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January 2012Campus Testing Coordinator Training: Test

Security & Confidentiality Requirements

January 27, 2012Trainer – Becky McCoy, Assessment Director

Georgetown Independent School District

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Test Security (p. O-16)

• Account for all secure materials at all times• Restrict access to trained staff who have signed oaths• Implement proper controls (storage & tracking)

(See handout: Secure Testing Materials Storage Certification – due 2/9)

• Inventory received materials upon receipt• Return all secure materials according to district schedule• Destroy charts or reference materials that students write on

(including supplemental aids)• Destroy scratch paper or graph paper• Track secure materials (Materials Control Forms)• Ensure that all materials have been returned & maintain

inventory and shipping records for at least 5 years

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Confidentiality Requirements (p. O-17)

• Trained personnel with appropriate signed oath(s)• Strictly following instructions in test administration materials, including for

online administrations• No viewing, revealing, nor discussing of a test or answer document unless

authorized to do so (If circumstances necessitate that a test be examined, permission MUST first be obtained from TEA.)

• No duplication, printing, recording, writing notes about, or capturing by any electronic means any portion of secure materials without TEA approval

• No performing calculations, solving, or responding to test items• Special training/oath section for oral test administrators• No reviewing/discussing of student responses or STAAR Alternate

performance data during/after a test administration unless authorized to do so by the procedures outlines in the test administration materials

Confidentiality involves protecting the contents of all test booklets, online assessments, student answer documents, TELPAS holistically rated components, STAAR Alternate student performance documentation, and ancillary materials.

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Confidentiality Requirements

• Seals broken during the test session only by authorized person according to specific instructions

• No person may answer a question (verbally/nonverbally) related to test content at any time unless authorized by procedures

• No person may change or amend any response recorded by a student or instruct a student to do so.

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Penalties for Prohibited Conduct (p. O-18)

• Placement of restrictions on the issuance, renewal, or holding of a Texas educator 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.

• Revocation or cancellation of a Texas educator certificate without opportunity for reapplication for a set term or permanently.

• Criminal prosecution.

Additionally, student test results may be invalidated.

Districts electing to use paraprofessionals or non-certified personnel must identify a certified staff member who will be responsible for supervising these individuals. If a violation occurs, the supervising certified professional is subject to the penalties listed above. (In GISD, the certified staff members responsible for supervising the paraprofessional are the CTC and the campus principal.)

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Measures Implemented by TEA to Ensure Test Security and Confidentiality (O-18)

1) 14-point Test Security Plan (including unannounced visits by independent test monitors ) (See handout: On-Site Audits of TAKS Test Administrations Procedure Manual)

2) Test Security Supplement (see handout)

3) Revised Oath – For Test Administrators Authorized to View Secure Statewide Assessments (includes OA, transcribing, and specific linguistic accommodations) (see handout)

4) Training Modules (see handout)

- Module 1: Active Monitoring

- Module 2: Distribution of Test Materials

- Module 3: Proper Handling of Secure Materials

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Security Oaths & Confidentiality Statements (p. O-19)

• School personnel involved in testing must meet eligibility requirements detailed on p. S-12 in the DCCM, receive training, & sign a security oath for each role during testing.

• Even those who provide relief to a test administrator (TA) during testing are considered a TA and must receive training and sign the proper oath. See NOTE on p. O-19.

• See Appendix B in DCCM for oaths for administrative personnel. Security oaths for test administrators can be found in the appropriate test administrator manuals.

• With the exception of STAAR Alternate and TELPAS, TA’s are required to sign only one oath for the 2012 testing year.

