Office of Test Security

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Office of Test Security

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Duties of Office of Test Security

• Provide training for campuses on test security
  issues
• Investigate test security violations and
  irregularities
• Analyze test data for anomalies
• Evaluate and investigate anomalous results
• Implement and coordinate District
• monitoring program

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Test Security Task Force

• Responsibilities
• review all irregularities and test security
• violations
• determine level of test security violation
• (Levels I or II) and possible sanctions
• report Level II violations as appropriate
• provide letters of concern and reprimand for
• campuses and campus staff

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Levels of Test Security Violations

• Level I violations include actions that could
  not be deemed or validated as conclusively
  impacting the individual or group test results of
  neither students nor the campuss performance.
• Level II violations include actions that could
  reasonably be concluded or were determined to
  have ramifications that would alter or impact the
  integrity and validity of the test results.

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Level I Violations

• Examples
• Unauthorized individual transported secure test
  booklets.
• Test administrator present in the testing room
  but not circulating.
• Test administrator failed to issue the correct
  manipulatives (rulers, charts, etc.).
• Student broke the seal on a different subtest
  other than the one being tested that day.

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Level II Violations

• Examples
• Test administrator viewed a test before, during,
  or after an assessment without authorization.
• Test administrator directly or indirectly
  assisted students with responses to test
  questions.
• School personnel changed student responses.
• Testing personnel lost or misplaced test booklet
  or other secure testing materials.

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Potential Educator Sanctions(by State Board of
Educator Certification)

• Penalties include
• placement of restrictions on the issuance,
  renewal, or holding of a Texas Teacher
  Certificate, either indefinitely or for a set
  term,
• issuance of a written reprimand, and/or
• suspension of a Texas Teacher Certificate for a
  set term or revocation or cancellation of a
  Texas Teacher Certificate without opportunity for
  reapplication, either for a set term or
  permanently

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Reporting Test Security Violations

• All personnel involved in the testing program are
  responsible for reporting any testing
  irregularities or test security violations to the
  Office of Test Security.
• The reporting person will complete and submit the
  Test Irregularity/Security Violation Reporting
  Form to the Office of Test Security immediately.
• Typed and signed statements by all parties
  involved are required when reporting an
  irregularity.

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Changes in EK(REGULATION) and Test Security Manual

• Testing Conditions
• Bulletin boards/instructional displays
• Active monitoring
• Cell phones
• Electronic devices
• Seating charts
• Backpacks/duffle bags
• Teachers not testing their own students

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Changes in EK(REGULATION) and Test Security Manual

• Principals Responsibilities
• Appoint test coordinator
• Parental involvement during testing

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Test Irregularities2007 - 2008

• 217 irregularities
• Level 1 65
• Level 2 79
• Students cheating 73
• 42 incident reports submitted to TEA
• 39 letters of concern (28 campuses)
• 47 letters of reprimand (36 campuses)

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Test Irregularities2007 - 2008

• Types of Irregularities
• Eligibility errors
• Procedural errors
• Monitoring errors
• IEP Implementation errors
• Improper Handling of/Accounting of Secure
  Materials