1. Test Security & Confidentiality Training

2. Legal Requirements & Terminology
Chapter 1

3. Remember, state assessments are considered secure government documents and as such, law governs the handling, security, and protection of these documents.
Viewing this presentation does not replace your obligation to:
attend Test Administrator trainings
sign the security oath
read all Test Administration manuals
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4. Laws include, but are not limited to:
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) Federal law protecting the privacy of student education records
Texas Penal Code – Tampering
See 2016 Test Security Supplement at Test Security(2017 is not available yet)
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5. Security & Confidentiality
Maintaining test security is the responsibility of all testing personnel:
Do not view inappropriately, duplicate or electronically capture, discuss, score, discard, or misplace a test or answer document
Never review, discuss, or alter student responses
Train ALL testing personnel before they work with testing materials
Confidentiality
Protect the contents of the:
Tests
Students’ personal information and responses
Online assessments
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6. Oath of Test Security & Confidentiality
Sign one Oath of Test Security and Confidentiality for each role
example, a Campus Coordinator and a Test Administrator, sign an oath for each role
Only one oath is required for the year
Types of oaths required for each testing program:
Principal
Campus Coordinator
Test Administrator
(Noncertified) Testing Personnel
STAAR Alternate 2 Test Administrator
TELPAS Rater
TELPAS Verifier
TELPAS Reading Test Administrator
Technology Staff
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7. Secure vs. Nonsecure Nonsecure Test Materials Secure Test Materials
Test Administrator Manuals
Unused Reference Materials
(no student work written on them)
Secure Test Materials
Precoded and hand-gridded answer documents
Test booklets
Online test content
Reference Charts, Graph Paper and
Scratch Paper (if examinee writes on them)
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8. TEA Training Modules
TEA provides three online training modules available at:
Module 1 - Active Monitoring
Module 2 - Distribution of Test Materials
Module 3 - Proper Handling of Secure Materials
PISD requires all testing personnel to view the modules prior to testing. Individuals are required to view once
Print certificate to confirm participation with Coordinators
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9. Testing Irregularities & How to Prevent Them
Chapter 2

