Test administrators and other campus personnel participating in the Texas Assessment Program are required to be trained on test security and administration procedures. Training should be provided annually to ensure a standardized test administration and the best testing experience for Texas students. Annual training is especially important for understanding and implementing new or updated policies and procedures. It is imperative that all individuals participating in the Texas Assessment Program preserve the integrity of test content and student data through strict adherence to the instructions and procedures contained in these Coordinator Resources and the test administration materials. Lack of annual training typically results in testing incidents that may impact students' test scores, campus and district accountability ratings, and, ultimately, an educator's teaching certificate.

❏ Understand Test Administrator Responsibilities

Campus coordinators must ensure that test administrators understand their responsibilities, which include, but are not limited to, the following:

• implementing the test administration processes and procedures stated in the applicable test administrator manuals

• ensuring that students have the required materials and allowed accommodations for the assessments

• actively monitoring test sessions to maintain test security

• maintaining the security of test materials until they are returned to the campus coordinator

• reporting any suspected violation of test security to the campus coordinator

❏ Review the Applicable Test Administration Materials

Campus coordinators should direct test administrators to review and become familiar with the following resources:

• test administrator manuals

• test administration instructions, as applicable

• secure test instructions, as applicable, that may be viewed only by the assigned test administrator during the appropriate window

• online practice tests on the Practice Test Site

• training modules in LMS

• Test Delivery System (TDS) User Guide, as applicable

• Data Entry Interface (DEI) User Guide, as applicable

❏ Attend Training

Campus coordinators schedule and conduct training sessions.

 

Open

• All test administrators are required to receive training on test security and administration procedures, as well as training in procedures unique to specific testing programs and circumstances. Training sessions should be completed by the recommended dates on the Calendar of Events. If necessary, additional individuals may be trained after these dates.

• The applicable test administration materials should be available during the training session.

• Required test administrator training topics for each program are listed below.

• In addition to the required test administrator training, recommended training modules for test administrators in LMS include:

  • Test Security for the Texas Assessment Program

  • Managing Secure Materials for the Texas Assessment Program

  • Test Accommodation Training for Test Administrations—STAAR

  • STAAR Alternate 2 Overview and Eligibility

Required topics for STAAR test administrator training include:

• Test security

  • test security procedures and test security oaths

  • active monitoring

  • seating charts

  • student honor statements

  • reporting testing incidents

  • handling testing incidents

  • consequences for adult and student cheating

• Scheduling test administrations

  • district- and campus-assigned testing dates

  • timing for tests

  • campus plan for consolidating students who are still testing after a certain point

  • make-up testing

  • individual and small group test sessions

• Preparing for test administrations

  • identifying eligible students

  • setting up testing environment

  • receiving, distributing, and storing test materials, such as test session IDs and student test tickets

  • reviewing technology, including technology-based accommodations, to be sure the technology meets the guidelines for use during the assessment

  • understanding procedures unique to specific test modes and versions

  • preparing for online administrations

  • preparing for paper administration, as applicable

• Testing with accommodations

  • understanding accessibility features

  • understanding designated supports policies

  • ensuring that students have allowed and approved accommodations

  • preparing materials and accommodations for eligible students

  • preparing testing locations for students who need certain accommodations (e.g., oral administration, individual or small-group administration)

• During test administrations

  • proper testing procedures

  • breaks for test administrators

  • hall monitors

  • implementing campus consolidation plan

  • availability of campus coordinator and other testing supervisors

• Entering and verifying student data in TIDE, as applicable

  • score codes

  • non-embedded supports

  • program information

• Submitting student responses for paper administrations in DEI, as applicable

• Returning materials to the campus coordinator

In addition to these required test administrator training topics, specific training is required for the following scenarios:

• Test administrators who are authorized to provide special administrations (e.g., oral, braille) must be provided additional training in specific security protocols regarding viewing secure test content. Responding to test questions, recording secure test content, scoring the test, or discussing the content of the test at any time is strictly prohibited. As a reminder of this obligation, these individuals are required to complete a specific part of the test security oath. Additionally, test administrators who will be providing an oral administration must be familiar with content-specific terms and symbols associated with the content-area assessment.

• Test administrators or other campus personnel who are responsible for submitting student responses in DEI must be provided with additional training in specific security protocol regarding transferring student responses. Tampering with or changing student responses is strictly prohibited. As a reminder of this obligation, these individuals are required to complete a specific part of a test security oath.

Required topics for STAAR Alternate 2 test administrator training include:

• Test security

  • test security procedures and test security oaths

  • Materials Control Form

  • reporting testing incidents

  • handling testing incidents

  • consequences for adult and student cheating

• Scheduling test administrations

  • district- and campus-assigned testing dates

  • one-on-one test administrations

  • administering individual tests in more than one session

  • make-up testing

• Preparing for test administrations

  • identifying eligible students

  • setting up testing environment

  • receiving and storing test materials

  • reviewing technology, including technology-based accommodations, to be sure the technology meets the guidelines for use during the assessment

• Testing with accommodations

  • understanding allowable test administration procedures and materials

  • understanding accommodations policies

  • ensuring that students have allowed accommodations

  • reviewing secure materials during the preview period for necessary accommodations

  • preparing testing locations for students who need certain accommodations or allowable procedures

• During test administrations

  • proper testing procedures

  • using scoring documents

• Entering and verifying student data in TIDE, as applicable

  • score codes

  • accommodations

• Submitting student responses in DEI, as applicable

• Returning materials to the campus coordinator

In addition to these required test administrator training topics, specific training is required for the following scenarios:

• Test administrators who administer STAAR Alternate 2 must be provided additional training in specific security protocols regarding viewing secure test content. Responding to test questions, recording secure test content, or discussing the content of the test at any time is strictly prohibited. As a reminder of this obligation, these individuals are required to complete a specific part of the test security oath.

