Introduction

Test security policies and procedures are needed to help ensure the integrity and validity of a test. There is the risk that some test security measures may adversely affect accessibility for some individuals with disabilities. The session will include information about how several sets of guidelines and standards address these issues. It will also present the results of an analysis of U.S. states’ test security policies for statewide assessments administered for accountability purposes. These policies can provide insight into how accommodations could be included in test security policies for other educational assessments, as well as for tests that are used for credentialing, licensure, and certification.

Objectives

The intent of this paper is to share important information from a variety of sources, and start a lively discussion about how to provide comprehensive test security measures while maintaining accessibility.

Design/Methodology

Publicly available test security policies that were on state department of education websites were compiled and analyzed using document analysis and other qualitative methodologies.

Results

All states had test security policies that addressed accommodated tests and other related issues. Policies of about half the states indicated that test administrators must receive training on the use of accommodations.

Many states’ policies addressed security issues surrounding the provision of accommodations that required a human to administer them. Thirty-four states had policies for transcription and scribing, 32 states had policies for human readers, and 30 states had policies for sign language interpretation. Other accommodations addressed in test security policies included: text to speech, speech to text, braille, extended time, and multiple days.

Conclusions

Policies, processes, and procedures that appropriately balance test security and accessibility are needed. These policies will support the valid measurement of what individuals with disabilities know and can do while maintaining test security.