This document outlines testing procedures and security protocols for administering state standardized tests. It instructs test administrators to properly account for all testing materials, maintain confidentiality of test content, actively monitor students, and ensure tests are administered according to guidelines. It describes security violations and consequences, as well as prohibited activities like helping students, copying content, or discussing the test outside of administration. Test administrators must receive training, sign a security oath, and follow all procedures to uphold test integrity.

1. Spring 2014

2.  This
Training Does NOT
Take the Place of Reading
the Appropriate Manuals.

3. Test Security
&
Confidentiality
3
3

4. 
Accounting for all secure materials and confidential
student information before, during and after each
test administration.
As an administrator, you must
 Accurately complete any documents used for
accounting (Material Control Form);
 Complete the seating chart;
 Place test booklets and answer documents in
limited-access locked storage when not in use;
 Ensure when testing has concluded that all secure
materials have been accounted for and returned to
the campus coordinator.

5. 
Maintaining the confidentiality of the state testing
program by protecting the contents of the test
booklets and completed answer documents.

Before handing test materials, test administrators
must attend training and sign the security oath.

All test must be administered in accordance with
the instructions in the test administration materials.

No person may view, reveal, or discuss the
contents of a test booklet before, during or after a
test administration.

6.  No
person may duplicate, print, record, writes
notes about, or capture by any electronic means
any portion of a secure assessment.
 No
individuals other that students during an
assessment may perform calculations, solve, or
respond to test items.
 If
giving an oral administration, a test
administrator may
not discuss the content of the test with anyone.

7.  Individuals
who are authorized to conduct test
administration procedures that require viewing
secure assessments have the added
responsibility of maintaining confidentiality.
These include oral administration and
transcribing.
 No
person may review or discuss student
responses during or after the test administration
unless specifically authorized to do so by the
procedures outlined in the test administration
materials.

8. 
Any person who violates, assists in the violation
of, or solicits another to violate or assist in the
violation of test security or confidentiality, and any
person who fails to report such a violation, may be
subject to the following:
•
•
•
•
Placement of restrictions
Issuance of a reprimand
Suspension of a Texas educator certificate
Cancellation of a Texas educator certificate
Release or disclosure of confidential test content could result
in criminal prosecution

9.  All
district personnel who participate in statemandated testing or handle secure test materials
must meet the eligibility requirements detailed in
the test administrator manuals, be trained, and
sign a security oath.
 All
oaths are valid for the 2014
spring, summer, and fall testing.

10. Security and Confidentiality Oaths
TAKS
SIGN HERE
DO NOT SIGN THIS SECTION
10
10

11.  Incidents
resulting in a deviation from
documented testing procedures
2
categories
• Serious
• Procedural

12. 
Constitute severe violations of test security and/or
confidentiality

Examples of serious violations involve, but are not limited
to the following:
• Directly or indirectly assisting students with responses to test
questions or writing samples
• Tampering with student responses or writing samples
• Viewing secure test content during or after an assessment
• Discussing secure test content, student responses, or student
performance
• Score student reading tests, either formally or informally
• Duplicating, recording, or capturing electronically secure test
content

13. Are less severe, more common, and are typically the result of minor
deviations
The following are some examples:
 Eligibility Error

• Eligible students were not tested

IEP Implementation Issue
• A prescribed accommodation was not provided

Improper Accounting for Materials
• An answer document is lost.

Monitoring Error
• Students were left unattended.

Procedural Error
• A TA failed to issue the correct materials, or students were provided non-
allowable materials

14.  Each
person participating in the state
assessment program is directly
responsible for reporting immediately any
violation or suspected violation of test
security or confidentiality
 Dawson
 Mrs.
staff should notify Mrs. Holt
Holt will notify the District Testing
Coordinator.

16. FOR TAKS
Required on
reading and written composition
NOT ALLOWED
on
revising and editing section

17. Cell phones are NOT permitted.
This means for students and test
administrators.
Have students turn off their phone, place it in
a bag, and label with their name. Place cell
phones in a secure place.

18. Ensure proper testing procedures.
BACKPACKS MUST GO
ALONG THE WALL
STUDENTS MUST
HAVE AN ID
PUT PURSES IN THE FRONT OF THE
ROOM AND DON’T ALLOW THEM
TO THE RESTROOM

19. 
Ensure proper testing procedures (p. 29)
• Please turn to page 29 in the Test Administrator Manual
• Students must record their responses on the answer document within the
four hours time period. Test administrators may say,
“Remember that you must record your responses on the answer document.”
• It is permissible to encourage students to stay on task.
• Only students are allowed to erase their stray marks or darken answer
choice circles, and only during the scheduled test session Test
administrators may say,
“ Be sure to erase any stray marks that you might have accidentally made on
your answer document.:

20. 
Answering students’ questions (p. 36)
“I can’t answer that for you; just do the best you can.”

Collect test materials (p. 36)
“You have not recorded all of your responses on the answer document.
Please go back and mark your answers on it now.”

21.  Monitoring
during test administrations is the
responsibility of the test administrator, the
campus test coordinator, the campus
principal, campus monitors, and the district
test coordinator

22. 
Test Administrators are required to actively monitor
students during testing.

Principals and Campus Test Coordinators are required to
actively monitor testing sessions at their campus.

The district testing coordinator is required to actively monitor
testing sessions at all campuses within the district.
• A team of central office personnel trained to monitor testing
sessions will be used to assist the district testing coordinator in
monitoring campus testing sessions.
• Every testing session will be actively monitored.

23. Watching students during testing. The
focus of the teacher’s attention is on the
students and not elsewhere.
• Walking around to better observe what students are doing.
(Are students: Working on correct section of test?, Marking
answers on the answer document?, Cheating?, Using cell
phones?, Talking with other students?)

24. 
Working on the computer or doing email.

Reading a book, magazine, or newspaper.

Grading papers or lesson planning.

Leaving the room without a trained substitute test
administrator in the room.

Leaving students unattended during lunch or breaks.

Reading the test over a student’s shoulder.

Checking student responses during testing.

25.  TAs
must actively monitor the testing room while
students are working.
• TAs should confirm that students are working only on
the subject-area assessment being administered that
day and that they do not have access to non-allowed
materials.
• TAs may not view or discuss individual test items or
responses.

26.  Reinforcing,
reviewing for, and/or distributing
testing strategies during an assessment is strictly
prohibited.
• Providing this type of assistance to students can result
in the invalidation of their tests and can compromise
the assurance that all individuals are equitably
assessed in accordance with the guidelines for
standardized assessments.

27. Students
must remain seated
during testing
Students
are not allowed to talk
Students
may use highlighters

28. 
Students must mark their answers on an answer document
with a No. 2 pencil

TAs are not allowed to require students to first mark their
answers in the test booklet & then transfer them to the
answer document

Students may be allowed to quietly read books after
materials are collected

29. 
No environmental hindrances

A “Testing – Do Not Disturb” sign posted outside each
testing room

Bulletin boards & instructional displays must be covered
or removed

All desks must be cleared of books & other materials
not required for the test

30. 
Account for ALL test booklets

Ensure that answer document fields have been
completed

Return test materials

31. Check
For test
booklet #
Bubble the
Form #
Complete
the Test
Date
Bubble
“S”