Mississippi Administrative Code › Title 7 - Education K-12 › Part 109 - Student Assessment Handbook › Chapter 1 - Fundamentals of Student Assessment

Current through June 25, 2024
An introduction to student assessment policies and
				procedures in Mississippi
It is the policy of the Mississippi State Board of Education
				that all test procedures and results used in the Mississippi Statewide
				Assessment System and/or the Performance-Based 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 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 Sections
				37-16-1,
				37-16-3,
				and
				37-16-4,
				Mississippi Code of 1972, as amended,
Mississippi Public School
				Accountability Standards, Requirements of the Mississippi Statewide Assessment
				System, Appendix F, Standard 22
.
This Student Assessment Handbook includes definitions,
				policies, and procedures for the regulation of all aspects of assessing
				students using the Mississippi Statewide Assessment System, including test
				security and exam administration. The Student Assessment Handbook provides
				guidance, documentation, and actionable objectives. It can serve as a resource
				for structuring and improving operational aspects of all state-wide assessment
				programs on the district and school levels.
The Student Assessment Handbook may be used to train district,
				school, and volunteer staff and as a reference to structure roles,
				responsibilities, and performance expectations. Among other things, the
				elements of this handbook are intended to provide a set of best practice
				guidelines in test administration, test security, greater protection of MDE
				intellectual property, reduce test fraud and theft, and to maintain high
				program standards and integrity. This Student Assessment Handbook has been
				approved by Mississippi State Board of Education and will be reviewed and
				revised as needed.
Organization of the Student Assessment
				Handbook
Each chapter of the Student Assessment Handbook will start with
				an introduction of the global themes related to that topic. Definitions
				pertinent to that subject matter will then be given. As applicable there will
				be sections titled "Additional Guidance from Appendix F on ..." . These
				sections will take language directly from
Mississippi Public School
				Accountability Standards,
requirements of the Mississippi Statewide
				Assessment System, Appendix F, Standard 22, which guides all test security
				practices. The Student Assessment Handbook will conclude with an Appendix
				policies and documents related to test security in use by the Office of Student
				Assessment. This is done in an effort to combine all of the policies and
				procedures for test security into one central document.
Code of Ethics
In addition to the requirements put forth in Appendix F of the
Mississippi Public School Accountability Standards,
the
Mississippi Educator Code of Ethics: Standards of Conduct
addresses appropriate professional practices for district office personnel,
				school administrators, test coordinators, teachers, and proctors in the area of
				test security under Standard 9: Maintenance of Confidentiality.
Standard 9: Maintenance of
						  Confidentiality
An educator shall comply with state and federal laws
						  and local school board policies relating to confidentiality of student and
						  personnel records, standardized test material, and other information covered by
						  confidentiality agreements.
9.1. Ethical conduct includes, but is not limited
						  to, the following:
a. Keeping in confidence information about students
						  that has been obtained in the course of professional service unless disclosure
						  serves a legitimate purpose or is required by law.
b. Maintaining diligently the security of standardized
						  test supplies and resources.
9.2. Unethical conduct includes, but is not
						  limited to, the following:
a. Sharing confidential information concerning student
						  academic and disciplinary records, health and medical information family
						  status/income and assessment/testing results unless disclosure is required or
						  permitted by law.
b. Violating confidentiality agreements related to
						  standardized testing including copying or teaching identified test items,
						  publishing or distributing test items or answers, discussing test items, and
						  violating local school board or state directions for the use of tests.
c. Violating other confidentiality agreements required
						  by state or local policy.
Conflict of Interest
Test Administrators may not use their knowledge of MDE
				Assessment Program content to violate the security and integrity of the MDE
				exams through acts of coaching (as defined in Chapter 4), or other prohibited
				actions.
Definitions
A. Secure test materials include certain test
			 administrator manuals, test booklets, answer documents, and other materials as
			 specified by the Office of Student Assessment.
