Professional Testing Practices for Educators

1
Professional Testing Practices for Educators

• ISAT and IMAGE
• Illinois State Board of Education
• Spring, 2006

2
Test Integrity

• Must be standardized
• Validity must be maintained
• Access must be limited

3
TEST PREPARATION

• Essential Practices

4
Illinois Learning Standards

• Primary source for curriculum and instruction

5
Illinois Assessment Frameworks

• Test blueprint for Reading, Mathematics, and
  Science
• Assessment objectives show what will be tested

6
Test Formats

• Reading
• Session 16 Short Passages 30 Multiple-Choice
  Items
• Session 21 Long Passage 16 Multiple-Choice
  Items and 1 Extended-Response Item 1 Functional
  Passage 4 Multiple-Choice Items
• Session 3Same format as Session 2

7
Test Formats (continued)

• Mathematics
• Session 1 40 Multiple-Choice Items
• Session 2 30 Multiple-Choice Items 3
  Short-Response Items
• Session 3 2 Extended-Response Items

8
Test Formats (continued)

• Science
• Session 130 Multiple-Choice Items
• Session 2
• 50 Multiple-Choice Items

9
Test Preparation Prohibitions

• Do not use secure test questions for practice.
• Copying or revealing tests, test questions, or
  student responses is forbidden.
• Do not intentionally give class assignments on
  the same themes or topics as state tests.
• Do not post materials immediately prior to
  testing that will assist students during the
  test.

10
Test Preparation Best Practices

• Integrate test-taking skills into regular
  classroom instruction and assessment.
• Foster a positive atmosphere for testing.
• Do not sacrifice large amounts of instructional
  time to commercial or drill prep programs.

11
TEST SECURITY

• Procedures

12
Chain of Custody

• District Contact
• School Contact
• Test Administrators
• Students

13
District Contact Duties

• Receives materials from the test contractor.
• Maintains materials security.
• Distributes materials to School Contacts.
• Keeps records.
• Returns all state test materials to contractor.
• Reports breach of security/loss of materials.

14
School Contact Duties

• Maintains security at the building level.
• Makes sure that materials are kept in a secure,
  locked area.
• Distributes materials to Test Administrators
• Test Administration Manual 1-2 weeks in advance
• Test booklets immediately before tests are given

15
School Contact (continued)

• Keeps a record of the exact number of test
  booklets distributed to each test administrator.
• Monitors pre-test activities.
• Counts test booklets returned by test
  administrators (including unused booklets),
  ensuring that all test materials have been turned
  in.
• Returns all test materials to the District
  Contact.

16
Test Administrator Duties

• Keeps a record of the number of test booklets.
• Ensures the security of test materials never
  leaves tests unattended.
• Returns all test booklets (including unused
  booklets) to the School Contact.

17
Test Security Prohibitions

• Do not review, analyze, or copy secure test
  materials (includes census, pilot/field test
  items) at any time.
• Exceptions1)Copying necessary for IEP/Section
  504 Plan accommodations2) Reader Script
• Do not copy or score students answers to
  extended-response items.

18
Test Security Best Practices

• Ensure the following
• - Everyone knows testing responsibilities
• before, during, and after testing.
• - Pre-test activities are fair and honest.
• - Students understand and follow procedures.
• - Materials displayed are appropriate.
• - Tests are administered on the same days and at
• approximately the same time throughout the
• district.

19
Standardized Test Administration

• Mandatory Procedures

20
Train Staff

• Test Security
• Test Preparation
• Test Administration
• Accommodations

21
Sessions

• At a given grade, all students in a school must
  complete the same test sessions by the end of a
  given day.
• Sessions must be given in sequence.
• Observe time limits.
• Read oral instructions verbatim.
• Observe scheduled breaks.

22
Allowed During the Test

• At the desk
• Test booklet, answer document, writing utensils
  (including highlighters)
• Calculators for mathematics at grades 4, 5, 6, 7,
  8, and 11
• Reference Sheet for mathematics at grades 7 and 8
• IMAGE Mathematics formula card for grade 11
• Rulers for mathematics at grades 3-8
• Scratch paper for Session 1 of ISAT mathematics
• Items necessary for IEP/504 accommodations

23
Not Allowed During the Test

• Not allowed on the Walls
• Posters that give step-by-step instructions for
  writing the reading extended response (e.g., the
  student-friendly reading rubrics)
• Posters that define the affixes and root words
  listed in the Reading Assessment Framework
• Not allowed at the Desks
• Anything other than those items previously
  mentioned
• Scratch paper, except
• What is required for IEP/504 accommodations
• What is supplied for Session 1 of Mathematics

