Yo Ho! Yo Ho! A Pirate’s Life for Me!

1. Yo Ho! Yo Ho! A Pirate’s Life for Me!

2. Pirate is in your blood Do you have the courage and fortitude to stay true in the face of certain danger & pain of death?

3. Pirates- Ye Be Warned! The state continues to increase its focus on test security. YOU will be a major part of that focus.

4. A Change in the Winds… • Oaths are more detailed • Active Monitoring is being stressed VERY heavily. • Accurate tracking of secure materials is also under close scrutiny. • You need to do all within your power to make our testing sessions secure and accurate.

5. Stick to the Code • 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 37.10 - Tampering

6. Swear on Pain of Death • You will initial each item individually, and then sign an oath stating you have been trained for test administration. • Only after signing this oath may you handle secured materials. • This oath will state that you are aware of the security procedures and requirements. • By signing this oath you accept the consequences should you fail to adhere to restrictions laid out for you. • This oath is a LEGAL document. It is actionable by the district or the state.

7. Listen Up Ye Skallywags! • Be SURE you are trained BEFORE handling secure materials! • Be SURE you sign materials out AFTER you verify the count is correct! • Be just as sure you count them when you sign them IN!

8. Pirates are obsessed with treasure. • NEVER leave materials unattended, unless they are LOCKED in a secure place. • Cabinet, desk drawer, file cabinet, or even just a LOCKED room will work. • Key word is LOCKED!!!

9. Don’t ignore the Rules of Engagement Confidential Integrity involves protecting the contents of each test booklet and answer document. • No one is to view test contents before, during, or after administration. • Testing procedures as outlined in the manual must be followed. • Secure materials cannot be duplicated except for writing sample. • No one may review student responses except in the course of “transcribing”.

10. Stick to the Pirate Code • Anyone being aware of a breach of the confidential integrity of the State Mandated Tests is obligated BY LAW to make the campus coordinator or principal aware of the situation. That Bobby! Can you believe he put 5 on question 12? I WISH you hadn’t told me that!!!!

11. Don’t Walk the Plank • Placement of restrictions on the issuance, renewal, or holding of a Texas Teaching Certificate, either indefinitely or for a set term • Issuance of an inscribed or non-inscribed reprimand • Suspension of a Texas Teaching Certificate for a set term • Revocation or cancellation of a Texas Teaching Certificate without opportunity for reapplication for a set term or permanently • Some form of district sanction

12. Violations Resulting in Referrals to Educator Certification and Standards • Viewing a test before, during, or after an assessment • Scoring students’ tests • Discussing secure test content or student responses • Duplicating secure material without TEA authorization

13. Avoid Pillaging and Plundering • While use of a highlighter is a valuable test taking skill, some heavy cautions to students need be made to keep them AWAY from the answer documents. • Answer documents with excessivehighlighter marks have to be transcribed onto clean answer documents.

14. WARNING! No Ballpoint Pens!

15. Take care of The TAKS Pearl • Comfort - Normal temperature • Space – Avoid crowding • Planning – Know standard testing procedures for your campus. Also know emergency procedures to follow during testing. • Room Preparation Remove or cover relevant teaching aides Timing* - Follow campus plan.

16. Commandeer the Ship • It is NECESSARY to ACTIVELY MONITOR the students while testing. • Make sure pens are not being used on the test • You need to make SURE the students are marking their answers on their answer documents!!! ( It is a testing irregularity if you do not.) • Make sure the students are working on the proper test, portion of the test, and portion of the answer document. • Make sure no “helps*” are on the student desks • Testing is NOT a cooperative learning situation. *(Cheat Sheets)

17. Load Your Cannons • ACTIVE MONITORING IS moving about the classroom, observing student behavior and testing procedures. • Check for students recording answers on answer document, working on correct test, dictionary use, and no cell phones.

18. Or it’s off to the gallows for ye… ACTIVE MONITORING IS NOT: • answering e mails, • surfing the web, • reading a book or magazine • talking on a cell phone, • grading papers, • entering grades on a computer.

