The Board of Trustees desires to protect the integrity of student assessments in order to obtain accurate and reliable student achievement data and to ensure accountability to the community and state. Staff and students shall maintain a high level of integrity in the completion and handling of student assessments.
(cf. 0500 - Accountability)
(cf. 4119.21/4219.21/4319.21 - Professional Standards)
(cf. 5131 - Conduct)
(cf. 5131.9 - Academic Honesty)
(cf. 6162.5 - Student Assessment)
(cf. 6162.51 - State Academic Achievement Tests)
(cf. 6162.52 - High School Exit Examination)
In administering standardized tests, staff shall not engage in any acts that could result in the invalidation of test results, such as:
1. Providing inappropriate test preparation
2. Modifying test administration procedures, except as allowed by law
3. Providing inappropriate assistance to students during test administration
4. Changing or filling in answers on student answer sheets
5. Providing inaccurate data on student header sheets
6. Discouraging or excluding certain students from taking the test
7. Engaging in any other practice to artificially raise student scores without actually improving underlying student achievement
Appropriate Test Preparation
The Superintendent or designee and teachers shall not implement any program for the sole purpose of test preparation of students for the statewide assessment system or a particular test used in the statewide assessment system. (Education Code 60611)
The primary preparation for assessments shall be high-quality instruction in the content specified in state and district academic standards. In addition, staff may prepare students for assessments by teaching general test-taking strategies and familiarizing them with item types or the computer-based testing environment used in state assessments.
(cf. 6011 - Academic Standards)
Investigation and Consequences of Testing Irregularities
Reports of cheating on assessments shall be submitted to the Superintendent or designee. The Superintendent or designee shall immediately investigate with due diligence any reports of inappropriate test preparation or other testing irregularities.
Students found to have cheated on assessments shall be subject to disciplinary procedures in accordance with Board policy and administrative regulations.
(cf. 5144 - Discipline)
A staff member found to have committed testing irregularities shall be subject to discipline in accordance with law, applicable collective bargaining agreements, Board policy, and administrative regulations.
(cf. 4118 - Dismissal/Suspension/Disciplinary Action)
(cf. 4218 - Dismissal/Suspension/Disciplinary Action)
If the Superintendent or designee is made aware of a testing irregularity on state assessments, he/she shall report the irregularity to the California Department of Education.
Legal Reference:
EDUCATION CODE
60611 Inappropriate test preparation
60640-60649 California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress
60850-60859 California High School Exit Examination
GOVERNMENT CODE
54957 Complaints against employees, closed session
CODE OF REGULATIONS, TITLE 5
850-864 California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress
1200-1225 California High School Exit Examination, especially:
1220 Cheating on the high school exit examination
Management Resources:
CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION PUBLICATIONS
Guidelines on Academic Preparation for State Assessments, December 2009
WEB SITES:
CSBA: http://www.csba.org
California Department of Education: http://www.cde.ca.gov
Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium: http://www.smarterbalanced.org
Policy FORESTHILL UNION ELEMENTARY SCHOOL DISTRICT
adopted: August 14, 2017 Foresthill, California