Kansas Test Security and Ethics

1. KansasTest Security and Ethics Kansas Assessment Program Training Course For New District Test Coordinators 2019-2020

2. DTC Completion and Verification of Training • All District Test Coordinators (DTCs) in Kansas must participate in one online Test Security and Ethics training module yearly. • All DTCs must provide Verification of Training and Agreement to adhering to policies and practices outlined in the training using a secure website to obtain sign-off verification link. • All DTCs must complete the training module and sign off on or before November 8, 2019.

3. Online Training Options • Veteran DTCs – “refresher” version – this training is designed for those who have been a DTC for at least 3 years. • New DTC – complete training – this training is designed for DTCs who have 0 – 3 years experience as a DTC. • NOTE: An Optional Training Module Designed for DTCs to use with Educators is provided. This training can be adapted by the DTC for training in their district, but it does not fulfill the requirement for DTCs which are listed above. The slides for this training are provided at the end of this module.

4. New Test Coordinator Training Module • You have selected the: • New DTC – complete training – this training is designed for DTCs who have 0 – 3 years experience as a DTC. • If this training module description does not describe you, stop and download the training module for Veteran test coordinators. • If you are an educator, training will be provided by your DTC or BTC in your district.

5. Materials Needed • Prior to beginning the training you will need to download or have access to the following materials from the KSDE and or KAP website: • 2019-2020 Test Security and Ethics Fact Sheet • 2019-2020 Appropriate Testing Practices Fact Sheet • Kansas State Test Security Guidelines

6. Materials Needed • Prior to beginning the training you will need to download or have access to the following materials from the Kansas Assessment Program website www.ksassessments.org • 2019 – 2020 Kansas Assessment Program Overview (Testing Window Calendar) • Kansas Assessment Examiner’s Manual (KAEM) – Available January 3, 2020

7. Kansas State Test Security Guidelines • Please take time now to read the Test Security Guidelines.

8. KSDE Fact Sheets • Please take time now to read the: • 2019-2020 Test Security and Ethics Fact Sheet • provides an overview of the KSDE test security plan • indicates where to access the roles and responsibilities for the DTC, BTC, and test administrators in test security • tells how to report Testing Discrepancies and Potential Security Violations to KSDE • 2019-2020 Appropriate Testing Practices Fact Sheet • Acceptable practices for testing • Unacceptable practices for testing

9. Kansas Assessment Examiner’s Manual • The Kansas Assessment Examiner’s Manual (KAEM) will be available the first week of January on the www.ksassessments.org • Any staff member who administers or supports the administration of the state assessment must read the KAEM prior to administering the assessment. • Since this document is not available until January you will need to build this into your training plans and do a careful review of the manual.

10. Purpose • Test security is essential to obtain reliable and valid scores for accountability purposes. • Accordingly, the Department of Education must take every step to assure the security and confidentiality of the state test materials.

11. Purpose • Everyone who is involved in student testing, communicates results, and/or receives testing information is responsible for test security.

12. Purpose • All Kansas assessment programs must abide by test security and ethical testing practices. These programs include: • Kansas assessment summative tests in ELA, math and science • Kansas assessment predictive interim assessments in ELA and math • Kansas English Language Proficiency Assessment (KELPA) • cPass • DLM • note: additional training modules provided for staff administering DLM assessments

13. District Test Coordinator Responsibilities • Oversee test security for the entire district. • Establish and implement test security and ethics procedures for the district. • Train district and building-level personnel before testing begins, which includes training regarding test security procedures, ethics of testing, and reporting/documentation of accommodations. Refer to the KSDE Test Security Guidelines document for a complete list of responsibilities.

14. Security/Ethics Yearly Training • All district and/or building staff who administer or assist with administration of a state assessment must be trained yearly! • Must be an employee of the school system. • No volunteers, parents, etc. may administer a state assessment.

15. Documentation of Agreement • Any staff member who administers a state assessment must sign an agreement to adhere to Test Security and Ethical Testing Practices. • Written verification is needed for the protection of each teacher/proctor and the district. Districts may use “The Agreement to Abide by Guidelines” found in the KAEM, or a district may customize a form to meet their own needs.

16. Trained Personnel • District and Building-level personnel include any staff member who administers a state assessment, including administrators, educators, para educators, etc. • Parent volunteers may not administer a state assessment.

17. DTC Responsibilities: Training • You are responsible for training staff in your district. • You must document: • which individuals have received training, • when the training was provided, • and the way in which the training was provided. • Documentation must be kept at the district and the building level.

