District Achievement Testing Description The Department of Evaluation and Assessment will manage the majority of the District s testing program. This will include the administration of state-mandated tests, nationally norm-referenced tests, and locally developed semester tests. The Department of Evaluation and Assessment will provide expertise regarding the selection and implementation of other tests used in the District. All District staff participating in the implementation of the testing program will be held accountable for administering all tests in accordance with specific standards and procedures that are outlined in test administration manuals. Staff will comply with the requirements specified in the Texas Education Agency (TEA) test administration manual when administering state assessments. All testing procedures for administering tests that are not state mandated are presented in the appropriate test administration manual related to that specific assessment. Additional information governing the implementation of tests is provided in the Dallas ISD Test Security Manual, which can be found in the Evaluation and Assessment department s section of the District s website. The testing conditions referenced in this regulation will apply to all assessments given by the Department of Evaluation and Assessment. The responsibilities of the Department of Evaluation and Assessment will be to: 1. Approve and coordinate all testing specified by the annual District testing schedule; 2. Conduct training on test administration and interpretation of test results with District personnel and parent/community groups; 3. Conduct systematic research to ensure optimal appropriateness of tests and accuracy of test results; and 4. Provide scoring, reporting, and archival storage of test results. The District s norm-referenced and State Assessment Program will be mandatory for eligible students. Exceptions/exemptions and modifications may be warranted for students who meet eligibility requirements for exceptions/exemptions and modifications under Texas Education Code 39.027. All students who meet eligibility requirements under Texas Education Code 39.027 will either be exempt or will participate in the administration of the District s testing program. Each student for whom an appropriate assessment in- DATE ISSUED: 12/20/2017 1 of 5
strument is available will participate in the administration of the instrument. Testing Mandate Testing Conditions Standardized testing is required in Texas public schools in compliance with the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR) testing program. A parent is entitled to remove the parent s child temporarily from a class or other school activity that conflicts with the parent s religious or moral beliefs if the parent presents or delivers to the teacher of the parent s child a written statement authorizing the removal of the child from the class or other school activity. A parent is not entitled to remove the parent s child from a class or other school activity to avoid a test or to prevent the child from taking a subject for an entire semester (Texas Education Code section 26.010). A parent or guardian who refuses to allow his or her child to participate in state-mandated assessments, for a reason other than religious or moral beliefs, will complete and submit to the principal a Refusal to Participate in Assessment form, acknowledging the possible implications of such action. This form is not considered to be an authorization for a test exception request. If a student is present during the state test administration and chooses not to test, a blank answer document, coded with an S for scored, will be submitted for scoring as required by the state. The student will receive a raw score of zero and the lowest possible scale score for the grade/subject. If a student is absent during the entire state test administration, the student will be marked absent. Such designation does not impact the school or the District regarding performance calculations, but will impact participating rates on the test. Additionally, the student will be referred to the school-based grade placement committee (GPC) for an initial determination of whether to move forward with promotion or require the student to receive additional instruction during summer school. Any student who does not participate in state-mandated assessments at the request of his or her parent or guardian will not be subject to negative consequences or disciplinary action. This section, regarding testing conditions, is included to provide clarity and to emphasize information that may be contained in the testing manuals listed previously. 1. Students are prohibited from having cell phones and/or electronic devices accessible or on their person during testing un- DATE ISSUED: 12/20/2017 2 of 5
