Minnesota Assessments Test Security Training for Districts and Schools

1. Minnesota Assessments Test Security Training for Districts and Schools “Leading for educational excellence and equity. Every day for every one.”

2. Objectives of This Training education.state.mn.us Understand MDE policies and procedures related to test security. Identify test security issues through examples of test security breaches. Recognize how test security issues might be avoided.

3. Why Is Test Security Important? education.state.mn.us • Maintain the confidentiality and validity of: • State assessments • Student test results • Ensure that every student has been provided the opportunity to independently demonstrate their knowledge • Protect the state’s financial investment • Test items are expensive to create and maintain

4. Why Is Training on Test Security Important? • Situations that can jeopardize the confidentiality of a state assessment or the validity of a student's test can occur: • Anywhere • In a very short amount of time education.state.mn.us

5. Training and Resources • Ensure that you have participated in district training and any MDE-required trainings annually • Be familiar with the applicable Assessment Manual • Review the applicable Test Monitor and Student Directions before the day of testing • Know your district’s testing schedule and assigned testing days education.state.mn.us

6. Non-Disclosure Agreement • Any district staff who may come into contact with or see test items must sign a Non-Disclosure Agreement each year • Available in two formats • Hard copy • Electronically in AIR’s TIDE System education.state.mn.us

7. Maintaining the Security of Test Materials education.state.mn.us

8. MDE Policy – Securing Test Materials • Understand the procedures for securing test materials • What is considered a secure location • Which test materials are secure education.state.mn.us

9. MDE Policy – Returning Test Materials Between Administrations • Follow your district’s policy for returning test materials between administrations • Return the test materials to the District or School Assessment Coordinator between test administrations, OR • Keep secure test materials in locked storage when not in use by students education.state.mn.us

10. Video Example: Leaving Test Materials Unsecured education.state.mn.us Select video clip 1 on the Minnesota Assessments portal.

11. MDE Policy – Accounting for Test Materials for Paper Administrations • Verify that all test books and answer documents are accounted for by counting the materials when checking out and checking back in • Use the Test Monitor Test Material Security Checklist to document which student each test book is assigned to education.state.mn.us

12. MDE Policy – Accounting for Test Materials for Online Administrations • Verify that all accommodated test materials, student login information, scratch paper, and mathematics formula sheets (if used) are accounted for • Use the Test Monitor Test Materials Security Checklist to document which student each accommodated test material is assigned to education.state.mn.us

13. Examples: Misplacing or Losing Test Materials • A third grade student’s test/answer document is found at the end of the school year inside of the Assessment Manual. • A student’s responses in an large print test book are not entered into the Data Entry Interface for an online administration because the test book is returned to the service provider with unused test materials. education.state.mn.us

14. MDE Policy – Maintaining Chain of Custody • Ensure that the proper chain of custody is maintained • The Test Monitor or Test Administrator is responsible for the materials that have been assigned to them from the time they are checked out to the time they are returned education.state.mn.us

15. MDE Policy – Maintaining Chain of Custody (continued) • Return and check in the secure test materials that have been assigned to you directly to the District or School Assessment Coordinator • Do not let students take their own or other students' test materials to another location to be turned in • Do not let another staff member return test materials education.state.mn.us

16. Video Example: Not Maintaining the Proper Chain of Custody for Secure Test Materials Select video clip 2 on the Minnesota Assessments portal. education.state.mn.us

17. MDE Policy – Maintaining Security of Student Paper Tests • Paper assessments: • Verify student demographics before handing a preprinted answer document to a student • Ensure that preprinted answer documents (used and unused) are not left unsecured education.state.mn.us

18. MDE Policy – Maintaining Security of Student Online Tests • Online assessments: • Verify students are provided with their correct login information or sit at the correct computer if already logged in • Ensure that student answers in paper accommodated test materials are not left unsecured education.state.mn.us

19. Examples: Students Test Results are Not Credited to the Appropriate Student and Student Data Privacy is Compromised • The Test Monitor allowed a student to sit at a computer that was already logged into for a different student. • The Test Administrator enters MTAS scores for the wrong student into the online system. education.state.mn.us

20. Maintaining Test Security During Test Administration education.state.mn.us

21. MDE Policy – Verifying Student Accommodations • Be familiar with the following: • General test-taking practices available for all students • Allowable accommodations based on the Procedures Manual • Accommodated test materials that must be provided to students during test administration • Verify that you have the most up-to-date information regarding which students are to be administered accommodations with their test education.state.mn.us

22. Video Example: Misadministering an Assessment Select video clip 3 on the Minnesota Assessments portal. education.state.mn.us

23. Examples: Not Following the Documented Accommodation in the Student’s IEP or 504 Plan and Providing a Prohibited Accommodation • The Test Monitor does not verify that accommodated text-to-speech is indicated for a student prior to approving the student for online testing, even though that accommodation is written in the student’s IEP. • The Test Monitor reads the Reading MCA test aloud to a student, even though this is not allowed. education.state.mn.us

24. MDE Policy – Verifying Student Test Assignments • Multiple tests can be administered in the same test session for both paper and online administrations • Verify what tests students will be taking in your test session prior to administration • Ensure students are provided the correct assessment during testing education.state.mn.us

25. Example: Giving the Wrong Test to a Student • The Test Monitor administers the MCA test to a student that should be taking the MCA-Modified test. education.state.mn.us