18. Required Training Topics The following topics must be included in the training provided by the DTC to BTCs and educators in your district: • KSDE Test Security Plan • District test security procedures • Roles and Responsibilities for DTC, BTC and or Educator/Test Proctor • Reporting Testing Discrepancies and Potential Violations (share both district and state responsibilities) • Reporting Item Issues (and PII) • Appropriate and Inappropriate Testing Practices • Monitor visits • Test Security Agreement to Abide by Guidelines and Sign off Refer to the KSDE Test Security Guidelines document Appendix for list of Required Topics

19. DTC Responsibilities: Kite Educator Portal • Establish procedures that determine who has access to information in Educator Portal and determine role assignments within the district. • Remove/inactivate users in Educator Portal for staff who have left the district and/or changed roles with the district; this task should be completed by the end of September.

20. DTC Responsibilities: Kite Educator Portal • Establish and describe processes that confirm that usernames and passwords in Educator Portal are exclusive to the user and rights permitted for that user. Usernames and passwords should not be shared or exchanged. • Confirm the individual Educator Portal role and sign a Security Agreement when logging into the Educator Portal site.

21. What is PII? • Personally identifiable information (PII) is any data that could potentially identify a specific individual. Any information that can be used to distinguish one person from another and can be used for de-anonymizing anonymous data can be considered PII. 

22. Personally Identifiable Information (PII) As the DTC, inform staff that personally identifiable information (PII) must not be conveyed when testing issues are reported. The documentation for Kansas regarding allowable identifiers in an email specify that only the Student State ID number and no other identifying details should be provided in an email.

23. When Contacting the Service Desk: Do not send any Personally Identifiable Information (PII) for a student via email. This is a federal violation of the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). PII includes such information as a student’s name, building name, or district name. Do send the student ID number, the test the students are taking (ELA, math, science, predictive interim, mini-test) and the error or concern you are reporting regarding the test taker.

24. Reporting Testing Discrepancies and Potential Security Violations to KSDE • It is the responsibility of the superintendent or their designee, on behalf of any and all school principals, to report in writing, all discrepancies in test material delivery and collection, as well as issues and concerns regarding potential violations of the Kansas State Department of Education’s test security procedures, to Lee Jones, Assessment Coordinator, Kansas State Department of Education, 785.296.4349.

25. Reporting Testing Discrepancies and Potential Security Violations to KSDE In consultation with staff from KSDE upon breach of security, appropriate consequences will be put in place at the district level. Because each case is unique in nature a variety of steps could take place, but are not limited to the following suggestions: • No action taken, discussion with KSDE indicated the breach was not severe in nature to warrant any action • KSDE Action: Written letter and/or phone call to Superintendent, District Test Coordinator stating concerns and processing of action steps • Retesting of students • Removal of test proctors from testing rooms • KSDE Monitor Visit follow-up the next testing year to check for validation that changes to inappropriate practices have been made

26. Sample Data Used to Examine Potential Irregularities • The Assessment Achievement Institute (AAI) provides data to KSDE that examines potential areas of test irregularities throughout testing. • DTC training log (spreadsheet) – this validates that training was completed by the DTC in each district in Kansasand who participated in the training. • Test Reactivations – frequency of reactivations • Click History for responses and ending tests • Tests taken “after” school hours (i.e. with students who attend a virtual school test after the end of typical school day is allowed)

27. DTC Responsibilities:Daily Access Code • During summative testing, students must use a daily access code to enter the Kite Student Portal. • This code is provided in the Educator Portal and is not directly available to teachers and test proctors. As the DTC your must: • Establish and describe the system used for sharing Daily Access Codes with staff. This plan should include the secure transmission of the information each day.

28. DTC Responsibilities:Reactivating Tests • When reactivating tests, you will not be able to view any student answers. Instead, you will be able to see which students have started the test and whether or not they have completed various sections of the test. • You must first end the test session and then click reactivate. • DTCs must keep records of reactivations and “why”

29. DTC Responsibilities: Reactivations • Best practice is to have two people present when reactivating a test.

30. Monitoring Tests and District Testing • When monitoring tests, you will not be able to view any student answers. Instead, you will be able to see which students have started the test and whether or not they have completed various sections of the test.

31. Dashboards • The Dashboard provides key metrics that are critical to state and district stakeholders during testing. • Daily monitoring of the dashboard by DTCs and BTCs is essential. • Each tab on the Dashboard allows you download an extract for your school and/or district. • Testing Summary • Scoring Summary • Reactivations • Testing Outside School Hours • Kite Error Messages • DTCs should review the Dashboard on a daily basis to assist with internal monitoring of testing.

32. State Monitor Visit: Purpose • KSDE staff and the members of the Kansas Assessment Advisory Council visit about 10% of Kansas schools during test administration yearly for the purpose of monitoring test security.

33. State Monitor VisitsDistrict and School Selection • a representative sample of districts across Kansas, across all state BOE regions including both large and small districts are selected for monitor visits every year in Kansas

34. State Monitor Checklist • Posted on the KSDE website – assessment page, also included in the Test Security Guidelines Appendix. • Completed by visiting team member(s)and shared with the school upon completion of the visit • KSDE reviews information provided and looks at the good things that are happening and for ways to enhance test security and ethics in the future.

