 writing (English and Spanish) • grade 7 writing • grade 9 reading • the primary form of grade 10 ELA (NOT the make-up form) • exit level ELA (primary and retest) • Districts may NOT make copies of the TAKS–M tests or any other writing, reading, or ELA tests or field tests. 7

8. Test Security 8

9. General Security Information • Texas Education Code (TEC) Chapter 39, Subchapter B • Texas Administrative Code (TAC) 19 Subchapter 101, Assessment • Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA) • Texas Penal Code 37.10 - Tampering 9

10. Test Security in 2011 • 14-point Security Plan • Work will begin on developing a transparent method to annually identify statistically irregular patterns of test answers that may indicate cheating to augment other detection methods already in use. • On-site monitoring will continue 10

11. Test Security in 2011 • Test Security Supplement • Restructured slightly to make it more succinct • Information about history and implementation of the 14-point plan has been moved to an appendix • Information added regarding • writing names on students’ test booklets • online alternate test date request form 11

12. Test Security in 2011 • New Language in Test Administration Directions • Question for students about Form 1 for oral administration and dyslexia bundled accommodations administration 12

13. Points of emphasis 13

14. Active Monitoring • Monitoring during test administrations is the responsibility of the test administrator, the campus test coordinator, the campus principal, and the district test coordinator. • Teachers are required to actively monitor students during testing. • Principals and Campus Test Coordinators are required to actively monitor testing sessions at their campus. • The district testing coordinator is required to ensure that testing sessions at all campuses within the district are monitored. • A team of central office personnel trained to monitor testing sessions will be used to assist the district testing coordinator in monitoring campus testing sessions. Every testing session will be actively monitored.

15. What Is Active Monitoring? • Watching students during testing. The focus of the teacher’s attention is on the students and not elsewhere. • Walking around to better observe what students are doing. (Are students; working on correct section of test, marking answers on the answer document, not cheating, not using cell phones, not talking or communicating with other students, etc.?)

16. What is NOT Active Monitoring? • Anything that takes the test administrator’s attention away from the students during testing. Examples include; • Working on the computer or doing email. • Reading a book, magazine, or newspaper. • Grading papers or doing lesson planning. • Leaving the room without a trained substitute test administrator in the room. • Leaving students unattended during lunch or breaks. • Be sure to not read the test content over a student’s shoulder and do not examine specific student responses during testing, since doing these will be a test security violation committed while active monitoring.

17. Online Test Administrator Training Modules • Designed to supplement mandatory annual training in test security and test administration procedures • Optional but recommended • Target audience = test administrators • Designed to be taken in either a group or individual setting • Modules include • Active Monitoring • Distribution of Test Materials • Proper Handling of Secure Materials • Each module contains a knowledge check

18. Cell Phones • The use of cell phones or other two-way communication devices is prohibited during testing for students and test administrators. • The reason is that cell phones can…. • disrupt the testing environment, • be used to cheat by obtaining unauthorized assistance on test content by students, and can • be used to image secure tests and compromise the confidentiality of the test with their camera feature by students and teachers. • Districts are required to develop a policy that addresses these concerns.

19. Seating Chart Rule • Seating Charts are required for all test administrations. Seating Charts must include: • Location of testing session( Campus, room) and a brief description of the testing area (classroom, library, broom closet, etc.) • The assessment being given including grade and subject. • The first and last names of the test administrator(s). • The first and last names of each student and where they were seated for testing. • If students are re-grouped during testing an additional seating chart will be needed for the new group. The new seating chart should indicate the time students were regrouped.

20. On-Site Monitoring by TEA • TEA will again be conducting on-site visits to districts and campuses throughout the 2011 testing year. • TEA will use independent test monitors. • The monitors will show up unannounced. • Monitors report to the superintendent’s office first and then will go to campuses. • TEA Monitors will report to the campus main office and sign in using the normal campus visitor process. • Provide them with campus maps and information about testing procedures. Answer their questions and provide them with any requested documents. The principal or campus testing coordinator may accompany them to show them testing sessions.

21. Using Paraprofessionals • TEA does allow school districts to use noncertified paraprofessionals who are employed by the district and routinely work with students in the classroom. • The district must identify a certified staff member who will be responsible for supervising the paraprofessional. • If a violation of test security or confidentiality occurs under this circumstance, then the supervising certified professional is subject to the penalties. • Must complete and retain a district noncertified paraprofessional testing oath which includes the name of the supervisor and the signatures of both the paraprofessional and the supervisor.

22. What to do if someone messes up? • Don’t panic! You have nothing to worry about personally so long as you have properly trained your test administrators and you have sound testing procedures and policies in place, with good documentation to back it up. • Your first step is to contact the district testing coordinator. You will be provided guidance about what to do next. • Generally all that is required is to obtain statements from all responsible parties and provide them to the district testing coordinator. • TEA classifies testing irregularities by type and usually only requires incident reports and corrective action plans for the irregularities that are relatively minor in nature. The district coordinator will assist in writing the corrective action plan should one be necessary.

