 What is a Monitoring Error?  What is a Procedural Error?  What is an example of Testing Irregularity that is a Serious Violation?

 Test Security involves accounting for all secure materials before, during and after each test administration  Confidentiality involves protecting the contents all test booklets and student answer documents  Integrity implies trustworthiness and incorruptibility to a degree that one is incapable of being false to a trust, responsibility, or pledge. This is what TEA expects of everyone involved in the state testing programs.

 The Web-based Test Administrator Training Modules can be accessed at : ning  Three modules are available: - Module 1 – Active Monitoring - Module 2 - Distribution of Test Materials, and -Module 3 - Proper Handling of Secure Materials

 Everyone must be trained and clearly understand the testing rules, procedures, and responsibilities.  Everyone must sign a security oath. - Oaths have “before” and “after” sections. One is to be signed after training but before testing; the other is to be signed after testing is complete. Only one oath is needed for the testing year. (January 2012 – December 2012)

 All testing documentation including oaths must be kept for five years.  All tests must be administered in strict accordance with the instructions in the manuals.  Only those instructed to do so can break seals on tests.

 Do not change any response or instruct a student to do so.  Only students can erase stray marks on their answer documents or in their scorable test booklets.  Do Not give students any help during the test.  No unauthorized viewing, discussion, or scoring is allowed before, during, or after testing.  Keep materials securely locked up when not in use.  Sign out and in testing materials daily to test administrators.  Districts must actively monitor testing sessions and require test administrators to actively monitor during testing.

 Everyone must sign a security oath before handling secure testing materials.  Must keep signed security oaths on file for five calendar years. (A testing year is a calendar year: Jan – Dec)  Test administrators are no longer required to sign a new oath for each test administration.

 Monitoring during test administrations is the responsibility of the campus test coordinator, the principal, and the district test coordinator.

 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 the test, marking answers on the answer document, not cheating, not using cell phones, not talking or communicating with other students, etc?)

 Working on the computer or doing .  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.  Reading the test over a student’s shoulder.  Checking student responses during testing.

 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, 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.

 Students in grades 9-12 will be asked to sign an honor statement immediately prior to taking TAKS assessments. The language will appear on the answer document. Signed in pencil.  Test administrators are not required to check to make sure students sign their honor pledges.

 Another new provision of the state’s test security plan is to require school districts to make a report to TEA of any disciplinary action taken against a student for cheating on a state assessment. (Use form provided)

 Collect data as soon as possible. - Interview staff involved. - Examine documents as necessary.  Collect Statements from Responsible Parties.  Determine the category of the testing irregularity and which forms must be submitted to TEA.

 All tests must be administered on the scheduled day or window.  All tests must be administered in strict accordance with the instructions contained in the test administration manuals.

 Monday, October 22: ELA  Tuesday, October 23: Mathematics  Wednesday, October 24: Science  Thursday, October 25: Social Studies

 Monday, December 3: English I Writing  Monday, December 3: English III Writing  Tuesday, December 4: English I Reading  Tuesday, December 4: English III Reading  Wednesday, December 5: English II Writing  Wednesday, December 5: Algebra I/Geometry EOC  Thursday, December 6: English II Reading  Thursday, December 6: Biology  Thursday, December 6: English I Reading Testing Window December 3 – December 17

 Make up testing is permitted only for tests that are used for No Child Left Behind Accountability. - Reading grades 3 – 8 - ELA grade 10 - Math grades 3 – 8, and 10 - No writing, No Science, No Social Studies Since the October Exit Retest is not used for NCLB, no make-up testing is permitted.

 For the October Exit Retest, you are NOT allowed to make copies of the written compositions and short answer responses of students.

 TAKS Testing Procedures are listed in the Coordinator’s Manual

 At least one test administrator for every 30 students.  “Testing – Do Not Disturb” signs posted on testing rooms.  Testing rooms should be quiet, well lighted, well ventilated, and comfortable.  Bulletin Boards and instructional displays covered or removed if it contains anything that might aid students during testing.  May take brief breaks in the testing room.  Lunch breaks are OK, however, students must remain as a group and monitored by a trained test administrator so they do not discuss the test.

 Do not allow students to bubble in the demographic fields of the answer document.  No cell phones or other two-way telecommunications devices.  Provide dictionaries (English) ELA. At least 1 for every 5 students.  Provide graphing calculators for math. Every student must have a graphing calculator to use for the entire math test.

 Test administrators are not allowed to require students to first mark their answers in the test booklet and then transfer them to the answer document.  Students may use highlighters in non-scorable test booklets.  Students cannot leave or enter testing rooms with papers or other materials.  Test administrators are not allowed to answer any question relating to the content of the test itself.  Test administrators must actively monitor students during testing.

 Must give students state-supplied math chart and science chart.  Reinforcing, reviewing, and/or distributing testing strategies during an assessment is strictly prohibited.  You cannot require students to use any particular test taking strategy. Students can use test taking strategies but you cannot require them to do so during testing.  Students must remain seated during testing and are not allowed to talk while test booklets are open.

 Test administrators cannot leave the room unless a trained substitute test administrator is present.  The test administrator must inspect the answer document to be sure student bubbled in answers as instructed.  May change testing rooms as long as test security is not breached. (New seating chart is required)  Immediately after each test session, the test administrator must return test materials to the campus coordinator.

 No scratch paper for any TAKS testing.  All TAKS tests are untimed. Must allow at least two hours.  Students must be allowed to work at their own pace. Students may not be directed to speed up or slow down.  Students are not allowed to work on a previous section of the test or a section that has not yet been administered.  Students may not read books during breaks or between the written composition and revising and editing sections of the ELA tests.

 TAKS and TAKS (Accommodated) use the same answer document.  There are no TAKS- M Retesting opportunities.  There is coding that is used to determine which test the student took. (Test Taken Information area)

 If a precoded label is attached to an answer document and not used then it must be returned under a VOID header with scorable materials.  If a precoded label is not attached to an answer document then it is returned with the non- scorable materials.

 Verify that no answer documents have inadvertently been left in a test booklet.  Verify that student information on answer documents is accurate.

 For October Exit retests, any student for whom a precoded label was received, whether or not the student tested. Exception: Students no longer enrolled in our district are Voided and returned under a Void header.  Any student for whom a blank answer document was hand-gridded and who tested.  Each registered out-of-school/out-of-district examinee, whether or not the individual tested.

 There must be at least one class identification sheet for each test group on campus.  A separate campus and group identification sheet must be completed for each group and testing program tested on the campus.  Check that the number of answer documents match the number indicated on the identification sheets.

 Register for online testing.  Set up the technology to be used for online testing.  Verify student data in the online testing administration site.  Set up testing sessions.  Train test administrators.  Do the testing and submit – You’re Done!

 A test administrator left a room unattended when students or secure materials were present or when secure online tests were visible.  Secure materials were left unattended, or secure online tests were left open and visible during a lunch break, a short break or restroom break  Testing personnel did not monitor students during a break.  A test administrator did not ensure that students worked independently during testing  A test administrator did not verify that a student filled in his or her responses on the answer document.

 A test admimnistrator failed to issue correct materials  Testing personnel who were not properly trained were allowed to administer tests or handle secure materials.  For the STAAR program, a student was permitted to test beyond the required four hour time limited or was not provided the entire four hour time allottment  A student was provided an unallowable accomodation.

 Serious Violations: - Directly or indirectly assisting students with responses to test questions - Tampering with student responses - Viewing secure test content before, during, or after an administration - Discussing secure test content, student responses, or student performance - Duplicating, recording, or capturing electronically secure test content without permission from TEA - Scoring student tests