• See handouts: Oath of Test Security & Confidential Integrity for GISD Non-Certified or Paraprofessional School Personnel Serving as Test Monitor or Assistant and Oath of Test Security & Confidentiality for GISD Custodial Personnel

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Document Retention (O-19 – O-20)

• Signed security oaths for all testing personnel

• Testing irregularity & investigation documentation

• Inventory & shipping records (including Materials Control Forms & records documenting the transfer of secure materials within/outside the district)

• Seating charts for all test sessions

Districts are required to maintain the following documents for a period of 5 years after a test administration:

Sample seating charts found at the following TEA website: http://www.tea.state.tx.us/student.assessment/security/

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Testing Irregularities (p. O-20)

• Two Categories: Serious & Procedural

• Serious: Severe violations of test security and/or confidentiality; can result in referral to the TEA Educator Certification and Standards Division

• Procedural: Less severe, more common; typically the result of minor deviations in testing procedures

Definition: Incidents resulting in a deviation from documented testing procedures

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Examples of Serious Testing Irregularities

(p. O-20)

• Assisting students (directly/indirectly)

• Tampering with student responses

• Falsifying TELPAS holistic ratings or STAAR Alternate student performance data

• Viewing secure test content or STAAR Alternate performance data (This includes viewing an examinee’s secure test booklet without prior approval from TEA to verify whether the student has marked test responses.)

• Discussing secure test content, student responses, or student performance

• Scoring student tests (formally/informally)

• Duplicating, recording, or capturing electronically secure test content without permission from TEA

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Examples of Procedural Testing Irregularities (p. O-20 – O-21)

• Eligibility Error

• IEP Implementation Issue

• Improper Accounting for Secure Materials

• Monitoring Error

• Procedural Error

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Reporting of Testing Irregularities (p. O-22 – O24)

• Each person is responsible for reporting immediately to the campus or district testing coordinator any violation or suspected violation of test security or confidentiality.

• Failure to report is in violation of 19 TAC, §101.65 and §249.15 and could result in sanctions.

• See handout: 2011-12 Georgetown ISD State Assessment Incident Reporting Procedures

• Procedural irregularities may be handled by email and do not require signed statements from those involved.

• Serious irregularities will require typed/signed statements and may require a Corrective Action Plan.

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Reporting of Disciplinary Actions Taken Against Students for Cheating on State Assessments (p. O-24)

• A district may invalidate a student’s test if the district determines that the student cheated.

• Additional disciplinary action may be taken at the local level.

• Any local actions must be submitted to TEA via a specified online reporting form. (Assessment Dept. will submit these.)

• Submission of an incident report will be necessary ONLY IF the district determines that testing personnel contributed to, caused, or did not detect the cheating due to inadequate monitoring or another error.

• Report student cheating in the same manner as testing incidents by calling the GISD Assessment Dept.

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Must Maintain the Integrity of the State Assessment Program

• Integrity implies trustworthiness and incorruptibility to a degree that one is incapable of being false to a trust, responsibility, or pledge. That is what TEA expects of everyone involved in the state testing program.

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Losing a Racquetball Game

In October 1985, racquetball player Ruben Gonzalez was in the final match of his first professional racquetball tournament. He was playing the perennial champion for his first shot at a victory on the pro circuit. At match point in the fifth and final game, Gonzalez made a super “kill shot” into the front corner to win the tournament. The referee called it good, and one of the linemen confirmed the shot was a winner.

But after a moment’s hesitation, Gonzalez turned and declared that his shot had skipped into the wall, hitting the floor first. As a result, the serve went to his opponent, who went on to win the match.

Ruben Gonzalez walked off the court; everyone was stunned. Two months later, National Racquetball Magazine featured Gonzalez on its cover. The cover story’s author searched for an explanation for the first-ever occurrence on the professional racquetball circuit. Who could ever imagine it in any sport or endeavor? Here was a player with everything officially in his favor, with victory in his grasp, who disqualifies himself at match point and loses.

When asked why he did it Gonzalez replied, “It was the only thing I could to maintain my integrity.”

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You have now completed part of your Campus Coordinator Training for 2012.

Remember to initial and sign your Campus Testing Coordinator oath found in Appendix B and return it to me ASAP. You must sign it before handling any secure test material. (Please do not sign in the box at the bottom of the page!)

County-District Number: 246-904; County of Williamson