TAKS

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2007 TAKS SECURITY and CONFIDENTIALITY
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TAKS TEST TRAINING 2007
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Online Resources

• Several local TAKS test resources are available
  at http//mikestextbooks.com/StateTesting.aspx

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Training does not take the place of the
mandatory reading of the appropriate Manual.
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Cell Phones
Students are not permitted to possess electronic
communication devices or cell phones during
testing. (District Test coordinator
too!) Each test administrator shall announce that
all cell phones and electronic communication
devices shall be turned in before testing then
returned afterward. Simply telling students to
turn the phone off while in the students
possession will not do. A student being caught
with an electronic communication device during
testing is a breach of test security and subject
to investigation and voiding of test documents.
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Key Changes In Testing Policy for 2007
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• Dyslexia Accommodations
• A series of studies have been conducted to
  evaluate a group of accommodations on the
  performance of students with dyslexia on the
  Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS)
  reading test. Beginning in spring 2007, the three
  bundled accommodations can be used to administer
  both English and Spanish TAKS reading tests for
  grades 36 and English reading tests for grades 7
  and 8 for certain students.

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Alternate Assessments

• Students served by special education services
  and enrolled in grades 311 whose admission,
  review, and dismissal (ARD) committee determines
  that TAKS is not an appropriate assessment will
  have four assessment options
• SDAA II TAKSI TAKSAlt A TEKS-based LDAA
• A functional LDAA will no longer be an option
  for any student. Students who formerly were
  tested with a functional LDAA must participate in
  TAKSAlt field testing for all tested subjects if
  they meet the participation criteria.

9
New Federal AYP Assessment Requirements
Affecting Recent Immigrant ELLs
Specifically, recent immigrant English language
learners (ELLs) who are exempted from TAKS under
Texas state law and enrolled in their second or
third school year in U.S. schools will no longer
be permitted to be included in AYP through RPTE.
For purposes of AYP accountability, these
students are now required to take the TAKS
reading test (grades 38 in English grades 36
in Spanish) or the TAKS English language arts
test in grade 10 in order to be counted as
participants in the 2007 AYP calculations. If
these students meet the TAKS passing standard,
they will be counted as proficient in the
performance calculations otherwise, they will be
counted as non-proficient.
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Note that this change does not affect who will
take RPTE. All LEP students in grades 312 will
continue to take RPTE as required by state
statute and federal Title III requirements.
11
Texas Observation Protocols (TOP)

• Beginning this school year, individuals
  previously trained in the Texas Observation
  Protocols (TOP) holistic rating process will
  receive annual training via online refresher
  courses. An online training module will also be
  provided to help districts train raters and other
  campus personnel in procedures for assembling the
  grades 212 TOP writing collections. This module
  may be particularly useful for training the
  individuals responsible for verifying that the
  collections have been assembled correctly.

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Texas Observation Protocols (TOP)
Also beginning this school year, campuses are
required to document the procedures used during
the TOP administration to support the validity
and reliability of the rating process. See TELPAS
Campus Coordinator Activity 5 for more
information.
13
Copies of Compositions and Open-ended Responses
for the TAKS Grade 10 ELA Make-up Test
Beginning in 2007, districts are NOT permitted to
make copies of students compositions or
responses to the open-ended reading items for the
TAKS grade 10 ELA make-up test.
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Reading the TAKS Writing Prompt
Beginning in 2007, the TAKS writing prompt may be
read aloud only at the request of a student. This
is due to a change in the way the 2007 TAKS
writing field test was organized. By having
districts administer multiple prompts within the
same classroom, the state improved the field-test
sample and reduced the field-testing burden for
districts. Because prompts were not read aloud
during field-testing, the prompt may not be read
aloud during the actual test except at the
request of an individual student.
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Key Changes in the 2007 Coordinator Manual
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Active Monitoring

• Active monitoring means that test
  administrators must be actively engaged while
  students are working on the test, moving about
  the room so they can be more aware of students
  actions. Test administrators should confirm that
  students are working only on the section of the
  test being administered that day and that they do
  not have materials available that are not
  allowed, such as ballpoint pens or cell phones.
  Students should also be reminded periodically,
  either as a group or individually, to bubble
  their responses on the answer document.

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Active Monitoring

• However, test administrators may not view or
  discuss individual test items or responses with
  students or with other adults unless specifically
  instructed to do so by the procedures outlined in
  the test administrator manuals. Principals and
  campus testing coordinators must confirm that
  test administrators are actively monitoring in
  each testing room.

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Active Monitoring

• Test administrators may quickly look through
  scorable test booklets after the students are
  finished to ensure that all items have been
  answered, but they may not look at answers to
  individual items.

