Mississippi Administrative Code › Title 7 - Education K-12 › Part 24 - Mississippi Public School Accountability Standards 2023 › ACCREDITATION POLICIES OF THE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION › Appendix 7-24-F

Current through June 25, 2024
REQUIREMENTS OF THE MISSISSIPPI STATEWIDE ASSESSMENT
				  SYSTEM STANDARD 16
I. PURPOSE
It is the policy of the State Board of Education that all
				  test procedures and results that are used in the Mississippi Statewide
				  Assessment System and/or used in the Mississippi Statewide Accreditation System
				  be valid and accurate for making related decisions. In order to protect the
				  security and integrity of all tests administered through the Mississippi
				  Statewide Assessment System, as well as to ensure reporting of accurate
				  assessment results, the State Board of Education establishes the following
				  requirements and the consequences applied when a school district or school is
				  found in violation of any requirement. These requirements are established under
				  the authority granted in Miss. Code Ann. §
									37-16-1, §
									37-16-3, and §
									37-16-4.
II. DEFINITIONS
Secure test materials
include
				  certain test administrator manuals, test booklets, answer documents, and other
				  materials as specified by the Office of Student Assessment.
A
possible testing irregularity
is
				  any incident in the test handling or administration that leads to a question
				  regarding the security of the test or the accuracy of the test data.
A
verified testing irregularity
is a
				  violation of a testing requirement.
III. REPORTING AND USE OF TEST DATA
The school district will release test score information to
				  parents, legal representatives, teachers, students, other educators, the media,
				  and the public in a timely manner and provide interpretive material as
				  necessary. The school district will use test scores appropriately in making
				  decisions regarding students. A decision or characterization that will have a
				  major impact on an individual student is not made on the basis of a single test
				  score. Additional retesting opportunities will be made available for any "high
				  stakes" test.
IV. REQUIREMENTS
The following is not an exhaustive list of
				  requirements.
1. The District Test Coordinator or a designated
				  representative of the school district must attend applicable training sessions
				  sponsored by the Office of Student Assessment.
2. A District Test Security Plan is prepared each new school
				  year no later than September 30.
a. The District Test Security Plan contains all components as
				  required by the Office of Student Assessment.
b. The District Test Security Plan is signed by the district
				  superintendent, the district test coordinator, and the chairman of the school
				  board. The School Test Security Plan, which is a part of the District Test
				  Security Plan, is signed by the school principal, school test coordinator, and
				  the district test coordinator.
c. The District Test Security Plan identifies all individuals
				  who have access to the secure storage area at district and school sites.
3. Except during actual test administration, secure test
				  materials are kept under lock and key, and access to secure test materials is
				  limited to individuals identified in the test security plan as responsible for
				  the security. While secure test materials are in the District, anyone listed as
				  having access to the secure storage area must be accompanied by a second person
				  when entering the secure storage area. To ensure that security is maintained
				  from year to year, it is the responsibility of the District each year to review
				  the list of individuals who have access to the secure storage area and to
				  ensure that only those individuals listed have access to the secure area by way
				  of keys or vault combination.
a. Secure test materials are kept in locked storage before
				  testing at both the district and school levels.
b. Access to secure test materials is limited to those
				  individuals identified in the test security plan. Test administrators and
				  proctors will have access as described in the district test security plan.
				  Access to test materials means handling the materials, not reviewing and
				  analyzing test items, unless reading accommodations are required. The
				  superintendent or a specified designee shall designate the personnel who are
				  authorized to have access to test materials.
c. Test materials are not to be removed from security
				  packaging prior to the time indicated on instructions from the Office of
				  Student Assessment.
d. Secure test materials are kept in locked storage after
				  testing at both the District and school levels unless otherwise directed by the
				  Office of Student Assessment.
4. All secure test materials are accounted for before,
				  during, and after testing as specified in the District Test Security Plan. Test
				  administrators and proctors will have access as described in the district test
				  security plan. Access to test materials means handling the materials, not
				  reviewing and analyzing test items, unless reading accommodations are required.
