SES 2023 Test Security Scenerios

What is wrong here?

A teacher reported to their principal that a math teacher from another division shared specific content from the Grade 5 Mathematics SOL test. The principal shared this information with their DDOT. The DDOT from the other division investigated the situation and it was determined that the teacher served as a proctor in a Grade 5 Mathematics session the previous week.

Answer explanation

Students must never be exposed to unreleased (secure)1 test items (except while completing an official VAP test attempt) or exposed to answers to secure test items. Using secure test items in any form (including reworded test items) at any time is a violation of test security. If in doubt whether test items are secure, contact your Division Director of Testing for assistance.

What is wrong here?

The student was in an individual session for her reading SOL test so she could read the test questions and answer choices aloud to herself. The student reported to her classroom teacher that the examiner would constantly nod to her while she was testing. When the student read the test question and answer choices to herself out loud, the examiner would nod on specific answer choices. The student thought the teacher was telling her which answer was correct by nodding, so she would select that answer.

• adult influencing student responses to secure test items

• student exposed to unreleased test items

• adult navigating test for student

• adult altering student responses

Answer explanation

All persons are prohibited from providing students with answers to secure test items, suggesting how to respond to secure test items, or influencing student responses to secure test items. Prohibited actions include, but are not limited to, the following: providing clues or hints, providing reminders of content or testing strategies, prompting students to correct or check/recheck specific responses, permitting access to curricular materials2 (e.g., textbooks, notes, review materials, bulletin boards, posters, charts, maps, timelines, etc.), or using voice inflection, facial gestures, pointing, gesturing, tapping, or other actions to indicate a response or accuracy of a student’s response.

What is wrong here?

A student receiving homebound instruction was administered a paper test at the student’s home by the homebound teacher. The school told the homebound teacher to hang on to the testing manual since the student had another test to take. The homebound teacher misunderstood these directions and thought this meant to keep all of the testing materials, including the test booklet and answer document. The student’s completed answer document and test booklet were kept locked in the teacher's car overnight and brought back to the school the next day when the teacher came to pick up the other test materials.

Answer explanation

Examiners should be in possession of secure test materials only on the day they are administering a test, or in accordance with the procedures for advanced access to a test, and only for the specific test being administered. For the paper VAP Writing tests only, Examiners are not permitted to open sealed packages of prompts more than 30 minutes before the administration of the short-paper component.

What is wrong here?

A student reported that her Biology teacher had talked to a student who recently took the Biology SOL test and shared information about the test with the class. The teacher was not involved in the test administration; however, the student said the teacher created a new study guide after speaking to the student who tested the previous week.

Answer explanation

Reading or reviewing any part of a secure test (e.g., test items, answer options, passages, pictures, diagrams, charts, maps, etc.) before, during, or after the test administration is a violation of test security unless an Examiner is reading the test items as part of an accommodation (e.g., read-aloud, interpretation/transliteration, etc.) or is reviewing the test items in preparation for providing that accommodation.

What is wrong here?

*Highlight the sentence that is the violation of test security.*

Answer explanation

-Any Login IDs and passwords issued for the administration of VAP tests are secure and must remain confidential.

-Logging into or navigating throughout a secure online test by anyone except the student whose name appears on the Student Testing Ticket is a violation of test security3. Any exceptions to this must first be authorized by the Virginia Department of Education through the Division Director of Testing.

What is wrong here?

The STC was sent a text from an examiner containing a picture of an error message that a student received on his laptop while taking the Grade 3 VAAP assessment. A portion of a secure test item was clearly visible in the background of the error message. The STC immediately deleted the picture from her phone and then went to the examiner's room and had him delete the picture from his phone. The STC then contacted the DDOT who contacted VDOE.

• capturing any or all part of a secure test is a violation of test security

• Examiners should be in possession of test materials only on the day they are administering a test

• All persons are prohibited from altering student responses

Answer explanation

Capturing ALL OR ANY PART of a secure test is a violation of test security. Prohibited actions include, but are not limited to, copying, photographing, recording, outlining, or summarizing test content or details regarding the secure test content. Any exceptions to this must first be authorized by the Virginia Department of Education through the Division Director of Testing.

What is wrong here?

A proctor reported that the examiner did not read the test script and sample items from the examiner's manual to students before testing. In addition, other directions were paraphrased. The school test coordinator spoke with examiner who confirmed she did not read directly from the examiner’s manual. She said it was an expedited retake and these students have already heard these directions.

Answer explanation

All VAP tests must be administered strictly in accordance with the instructions provided in the VAP test manuals. This includes, but is not limited to, adhering to procedures for the handling, distribution and use of test materials and test manipulatives, adhering to specific requirements associated with test accommodations (e.g., read-aloud accommodation, dictation to scribe, etc.), and reading all test directions to students exactly as written. VAP test directions must not be paraphrased, altered, or expanded without prior authorization from the Virginia Department of Education through the Division Director of Testing unless the Examiner’s Manual allows flexibility in providing specific directions.

What is wrong here?

A student raised their hand during a growth assessment and said to the proctor, “I do not know how to answer this type of question.” The proctor informed the student that it was a drag and drop item and proceeded to show them how to click on an answer choice and drag it into the dragger bay. He then unselected the answer and gave the mouse back to the student. The examiner reported this situation to the STC after testing.

Answer explanation

Sample items are included at the beginning of each VAP test and are the only items on the test that may be used with students to review, as directed in the Examiner’s Manual, test item format and procedures for indicating responses. Students should also be provided with opportunities prior to the day of their test administration to become familiar with VAP test item formats and how to indicate responses. Resources such as SOL Practice Items are available for these purposes on the Virginia Department of Education website.

What is wrong here?

A proctor in the testing session reportedly told a student before submitting their writing test “You have not written enough. You will definitely not pass unless you write at least 5 paragraphs. Remember the hamburger method that your teacher went over in class.” This was reported by the student to their classroom teacher after the session ended.

Answer explanation

All persons are prohibited from attempting to formally or informally score secure VAP tests or individual test items. Prohibited actions include, but are not limited to, creating an answer key, reviewing or scoring a student’s test item response or responses, reviewing or scoring student scratch paper, or tracking student performance on test items4

What is wrong here?

Highlight the Test Security Violation.*

Answer explanation

All persons are prohibited from altering, in any manner, student responses to secure test items. Prohibited actions include, but are not limited to, erasing or deleting student responses, changing student responses, or providing responses to items left unanswered or partially unanswered.