DATE ISSUED: 6/1/ of 9 LDU EK(REGULATION)-X

Transcription

1 DISTRICT ACHIEVEMENT TESTING DESCRIPTION EXCEPTIONS / EXEMPTIONS SPECIAL EDUCATION A testing program is necessary to ensure that students progress toward the learning goals of the District. The District s testing program will consist of the following types of assessment measures: 1. Norm-referenced. 2. Criterion-referenced. The Department of Evaluation and Assessment will manage the administration of the State and Local Assessment Programs. The District's norm-referenced and State Assessment Program will be mandatory for most students. Exceptions/exemptions and modifications may be warranted for some students receiving special education services and for English language learner (ELL) students. The conditions referenced in this regulation will apply to assessments given by the Evaluation and Assessment Department. These tests would include, but are not limited to, state tests, nationally norm-referenced tests, and locally developed semester tests. These testing conditions also apply to any other assessments that are used in any part of the District s approved teacher evaluation system in effect. All students who meet eligibility requirements under Texas Education Code will either be exempt or will participate in the administration of the District s testing program. Each student for whom an appropriate assessment instrument is available will participate in the administration of the instrument. The following guidelines will be used to determine the appropriate assessment instrument for each student receiving special education services: 1. All students receiving special education services will participate in local, state, and national assessment programs. 2. An admission, review, and dismissal (ARD) committee will deter-mine the appropriate local, state, and national assessments to be used to assess students receiving special education services based on the individual needs of each student in accordance with federal and state guidelines. 3. Students receiving special education services must meet local, state, and national participation requirements for alternative assessments that are based on modified or alternate achievement standards. 4. An individual report of assessment results for each student s permanent record will be produced for each area tested. DATE ISSUED: 6/1/ of 9 -X

2 ELL STUDENTS TEST PREPARATION TESTING CONDITIONS [Refer to BA (LEGAL) for State Assessment guidelines] The following Language Proficiency Assessment Committee (LPAC) guidelines will be used to determine the appropriate local normreferenced assessment instrument for each ELL student: 1. Decisions regarding the appropriate language to be utilized for assessment of ELL students participating in a Bilingual or ESL program must be made on an individual student basis through a collaboration of the LPAC and content area teachers. These decisions must be made and documented during an official LPAC meeting. 2. Decisions regarding the appropriate language to be utilized for the assessment of non-ell students opting-into a Bilingual program (One Way or Two Way) must be made on an individual student basis through a collaboration of the LPAC and content area teachers. These decisions must be made and documented during an official LPAC meeting. The best preparation for state and local testing is good instruction. Appropriate test preparation includes using generic test wiseness/test preparation materials. Inappropriate practices include, but are not limited to, the following: 1. Using old, alternate, or actual norm-referenced achievement test forms with students. 2. Conducting excessive reviews or drills using test items. 3. Reviewing the secure form of any test when it arrives during the testing period, and then teaching test specific skills and content with students prior to giving them the test. To ensure that students perform optimally on a standardized test and are able to best demonstrate what they know, the following will be addressed: 1. Students will be trained to respond to a standardized testing format so that they may best demonstrate their knowledge regardless of the test format. 2. The purpose of the test will be explained to students to ensure their full attention and cooperation. 3. Plans should be made to minimize disruptions during testing. 4. An optimum environment for testing will be provided, including provisions for student comfort. The testing room should be quiet, well-lit, well-ventilated, and comfortable; each examinee should have enough space in which to work. DATE ISSUED: 6/1/ of 9 -X

3 5. Testing procedures and directions will be read clearly verbatim by the test administrator. 6. All bulletin boards and instructional displays in testing rooms or hallways that might aid the examinee during testing must be covered or removed regardless of the subject. 7. A test administrator/proctor must be present in the test room at all times and be actively monitoring. 8. Students are prohibited from having cell phones and/or electronic devices accessible or on their person during testing unless the devices have been approved as part of the testing procedures (e.g., electronic devices used as calculators or as listening devices). In case of a suspected testing irregularity involving a student s telecommunication device or electronic device, the student may be asked to display device activity. If the student does not consent, the parent or legal guardian of the student will be notified, and consent will be requested of the parent. If the parent does not consent, the device will be confiscated by school officials and held in accordance with the Student Code of Conduct for cell phone violations. If school officials have reasonable cause to suspect the device contains evidence of a criminal violation, law enforcement will be notified. A search warrant may be obtained at the discretion of law enforcement. In all instances, the search of a telecommunication or electronic device will be restricted to the legitimate objectives of the search to determine if the device has been used in violation of any local, state, or federal law. 9. Seating charts must be completed for each testing room. The charts must contain start and stop times, student names and ID numbers, the names of all test administrators, and as applicable, booklet and form numbers. 10. Students are to be provided accommodations consistent with their individualized education program (IEP) or plan developed by the ARD committee, 504 committee, or LPAC committee. Accommodations must be consistent with the allowable accommodations determined by the Texas Education Agency (TEA) or the test administrator. 11. Test administration times must comply with guidelines stated in the State and District Test Administrator Manuals. Each testing environment must have an electronic timing device (clock) to track testing activity. DATE ISSUED: 6/1/ of 9 -X

