Mississippi Administrative Code › Title 7 - Education K-12 › Part 109 - Student Assessment Handbook › Chapter 4 - Testing Irregularities and Consequences › Appendix 7-109-4-B - Roles and Responsibilities

Current through June 25, 2024
All individuals in the testing community play a vital role in
				  helping to maintain a secure testing environment at every level from test
				  development through scoring and reporting. The following are hand outs of the
				  duties of these key test site personnel:
A. District Test Coordinator
B. School Test Coordinator
C. Test Administrator
D. Test Proctor
E. Student
F. Hall Monitor
G. Test Auditor
The district test coordinator is to guide in the local
				  administration, reporting, and interpretation of tests and other accountability
				  measures. Maintaining test security is a major responsibility of the district
				  test coordinator. The district test coordinator shall:
1. Ensure that a District Test Security Plan for the school
				  district is developed and disseminated to each school no later two weeks prior
				  to the first fall testing administration of each year. A schedule of the state
				  test administration dates for the school year is to be shared with teachers,
				  students, and parents;
2. Ensure that all eligible students are assessed;
3. Account to the Office of Student Assessment for all test
				  materials received and secure all test materials in a locked facility;
4. Prohibit the reproduction of all or any part of the
				  tests;
5. Prohibit their employees from disclosing the content of,
				  or specific items contained in, the tests to persons other than authorized
				  employees of the school system;
6. Develop local policies and procedures to ensure maximum
				  test security in coordination with the policies and procedures developed by the
				  test publisher;
7. Designate the personnel who are authorized to have access
				  to test materials;
8. Conduct audits periodically to ensure that proper test
				  administration sessions are being held;
9. Ensure that the security of test materials and the
				  integrity of the Mississippi Statewide Assessment System are maintained at all
				  times;
10. Ensure that test administrators at each school are
				  licensed school district or school personnel who have received professional
				  training annually in education and the Mississippi Statewide Assessment
				  System;
11. Provide guidance to the School Test Coordinator at each
				  school in understanding his/her duties and responsibilities related to the
				  state testing program and the implementation of state tests;
12. Oversee the planning and implementation of training for
				  school-level test coordinators, test administrators, proctors and hall
				  monitors;
13. Ensure that each school test coordinator and test
				  administrator is trained in the implementation of testing accommodations used
				  with students with disabilities and students identified as limited English
				  proficient;
14. Assure that each school establishes procedures to ensure
				  that all stake holders comply with the test publisher guidelines;
15. Inform personnel that any person who learns of any breach
				  of security, loss of test materials, failure to account for test materials, or
				  any other deviation from required security procedures shall immediately report
				  that information to the district test coordinator;
16. Make a determination about the seriousness of reports of
				  breaches of test security, loss of test materials, failure to account for test
				  materials, unauthorized reproduction or retention of test materials, or any
				  other deviation from required security procedures;
17. Declare a test administration as an invalidation using
				  the appropriate procedures and documentation;
18. Report all testing irregularities to the Office of
				  Student Assessment using the appropriate procedures and documentation;
				  and
19. Report his/her determination and personnel action taken
				  to the local board of education, the Office of Student Assessment, and the
				  Office of Educator Licensure.
The assistant district test coordinator is to assist in the
				  district test coordinator in the administration, reporting, and interpretation
				  of tests and other accountability measures. The assistant district test
				  coordinator assumes all duties and responsibilities in the event the district
				  test coordinator is absent. The assistant district test coordinator
				  shall:
1. Ensure that a District Test Security Plan for the school
				  district is developed and disseminated to each school no later two weeks prior
				  to the first fall testing administration of each year. A schedule of the state
				  test administration dates for the school year is to be shared with teachers,
				  students, and parents;
2. Ensure that all eligible students are assessed;
3. Account to the Office of Student Assessment for all test
				  materials received and secure all test materials in a locked facility;
4. Prohibit the reproduction of all or any part of the
				  tests;
5. Prohibit their employees from disclosing the content of,
				  or specific items contained in, the tests to persons other than authorized
				  employees of the school system;
6. Develop local policies and procedures to ensure maximum
				  test security in coordination with the policies and procedures developed by the
				  test publisher;
7. Designate the personnel who are authorized to have access
				  to test materials;
8. Conduct audits periodically to ensure that proper test
				  administration sessions are being held;
9. Ensure that the security of test materials and the
				  integrity of the Mississippi Statewide Assessment System are maintained at all
				  times;
10. Ensure that test administrators at each school are school
				  district or school personnel who have professional training in education and
				  the Mississippi Statewide Assessment System;
11. Assist the School Test Coordinator at each school in
				  understanding his/her duties and responsibilities related to the state testing
				  program and the implementation of state tests;
12. Oversee the planning and implementation of training for
				  school-level test coordinators, test administrators, and proctors;
13. Ensure that each school-level test coordinator and test
				  administrator is trained in the implementation of testing accommodations used
				  with students with disabilities and students identified as limited English
				  proficient;
14. Assure that each school establishes procedures to ensure
				  that all test administrators comply with the test publisher guidelines;
15. Make a determination about the seriousness of reports of
				  breaches of test security, loss of test materials, failure to account for test
				  materials, unauthorized reproduction or retention of test materials, or any
				  other deviation from required security procedures;
16. Declare a test administration as an invalidation using
				  the appropriate procedures and documentation;
17. Report all testing irregularities to the Office of
				  Student Assessment using the appropriate procedures and documentation;
				  and
18. Report his/her determination and personnel action taken
				  to the local board of education and the Office of Student Assessment.
