State and Local Testing Security Agreement

Review and Digitally Sign the Security Agreement for Ohio Statewide Assessments below...

2023-2024 SECURITY AGREEMENT FOR 

OHIO STATEWIDE ASSESSMENTS AND REQUIRED DISTRICT ASSESSMENTS

OHIO STATE ASSESSMENTS - KRA, OST, EOC, OELPA, OELPS, AASCD, and ACT

STATE REQUIRED DISTRICT ASSESSMENTS - NWEA MAP, Dibels and CogAT

The content of the Ohio statewide assessments and district assessments used to meet state requirements (e.g. Third Grade Reading Guarantee or Gifted Testing) are confidential and must be kept secure at all times.  Maintaining the security of test materials is critical in order to obtain valid results from the test.  Each individual authorized to administer state and required district assessments or have access to test material, including technology coordinators, authorized observers, language interpreters, administrators, or maintenance staff, must sign a security agreement and agree to the statements below by October 1st of each new school year.  Failure to abide by the terms of the agreement may result in an investigation that leads to sanctions including employment and licensure consequences.

For School Test Coordinators

• I will establish and carry out a test security plan.

• I will provide training in test security, administration policies, and procedures to all individuals involved in the test administration.

• I will establish a system for documenting the chain-of-custody of secure electronic and paper test materials, and I will keep all electronic and paper test materials locked in a central secure storage area when they are not in use. 

• I will follow all security policies and test administration protocols described in the test coordinator manual provided by the State of Ohio and manuals supplied by approved state-approved vendor assessments.

For Building Test Coordinator, Technology Coordinators, Technology Support Staff, Test Administrators, Proctors, and Authorized Observers 

• I will not view the test content or student responses (except if necessary to administer certain accommodations). 

• I will not reproduce test content or student responses in any way (e.g. photographing, copying by hand, typing, texting from a cell phone or copying by the copier.)  

• I will not reveal or discuss test content or student responses before, during, or after testing. 

• I will follow the provided script provided by the approved state test vendor or approved district assessment when administering the assessment. 

• I will promptly report any testing irregularities or concerns (according to the instructions in the test coordinator manual and the test administrator manuals). 

• I will not engage in any activity that adversely affects the validity, security, or fairness of state assessments or required district assessments.  

• I will follow the procedures in the test administrator manuals regarding the disposition of all test materials.

For Test Administrators and Proctors 

• I will complete the training necessary to understand test security and administration policies and procedures. 

  • Cambian Assessments (OST, EOC, OELPA, OELPS, and AASCD) require teachers to take an online Test Administration (TA) Certification Course (requires Cambian portal login and completion is recorded in TIDE for each TA User and is tracked by the Building Test Coordinator)

    • Must be done prior to October 1st, 2023

• I will keep electronic and paper test materials under my supervision at all times and I will not leave the materials unattended.  I will prepare the testing room so that no student can view another student's test materials or computer screen and ensure that inappropriate wall displays are removed or covered before testing. 

• I will supervise the students at all times and focus my full attention on the testing environment. 

  • I will not allow students to talk, pass notes, cause disturbances or communicate with each other in any way during testing. 

  • I will not allow students to access cell phones or other unapproved electronic devices during testing.  

  • I will not allow students to access notes, books, or any instructional material during testing.  

  • I will ensure that students provide answers that are strictly their own, and ensure that they do not participate in any form of cheating.  I will not coach students in any way or do anything to enhance, alter or interfere with their responses.  

• I will collect, inventory, and return all scratch paper distributed during the test according to the test administrator manual(s). 

• Some testing accommodations require the test administrator to view, read, interpret, and/or transcribe test content or student responses. If I am administering such an accommodation, I understand that these test materials are restricted and will not disclose any test content that I view in the course of providing the accommodation. 

• I will follow all security policies and test administration protocols described in the test administrator manual(s) and as trained for required local assessments.  

For Interpreters/Translators

• Some testing accommodations require the language interpreters to view, read, interpret, and/or transcribe test content or student responses.  When administering an accommodation, I understand that all test questions and all other materials related to these tests including, but not limited to, passages, prompts, charts, graphs, and tables are considered secure and subject to the provisions of Sections 3319.151 and 3319.99 of Ohio Revised Code and Rule 3301-13-05 of the Administrative Code.

• I agree not to disclose or discuss the contents of the tests in a manner that would assist a person to cheat or would in any other way compromise the validity of the test questions. 

• Furthermore, I agree that all student-specific information obtained either prior to or during the oral administration will remain strictly confidential.

• My responsibility for maintaining the security of student information, test questions, and materials continue even after the test concludes and the test materials have been returned.

For Maintenance Staff

• I will securely pick and deliver paper testing materials as directed by the district testing coordinator to the appropriate building test coordinator(s) (assistant principal) at the elementary buildings and the counselors at the middle and high school buildings. 

Complete the fields and questions on the form embedded below to verify that you have read and agree to follow the security rules and guidelines for administering state and state-required district assessments for the Hamilton City School District.