1 of Standards of Learning Test Security for Examiners and Proctors Office of Student Assessment ‘S

2 High-stakes tests. They represent:  accountability for student learning.  important decisions that can precipitate significant consequences for students and schools. Standards of Learning Tests

3 Building Security Tests, writing prompts, student answer documents, and pre-ID labels MUST remain under lock and key while in each building. The school test coordinator, the assistant principal overseeing testing, and the principal should be the ONLY people with a key to the testing materials.

4 Counting Materials Test Booklet and Test Prompt Assembly ID Sheets:  must be signed and dated at the time of opening.  must reflect whether the identified number of documents were found or whether a discrepancy exists.  must identify by serial number (located on the back of the test booklet above the bar code) the missing or extra test booklets.  must identify the number of missing or extra writing prompts.

5 Counting Materials (cont.) Test booklets/prompts/test tickets MUST be counted when signed out to test examiners. Test booklets/prompts/test tickets MUST be counted when signed in from test examiners. The Test Booklet/Prompt Transmittal Form/ Discrepancy Report MUST account for all test booklets/prompts. The online test ticket transmittal form MUST account for all online test tickets.

6 Counting Materials (cont.) All test examiners, within the building and homebound, must sign materials out and back in on the same day. No test examiner may keep materials overnight.

7 Document Security FOUR SECURITY DOCUMENTS Test Security Guidelines. Virginia General Assembly Actions for violations of test security procedures. Virginia General Assembly Violation of test security procedures: revocation of license. Examiner’s/Proctor’s Test Security Agreement.

8 All test examiners, proctors, and hall monitors must be trained and must sign the state-generated security documents. It is imperative that they read every statement of each security agreement before signing the test security agreement. Document Security (cont.)

9 Using unreleased test items in any form is STRICTLY PROHIBITED. Copying, printing, or photocopying any test items is STRICTLY PROHIBITED. Scoring student tests, formally or informally, is prohibited.

10 Virginia General Assembly Actions for violations of test security procedures Permitting unauthorized access to secure test material. Divulging contents of any portion of a secure test. Altering test materials or examinee’s responses in any way. Document Security (cont.)

11 Virginia General Assembly Violation of test security procedures: revocation of license The Board of Education may revoke or suspend the administrative or teaching license it has issued to any person for violation of test security procedures. Document Security (cont.)

12 Document Security (cont.) All persons are prohibited from providing a student with any type of cues or assistance that could be interpreted as helping him/her with the test. Examiners and proctors may not:  answer any questions other than those related to the instructions.  use sounds, pointing, or body language to provide a clue or a hint to a student during a test.  allow a group of students to leave the test site on their own during testing for any reason.  dismiss a student from an online session until his/her test ticket has been collected.  dismiss a student from a testing session until his/her test booklet/prompt has been collected.

13 Document Security (cont.) No testing information shall be discussed between students and/or staff.  Test items may NOT be discussed at any time before, during, or after testing.  At no time should anyone review/read student writing responses/answer documents.  Changing test locations, the test examiner and/or proctor must transport the test materials, and students must not talk to each other.

14 Examiner Training All test examiners, interpreters, proctors, and hall monitors must be trained on acceptable test procedures and protocols. Additional personnel should be trained as examiners in the event classroom teachers are absent or an additional examiner is needed for an accommodation group.

15 Examiner Training (cont.) Examiner’s manuals must be distributed prior to the first day of testing. All personnel who may serve as an examiner or proctor for oral or read-aloud test administrations MUST be provided training on acceptable procedures which may include viewing the Accommodation/ Read-Aloud Test Training video/DVD.

16 Faculty Assistance Non-testing faculty assist in maintaining quiet testing hallways by not allowing non-testing students on those hallways:  to visit lockers.  to use the restroom.  to travel to their next class(es) unmonitored.

17 General Guidelines for Testing Staff Although SOL tests are untimed, they must be completed in one school day. Notify the main office, security desk, and assistant principal in charge of fire drills of the testing schedule. No music can be played during testing. No food, candy, or drink may be present or consumed during testing.

18 Testing breaks:  occur in response to IEP, Section 504, or LEP directives.  occur in response to VDOE directions.  occur ONLY after test booklets/prompts have been temporarily collected.  do NOT include talking or eating. General Guidelines for Testing Staff (cont.)

