Standard Test Administration and Testing Ethics Training

2023-2024

Passed ADA Accessibility May 2023

Introduction: Documents needed

The following documents will assist you in completing the Standard Test Administration and Testing Ethics Training.

Please have them accessible in digital or hard copy format.

• Standard Test Administration and Testing Ethics Policy
• Board Rule R277-404
• Utah Code 53E-4-301.5, 303, 304, 305, 307, 307.5

Introduction: Training is Required

This training is provided as an option for Local Education Agencies (LEAs) to meet the requirements of Utah Board Rule R277-404-5(6)

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“LEA assessment staff or third-party proctor staff shall use the Standard Test Administration and Testing Ethics Policy in providing training for all assessment administrators and proctors.”

Introduction: What Will I Learn?

Learning Intentions

• Fulfill the USBE requirement for completing standard test administration and testing ethics training
• Review and apply the Standard Test Administration and Testing Ethics Policy

Success Criteria

• Know how to implement and apply ethical testing practices during test administration and proctoring of Utah statewide assessments

Statewide Assessments

Statewide Assessments

Statewide assessments require that educators adhere to all ethical practices and procedures as outlined in the Standard Test Administration and Testing Ethics Policy.

• What are the statewide assessments?
• Which ones are applicable to me?
• Check your answer using this link to the Assessment & Accountability website. Each statewide assessment has a separate tab for review.

Purpose of Statewide Assessments

For the next 3-5 minutes, please review Utah Code 53E- 4- 301.5, then discuss the following questions:

• Based on Utah Code 53E-4 -301.5, what are the purposes for the administration of statewide assessments?
• How do you use the data provided from statewide assessments to guide, measure, and improve student learning in your school?

Formative Assessment Tools

Formative Assessment Tools and Process

“Formative Assessment Tools provided by the Utah State Board of Education (USBE) are productivity tools for Utah teachers and students.”

“They are designed to give teachers and students an opportunity to identify strengths and weaknesses with specific knowledge, skills, and abilities outlined in the Utah Core Standards.”

Your Turn to Identify Formative Assessment Tools

• Identify the Formative Assessment tools provided by the Utah State Board of Education by reviewing the Standard Test Administration and Testing Ethics Policy.
• Share the formative assessment tools you’ve used as part of your instruction to improve student learning.

Formative Assessment Tools

• The purposes of these tools are different than the summative assessments and have different administration processes
• Read the test administration manual or website for the specific formative assessment tool
• Review and use the training materials, guidance for using formative tools, and recorded trainings on the Formative Assessment tab here:

Assessment and Accountability > Resources

Your Turn to Review

• Review the definition of formative assessment Assessment and Accountability > Resources
• What are the differences between the formative assessment process and summative assessment?
• How do the purposes of the formative assessment process differ from summative assessment?

Your Turn to Reflect

• Please share examples of the variety of

assessment opportunities and experiences in your classroom.

• How do you use the data from these assessment opportunities and experiences to influence your instructional planning?
• How do your students use the feedback from these opportunities and experiences to set their personal learning goals?

Standard Test Administration Guidelines

Before Testing

Standard Test Administration: Before Testing

1. Read and review the test administration manual for the assessment you will administer. Pay particular attention to materials needed for testing, how students access the test, and the scripting required for standardized testing.
2. Create a positive testing environment for students.
3. Provide training test practice with students for any content area test you will administer.
4. Check all student accommodations to ensure they have been provided within the testing platform.
5. Familiarize yourself with the testing platform and administration instructions.

Standard Test Administration Guidelines

During Testing

Standard Test Administration: During Testing

1. Ensure students have required testing materials for every testing session.
2. Follow school procedures for ensuring electronic devices are not accessible to students during testing (only exception is for health and safety).
3. Review and read the test administration manual scripts to provide the correct standardized scripting for each testing session.
4. Know how to pause tests or the procedures needed if a student needs to leave the test for any reason.
5. Provide guidance to students who complete tests before the end of the scheduled session.
6. Actively proctor the session.

What is Active Proctoring During Testing?

