Washoe Country School District

November 20, 2008

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Assessment Plan Information for Parents

Parents/guardians play a very crucial part in ensuring that students have the best testing conditions available to them by providing a good breakfast and ensuring a good night's sleep before exams. There are four other ways that parents/guardians can do to help shape a successful testing experience.

  1. Parents/guardians play a significant role in the assessment process by ensuring their child is at school on days when testing occurs. If the child absolutely cannot attend school on the day of testing, it is imperative that the parent inform the principal of the school no later than the morning testing is to occur. Schools are penalized for not testing students even if they are absent from school the day of the test. Make up opportunities exist for most state-mandated tests.
  2. Another important item to note is WCSD Administrative Regulations 5144.1 (B)(13) regarding prohibited conduct: "Electronic signaling devices [cell phones, pagers, etc.] shall not be carried into classrooms during assessments, semester exams, or other testing situations."
  3. One necessity for ensuring a successful testing experience is for high school students only. High school students must have valid photo identification with them when they take the High School Proficiency Exam. This is to verify that the student taking the test is actually taking the test.
  4. Finally, it is also very important that parents/guardians report any suspected testing irregularities to their child's principal. The following will provide you with an overview of the District plan which includes the steps you may use to report such suspected testing irregularities.

A Primer for Testing: Policies and Professional Expectations

(Reporting Suspected Testing Breaches or Irregularities)

The Board of Trustees delegates the responsibility for implementation of the assessment plan and reporting test irregularities to the Superintendent and the department of Public Policy, Accountability & Assessment. In the event that test administration irregularities or alleged breaches are reported to the Nevada Department of Education, summaries of reports are provided to the Superintendent and the Board of Trustees.

Through the office of Public Policy, Accountability & Assessment, A Primer for Testing: Policies and Professional Expectations (the Primer) is revised annually to reflect current legislative and Nevada Department of Education mandates regarding test administration and security. The Primer includes the important definitions set forth in statute. The Primer also includes the protocols for reporting and investigating irregularities in testing administration and test security. The Primer is reviewed annually at school sites with all personnel connected in any way with test administration.

The Primer includes information regarding the following topics:

  1. Statement of Responsibility:
    • This section defines who is responsible for test administration and security and who must review the Primer.
  2. Purposes of the Assessment Program:
    • To identify individual student needs and appropriate curriculum or instructional modifications, based upon the skills and concepts tested;
    • To track statistical data longitudinally in order to view trends or patterns of performance or deficiency;
    • To establish comparisons among students in the district, in the state, and in the nation;
    • To gather and report data that are accurate, meaningful, and professionally sound;
    • To fulfill accountability requirements as established by the Nevada Legislature and NCLB; and
    • To encourage analysis of results and to assist in planning for instructional improvement as established by the Blueprint for Student Success and individual school improvement plans.
  3. Parent/Guardian Notification:
    • You will be notified in advance of the testing schedule for district and state mandated tests.
    • Not more than 15 working days after each school receives the results of the examinations, test results are mailed to the last known address of the parent or legal guardian.
  4. Test and/or Examination Collection and Scoring:
    • Because Adequate Yearly Progress is based on assessment results, each school's clerical staff must ensure that all records are up-to-date and accurate at all times. It is important that the school have each student's accurate demographic information.
    • Reporting the test and/or examination scores of individual students to anyone other than authorized school personnel, the student's parent/guardian, or the student is a violation of the privacy rights of the individual.
  5. Reported Suspected Breaches or Irregularities: In the event of any alleged or suspected breach of test and/or examination security or unauthorized disclosure of test and/or examination content (for both state- and district-mandated assessments), this sequence must be followed:
    • The situation must be reported to the school test coordinator AND school principal within 24 hours.
    • The test coordinator or principal must, in turn, report the breach of test security to the Superintendent, Public Policy, Special Projects, & Legislation, or her designee, within 24 hours of the time the alleged or suspected breach has been brought to his/her attention.
    • The Superintendent, Public Policy, Special Projects, & Legislation, or her designee, will communicate with appropriate WCSD administrators about the suspected breach or unauthorized disclosure.
    • For all state-mandated assessments, within 24 hours, the Superintendent, Public Policy, Special Projects, and Legislation, or her designee, must report any breach of test security or suspected irregularity in test administration to the Nevada Proficiency Examination Program.
    • Within five days, the school principal must provide a completed Report of Test Irregularity in the Nevada Proficiency Examination Program for both state, and district, mandated tests.
    • For all alleged breaches of test security or irregularities in test administration for state-mandated assessments, WCSD must submit the completed Report of Test Irregularity to the NDE within 14 days of the discovery of the event.
    • Summaries of reports will be provided to the Superintendent and the Board of Trustees.
    • For all alleged breaches of test security or irregularities in test administration for state-mandated assessments, District administrators will investigate and determine appropriate consequences.

The complete Primer, including more detailed information on reporting suspected testing security breaches, is posted on the school district's website. It can be accessed at http://www.washoe.k12.nv.us/.

Thank you for the support you provide your child, the school, and the District in measuring your child's achievement.

Any questions about appropriate test administration or alleged breaches of test security should be directed to the school principal and/or to Dr. Bryn Lapenta, Washoe County School District --Public Policy, Accountability and Assessment at (775) 325-2079.