19 Testing Groups Consider a proctor for every test site. Place a proctor with large groups of students and all accommodation groups. Students can test in their regular class of 18 to 30 students. General Guidelines for Testing Staff (cont.)

20 Testing Groups Small testing groups with no oral accommodation (neither teacher nor student reads or answers orally), should be no larger than ten students. General Guidelines for Testing Staff (cont.)

21 Testing Groups Small oral testing groups should include:  between five to seven students.  students similar in ability and be small enough that no student is adversely affected by another student’s ability level. General Guidelines for Testing Staff (cont.)

22 Reading Directions In All Settings Examiners MUST be provided with the appropriated Examiner’s Manuals PRIOR to the day of testing. Examiners MUST read and become familiar with the Examiner’s Manual and test-specific directions. Directions MUST be read verbatim. If you make a mistake in reading a direction, stop and say, “No, that was wrong. I must read it to you again. Listen again.” General Guidelines for Testing Staff (cont.)

23 Manipulative Use Dictionaries Dictionaries must not include a thesaurus section. Online spell checkers must NOT be automatic. The student must select that feature. Bilingual dictionaries must be hard copy only. General Guidelines for Testing Staff (cont.)

24 Manipulative Use Calculators Calculators must be only those models identified in the Examiner’s Manuals. Calculators should be the model the student uses daily in the classroom. Graphing calculators must be cleared prior to the start of testing. General Guidelines for Testing Staff (cont.)

25 Distributing Materials In All Settings Test booklets, prompts, scratch paper, and manipulatives MUST be distributed to each student separately. Student names MUST be written on test booklets, writing prompts, and every sheet of scratch paper. General Guidelines for Testing Staff (cont.)

26 Collecting Materials In All Settings Whether in the regular test setting or in an alternate site, at the conclusion of testing, test booklets, prompts, scratch paper, and manipulatives must be collected from each student separately to ensure that all materials are returned, including the same number of pieces of scratch paper as he/she received. General Guidelines for Testing Staff (cont.)

27 Make-Up Testing Students who miss the non-writing or English: Writing multiple-choice portion of a test will use a main test form for make-up testing. Students who miss the short paper prompt for the English: Writing test will use an alternate English: Writing prompt form for make-up testing. General Guidelines for Testing Staff (cont.)

28 Irregularity Make-Up Testing Students involved in a testing irregularity that necessitates retesting will use an alternate test form for the affected test: writing prompt, writing multiple-choice, and non-writing multiple-choice. General Guidelines for Testing Staff (cont.)

29 Handling Secure Test Materials The school test coordinator, the assistant principal overseeing testing, or another principal-designated administrator MUST be present when:  test booklets/prompts are being distributed to and collected from teachers.

30 Instructions for Test Site Preparation All instructional materials on walls and windows must be removed OR covered. All instructional materials in the hallway must also be removed OR covered. COVER WITH NEWSPRINT, BULLETIN BOARD PAPER, OR CONSTRUCTION PAPER.

31 Instructions for Test Site Preparation (cont.) Appropriate Physical Conditions Place a “DO NOT DISTURB” sign on the door of each testing site.

32 Test locations should be quiet, well lighted, and ventilated. Arrange desks to provide space for all necessary testing materials: an open test booklet, answer document, and any materials required for the test including any specified accommodation(s). Instructions for Test Site Preparation (cont.)

33 Desk arrangement should prevent visual access from one student’s work to another. Computer monitor privacy screens must be added to stand-alone computers used for online testing. Instructions for Test Site Preparation (cont.)

34 Justification for Accommodations Students should ONLY receive allowable accommodations they receive on a regular basis in the classroom. Adding new accommodations may impede the students’ ability to demonstrate achievement.

35 Keep a Proctor With an Examiner All test sites with students receiving accommodations:  Student-generated direct writing response on the computer.  Any individual student testing.  Calculator use.

36 All test sites with students receiving accommodations (cont.):  Read-aloud test administration.  Verbal answer test administration.  Student reads aloud to self.  Dictation to a scribe. All test sites with oral responses or read-aloud administrations must be tape recorded. Keep a Proctor With an Examiner (cont.)

37 Leaving the Room Students who leave the testing room to go to the restroom or the clinic may return and complete testing IF:  they are accompanied the entire time by an adult.  they do not discuss the test.

38 Leaving the Room (cont.) Test examiners may not leave the room unless another adult trained in testing procedures is present.  A plan must be in place to address an emergency situation when a test examiner must leave the room due to unanticipated illness, etc.  The plan must include: − steps for securing temporary monitoring by personnel trained in testing procedures. − STC notification method.