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NO More of this!!!!!!!
Obviously this is NOT Monitoring!
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Failure to Record All Answers
address the student directly in the following
way You have not recorded all of your answers
on the answer document. Please do so now.
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Active Monitoring
Make sure to circulate around the classroom
several times during testing making sure that
students are following directions.
22
Oral Administration vs. Reading Assistance

• Oral administration is an allowable
  accommodation for any student taking the TAKSI
  mathematics, science, or social studies test any
  student taking the SDAA II mathematics test and
  students served by special education or Section
  504 services taking the TAKS mathematics,
  science, or social studies test. (For more
  information about oral administration eligibility
  requirements, see page 46 in the DCCM.)

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Reading Assistance for 3rd Grade Math

• Reading assistance is allowed for all
  enrolled grade 3 students for the TAKS
  mathematics assessment. Documentation of this
  accommodation is not necessary. For reading
  assistance, the test administrator may read a
  word, phrase, or sentence in a test question or
  answer choice only when asked to do so by an
  individual student. The test administrator is not
  allowed to read all the TAKS mathematics test
  questions or answer choices to an individual or
  to the group. If
• a student needs the test read in its
  entirety, the student must meet eligibility
  requirements for an oral administration. (See
  page 46 in the DCCM.)

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Adult Education Added to TAKS Exit Level

• Beginning in 2007, an adult education bubble
  will be added to the enrolled grade section of
  the TAKS exit level answer document to
  accommodate these examinees. The 2007 testing
  year
• is the first year in which this information
  might be applicable.

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Braille

• Please contact me immediately if a student
  enrolls in NISD requiring contracted or
  uncontracted Braille testing materials
• 462-8430 or email
• mbutler_at_nacogdoches.k12.tx.us

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TAKS Braille and Large Print
Beginning this year, there is a change on the
TAKS answer document. Braille and large-print
bubbles for each subject-area test will appear on
the answer document to provide more detailed
data. (For more information, see TAKS Campus
Coordinator Activity 9.)
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Local-Student-ID Digits Decrease in Number

• The Local-Student-ID section of the answer
  documents has been reduced from ten digits to
  nine to better align with data in the Public
  Education Information Management System (PEIMS).

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October 2007 TAKS Exit Level Retest

• Information about the October 2007 TAKS exit
  level retest is no longer included in this
  manual. A supplement with October testing
  information will be made available to districts.

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TEST SECURITY AND CONFIDENTIAL INTEGRITY
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Departures From Test Administration Procedures
Incidents resulting in a deviation from
documented testing procedures are defined as
testing irregularities. The superintendent and
campus principal of each school district, chief
administrative officer of each charter school,
and any private school administering tests as
allowed under the TEC, 39.033, shall develop
procedures to ensure the security and
confidential integrity of the testing program,
and shall be responsible for notifying the Texas
Education Agency in writing of conduct that
violates the security or confidential integrity
of administered tests (19 TAC 101.65(g) as found
in Appendix C).
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Departures From Test Administration Procedures
Each person participating in the testing program
is directly responsible for reporting immediately
to the district coordinator any violation or
suspected violation of test security or
confidential integrity. The district coordinator
is directly responsible for reporting immediately
to the Texas Education Agency (TEA) all
violations or suspected violations within his or
her district. Failure to report to the
appropriate authority that an individual has
engaged in conduct that violates the security or
confidential integrity of a test violates 19 TAC
101.65(d)(7) and could result in sanctions.
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Testing Irregularities
The incidents listed on the following slides
represent departures from prescribed testing
procedures. The categories describing the more
common irregularities are provided to guide
testing personnel in ensuring that appropriate
testing procedures are followed.
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Eligibility Error
Examples Eligible students were not tested.
Students were tested with an incorrect
assessment.
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Individualized Education Program (IEP)
Implementation Issues
Examples A student was administered a test at
the wrong grade or instructional level. A
student was administered TAKS when he or she
should have been administered SDAA II, or vice
versa. A student was provided an unapproved
accommodation or was not provided a prescribed
accommodation.
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Improper Accounting for Secure Materials
Examples A test administrator, campus
coordinator, or district testing coordinator lost
or misplaced completed answer document(s). A
test administrator, campus coordinator, or
district testing coordinator lost secure
materials.
36
Monitoring Error
Examples Improper Supervision of Students and
Secure Materials A test administrator left a
room unmonitored when secure materials or testers
were present. Students or secure materials were
left unmonitored during a lunch break, a short
break taken in the testing room, or restroom
breaks. Allowing Prohibited Items or
Activities A student was improperly allowed to
use a highlighter, dictionary, or calculator in
the wrong grade level or during the wrong test
(subject area). A student placed or received a
cell phone call or text message during a test
administration.
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Monitoring ErrorsCont.

