I SOLEMNLY SWEAR THAT I WILL ALWAYS. . . .

• Know my duties and understand the procedures required for administering standardized tests

• Report test security concerns or violations

• Promote good conduct—deter and detect behavior that impacts score validity and trust

• Avoid conflicts of interest

• Perform my duties without violating ethical standards for testing

ALABAMA STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

SYSTEM TEST COORDINATOR WORKSHOP

SETTING THE STAGE

Purpose: Collaborate in order to improve test security for education and workforce assessments given in schools.

Goals:

• Learn – from one another about test security concerns and effective practices to help protect score validity

• Review – common test security violations

• Share – information on ALSDE test security principles, framework, tiers, and investigative processes

• Collaborate – with one another to address threats to score validity (including working together to develop strategies to help shape the test security landscape)

IMPORTANCE OF TEST SECURITYALSDE’s mission is to help students achieve education and workplace success.

Test Security supports this mission by

• Safeguarding a level playing field for all test takers.

• Ensuring that test scores reported by ACT and other vendors are an accurate reflection of the test taker’s own independent effort and academic achievement.

In order to maintain test security, training is mandatory for the administration process of all assessments. 

IMPORTANCE OF TEST SECURITY

• Test violations require the system test coordinator and superintendent to submit a plan of action to the ALSDE. 

• Infractions are taken for review with the legal team from the Attorney General’s office and submitted, if appropriate, to the teacher certification committee. 

• Violations may result in revocation of teaching certificate as well as other disciplinary actions.

IMPORTANCE OF TEST SECURITY

Mandatory Training

Test Security

Standardized Administration

ValidReliableResults

ALSDE TEST SECURITY FRAMEWORK

TESTING MISCONDUCT…

MOST WANTED CHEATERS…The State Department has…

Identified them

Tracked them

Prosecuted them

Let us share with you what we have learned and bring these

criminals to justice.

THE SMUGGLERBrings unauthorized materials into the test setting that allows a student to cheat.

TAKE AWAY…

• Be alert and cognizant of unusual behavior or unusual apparel.

• Always collect devices and circulate the room continuously.

THE COACHTest Administrator who gives answers or cues to students during the test.

TAKE AWAY…

A test administrator, proctor, scribe, or interpreter does not have to

verbally give an answer to be in violation of test security. In some

instances, facial gestures, tapping, and hand signals are used to

give assistance.

THE INSIDEREmployee who has access to the tests and shares the information with other

cheaters.

TAKE AWAY…

•Avoid perceptions of impropriety. No matter what the intent,

hovering over a student and gazing at the student’s test during

testing is not appropriate.

•Parents and students report the most incidences of cheating!

ROBIN HOODTeacher, test administrator, or any school employee who changes or edits student

responses on a test.

TAKE AWAY…Helping a student on a standardized test earn a score that is not his

or her true score is illegal and can NEVER be justified.

THE COLLABORATORSTeachers (test administrators, scribes, proctors, interpreters, etc.) who work

together during the test to get answers to the students.

TAKE AWAY…

•If you are approached by someone who asks you to do

something you know is a violation of test security, you are

required to report the incident.

•Failure to report any suspected violation of test security is an

irregularity.

THE HACKERInfiltrates computer systems to gain access to tests.

THE DOWNLOADEREmployee who downloads test questions from the internet and

shares them with fellow test administrators and teachers.

The downloader works very closely with The Insider, The Time

Traveler, The Hacker, and The Coach.

TAKE AWAY…•No one, other than the student during the timed portion of the

test, should have access to the test.

•No staff member, including technology specialists, should ever

attempt to log on as a student. (This includes creating bogus

student accounts to gain access to test questions.)

•At no time is any staff member allowed to download test

questions.

THE TECHIE

Uses a cell phone, iPad, or other wireless device to capture images of the test or

to obtain answers to test questions.

TAKE AWAY…•Digital devices belonging to staff members must be turned off

and inaccessible at all times while tests are in the room or

students are testing on computers.

•When a workstation is allowed for the administration of a test, a

proctor must be available to observe students at all times. A

staff member may not venture from the site on the workstation

that is allowed by the test vendor.

THE TIME TRAVELERTest administrator, proctor, or anyone who has seen the test and shares

test questions with those administering or taking the test at a later time.

TAKE AWAY…

• The student taking the test should be the only person who sees test

questions and answers.

• Participating in discussions about the content of a test with students who

have already tested is a violation of test security.

ARE WE TO THIS POINT???

M

DON’T PUT ALABAMA IN THE NEWS!11 former Atlanta educators convicted in cheating scandal ATLANTA (AP) -- In one of the biggest cheating scandals of its kind in the U.S., 11 former Atlanta public school educators were convicted Wednesday of racketeering for their role in a scheme to inflate students' scores on standardized exams [not ACT].

ASK YOURSELF…

IS IT REALLY WORTH IT?

ALSDE TEST SECURITY FRAMEWORK

DETER AND DETECT…

• Copying

• Theft of test questions and answers

• Proctor interference

DETER AND DETECT…Problem: Answer key sharing (unique ideas are available on web)HTTP://WWW.VEOH.COM/WATCH/YAPI-S2DNACY4_5I?H1=HOW+TO+CHEAT+ON+ANY+TEST+%234+%28BAND-AIDS%29

Response: Increased proctoring by test staff

DETER AND DETECT…Problem: Student use of electronic devices during testing

Response: • Ensure that testing staff are aware of all devices that could be used for copying or sharing

information. • Guarantee that no student enters the testing room with anything other than a #2 pencil or

approved calculator (if applicable).• Make certain that testing staff are actively proctoring throughout the entire assessment process.

TRIGGERS FOR INDIVIDUAL SCORE REVIEWS…

Types of Evidence

• Statistics

• Scoring patterns

• Document analysis (erasure numbers and patterns)

CAUSES FOR LARGE SCALE INVESTIGATIONS…

• Form breach

• Test staff interference/misadministration

• Student activity/misadministration

• Test prep rings

• Impersonation of test taker

• Anonymous tips

TEST SECURITY TOOLS AND PROCESSES…

• Ensuring documentation of receipt and return of test materials

• Following procedures for admitting test takers

• Seating students according to prepared seating chart

• Reading directions verbatim from the test administrator’s manual

• Actively proctoring throughout the test session

• Confirming the proper timing of the test

PREVENT CHEATING IN 3 STEPS1. Establish Boundaries

• Set the Rules• Make the Rules Known

2. Obtain Commitment3. Investigate

• Look for Red Flags• Monitor Students and Staff

LAYERS OF SECURITY…

ANYONE?

Alabama State Department of Education

Susan Beard - sbeard@alsde.eduKanetra Germany- kgermany@alsde.edu

Maggie Hicks - mhicks@alsde.eduRebecca Mims - rmims@alsde.eduRhonda Patton- rpatton@alsde.edu

Nannette Pence – npence@alsde.edu334-242-8038