Test Security 2018-19

1. Test Security 2018-19

2. This training does NOT take the place of reading the appropriate manuals.

3. Test Administration Manuals • Procedures for maintaining the security and confidentiality of assessments are specified in the following guides. • Test Security Supplement • District and Campus Coordinator Resources • Test administrator manuals

4. Test Security Supplement • Policy and Procedure Highlights • updates and key issues • Making Your Program Secure • things to do before, during, and after an administration • Testing Irregularities • understanding the difference between serious and procedural irregularities • Incident Reporting • how to respond to testing irregularities • how to report testing irregularities

5. Maintaining Test Security & Confidentiality • Violation of security or confidentiality of any test required by the Texas Education Code (TEC), Chapter 39, Subchapter B, is prohibited. • Procedures for maintaining the security and confidentiality of state assessments are specified in the Test Security Supplement and in the appropriate test administration materials. • Conduct that violates the security and confidentiality of a test is defined as any departure from the test administration procedures established in the Test Security Supplement and other test administration materials.

6. Test Security • Test security involves accounting for all secure materials and confidential student information before, during and after each test administration. • Only individuals permitted to have access to materials and information are district personnel who have been trained and signed the appropriate oath. • Campuses are required to implement controls to ensure proper storage and accurate tracking of secure materials.

7. Test Security Documents used to account for materials, such as inventory pages and the Materials Control forms should be completed accurately and carefully maintained.

8. Test Security • Place test booklets and answer documents in secure limited access, locked storage when not in use. • After a test administration, collect and destroy any recordings, graph paper, scratch paper or state-supplied materials that students have written on. • All secure materials are returned at check-in (including secure STAAR Alt 2 accommodation materials).

9. Confidentiality Requirements • Maintaining the confidentiality involves protecting the contents of all secure test materials including: • Test booklets • Online assessments & test tickets • Completed answer documents • STAAR Alternate 2 stimulus images and text • TELPAS calibration activities and components for holistically rating student performance.

10. Security Oaths and Confidentiality Statements All personnel, including principals, coordinators, test administrators, technology personnel, paraprofessionals, and warehouse personnel, who have access to secure test materials or who administer or assist in the administration of state assessments must be trained and sign a security oath.

11. Paraprofessionals During Testing • Campuses allowing certified or noncertified paraprofessionals to access secure materials or to administer tests must identify a certified staff member who will be responsible for supervising these individuals. • If a violation occurs under these circumstances, the supervising certified professional is subject to penalties.

12. Testing Environment Testing ≠ Stopped Instruction

13. Administration Guidelines • Create a secure, positive environment for testing. • Turn off all communication devices. • An instructional environment should be maintained during testing windows. It is not necessary to conceal or remove instructional or reference materials in the testing area, the classroom, or hallways unless they could provide a direct source of answers for the subject-area assessment being administered. • Examples of content-specific materials: • Math tables for addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division facts during mathematics assessments. • Graphics containing tested information such as moon phases, the water cycle, or human body systems during appropriate grade level science assessments. • Historical timelines or lists of historical figures and their accomplishments during social studies assessments.

14. Administration Guidelines • Confirm each student has his or her own precoded answer document or online testing ticket if testing online. • Once a student has completed testing, you must collect their testing materials. • Then, you may allow them to leave the area or provide them with an instructional activity (i.e., guided reading activity) while other students continue testing.

15. Contaminated Documents • Securely transcribe to a clean document if possible. • It is NOT NECESSARY to keep or return contaminated documents. • Note the bar code information for test booklets or answer documents. • Securely DESTROY the contaminated document. • Notify the testing coordinator of the destroyed documents.

16. Test Security Oral Administrations • All security measures outlined in the STAAR Test Administrator Manuals & Oral Administration guide must be followed. • Oral administration in which the test administrator has to view a secure state assessment requires that the test administrator sign the Oath of Test Security and Confidentiality for Test Administrator document. • This includes the bottom section of the oath for test administrators who are authorized to view secure state assessments.