• Incorrect Handling or Distribution of Test
  Materials
• A student was allowed to leave the test area
  with secure materials.
• A campus coordinator did not require test
  administrators to return secure materials at the
  end of each testing day.

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Procedural Error

• Examples
• Improper Distribution of Test Materials
• An unauthorized individual (e.g., a student) was
  permitted to transport secure test material.
• A test administrator failed to issue the correct
  manipulatives (e.g., charts, rulers, No. 2
  pencils, dictionaries, calculators), or students
  were incorrectly allowed to use manipulatives.
• Testing personnel who have not been properly
  trained were allowed to administer tests or
  handle secure materials.
• Students were administered a test on the wrong
  day.
• A test administrator failed to read test
  administration scripts verbatim as outlined in
  the test administrator manuals.

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Referral to the State Board for Educator
Certification (SBEC)
Testing personnel viewed a test before, during,
or after an assessment (unless specifically
authorized to do so by the procedures outlined in
the test administrator materials). Testing
personnel scored student tests. Testing
personnel discussed secure test content or
student responses. Testing personnel made a
copy of secure materials without permission from
TEA. Testing personnel failed to use the test
administrator manuals. Testing personnel
directly or indirectly assisted students with
responses to test questions. Testing personnel
tampered with student responses. Testing
personnel revealed confidential student
information.
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Incident Reporting
All incidents must be reported to CAMPUS
DISTRICT Test Coordinators immediately. The
following table details the information that must
be submitted to TEA when an incident occurs. TEA
may request additional information, such as a
Corrective Action Plan, or require certain
documentation to be maintained at the district
level. If possible, please submit all
documentation within 10 working days of the
incident. If more time is needed, please notify
TEA at 512-463-9536.
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(No Transcript)
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Statements from Responsible Parties
Statements from parties involved in a testing
irregularity should include, at a minimum, the
following information Name and role (title)
How the individual was involved in the incident
Description of the incident from the individuals
perspective Individuals signature Date the
statement was generated
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Corrective Action Plans
If an incident requires the submission of a
Corrective Action Plan, or if TEA determines a
plan must be submitted based on an investigation,
the following information at a minimum should be
included in the plan A brief summary of the
violation A description of how the incident
occurred A description of why the incident
occurred For example someone did not follow a
procedure already in place or a procedure
needs to be developed
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Corrective Action PlansCont.
A description of the specific procedure(s) that
will be implemented to deter future occurrences
of this type of violation For example What
is/are the specific procedure(s)? Who will
implement the procedure(s)? How will the
procedure(s) be implemented? Name and role
(title) of person submitting the plan Signature
of superintendent or chief executive officer
acknowledging and approving this plan
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Ensure proper testing procedures.

• Bulletin boards and instructional displays that
  might aid examinees during testing must be
  covered or removed.
• English-language dictionaries should be provided
  to examinees for the written composition section
  of the Grade 7 writing test, the written
  composition and reading sections of the Grade 10
  and Exit Level English language arts tests, and
  the entire Grade 9 reading test. There should be
  at least one dictionary for every five examinees.
  Examinees may also use a thesaurus or a
  combination dictionary/thesaurus for these
  assessments. A dictionary or thesaurus may not be
  used on the revising and editing section of
  either the Grade 7 writing test or the English
  language arts tests. The use of foreign-language
  reference materials is not permitted.

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Ensure proper testing procedures.

• TAKS examinees may not use a calculator on the
  mathematics tests at Grades 38. However, for the
  mathematics tests at Grades 9 and 10 and at Exit
  Level, districts must provide each examinee with
  a graphing calculator for the entire
  administration. Students may use their own
  calculator. Any kind of graphing calculator may
  be used except one with a typewriter-style keypad
  (known as QWERTY) or one that includes a computer
  algebra system (CAS). Handheld
• minicomputers, personal digital assistants, or
  laptop computers may not be used.
• All types of memory, including standard memory,
  ROM, and Flash ROM, must be cleared to factory
  default both before and after testing. In
  addition, any programs or applications must be
  removed prior to testing.

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Ensure proper testing procedures.

• For the Grade 10 and Exit Level science tests,
  examinees must have access to four-function,
  scientific, or graphing calculators. There should
  be at least on calculator for every five
  examinees. Students may use their own calculator.
  If examinees share a calculator, the memory must
  be cleared after each examinee
• uses it. For the science tests, the guidelines
  for types of graphing calculators, clearing of
  memory, and removal of programs and applications
  are the same as those listed previously for
  mathematics. Students taking the Grade 5 science
  test may not use calculators.

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Ensure proper testing procedures.