19. Crew Duty How could I make a ZERO?!?! I didn’t even take the test!!! WHATEVER the appropriate score code, make sure it is marked!!!!!! S=Score A=Absent Failure to mark the appropriate “not-to-be-scored”(A, X, L, O, etc.) code for a subject may result in a score of ZERO for the student and campus. Placing an “S” score code on a blank answer document will cause that score to figure in the campus results as well.

20. Scrub the Decks • Form Code • Make sure number at top matches the booklet and the bubbles!

21. The Shiny Medallion Read your manual before the day of the test! You must read the instructions to the students (do not paraphrase). Open your manual: 9th: p. 39-41-NO! Directions-p. 42 10th:p. 47-49-NO! Directions-p. 50 11th:p. 45-47-NO! Directions-p.48 • Start with instructions, NOT precoded information! • Writing Prompt! • Look at “Ensure Proper Testing Procedures”! • You cannot read prompt aloud unless a student asks you to do so.

22. Begin the Search for Fortune • Bring your medallion (manual). • Get your stuff from A118 by 8:30am. Count everything and Sign out! • Send kids with questions to HALL MONITORS. • Keep box with you at all times.

23. Aye Avast! • Do not accept students not on your list. • Students bring nothing with them. • Students must sign cell phone oath. • Attendance: 3 sheets (see example) • Pass out answer documents & booklets. • Remind students: Do not mark ANYTHING on ANYTHING until I tell you!

24. Assist Your Matey • Tell students to check I.D. information (on sticker or penciled in). Do not say PEIMS or SS# or name. • If they say PEIMS or Name is wrong, we have to give them a NEW answer document (hall monitor), unless information is penciled in. • Anything else wrong? Mark it with a post-it (and write what is wrong).

25. A Ghastly Situation It Is • No scratch paper; students write in booklet. • Students must sign cell phone oath. • Pass out highlighters and pencils. • Begin test as soon as you’re ready. • Be an active monitor (watch their hands!).

26. Keep a Lookout Dictionaries (1 for every 5 students) Thesaurus (1 in every box) 9th: Can use them the whole time 10th & 11th: Use only on 1st section; Cannot use during 2nd section (revising & editing). Once student has opened 2nd section, remove name post-it from desk. • Make ‘em raise their hand to start 2nd section. • Cannot use their own dictionaries • SDAA refer to chart in box

27. Mutineers be Darned • QUESTIONS: “I can’t answer that for you; just do the best you can.” • BATHROOM: Use blue pass. Only one student at a time. • SNACKS: We’ll bring them in. Ans docs inside test booklets and MONITOR what they are saying. • NURSE: Only in emergencies. Notify students that if they leave, they can’t finish the test. We have to escort them.

28. Like Davy Jones’ Locker After a student is done: • Pick up test. Glance to see that answers are marked on answer document. • Put by box. Continue watching students. • Once partner comes in, then bubble S=Score or A=Absent, ans docs inside booklets, & put in numerical order. • Remember, students can read a book (no textbooks) when they are done, but cannot do homework or draw. If you want, you can check out magazines from library for students to read, but we will show a movie for 9th graders (channel 31). • SDAA rooms: 11am-relocate kids not done to H104 and escort students who are done to cafeteria (teachers stay in cafeteria with kids until bell rings.)

29. Hold Your Fire! 9th 11:30: UFT answer documents & test booklets together; Bathroom Relief (BR) relocate students. 10th & 11th 12:30: UFT answer documents and test booklets together; one administrator or takes to relocation rooms.

30. It’s On the Horizon… • Students DO NOT talk until UFTs have left. UFTs DO NOT look at anything or do anything else until they are completely done with the test. Make a note of UFTs on Stay in Box attendance sheet. • Turn in box (organized by card) to Hall monitor. Make sure you are aware of your numbers. • UFT Rooms: Teachers bring in the kids WITH UFT sheets. Do not accept them without it. Keep track of students using these sheets.

31. Sign your oath. It is legally binding! County District #: 061 902 School Phone #: 469-713-5178 Denton County Arghhhh you ready for TAKS?