The school designee shall serve as school test coordinator.
				  The school test coordinator is to guide in the school administration,
				  reporting, and interpretation of tests and other accountability measures. The
				  school test coordinator shall:
1. Maintain test material security and accountability of test
				  materials, store test materials in a secure, locked area;
2. Allow test materials to be distributed immediately prior
				  to the test administration;
3. Accurately count and distribute test materials required
				  for the test administrations at the school before each test administration.
				  Immediately after each test administration, test materials must be collected,
				  counted, and returned to the secure, locked storage area;
4. Maintain the confidentiality of individual student scores
				  when reporting test results to the public and the media;
5. Encourage a positive atmosphere for the test
				  administrations;
6. Adhere to the District Test Security Plan, School Test
				  Security Plan, Test Administrators Manuals and test administration schedules
				  established by the Office of Student Assessment;
7. Attend training sessions sponsored by the district test
				  coordinator on the policies and procedures for handling secure test materials,
				  conducting a proper test administration, editing and processing test
				  materials;
8. Train all school personnel on the appropriate use of test
				  materials, test security,
Mississippi Public School Accountability
				  Standards, 2012
, Appendix F, and the Mississippi Educator Code of
				  Ethics;
9. Emphasize to all school personnel that no person may copy,
				  reproduce, or paraphrase in any manner or for any reason the test
				  materials;
10. Inform personnel that any person who learns of any breach
				  of security, loss of test materials, failure to account for test materials, or
				  any other deviation from required security procedures shall immediately report
				  that information to the school test coordinator and the district test
				  coordinator;
11. Select test administrators who are school district or
				  school personnel who have professional training in education and the
				  Mississippi Statewide Assessment System;
12. Assign trained proctors to test administrations who are
				  responsible adults from community volunteers, school staff, or district
				  staff;
13. Implement the school system's testing policies and
				  procedures and establish any needed school policies and procedures to assure
				  that all eligible students are tested;
14. Report all testing irregularities to the district test
				  coordinator using the appropriate procedures and documentation;
15. Report all testing irregularities to the Office of
				  Student Assessment using the appropriate procedures and documentation;
				  and
16. Report all testing irregularities to the Office of
				  Student Assessment using the appropriate procedures and documentation when
				  necessary; and
17. Return all test materials to the district test
				  coordinator, as directed, immediately following the completion of the test
				  administration.
The school designee shall serve as assistant school test
				  coordinator. The Assistant District Test Coordinator assumes all duties and
				  responsibilities in the event the School Test Coordinator is absent. The
				  Assistant School Test Coordinator shall:
1. Maintain test material security and accountability of test
				  materials, store test materials in a secure, locked area;
2. Allow test materials to be distributed immediately prior
				  to the test administration;
3. Accurately count and distribute test materials required
				  for the test administrations at the school before each test administration.