				  The superintendent or a specified designee shall designate the personnel who
				  are authorized to have access to test materials.
a. All secure test materials are accounted for before testing
				  at the district level.
b. All secure test materials are accounted for before testing
				  at the school level.
c. Test administrators account for all secure test materials
				  before students are allowed to leave the testing room.
d. All secure test materials are accounted for after testing
				  at the school level.
e. All secure test materials are accounted for after testing
				  at the district level.
f. All secure materials are returned according to the
				  schedule published by the Office of Student Assessment. In the event that a
				  secure testing document has been contaminated by bodily fluids or other
				  health-related hazards, the district test coordinator will follow procedures
				  for disposal as outlined during District Test Coordinator training and include
				  these procedures in the District Test Security Plan.
g. If supplementary materials, such as scratch paper, maps,
				  and manipulatives are provided, procedures for disposal are outlined in the
				  District Test Security Plan and followed.
5. Any person involved in any phase of the testing program
				  has been trained in appropriate assessment administration and test security
				  procedures.
a. Test administrators shall be licensed school
				  personnel.
b. Due to the need for the one-on-one administration of the
				  English language proficiency test for English Language Learners, which includes
				  component subtests such as reading, writing, speaking, listening, the test
				  administrator may be a non-licensed employee as long as the proctor for the
				  administration is a licensed staff member.
c. For only the English language proficiency test for English
				  Language Learners, if a licensed employee is the test administrator, the
				  District is not obligated to provide a second person as proctor.
d. The District conducts professional development training on
				  proper assessment administration procedures and test security for all
				  individuals involved in the handling and administration of each test.
e. The District maintains complete records of all
				  professional development related to assessment.
f. The District has documentation that training related to
				  assessment included information on test security violations and the
				  consequences of violations.
6. Both a test administrator and a proctor are present and
				  actively monitoring students during the entire test administration.
a. At least two (2) people are present from the time that
				  testing materials are distributed to the test administrator until all test
				  materials have been returned to the secure area.
b. A seating chart is required for each room/site used for
				  any statewide assessment; the seating chart must be signed and dated by the
				  test administrator, proctor, and school test coordinator.
7. Students are not allowed access to test questions prior to
				  testing and are not allowed access to answers at any time.
8. Reproducing (by any means) or disclosing secure test
				  material (including pilot material) and student responses before, during, or
				  after test administration are prohibited. Reproduction or disclosure of secure
				  test materials includes but is not limited to the following: reviewing,
				  reading, or looking at secure test material in a manner that is inconsistent
				  with test security regulations and/or procedures as outlined in the test
				  administrator's manual. Use of unreleased test items in any form (including
				  rewording of such test items) is strictly prohibited.
9. Coaching students, altering responses, or interfering with
				  responses in any way during or after the scheduled test administration is
				  prohibited. Coaching students is defined as providing answers by staff or other
				  students to students in any manner during the test, including cues, clues,
				  hints, and/or actual answers in any form-written, printed, verbal or non-verbal
				  (including, but not limited to, chalkboards, charts, bulletin boards, posters,
				  computers, hand signals) or allowing students to alter responses after the
				  scheduled test administration.
10. All eligible students are tested. (See also
Testing Students with Disabilities Regulations and Guidelines for
				  English Language Learner
s
: Policies, Procedures, and
				  Assessments
.) (7 Miss. Admin. Code Pt. 3, Ch. 78, R. 78.1) {Miss. Code
				  Ann. §
									37-16-3(2)}
a. Accurate exclusions, absences, and other required data are
				  compiled for each test for each school.
b. Exclusions and absences data for each test for each school
				  are maintained on file in the District.
c. Students who drop a course for which an end-of-course
				  Subject Area Test is required after the dates noted below shall still take the
				  appropriate end-of-course Subject Area Test.
Traditional Schedule
* Students enrolled in a course at the end of January
				  (5th month) must be tested.
Fall Block
* Students enrolled in a course at the end of October
				  (2nd month) must be tested.
Spring Block
* Students enrolled in a course at the end of March
				  (7th month) must be tested.
d. Students enrolled in and taking courses for the first time
				  for which end-of-course Subject Area Tests are required shall take the
				  appropriate Subject Area Tests. These students shall take the appropriate
				  end-of-course Subject Area Test, even if the course title in
Approved
				  Courses for the Secondary Schools
of Mississippi includes the words
				  Accelerated, Enrichment, or Advanced Placement.
e. Each student enrolled in and re-taking courses for which
				  end-of-course Subject Area Tests are required shall take the appropriate
				  Subject Area Test only if the student has not previously passed the Subject
				  Area Test.
f. Each student shall take the appropriate end-of-course
				  Subject Area Test at the end of the course regardless of the grade level in
				  which the course is offered.
g. Students enrolled in a Mississippi public school will be
				  required to pass end-of-course Subject Area Test in a course for which the
				  school accepts Carnegie units earned by the student through enrollment in
				  summer school, virtual school, or any other non-standard school as defined by
				  the Office of Accreditation.
