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Test Security

Contact Information

Katie Hahn

katie.hahn@education.ohio.gov
614-466-5018

Test Security

State law requires that districts and schools administering Ohio’s state-developed assessments follow strict guidelines to maintain test security, ensuring the accuracy of test results and the confidentiality of test items.

Violations of test security or other test irregularities can result in breach testing, corrective action against a staff member, and even licensure suspension.

Test Security Provisions and Procedures

The Test Security Provisions and Procedures document is a comprehensive guide to all things test security. This document includes several forms districts are required to complete in its appendices, as well as optional forms for documentation. They are available as fillable forms at the links below.

Note: Though the Department requires districts to complete the nondisclosure agreement, and suggests using the other agreement forms, the signed forms are not submitted to the Department. The district should keep them on file to be presented to the Department upon request.

Test Security Violations and Reporting

Test security violations are a specific type of test incident that compromises student test results and/or test items. A few examples of test security violations:

A student takes a photo of a test item for any reason.
A staff member or other adult takes a photo of a test item for any reason.
A test administrator fails to adequately monitor the testing environment (leaves the room unsupervised, works on other tasks, etc.).
A test administrator or other staff member coaches, hints, or otherwise purposely assists students in answering test items.
A test administrator or other staff member intentionally familiarizes themselves with test items.

Any time a test security violation occurs, it should be reported to the District Test Coordinator, who will contact the Office of Assessment by phone only. Test security violations should not be reported via email. The Office of Assessment then asks the district to investigate the incident and complete a report of its findings and corrective plan of action.

See the Test Security Provisions and Procedures for a more thorough list of possible violations and a step-by-step guide to the reporting process.

Other Resources

Test Security Training Resource on the test portal
Ohio Assessment Conference presentation on test security
Ohio Revised Code and Administrative Code applicable to state test security
- Ohio Revised Code 3319.151: Confidentiality for State Tests
- Ohio Administrative Code 3301-13-02: Administering State Tests
- Ohio Administrative Code 3301-13-05: Establishing Security and Security Investigation Provisions for Tests
- Ohio Administrative Code 3301-7-01: Standards for the Ethical Use of Tests

Last Modified: 8/24/2026 10:03:17 AM