Standard Test Administration Testing Ethics

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Standard Test AdministrationTesting Ethics

• Training PowerPoint
• Spring 2007
• Utah State Office of Education

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Purpose of Testing

• Standardized administration of state tests
  provides
• An opportunity for students to demonstrate
  understanding
• Evidence of what students have learned
• Scores which fairly reflect students knowledge

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Purpose of Tests

• Valid and reliable test results
• Identify levels of proficiency and areas that
  need improvement
• Evaluate the effectiveness of programs
• Compare schools and districts

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Educator Obligation

• Provide students an opportunity to demonstrate
  their understanding
• Educators are to conduct testing in a fair and
  ethical manner
• Educators are accountable to their district, and
  to the Utah State Board of Education

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Appropriate Teaching Practices

• Ethical testing begins with ethical teaching
• Ensure that students are enrolled in the
  appropriate course so that they receive
  appropriate instruction.
• Provide instruction on the entire curriculum for
  a course.
• Provide accommodations during instruction to
  eligible students as identified by an ELL, IEP or
  504 team.
• Use a variety of assessment methods to inform
  instructional practices.

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Appropriate Teaching Practices

• Introduce students to various test-taking
  strategies throughout the year.
• Use the reference sheets provided for specific
  assessments as instructional tools.
• Reduce classroom interruptions to maximize
  student learning.
• Provide practice tests throughout the year using
  high-quality, non-secure test questions.

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Appropriate Testing Practices

• In preparation for testing
• Appropriate environment is set.
• Personnel who will administer tests must be
  trained.
• All information in the Test Administration Manual
  (TAM) is reviewed.
• Accommodations are available for eligible
  students.
• Test material is secure at all times.

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Appropriate Testing Practices

• During testing
• All students who are eligible for testing are
  tested.
• All students are given the correct test.
• Information from the Test Administration Manual
  (TAM) is followed exactly.
• Accommodations are provided to eligible students.

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Appropriate Testing Practices

• Appropriate proctoring includes
• The importance of the test or test participation
  or the good faith efforts of all students is not
  undermined
• Verifying the student marks their answer on the
  line for the question they think they are
  answering

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Appropriate Proctoring

• It is appropriate for proctors to notify students
  if they mark their answers on the wrong line.
• For example, if a student
• Turns multiple pages in test booklet, and is now
  answering question 34 by marking the line for
  28
• Answers 5 and 6 on the same line, and then
  answers 7 on the line for 6.
• Skips a line and records question 3s answer on
  question 4s line
• Proctors must be cautious

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Accommodations

• Eligibility for testing accommodations are
  determined through an ELL, IEP, or 504 team
  decision.
• Accommodations should be used during
  instruction, not just during testing.
• For more information, see the Utah State Office
  of Educations Assessment Participation and
  Accommodations Policy http//www.schools.utah.gov/
  eval/Special_Needs.asp

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Appropriate Testing Practices

• After testing is finished, quality control of
  answer documents must be maintained.
• Educators must work in groups to
• Ensure that student erasures are complete
• Verify that markings in special codes boxes are
  correct
• Account for all answer documents
• Educators may not change student answers in any
  way, for any reason.

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Appropriate Testing Practices

• Answer documents should be in educators hands as
  little as possible.
• This helps protect the educator from the
  appearance of impropriety.

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Test Results

• Test results should be
• Provided to students and parents.
• Made available to educators for use in improving
  their instruction.
• Maintained in student files.
• Kept confidential.
• Remember that test materials must be kept secure.

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Use of Data from CRTs

• Educators may use the results from CRTs in
  considering a students course grade. However,
  teachers need to understand what the results
  mean, and what information they provide.
• Raw score results (the percent correct) are
  available to districts within four days
  (paper/pencil), and within 48 hours of the tests
  submission (computer-based).

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Use of Data from CRTs

• Proficiency levels on assessments are determined
  after all student answer documents have been
  scored and the results statistically analyzed.
• Educators must be cautious when using raw score
  results in their grading system.
• Percent correct is used differently with CRTs
  than it is used in most classroom grading systems.

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Use of Data from CRTs

• It is recommended that educators work in groups
  to decide how CRT data will be incorporated into
  grading systems locally.
• The process of using data from CRTs in
  considering a students grade should be
  transparent and equitable.

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Accountability for Practices

• Districts are required to make sure all are aware
  of their role in state-wide assessments.
• Districts must document professional development
  (R277-473-9-C).
• Districts must document that teachers receive,
  read, and agree to comply with appropriate
  testing practices.

