Students
Students are not permitted to use, wear, or access any non-testing electronic devices during testing or while on a break when in an active testing session. These electronic devices include but are not limited to cell phones, smartwatches, headphones, and computers and/or tablets not being actively used for testing purposes. While testing, students shall not use the testing device for any purpose other than testing.
However, if a testing student has a medical condition that requires the use of an electronic device, the device must be left with the test administrator, or the test must be administered to the student in a one test administrator-to-one student setting, and the student must be actively monitored at all times while testing.
Students shall leave all non-testing electronic devices powered off in their backpacks. Students shall not bring their backpacks to the testing session.
Any student that violates this policy will be subject to discipline pursuant to the progressive discipline process in the Student Handbook.
Employees/Contractors
Employees/contractors who administer testing shall only bring a non-testing electronic device, on silent, to contact someone in case of an emergency during testing. Wearable technology is strongly discouraged for testing staff; if it is worn, devices must be set on airplane mode to limit access to other applications and the internet.
During testing, employees/contractors shall focus on actively monitoring students and shall not disturb the testing environment in any way. Employees/contractors shall not use computers or any other electronic device to perform work or do anything other than monitor students or in the event of an emergency.
Any employee/contractor that violates this policy will be subject to discipline up to and including termination.
Creation and Communication Plan
GRPS will notify parents and students of this policy via its Public Relations department. The PR Department will draft a communication to be sent to each student and their parents summarizing the policy. GRPS will notify employees/contractors of this policy through Human Resources monthly bulletin.
The resources GRPS used to create this policy were the Office of Educational Assessment and Accountability (“OEAA”) 2022-23 Electronic Device Use Policy and the Director of OEAA’s letter to GRPS Superintendent. The resources used to communicate this policy are GRPS’s PR Department and the HR Bulletin.
Incident Reporting Plan
While testing, if an employee/contractor sees a student or another employee/contractor accessing prohibited electronic devices, that employee/contractor must report the incident to the School Assessment Coordinator and Principal. The name of the individual, time, place, and prohibited conduct shall be included in the communication to the Office of Assessment and Evaluation. The Office of Assessment and Evaluation then reports it to the Director of Community & Student Affairs. Once the Director of Community and Student Affairs receives the information regarding the incident report, The Office of Assessment and Evaluation will report to OEAA.
Required Training
The OEAA requires that all testing personnel complete appropriate assessment training. Assessment Coordinators must complete the Online ACCESS for ELLs: Administration training in the WIDA Portal and must read the Test Coordinator and Test Administrator manuals. Testing Administrators are required to complete online training in the WIDA Portal that pertains to the WIDA assessment they will administer. All testing personnel must complete Assessment Security Modules through Michigan Virtual and must sign the OEAA Assessment Security Compliance Form.
Timeline
On September 21, 2022, this policy will be presented before the Board of Education Policy Committee for review prior to the Board of Education voting to adopt the policy. By December 2022, the Board of Education will vote on and adopt this policy. In the following weeks, the PR Department and the HR Department will draft communications to students/parents and employees, respectively, notifying them of the newly adopted policy. This will be accomplished by the end of January 2023.
