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State assessment staff tighten testing-ethics rules, require assurance document by Aug. 15
Summary
State assessment staff reviewed updates to the standard test administration and testing-ethics policy (R277-404), warned of real-world violations (extra credit, preprogrammed calculators), and said LEAs must submit an assurance document by Aug. 15 instead of the prior plan submission.
State assessment staff told assessment directors in a June meeting that several changes to testing administration and testing-ethics guidance are now in effect and that local education agencies must submit an assurance document by Aug. 15 certifying their testing plans.
Unidentified Speaker 2, a state assessment staff member speaking to the group, said the assurance document replaces the prior requirement to send a full testing plan and that "you're basically saying, yes, we've done all this." The change shortens the submission burden but requires LEAs to retain documentation and be prepared to provide dates and evidence on request.
Staff ran a live testing-ethics exercise to highlight frequent violations. The presentation stressed that administering a test without a student's required accommodations violates the student's right to a free appropriate public education under IDEA and requires notification to parents and the IEP team. "If you give a test without their approved accommodations," the presenter said, "you have to not only reach out, you have to notify the parents, you have to notify your IEP team."
The session also reviewed other repeated problems: proctors handing testing tickets to the wrong student, unauthorized incentives (for example, extra credit tied to test participation), and the use of preprogrammed calculators. Staff said the calculator policy was updated to explicitly prohibit teacher-programmed calculators that contain stored formulas or answers.
The updated rule, R277-404, and accompanying training materials are posted; testing-ethics training and the new signature form for 2024–25 were described. Staff urged LEAs to incorporate the training into local proctor training and Canvas courses, noting active proctoring and clear procedures are essential to reduce errors that harm students' test experiences.
The next steps for LEAs are to complete internal testing plans, upload or record evidence for the Aug. 15 assurance submission and ensure all test administrators complete the revised testing-ethics training before administering statewide assessments.
