Assessment Policy
The Dublin City School System takes the ethical responsibility to provide secure and appropriate testing environments for its students very seriously. In any state or federally mandated test, the Dublin City School System expects its employees to act in accordance with specific guidelines mandated by the test and the general guidelines of the Georgia Department of Education. For every administration of a high stakes assessment the following guidelines will be followed.
- The district test coordinator will stay current on appropriate testing rules and practice by viewing required DOE webinars and reading all manuals and memorandums associated with the test.
- All school test coordinators will be appropriately trained by the system coordinator within a two week period prior to the assessment window opening. ● School test coordinators will in turn provide mirrored training to all test examiners and proctors who will be taking part in the test.
- Records of participation and sign-in sheets of each of these meetings will be maintained in a centralized location for a minimum of five years.
- Training at every level will include a segment covering testing ethics and ethical behavior in testing environments.
- Test materials, when on site, will be continuously maintained in a secured and locked room with access limited to only those who are functioning as school test coordinators or assistant test coordinators.
- School campuses will be quiet and organized on the day(s) of testing.
- Any irregularity or anomalous event taking place in a school during testing will be promptly and fully reported to the district test coordinator.
- Irregularities involving possibly illegal or unethical actions on the part of an employee will be reported to the Georgia Professional Standards Commission. ● If the anomaly rises to the level of an irregularity it will be promptly reported to the Georgia Department of Education.
- When test results are returned they will be disseminated to students and parents in a reasonable time frame.
- Assessment results will be communicated to the public via press releases, sections of the website, and other means as necessary.
Assessment practices and security measures will be communicated to the public via school newsletters in the month prior to the testing window (Appendix J , DCS Testing Protocol).
Consequences for Violations Related to Assessment Policy
Any employee who suspects a breach in assessment security must immediately report the breach to their immediate supervisor. Failure to report suspected breaches in assessment security can have negative implications upon an employee. In addition, any investigation that results in a determination of guilt related to violations of assessment security can result in loss of employment and a report filed with the Georgia Professional Standards Commission, which may result in loss of a teacher’s certificate (Appendix K, DCS Security Plan for State Assessments).