11. Only appropriate allowable testing accommodations are
				  provided for students as specified in the current edition of
Testing
				  Students with Disabilities Regulations
and the current edition of
Guidelines for English Language Learners
: +
Policies,
				  Procedures, and Assessments
. (7 Miss. Admin. Code Pt. 3, Ch. 78, R.
				  78.1, R. 78.10) The use of any accommodation not listed in these documents or
				  in the current edition of the
Testing Accommodations Manual
published by the Office of Student Assessment must first be approved by the
				  Office of Student Assessment.
12. Makeup testing is provided for students who are absent
				  during the regularly scheduled test administration.
13. Tests are administered according to the standard
				  procedures defined in the test administrator's manual and related documents and
				  according to the schedule published by the Office of Student Assessment.
14. Anyone with knowledge of or information regarding a
				  possible testing irregularity or alleged security violations reports the
				  alleged irregularity/violation to an appropriate authority. {Miss. Code Ann.
				  §
									37-16-4(1)(f)}.
15. Test administrators and proctors keep written records of
				  any testing irregularities occurring during testing and report these to the
				  school test coordinator who then reports to the District Test Coordinator. The
				  District Test Coordinator reports all irregularities for a test administration
				  to the district superintendent for investigation. Documentation regarding
				  testing irregularities is maintained on file in the district.
16. The superintendent of the District investigates all
				  reports of alleged violations of test security and/or potential testing
				  irregularities and submits a report of findings to the Office of Student
				  Assessment within fifteen (15) working days after the alleged violation and/or
				  potential irregularity has been reported to him or her.
17. No statistically significant similar or identical
				  patterns of responses and/or erasures are noted in students' answer
				  documents.
18. No statistically significant group or individual scores
				  that are inconsistent with established patterns of achievement are
				  noted.
19. The school prohibits the possession and/or use of any
				  electronic communication device, including, but not limited to, iPods, MP3
				  players, Bluetooth devices, cell phones, and
/
or other personal
				  digital assistance devices during the administration of scheduled statewide
				  tests.
20. Tests are to be administered in an environment that
				  provides an adequate test setting for students. Such an environment should
				  provide adequate lighting, reduced noise level, and spacing to ensure that
				  students cannot see the answers being bubbled (or answers being selected during
				  computer-based online testing) by other students.
V. INVESTIGATION
The Office of Student Assessment follows a systematic
				  procedure to ensure that all evidence indicating possible testing
				  irregularities is investigated. Corrective action will be taken when
				  warranted.
A. PROCEDURE FOR INVESTIGATION
Identifying and investigating possible testing irregularities
				  involves a variety of data sources. These include formal testing audits,
				  self-reports of testing irregularities, allegations/complaints related to
				  possible testing irregularities, and results of analyses and reports designed
				  to identify possible irregularities, including the percent of students tested,
				  changes in enrollment, score exceptionalities, erasure report results, and
				  missing documents reports.
The procedure for handling testing irregularities is repeated
				  for each test administration. The Office of Student Assessment will notify the
				  school district in writing when a possible testing irregularity has been
				  identified. Within fifteen (15) working days following a reported potential
				  irregularity/violation and/or receipt of the written notification from the
				  Office of Student Assessment, the District will submit a written report to the
				  Office of Student Assessment. The Office of Student Assessment reserves the
				  right to conduct an independent investigation.
The Office of Student Assessment will evaluate the District
				  report to determine whether the possible testing irregularity has been resolved
				  or the testing irregularity has been verified. If the possible testing
				  irregularity has been resolved, the Office of Student Assessment will notify
				  the District that no further action is required. If a testing irregularity has
				  been verified, the Office of Student Assessment will notify the district
				  superintendent.
In the case of any verified testing irregularity that
				  jeopardized or may have jeopardized the security and integrity of the test(s)
				  or the accuracy of the test results, the Office of Student Assessment will
				  report the irregularity to the Office of Accreditation for appropriate action
				  and follow-up. (See VI.
