Office of Test Security Rina Davis office fax

Duties of Office of Test Security Provide training for campuses on test security issues Collect Test Irregularity/Security Violation Reporting Forms Investigate test security violations/irregularities Analyze test data for anomalies Evaluate and investigate anomalous results

Test Security Task Force Responsibilities: review all irregularities and test security violations determine level of test security violation (Levels I or II) and possible sanctions report Level II violations as appropriate

Levels of Test Security Violations Level I violations – include actions that could not be deemed or validated as conclusively impacting the individual or group test results of neither students nor the campus’s performance. Level II violations – include actions that could reasonably be concluded or were determined to have ramifications that would alter or impact the integrity and validity of the test results.

Level I Violations Examples: Students transporting test booklets Test administrator present in the testing room but not circulating Test administrator failed to issue the correct manipulatives (rulers, charts, etc.) Student received phone call or text message during testing.

Level II Violations Examples: Test coordinator left test materials in an unsecured place. Test administrator offered hints to indicate an answer or eliminate answer choices. School personnel changed student responses. Test administrator allowed extended time on timed test.

Student Test Security Violations Examples: Illegally obtaining a test booklet Copying answers from another student during testing Sharing specific test information with other students in the same grade or course Taking a test during the make-up period and asking a student who has already completed the test to disclose test questions

Potential Educator Sanctions (by State Board of Educator Certification) Penalties include: placement of restrictions on the issuance, renewal, or holding of a Texas Teacher Certificate, either indefinitely or for a set term, issuance of an inscribed or non-inscribed reprimand, and/or suspension of a Texas Teacher Certificate for a set term; or revocation or cancellation of a Texas Teacher Certificate without opportunity for reapplication, either for a set term or permanently

Reporting Test Security Violations All personnel involved in the testing program are responsible for reporting any testing irregularities or test security violations to the Office of Test Security. The reporting person will complete and submit the Test Irregularity/Security Violation Reporting Form to the Office of Test Security immediately.

Test Irregularity/Security Violation Reporting Form (Use this form to report an irregularity/test security violation.) Test name ____________________ Date irregularity occurred: ____________ School /TEA#________________________ Principal _____________________ Phone # ___________________ Test Coordinator _______________________ Name of Person Reporting Irregularity ________________________________ Position/Title _____________________________________________________ Name of Person Who Committed Irregularity __________________________ Position/Title _____________________________________________________ Directions: Please check (  ) all that apply. Comments are encouraged. _____ 1. Test booklet was lost. Booklet number ______________ _____ 2. School personnel changed student responses. Name _____________________ Grade __________ Room # ________ _____ 3. Testing materials were kept in unlocked storage area. _____ 4. Testing materials were taken from building. _____ 5. Test administrator engaged in prompting or provided assistance with test items. Name _____________________ Grade __________ Room # ________ _____ 6. Student was given wrong test. Explain. ____________________________ ___________________________________________________________ _____ 7. Test administrator left students unsupervised during testing. _____ 8. Student used cell phone to make call or send text message during testing. _____ 9. Other (specify) ________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ Mail to Office of Test Security, Box 150 or fax to (972)

Campus Testing Security Procedures All campuses must comply with the following procedures: 1. ensure all security procedures are followed, 2. identify an assistant or associate principal, counselor, or academic coordinator to be the campus test coordinator, 3. provide uniform training to all testing personnel, 4. review appropriate testing and test security procedures as outlined in the Test Security Manual and include in Campus Testing Plan, 5. document receipt of test materials and report any discrepancies to Local Assessment and/or State and National Assessment, 6. store secure test materials in locked storage, 7. order additional secure test materials appropriately, 8. ensure that teachers do not test their own students, 9. ensure that classroom doors remain open during test administration, 10. ensure that school personnel refrain from cell phone usage during testing, 11. allow District monitors to conduct random classroom visits, 12. submit test irregularities/security violations to the Office of Test Security as needed, 13. ensure that review of secure answer documents is conducted by two staff members at the end of each test, 14. return all scorable and non-scorable documents to Local Assessment or State and National Assessment by predetermined deadlines, and 15. maintain all testing documentation on the campus for three years.

Campuses with anomalies in the past year must follow procedures 1 – 15 plus the following additional procedure: 16. submit list of testing personnel on campus not attending required training to Learning Community office, 17. submit Campus Testing Plan to Learning Community office and Office of Test Security, 18. allow District monitors to conduct walk-through visits to classrooms being investigated, and 19. ensure review of secure answer documents is conducted by campus staff and central staff assigned to campus. Campuses with anomalies for the past two years must follow procedures 1 – 19 plus the following additional procedures: 20. allow District monitors to attend test coordinator meetings at the campus, 21. allow District monitors to observe testing in specific classrooms all day on all testing days, and 22. ensure that all secure answer documents are taken to a secure location at the end of each test day and returned the next morning by Assessment staff.