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Educator Evaluations

• At district discretion, educator evaluations may
  include a section on testing practices to
• Praise educators for outstanding practices.
• Identify areas of concern.
• This could help to increase awareness and connect
  testing practices directly to teacher
  performance.
• Test results should not be used in teacher
  evaluations.

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Unethical Practices

• It is unethical for educators to jeopardize the
  integrity of an assessment or the validity of
  student responses.
• In addition to specific practices identified in
  State Law and State Board Rule, unethical
  practices include. . .

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Unethical Practices

• Providing students with questions from the test
  to review before taking the test.
• Viewing a test, then changing instruction or
  reviewing specific concepts because those
  concepts appear on the test.
• Rewording or clarifying questions.
• Allowing students to use unauthorized resources
  to find answers, including having materials on
  walls which provide answers to specific test
  questions.

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Unethical Practices

• Reclassifying students to alter subgroup reports.
• Allowing parent volunteers to assist with the
  proctoring of a test their child is taking, or
  using students to supervise other students taking
  a test.
• Returning a students answer document and
  instructing the student to, or suggesting that
  the student should, rethink his/her answers.
• Allowing students to take answer documents or
  test booklets from the test site (e.g., from room
  to room, to their home, or to recess).

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Is It Appropriate?

• To ensure that a practice is appropriate, ask the
  following questions
• If my student is to get a valid and reliable
  score that accurately portrays his/her ability to
  understand the material, will this action
• Allow the student to answer a question that does
  not reflect his/her knowledge?
• If the action did not occur would the student
  response be different?

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Is It Appropriate?

• If my student is to get a valid and reliable
  score that accurately portrays his/her ability to
  understand the material, will this action
• Prevent the student and parent from receiving an
  accurate score that represents the students
  knowledge and understanding of the curriculum?
• Would my practice change if I were being
  monitored?

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Ethics Violations

• Ethical violations are to be reported to the
  supervisor of the person who may be investigated,
  the school administrator, the district assessment
  director, or the state assessment director.
• Protocol
• District policies and procedures will be
  followed.
• In most cases, an initial investigation will be
  conducted at the school level.
• The district assessment director will review the
  initial investigation and determine findings.

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Ethics Violations

• Protocol (Continued)
• If the violation is of sufficient concern, the
  incident may also be forwarded to the Utah
  Professional Practices Advisory Commission
  (UPPAC) for review.
• If inappropriate practices are found, teachers
  may receive further training or a reprimand, be
  subject to disciplinary action, be terminated,
  and/or lose their Utah teaching license (see
  53A-1-608 R277-473-9).

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Ethics Violations

• For more information about the processes in place
  concerning the investigation of ethical
  violations, contact your local school testing
  coordinator or district assessment director.

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Investigation of Violation

• The allegation will be forwarded to the
  individuals supervisor who will initiate an
  investigation.
• Investigative information is always confidential,
  including who filed the complaint or who will be
  interviewed.
• The investigation is conducted by principal
  and/or district staffnever by teachers or
  association representatives.

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Investigation of Violation

• Initial investigation should be thorough and
  include documentation.
• Documentation could include
• Interviews of students, parents, teachers.
• Written statements.
• Review of original testing documents.
• Comparison of other testing results.

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Investigation Findings

• The initial investigation should produce
  findings
• No, inappropriate practices were not found
• Investigation ends.
• Investigation is inconclusive, or
• Yes, inappropriate practices were found
• Further action is required.

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Investigation Findings

• Maintain all documentation
• NEVER promise the teacher/administrator that the
  problem/complaint will not be reported to the
  state.

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Inappropriate Testing Practice

• When an investigation results in a finding of an
  inappropriate testing practice, the district
  assessment director should be notified.
• The district assessment director should review
  the initial investigation and verify the
  findings.
• Possible outcomes may include
• Letter of reprimand
• Disciplinary action
• No violation found
• Termination

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Inappropriate Testing Practice

• The district or an individual may also forward
  the incident to the Utah Professional Practices
  Advisory Committee (UPPAC) for review.
• Report forms may be found at the UPPAC website
• http//www.schools.utah.gov/uppac/

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Standard Testing Administration Testing Ethics

• Know the Utah State Law Utah State Board Rule
• http//le.utah.gov/code/TITLE53A/53A01.htm
• http//www.rules.utah.gov/publicat/code/r277/r277
  .htm
• Demonstrate ethical behavior
• For questions
• Review testing ethics frequently asked questions
  at http//schools.utah.gov/eval
• Contact district assessment director

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Standard Testing Administration Testing Ethics

• Questions?