CONSEQUENCES
.) In the case of improper
				  student behavior supported by a data forensics company and not disproved in the
				  District report, the Office of Student Assessment will respond to the district
				  superintendent with a request on behalf of the State Superintendent of
				  Education that the district superintendent ask for the invalidation of the
				  suspect test scores and prepare for the students with the suspect test scores
				  to participate in the next test administration. If the District refuses to
				  invalidate the suspect scores, the State Superintendent will have the authority
				  to invalidate the scores.
In case of an allegation of an irregularity that prompts a
				  need for an investigation by the Mississippi Department of Education and the
				  investigation provides substantial evidence that an irregularity has occurred,
				  the State Superintendent will have the authority to invalidate suspect scores.
				  The district superintendent will be notified of the invalidated suspect scores
				  and of the need to prepare students with the suspect scores to participate in
				  the next test administration.
B. PROCEDURES FOR PERSONAL MISCONDUCT
				  INVESTIGATION
If an irregularity that represents misconduct or other
				  breaches of test security on the part of district personnel within a school
				  district is identified, the superintendent of the District will be notified of
				  the irregularity. It is the responsibility of the District to conduct an
				  investigation into the allegation and report findings to the Office of Student
				  Assessment. If the Office of Student Assessment concludes that the irregularity
				  was resolved, the district is notified that no further action is
				  necessary.
If the Office of Student Assessment concludes that the
				  irregularity was verified, the district superintendent is notified that the
				  Office of Accreditation is being apprised of the finding.
In case of an allegation of an irregularity or in the case of
				  statistical analyses that prompt a need for an investigation by the Mississippi
				  Department of Education and the investigation provides substantial evidence
				  that an irregularity has occurred, the State Superintendent will have the
				  authority to invalidate suspect test scores. The district superintendent will
				  be notified of the invalidated suspect scores and of the need to prepare
				  students with the suspect scores to participate in the next test
				  administration. The district superintendent will be notified that the Office of
				  Accreditation is being apprised of the findings.
The district attorney may investigate allegations of
				  violations of test security on his own initiative following receipt of
				  allegations, at the request of a school district, or at the request of the
				  Mississippi Department of Education.
After a conviction, the personnel in question will be
				  notified in writing that the evidence of conviction will be presented to the
				  Commission on Educator and Administrator Education, Certification and licensure
				  and development and that the Commission is required to take action pursuant to
				  the authority granted in Miss. Code Ann. §
									37-16-4. In the case of improper
				  student behavior supported by the data forensics company and not disproved in
				  the district report, the district superintendent will be asked to request the
				  invalidation of the suspect test scores and prepare for the students with the
				  suspect test scores to participate in the next test administration.
VI. CONSEQUENCES
A. LETTER OF WARNING
If a violation has been verified that did not result in a
				  substantial probability that the security, accuracy, or validity of the test
				  results has been jeopardized, then the Office of Student Assessment may issue a
				  letter of warning to the school district superintendent to be placed in the
				  district and/or school file.
Multiple and/or repeated minor violations that indicate the
				  district and/or school has not corrected issues addressed in previous letters
				  of warning or that the district and/or school has continued to be in
				  noncompliance with the numbered issues listed in Requirements (Section IV) may
				  result in a recommendation for a citation to be placed on the accreditation
				  record. (See Section B below.) In the case of improper student behavior
				  supported by the data forensics company and not disproved in the district
				  reports, the District will be asked to request the invalidation of the suspect
				  scores. If the improper student behavior is determined to be isolated to an
				  individual student's or to individual students' behavior and not supported or
				  condoned by the District, the District will not receive a letter of warning.
				  The District will be asked in an official letter by the Office of Student
				  Assessment to put measures in place to address and prevent the possibility of
				  such improper behavior being repeated. However, multiple administrations
				  resulting in suspect scores may result in further investigation by the Office
				  of Student Assessment that may lead to further consequences. (See VI.
				  CONSEQUENCES.)
B. CITATION PLACED ON THE ACCREDITATION RECORD WITH NO
				  IMMEDIATE ACTION TO DOWNGRADE THE ACCREDITATION STATUS
1. Multiple Letters of Warning
Multiple and/or repeated violations as outlined in Section A
				  above may result in a recommendation for a citation to be placed on the
				  district's Accreditation Record Summary. The Office of Accreditation will note
				  the citation of noncompliance on the district's accreditation record and notify
				  the superintendent of this action. No immediate action to downgrade the
				  district accreditation status will be recommended. This citation will remain on
				  record until the district has
successfully
completed the next
				  scheduled administration of the same test for which the irregularity was
				  originally verified.
