North Carolina Online Test of Computer Skills
Test Security
Reference: The
North Carolina Testing Code of Ethics
In North Carolina, standardized testing is an integral part of the educational
experience of all students.
When properly administered and interpreted, test results provide an independent,
uniform source of
reliable and valid information, which enables:
- students to know the extent to which they have mastered expected knowledge
and skills and
how they compare to others;
- parents to know if their children are acquiring
the knowledge and skills needed to succeed
in a highly competitive job market;
- teachers to know if their students have
mastered grade-level knowledge and skills in the
curriculum and, if not, what weaknesses need to be addressed;
- community
leaders and lawmakers to know if students in North Carolina schools are
improving their performance over time and how the students compare with
students from
other states or the nation; and citizens to assess the performance of the public
schools.
Testing should be conducted in a fair and ethical manner, which includes:
Security
- assuring adequate security of the testing materials before, during,
and after
testing and during scoring
- assuring student confidentiality
Preparation
- teaching the tested curriculum and test-preparation skills
- training staff
in appropriate testing practices and procedures
- providing an appropriate
atmosphere
Administration
- developing a local policy for the implementation of fair and ethical
testing practices and
for resolving questions concerning those practices
- assuring that all students
who should be tested are tested
- utilizing tests which are developmentally
appropriate
- utilizing tests only for the purposes for which they were designed
Scoring, Analysis and Reporting
- interpreting test results to the appropriate audience
- providing adequate
data analyses to guide curriculum implementation and improvement
Because standardized tests provide only one valuable piece of information,
such information should be
used in conjunction with all other available information known about a student
to assist in improving
student learning. The administration of tests required by applicable statutes
and the use of student data
for personnel/program decisions shall comply with the Testing Code of Ethics
(16 NCAC 6D .0306).
This file was modified on Wednesday, August 29, 2007; at 2:48:06 PM