The Columbus School District is committed to ensuring the integrity of the information obtained from the use of educational assessments. This regulation is intended to apply to two assessments in particular; the assessment used to meet the reporting requirement under the No Child Left Behind Act and 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 also the district’s 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. If test scores become questionable because of inappropriate practices in either preparing students or in administering tests, the meaning of the scores will be distorted and their value for their original purpose will be diminished or lost.
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 the high school principal. 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.
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 or fill in 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 regulation 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.
Reports of students cheating on assessments shall be submitted to the building principal for investigation and disciplinary action.
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 that Board.
If the superintendent believes that assessment results are invalid, the superintendent shall make a timely report to the Iowa Department of Education.
Approved 1994-95
Reviewed: FY 2015-2016, March 14, 2016, May 24,2021
Revised: 02/24/17