Most of the testing irregularities district coordinators address involve occurrences in which adult testing personnel bear responsibility for what happened. District testing personnel are required to actively monitor students to ensure students are following test procedures and directions. In some cases, however, students may cheat or attempt to cheat by violating or attempting to violate test security procedures. All students are required to follow test procedures and directions and should be reminded of this responsibility. Students taking STAAR end-of-course (EOC) assessments are asked to sign an honor statement. Signing the honor statement is not required, but students are still expected to follow test security procedures even if they do not sign it.
Districts are required to have procedures in place to prevent the use of cell phones or personal electronic devices to capture images of secure test content during test administrations. If a student duplicates, records, electronically captures (e.g., takes a screen shot or photograph), posts, or transmits secure test content or disseminates this information, the Student Assessment Division must be contacted immediately. In addition, any images of secure test content must be destroyed upon completion of the district’s investigation.
Students cheating or attempting to cheat on state assessments, either by providing or receiving assistance, requires action by the campus or district coordinator. After investigating the incident, if district testing personnel determine that a student has been involved in cheating or attempting to cheat on a state assessment, the district or campus coordinator must
invalidate the student’s test (as required by Texas Administrative Code [TAC] §101.3031(a)(4)) by marking the score code “O” for “Other” in the Test Information Distribution Engine (TIDE) for the corresponding test; and
complete the Locally Determined Disciplinary Action (LDDA) form to report any disciplinary action taken against students who participated in the cheating incident.
A procedural testing irregularity form should be submitted only if the district coordinator determines that there was a failure on the part of adult testing personnel to follow test administration procedures (such as inadequate monitoring). If the district coordinator determines that testing personnel enabled or were involved in the student cheating incident, the Student Assessment Division must be contacted immediately.