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TCTA Headquarters has received inquiries about TEA's "active monitoring" requirement for test administrators. Some members were told they had to stand and circulate during the entire administration of the TAKS test. After contacting TEA, we were assured that districts were never told test administrators must stand during the entire TAKS administration. TEA has recommended to districts that test administrators remain task-free during the testing process (not reading, Internet surfing, etc.), and actively monitor the students to ensure testing procedures go smoothly. TEA’s main objective is to ensure that test administrators are actively engaged during the testing process.
If your district has imposed conditions beyond TEA’s requirements for TAKS administration or required teachers to forfeit their daily duty-free lunch and planning time in an amount or manner that constitutes a violation of law (explanations and summary of your rights), you may want to address the problems prior to the next tests. You can raise these issues with your campus administrator, either informally or through the grievance process.
Be aware that the timelines for filing grievances are very short; normally 15 calendar days or less, depending on local policies. There are solutions that can be suggested to your campus testing coordinator regarding duty-free lunch and planning and preparation time, such as using non-teaching personnel to monitor students during lunch. If you encounter work-related issues during TAKS testing, please contact our Legal Department at (888) 879-8282 to consult with an attorney and for further assistance if necessary.
Web posted: 02/22/07
