Rights and Responsibilities of Test Takers: Guidelines and Expectations
Preamble
The intent of this statement is to enumerate and clarify the expectations
that test takers may reasonably have about the testing process, and the
expectations that those who develop, administer, and use tests may have of
test takers. Tests are defined broadly here as psychological and educational
instruments developed and used by testing professionals in organizations
such as schools, industries, clinical practice, counseling settings and
human service and other agencies, including those assessment procedures and
devices that are used for making inferences about people in the above-named
settings. The purpose of the statement is to inform and to help educate not
only test takers, but also others involved in the testing enterprise so that
measurements may be most validly and appropriately used. This document is
intended as an effort to inspire improvements in the testing process and
does not have the force of law. Its orientation is to encourage positive and
high quality interactions between testing professionals and test takers.
The rights and responsibilities listed in this document are neither legally
based nor inalienable rights and responsibilities such as those listed in
the United States of America's Bill of Rights. Rather, they represent the
best judgments of testing professionals about the reasonable expectations
that those involved in the testing enterprise (test producers, test users,
and test takers) should have of each other. Testing professionals include
developers of assessment products and services, those who market and sell
them, persons who select them, test administrators and scorers, those who
interpret test results, and trained users of the information. Persons who
engage in each of these activities have significant responsibilities that
are described elsewhere, in documents such as those that follow (American
Association for Counseling and Development, 1988; American
Speech-Language-Hearing Association, 1994; Joint Committee on Testing
Practices, 1988; National Association of School Psychologists, 1992;
National Council on Measurement in Education, 1995).
In some circumstances, the test developer and the test user may not be the
same person, group of persons, or organization. In such situations, the
professionals involved in the testing should clarify, for the test taker as
well as for themselves, who is responsible for each aspect of the testing
process. For example, when an individual chooses to take a college
admissions test, at least three parties are involved in addition to the test
taker: the test developer and publisher, the individuals who administer the
test to the test taker, and the institutions of higher education who will
eventually use the information. In such cases a test taker may need to
request clarifications about their rights and responsibilities. When test
takers are young children (e.g., those taking standardized tests in the
schools) or are persons who spend some or all their time in institutions or
are incapacitated, parents or guardians may be granted some of the rights
and responsibilities, rather than, or in addition to, the individual.
Perhaps the most fundamental right test takers have is to be able to take
tests that meet high professional standards, such as those described in
Standards for Educational and Psychological Testing (American Educational
Research Association, American Psychological Association, & National Council
on Measurement in Education, 1999) as well as those of other appropriate
professional associations. This statement should be used as an adjunct, or
supplement, to those standards. State and federal laws, of course, supersede
any rights and responsibilities that are stated here.
References
American Association for Counseling and Development (now American
Counseling Association) & Association for Measurement and Evaluation in
Counseling and Development (now Association for Assessment in Counseling).
(1989). Responsibilities of users of standardized tests: RUST statement
revised. Alexandria, VA: Author.
American Educational Research Association, American Psychological
Association, & National Council on Measurement in Education. (1999).
Standards for educational and psychological testing. Washington, DC:
American Educational Research Association.
American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. (1994). Protection of
rights of people receiving audiology or speech-language pathology services.
ASHA (36), 60-63.
Joint Committee on Testing Practices. (1988). Code of fair testing
practices in education. Washington, DC: American Psychological
Association.
National Association of School Psychologists. (1992). Standards for the
provision of school psychological services. Author: Silver Springs, MD.
National Council on Measurement in Education. (1995). Code of
professional responsibilities in educational measurement. Washington,
DC: Author.
The Rights and Responsibilities of Test Takers:
Guidelines and Expectations
Test Taker Rights and Responsibilities Working Group
of the Joint Committee on Testing Practices
August, 1998
As a test taker, you have the right to:
- Be informed of your rights and responsibilities as a test taker.
- Be treated with courtesy, respect, and impartiality, regardless of
your age, disability, ethnicity, gender, national origin, religion, sexual
orientation or other personal characteristics.
