1. State Assessment Training
Tuesday,
February 15, 2011

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

3. RULES OF ASSESSMENT
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 – Tampering
Senate Bill 1031

4. PENALTIES FOR PROHIBITED CONDUCT
Placement of restrictions of teaching certificate
Issuance of reprimand
Suspension of teaching certificate
Revocation or cancellation of teaching certificate

5. STATE BOARD of EDUCATOR CERTIFICATION
Viewing an assessment without authorization
Discussing or revealing test content or student responses
Making copies of secure materials without authorization from TEA
Scoring student tests
Directly or indirectly assisting students with responses to test questions
Tampering with student responses

6. WHAT IS TEST SECURITY?
Accounting for ALL secure materials before, during and after test administration

7. ACTIVE MONITORING
Test administrators are required to be actively engaged during testing to avoid a
testing irregularity.
Moving about the room to be more aware of students’ actions (no sitting in one place)
No (computers)
No work (grading papers / lesson plans)
No phones (cell or otherwise)
No reading
No naps

8. SEATING CHART
First and last name of students and teacher(s) in testing room
Corresponding student numbers on opposite side
Location of testing session, assessment being administered, subject area, and grade level
Location of each student along with door, teacher sitting areas, and windows
Time student turned in assessment should also be included on seating chart
If students move to a new room, a new seating chart should be developed

9. SEATING CHART

10. SIGN IN SHEET
Documentation of those monitoring students in the absence of the test administrator will be done using a sign in/out sheet.
This will be provided in your testing tub

11. DOORS
All classroom doors should remain ajar while students are in the room testing so that monitors may enter without distracting students.

12. CONFIDENTIAL INTEGRITY
Involves protecting the contents of the test
booklets, secure test administrator
manuals, answer documents and other
materials containing student information.

13. CLASSROOMS SECURE STORAGE
Classroom with locked door is NOT secure storage.
Test administrators cannot leave test materials on any desk and lock door of classroom.
Teachers should lock up materials in closet or file cabinet and then lock door to classroom
Secure materials (all materials checked out to test administrators) must be kept behind two locks
If this is not possible, secure materials must always be in possession of the test administrator

14. COMMUNICATING LIVE TESTING
Signs will be posted at entrance to school, so that all visitors know testing is taking place
Post “Do Not Disturb Signs” on each classroom door when testing begins
Parents of all students are asked not to have lunch on TAKS Testing days

15. POSTERS, CHARTS & INSTRUCTIONAL AIDS
Any posters, charts or visual aids must be taken down or covered in testing rooms & hallways (anywhere a student might walk during the testing day).

16. PROCEDURES Clean out student desks and turn in the opposite direction
Privacy folders for tables (without text)
2 library books with sticky notes ready for early finishers
Monitor discussion during lunch in the classroom
Student discussion in lines should be monitored as well
Paras should not be left alone with students that are testing
When administering the test in more than one language, the directions must be read aloud in one language completely prior to beginning the directions in the second language

17. PROCEDURES Unplug the phone in the classroom before testing begins
Post your roll and then place computer in cabinet or desk drawer
Do not use cell phone or class phone during breaks…we will monitor while you step out to make a personal phone call
When students go to restroom, collect their booklets and answer document
Complete red checklist and place on the outside of classroom door at the time indicated on chart (test there/check there)

18. PROCEDURES Test administrators may not erase stray marks
Students may not transport tests when changing testing locations
We should not tell students that we will not collect tests until 10
Collect Pick Up Phone Numbers
No one should bubble student identification information
If a student asks a question you are not allowed to answer, simply respond, “I cannot answer that for you, do the best that you can.”

19. PROCEDURES
Students should not form a line to turn in tests, test administrators should go to students as they raise their hands in order to collect tests
Test administrators must inspect the completed answer documents
“You have not recorded responses on your answer document. Please go back and mark your answers on it now.”
If a student needs to see the nurse, he/she must be escorted.

20. UNAUTHORIZED DEVICES Check for unauthorized devices in the
testing room, such as calculator watch,
watch, cell phone, and/or camera. (staff included)
Students should be asked to put backpacks, bags and purses in secure place in classroom away from desks (unaccessible)
Students still testing should not be allowed to use phone in testing room, in hallways, bathrooms or at lunch.
Monitors & Test Administrators must be on the lookout for unauthorized devices.