				  Immediately after each test administration, test materials must be collected,
				  counted, and returned to the secure, locked storage area;
4. Maintain the confidentiality of individual student scores
				  when reporting test results to the public and the media;
5. Encourage a positive atmosphere for the test
				  administrations;
6. Adhere to the District Test Security Plan, School Test
				  Security Plan, Test Administrators Manuals and test administration schedules
				  established by the Office of Student Assessment;
7. Attend training sessions sponsored by the district test
				  coordinator on the policies and procedures for handling secure test materials,
				  conducting a proper test administration, editing and processing test
				  materials;
8. Train all school personnel on the appropriate use of test
				  materials, test security,
Mississippi Public School Accountability
				  Standards, 2012
, Appendix F, and the Mississippi Educator Code of
				  Ethics;
9. Emphasize to all school personnel that no person may copy,
				  reproduce, or paraphrase in any manner or for any reason the test
				  materials;
10. Inform personnel that any person who learns of any breach
				  of security, loss of test materials, failure to account for test materials, or
				  any other deviation from required security procedures shall immediately report
				  that information to the school test coordinator and the district test
				  coordinator;
11. Select test administrators who are school district or
				  school personnel who have professional training in education and the
				  Mississippi Statewide Assessment System;
12. Assign trained proctors to test administrations who are
				  responsible adults from community volunteers, school staff, or district
				  staff;
13. Implement the school system's testing policies and
				  procedures and establish any needed school policies and procedures to assure
				  that all eligible students are tested;
14. Report all testing irregularities to the district test
				  coordinator using the appropriate procedures and documentation;
15. Report all testing irregularities to the Office of
				  Student Assessment using the appropriate procedures and documentation;
				  and
16. Report all testing irregularities to the Office of
				  Student Assessment using the appropriate procedures and documentation when
				  necessary; and
17. Return all test materials to the district test
				  coordinator, as directed, immediately following the completion of the test
				  administration.
Only employees of the school district are permitted to
				  administer secure state tests. While the Test Administrator's Manual for each
				  assessment outlines the full test administrator responsibilities, those
				  specifically related to test security are provided below. The test
				  administrator shall:
1. Attend a test administration training session prior to
				  each test administration conducted by the school system or school test
				  coordinator and, if applicable, a training session on the use of
				  accommodations;
2. Maintain test security at all times during the handling of
				  test materials;
3. Account for and record the number of secure test
				  materials;
4. Administer the test to all eligible students;
5. Conduct an unbiased administration of the tests according
				  to the
Mississippi Public School Accountability Standards,
				  2012
, Appendix F and directions in the Test Administrator's Manual and
				  any subsequent updates developed by the Office of Student Assessment;
6. Follow appropriate procedures when providing
				  accommodations to students with disabilities and students identified as limited
				  English proficient, if applicable, as outlined in the
Mississippi
				  Testing Accommodations Manual
;
7. Assist students with emergencies (including restroom
				  emergencies) during the test administration;
8. Remain in the room throughout the entire test
				  administration unless there is an emergency; if there is an emergency it is
				  most appropriate to request assistance from the hall monitor;
9. Read the directions in the Test Administrator's Manual and
				  any subsequent updates developed by the Office of Student Assessment to the
				  students as written;
10. Provide a positive test-taking environment;
11. Follow the procedures established by the district test
				  coordinator for returning all used and unused testing materials, blank paper,
				  and supplemental materials;
12. Securely review and edit student answer sheets to prepare
				  for machine scoring. Test administrators shall not, at any time, modify,
				  change, alter, erase, or tamper with student responses on the answer sheets/
				  performance test books;
13. Report all testing irregularities to the school test
				  coordinator and/or principal using the appropriate procedures and
				  documentation; and
14. Report all testing irregularities to the Office of
				  Student Assessment using the appropriate procedures and documentation when
				  necessary.
Proctors shall serve as additional monitors to help the test
				  administrator ensure that testing occurs fairly and uniformly. A proctor shall
				  be assigned regardless of the number of students being tested. Proctors may not
				  assist students in choosing responses to test questions or, at any time,
				  modify, change, alter, erase, or tamper with student responses to test
				  questions. At no time shall proctors be responsible for reading directions or
				  otherwise providing information for the test administration to students.
				  Proctors maintain test security through working directly with the test
				  administrator. The proctor shall:
1. Attend the appropriate test administration training
				  session prior to each test administration;
2. Work with the test administrator to ensure that
				  distractions and interruptions during the test administration are
				  minimized;
3. Remain in the room throughout the entire test
				  administration unless there is an emergency;
4. Assist the test administrator in maintaining test
				  security;
5. Assist the test administrator in maintaining order in the
				  classroom;
6. Follow appropriate test administration procedures;
7. Follow appropriate procedures when providing
				  accommodations to students with disabilities and students identified as limited
				  English proficient, if applicable;
8. Assist students with emergencies (including restroom
				  emergencies) during the test administration; and
9. Report all testing irregularities to the school test
				  coordinator and/or principal using the appropriate procedures and
				  documentation; and
10. Report all testing irregularities to the Office of
				  Student Assessment using the appropriate procedures and documentation.