10. What is a Testing Irregularity?
An incident resulting in a deviation from documented testing procedures
Irregularities can lead to consequences for the testing personnel involved, and/or prevent a student’s test from being scored
TEA divides testing irregularities into two categories:
Serious Irregularities – purposeful, deliberate, intentional
Procedural Irregularities – clerical, accidental (human error)
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11. Serious Irregularities
2016 Security Supplement, p. 19 (2017 is not available yet)
(High Schools only)
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12. Penalties for prohibited conduct
19 TAC §101.65
Any person who violates, assists in the violation of, or solicits another to violate or assist in the violation of test security and confidentiality, and any person who fails to report such a violation, may be subject to the following penalties:
Placement of restrictions on the issuance, renewal, or holding of a Texas education certificate, either indefinitely or for a set term;
Issuance of an inscribed or non-inscribed reprimand;
Suspension of a Texas educator certificate for a set term; or
Revocation or cancellation of a Texas educator certificate without opportunity for reapplication for a set term or permanently.
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13. Penalties for prohibited conduct
TEC §
Section Texas Government Code
Section Texas Penal Code
19 TAC §249.15
Release or disclosure of confidential test content could result in criminal prosecution.
Irregularities resulting in a breach of test security or confidentiality may result in the invalidation of students’ assessments.
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14. How to Avoid Serious Irregularities
Do not assist students, tell them to check their work again, or advise them to write a longer composition. Responses are off-limits
Do not tamper with a student’s answer document - erasing stray marks or “cleaning up” answer documents is not allowed
Collect all reference materials and scratch paper following a test. It must be shredded if written on by students.
Do not duplicate, record, or capture electronically any secure test content
Do not review used test booklets to check for strategies
Ask your Coordinator if you are not sure how to handle a situation
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15. Procedural Irregularities
Improper Accounting for Secure Materials:
A Test Administrator did not return testing materials, check in, and account for all materials following each day’s administration
Testing personnel lost completed answer documents or test booklets
How to Avoid:
Account for all test booklets, answer documents before, during, and after testing
Ensure that no answer documents were left in test books accidentally
Never mix state test materials with district test materials
Follow all testing procedures outlined for your campus
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16. Procedural Irregularities
Individualized Education Program (IEP) Errors:
Accommodation errors – student is provided an accommodation that is not allowed on a test, or not provided accommodations required for testing
Test Version errors – a student is administered a regular STAAR test instead of a STAAR online with accommodations
A LEP student who was exempt from one or more domains was rated in that domain
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17. How to Avoid IEP Errors
Know who your special education and ELL/special education testers are. Know their tests and what accommodations they should be provided
Pay attention to supplemental aids. Make sure you have what you need for testing
Recommendation - review your testing rosters and materials with Coordinators prior to the day of the test(s).
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18. Procedural Irregularities
Eligibility Errors:
Eligible students are NOT tested. TELPAS is the #1 occurrence. This includes TELPAS ratings and Reading test
Ineligible students WERE tested
Newly enrolled students who must retake an EOC or retest in grade 5 or 8 Reading and/or Math are not provided a retest opportunity
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19. How to Avoid Eligibility Errors
Make sure you have correct test version information for ELL students (STAAR or STAAR Online with accommodations)
Verify your testing roster to be sure you have the correct students taking the correct test in the correct room
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20. Procedural Irregularities
Monitoring Errors:
Test Administrator did NOT:
verify that a student recorded his/her responses and accepted a blank answer document
read the test administration directions
properly monitor and did not detect improper use of an accommodation or possession of a cell phone
ensure students worked independently during testing
Students were not properly monitored during lunch or a break
Test Administrator left the room unmonitored when students’ secure materials were available or secure online administrations were visible
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21. Procedural Irregularities
How to avoid:
Never leave testing students or materials unattended – even after all students have completed testing
Monitor students closely during testing to be sure they have no electronic devices or other unauthorized or personal items
Be sure students are not communicating with each other or others outside the testing room – talking, texting, passing notes, etc.
Notify Administrators and Coordinators right away if you see improper student behavior
Be sure to remind students to record their answers on the answer document and check the answer document to make sure it is filled out before a student leaves the testing room
To avoid problems, collect testing materials when a student indicates s/he is finished
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22. Incidents Involving Student Cheating
If testing personnel suspects a student of cheating on a state assessment, he/she should notify the Coordinator and/or Administrator right away.
If the district determines that a student attempted to cheat – either by providing or receiving assistance – the test is marked as “Other”
Additional disciplinary action may be taken at the campus in accordance with district policy.
Student cheating incidents do not require an incident report to TEA unless the district determines that adult testing personnel contributed to, caused, or did not detect the cheating due to inadequate monitoring.
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23. Procedural Irregularities
Other Procedural Errors:
Test Administrator failed to issue the correct materials (for example, dictionaries), or students were provided nonallowable materials
Testing personnel who were not properly trained were allowed to administer tests or handle secure materials
A student was allowed to test beyond the four-hour time limit or was not provided the full four hours to test
Test Administrator failed to use the test administration materials or failed to read aloud the bold, scripted test administration directions verbatim as required
Test Administrator did not distribute the correct testing materials to the correct students after lunch
Test Administrator did not remove or cover all instructional displays
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24. How to Avoid Other Procedural Errors
Confirm whether or not a dictionary is allowed for a test or parts of a test
Complete the seating chart correctly. Record all start/stop times as required
Do not permit students to test beyond four hours – even just to grid answers. If a Test Administrator reminds a student to mark his/her answers several times and s/he does not, call or request assistance from the Coordinator
Remind students periodically of the time they have remaining to test
Be sure you have your Test Administrator manual on test days and follow all the directions verbatim. Say what is BOLD, read and attend to tasks in the italicized print, and follow directions in the call-out boxes
Cover all your instructional displays (not your clock)
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25. STAAR Program Policies
Including these policies in your training will reduce procedural errors:
STAAR Dictionary Policy
Explain the types of dictionaries allowed and who can use them on which tests
Note differences between the Dictionary Policy and Dictionaries as an accommodation for eligible students
STAAR Calculator Policy
Explain the types of calculators allowed and who can use them on which tests
Note differences between the Calculator Policy and Calculators as an accommodation for eligible students
STAAR 4-Hour Time Limit
No student is allowed to test beyond 4 hours (5 hours for the English I and II exams, effective Spring 2014) unless eligible for Extra Time. ALL responses must be recorded on the answer document by the end of the 4 hours
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26. Reporting Irregularities
Chapter 3

27. Reporting Irregularities
Each person participating in the Texas student assessment program is directly responsible for reporting IMMEDIATELY any violation or suspected violation of test security and confidentiality. Do NOT wait until the end of the day or the last day of the testing week, etc.
Campus staff should notify their Coordinator and/or Administrator
Coordinators will contact TEA
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28. Irregularity Statement
If it is determined that an incident has occurred, testing personnel will complete an Irregularity Statement. Everyone involved participates to provide an accurate accounting of what occurred
Be specific and thorough
List events in sequential order
Check for correct grammar, spelling, capitalization, and punctuation
PROOFREAD the statement(s) for spelling and grammatical errors before submitting them to the Assessment Department
Statements must be completed as soon as possible, preferably the same day as the incident
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29. Who What Where When Why It provides the sequence of events:
Each individual involved completes an Irregularity Statement.
It provides the sequence of events:
Who
What
Where
When
Why
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30. The Most Important Test Security & Confidentiality Rules:
ASSUME NOTHING
ASK IF YOU ARE UNSURE ABOUT ANYTHING
ASK THE PERSON WHO KNOWS THE ANSWER OR CAN FIND OUT THE ANSWER. THIS MEANS YOUR COORDINATORS OR ADMINISTRATORS.
Thank you for maintaining test security and confidentiality. This enables our students to have the best testing opportunity possible.
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