This document describes the policies and procedures related to the confidentiality and security of pilot/field test submissions and candidate performance data for each phase of the assessment process:
- Pre-Submission of Assessment Materials for Scoring
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Transfer, Upload, and Storage of Assessment Materials
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Post-Submission and Scoring of Assessment Materials
This information applies to the handling of pilot/field test submissions and candidate data by the Evaluation Systems group of Pearson (referred to throughout as Evaluation Systems) and the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CTC).
The CTC owns all materials, including candidate submissions and data collected in relation to the pilot/field test.
Candidate use of video for the pilot/field test is restricted by the parameters of the release forms obtained for all individuals featured in a video. Because parents/guardians/families and/or adults have not typically granted permission for public use of the videos in which they or their minors appear, videos should NOT be displayed publicly (e.g., through personal websites, YouTube™, or Facebook™).
Information about submission status may be provided to the educator preparation program in which the candidate is enrolled. Educator preparation programs and candidates bear responsibility for reviewing teaching performance assessment requirements and ensuring candidates meet appropriate timelines established by their educator preparation programs, the pilot/field test, and the CTC.
Pre-Submission of Assessment Materials for Scoring
Prior to preparing a pilot/field test submission, candidates and faculty reviewers should review the following guidelines related to the creation, review, and handling of video recordings.
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Pilot/Field Test Candidate Guidelines for Confidentiality of Video Recordings (below)
- Pilot/Field Test Faculty Guidelines for Confidentiality of Video Recordings
These guidelines address the need to maintain confidentiality of video participants, and direct candidates to obtain appropriate permission from parents/guardians/families for students and also from adults who appear in video recordings. Candidates should use the consent forms used by their schools, districts, or programs. If a school, district, or program does not have a standard form in place, sample pilot/field test consent forms are provided for reference on this website. Candidates should consult with their programs for other specific information that may be required to include in the consent forms.
Authorized Access
Prior to submitting materials for scoring, candidates may request that support providers associated with their educator preparation program—including faculty, supervisors, cooperating teachers, mentor teachers, peers, and others who may offer assistance (e.g., tutor—provide feedback on their pilot/field test materials (including video recordings). These support providers are required to abide by the Pilot/Field Test Faculty Guidelines for Confidentiality of Candidate Video Recordings and the Pilot/Field Test Acceptable Support document which prohibit the sharing, copying, or posting of candidate assessment materials, including video recordings, in any public way.
If a candidate wants to retain a copy of submitted materials and share with support providers based on appropriate permissions, the files should be saved outside the pilot/field test site prior to submission. Once pilot/field test materials are uploaded and submitted for scoring, they cannot be returned to candidates or educator preparation programs.
Attestations
When candidates are ready to submit their pilot/field test assessment materials to Evaluation Systems for scoring, they are presented with candidate attestations, which include requiring confirmation that they have obtained the necessary permission from all individuals featured in video recordings and that they have not posted and will not post video recordings in any location other than the designated pilot/field test site. Candidates must keep their pilot/field test video recordings under secure conditions and share with support providers only when appropriate permissions are granted.
Transfer, Upload, and Storage of Assessment Materials
Candidate assessment materials, including video recordings, are uploaded by the candidate directly into the designated pilot/field test site. Transmission of assessment materials via these methods is protected using industry standard encryption practices.
Once materials have been uploaded directly into the pilot/field test site, they must be reviewed and verified by the candidate before they are submitted.
Storage
Assessment materials are stored by Evaluation Systems in secure repositories and areas accessible only to authorized users via unique, secure login credentials for specific actions and for limited periods of time.
Access
By using industry-standard security software (encrypted protocols and encrypted and expiring tokens), the system ensures that access to view the stored assessment materials, including video files, is granted only to authorized users.
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Authorized Evaluation Systems users may include assessors, assessor supervisors, assessor trainers, assessor support personnel, and personnel required to conduct quality control.
- Authorized CTC personnel associated with assessment development may view candidates' pilot/field test materials for the purposes of selecting assessor training materials and monitoring assessor training, calibration, and scoring activities.
Post-Submission and Scoring
Access
Following scoring, access to view assessment materials, including video files, is granted only to the following authorized users:
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Authorized Evaluation Systems users may include assessors, assessor supervisors, assessor trainers, assessor support personnel, and personnel required to conduct quality control, or individuals required to conduct an investigation associated with compliance with the Pilot/Field Test Rules of Participation, as needed.
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Authorized CTC personnel associated with assessment development may view candidates' pilot/field test materials for the purposes of selecting assessor training materials and monitoring assessor training, calibration, and scoring activities.
- Authorized individuals at the educator preparation program in which a candidate is enrolled and/or the CTC, may be provided access to submission materials (or a portion thereof) as part of an investigation associated with compliance with the Pilot/Field Test Rules of Participation, as needed.
Authorized assessors access candidate assessment materials, including video recordings, through Evaluation Systems' password-protected secure scoring system. Candidate assessment materials are available only for the period in which scoring occurs. Assessors' access to the Evaluation Systems scoring system is disabled after the assessor's reviews are completed.
Access to Pilot/Field Test Data
Pilot/field test results will be reported to the candidate, to the preparation program in which the candidate is enrolled, and to the CTC.
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Candidates will be informed of their status in meeting the CTC-approved passing standard for the pilot/field test and their progress toward meeting the overall assessment requirement.
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The CalTPA Coordinator for a CTC-approved preparation program will have secure access to candidate-level pilot/field test performance data (the status of each participating candidate in meeting the CTC-approved passing standard for the pilot/field test) and aggregate-level pilot/field test data for the candidates associated with that program.
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The CTC will have access to all performance data, by candidate, by educator preparation program, and across all pilot/field test submissions.
Other Uses of Candidate Materials
- Pilot/field test submission materials without candidate or other identifying information may be used for assessment development and implementation, including assessor training and calibration.
Retention and Destruction
The standard retention for pilot/field test submissions, including videos, is 15 years, after which submission materials will be destroyed. There may be exceptions to the standard retention period for extenuating circumstances, such as use for training purposes.
After the retention period, pilot/field test submissions, including videos, are disposed of through a set of automated processes that identify and physically delete the artifacts from their repository locations. These processes are executed on a regular, periodic basis and render the artifacts inaccessible and irretrievable.
Pilot/field test performance results and associated identifying information will be retained indefinitely.