Douglas County Assessment Policy and Procedures

Emphasis is on Integrity and Validity

Emphasis is on Integrity and Validity

The Douglas County Board of Education implements the assessment program in the Douglas County School System (DCSS) as specified by the State Board of Education and the State School Superintendent. Testing includes all state mandated tests as well as local assessments.

Tests in the DCSS are administered in accordance with the requirements of the governing agency for the assessment and with a high level of security to ensure an appropriate testing environment, the integrity of the assessment and the validity of the data provided by the assessment.

In accordance with the guidelines provided by the State Board of Education and the Professional Standards Commission each test in the DCSS is administered in such a way that prevents, mitigates and reports any irregularities arising at any time before, during or after testing. Test Coordinators and other employees have an obligation and are trained to report testing irregularities and those who do so in good faith will not be subject to any reprisal.

Employees of the district must comply with all Douglas County School System policies and Georgia Professional Standards Commission rules with regard to testing ethics. Employees who violate these provisions will be subject to disciplinary action, up to and including termination.

Douglas County School System Test Security Plan Procedures

Testing security procedures and guidelines for the DCSS are based on the training provided by the Georgia Department of Education (DOE) Assessment Division. This plan includes information taken directly from the Georgia DOE Student Assessment Handbook. The handbook can be accessed at the following link:

http://www.gadoe.org

The Douglas County School System participates in all state mandated assessments as well as national and local assessments.

National Assessments:

Each year the DOE selects districts to participate in the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP). This assessment can involve grades 4, 8 and 12 depending on the school(s) selected.

Preliminary Scholastic Aptitude Test/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT) - 10th graders.

State Mandated Assessments:

  • Assessing Comprehension and Communication in English State to State (ACCESS) - for English Learners
  • Alternate Assessing Comprehension and Communication in English State to State (ACCESS) - for English Learners who meet the criteria
  • End of Grade Assessment (EOG)- Language Arts and Mathematics for grades 3-8, Science and Social Studies for grades 5 and 8 only
  • End of Course Assessment (EOC)- 9th grade Literature, American Literature, Physical Science, Biology, Coordinate Algebra, Analytic Geometry, US History, and Economics in grades 9-12
  • Georgia Alternate Assessment (GAA)- for students who meet the criteria in grades 3-8, and 11
  • Georgia Kindergarten Inventory of Developing Skills (GKIDS)- kindergarten students

Local Assessments:

  • DCSS Common District Assessments- Math: Grades 1-12
  • DCSS Common District Assessments- ELA/Reading: Grades 1-12
  • DCSS Common District Assessments-CTAE: Grades 6-12

Guidelines for the Administration of Local Assessments include:

  • Some guidelines specific to local test security include directives that the tests cannot be taken home with students, tests should be administered in a specific window of time, and tests cannot be altered.
  • Each district assessment is also accompanied by a specific set of teacher directions specifying how to administer the test, resources that can be utilized on the test, and testing time limits.

Security Plan Overview

It is the intent of the Douglas County School System to administer all assessments with integrity and validity. Care is taken to ensure that all assessments are protected from any ethic violations, and to maintain high program standards.

Test Security:

  • The documents provided by the Georgia Department of Education and the information from the State Student Assessment Handbook (SAH) are used to train school personnel.
  • Each fall an Overview of Testing Training is held and all school test coordinators are required to attend. A train the trainer model is used to ensure test security. The local Test Coordinator is responsible for training all building personnel that might come into contact with the test. The SAH is reviewed along with other information from the DOE.

Some of the topics covered are:

  • Security Breaches
  • Testing Irregularities
  • Prohibited use of Cell Phones on Assessments
  • Professional Ethics – including reporting requirements and disciplinary actions
  • Georgia Student Assessment Program Responsibilities
  • Test Distribution and Storage
  • Test Security Information for School Test Coordinators, Examiners, Proctors, and Administrators
  • Roles and responsibilities for the Superintendent, System Test Coordinator, Special Education Director, Title III Coordinator, Instructional Coordinators, Principals, Schools, School Test Coordinator, Examiners, and Proctors

Each principal is responsible for identifying a certified administrator to serve as the School Testing Coordinator with the understanding that the principal has the ultimate responsibility for testing within the school. The principal must complete a Principals Certification Form at the end of each State Assessment.

Educators who have not been trained may not participate in the test administration. Anyone who has not been trained may not handle the tests. At the conclusion of each test administration each test examiner and proctor must certify appropriate procedures were followed in the administration of the test by signing an Examiner's or Proctor's Certification of Adherence to Prescribed Test Administration Form.

Test Security Management Procedures:

  • System Director receives materials from Vendor- Tests are received at the system and all materials are inventoried and any discrepancies are reported to the testing vendor and the DOE.
  • School receives material from System director- If materials are boxed by school they are delivered the school where the school test coordinator will inventory the materials and report any discrepancies directly to the System Test Director. The system director will report the discrepancies to the DOE. If possible the school test coordinator will inventory the materials at the central office.
  • Examiner receives materials from School Test Coordinator and return of materials at conclusion of day's testing- The school test coordinator gives the examiners the exact number of test booklets and answer documents immediately before the test administration. Examiner counts and verifies the number received. Examiner signs for the number of test received and records the time on the log. The Test Coordinator will count them when the Examiner returns the test and will record number of test booklets and the time the test were returned.
  • System Test Director receives materials from school test coordinator - Test Coordinators return answer documents to the system where they are counted and boxed for return to be scored. Test booklets are counted and placed in numerical order and boxed for return to the vendor by the School Test Coordinator. Schools are expected to return all test materials after the end of the test window. If test materials are lost or misplaced, immediate contact must be made with the system test director who will contact the DOE. They are collected by the warehouse workers who have received training in how to handle the test boxes or the School Test Coordinator returns the boxes. Due to the large number of test booklets School Test Coordinators are responsible for inventorying their materials and the test coordinator and principal signs that all test booklets are returned to the vendor.
  • System Test Director arranges for the return all materials to the vendors- materials are returned in accordance to the guidelines and procedures in the Test Coordinators Manual.

Training:

  • Training is held in the fall for all School Test Coordinator and assistant test coordinators. It is similar to the training provided by the DOE to the System Test Directors.
  • Training is held for school level test coordinators before every main test administration. School test coordinators then redeliver the training at their school. Training includes test preparation, test administration, ethics, post test procedures, and reporting of irregularities. Records of agendas, handouts, and sign-in sheets are maintained at the system level and school level.

Monitoring and Reporting of Irregularities:

  • Monitoring is completed by school level administration and central office staff. Central office staff completes a monitoring form for each school they visit when they monitor testing.
  • Monitoring forms are maintained by the system test director and any issues or concerns noted are addressed by the System Test Coordinator.
  • Procedures for reporting suspected testing irregularities are reviewed before each main test administration.

Communication:

  • District and School level test security plans are communicated to the public and local educator through district and school websites, school newsletters, and district and school level meetings. The testing calendars are posted on the websites and school level test coordinators training schedule is provided to school administrators and all test coordinators are required to attend test training.
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