Active proctoring means the test administrator is:

• Maintaining a positive test environment while students are testing
• Checking that students cannot access electronic devices during testing, including cell phones or smart watches
• Walking around the room to monitor student testing
• Using proximity control to keep students engaged
• Glancing at the students' computer screens and scratch paper to ensure students are accessing test content and engaged while they are answering test questions
• Providing support for students who need assistance with the technology used to answer questions
• Following local school policies for proctoring

Standard Test Administration Guidelines

After Testing

Standard Test Administration: After Testing

1. Review the test completion report to ensure all students have completed all assigned assessments.
2. Follow the test administration manual guidance for securely disposing testing materials.
3. Review the reporting guide for the assessment to learn how to interpret the results.
4. Share the student score reports.

Frequently Asked Questions

Standard Test Administration & Testing Ethics Policy Review and Discussion

Frequently Asked Questions Discussion

Standard Test Administration & Testing Ethics Policy for Utah Educators

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• These are the most commonly-asked questions by teachers and administrators.
• Page numbers provided on the slides reference the policy
• Please note: The supplementary information provided on FAQ slides should be reviewed and discussed in conjunction with the Standard Test Administration and Testing Ethics Policy for Utah Educators.

Who is my LEA assessment director?

• The LEA Assessment Director leads the work related to statewide assessment administration within the LEA (district or charter school).
• It is important to know who this person is and their contact information within your charter school or district.
• The assessment director should be able to provide the answers to most assessment-related questions for your LEA.
• If USBE is contacted, they include this person in all communications between USBE and you.

Where can you find your local LEA and/or school testing ethics policies and procedures?

Please locate and review your local LEA and/or school policy.

• It’s important to know where you can locate the LEA and school testing ethics policies and procedures.
• Asking the LEA assessment director and your administration is a good first step.

What is a Standardized Test Administration?

• Standardized tests require standardized procedures for administering assessments.
• If the information or testing tool isn’t provided to all students who will complete the test, it isn’t allowed (unless provided in an IEP/504 plan).
• Consult the test administration manual for the specific state assessment for allowed materials, embedded tools, and proper administration procedures.

Am I required to remove or cover the posters or word walls hanging on my classroom walls? What about multiplication charts taped to student desks?

• If the information provided on the posters or desks provides hints to answers or guidance on answering questions, the information should be covered up or removed during testing.
• The amount of time the information has been available to students does not matter.

Answer: See page 3

Who is allowed to be in the room during testing?

• Students who have been exempted by a parent from a statewide assessment may be allowed to be physically present in the room during test administration though testing policy, procedures, and security should still be followed. This includes limiting distractions from students who are not completing a statewide assessment.
• No parents/guardians can assist with proctoring a test their student is taking
• The public, including parents, are not permitted in the room when testing is occurring.

Answer: See pages 2 and 4

How many proctors are required in each testing session?

• Two assigned proctors are actively involved in each testing session.
• One proctor must be present in the room and actively monitoring during every session.
• Limiting distractions for students and having a school test

administration plan is essential. Don’t forget procedures for students

who arrive late.

• Follow the specific proctoring requirements when administering translated assessments or remote assessments for assessments that provide remote administration.
• Consult the test administration manual for the specific rules for these assessments. Answer: See page 2

Am I required to read the scripts provided in the test administration manual word-for-word in every testing session?

• The test administration manual scripts provide standardized instructions and details to all students, including those who arrive late to class.
• R277-404-8 (1a) requires that all test administrators follow the specific administrative procedure specified in the test administration manual. This includes reading the scripts as specified.
• Paraphrasing, changing, or not reading the scripts in every testing session removes the standardization from the assessment and could violate the construct of the test.

Answer: See pages 2 and 3

Can students have access to their cell phones, smart watches, or other electronic devices during testing?

• Unless the device is required by an IEP/504 for the student’s health and safety, no student should have access to an electronic, internet-capable device during testing.
• It is recommended that schools adopt a consistent procedure for ensuring students do not have access to an electronic device during testing.

Answer: See page 3

What if a student is taking an excessively long time to complete a test?

• Review the RISE test administration manual for guidance on expected testing times.
• All students should be allotted the appropriate amount of time they need to complete the assessment, but unlimited time is not appropriate or feasible for any student.
• Monitor the student’s progress to ensure the student is actively engaged in completing the

assessment.

• When IEP, Section 504 Plan, or EL teams are determining the appropriate amount of extended time for a student on a state-provided assessment, it should be based upon the amount of extended time a student uses during instruction, classroom, and LEA assessments.
• For example, if a student typically takes twice the amount of time to complete an assignment or classroom test, then that should be the amount of extended time the student should take for a state-provided assessment.

