Student Testing Program Regulation

Code No.: 507.6R1
STUDENT TESTING PROGRAM REGULATION
The Anamosa Community School District is committed to ensuring the integrity of the
information obtained from the use of educational assessments. This policy is intended to apply
to the assessment used to meet the reporting requirement under the Elementary and Secondary
Education Act (ESEA). This is the assessment used to meet the reporting requirements for the
Annual Progress Report to the Iowa Department of Education.
The purpose of this policy is to identify procedures that can ensure assessment results are truly
representative of the achievement of students in the District. It is the intent to create awareness
of the potential negative impact that inappropriate assessment practices might produce, to outline
processes to be followed, and to identify the potential consequences of violating the policy.
Appointment of District Test Coordinator
The District shall appoint a District Test Coordinator, who may in turn delegate responsibility for
testing-related functions to one or more Building Test Coordinators. The District Test
Coordinator is responsible for storing materials from Iowa Testing Programs in a secure area
with restricted access both prior to and after the testing period.
Test Preparation
As a function of educating students, staff may prepare students for assessments by providing
instruction in the content areas to be assessed. Staff may also prepare students for assessments
by teaching general test-taking skills that are applicable to any test or test format.
Staff shall not conduct reviews or drills that use actual test items or use copies of tests from
previous years unless approved by the testing agency (ex: ACT) with students at any time.
Administration of Tests
In the administration of standardized tests, it is a violation of test security to do any of the
following:
1. Provide inappropriate test preparation such as any of the following:
a. Copy, reproduce, or use in any manner any portion of any secure test
booklet, for any reason.
b. Share an actual test instrument in any form.
c. Use test preparation materials or strategies developed specifically for
Annual Progress Reporting or the Annual Yearly Progress report.
2. Deviate from the test administration procedures specified in the test
examiner’s manual.
3. Provide inappropriate assistance to students during the test administration.
4. Make test answers available to students.
5. Change answers on student answer documents.
6. Provide inaccurate data on student answer documents.
7. Engage in any practice to artificially raise student scores without actually
improving underlying student achievement.
8. Participate in, direct, aid, counsel, assist, encourage, or fail to report any of
the acts prohibited in this policy.
After testing is completed, test booklets are to be returned according to procedures established by
the District Test Coordinator.
Consequences of Policy Violations
If a violation of this policy occurs, as determined by the Superintendent following an
investigation of allegations of irregularities, the Superintendent shall determine whether the
integrity of the testing program has been jeopardized, whether some or all of the test results are
invalidated, and whether a teacher or administrator has violated the Code of Ethics of the Iowa
Board of Educational Examiners as found in 282 – Iowa Administrative Code, Chapter 25.
Reports of students cheating on assessments shall be submitted to the building principal for
investigation and disciplinary procedures.
A staff member found to have committed testing irregularities shall be subject to discipline in
accordance with law and Board policy. If the staff member is a licensee of the Board of
Educational Examiners, the Superintendent shall make a timely report to the Board.
If the Superintendent believes that assessment results are invalid, a timely report to the Iowa
Department of Education shall be made.
Approved 3/20/06
Revised 6/20/11
Revised 9/21/15