Any student who is participating in any part of the
				  Mississippi Statewide Assessment System should be encouraged to adhere to
				  ethical and honorable conduct. The student shall:
1. Have their identity confirmed by school personnel or
				  present one form of personal photo identification if they are not known by the
				  Test Administrator or other individuals involved in the process, such as the
				  classroom teacher or school counselor;
2. Submit to physical monitoring at all times during exam
				  administration as well as monitoring of exam response data;
3. Hold all exam content in confidence indefinitely;
4. Refrain from the following forms of exam misconduct
				  :
a. Accessing materials known or represented to be active exam
				  content prior to testing;
b. Possessing in the testing area, writing materials,
				  cameras, PDAs, personal computers brought to the testing room, tablets,
				  communication devices such as telephones or pagers, reference materials, or
				  non-approved calculators;
c. Communicating about test content with other students
				  either in the testing area or in any other location;
d. Recording or memorizing exam content;
e. Disrupting other test-takers or the testing
				  process;
f. Violating or attempting to violate published exam retake
				  rules;
5. Submit, if misconduct is detected, to reasonable requests
				  for the production of information and materials;
6. Abide by local school board or MDE determinations
				  regarding alleged misconduct;
7. Abide by all sanctions imposed by local school boards or
				  the MDE for misconduct or any other violation of these testing rules.
Hall Monitors shall serve as additional monitors to help the
				  school test coordinators, test administrator and proctor ensure that testing
				  occurs fairly and uniformly. A hall monitor shall be assigned regardless of the
				  number of students being tested.
1. Attend the appropriate test administration training
				  session prior to each test administration;
2. Hall Monitors serve as escorts for students during
				  restroom breaks, substitutes for test administrators and proctors as
				  needed;
3. Hall monitors help maintain test security through
				  observation of the testing area from outside of the testing area;
4. Report all testing irregularities to the school test
				  coordinator and/or principal using the appropriate procedures and
				  documentation; and
5. Report all testing irregularities to the Office of Student
				  Assessment using the appropriate procedures and documentation.
The auditor
must be able to view the testing
				  area
to inspect the walls, spacing of students, notice the possibility
				  of prohibited electronic devices (cell phones, IPODs, blue tooth ear pieces,
				  etc.,), ensure book bags are in a location away from students, and monitor
				  testing procedures. Before entering a classroom you must make sure that your
				  presence in the room will not cause undue stress on any students with emotional
				  problems. It is not within the auditor's authority to become a part of the test
				  administration process; you are there only to observe. There may be other
				  circumstances that will require the auditor's presence in the room for the
				  entire test administration or extended periods of the test
				  administration.
1. Test audits can be stressful for district personnel.
				  Auditors are to be helpful, courteous, and supportive as appropriate. As you
				  talk to school and district personnel, your responsibility is to ensure that
				  all stakeholders maintain the security of the tests and that each
				  administration is equitable for all students.
2. All Mississippi Department of Education auditors must wear
				  their identification badges. School district personnel report to MDE if badges
				  are not worn and visible.
3. Immediately upon arrival, the auditor must request that
				  the superintendent, district test coordinator (DTC), and principal be notified
				  of his/her presence in the district. Record the name and title of the person
				  you ask to make the contacts.
4. The auditor must request to see the School Test
				  Coordinator.
5. Arrive at the school no later than 7:45 in time to observe
				  testing materials being distributed to test administrators. In the event you
				  are scheduled to audit two schools, you are not expected to observe this
				  process at the second school. You should observe the collection of
				  materials.
6. Before leaving the school the auditor must request a copy
				  of the district and/or school test security plans; a copy of the training
				  agenda, sign-in sheets, seating chart/s and a copy of the testing
				  schedule.
7. If the auditor observes a possible testing violation about
				  to occur (such as materials left unattended, clues left on the walls, or a test
				  about to be administered off schedule), the auditor should intervene to point
				  out the discrepancy to district/school personnel before the violation has
				  occurred. If it is not possible this should be noted in the auditor's
				  report.