Can I play music for my class while they are testing? Can students listen to music with their headphones while testing?

• Music can be distracting to students and violates the standardization procedures for statewide assessments.
• No headphones can be used to listen to music due to provided text- to-speech embedded in the different assessments.
• Earbuds/Bluetooth headphones will prevent RISE and Utah Aspire Plus secure browser from opening.
• Students with a “listen to music during testing” accommodation will need to test in a separate location with proctor-provided music on a separate device.

Answer: See page 2 about providing an appropriate environment

Are headphones required for students when testing?

• For RISE and Utah Aspire Plus, the answer is yes. Text-to-speech is embedded and provided for these assessments.
• Wired headphones should be provided at each testing station. Students should not have to request headphones.
• For other assessments, please refer to the test administration manual for the assessment you will be administering.

Answer: It depends on the assessment.

Can proctors provide students with scratch/graph paper that has something on it (e.g. coordinate grid lines or teacher-created graph paper)?

• The test administration manual for the assessment provides guidance about scratch/graph paper.
• Blank paper includes graph paper or lined paper.
• Remember the requirement of securing collecting, storing, and disposing of used scratch/graph paper.
• The level of distraction and lack of standardization that could be caused by using whiteboards, sticky notes, or other alternative forms of scratch/graph paper is the reason these are not allowed.

Answer: No. See page 3 about unauthorized resources

Can students create their own graphic organizer prior to testing and bring it to the testing session?

• Students can create their own graphic organizer during the testing session, using the blank scratch/graph paper that should be provided to every student.
• Scratch paper should be provided at every testing station.
• The test administration manual provides guidance about scratch/graph paper.
• All scratch/graph paper must be collected, stored, and disposed of securely once students have completed their assessment.

Answer: No. See page 3 about unauthorized resources

Does the scratch/graph paper have to be a certain color, a specific size, or does it have to be paper?

• The scratch/graph paper needs to be blank (lined notebook paper or commercially-printed graph paper without coordinate lines is allowed).
• There is no limitation on the color or size of the scratch/graph paper. The level of distraction the size and/or color could provide to students should be considered.
• Remember the requirement for collection and secure disposal for used scratch/graph paper.

Answer: See page 3 and the test administration manual for the assessment.

What should proctors do with the student materials, such as print-on- request forms, embossed forms, or files downloaded to the computer?

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• The test administration manual for the assessment will provide guidance on what to do with these accommodated materials.
• Generally, these materials are securely destroyed and/or returned to the school test coordinator

Answer: See page 3

Can schools provide a treat or snack to students during testing?

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• If all students receive the snack, this is not considered a non- academic reward.
• The timing of the snack should be considered since passing out snacks or treats during a testing session could be considered a distraction.
• The type of snack should be considered and the the impact on the electronic equipment if the snack could be spilled or if it is sticky, noisy, or messy.

Answer: See page 3

Can students who have a parental exclusion stay in the room during testing?

Yes. Test security and preventing student distractions for those students who are testing should be considered when providing a place for students who will not be completing the assessment.

Answer: See page 2

Can schools have class parties or other non academic activities to celebrate the completion of testing?

• No student should be excluded from a nonacademic activity or party based on their participation in statewide tests or their scores earned on the test.
• Using nonacademic rewards in connection with statewide testing should be carefully considered.

Answer: See page 3

Can schools use a student’s statewide test scores as a prerequisite for course entry?

Schools cannot prohibit a student from enrolling in an honors, advanced placement, or International Baccalaureate course based on a student’s score on a statewide assessment or because the student was exempted by a parent

Answer: See page 3

Can teachers use statewide assessment scores as an academic incentive to improve a student’s grade?

• 53E-4-303(4b) states that “a teacher may use a student’s score on the standards assessment to improve the student’s academic grade for or demonstrate the student’s competency within a relevant course.”
• R277-404-7 specifically states that an “LEA shall allow an educator to provide an academic incentive for a student’s performance on a statewide assessment…”
• The score cannot lower a student’s grade

Answer: See page 3

Where can I find my students’ score reports? How soon do I need to share the score reports with my students?

