State Assessment Training

1. State Assessment Training Tuesday, February 15, 2011

2. MANUALS This training Does NOT take the place of reading the appropriate manuals.

3. RULES OF ASSESSMENT • 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 • Senate Bill 1031

4. PENALTIES FOR PROHIBITED CONDUCT • Placement of restrictions of teaching certificate • Issuance of reprimand • Suspension of teaching certificate • Revocation or cancellation of teaching certificate

5. STATE BOARD of EDUCATOR CERTIFICATION • Viewing an assessment without authorization • Discussing or revealing test content or student responses • Making copies of secure materials without authorization from TEA • Scoring student tests • Directly or indirectly assisting students with responses to test questions • Tampering with student responses

6. WHAT IS TEST SECURITY? • Accounting for ALL secure materials before, during and after test administration

7. ACTIVE MONITORING Test administrators are required to be actively engaged during testing to avoid a testing irregularity. • Moving about the room to be more aware of students’ actions (no sitting in one place) • No email (computers) • No work (grading papers / lesson plans) • No phones (cell or otherwise) • No reading • No naps

8. SEATING CHART • First and last name of students and teacher(s) in testing room • Corresponding student numbers on opposite side • Location of testing session, assessment being administered, subject area, and grade level • Location of each student along with door, teacher sitting areas, and windows • Time student turned in assessment should also be included on seating chart • If students move to a new room, a new seating chart should be developed

9. SEATING CHART

10. SIGN IN SHEET • Documentation of those monitoring students in the absence of the test administrator will be done using a sign in/out sheet. • This will be provided in your testing tub

11. DOORS All classroom doors should remain ajar while students are in the room testing so that monitors may enter without distracting students.

12. CONFIDENTIAL INTEGRITY Involves protecting the contents of the test booklets, secure test administrator manuals, answer documents and other materials containing student information.

13. CLASSROOMS SECURE STORAGE Classroom with locked door is NOT secure storage. • Test administrators cannot leave test materials on any desk and lock door of classroom. • Teachers should lock up materials in closet or file cabinet and then lock door to classroom • Secure materials (all materials checked out to test administrators) must be kept behind two locks • If this is not possible, secure materials must always be in possession of the test administrator

14. COMMUNICATING LIVE TESTING • Signs will be posted at entrance to school, so that all visitors know testing is taking place • Post “Do Not Disturb Signs” on each classroom door when testing begins • Parents of all students are asked not to have lunch on TAKS Testing days

15. POSTERS, CHARTS & INSTRUCTIONAL AIDS • Any posters, charts or visual aids must be taken down or covered in testing rooms & hallways (anywhere a student might walk during the testing day).

16. PROCEDURES • Clean out student desks and turn in the opposite direction • Privacy folders for tables (without text) • 2 library books with sticky notes ready for early finishers • Monitor discussion during lunch in the classroom • Student discussion in lines should be monitored as well • Paras should not be left alone with students that are testing • When administering the test in more than one language, the directions must be read aloud in one language completely prior to beginning the directions in the second language

17. PROCEDURES • Unplug the phone in the classroom before testing begins • Post your roll and then place computer in cabinet or desk drawer • Do not use cell phone or class phone during breaks…we will monitor while you step out to make a personal phone call • When students go to restroom, collect their booklets and answer document • Complete red checklist and place on the outside of classroom door at the time indicated on chart (test there/check there)

18. PROCEDURES • Test administrators may not erase stray marks • Students may not transport tests when changing testing locations • We should not tell students that we will not collect tests until 10 • Collect Pick Up Phone Numbers • No one should bubble student identification information • If a student asks a question you are not allowed to answer, simply respond, “I cannot answer that for you, do the best that you can.”

19. PROCEDURES • Students should not form a line to turn in tests, test administrators should go to students as they raise their hands in order to collect tests • Test administrators must inspect the completed answer documents • “You have not recorded responses on your answer document. Please go back and mark your answers on it now.” • If a student needs to see the nurse, he/she must be escorted.

20. UNAUTHORIZED DEVICES • Check for unauthorized devices in the testing room, such as calculator watch, watch, cell phone, and/or camera. (staff included) • Students should be asked to put backpacks, bags and purses in secure place in classroom away from desks (unaccessible) • Students still testing should not be allowed to use phone in testing room, in hallways, bathrooms or at lunch. • Monitors & Test Administrators must be on the lookout for unauthorized devices.

