1. Test Security Training

2. Objectives of This Training
Understand policies and procedures
Identify test security issues
Recognize how to avoid security issues

3. Students are provided equal opportunity to demonstrate achievement
What is Test Security
Test Security: The actions you take to ensure that test content is protected so that test scores are accurate and meaningful.
Students are provided equal opportunity to demonstrate achievement

4. Why Is Test Security Important?
Write test
specifications
Construct operational test
Administer
operational test
Meet with Minnesota educators to review passages and for bias
Meet with Minnesota educators to review field test data
Score tests
Meet with Minnesota educators to review items and for bias
Field test passages and items
Report results
It takes a lot of work by a lot of people over a long period of time, up to three years, to develop a standardized test. Education professionals, including many teachers, work together to develop test questions. If there is a security breach where test content is exposed, that test content may no longer be used on any test, and in some cases, may affect test score integrity.
Protect investment in test content

5. Why is Training on Test Security Important?
A breach of test security includes any actions that jeopardize test content or the integrity of test scores. Test security breaches can happen anywhere, at any time.
Proper awareness of test security and what a test security breach is, as well as proper planning for unexpected events or circumstances, can help prevent test security breaches from occurring.
This awareness and planning happen through training.
Test security breaches can happen anywhere and at any time.
Training on test security is important to prevent security breaches.

6. Assurance of Test Security and Non-Disclosure
Signed by all staff who have a role
in test administration
In addition to required trainings, any staff involved in testing must complete the Assurance of Test Security and Non-Disclosure.
The Assurance of Test Security and Non-Disclosure outlines the responsibility to keep test content secure and to ensure that the integrity of each student’s test is maintained. By signing this assurance, you confirm that you understand your responsibilities and commit to fulfilling them as required by your role in test administration.
Confirms understanding and commitment to fulfill responsibilities

7. Section 2 Maintaining the Security of Test Materials and Test Content
Online testing requires fewer secure paper test materials. However, maintaining the security of all test materials and test content is still an important part of test security.
The following section will focus on maintaining the security of test materials and test content.
Maintaining the Security of
Test Materials and Test Content

8. Identifying Secure Test Materials
Online tests:
• Student testing tickets
• Scratch paper
Paper tests:
• Accommodations
• Alternate assessments
Online testing requires printed student testing tickets that contain private student data, and used scratch paper that may contain test content. Once the student testing tickets have been printed and the scratch paper has been used, they must be treated as secure test materials until they are securely disposed of after testing is completed. Hard copy mathematics formula sheets and exiting instructions, if provided to students, are considered the same as scratch paper and must be kept secure.
Online tests also include paper accommodated test materials, like large print test books and scripts that are used by students who need them. Alternate assessments are administered with paper test materials.

9. Keeping Test Materials Secure
Secure online test materials
Secure paper test materials
Except when you are passing out the test materials for administration or the students are using them during testing, test materials must be kept in a secure, locked location. Secure locations must be locked and inaccessible to anyone who is not responsible for handling the secure test materials. Even the drawers in a desk or the shelves in a cabinet are not considered secure unless they are locked.

10. Following Chain of Custody
Trainer Note: During your training, you will want to talk through your chain of custody procedures and plan for making sure secure test materials are collected and accounted for.
General procedures
Follow your building level procedures for when and how to pick up secure test materials.
Keep materials in a locked, secure location until you are finished with testing.
For online tests, you will hand out testing tickets and scratch paper to students at the beginning of each testing session and collect them at the end of each testing session.
For paper tests, inventory materials when picking them up and returning them and use the Security Checklist at each site to track materials.
Until the secure test materials are returned following the chain of custody, they are your responsibility.

11. Examples: Not Keeping Test Materials Secure
A Test Monitor forgets to collect the student scratch paper at the end of the testing session and the scratch paper is taken home.
A math script used with students is found at the end of the school year.
The following are examples of not keeping test materials secure.
A Test Monitor forgets to collect student scratch paper at the end of the testing session and the scratch paper is taken home.
A math script used with students is found at the end of the school year.
After test administration, when the students are finished and you are trying to collect all secure test materials, it is easy to forget to collect student testing tickets and scratch paper or to misplace accommodated test materials. It is also easy to forget that testing tickets and scratch paper must be accounted for and kept secure when not being used for testing. Scratch paper or student testing tickets taken home by a student or left unsecured could expose test content, depending on what is written on them. Paper accommodations, like a script, that are lost or misplaced can also expose test content.