• Locate one of the student score reports for one of the statewide assessments applicable to you.
• Test results should be provided to students and parents, along with information on how to appropriately interpret scores and reports, within three weeks of receipt of test scores by the LEA

Answer: See page 3

Reviewing Unethical Practices and Testing Ethics Violations

Use the Standard Test Administration and Testing Ethics Policy as the guide as you complete this presentation

Sharing Secure Test Information

The USBE Assessment & Accountability section is sometimes contacted about a test question that is of concern to students and/or test administrators (e.g., seemingly no correct answer or test question functionality).

1. If you follow the testing ethics policy, how could you share this concern without being unethical and sharing a secure test question?
2. Do you know how to share a secure test question?

Sharing Secure Test Information (Answer)

1. The school test coordinator or LEA assessment director should be contacted to communicate the concern with USBE and/or the assessment help desk.
2. DO NOT take a photograph or email the content of a question to USBE or to the help desk that supports the specific assessment.
3. Call the USBE Assessment content specialist and/or the specific assessment help desk with the specifics about the question.

Sharing Student Personally-Identifiable Information (PII)

1. If you have a question about a specific student, how do you share information about the student without violating student data privacy?
2. If you have questions about multiple students, how do you share information about the students without violation student data privacy?

Sharing Student Personally-Identifiable Information (PII) (Answer)

• Do not email student names. Ever.
• Be careful with email threads that contain PII. ONLY SSID numbers should appear in the email.
• All staff should be trained to provide ONLY the SSID number in all communication with USBE or the assessment help desk.
• Send the information via an encrypted, secure method.

Testing Ethics Violations

If there is a suspected violation:

You can contact whomever you feel most comfortable

1. School Administration
2. LEA Administration
• Your LEA assessment director
3. Utah State Board of Education (USBE)
• USBE Public Education Hotline Internal Audit webpage
• Darin Nielsen darin.nielsen@schools.utah.gov
• Kim Rathke kim.rathke@schools.utah.gov
4. Utah Professional Practices Advisory Commission (UPPAC)

Testing Ethics Violation Protocol

Suspected Testing Ethics Violation

Initial

Investigation

School and/or LEA Consequences

LEA Assessment Director Notification and Review

Report to UPPAC

as

determined by LEA AD

Review

No further action needed

Review finds no violation occurred

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UPPAC

Consequences

Testing Ethics Violations Scenarios

Review the following scenarios and discuss the following questions:

1. Why would these be considered testing ethics violations?
2. What evidence is provided in the policy that explains why these are violations?
3. What is the appropriate testing ethics procedure for each scenario?
4. What are consequences for educators that violate these policies?
5. What are the consequences for students when testing ethics violations occur? Standard Test Administration & Testing Ethics Policy

Scenario 1

A school administrator sends out a mass

communication directing families to click on a link

on the school’s website and complete the parental

exclusion form if they’d like to exclude their child out of state testing.

Scenario 2

A school administrator and/or instructional coach asks teachers to create review material or quizzes using questions and/or vocabulary copied from the statewide assessment as a review for the test.

Scenario 3

A test administrator doesn’t set a student’s required accommodations within the testing system. The student completes the test without the accommodations.

Scenario 4

A proctor does not review and/or follow the test administration instructions and/or clicks past the embedded warnings within a testing platform and administers an early literacy benchmark or RISE summative test incorrectly to students.

Scenario 5

A proctor hands out a testing ticket to the wrong student. The student logs in and takes the test, using the information from that test ticket.

Scenario 6

Students arrive late to class once statewide testing has begun. The student is told to log in and begin testing without being provided with the scripted instructions from the test administration manual.

Scenario 7

A proctor remains seated at a desk while students complete their tests. A student accesses an electronic device and takes a photo of a test item and shares it on social media.

Scenario 8

A student begins clicking and answering questions through the test without reading the questions. The proctor reviews the student’s test and suggests the student rethink their answers.

Scenario 9

A school has a party for students who scored at or above the assessment’s proficiency level. Only students who earned these scores are invited to participate.

Scenario 10

A teacher uses the scores from a statewide assessment in their gradebook for all students in their class. The scores lower some student grades and raise other student grades. Students who have been excluded from statewide assessments are given a zero.

Resources

Resources

• Utah State Board of Education
• Assessment, Utah State Board of Education
• Utah State Law - Chapter 53E
• Utah State Law - Chapter 53G
• Utah State Board of Education Administrative Rules
• Board Rule R277-217
• Utah Professional Practices Advisory Commission (UPPAC)
• Assessment Literacy Facilitator’s Canvas Course
• Independent Assessment Literacy Canvas Course