• Test administrators must give the appropriate
  state-supplied mathematics chart to each examinee
  to use during the TAKS mathematics tests. The
  mathematics chart
• is also printed in each test booklet.
• Test administrators must give each fifth-grade
  examinee a state-supplied ruler to use during the
  TAKS science test. Only the cardboard ruler
  provided by the state may be used. A science
  chart with ruler will be provided for the science
  tests at Grade 10 and Exit Level.
• TAKS examinees are not allowed to use scratch
  paper or write on the separate mathematics chart,
  science chart, or ruler. Examinees may make notes
  or work problems in their test booklet.

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Ensure proper testing procedures.

• All answers must be marked on an answer document
  with a No. 2 pencil. Answers marked in a
  nonscorable test booklet will not be scored.
• Test administrators may not require examinees to
  first mark their answers in the test booklet and
  then transfer them to the answer document.

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Ensure proper testing procedures.

• Examinees may be allowed to use highlighters and
  colored pencils in nonscorable test booklets to
  emphasize important information on a subject-area
  test. Colored pencils and highlighters may not be
  used in the Grade 3 TAKS scorable test booklets
  except as follows A student served by special
  education who is taking Grade 3 TAKS may use a
  highlighter in the scorable test booklet if the
  students IEP requires the use of a highlighter.
  After testing, the test administrator must
  transcribe in No. 2 pencil the contents of the
  original test booklet onto another scorable test
  booklet with the same form number. For further
  information, see TranscribingScorable Test
  Booklets and Answer Documents on page 109.

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Ensure proper testing procedures.

• Examinees must remain seated during testing,
  except when they are acquiring or returning
  authorized reference materials or calculators.
  They are not allowed to converse while test
  booklets are open.
• Some examinees may finish a test earlier than
  others. After their test materials have been
  collected, examinees may quietly read a book or
  be allowed to leave the testing room.
• Examinees are not allowed to return to a test
  section attempted on a previous test day or to
  work on a test section that has not yet been
  administered.
• Since the TAKS tests are untimed, each examinee
  must be allowed to have as much time as necessary
  to respond to every test item.

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Ensure proper testing procedures.

• Each examinee must be allowed to work at his or
  her individual speed.
• Only examinees are allowed to erase their stray
  marks or darken answer-choice circles, and only
  during the scheduled test session.
• Each test must be administered on the prescribed
  day. See the calendar of events for specific
  dates. (Information on make-up testing can be
  found in Campus Coordinator Activity 12.)
• Districts may establish starting times for
  testing. A student who arrives after testing has
  begun may be tested if sufficient time remains in
  the day and if the student has not had contact
  with students who have already completed testing.

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Ensure proper testing procedures.

• Immediately after each test session, the test
  administrator must return test materials to the
  campus coordinator. As appropriate, test
  materials will be redistributed before the next
  test session.
• The contents of test booklets and answer
  documents with examinee answers are considered
  secure materials at all times.
• No unauthorized viewing, discussion, or scoring
  is allowed.

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Proper Monitoring Also Prevents

• Use of watches with calculators or Cell Phones.
• Cheat notes.
• Stealing tests.
• Copying tests.

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Monitoring Does Not Mean Helping! NEVER

• Correct misspellings
• Provide math formulas
• Change incorrect answers
• Sneak a peek in the vault
• Give signals for answers
• Review answer sheets

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INNOCENT MISHAPS

• Testing on wrong day.
• Broken seals.
• Vomit on the test.
• Wrap the test in plastic and send to NCS Pearson

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EMPLOYEES CHARGEDWITH VIOLATIONS

• Appear before a hearing examiner.
• A recommendation is made to the Commissioner.
• The defendant may appeal to the District Court.

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CONDUCT THAT VIOLATES THE SECURITY OR
CONFIDENTIAL INTEGRITY OF AN EXAMINATION IS
DEFINED ASAny departure from either
therequirements established by the
Commissionerorprocedures specified in theTest
Administration Materials.
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SECURE TEST MATERIALSBEFORE and AFTER TESTING
UnderLOCK AND KEY
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UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCESDO NOT

• COPY any testing materials.
• SUGGEST or INDICATE a response or answer.
• DISCUSS a test before, during, or after the test.
• ANSWER questions, give clues, or suggest strategy
  to students taking the tests.
• CHANGE any student response.
• HELP students on any test item.
• ASK anyone else to violate the
• security of any test.
• FAIL TO REPORT a violation.

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CONFIDENTIALITY OF SCORES
INDIVIDUAL STUDENTS SCORES ARECONFIDENTIALAT
ALL TIMES!
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CONFIDENTIALITY IS WAIVED ONLY TO
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If you have any questions, please callMike
Butler 462-8430