The Office of Student Assessment may recommend to the
				  Commission on School Accreditation that the school's annual performance
				  classification include the label School in Violation of Test Security.
2. Substantial Probability That the Security, Accuracy,
				  or Validity of the Test Results Has Been Jeopardized
If a verified violation has resulted in a substantial
				  probability that the security, accuracy, or validity of the test results has
				  been jeopardized, the Office of Student Assessment will issue written
				  notification to the district superintendent. The Office of Student Assessment
				  will note the violation on the School and/or District Assessment Record and
				  notify the Office of Accreditation.
The Office of Accreditation will note the citation of
				  noncompliance on the district's accreditation record and notify the
				  superintendent of this action. No immediate action to downgrade the district
				  accreditation status will be recommended. This citation will remain on record
				  until the district has
successfully
completed the next scheduled
				  administration of the
same test
for which the irregularity was
				  originally verified. For example, if the citation is issued for the December
				  Subject Area Administration of the U.S. History Test, the next scheduled
				  administration for the same test will be the December Subject Area
				  administration the following year.
The Office of Student Assessment may submit a recommendation
				  to the Commission on School Accreditation that the school's annual performance
				  classification include the label School in Violation of Test Security.
C. CITATION PLACED ON THE ACCREDITATION RECORD THAT MAY
				  RESULT IN IMMEDIATE ACTION TO DOWNGRADE OF ACCREDITATION STATUS
If it is determined that a violation of a testing requirement
				  jeopardizes the security and integrity of the test(s) or the accuracy of test
				  results, the Office of Student Assessment will issue written notification of
				  the violation to the superintendent of the school district and to the Office of
				  Accreditation.
The Office of Accreditation will note the citation of
				  noncompliance on the district's Accreditation Record Summary and notify the
				  superintendent of this action. The citation of noncompliance will be presented
				  to the Commission on School Accreditation for appropriate action. This citation
				  will remain on record until the district has successfully completed the next
				  scheduled administration of the same test for which the irregularity was
				  originally verified. For example, if the citation is issued for the December
				  Subject Area Administration of the U.S. History Test, the next scheduled
				  administration for the same test will be the December Subject Area
				  administration the following year.
The Office of Student Assessment may recommend to the
				  Commission on School Accreditation that the school's annual performance
				  classification includes the label of School in Violation of Test
				  Security.
D. INVALIDATION OF SCORES
1. Student Retest and Score Invalidation
				  Procedure
In the case of findings that reveal misconduct at the
				  District or school level, the State Superintendent of Education may order the
				  local school district to have students retake the examination(s) at the
				  district's expense for all areas in question. Should the local district choose
				  not to have students re-examined to establish validity, the State
				  Superintendent of Education will have the authority to have affected scores
				  invalidated. At such time, the local district will be notified.
A school will not receive a school performance classification
				  if the test data have been invalidated, and the school performance
				  classification will be noted as Test Data Invalidated. (See Accreditation
				  Policy 3.3.) In the case that the Office of Student Assessment has requested
				  the district superintendent ask for the invalidation of a student's (or
				  students') suspect scores based upon the analyses by the data forensics company
				  and the refusal to do so by the district superintendent, the State
				  Superintendent will have the authority to have suspect score(s) invalidated. At
				  such time, the local district will be notified.
2. Individual Irregularity Procedure
If there is evidence of a nature that confirms one (1) or
				  more individual testing irregularities on the Subject Area Tests or other tests
				  that have high stakes consequences for individual student(s) resulting in the
				  student or students not being able to graduate in the current school year, the
				  individual(s) in question shall be notified in writing of the irregularity by
				  the district superintendent and given an opportunity to provide an explanation
				  and evidence that the questioned score(s) is/are consistent with other test
				  scores or other academic performance. If retesting of individuals on the test
				  is required and the retesting yields scores that would deny students a diploma
				  or affect promotion/retention decisions after all retesting opportunities have
				  been exhausted, affected individuals will be given an opportunity to appeal to
				  the State Board of Education the decision to invalidate their original scores
				  on the test. No hearing will be granted to any student who has not completed
				  all other requirements for graduation or promotion and exhausted all retake
				  opportunities.
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