- Be tested with measures that meet professional standards and that are
appropriate, given the manner in which the test results will be used.
- Receive a brief oral or written explanation prior to testing about the
purpose(s) for testing, the kind(s) of tests to be used, if the results
will be reported to you or to others, and the planned use(s) of the
results. If you have a disability, you have the right to inquire and
receive information about testing accommodations. If you have difficulty
in comprehending the language of the test, you have a right to know in
advance of testing whether any accommodations may be available to you.
- Know in advance of testing when the test will be administered, if and
when test results will be available to you, and if there is a fee for
testing services that you are expected to pay.
- Have your test administered and your test results interpreted by
appropriately trained individuals who follow professional codes of ethics.
- Know if a test is optional and learn of the consequences of taking or
not taking the test, fully completing the test, or canceling the scores.
You may need to ask questions to learn these consequences.
- Receive a written or oral explanation of your test results within a
reasonable amount of time after testing and in commonly understood terms.
- Have your test results kept confidential to the extent allowed by law.
- Present concerns about the testing process or your results and receive
information about procedures that will be used to address such concerns.
As a test taker, you have the responsibility to:
- Read and/or listen to your rights and responsibilities as a test
taker.
- Treat others with courtesy and respect during the testing process.
- Ask questions prior to testing if you are uncertain about why the test
is being given, how it will be given, what you will be asked to do, and
what will be done with the results.
- Read or listen to descriptive information in advance of testing and
listen carefully to all test instructions. You should inform an examiner
in advance of testing if you wish to receive a testing accommodation or if
you have a physical condition or illness that may interfere with your
performance on the test. If you have difficulty comprehending the language
of the test, it is your responsibility to inform an examiner.
- Know when and where the test will be given, pay for the test if
required, appear on time with any required materials, and be ready to be
tested.
- Follow the test instructions you are given and represent yourself
honestly during the testing.
- Be familiar with and accept the consequences of not taking the test,
should you choose not to take the test.
- Inform appropriate person(s), as specified to you by the organization
responsible for testing, if you believe that testing conditions affected
your results.
- Ask about the confidentiality of your test results, if this aspect
concerns you.
- Present concerns about the testing process or results in a timely,
respectful way, if you have any.
The Rights of Test Takers: Guidelines for Testing Professionals
Test takers have the rights described below. It is the responsibility of the
professionals involved in the testing process to ensure that test takers
receive these rights.
- Because test takers have the right to be informed of their rights and
responsibilities as test takers, it is normally the responsibility of the
individual who administers a test (or the organization that prepared the
test) to inform test takers of these rights and responsibilities.
- Because test takers have the right to be treated with courtesy,
respect, and impartiality, regardless of their age, disability, ethnicity,
gender, national origin, race, religion, sexual orientation, or other
personal characteristics, testing professionals should:
- Make test takers aware of any materials that are available to assist
them in test preparation. These materials should be clearly described
in test registration and/or test familiarization materials.
- See that test takers are provided with reasonable access to testing
services.
- Because test takers have the right to be tested with measures that
meet professional standards that are appropriate for the test use and the
test taker, given the manner in which the results will be used, testing
professionals should:
- Take steps to utilize measures that meet professional standards and
are reliable, relevant, useful given the intended purpose and are fair
for test takers from varying societal groups.
- Advise test takers that they are entitled to request reasonable
accommodations in test administration that are likely to increase the
validity of their test scores if they have a disability recognized under
the Americans with Disabilities Act or other relevant legislation.
- Because test takers have the right to be informed, prior to testing,
about the test's purposes, the nature of the test, whether test results
will be reported to the test takers, and the planned use of the results
(when not in conflict with the testing purposes), testing professionals
should:
- Give or provide test takers with access to a brief description about
the test purpose (e.g., diagnosis, placement, selection, etc.) and the
kind(s) of tests and formats that will be used (e.g., individual/group,
multiple-choice/free response/performance, timed/untimed, etc.), unless
such information might be detrimental to the objectives of the test.