12. Preparing for Test Administration
Training Center
Item samplers
While we’ve discussed keeping test materials secure, it is equally important to keep test content secure.
Technology staff and Test Monitors cannot use an actual test to prepare for test administration. Even signing in to a student’s test is considered a security breach. Technology staff can use the Training Center to prepare technology. Test Monitors can use the Training Center, item samplers, and tutorials to prepare for test administration.
Student tutorials

13. Accessing Cell Phones and Other Devices
Student access during or after testing invalidates tests
District policies and procedures address phone and device restrictions
Another important part of keeping test content secure is following your district's policy for ensuring that cell phones and other devices are not accessible by students at any time during test administration. This includes when students are taking breaks during the test administration or when testing is completed if other students are still testing. Depending on the layout of the testing room or computer lab, it may be easy for a student to slip a phone out of a pocket unnoticed. Following your district’s procedures, you must inform students that they cannot receive or view calls, texts, or alerts during test administration and tell them what to do if they receive notifications on their devices or their phone rings during testing.

14. Accessing Cell Phones and Other Devices
Trainer Note:  
You also need to communicate your plan for what students will do after testing if they remain in the testing room. Students may read a paper book, complete activities on paper, or sit quietly, but they cannot use their phone, computer, tablet, or other device while other students are still testing.
Be sure proctors are aware of other devices that can send/receive texts such as watches and ask them to remind students to place those devices in a place where they can not access them during testing (ex: backpack or locker).
Remind students at the beginning of each session that all cell phones and other devices must be stored so that they are inaccessible during testing.
Explain to students that they can not receive or view calls, texts, or alerts during test administration. This includes all devices that can send/receive texts (ex: watches)
Ask students to verify that at a minimum, their ringer/volume is turned off.
Even if a student is done with their own test and is still in the lab waiting for others to finish, they still can not access their phone until after they have exited the lab or all students in the room have finished testing.
If a student’s phone does ring during testing, be sure that test security is maintained. The student should not view or answer the phone or text. The proctor could instruct the student to hand them the phone without looking at it so the proctor can turn it off or place it in a secure location.

15. Example: Students Accessing Cell Phones or Other Devices
Trainer Notes: During your training, you will want to talk about the following:
What students will do when they are done testing;
Your district policies and procedures for verifying information on a student cell phone or device;
What to do if a student accesses other sites or content during testing.
The following is an additional example where students access cell phones or other devices.
While other students are still testing, a student uses his tablet to read when he has finished his test.
During testing and even when done testing, students cannot access devices or work on the computer while other students are still testing. Allowing access to a cell phone, device, or computer still poses a security risk -a student could take a picture of another student’s in-progress test, share test content, or use a device to look up answers for another student. Instead, students can read a paper book or complete activities on paper if they remain in the testing room.
In a case where a student accesses a cell phone or device you will need to follow your district policies and procedures for removing the phone or device and verifying if test content was captured or shared.
While other students are still testing, a student uses his tablet to read when he has finished his test.

16. Section 3 Active Monitoring
A critical component of successful test administration is actively monitoring students at all times. “Active monitoring” means carefully observing student behavior throughout testing to prevent security breaches.
In this section, we will talk about active monitoring in detail.
Active Monitoring

17. Actively Monitoring the Test Session
Active monitoring may mean different things depending on the size and type of the testing room and the number of students in the testing session. The Test Monitor may need to circulate around the room or more than one Test Monitor may be needed to ensure that students are working independently and not accessing prohibited materials.
You will need to stay engaged even when interrupted by a test-related activity, such as a School Assessment Coordinator check-in, technology staff troubleshooting one student’s computer, or students who have questions or are finishing and turning in secure materials. It only takes a few seconds for a student to access prohibited materials or lean over to look at another student’s test.
Observe from multiple vantage points
Stay engaged, even when interrupted

18. Remaining an Active Test Monitor
Actively monitor until testing is finished
Know how to notify others if needed
No other activities (ex: texting, checking , grading papers) during monitoring
It is important to remain an active Test Monitor throughout the testing session. Even after students have been successfully testing for a period of time and do not have any questions, you need to constantly observe student behavior.
Do not engage in any other activities that would interfere with your ability to monitor student testing, such as texting, checking your , reading, working on the computer or on lesson plans, or grading papers. While you may need to check student test status in the online system, your focus must still be on active test monitoring.
Know that as a Test Monitor, you also may not use a cell phone during testing. If technical or test administration issues arise, you will need to follow your district’s procedure for notifying others if you need assistance during testing.
Test monitors may not use cell phones during testing.