21. COMMON ERRORS • Not identifying blank sections on answer documents • Making inappropriate/unallowable comments to students • Bubbling errors on answer documents • Improper or non-existent monitoring • Unauthorized individual allowed to transport secure materials • Accommodation(s) not provided • Test administrator failed to read the manual verbatim as directed

22. COMMONERRORS • Leaving secure materials unattended • Use of untrained test administrators or monitors • Not testing an eligible student or testing an exempt student • Failure to remind students to record their responses and/or failure to check if students have bubbled their answers as instructed • Test Administrator failed to cover inappropriate displays • Test Administrator may not direct a student to speed up or slow down • Reinforcing, reviewing and/or distributing test strategies

23. COMMONERRORS Any action that directly or indirectly assists students with responses including, • Clarifying or translating writing prompt or test items • Gesturing, pointing, or demonstrating correct responses • Changing student responses • Providing answers to test questions

24. COMMONERRORS Oral Administration Errors • Failure to administer test orally to eligible students • Failure to use matching forms (Form 1)

25. TEST SECURITY • Active monitoring at all times (arrange seating around the room) • Confirm that students do NOT have materials available that are NOT allowed. • Students are not allowed to talk • Periodically remind students to bubble their responses on the answer document. (using statement in manual) • If a student double bubbles, we are not allowed to bring this to their attention • We cannot share with a student that they have not bubbled in answers to questions 4 and 7.

26. TEST SECURITY • Allow students to take short breaks IN the testing room while supervised and prevented from discussing contents of test. • MONITOR students during breaks! They may NOT discuss the contents of the test. • Test booklets must be closed with answer documents INSIDE. • Preferably collected during snack time • Students may be allowed to take restroom breaks one at a time.

27. TEST SECURITY During Test Administration • If testing continues into lunch, students must place their answer documents inside their test booklets. • Collect all booklets and place them in locked storage. Lock your classroom. • Students must remain together as a group and be closely monitored to ensure that they do NOT discuss the contents of the test. • They should not be sent ahead of the test administrator. The test administrator must be able to see them at all times.

28. TEST SECURITY During Test Administration (students should know this in advance) • Test administrators may NOT • provide assistance • view the tests without authorization • discuss confidential student information • check for strategies • Check the completed answer document to be sure the student has bubbled in his or her answers as instructed. “You have not recorded all of your answers on the answer documents. Please do so now.”

29. TEST SECURITY After Test Administration • Test administrators may ONLY look at answer documents to see whether responses are recorded or bubble as instructed in manual. • No unauthorized viewing or scoring student responses • No discussion of confidential student information • Account for all test materials (booklets, answer documents, math charts, supplemental aids, pencils)

30. WRITING TEST • Read the prompt to individual students at his/her request • Essays may not be copied (CD’s provided) • Test administrators may not: • Elaborate the prompt • Give an opening or closing sentence • Provide an outline • Translate the prompt • Give assistance in developing ideas

31. WRITINGTEST • Once students complete the revising and editing portion of the test, collect them until the majority of the students have completed this portion of the test. • After completing the revising and editing section of the test, students may sit quietly, but are not allowed to read a book • Once the majority of the students have completed the revising and editing portion of the test, test administrators may begin the composition portion.

32. DYSLEXIABUNDLE • Two Days • Form 1 • Secure Proper Noun List • Stop as Directed in Manual

33. EMERGENCIES • Follow procedures for exiting the building • Booklets may be left on student desks • Lock door • Monitor student discussion during emergency

34. REPORTING INCIDENTS • What happened? • Who was involved? • When and where did the incident occur? • Be as specific and detailed as possible! • NOTE: Don’t Assume – Contact an administrator if you have any questions about how to handle an alleged testing irregularity.

35. DOCUMENTATION All testing irregularities • Incident report • Written statement(s) from individuals involved A Corrective Action Plan Required • Loss of secure materials • Potential referral to Educator Certification and Standards

36. WEB BASED TRAINING Three modules are designed to be completed within an hour. Results are provided in real time along with certificates for each module. The modules include: • Active Monitoring • Distribution of Test Materials • Proper Handling of Secure Materials http://www.texasassessment.com/TAonlinetraining

37. CERTIFICATES • Grade Chairs to collect three certificates for each team member no later than February 24.

38. PREVENTION IS THE KEY! • Training • Reading manuals prior to assessment day • Active Monitoring • Following procedures • Asking questions

39. DISTRICTTESTING COORDINATOR Dr. James Rambo • 972-600-5087 (office) • jrambo@irvingisd.net