Importance of Test Security
The primary goal of test security is to protect the integrity of the examination and to assure that results are accurate and meaningful. All summative test items and test materials are secure and must be appropriately handled. Secure handling protects the integrity, validity, and confidentiality of assessment items, prompts, and student information. Any deviation in test administration must be reported as a test security incident to ensure the validity of the assessment results.
Test Security Incident Report Form
Who Is Responsible for Test Security?
Everyone who works with the assessments, communicates test results, and/or receives testing information is responsible for test security (also see Test Security Roles and Responsibilities). This includes:
- Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction (DPI) staff;
- District Administrators (DA);
- District Assessment Coordinators (DACs);
- School Assessment Coordinators (SACs);
- Students, parents, and the community at large;
- Certified and non-certified school staff; and
- Cooperative Educational Service Agency (CESA) staff.
DACs please send your signed confidentiality forms to DPI at osamail@dpi.wi.gov. All other district and school staff forms should be collected and kept at the local level.
Wisconsin Test Security Manual
This document represents the expected professional conduct of educators who administer State summative assessments in order to ensure proper assessment and academic integrity. It is intended to be used by districts and schools in the fair and appropriate administration of the state assessments. State assessments are an important and required tool used to monitor state, district, school, and student achievement. For these assessments to yield fair and accurate results, they must be given under standardized conditions to all students.
Forward Exam Confidentiality Agreements
District and school staff (DAC, SAC, DTC, STC, TA, etc.) who have access to the test or reports (providing accommodations, setting up tests and testing devices etc.) must sign hard copy confidentiality forms and submit the form to their DAC /SAC. Only the signed DAC Confidentiality form must be sent to DPI at osamail@dpi.wi.gov, all other confidentiality forms should be retained at the local level. CESA staff who have access to any testing materials or data must also complete a confidentiality form. All Confidentiality Agreement Forms are available on the Assessment Forms webpage.