B. Test Administrator Manuals (TAM) are
			 published by the testing company and the Office of Student Assessment for each
			 administration of each test in the Mississippi Statewide Assessment System.
			 They are unique to each testing administration and must therefore be studied by
			 each person responsible for giving the test. (ex. Biology I Subject Area Test
			 Administrator Manual used in September will not necessarily be the same as the
			 one used for the December administration.)
C. The District Test Coordinator (DTC) serves
			 as the lead role in maintaining a secure testing environment throughout the
			 district, and is responsible for developing the district test security plan,
			 providing guidance to the STC in regards to developing a school test security
			 plan, conducting training for district staff, and ensures that the school
			 district follows Appendix F and the Student Assessment Handbook guidelines. An
			 expanded list of the role and responsibilities of the DTC is provided in
			 Chapter 3.
D. The Assistant
			 District Test Coordinator (ADTC) serves as the DTC's assistant in maintaining a
			 secure testing environment at the District level, attends training conducted by
			 the DTC, assumes the DTC's duties and responsibilities in the event of the
			 DTC's absence and ensures that the district follows Appendix F and the Student
			 Assessment Handbook guidelines. An expanded list of the role and
			 responsibilities of the ADTC is provided in Chapter 3.
E. The School Test Coordinator (STC) serves
			 as the lead role in maintaining a secure testing environment at the school
			 level, attends training conducted by the DTC, trains school level test
			 administrators and proctors as directed by the DTC, and ensures that the school
			 follows Appendix F and the Student Assessment Handbook guidelines. An expanded
			 list of the role and responsibilities of the STC is provided in Chapter 3.
The principal should not serve as their School Test
						  Coordinator. {MS Code 37-9 -7, 37-9 -15, and 37-19 -1(c)}
F. The
			 Assistant School Test Coordinator (ASTC) serves as the STC's assistant in
			 maintaining a secure testing environment at the school level, attends training
			 conducted by the DTC, trains school level test administrators and proctors as
			 directed by the STC, assumes the STC's duties and responsibilities in the event
			 of the STC's absence and ensures that the school follows Appendix F and the
			 Student Assessment Handbook guidelines. An expanded list of the role and
			 responsibilities of the ASTC is provided in Chapter 3.
G. The Test Administrator is a licensed
			 employee of the district who serves as the lead role in maintaining a secure
			 testing environment during test administrations, attends training conducted by
			 the DTC or STC, monitors the testing session, ensures testing procedures are
			 followed before, during, and after testing sessions, and becomes very familiar
			 with regulations and procedures set forth in the district and school test
			 security plans and the Test Administrator Manual. An expanded list of the role
			 and responsibilities of the Test Administrator is provided in Chapter
			 3.
H. The Proctor attends training
			 conducted by the DTC or STC, assists the Test Administrator in the monitoring
			 of the test session, and ensures testing procedures are followed before,
			 during, and after testing sessions. An expanded list of the role and
			 responsibilities of the proctor is provided in Chapter 3.
I. The Test-Taker is either a student
			 currently enrolled in the district or a former student, who will participate in
			 a test administration. For the purpose of this edition of the Student
			 Assessment Handbook, test-taker will be used in place of student.
Resources from the Office of Student
				Assessment
The Office of Student Assessment strives to support districts,
				schools, and students in their efforts to participate in all areas of the
				Mississippi State Wide Assessment System. Below is a list of resources
				available:
A.
			 Website-www.mde.k12.ms.us/osa [File Link Not Available] has pages for each of
			 the assessments as well as other related links.
B. SharePoint- SharePoint is an online file
			 sharing program. This is where OSA stores all of its documents and resources.
			 Some, like the test administrator manuals and sample tests, are for public
			 access. Others, like the DTC resources and the district files, require a log-in
			 and password. These are given to the superintendent and the DTC by
			 OSA.
