DATE:
Thursday, January 12, 2023
TO:
All School Administrators
FROM:
Carolyn Gough, Administrator of Teaching and Learning
Ben Jameson, Director of Evaluation, Research and Accountability
SUBJECT:
Identifying School Procedures to Prevent Plagiarism During WIDA Testing
________________________________________________________________________________
In order to provide targeted supports to multi-language learners, educators need valid and reliable data from assessments that help pinpoint a student's academic language ability. Plagiarism negatively effects the validity and reliability of that data.
As part of normal classroom instruction, many ML students are accustomed to using their device (cell phones or smart watches) to help them communicate and understand their learning. Thus, they have a natural tendency to want to use that technology to help them understand and communicate their learning on the WIDA Access. WIDA test proctors must explicitly communicate to students that their devices are not allowed or needed for the test because we need to understand what they can do without the aid of their device. WIDA test proctors must also implement procedures to ensure students do not have access to their personal technology devices during testing.
The 2022-23 WIDA Access Test Administration Manual states (see page 4):
"A key responsibility of all staff involved in testing is to ensure students are actively monitored during testing and do their own work. Test proctors are to ensure students don't use internet-connected devices, such as cell phones, while testing. Follow your state's test security policies and, whenever possible, have students leave their devices outside the testing room. The use of unapproved devices during testing or the submission of copied or plagiarized responses can result in student scores being invalidated."
The WIDA Access test vendor has the capacity to detect plagiarism from other websites. When this occurs, actions will need to be taken to investigate the issue by the school administration in collaboration with Evaluation, Research & Accountability.
To help schools formulate their procedures regarding student personal technology during the WIDA Access test administration, we are asking school test coordinators, in collaboration with their school administration, to fill out a survey form prior to test day that outlines the step-by-step procedures test proctors will use so that students do not have access to their personal technology devices during testing. The form may be accessed here. A copy of the questions is attached with this memo. In addition, school test coordinators will need to ensure that all WIDA Access test administrators and proctors are aware of and follow the outlined procedures to prevent plagiarism so that ML students have the best opportunity to demonstrate what they know and can do.
Please contact Ben Jameson in Evaluation, Research & Accountability with any questions regarding this new requirement.