39 Monitoring Test Administrations Test examiners and proctors are expected to actively monitor students during the test administration to avoid:  students coding answers in the wrong location on the answer document,  students using other than a #2 pencil for either the multiple-choice section or the short paper prompt,

40 Monitoring Test Administrations (cont.)  students daydreaming/off task,  students’ wandering eyes,  students using hand-held electronic devices,

41 Monitoring Test Administrations (cont.)  students using inappropriate manipulatives, and  students are not accessing notes or consulting textbooks for information.

42 Necessary Steps to Address Irregularities All irregularities MUST be reported to the STC. The STC will consult the Office of Student Assessment (OSA) to determine the appropriate course of action.

43 Irregularities that involve retesting are assigned an alternate form of the test. Irregularities that involve a security breach MUST first be reported to the STC. Necessary Steps to Address Irregularities (cont.)

44 An irregularity occurs when a student:  becomes ill.  cheats.  refuses to test.  does not receive IEP-identified accommodations.  receives the wrong accommodation. Necessary Steps to Address Irregularities (cont.)

45 Necessary Steps to Address Irregularities (cont.) Irregularities occur when an examiner:  provides improper assistance.  leaves a test site without another examiner to relieve him/her.  turns off the tape recorder during a “read-aloud” session.  provides a nonapproved calculator or fails to clear the calculator prior to a test session, if required.

46 Necessary Steps to Address Irregularities (cont.) Serious irregularities occur when:  a test book/prompt/pre-ID label is missing.  an answer document with demographic information and/or answers is missing.  any secure material discrepancy is found during the return of test material to STC.

47 Online Testing Online test sessions must have at least two adults in the testing location.

48 If a student asks a question that refers to the mechanics of testing, such as how to complete a circle, it can be answered. If in doubt, when a student asks a question, say, “I can not respond.” Problems With Writing Prompts/Test Items

49 If the student says, "I don't understand this item," the examiner should respond:  “Read it carefully and choose the best answer.” OR  "I can't discuss the item with you, but maybe it would help to return to the item later." Problems With Writing Prompts/Test Items (cont.)

50 If coding errors are observed while monitoring the test administration, speak to the entire class, “Please take a moment to check your work. The number of the test question in your test booklet should match the circle number on your answer document.” Problems With Writing Prompts/Test Items (cont.)

51 If during the test a student reports that an item contains an error,  the examiner should record the subject area, form number, and item number.  under no circumstances should the item be discussed with the student.  the test examiner should report the error to the STC. Problems With Writing Prompts/Test Items (cont.)

52 Schedule two adults in each classroom during SOL testing whenever possible. Schedule two adults in the room for all testing of special education students when the test is not given in the regular education setting. One adult must be an individual who does not work with the student on a regular basis. Scheduling Staff

53 Teacher assistants may serve as proctors or hall monitors. Parent volunteers may serve as hall monitors on halls where their own children are NOT testing. Using Appropriate Staff

54 Verify Information Examiners MUST verify that all necessary information has been coded on each answer document. Examiners MUST verify that information coded on each answer document is accurate.

55 What About Audits? Before, During, and After Testing Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) will audit 10 percent of Virginia schools. The Office of Student Assessment (OSA) plans to audit Virginia Beach City Public Schools during each test administration.

56 Audit Focus Areas:  General information regarding the division’s test administration plan.  Training.  Test Security.  Test Implementation.  Materials Management. What About Audits? (cont.)

57 Organize information that supports the audit focus areas.  Test schedule.  Documents verifying receipt of materials, both non-secure and secure - STC.  Training materials-agenda, information packet(s), etc. What About Audits? (cont.)

58 Organize information that supports the audit focus areas (cont.).  Student list for your testing site with accommodations noted.  Notations on materials distributed and collected from each test taker you supervised. What About Audits? (cont.)

59 Phases I & III Audits  Concerns testing procedures that occur before and after testing.  “Desk” review of documentation. What About Audits? (cont.)

60 Phase II Audits  Concerns testing procedures that occur during testing.  One-day on-site visit.  Observe preparation, testing session, materials distribution, collection, and return to STC. What About Audits? (cont.)

61 YOUR QUESTIONS??

62 of Standards of Learning Test Security for Examiners and Proctors Office of Student Assessment ‘S