• Test administrators or other campus personnel who are responsible for submitting student responses in DEI must be provided with additional training in specific security protocol regarding transferring student responses. Tampering with or changing student responses is strictly prohibited. As a reminder of this obligation, these individuals are required to complete a specific part of a test security oath.

Required topics for TELPAS test administrator training include:

• Test security

  • test security procedures and test security oaths

  • active monitoring

  • seating charts

  • reporting testing incidents

  • handling testing incidents

  • consequences for adult and student cheating

• Scheduling test administrations

  • district- and campus-assigned testing dates

  • timing for tests

  • campus plan for consolidating students who are still testing after a certain point

  • make-up testing

  • individual and small group test sessions

• Preparing for test administrations

  • identifying eligible students

  • setting up testing environment

  • receiving, distributing, and storing test materials such as test session IDs and student test tickets

  • understanding procedures unique to specific test modes and versions

  • preparing for online administrations

  • preparing for holistic administrations

  • preparing for special paper or holistic administrations, as applicable

• Testing with accommodations

  • understanding accessibility features

  • understanding designated supports policies

  • ensuring that students have allowed and approved accommodations

  • preparing materials and accommodations for eligible students

  • preparing testing locations for students who need certain accommodations

• During test administrations

  • proper testing procedures

  • breaks for test administrators

  • hall monitors

  • implementing campus consolidation plan

  • availability of campus coordinator and other testing supervisors

• Entering and verifying student data in TIDE, as applicable

  • score codes

  • program information

  • non-embedded supports

• Submitting student responses for TELPAS reading paper administrations in DEI, as applicable

• Returning materials to the campus coordinator

In addition to these required test administrator training topics, specific training is required for the following scenarios:

• Test administrations who are authorized to provide special administrations (e.g., braille) must be provided additional training in specific security protocols regarding viewing secure test content. Responding to test questions, recording secure test content, scoring the test, or discussing the content of the test at any time is strictly prohibited. As a reminder of this obligation, these individuals are required to complete a specific part of a test security oath.

• Test administrators or other campus personnel who are responsible for uploading holistic ratings in TIDE or submitting student responses in DEI must be provided with additional training in specific security protocol regarding transferring student responses and ratings. Tampering with or changing student responses or ratings is strictly prohibited. As a reminder of this obligation, these individuals are required to complete a specific part of a test security oath.

Test administrator training for TELPAS Alternate should prepare teachers to use their knowledge and observations to measure an EB student’s ability to understand and use English when engaging in social and academic learning environments. Although TELPAS Alternate test administrators are not required to calibrate to complete the holistic inventory, it is strongly recommended that administrators view the short training modules in LMS to ensure that their ratings are valid interpretations of a student’s English language proficiency for each Observable Behavior. A series of training presentations for test administrators can also be found on the TELPAS Alternate Resources webpage.

Additionally, individuals who will be test administrators in the spring but lack familiarity with the ELPS and TELPAS Alternate, including the alternate PLDs, should be provided with staff development in the fall.

Required topics for TELPAS Alternate test administrator training include:

• Test security

  • test security procedures and test security oaths

  • reporting testing incidents

  • handling testing incidents

  • consequences for adult cheating

• Testing window

• Preparing for test administrations

  • identifying eligible students

  • understanding the alternate PLDs

  • knowing how to rate students using typical classroom activities

  • receiving test materials

• Testing with accommodations

  • understanding accommodations policies

  • understanding allowable response modes

  • understanding that student performance is indicated when practicing the skills in a typical classroom setting with the student’s individual accommodations applied

• During test administrations

  • completing all 40 Observable Behaviors for the student assigned

• Entering and verifying student data in TIDE, as applicable

  • score codes

  • program information

• Submitting Observable Behaviors ratings in DEI, as applicable

• Returning materials to the campus coordinator

In addition to these required test administrator training topics, specific training is required for the following scenario:

• Test administrators or other campus personnel who are responsible for submitting student ratings in DEI must be provided with additional training in specific security protocol regarding transferring student ratings. Tampering with or changing student ratings is strictly prohibited. As a reminder of this obligation, these individuals are required to complete a specific part of a test security oath.

❏ Review and Sign a Test Security Oath

• Test administrators, principals, and other campus personnel participating in the Texas Assessment Program must complete an Oath of Test Security and Confidentiality after training and before handling secure test materials and content.

• Test administrators, principals, and other campus personnel must initial each item on the test security oath, as applicable.

• Test administrators and other campus personnel who are authorized to provide special administrations or who are responsible for submitting student responses in DEI and uploading holistic ratings in TIDE must confirm compliance with security requirements by completing specific sections of the test security oath.

• A copy of the completed test security oath (electronic or paper) must be submitted to the campus coordinator.