Monday, January 30, 2012

Federal government seeking ways to stop cheating on standardized tests

The federal Department of Education is seeking information on preventing cheating on standardized tests.
From the Federal Register:

For these reasons, this RFI seeks solutions; advice; technical information; legal, regulatory, and policy approaches; and other input from the public regarding best practices for the prevention, detection, and investigation of alleged or actual testing irregularities. Through this RFI, the Department also seeks to gather information and suggestions for SEAs and LEAs on how they can address these issues.
(RFI= Request for Information; SEA=State Education Agency; LEA=Local Education Agency)
Comments are due February 16. The specific questions they'd like answered are here, though you do not have to answer any or all of them.  You can submit them electronically here, or send them in to:

Mr. Carlos Martinez
Office of Elementary and Secondary Education
Attention: Testing Integrity RFI
U.S. Department of Education
400 Maryland Avenue SW., room 3W104
Washington, DC 20202-6132

And do remember that public comments in response to an RFI become part of the public record, so make sure you write only what you'd be comfortable seeing in the public media (and speaking from personal experience, commenting on in the press).

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