23. Document Retention • Districts are required to maintain the following documentation for a period of five years. • Testing irregularity and investigation documents. • Materials inventory and shipping records. • Signed security oaths for all testing personnel. • Seating Charts. • TELPAS Rating Rosters and Writing Verification Forms. • Testing records are based upon the calendar year and not the school year.

24. Testing Irregularities in 2011 24

25. Testing Irregularities • Most common irregularities in 2010 • Wrong test administered • Blank answer document accepted • Wrong test form issued • Accommodation not provided • Eligible student not tested • Exempt or ineligible student tested Contact the Student Assessment Division at 512-463-9536 for guidance and/or a possible remedy when these or other types of incidents occur.

26. Serious Testing Irregularities • Potential Referral to Educator Certification and Standards • Viewing a test before, during, or after an assessment without authorization • Scoring student tests • Discussing secure test content or student responses • Copying secure materials without authorization • Directly or indirectly assisting students with responses These incidents must be reported to TEA immediately. 26

27. Reporting Irregularities 27

28. Reporting Irregularities • Collecting Documentation • District testing coordinators or their designees are responsible for investigating potential testing violations. • Statements and reports should: • clearly outline the sequence of events, • explain exactly what happened and how it occurred, • include information about how the problem was resolved, and • include a district determination in the matter. • All irregularities require the following documentation: • Incident report (via Online Incident Reporting Process) • Signed statement(s) from individuals involved (preferably typed) 28

29. Reporting Irregularities • Collecting Documentation • It is important to obtain statements from involved parties as soon as possible following an incident while memories are fresh and before staff leave. • Documentation for irregularities that involve the loss of secure materials or that could result in a referral to the Educator Certification and Standards Division must include a Corrective Action Plan. NOTE: Never include confidential student information in incident reports or supporting documentation (first and last name, social security number, etc.) 29

30. Reporting Irregularities • Collecting Documentation • Districts are required to report disciplinary actions taken locally against educators and/or students. • The Corrective Action Plan should be used to report disciplinary actions taken against educators. • The Locally Determined Disciplinary Actions Form should be used to report disciplinary actions taken against students for cheating. 30

31. Questions About Test Security? 31

32. Preparing for Test Administration

33. Test Schedule and Directions • All tests must be administered on the scheduled day. • All tests must be administered in strict accordance with the instructions contained in the test administration manuals.

34. 2011 DCCM – p. 175 Reference Material- MS/IS • Grade 7 Writing • Dictionary & Thesaurus MUST be provided for the written composition section • At least one for every five students • May NOT be used on the revising and editing section • No foreign language reference material • However, an ESL dictionary (uses simple English & pictures to define words) may be provided for limited English proficient (LEP) students. Brazosport ISD District Monitor Training

35. 2011 DCCM – p. 182 Written Composition Section • TAs may NOT read the writing prompt aloud unless a student specifically requests that it be read aloud, and it must be done on an individual basis. • EXCEPTION: TAs are allowed to read the writing prompt to students taking TAKS-M. • At no time before, during, or after the administration of the test are TAs permitted to assist students with their written composition or open-ended items. • Reading or discussion of student compositions or open-ended responses is NOT allowed at any time before the “embargo” date: March 21, 2011. Brazosport ISD District Monitor Training

36. 2011 DCCM – p. 183 Written Composition Section • The Test Administrator must NOT: • Elaborate on the prompt; • Give examinees and opening and/or closing sentence; • Give examinees an outline for organizing their composition; • Give examinees information about how to develop their ideas; • Translate the prompt into another language (except sign language). • If an examinee asks a question about the prompt, the TA may say, “I can’t explain it to you; just respond to the prompt in the best way you can.” Brazosport ISD District Monitor Training

37. Two Answer Documents • There are two answer documents that are used for all TAKS, TAKS (Accommodated), TAKS-M, and LAT testing. • TAKS, TAKS (Accommodated), and TAKS LAT including both English and Spanish are on one combined answer document (per grade) • TAKS–M and TAKS-M LAT – students taking all subjects with TAKS–M, including students eligible to take TAKS–M with linguistic accommodations, will use the regular TAKS-M answer document (grades 4–11) or scorable test booklet (grade 3) • TAKS–Alt – no answer documents should be submitted for students assessed with TAKS (Alt), it is an online only system.

38. Student No form # on TAKS Writing TEACHER TEACHER

39. Student Remember there is no Spanish TAKS-M Teacher

40. Verifying Coding on Answer Document • It is your responsibility as a campus testing coordinator to verify all coding on the answer document. • Test Taken Information determines which answer key is used to score the test. • Demographic coding affects accountability.

41. What Coding Affects Accountability? • For State Accountability Ratings • Ethnicity, Race • Economic Disadvantaged Status • Score Code & Test Taken Information • For AYP Accountability Ratings • Ethnicity, Race • Economic Disadvantaged Status • LEP Status • Special Education Status • Score Code

42. What Coding Affects Accountability? • For PBMS Accountability / Federal Programs Compliance • Ethnicity, Race • Economic Disadvantaged Status • LEP Status • Migrant Status • Special Education Status • Bilingual Status • ESL Status • At Risk Status • CTE Status • Score Code

43. Closing and Questions

44. Move to the Head of the Class You have completed Campus TAKS Training!!