Test Administration and Security Update

1. Test Administrationand Security Update 2012 Texas Assessment Conference Test Administration Team Student Assessment Division Texas Education Agency

2. Topics • 2013 Policy and Procedure Highlights • STAAR Time Limits Policies and Procedures • Test Administration Updates • Resources • 2013 Test Security Supplement • Reporting Incidents

3. Policy and Procedure Highlights STAAR English I, II, and III Reading STAAR English I, II, and III Writing - separate test booklets - separate answer documents (except for STAAR Modified) STAAR Writing Answer Documents - symbols on composition pages that correspond to symbols on prompt pages

4. Policy and Procedure Highlights Composition Retention and Duplication - districts not permitted to retain copies of student compositions or short answer responses - districts may not order electronic copies - April 2013 English II expository and persuasive essay will be posted to the Texas Assessment Management System

5. Policy and Procedure Highlights Student Success Initiative (SSI) - SSI retest opportunities for STAAR, STAAR Spanish, and STAAR Modified mathematics and reading scheduled in May and June of 2013 STAAR Modified - an operational test for world history added in May 2013 - only raw scores will be reported in spring - passing standards set in the fall

6. Policy and Procedure Highlights Assessments for English Language Learners (ELLs) - STAAR L administered online - headphones required for students testing in groups - paper tests available in rare circumstances TELPAS - Additional Data Collection - information will be collected on extenuating needs of students to acquire English language proficiency

7. STAAR Time Limits Policies and Procedures Students will be provided four hours in which to complete STAAR, STAAR Modified, or STAAR L tests. Start and Stop Times - four-hour time period begins after the test administrator has read directions and tells students to begin working on their tests - use a clock or timer - start and stop times for the test session must be recorded on the seating chart - students must record all responses by end of the four-hour time period

8. STAAR Time Limits Policies and Procedures Distribution of Materials and Initial Test Administrator “SAY” Directions - not included in the four-hour time limit Announcement of Time Left to Test - communicate orally or in writing - one hour intervals, more if desired during last hour

9. STAAR Time Limits Policies and Procedures Late-arriving Students - districts determine if enough time left to test - must be provided four hours to test and must finish by end of school day - must be kept aware of the time left to test Breaks - are allowed - some included in the time limit - some require test administrator to stop the time clock

10. STAAR Time Limits Policies and Procedures Breaks Included in the Four-hour Time Limit (not allowed to stop the time clock) - water breaks - bathroom breaks - snack breaks - short physical or mental breaks Breaks NOT Included in the Four-hour Time Limit (required to stop and restart the time clock) - lunch - emergencies - movement of - medical breaks students

11. STAAR Time Limits Policies and Procedures Lunch - students are allowed to stop testing and take a supervised lunch - students must be monitored and are not allowed to discuss test content - stop and restart times must be recorded on seating chart

12. STAAR Time Limits Policies and Procedures Multiple Test Sessions - allowed as long as four-hour time limit is maintained - can start before the regularly scheduled school day or extend beyond

13. STAAR Time Limits Policies and Procedures Extended Time Accommodations - Extra Time (same day) - available for eligible students with disabilities and ELLs - students start at the beginning of school day and are allowed to test up to the end of the school day, not beyond - Extra Day (rare) - for eligible students with disabilities who have a TEA-approved Accommodation Request Form - special procedures and guidelines for administration provided with approved requests - eligibility details and decision-making procedures can be found on the Accommodation Resources webpage

14. Test Administration Updates District and Campus Coordinator Manual - Calendar of Events runs from January 2013‒December 2013 - added emphasis in Coordinator Manual on principal’s role - added instructions from online Additional Resources to DCCM - added emphasis in manuals for test administrators to notify campus coordinators and for campus coordinators to notify district coordinators when questions or concerns arise

15. Test Administration Updates • Test Administrator Manuals - removed sections in Test Administrator Manuals that directed test administrators to verify student data and to pack materials - added a section page number list on the Test Administration divider page to highlight the start of the different scripts - added more detailed information to the Guide to Test Administration Directions section which is located just before the scripts - added general accommodation information - makes this required reading for test administrators - added separate scripts for online STAAR L

16. Test Administration Test Security Supplement - updated for 2013 Scheduling of Tests - continue to allow districts flexibility regarding the 2012-2013 testing calendar (detailed in letter dated 7/22/11)

17. 2013 Test Security Supplement It’s the law! Violation of security or confidential integrity of any test required by the Texas Education Code (TEC) Chapter 39, Subchapter B, shall be prohibited. A person who engages in conduct prohibited by the Test Security Supplement may be subject to sanction of credentials. Procedures for maintaining the security and confidential integrity of a test are specified in the Test Security Supplement. Any person who violates, assists in the violation of, or solicits another to violate or assist in the violation of test security or confidential integrity, and any person who fails to report such a violation are subject to … penalties.

18. 2013 Test Security Supplement It’s the law! Release or disclosure of confidential test content could result in criminal prosecution under TEC §39.0303 … and section 37.10 of the Texas Penal Code. In addition, any irregularities in test security or confidential integrity may also result in the invalidation of student results. The superintendent and campus principal of each school district and chief administrative officer of charter school and any private school administering the tests as allowed under TEC §39.033, must develop procedures to ensure the security and confidential integrity of the tests … .

19. 2013 Test Security Supplement Policy and Procedure Highlights • training requirements • materials security • secure storage areas • test session time limits • test administration windows, flexible scheduling, and make-up testing • reference materials, charts, graph paper, and scratch paper • student cheating • investigating and reporting testing irregularities

20. 2013 Test Security Supplement Making Your Program Secure • things to do before, during, and after an administration Testing Irregularities • understanding the difference between serious and procedural irregularities Incident Reporting • how to respond to testing irregularities • how to report testing irregularities

21. Reporting of Test Irregularities 2011 – 2012 Incident Reports (approximate numbers) Serious 150 Procedural 3980 Total 4130

22. Reporting of Test Irregularities

23. Reporting Testing Irregularities Pointers about Collecting Information and Making a Report Identify: - what happened - where and when the incident occurred - who was involved - how or why the incident occurred Consider what you will do to ensure that the incident is not likely to reoccur Determine if the incident is a serious or procedural irregularity–if it is a serious irregularity, contact TEA right away Immediately begin the collection of documentation for a serious irregularity Do not be reluctant to contact the Student Assessment security team for guidance

24. Reporting Testing Irregularities We need your district determination of the event. Procedural irregularity - include in the online incident report Serious irregularity - if district has made a final determination of events before the incident is reported, include in the online incident report - if district has NOT made a final determination of events, continue to submit all the information you can in an online incident report and follow up with determination later

25. Student Assessment Division We are here to assist. Please feel comfortable calling any of us and asking questions. Student Assessment Division (512) 463-9536 student.assessment@tea.state.tx.us

26. Thank you! Questions & Answers Thank you!