C. iTunes U -The Mississippi
			 Department of Education has training videos archived at iTunes U. This program
			 is a free download and anyone may watch the videos.
D. Monthly Webinar- OSA conducts a webinar
			 each month for DTCs to keep them up-to-date on all of the testing
			 programs.
E. 2012-2013 SATP2
Resource Packet for Prospective Graduates-
This information packet
			 outlines many of the resources provided to senior students, and it includes
			 several quick references which you should find helpful like the passing scores
			 and proficiency level cut scores for all exams (old and new curriculums). It
			 also provides answers to the most frequently asked questions regarding these
			 tests and student options.
F.
			 Mississippi Statewide Assessment System Table 1
Table 1 Mississippi Statewide Assessment
				System
Test Name
Given
Type of Administrations
About
Mississippi Curriculum
Test-2nd Edition
(MCT2)
Grades 3-8
CDl
Paper/Pencil
Assesses all students in grades 3-8 in Reading, Language
						Arts, and Math.
Mississippi Science Test-
						2nd Edition (MST2)
Grade 5 and Grade 8
B
Computer
Assesses students in grades 5 and 8 in the area of
						science.
Mississippi Alternate Assessment of Extended
						Curriculum Frameworks (MAAECF)
Grades 3-8 and Grade 12
EQ
Paper/Pencil
a
Computer
Serves as an alternate assessment of the MCT2, MST2, and
						the SATP2 for students with significant cognitive disabilities.
Subject Area Test
Program-2nd Edition
(SATP2)
End of Course
CDl
Paper/Pencil
B
Computer
Is a collection of end of course assessments that include
						Algebra I, English II, Biology I, and U.S. History. Passage of these
						assessments is a graduation requirement.
National Assessment for Educational Progress
						(NAEP)
Grades 4, 8, & 12 for selected schools
CDl
Paper/Pencil
NAEP assessments are conducted periodically in
						mathematics, reading, science, writing, the arts, civics, economics, geography,
						U.S. History, and beginning in 2014, in Technology and Engineering Literacy
						(TEL).
English Language Proficiency Test (WIDA)
Kindergarte n Grade 12
EQ
Paper/Pencil
English language proficiency assessment given to
						Kindergarten through 12th graders who have been identified as English language
						learners (ELLs).
Mississippi Career Planning and Assessment System
						(MS-CPAS)
Grades 9-12 for students entering vocational programs.
B
Computer
It is a vocational assessment used to provide a fair means
						of establishing accountability for both the secondary and postsecondary
						vocational programs.
Mississippi Writing Assessment Program - 3 
						rd Edition (MWAP3)
English II Re-Tests
EQ
Paper/Pencil
Serves as a re-test option for students who were enrolled
						in English II prior to the 2012-2013 school year who must pass in order to
						fulfill graduation requirements.
Subject Area Alternative Test Program (SAATP)
End of Course
EQ
Paper/Pencil
Serves as an alternate assessment of the SATP for students
						who are pursuing a regular high school diploma and who meet the qualifications.
Eligible Students
All eligible students must be tested. (SB Policies 3600, 3800,
				7220, and 7601) {MS Code 37-16-3(2)} Eligible students refers to the total
				number of students in membership who are required to take the specified test as
				outlined in the Mississippi Statewide Assessment System, including students
				with disabilities and students who are English Language Learners. This includes
				assessing students through
* the standard test administration,
* the standard test administration with accommodations,
				and
* the state-designated alternate assessment such as the
				Mississippi Assessment of Alternate Assessment of Extended Curriculum
				Frameworks (MAAECF) and the Subject Area Alternative Assessment
Accommodations must be provided as stated in the student's
				current IEP, Section 504 Plan, or the student's Language Services Plan and in
				accordance with the
Mississippi Testing Accommodations Manual
,
				located atwww.mde.k12.ms.us/osa. [File Link Not Available]
Additional Guidelines from Appendix F for Identifying
				Eligible Students