- Tell test takers, prior to testing, about the planned use(s) of the
test results. Upon request, the test taker should be given information
about how long such test scores are typically kept on file and remain
available.
- Provide test takers, if requested, with information about any
preventative measures that have been instituted to safeguard the
accuracy of test scores. Such information would include any quality
control procedures that are employed and some of the steps taken to
prevent dishonesty in test performance.
- Inform test takers, in advance of the testing, about required
materials that must be brought to the test site (e.g., pencil, paper)
and about any rules that allow or prohibit use of other materials (e.g.,
calculators).
- Provide test takers, upon request, with general information about
the appropriateness of the test for its intended purpose, to the extent
that such information does not involve the release of proprietary
information. (For example, the test taker might be told, "Scores on this
test are useful in predicting how successful people will be in this kind
of work" or "Scores on this test, along with other information, help us
to determine if students are likely to benefit from this program.")
- Provide test takers, upon request, with information about
re-testing, including if it is possible to re-take the test or another
version of it, and if so, how often, how soon, and under what
conditions.
- Provide test takers, upon request, with information about how the
test will be scored and in what detail. On multiple-choice tests, this
information might include suggestions for test taking and about the use
of a correction for guessing. On tests scored using professional
judgment (e.g., essay tests or projective techniques), a general
description of the scoring procedures might be provided except when such
information is proprietary or would tend to influence test performance
inappropriately.
- Inform test takers about the type of feedback and interpretation
that is routinely provided, as well as what is available for a fee. Test
takers have the right to request and receive information regarding
whether or not they can obtain copies of their test answer sheets or
their test materials, if they can have their scores verified, and if
they may cancel their test results.
- Provide test takers, prior to testing, either in the written
instructions, in other written documents or orally, with answers to
questions that test takers may have about basic test administration
procedures.
- Inform test takers, prior to testing, if questions from test takers
will not be permitted during the testing process.
- Provide test takers with information about the use of computers,
calculators, or other equipment, if any, used in the testing and give
them an opportunity to practice using such equipment, unless its
unpracticed use is part of the test purpose, or practice would
compromise the validity of the results, and to provide a testing
accommodation for the use of such equipment, if needed.
- Inform test takers that, if they have a disability, they have the
right to request and receive accommodations or modifications in
accordance with the provisions of the Americans with Disabilities Act
and other relevant legislation.
- Provide test takers with information that will be of use in making
decisions if test takers have options regarding which tests, test forms
or test formats to take.
- Because that test takers have a right to be informed in advance when
the test will be administered, if and when test results will be available,
and if there is a fee for testing services that the test takers are
expected to pay, test professionals should:
- Notify test takers of the alteration in a timely manner if a
previously announced testing schedule changes, provide a reasonable
explanation for the change, and inform test takers of the new schedule.
If there is a change, reasonable alternatives to the original schedule
should be provided.
- Inform test takers prior to testing about any anticipated fee for
the testing process, as well as the fees associated with each component
of the process, if the components can be separated.
- Because test takers have the right to have their tests administered
and interpreted by appropriately trained individuals, testing
professionals should:
- Know how to select the appropriate test for the intended purposes.
- When testing persons with documented disabilities and other special
characteristics that require special testing conditions and/or
interpretation of results, have the skills and knowledge for such
testing and interpretation.
- Provide reasonable information regarding their qualifications, upon
request.
- Insure that test conditions, especially if unusual, do not unduly
interfere with test performance. Test conditions will normally be
similar to those used to standardize the test.
- Provide candidates with a reasonable amount of time to complete the
test, unless a test has a time limit.
- Take reasonable actions to safeguard against fraudulent actions
(e.g., cheating) that could place honest test takers at a disadvantage.