less the devices have been approved as part of the testing procedures (e.g., electronic devices used as calculators or as listening devices). Students must adhere to any campus cell phone policies. In case of a suspected testing irregularity involving a student s telecommunication device or electronic device, the student may be asked to display device activity. If the student does not consent, the parent or legal guardian of the student will be notified, and consent will be requested of the parent. If the parent does not consent, the device will be confiscated by school officials and held in accordance with the Student Code of Conduct for cell phone violations. If school officials have reasonable cause to suspect the device contains evidence of a criminal violation, law enforcement will be notified. A search warrant may be obtained at the discretion of law enforcement. In all instances, the search of a telecommunication or electronic device will be restricted to the legitimate objectives of the search to determine whether the device has been used in violation of any local, state, or federal law. 2. Staff persons (e.g., test administrators, hall monitors, District monitors, and the like) are prohibited from having visible or utilizing electronic devices in a testing environment. 3. Elementary teachers are prohibited from administering tests to students in their own grade levels. The following exceptions will apply: Special education teachers providing special education accommodations; A Spanish-speaking staff member administering the Spanish version of an assessment where there is only one Spanish-speaking staff member at the campus; or Teachers teaching special classes (e.g., art, music). They will be allowed to administer tests for core content areas (English/language arts, mathematics, science, and social studies). 4. High school and middle school teachers are prohibited from administering tests in the content area they teach (e.g., an English/language arts teacher does not test reading, writing, English I, or English II). An exception will apply to special education teachers providing accommodations. DATE ISSUED: 12/20/2017 3 of 5
5. Campus instructional coaches and academic facilitators are prohibited from administering tests or relieving test administrators in testing rooms where a test is being administered in the content area of expertise. Test Security Invalidation of Test Results The Dallas ISD Test Security Manual will provide District- and campus-level standards for test security, test monitoring, and testing irregularities. All tests and testing materials must be accounted for before, during, and after testing and all test materials must be returned to a designated location by critical deadlines. All tests and testing materials must be secured in a locked storage area when not in use. Unauthorized persons are not permitted to have access to any secure testing materials and all persons handling secure test materials are required to sign an oath of security and confidentiality. Test materials must be kept in locked storage when not in use and distribution of keys to the secured areas must be restricted to the campus test coordinator, assistant test coordinator, or a member of the campus administrative staff other than the principal. All reported instances of testing irregularities, test security, and confidentiality violations will be investigated by the Department of Evaluation and Assessment and the Professional Standards Office (PSO), and/or the Office of Internal Audit, in cooperation with the campus principal and/or feeder pattern executive director. All violations of test security, confidentiality, or other irregularities will be immediately reported to the campus test coordinator and building principal. The principal must inform the executive director within 24 hours of gaining knowledge of a violation or irregularity. The campus test coordinator and principal must inform the Department of Evaluation and Assessment within 24 hours of gaining knowledge of a violation or irregularity. Failure to comply with test administration procedures and/or test security protocols could result in disciplinary action up to and including termination. A student s answers to a test will be invalidated when it is documented that the student cheated during the administration of the test. Cheating is defined as providing, receiving, or attempting to provide or receive unauthorized assistance or obtaining or attempting to obtain test answers by any measures. A student s answer document may not be scored when the student s opportunity to take the test is limited because of illness during the test. DATE ISSUED: 12/20/2017 4 of 5
In case of a testing irregularity or test administration error, campus staff will work with the Department of Evaluation and Assessment to determine the appropriateness of scoring answer documents. Enrollment of Students during Testing Days Testing for Entry into Magnets, Vanguards, and Academies Cost Adopted or Last Amended Date Students arriving at a campus on a testing day will be enrolled and assessed per current testing policies. [See B(LEGAL)] The Department of Evaluation and Assessment will provide normreferenced testing with an appropriate norm-referenced achievement test for students in kindergarten grade 11 who do not have STAAR test scores and who apply for admittance to the Magnet School Program. [See EHBB and EGA] This testing session is open to students who: 1. Reside within District boundaries and are currently enrolled in a private, parochial, or other school; 2. Are currently enrolled in the District but do not have normreferenced or STAAR test scores from the previous spring semester; or 3. Apply to the District s magnet program and live outside the District s boundaries. Parents or legal guardians must produce proof of residence in accordance with FD(LOCAL) when registering students for this testing session. Applications for this testing session will be processed at the magnet, vanguard, or academy to which the student is applying. Tests will be administered at no cost for students who live within District boundaries. The cost for assessment of applicants who live outside the District s boundaries is $100. Payment must be made on the date of testing with a money order payable to the Dallas Independent School District. This regulation was last adopted or amended on December 4, 2017. DATE ISSUED: 12/20/2017 REVIEWED: 5 of 5