26. MDE Policy – Verifying Materials Allowed during Test Administration • Know which materials are allowed during test administration, including materials displayed on the testing room walls and student desks • Ensure only allowable materials are provided to or used by students education.state.mn.us

27. MDE Policy – Verifying Materials Allowed during Test Administration (continued) • Know when a calculator may be used for math assessments: • Paper administrations: know the segments where calculators are allowed • Online administrations: know which tests allow handheld calculators • Memory-enabled graphing calculators must have memory cleared before and after testing. education.state.mn.us

28. Examples: Allowing Prohibited Materials during Testing • The Test Monitor allows the students to use a dictionary on a reading test. • The Test Monitor allows the students to use handheld calculators on the online grade 5 Mathematics MCA education.state.mn.us

29. MDE Policy – Actively Monitoring the Test Session education.state.mn.us • Ensure that you are actively engaged in observing students' behavior from multiple vantage points at all times during testing • Amount of movement needed will depend on the testing location and environment • Stay engaged even when interrupted by another test-related activity

30. Video Example: Leaving the Room Unmonitored During Testing Select video clip 4 on the Minnesota Assessments portal. education.state.mn.us

31. MDE Policy – Actively Monitoring the Test Session (continued) education.state.mn.us • Only participate in test monitoring activities while students are testing • Do not text, email, read, work on lesson plans, or grade papers once the students have started testing • Know your district's policy for ensuring that cell phones or other electronic devices are not accessible during test administration

32. Video Example: Not Actively Monitoring a Test Session Select video clip 5 on the Minnesota Assessments portal. education.state.mn.us

33. MDE Policy – Preparing for Breaks or Interruptions during Testing • Prepare in advance for planned and unplanned breaks or emergencies • Know your district's policy regarding these potential breaks • Monitor students during breaks and location changes in order to be aware of conversations and behavior education.state.mn.us

34. Example: Not Monitoring Students during a Break • The Test Monitor does not actively monitor students during a lunch break, and a group of students discuss the test they are in the middle of taking. education.state.mn.us

35. Cheating education.state.mn.us

36. MDE Policy – Understanding What Help Test Monitors Can Give to Students • Understand how to address students who request assistance and what kind of help can be provided • Be familiar with the instructions in the Test Monitor and Student Directions and follow scripted instructions exactly during test administration education.state.mn.us

37. Video Example: Providing Assistance during Test Administration Select video clip 6 on the Minnesota Assessments portal. education.state.mn.us

38. MDE Policy – Assisting Students with Responses (Directly or Indirectly) education.state.mn.us • Ensure students understand how to indicate responses prior to test administration • Item samplers are available for both paper and online assessments, including accommodated test materials • Online student tutorials are available for online assessments • Test Monitors cannot provide assistance with answering test items during administration

39. Video Example: Assisting Students Directly with Responses Select video clip 7 on the Minnesota Assessments portal. education.state.mn.us

40. Video Example: Assisting Students Indirectly with Responses Select video clip 8 on the Minnesota Assessments portal. education.state.mn.us

41. MDE Policy – Recognizing Unauthorized Viewing of Secure Test Content • Know the difference between active monitoring and unauthorized viewing of test content • Viewing the test content long enough to determine the essence of a secure test item is considered unauthorized viewing education.state.mn.us

42. MDE Policy – Recognizing Unauthorized Viewing of Secure Test Content (continued) education.state.mn.us • Understand your responsibility in ensuring the validity of each student’s test results • Do not review, score, or change student responses: • On an answer document • In an online assessment • Through online data entry

43. Video Example: Unauthorized Viewing of Secure Test Items Select video clip 9 on the Minnesota Assessments portal. education.state.mn.us

44. Example: Changing Student Responses • The Test Monitor changes student responses to improve performance by erasing answers bubbled on the answer document or logging into a student’s paused online test. education.state.mn.us

45. MDE Policy – Discussing Secure Test Content and Test Items education.state.mn.us • Understand that secure test content and test items should not be discussed: • In the classroom with students • With other staff or as part of a team meeting

46. Video Example: Discussing Secure Test Content or Student Responses Select video clip 10 on the Minnesota Assessments portal. education.state.mn.us

47. MDE Policy – Sharing, Copying, or Capturing Secure Test Content and Test Items education.state.mn.us • Ensure that secure test content or test items are not captured or shared electronically • Know how to report a test item that a student believes has an error • Use the academic standards (not secure test content) to instruct students, align curriculum to, and prepare students for testing

48. Video Example: Copying, Recording or Capturing Electronically Secure Test Content Select video clip 11 on the Minnesota Assessments portal. education.state.mn.us

49. MDE Policy – Reporting Security Breaches education.state.mn.us • Understand your role in: • Protecting the confidentiality of state assessments • Ensuring the validity of students' tests and test results • Share the responsibility of enforcing proper test administration policies and procedures

50. Examples: Participating in, Assisting, Encouraging, or Failing to Report Security Issues • A staff member observes a Test Monitor erasing student responses following test administration. • A Test Monitor does not inform the School or District Assessment Coordinator that another Test Monitor had secure test materials out in the classroom when testing was not in session. • A staff member walking past the computer lab where testing is taking place notices that students appear to be working together on the test. education.state.mn.us