4 12. Staff persons (e.g., test administrators, hall monitors, District monitors, and the like) are prohibited from having visible or utilizing electronic devices in a testing environment. 13. Students are not allowed to keep backpacks and/or duffle bags around their desks or chairs during testing. 14. Elementary teachers are prohibited from administering tests to students in their own grade levels. The following exceptions will apply: Special education teachers providing accommodations; Bilingual education teachers where there is only one bilingual teacher at the campus; Teachers administering Linguistically Accommodated Tests (LAT); and Teachers administering performance tests. Teachers teaching special classes (e.g., art, music) will be allowed to administer tests for core content areas (English/language arts, mathematics, science, and social studies). 15. High school and middle school teachers are prohibited from administering tests in the content area they teach (e.g., an English/language arts teacher does not test reading, writing, English I, or English II). The following exceptions will apply: Special education teachers providing accommodations; Bilingual education teachers where there is only one bilingual teacher at the campus; Teachers administering Linguistically Accommodated Tests (LAT); and Teachers administering performance tests. Teachers teaching electives will be allowed to administer tests for core content areas (English/language arts, mathematics, science, and social studies). TEST SECURITY Test security involves the ability to account for all materials before, during, and after testing. After testing, all test materials assigned to a particular campus must be returned to the testing service center. DATE ISSUED: 6/1/ of 9 -X

5 No unauthorized person is permitted to have access to any secure test materials. All persons who handle secure test materials are required to sign an oath of security and confidentiality. Test materials must be kept in locked storage when not in use. Secure storage is defined as a locked storage cabinet, the school vault, a locked bookroom or storage room, or any office that remains locked. Distribution of keys to all areas used to store secure test materials must be restricted to the campus test coordinator and a member of the campus administrative staff, other than the principal. The Test Security Manual will provide District- and campus-level standards, including monitoring procedures that must be followed. TEST CONFIDENTIALITY TESTING IRREGULARITIES Confidentiality involves protecting the contents of each test and each answer document, as follows: 1. Secure testing materials may not be duplicated. No unauthorized viewing of the contents of test booklets or answer documents is permitted. 2. All tests must be administered according to the instructions contained in the test manuals. 3. No person may reveal the contents of a test, nor may a person answer verbally or nonverbally any questions that relate to the contents of a test. 4. No person may review student responses without specific permission to transcribe the contents of an original answer document, nor may a person change any response or instruct a student to do so. Ethical test practices must be followed at all times. Testing irregularities will include, but not be limited to, the following: 1. Prompting or providing assistance to students during test administration, through written or oral answers or clues; 2. Allowing students to work untimed on timed tests or on a section of the test other than the one being administered; 3. Not testing eligible students who are not absent or encouraging eligible students to be absent during testing; 4. Removing test materials from a campus without permission from the Department of Evaluation and Assessment and/or local assessment testing personnel except as directed in the test coordinator's manual; 5. Violating test security and test confidentiality practices; and DATE ISSUED: 6/1/ of 9 -X

6 6. Providing students cash awards for individual test performance unless the Board has approved such a program. All reported instances of testing irregularities, test security, and confidentiality violations will be investigated by the Department of Evaluation and Assessment and/or the Professional Standards Office (PSO) in cooperation with the campus principal and/or learning community executive director. All violations of test security, confidentiality, or other irregularities will be immediately reported to the campus test coordinator and building principal. The principal must inform the executive director within 24 hours of gaining knowledge of a violation or irregularity. The campus test coordinator and principal must inform the Department of Evaluation and Assessment within 24 hours of gaining knowledge of a violation or irregularity. District due process policies will apply as appropriate to all employee actions taken under this policy. RESPONSIBILITIES IN TESTING PROGRAM ADMINISTRATION SUPERINTENDENT S RESPONSIBILITY In administering the testing program, the Department of Evaluation and Assessment will: 1. Approve and coordinate all testing specified by the annual District testing schedule. 2. Conduct periodic training on test administration and interpretation with school personnel. 3. Conduct systematic research on the testing program to ensure optimal appropriateness of tests and accuracy of test results. 4. Provide for the administration, scoring, reporting, and archival storage of group test data. 5. Provide training to school parent/community groups about the testing program and the proper interpretation of test results. 6. Select or design non-english tests to measure progress of ELL students toward the learning goals of the District, unless not feasible or cost-effective to do so. The District will comply with all procedures established by TEA in its annual test administration manuals with regard to test security and confidentiality. The Superintendent of Schools or designee will be responsible for ensuring that: 1. Procedures are developed to ensure that the security and confidentiality of state assessments are in compliance with all requirements established by TEA; DATE ISSUED: 6/1/ of 9 -X