- Because test takers have the right to be informed about why they are
being asked to take particular tests, if a test is optional, and what the
consequences are should they choose not to complete the test, testing
professionals should:
- Normally only engage in testing activities with test takers after
the test takers have provided their informed consent to take a test,
except when testing without consent has been mandated by law or
governmental regulation, or when consent is implied by an action the
test takers have already taken (e.g., such as when applying for
employment and a personnel examination is mandated).
- Explain to test takers why they should consider taking voluntary
tests.
- Explain, if a test taker refuses to take or complete a voluntary
test, either orally or in writing, what the negative consequences may be
to them for their decision to do so.
- Promptly inform the test taker if a testing professional decides
that there is a need to deviate from the testing services to which the
test taker initially agreed (e.g., should the testing professional
believe it would be wise to administer an additional test or an
alternative test), and provide an explanation for the change.
- Because test takers have a right to receive a written or oral
explanation of their test results within a reasonable amount of time after
testing and in commonly understood terms, testing professionals should:
- Interpret test results in light of one or more additional
considerations (e.g., disability, language proficiency), if those
considerations are relevant to the purposes of the test and performance
on the test, and are in accordance with current laws.
- Provide, upon request, information to test takers about the sources
used in interpreting their test results, including technical manuals,
technical reports, norms, and a description of the comparison group, or
additional information about the test taker(s).
- Provide, upon request, recommendations to test takers about how they
could improve their performance on the test, should they choose or be
required to take the test again.
- Provide, upon request, information to test takers about their
options for obtaining a second interpretation of their results. Test
takers may select an appropriately trained professional to provide this
second opinion.
- Provide test takers with the criteria used to determine a passing
score, when individual test scores are reported and related to a
pass-fail standard.
- Inform test takers, upon request, how much their scores might
change, should they elect to take the test again. Such information would
include variation in test performance due to measurement error (e.g.,
the appropriate standard errors of measurement) and changes in
performance over time with or without intervention (e.g., additional
training or treatment).
- Communicate test results to test takers in an appropriate and
sensitive manner, without use of negative labels or comments likely to
inflame or stigmatize the test taker.
- Provide corrected test scores to test takers as rapidly as possible,
should an error occur in the processing or reporting of scores. The
length of time is often dictated by individuals responsible for
processing or reporting the scores, rather than the individuals
responsible for testing, should the two parties indeed differ.
- Correct any errors as rapidly as possible if there are errors in the
process of developing scores.
- Because test takers have the right to have the results of tests kept
confidential to the extent allowed by law, testing professionals should:
- Insure that records of test results (in paper or electronic form)
are safeguarded and maintained so that only individuals who have a
legitimate right to access them will be able to do so.
- Should provide test takers, upon request, with information regarding
who has a legitimate right to access their test results (when
individually identified) and in what form. Testing professionals should
respond appropriately to questions regarding the reasons why such
individuals may have access to test results and how they may use the
results.
- Advise test takers that they are entitled to limit access to their
results (when individually identified) to those persons or institutions,
and for those purposes, revealed to them prior to testing. Exceptions
may occur when test takers, or their guardians, consent to release the
test results to others or when testing professionals are authorized by
law to release test results.
- Keep confidential any requests for testing accommodations and the
documentation supporting the request.
- Because test takers have the right to present concerns about the
testing process and to receive information about procedures that will be
used to address such concerns, testing professionals should:
- Inform test takers how they can question the results of the testing
if they do not believe that the test was administered properly or scored
correctly, or other such concerns.
- Inform test takers of the procedures for appealing decisions that
they believe are based in whole or in part on erroneous test results.
- Inform test takers, if their test results are under investigation
and may be canceled, invalidated, or not released for normal use. In
such an event, that investigation should be performed in a timely
manner. The investigation should use all available information that
addresses the reason(s) for the investigation, and the test taker should
also be informed of the information that he/she may need to provide to
assist with the investigation.
- Inform the test taker, if that test taker's test results are
canceled or not released for normal use, why that action was taken. The
test taker is entitled to request and receive information on the types
of evidence and procedures that have been used to make that
determination.
