PARCC’s Lately-Published “Test Fairness and Security” Statement
Under the heading, “Latest News,” the Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC) has posted a message entitled, Test Fairness and Security. Here is the document:
Here is the text:
Test Fairness and Security
The PARCC states are committed to secure testing because we believe fair tests are essential to better preparing the next generation for success. The states contract with a test vendor to search public social media and websites for images or words from live tests, which are copyright infringements and jeopardize the fairness of the test for all students.Sharing images of test items via Twitter, Instagram, or other public social media sites – or posting basic information about test items – is today’s equivalent of photocopying a test and passing it out on the schoolhouse steps. Cell phones are not allowed in the testing session and test administrators are instructed to tell all students before the test that sharing any test question online is prohibited.The PARCC states’ policy follows the best practices outlined by the Council of Chief State School Officers, which recommends that there should be “procedures to monitor the internet and social websites before, during and after test administration for any evidence the items and/or answers have been shared” online. In order to maintain test security, each PARCC state contracted with its test vendor, Pearson, to search for any live PARCC test questions that are shared through public social media sites. This is standard practice for large-scale tests including ACT and SAT.
PARCC now openly admits its “contracting with a test vendor to search public social PARCC’s Lately-Published “Test Fairness and Security” Statement | deutsch29:
