Regulation II-R(1): Testing Programs - Student Assessment and District Accountability

1. Responsibilities of the Department of Assessment and Accountability

The Superintendent shall plan, organize and manage a District-wide program for student assessment and accountability through the Department of Assessment and Accountability. The duties of the Department of Assessment and Accountability shall include, but not be limited to, the following: administering the District assessment program as required by federal and state law; facilitating the District’s compliance with the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 and any other federal or state law governing student assessment and data reporting; interacting with state and federal agencies regarding the assessment program and accountability mandates; handling assessment documents and reports, including secure test materials, individual student score reports, and school/District data reports in both paper and electronic formats; delivering to all stakeholders training and guidance relative to the assessment program, assessment data, and accountability mandates; and facilitating the accreditation of the District and each of its schools and centers through AdvancED’s Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Council on Accreditation and School Improvement (“SACS CASI”). The Department of Assessment and Accountability shall maintain compliance with all state and federal laws regarding assessment and accountability measurements.

The Department of Assessment and Accountability, in conjunction with the Division of Teaching and Learning’s Department of Instruction, Office of School Improvement, and Department of Research and Evaluation, shall monitor student state standardized assessment results and school-level and District-level accountability to determine alignment with the annual goals of the Board of Education and the state-adopted curriculum.

The Department of Assessment and Accountability shall communicate student assessment data to the Board of Education, the Superintendent, schools, and stakeholders through meetings, electronic media and the District website. This data shall be communicated in a form that provides usable feedback to all stakeholders so that appropriate decisions can be made regarding curriculum, curriculum delivery, student learning, and assessment.

The Department of Assessment and Accountability shall provide each school Principal with notice of the District-wide testing calendar for each year, which shall include the schedule for distribution, administration, and collection of testing materials. The schedule for testing shall be posted on the District website.

1. Test Security

The Principal of each school shall be responsible for ensuring that correct and appropriate test security procedures are followed at the school for storing, monitoring, and administering tests, as directed by the Department of Assessment and Accountability and the Georgia Department of Education.

Each school Principal shall designate a Test Coordinator for the school. The Test Coordinator should be a school employee serving in an administrative position at the school, unless another selected employee meeting the Georgia Department of Education guidelines has been approved by the Department of Assessment and Accountability. The Executive Director for Assessment and Accountability or his/her designee shall conduct training and orientation meetings with Test Coordinators regarding appropriate test administration procedures, test security, confidentiality of individual student information, and methods and timelines for distribution and collection of tests.

School-based standardized testing materials shall be stored in a secure, locked area of the school. The school Principal and Test Coordinator shall be the only individuals possessing keys to access this secure area. Entry and exit into this secure area shall be documented at each occurrence by listing individual names, dates, times, and purpose for entry. District-level standardized testing materials shall be stored in a secure, locked area of the District-wide storage facility.

The Principal has ultimate responsibility for testing activities in the local school. Principals, Test Coordinators, and all other staff must follow the standard operating procedures set out by the Department of Assessment and Accountability. The Principal or Test Coordinator must report any breach in test-security or test-administration procedures to the designated staff within the Department of Assessment and Accountability and to the Area Assistant Superintendent for the school as soon as the breach or discrepancy is discovered. The Principal must immediately follow all subsequent guidance from the Department of Assessment and Accountability.

1. Assessment Data and Interpretation

The Department of Assessment and Accountability shall collect and organize standardized and performance-based data regarding various measurements of student achievement and databases of such measurements. These data and measurements shall be communicated to the Board of Education, the Superintendent, and all stakeholders.

The Department of Assessment and Accountability shall communicate information to the Board of Education, the Superintendent, and all stakeholders regarding the analyses and interpretation of data, including trends in student achievement and the general effectiveness of the District. Data interpretation shall be used to accomplish the following:

1. Improve student achievement;

2. Guide staff development planning;

3. Guide fiscal planning;

4. Make decisions regarding effective and/or ineffective instructional programs and practices;

5. Make comparisons of the strengths and weakness of various programs and program alternatives, as well as to engage in equity analysis;

6. Develop diverse assessment strategies for multi-purposes at all levels including the District, school and classroom;

7. Improve the organizational structure and function of the District;

8. Publish information to parents and other stakeholders through print, visual or electronic media regarding District trends in student performance and progress; and

9. Provide individual student assessment reports to parents or guardians in a timely manner.

10. SACS CASI Accreditation

​​​​​​​The Department of Assessment and Accountability shall assist in the District’s process of continuous improvement and facilitate the accreditation of the District and each of its schools and centers with AdvancED’s Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Council on Accreditation and School Improvement (“SACS CASI”). The Department of Assessment and Accountability shall report as necessary to the Board of Education and the Superintendent regarding the status of compliance with SACS CASI standards and other requirements.