The Responsibilities of Test Takers: Guidelines for Testing
Professionals
Testing Professionals should take steps to ensure that test takers know
that they have specific responsibilities in addition to their rights
described above.
- Testing professionals need to inform test takers that they should
listen to and/or read their rights and responsibilities as a test taker
and ask questions about issues they do not understand.
- Testing professionals should take steps, as appropriate, to ensure
that test takers know that they:
- Are responsible for their behavior throughout the entire testing
process.
- Should not interfere with the rights of others involved in the
testing process.
- Should not compromise the integrity of the test and its
interpretation in any manner.
- Testing professionals should remind test takers that it is their
responsibility to ask questions prior to testing if they are uncertain
about why the test is being given, how it will be given, what they will be
asked to do, and what will be done with the results. Testing professionals
should:
- Advise test takers that it is their responsibility to review
materials supplied by test publishers and others as part of the testing
process and to ask questions about areas that they feel they should
understand better prior to the start of testing.
- Inform test takers that it is their responsibility to request more
information if they are not satisfied with what they know about how
their test results will be used and what will be done with them.
- Testing professionals should inform test takers that it is their
responsibility to read descriptive material they receive in advance of a
test and to listen carefully to test instructions. Testing professionals
should inform test takers that it is their responsibility to inform an
examiner in advance of testing if they wish to receive a testing
accommodation or if they have a physical condition or illness that may
interfere with their performance. Testing professionals should inform test
takers that it is their responsibility to inform an examiner if they have
difficulty comprehending the language in which the test is given. Testing
professionals should:
- Inform test takers that, if they need special testing arrangements,
it is their responsibility to request appropriate accommodations and to
provide any requested documentation as far in advance of the testing
date as possible. Testing professionals should inform test takers about
the documentation needed to receive a requested testing accommodation.
- Inform test takers that, if they request but do not receive a
testing accommodation, they could request information about why their
request was denied.
- Testing professionals should inform test takers when and where the
test will be given, and whether payment for the testing is required.
Having been so informed, it is the responsibility of the test taker to
appear on time with any required materials, pay for testing services and
be ready to be tested. Testing professionals should:
- Inform test takers that they are responsible for familiarizing
themselves with the appropriate materials needed for testing and for
requesting information about these materials, if needed.
- Inform the test taker, if the testing situation requires that test
takers bring materials (e.g., personal identification, pencils,
calculators, etc.) to the testing site, of this responsibility to do so.
- Testing professionals should advise test takers, prior to testing,
that it is their responsibility to:
- Listen to and/or read the directions given to them.
- Follow instructions given by testing professionals.
- Complete the test as directed.
- Perform to the best of their ability if they want their score to be
a reflection of their best effort.
- Behave honestly (e.g., not cheating or assisting others who cheat).
- Testing professionals should inform test takers about the consequences
of not taking a test, should they choose not to take the test. Once so
informed, it is the responsibility of the test taker to accept such
consequences, and the testing professional should so inform the test
takers. If test takers have questions regarding these consequences, it is
their responsibility to ask questions of the testing professional, and the
testing professional should so inform the test takers.
- Testing professionals should inform test takers that it is their
responsibility to notify appropriate persons, as specified by the testing
organization, if they do not understand their results, or if they believe
that testing conditions affected the results. Testing professionals
should:
- Provide information to test takers, upon request, about appropriate
procedures for questioning or canceling their test scores or results, if
relevant to the purposes of testing.
- Provide to test takers, upon request, the procedures for reviewing,
re-testing, or canceling their scores or test results, if they believe
that testing conditions affected their results and if relevant to the
purposes of testing.
- Provide documentation to the test taker about known testing
conditions that might have affected the results of the testing, if
relevant to the purposes of testing.
- Testing professionals should advise test takers that it is their
responsibility to ask questions about the confidentiality of their test
results, if this aspect concerns them.
- Testing professionals should advise test takers that it is their
responsibility to present concerns about the testing process in a timely,
respectful manner.
Members of the JCTP Working Group on Test Taker Rights and
Responsibilities:
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