24
Prohibitions During Testing

• Off-grade testing
• Dividing of tests or sessions unless allowed in
  the Test Administration Manual
• More than 2 test sessions in one day
• Coaching, editing, responding, cuing
• Changes made to the answer documents

25
Prohibitions During Testing (continued)

• Testing rooms left unsupervised
• Test booklets removed from the testing area with
  unauthorized personnel
• Reading any questions aloud with the exception of
  IEP/Section 504 Plan accommodations
• Reading any part of the reading test
• (no exceptions)

26
Best Practices During Testing

• If students finish early
• Encourage them to check over their work.
• Collect test booklets and answer documents.
• Allow quiet, non-disruptive activity at the desk.
• Allow full time (45 minutes) even if all are
  finished.
• New in 2006 for ISAT only
• Up to an additional 10 minutes may be given if a
  student is still actively engaged in taking the
  test at the end of the 45 minutes.

27
Best Practices During Testing (continued)

• The principal should be in the school on test
  days.
• Make sure students are supervised by an
  additional adult proctor at all times.
• Administer the test in areas that will not be
  used for other purposes immediately after
  testing.
• Allow at least two opportunities for make-up.

28
REPORTING TEST RESULTS

• Guidelines

29
Considerations

• Consider to whom you are reporting.
• Caution unwarranted inferences.
• Explain the purpose of test and what it is not
  designed to do.
• Use appropriate data.

30
School Administrators

• Report to all teachers, not just those at which
  tests are administered.
• Share results with students and
  parents/guardians.
• Provide staff development.
• Using the results, identify areas of strength and
  needed improvement.

31
Prohibitions When Reporting Results

• Do not make a decision about a student or
  educator based on one test.
• Do not make false or inappropriate statements
  about test results.
• Do not violate confidentiality.
• Do not allow unqualified parties to make public
  statements about tests or test results.

32
Best Practices When Reporting

• Communicate the limitations, as well as the
  strengths, of testing.
• Remind teachers that student achievement is the
  responsibility of all teachers of all subjects
  and grades not just those tested.

33
TESTING IRREGULARITIES

• Guidelines

34
Test Irregularity Defined

• A clear violation of standardized test
  administration procedures
• Examples
• Time changes, Altering data, Copying, Cheating,
  Using test items for classroom samples, Leaving
  materials unattended, Discussing test items,
  Cuing responses, Reading the reading test

35
When An Irregularity Occurs

• Immediately report all testing irregularities to
• Illinois State Board of Education
• Division of Student Assessment
• 217/782-4823

36
What Happens Next?

• ISBE will contact the districts superintendent.
• Superintendent is required to conduct an
  investigation.
• Superintendent sends a report to ISBE.
• ISBE staff determines if an irregularity occurred
  and what effect this has on test integrity and
  results.

37
Sanctions for Test Irregularities

• Individual student test results can be
  suppressed.
• Scores may not be reported in the School Report
  Card or used for accountability purposes.
• Students cannot be retested
• No scores are issued for students who have
  cheated.

38
Local Measures

• Disciplinary measures for students
• Disciplinary measures for teachers and
  administrators
• ISBE reserves the right to pursue sanctions for
  individuals, schools, or districts

39
ACCOMMODATIONS

• Guidelines

40
Criteria for Accommodations

• The accommodation provides the student the same
  opportunities as non-accommodated students.
• Security is not compromised.
• The integrity of the test is not compromised.
• Scores fairly reflect student achievement.

41
Accommodations Decisions

• Local IEP teams make the following
  determinations
• If test formats are appropriate
• If test procedures produce a valid and fair
  measure of students proficiency

42
Examples of Accommodations

• Extended time
• Large print format
• Reader script
• Audio cassettes
• Transcribed oral responses
• Changes in presentation format

43
Questions to Consider

• What is the purpose of large-scale assessment?
• Who is getting the accommodation?

44
Inappropriate Accommodations

• Reading any part of the reading test
• Off grade-level testing
• Teacher/proctor- assisted highlighting or
  pointing out of key parts or questions
• Teacher/proctor-assisted eliminating of incorrect
  choices

45
CONTACTS

• Dennis Goedecke dgoedeck_at_isbe.net
• Judie Steinhauser justeinh_at_isbe.net
• Phone [phone]
• Student Assessment Division Web page
• www.isbe.net/assessment