West Virginia Code of State Rules › Agency 126 - Education › Title 126 - LEGISLATIVE RULE BOARD OF EDUCATION › Series 126-014 - West Virginia Measures of Academic Progress (2340) › Appendix A

Current through Register Vol. XLI, No. 28, July 12, 2024
Testing Code of Ethics
The Testing Code of Ethics addresses special concerns
				  regarding appropriate professional practices within the WV-MAP, as well as
				  appropriate professional conduct. The Testing Code of Ethics supplements the
				  practices and procedures set forth by Policy 2340.
ETHICAL TESTING PRACTICES
Test Security
1. County school personnel shall establish and implement
				  procedures to ensure maximum test security and limit access of secure materials
				  to applicable county/school personnel.
2. Apart from the scheduled test administration to students,
				  secure test materials shall be stored in a locked and secured location by the
				  county test coordinator in accordance with the test administration guidelines
				  of each assessment.
3. The county test coordinator shall be responsible for the
				  test booklets/answer sheets received by the county and shall maintain a record
				  of the booklets sent to each school in accordance with the test administration
				  guidelines of each assessment.
4. Before each test administration, materials must be
				  distributed and stored according to instructions provided with the test. Tests
				  must be secured at all times during test administration, including all breaks
				  in the testing sequence. All test booklets (used and unused) and answer sheets,
				  if applicable, must be counted, reconciled, and returned to a locked and
				  secured area immediately upon the completion of each daily testing
				  session.
5. Secure test materials in a school must be stored in a
				  locked and secured location(s) before and after each daily testing session.
				  Secure test materials are to be stored in the building before and after testing
				  in accordance with the test administration guidelines of each assessment.
				  Testing, including makeups, must occur during the testing window. Access to
				  test booklets and answer sheets shall be restricted to the scheduled dates of
				  test administration.
6. Any allegations of cheating, security breach, testing
				  administration breach, copyright infringement, loss of materials, or other
				  deviation from acceptable and ethical security procedures shall be reported
				  immediately to the principal, county test coordinator, county superintendent,
				  and the WVDE. The WVDE shall report allegations to the State Superintendent
				  according to the protocol outlined in this policy.
7. No secure test materials, test questions, or student
				  responses/answer sheets shall be reviewed, retained, reproduced, paraphrased,
				  or discussed in any manner. Additionally, teachers and/or students may not
				  alert examinees to the correct answer choice by any means, including but not
				  limited to, pointing to the correct answer, eliminating answer choices, or
				  mouthing the correct answer.
8. Personnel responsible for the testing program shall
				  participate in the training for each assessment's appropriate test
				  administration procedures as outlined in Appendices B-H.
9. Each county test coordinator shall complete each required
				  WVDE assessment training and sign a County Test Coordinator's Secure Materials
				  and Test Procedures Agreement (Appendix B). The agreements shall be filed at
				  the WVDE before access to secure test materials is provided.
10. Each county technology coordinator shall complete each
				  required WVDE assessment training and sign a WVDE/County/School Technology
				  Personnel Secure Materials and Test Procedures Agreement (Appendix H). The
				  agreement shall be on file with the county test coordinator before access to
				  secure test materials is provided.
11. Principals shall complete each required county test
				  coordinator's assessment training and sign a Principal's/Secure Materials and
				  Test Procedures Agreement (Appendix D). The agreement shall be on file with the
				  county test coordinator before access to secure test materials is
				  provided.
12. School test coordinators shall complete each required
				  county test coordinator's training and sign School Test Coordinator's Security
				  Agreement and Test Procedures (Appendix E). The agreement shall be on file with
				  the county test coordinator before access to secure test materials is
				  provided.
13. Any individual who administers, handles, or has access to
				  secure test materials at the county or school shall complete each required
				  assessment's training and sign the appropriate training verification form to
				  remain on file in the appropriate office each year.
14. No one shall compromise test security or the accuracy of
				  the test data and results by manipulating the test administration, test
				  equipment, demographic data, or the students' answers or data.
15. Student test scores or test performance shall not be
				  disclosed to unauthorized persons as per the FERPA, the Student DATA Act,
				  Policy 4350, the WVDE Data Access and Management Guidance, and Policy
				  2340.
Test Administration
1. Tests shall be administered only during the testing window
				  established by the WVBE, except when requested, in writing, by the county
				  superintendent and county test coordinator and subsequently approved by the
				  WVDE.
2. Examiners of standardized tests shall rigorously follow
				  the appropriate administrative procedures as directed in the test's
				  administration manual(s).
3. All examiners shall strive to create a positive testing
				  environment.
4. Students shall not have access to secure test content and
				  materials.
5. Examiners shall limit assistance to students to only those
				  issues concerning the mechanical aspects of selecting answers, clarifying
				  directions, and finding the right place on answer sheets or electronic display.
				  Examiners shall not indicate answers, point out the rationale of an item, or
				  prompt students in any manner.
6. Students, examiners, and technology specialists shall be
				  monitored to ensure that appropriate test-taking procedures and test security
				  measures are followed.
7. Specific instructional information, as specified in the
				  test manuals, shall not be displayed in the room during test
				  administration.
8. Only references or tools specifically designated in test
				  manuals are provided to students.
9. Accommodations, as appropriate, for students with IEPs,
				  Section 504 Plans, or EL Plans shall be provided as established by their
				  respective plans.
10. An examiner shall not administer tests to family members
				  or individuals living in the same household.
11. Appropriate test preparation is recommended and may
				  include the use of diagnostic and interim assessments, the formative assessment
				  process, standards-focused instruction, and the development of study skills and
				  test-taking strategies.
Test Notification
Students and parents/guardians shall be:
a. given notification before testing;
b. provided information on the purposes and descriptions of
				  the test and uses of the test results; and
c. encouraged to follow test preparation
				  procedures.