35. Projected Testing Dates (EP) • The Projected Testing and scoring tab within Manage Tests is available.  • Information can be entered or uploaded by DTC and/or BTC. • This helps ATS understand projected system testing loads by day.  It helps KSDE see testing schedules in the field for assistance with monitor visits. • It is also an easy way for DTCs to see when buildings are testing in case you have a monitor visit! • Pages 42- 49 Not required, but is an extremely helpful and easy way to manage testing schedules! However, if you are selected for a monitor visit you must be able to provide an up-to-date schedule.

36. Reporting/Documentation of Accommodations

37. DTC Responsibilities:Personal Needs Profile (PNP) • Students may have accommodations during testing. These accommodations must be done routinely and are typically part of an IEP or 504 student plan. Accommodations must be entered into the Kite Educator Portal. • As the DTC your must: • Establish procedures for entering student accommodation information into the Personal Needs Profile (PNP) in Educator Portal. • Keep records of documentation for text-to-speech accommodations and any other accommodation that requires a deviation from the general assessment; documentation must be kept at the district and the building level.

38. Personal Needs Profile (PNP) • Tools and Accommodations for the KS Assessment Program • Some tools are only available when selected in the PNP found in the Kite Student Portal.

39. Accommodations by Program • Some accommodations are available by testing program and not available for all testing programs!

40. PNPs and TTS • As the DTC, you need to be aware of policies and procedures for all accommodations and Text to Speech (TTS). • NEW this year – TTS approval by KSDE for reading passages and items (nonvisual) – the following slides provide a reminder about TTS and this approval. • Any questions – please contact KSDE for clarification

41. TTS of reading passages and items (nonvisual) ***Text to Speech (TTS) of reading items and passages. • Please contact Cary Rogers at KSDE, 785-296-0916 FOR APPROVAL; this accommodation is intended for a very limited number of students. • This accommodation is ONLY for students with an IEP, 504 or student intervention plan. • This accommodation is appropriate for students who receive daily instruction and assessments orally and through computerized text to speech. • This accommodation should only be used by students who: • Have a reading-based disability (at least two grade levels below) that affects the student’s decoding, fluency or comprehension skills. • Can’t access print text due to blindness or low vision and do not have adequate Braille skills.

42. TTS of reading passages and items (nonvisual) ***Text to Speech (TTS) of reading items and passages. • Please contact Cary Rogers at KSDE, 785-296-0916 FOR APPROVAL; this accommodation is intended for a very limited number of students. • This accommodation is ONLY for students with an IEP, 504 or student intervention plan. • This accommodation is appropriate for students who receive daily instruction and assessments orally and through computerized text to speech. • This accommodation should only be used by students who: • Have a reading-based disability (at least two grade levels below) that affects the student’s decoding, fluency or comprehension skills. • Can’t access print text due to blindness or low vision and do not have adequate Braille skills.

43. TTS for directions, question text, test items • This requires a PNP. • A synthetic voice will read directions, text (related to the question) and the test items.

44. Human Reader • A HUMAN reader is NOT allowed on KS assessments! Students must utilize the synthetic voice in Kite! • An occasional word may be pronounced for students in questions and stems but not in passages.

45. Ethical Practices

46. Appropriate Testing Practices • As the DTC, you must cover each item as part of your training. • 2019-2020 Test Security and Ethics Fact Sheet • provides an overview of the KSDE test security plan • indicates where to access the roles and responsibilities for the DTC, BTC, and test administrators in test security • tells how to report Testing Discrepancies and Potential Security Violations to KSDE • 2019-2020 Appropriate Testing Practices Fact Sheet • Acceptable practices for testing • Unacceptable practices for testing

47. Appropriate Testing PracticesAcceptable Practices Fact Sheet • Provide students with the opportunity to learn the content and vocabulary prior to testing by basing instruction on state standards and an aligned local curriculum. • Integrate teaching of test-taking skills with regular classroom instruction and assessment.

48. Appropriate Testing PracticesAcceptable Practices Fact Sheet • Ensure that students have had prior experience with the testing format. Use Kite Technology Practice tests. These are for the intended purpose of practicing technology and not content. • Use formative assessments to inform instruction prior to testing. Formative tools are available in the Kite Interim system.

49. Appropriate Testing PracticesAcceptable Practices Fact Sheet • Ensure that accommodations made on the state assessment are completed on all instructional assignments, as well as classroom, district, and standardized assessments. • Attend training and sign an agreement to abide by KSDE Test Security, Ethics of Testing, and regulations before local testing begins.

50. Appropriate Testing PracticesAcceptable Practices Fact Sheet • Follow test procedures outlined in the Examiner’s Manual and in the training received regarding security and ethical practices for testing. • Follow established district/building procedures for collecting and destroying testing materials, student notes, scratch paper, and drawings, etc., upon completion of each test session and the entire test.