19. Actively Monitoring During Interruptions and Breaks
Test Monitors also need to actively monitor students during situations that interrupt testing and during breaks.
In the case of an emergency, such as a fire alarm or a severe weather warning, it is important to follow all safety procedures and exit as quickly as possible. To maintain test security when all students must leave the room, the Test Monitor should, at minimum, lock the room.
Unless an emergency prevents them from doing so, students should exit the test or cover the test content in some way, by closing the laptop, turning off the monitor, or turning over the device. For paper accommodations, students should close the test book.
Test Monitors, and other staff helping with testing, must ensure that students do not discuss test items and answers during their time away from the testing location, whether this is during a short break for all students or when a student leaves to go to a restroom.
Keeping test
content secure
Monitoring
students

20. Section 4
While situations involving cheating may be easy to identify in some cases, such as seeing a student copy another student’s answer, some others may fall into gray areas, especially because instances of cheating may not only involve students. Staff may also be involved intentionally or unintentionally. As a Test Monitor or staff member involved in testing, you need to know what to look for in order to reasonably identify and intervene before the behavior escalates and requires the invalidation of tests.
This section will address some other situations that may occur to help you be prepared for test administration and understand the role you play in maintaining test security.
Cheating

21. Not Providing an Unfair Advantage to Students
Set up the room to maintain security
Cover instructional information on walls or desks
Provide only allowable materials
There are steps you can take to ensure students are not provided an unfair advantage, including room setup and the materials provided to students.
Make sure you know how to arrange the testing room to maintain test security. Because most rooms used for testing are also used for daily instruction, you will need to consider test security by adjusting student seating or spacing of computers. Enough space should be allowed between students to ensure that students work independently. If students cannot be spread out in the testing room, your district may consider using a type of privacy screen.   
Any instructional information, including strategy techniques or methods, on testing room walls and desks or tables must be covered or removed, even if it is not related to the subject being tested. For example, science information must be covered even if reading is being tested.
Specific lists of materials that are allowed and prohibited are included in the Test Monitor and Student Directions. Make sure you are familiar with this list so that students only have access to allowable materials during testing. Students should remove or put away all other materials before test administration. These steps ensure that all students are given the opportunity to demonstrate what they know independently.

22. Help a Test Monitor May Provide to Students
SAMPLE
Provide only allowable assistance
During testing, questions or situations may arise where you may need to step in or respond. It’s important to understand what type of assistance can be provided while monitoring because test administration is very different from classroom instruction.
As a Test Monitor, you cannot assist with student responses in any way. Scripted instructions are included in all Test Monitor and Student Directions, and these directions must be repeated as written during testing. Test Monitors may not paraphrase Test Monitor and Student Directions, define or pronounce a word within a test item, discuss a test item, give an opinion regarding a test item, remind students of any test-taking strategies, or offer encouragement. The only directions Test Monitors can give students are those in the Test Monitor and Student Directions.
For example, if a Test Monitor notices that a student is moving quickly through the test, he or she can remind all the students by repeating the relevant directions in the Test Monitor and Student Directions. It is not permissible to say to a student, “Did you mean to answer those items so quickly?” This approach may seem harsh, but help of this kind is a short step from saying something that guides the student to changing their answers.
Follow scripted instructions exactly

23. Recognizing Unauthorized Interference with Secure Test Content
Know the difference between active monitoring and unauthorized viewing of test content
While you need to actively monitor students, you also need to make sure that you are not viewing secure test content.
Although there may be situations where you must look at a student’s test, such as during a technical issue or when sealing a paper test book, you should not be looking at or trying to review the test items. Unauthorized viewing of test content is when you view content long enough to determine the essence of the secure test item. Even though you have signed the Assurance of Test Security and Non-Disclosure, you are not authorized to review the test items. Only certain people are allowed to see test items, such as staff involved in the administration of an accommodation or alternate assessment.
Unauthorized viewing also includes reviewing, scoring, or changing student responses. Assessments are scored by the service provider and information on student performance is available to districts and schools through reports provided by the service provider or MDE after test administration. This process is the appropriate way to access information on student results. Reviewing and scoring student responses yourself is not. Changing student responses is a violation of test security and will result in the invalidation of the student’s test.
Do not review, score, or change student responses

24. Discussing Test Content
Never discuss with students
Even after testing is complete, the test content must remain secure. Students are not allowed to disclose or discuss test content after the test administration is over. If the general test administration experience is discussed, you should not ask students about specific test questions or answer options or other test content, such as reading passages or science scenarios. If students ask about a specific test question following testing, you may provide instruction on the general concept, but must not address or solve the specific test item.
In addition, you are not allowed to discuss secure test content or items with other staff members or in team meetings. By completing the Assurance of Test Security and Non-Disclosure, you agreed to maintain the confidentiality of any test content you may have viewed. Specific test content or test items cannot be used for test preparation, curriculum, or instruction.
Never discuss with other staff

