Soon to be released:

2013 Edition of the Operational Best Practices 

The 2013 edition fully addresses “technology-based assessments” – assessments delivered and/or taken by computer, including so-called “online” assessments, as well as those that are cached or remotely handled.

To be released soon - look for it in the ATP Bookstore

In June 2006, the Association of Test Publishers (ATP) and the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO) started discussing a set of voluntary, non-regulatory best practices for states and testing companies for use in strengthening implementation and quality of statewide testing programs in the United States conducted under the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB). The result – the original Operational Best Practices for Statewide Large-Scale Assessment Programs – was published in June 2010.

The 2010 Best Practices document has been widely used by States and publishers, for training and for handling state relationships.  The US Government Accountability Office relied heavily on the Best Practices in conducting its 2012 survey dealing with state test security issues, as it reported.  (See “K-12 Education: States’ Test Security Policies and Procedures Varied,” GA)-13-495R (May 16, 2013).

Although the 2010 edition was comprehensive, it focused mostly on paper-based assessments.  The 2013 edition now fully addresses “technology-based assessments” – assessments delivered and/or taken by computer, including so-called “online” assessments, as well as those that are cached or remotely handled.  The updated book also deals with programs using both technology-based and paper-based assessments and provides information that can be used with all types of technology.    

The 2013 edition identifies best practices related to technology-based assessments in a manner parallel to those practices included in the 2010 edition for paper-based assessments. This update covers the entire scope of the state assessment process, from program management, to item development and banking, to test delivery, to test administration, to scoring and reporting.  Numerous topics related to the use of technology-based assessments have been expanded or modified: new problems in program design, new practices for test security, and the need to handle test accommodations for special populations.  Moreover, the challenges and complexities of accommodations are handled through the concept of accessibility for all students. Further, the focus on technology means that components of technology systems (e.g., hardware, software, communications networks) and assessment programs need to be interoperable with one another (e.g., for the smooth exchange of data and content), so a new chapter on interoperability is included, as well as individual chapters containing discussions of interoperability.  Finally, the new edition includes a pre-chapter on “State Considerations for Assessment Program Design,” which provides a basic checklist for a state to follow before it even prepares an RFP to select a service provider.  Although states will be the principle user of this checklist, service providers will also find this material instructive to gain an understanding about how states will go about the process of evaluating and modifying their current assessment programs when state laws change or when assessment consortia activities come into play.   

Inasmuch as the scope of the Operational Best Practices is limited to large-scale state assessment programs, this document may not be precisely applicable to all testing protocols and systems, including those used on an international basis. Nevertheless, ATP believes the book provides a solid framework from which others might seek to define a set of practices tailored to their testing programs, or for other uses within the testing industry.  

Finally, because the testing process is not static, the Best Practices ATP and CCSSO intend to  review the book on a periodic basis, so it can be updated as changes occur in technology or testing methodologies to ensure that content remains viable. 

Virtually every ATP education member involved in the K-12 statewide assessment system participated in the development of this 2013 edition.  ATP thanks all of those companies for their contributions.  In addition, ATP gratefully acknowledges the financial support of ETS, Measured Progress, and ACT in preparing this document for release.  

For more information, contact Lauren Scheib at +1 -717-755-9747.