17. Test Security Oral Administrations • Test administrators who have permission to view secure materials (approved accommodation or program-specific test) must be trained and reminded they are viewing secure content.

18. Test Security on Oral Administrations • Test Administrators should not: • Respond to test questions, make notes about test questions, discuss the content of the assessment at any time. • write notes or calculations in a test booklet. • rephrase, clarify, or interpret any test content. • Provide verbal and nonverbal assistance to students.

19. TELPAS Calibrations • Online basic training courses must be completed independently and in a monitored setting. • Security oath for individuals proctoring the TELPAS Rater Training Calibrations. • Campus coordinators are responsible for ensuring that all individuals designated to serve as TELPAS raters fulfill their holistic training requirements.

20. Penalties for Prohibited Conduct • A person who engages in conduct prohibited by the Test Security Supplement and in other test administration materials may be subject to the following penalties: • placement of restrictions on the issuance, renewal, or holding of a Texas teacher certificate; • issuance of an inscribed or non-inscribed reprimand; • suspension of a Texas teacher certificate for a set term; or • revocation or cancellation of a Texas teacher certificate.

21. Penalties for Prohibited Conduct • Release or disclosure of confidential test content is a Class C misdemeanor and could result in criminal prosecution. • State Board of Educator Certification may take any of the above actions based on satisfactory evidence that an educator has failed to cooperate with TEA in an investigation. • In addition, any irregularities in test security or confidentiality may result in the invalidation of student results.

22. TEA On-Site Monitoring TEA may visit a campus during testing due to security measures implemented by TEA to ensure Test Security & Confidentiality.

23. Testing Irregularities

24. Two Types of Testing Irregularities • Conduct that departs from the test administration procedures as established in the test administration materials is considered a testing irregularity. Testing irregularities are viewed by TEA as falling into one of two categories—serious or procedural. • Serious Irregularities • constitute severe violations of test security or confidentiality • must be investigated by the campus coordinator immediately • require a campus to call the director of testing immediately to inform of the incident • can result in the individual(s) responsible being referred to the TEA Educator Certification and Standards Division for consideration of disciplinary action • Procedural Irregularities • reflect minor errors or deviations in testing procedures • do not represent severe breaches in security or confidentiality

25. Serious Irregularities T N O D 3 1 1 1 1 2 3 4 Can result in the individual(s) responsible being referred to SBEC for consideration of disciplinary action Must be reported to TEA as soon as the DTC is made aware of a possible or confirmed violation. Constitute severe violations of test security or confidentiality. Must be immediately investigated by the district testing coordinator.

26. Release or disclosure of confidential test content is a Class C misdemeanor and could result in criminal prosecution. Serious Irregularities Conduct that constitutes a serious testing irregularity may include, but is not limited to: O O O M O G N 1 3 1 3 1 3 3 3 6 5 4 1 7 2 Duplicating, recording or electronically capturing test content unless authorized to do so by TEA Scoring student tests either formally or informally Falsifying holistic ratings or student responses Disclosing or discussing test content Directly or indirectly assisting students with responses to test questions Tampering with student responses Viewing secure test content before, during, or after an administration unless specifically authorized to do so by TEA

27. Serious Irregularities • Receiving or providing unallowable assistance during TELPAS calibration activities. • Encouraging or assisting an individual to engage in the conduct described in the items listed above or in any other serious violation of security and confidentiality. • Failing to report to an appropriate authority that an individual engaged in conduct described in the items listed above or in any other serious violation of security and confidentiality.

28. Procedural Irregularities Procedural Irregularities: • Reflect minor errors or deviations in testing procedures • Do not represent severe breaches in security of confidentiality • Do not require a call to TEA unless guidance is needed by the district • Do not require supporting documentation to be submitted to TEA. C E D O R U R L P A 1 3 3 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 Test administrator Improperly stores secure material. Test administrator failed to read script verbatim from manual Accommodation not provided Improperly monitor students during a break All or part of blank answer document accepted Improper active monitoring Unallowable Accommodation provided

29. Procedural Irregularities Eligibility Error • Ineligible students were tested • Eligible students were not tested IEP Implementation Issues • A student receiving special education services was provided an unapproved or undocumented accommodation or was not provided a prescribed accommodation.

30. Procedural Irregularities Improper Accounting for Secure Materials • Secure materials were not returned, checked in, and accounted for at the end of each testing day. • A test administrator, campus coordinator, or district coordinator lost or misplaced completed answer document(s), test booklet(s), or other secure materials.

31. Procedural Irregularities Monitoring Error • A test administrator did not verify that a student recorded his or her responses and accepted a blank answer document from the student. • A test administrator left a room unattended when students or secure materials were present or when secure online tests were open and visible. • Secure materials were left unattended, or secure online tests were left open and visible, during a lunch break, a short break taken in the testing room, or restroom breaks.

32. Procedural Irregularities Monitoring Error • Testing personnel did not monitor students during a break. • A test administrator did not ensure that students worked independently during testing. • Students were not prevented from using cell phones or any other electronic device to take pictures, share postings, or send messages. • A student was allowed to remove secure materials from the testing area.

33. Procedural Irregularities Other Procedural Errors • A test administrator failed to issue the correct materials (for example, No. 2 pencils, dictionaries, calculators), or students were provided non allowable materials. • Testing personnel who were not properly trained were allowed to administer tests or handle secure materials. • A student was permitted to test beyond the allowed time limit or was not provided the full time allotment to complete a STAAR assessment.

34. Procedural Irregularities Other Procedural Errors • A test administrator failed to use the test administration materials or failed to read aloud the bolded, scripted test administration directions verbatim as outlined in the test administration materials. • A student was provided an unallowable accommodation. • A TELPAS writing collection was not submitted in accordance with required assembly criteria.

35. Reporting an Error Each person participating in the Texas student assessment program is responsible for reporting any suspected violation of test security or confidentiality. Campus staff should notify their campus testing coordinator, and district coordinators should, in turn, notify TEA.

36. Reporting Testing Irregularities The contents of the TestingIncident Form for all testing irregularities must: • clearly lay out the sequence of events of the incident; • explain what happened and how the event occurred; • include information about how the problem was resolved or remedied; • include the campus determination in the matter, and • include a Campus Plan of Action that the campus will put into effect to prevent the recurrence of the incident.

37. Serious Student Irregularity • Students Using Electronic Devices to Capture or Transmit Secure Test Content • TEA considers it a serious violation if a student photographs or duplicates secure test content or disseminates this information using an electronic device. Contact the Director of Testing immediately.

38. Student Cheating on State Assessment • If a student is involved in a cheating incident, the campus is required to invalidate “other” the student’s test. • Disciplinary actions taken against a student for cheating must be reported to TEA using the Locally Determined Disciplinary Action (LDDA) online form.

39. Tips to Avoid the Most Common Testing Irregularities • Ensure that test administrators have accurate testing rosters that include updated information about accommodations • Create accurate seating charts • Announce the time left to test in one hour intervals • Verify that students have recorded their responses on the answer document or online form • Ensure that principals, campus coordinators, and other staff are available to support test administrators and to monitor testing • Account for all test materials immediately upon materials check-in • Verify students identities prior to handing them a scantron or test ticket

40. Web-Based Test Administrator Training Modules • Web-based Texas Test Administrator Online Training Modules created by TEA. • It’s best practice for new test administrators to complete the three modules but this is a district decision. • http://www.texasassessment.com/administrators/training/ • This does not replace your face to face training, it is only a supplement.

41. Let me know if you have questions! Patti Wyatt patti.wyatt@esc15.net 325-481-4075