Test Administrator Training Activities
- Bruce Malone
- Shaina Seltzer
- Jessica Sokol (Unlicensed)
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.
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.