25. Sharing, Copying, or Capturing Test Content Items
Trainer Note: If staff report a technical issue or an error with a test item following the procedures noted above, you may the service provider or MDE (or Missy) with that information as long as no content of the item is discussed or included. Any reference to the test content in communication with the service provider or MDE is a security breach.
In cases where a student believes an item is in error, assure staff that MDE will look into the issue and take any necessary steps if an error is found. MDE will not provide further information to the district about whether or not there is an item issue. Instead, this will be addressed during scoring and reporting, if needed.
There may be cases where some pertinent information about the test needs to be shared with MDE or a service provider, but you need to make sure that the test content is kept secure. For example, if an error message appears on a student’s computer screen, the Test Monitor should write the error message and number down rather than taking a picture of it, as test content could be seen in the background.
Similarly, if a student points out a test item that appears to have an error, the Test Monitor must not the content of the item to the District or School Assessment Coordinator. Instead, the Test Monitor should tell the student to complete the item as best as possible and then write down basic information about the item to reference later. Following the testing session, the Test Monitor can then provide this information to the District or School Assessment Coordinator.
Test content should not be captured electronically or shared in any manner, as this exposes test content and it can no longer be used on future assessments.
Report technical issues or possible test item errors
Never capture or share test content electronically

26. Align curriculum and instruction to the Minnesota Academic Standards
Aligning Curriculum
Align curriculum and instruction to the Minnesota Academic Standards
Never align curriculum or instruction to specific test content
You can best prepare students for Minnesota Assessments by ensuring that your curriculum and instruction are aligned to the Minnesota Academic Standards.
Test content from secure test materials, including student scratch paper, cannot be used as a study guide, for instructional planning, in classroom assessments, or as a basis of curricula. Using test content in this manner is a breach of security and will not appropriately prepare students for testing.

27. Reporting Security Breaches
Section 5
This section covers your responsibility of enforcing test security policies and procedures.
Reporting Security Breaches

28. Reporting Security Breaches
Share the responsibility of enforcing test security
In addition to fulfilling the responsibilities and requirements for your role in testing, you also have the responsibility of enforcing proper test security and test administration policies and procedures. This is one of the responsibilities you agreed to when you completed the Assurance of Test Security and Non-Disclosure.
If you observe or become aware of student or staff actions that violate test security, it is your responsibility to talk with your District or School Assessment Coordinator or other administrator. Even if a security breach seems unintentional, it is important that the situation is reported for procedures and policies to be clarified and updated so that everyone understands how to maintain test security. so that everyone understands how to maintain test security.
Report possible security breaches

29. Reporting Test Security Issues
Trainer Note: Information on reporting security breaches to MDE on the Test Security Notification is included in Chapter 3 of the Procedures Manual. While you will talk with staff about your process for reporting security breaches within the district, you also need to inform staff on the availability of the MDE tip line so that staff are aware of their options to report security concerns.
Follow district reporting procedures
Report as soon as possible
Use the MDE
tip line
You will follow your district’s procedure for reporting security breaches. There is a specific process that your District Assessment Coordinator follows to report security breaches to MDE, and as part of this, you may be asked to provide additional documentation, such as information about the affected students and a timeline of events. Whatever your district’s process is, it is important that you communicate any issues as soon as possible, preferably within the same day.
While you will be communicating security issues within your district as needed, a tip line is also available on the MDE website to submit security concerns.

30. Possible Consequences of Security Issues
Trainer Note: Any consequences from MDE will be detailed in the communication you receive after you report a security breach on the Test Security Notification. During your training, you can also discuss any district-specific consequences here.
Invalidation of test scores
Additional required training for staff
Recommendation that staff do not participate in future testing
Referral to the Board of Teaching
Depending on the type of security breach, there could be a number of possible consequences.
If a Test Monitor breaches test security, the student’s test will be scored if it still reliably measures what is being assessed. However, if the security breach compromises the test’s integrity or if the student was not allowed an opportunity to independently demonstrate their knowledge, the test will be invalidated.
When a test security breach is reported to MDE, additional training for all staff, or only those involved in the issue, may be required. Depending on the severity of the security breach, MDE may also recommend that the individual or individuals involved be prohibited from monitoring or administering tests in the future.
It is up to the district to determine whether there will be additional consequences for staff if misconduct is found to have occurred. Incidents of unethical conduct may also be referred to the Board of Teaching. Educators found to have engaged in misconduct are subject to sanctions that may include censure, license placed on probationary status, license suspended, or license revoked.

31. Conclusion
This concludes the Test Security Training.