7 2. District and campus testing personnel are trained in test security and confidentiality, as well as test administration procedures, in accordance with TEA s published requirements; and 3. Any violation of the state s security or confidentiality procedures is reported to TEA in accordance with established procedures. TEA s Test Security Supplement, located on the TEA website, will serve as the best practices document to guide the District in the implementation of this regulation. Additional information regarding implementation of this regulation can be found in the DISD Test Security Manual located on the Evaluation and Assessment Department webpage, which can be accessed through the Dallas ISD website. PRINCIPALS' RESPONSIBILITY The principals will: 1. Monitor the overall administration of the District s testing program as specified by the approved testing schedule. 2. Not have access to the secure storage area where testing materials are stored. 3. Not handle secure test materials or interfere with the duties and responsibilities of the campus test coordinator. 4. Report test security and confidentiality violations and testing irregularities to the executive director, the Office of Test Security, and the Department of Evaluation and Assessment. 5. Appoint a campus test coordinator who is a certified teacher and is not responsible for teaching subjects to be tested with state or local assessments. 6. Ensure that all eligible students in kindergarten grade 12 participate in the District s testing program. 7. Ensure that the use of rewards for test performance does not lead to publication of students test results or cause the loss of confidentiality of students test results. 8. Ensure that only trained test administrators and test coordinators are present in testing rooms or around students who are testing. Those excluded from testing rooms include family members and volunteers. 9. Not act as a test administrator. Exceptions to principals responsibilities outlined above in this section, specifically items 2, 3, and 5, can be made in writing by DATE ISSUED: 6/1/ of 9 -X

8 School Leadership with input from the Department of Evaluation and Assessment. Additional information regarding the principals responsibilities related to testing can be found in the DISD Test Security Manual located on the Evaluation and Assessment Department webpage, which can be accessed through the Dallas ISD website. TEST COORDINATORS' RESPONSIBILITY ENROLLMENT OF STUDENTS DURING TESTING DAYS INVALIDATION OF TEST RESULTS TESTING FOR ENTRY INTO MAGNETS, VANGUARDS, AND ACADEMIES The campus test coordinator will: 1. Attend test orientation sessions to learn about test security and confidentiality, proper administration procedures, test processing, and the interpretation of test results. 2. Make necessary plans and arrangements for group testing, including collaborating with appropriate personnel who work with special student populations. 3. Conduct training sessions for campus test administrators. 4. Receive, verify, distribute, and return test materials. 5. Assist in maintaining confidentiality of materials. 6. Monitor campus test administrations. 7. Ensure that answer documents are completed according to the program instructions and are coded so that student scores are reported accurately. 8. Receive, distribute, and interpret test results and related information on a regular basis. Students arriving at a campus on a testing day will be enrolled and assessed per current testing policies. [See B(LEGAL)] A student s answers to a test will be invalidated when it is documented that a student cheated during the administration of the test. Cheating is defined as providing, receiving, or attempting to provide or receive unauthorized assistance or obtaining or attempting to obtain test answers. A student s answers to a test may be invalidated when the student s opportunity to take the test is limited because of illness during the test or test administration errors. The Department of Evaluation and Assessment will provide normreferenced testing with an appropriate norm-referenced achievement test for students in kindergarten grade 11 who do not have STAAR test scores and who apply for admittance to the Magnet School Program. [See EHBB and EGA] DATE ISSUED: 6/1/ of 9 -X

9 This testing session is open to students who (a) reside within District boundaries and are currently enrolled in a private, parochial, or other school; (b) are currently enrolled in the District but do not have norm-referenced or STAAR test scores from the previous spring semester; or (c) apply to the District s magnet program and live outside the District s boundaries. Students living outside the District s boundaries will be assessed a charge of $100 for the administration of the test. Testing is provided at no cost to students who live within District boundaries and are applying to the District's magnets, vanguards, and academies. Parent(s)/legal guardian(s) must produce proof of residence in accordance with FD(LOCAL) when registering students for this testing session. Applications for this testing session will be processed at the magnet, vanguard, or academy to which the student is applying. Parents must show a photo ID or some other form of identification on which their name is affixed in order for their child to be admitted to the testing session. Accepted forms of identification include but are not limited to a driver s license, state identification card, passport, consulate identification card, and any other state- or federally issued ID. Students presenting a valid Texas driver s license may be admitted to the testing session without having to be accompanied by a parent. TEST DATES REGISTRATION COST TESTING LOCATION Test dates will be set by the Department of Evaluation and Assessment. The assessment calendar will be posted at the beginning of the school year. Registration deadlines will be set by the Department of Evaluation and Assessment based on test dates. Parents/students must register through the school in which they are applying for enrollment by the posted deadlines. In order to register for testing, the following information is required: student s name, ID number, current grade level, birth date, current school, home phone number, and preferred test date. A list of registered students with required information must be submitted by magnets, vanguards, and academies to the Department of Evaluation and Assessment, Box 150, or faxed by the registration deadline for each test date. Tests will be administered at no cost for students who live within District boundaries. The cost for assessment of applicants who live outside the District s boundaries is $100. Payment must be made on the date of testing with a money order payable to the Dallas Independent School District. The testing location will be posted prior to registration and test administration and will be communicated to schools. DATE ISSUED: 6/1/2015 REVIEWED: 9 of 9 -X