21. COMMON ERRORS Not identifying blank sections on answer documents
Making inappropriate/unallowable comments to students
Bubbling errors on answer documents
Improper or non-existent monitoring
Unauthorized individual allowed to transport secure materials
Accommodation(s) not provided
Test administrator failed to read the manual verbatim as directed

22. COMMON ERRORS Leaving secure materials unattended
Use of untrained test administrators or monitors
Not testing an eligible student or testing an exempt student
Failure to remind students to record their responses and/or failure to check if students have bubbled their answers as instructed
Test Administrator failed to cover inappropriate displays
Test Administrator may not direct a student to speed up or slow down
Reinforcing, reviewing and/or distributing test strategies

23. COMMON ERRORS Any action that directly or indirectly assists
students with responses including,
Clarifying or translating writing prompt or test items
Gesturing, pointing, or demonstrating correct responses
Changing student responses
Providing answers to test questions

24. COMMON ERRORS Oral Administration Errors
Failure to administer test orally to eligible students
Failure to use matching forms (Form 1)

25. TEST SECURITY
Active monitoring at all times (arrange seating around the room)
Confirm that students do NOT have materials available that are NOT allowed.
Students are not allowed to talk
Periodically remind students to bubble their responses on the answer document. (using statement in manual)
If a student double bubbles, we are not allowed to bring this to their attention
We cannot share with a student that they have not bubbled in answers to questions 4 and 7.

26. TEST SECURITY
Allow students to take short breaks IN the testing room while supervised and prevented from discussing contents of test.
MONITOR students during breaks! They may NOT discuss the contents of the test.
Test booklets must be closed with answer documents INSIDE.
Preferably collected during snack time
Students may be allowed to take restroom breaks one at a time.

27. TEST SECURITY During Test Administration
If testing continues into lunch, students must place their answer documents inside their test booklets.
Collect all booklets and place them in locked storage. Lock your classroom.
Students must remain together as a group and be closely monitored to ensure that they do NOT discuss the contents of the test.
They should not be sent ahead of the test administrator. The test administrator must be able to see them at all times.

28. TEST SECURITY
During Test Administration (students should know this in advance)
Test administrators may NOT
provide assistance
view the tests without authorization
discuss confidential student information
check for strategies
Check the completed answer document to be sure the student has bubbled in his or her answers as instructed.
“You have not recorded all of your answers on the answer documents. Please do so now.”

29. TEST SECURITY After Test Administration
Test administrators may ONLY look at answer documents to see whether responses are recorded or bubble as instructed in manual.
No unauthorized viewing or scoring student responses
No discussion of confidential student information
Account for all test materials (booklets, answer documents, math charts, supplemental aids, pencils)

30. WRITING TEST Read the prompt to individual students at his/her request
Essays may not be copied (CD’s provided)
Test administrators may not:
Elaborate the prompt
Give an opening or closing sentence
Provide an outline
Translate the prompt
Give assistance in developing ideas

31. WRITING TEST
Once students complete the revising and editing portion of the test, collect them until the majority of the students have completed this portion of the test.
After completing the revising and editing section of the test, students may sit quietly, but are not allowed to read a book
Once the majority of the students have completed the revising and editing portion of the test, test administrators may begin the composition portion.

32. DYSLEXIA BUNDLE Two Days Form 1 Secure Proper Noun List
Stop as Directed in Manual

33. EMERGENCIES Follow procedures for exiting the building
Booklets may be left on student desks
Lock door
Monitor student discussion during emergency

34. REPORTING INCIDENTS What happened? Who was involved?
When and where did the incident occur?
Be as specific and detailed as possible!
NOTE: Don’t Assume – Contact an administrator if you have any questions about how to handle an alleged testing irregularity.

35. DOCUMENTATION All testing irregularities
Incident report
Written statement(s) from individuals involved
A Corrective Action Plan Required
Loss of secure materials
Potential referral to Educator Certification and Standards

36. WEB BASED TRAINING
Three modules are designed to be completed within an hour. Results are provided in real time along with certificates for each module. The modules include:
Active Monitoring
Distribution of Test Materials
Proper Handling of Secure Materials

37. CERTIFICATES
Grade Chairs to collect three certificates for each team member no later than February 24.

38. PREVENTION IS THE KEY! Training
Reading manuals prior to assessment day
Active Monitoring
Following procedures
Asking questions

39. DISTRICT TESTING COORDINATOR
Dr. James Rambo
(office)