Georgia Professional Standards Commission Educator Ethics Conducting Effective Testing Investigations.
Post on 18-Dec-2015
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Review your local policies to assure that they are in compliance with the law, DOE Rules and the Code
of Ethics for Georgia Educators.
• Determine whether the conduct described is a violation of procedure or cheating.
Complaint
Most procedure issues can be handled at the local level – Cheating must be reported to the PSC.
Different accounts of what happened do not necessarily
mean the person being questioned is being dishonest.
You remember what you see and you remember what you
perceived.
• School Test Coordinator
Who should be notified?
• Principal
• System Test Coordinator
• Superintendent
• DOE
Immediate Actions Required
• Secure Physical Evidence (Check the Trash Can and Personal Space of the Teacher)
• Document What Happened (What did you find; Where did you find it?)
Documenting the Incident• Incident Type• Location of Incident • Date/Time of Incident
• Reported By• Report Received By
• Participants• Witnesses• What Happened?• Evidence Collected
Incident Type (Theft, Assault, Alcohol, etc.)
Date/Time of Incident Date/Time Reported Reported To Investigator
Participants (Name, Home/Work Addresses, Contact Information)
Perpetrator(s): Victim(s):
Description of the incident (What Happened?)
List of Evidence Collected
Reported to DispositionDFCS? Yes NoLaw Enforcement? Yes NoPSC? Yes No
Certification Information (Name, Certificate #, Position held)
Incident Report
Complainant (Name, Home/Work Addresses, Contact Information)
Witnesses (Name, Home/Work Addresses, Contact Information - Use back of sheet if additional space is needed)
Location of IncidentDocument the Incident
Decide what information you will need and create a report format to assist you in documenting the investigation. It is easy to forget something if you don’t have a good report form.
This form is available at www.GAPSC.org. for download and use. Contact your HR Director if you want a copy.
NotesTest Documents
Answer DocumentsCopies
Cell PhonesErasures
Anything that may have comprised the test
Collect Evidence
Document What Happened
Identify Witnesses (Students & Adults) Take Pictures
Record Dates and TimesCite What Procedure(s) was Violated
Verify that Training was ProvidedIdentify the Test (CRCT, EOCT, ITBS, etc.)
Note Teacher’s ReactionNote what Action You took
Plan the Investigation Who should be interviewed?
(Examiners, Proctors, Test Takers, Test Coordinators, Administrators, Anyone else that had access or responsibility for the test.)
What information is expected from each witness?
Plan the Investigation
What other agencies should be involved - DOE?
What independent actions should the school system take immediately?
• Use a Private Location.• Record the Interview. • Interview Everyone Individually.
• Interview the Witnesses First.
• Don’t Interrupt.• Allow Time to Respond.• Don’t Promise Anything.• Don’t Voice Opinions.• Don’t Be Accusatory• Use Reflective Listening• Thank the Person Interviewed
General Hints About Interviewing
Interview
Avoid Leading Questions Do you remember X?
Avoid Yes or No Questions.
Avoid Negative Wording You don’t remember X, do you?
Ask: Tell me what you remember.
Rephrase and repeat : “Is there any other information that you can remember that would be helpful in determining what
happened?”
Interviewing the Accused
When interviewing the accused educator:
• Inform her/him of the allegations.• Be open, concerned and non-
judgmental. • Gather facts and do not make
judgments.• Ask for the educator’s account of the
situation.• Ask if there are other witnesses you
should contact.
Questioning Children
• Avoid questions with Yes or No answers.
• If you don’t understand what they’re trying to tell you, ask them to re-state what they said in different words.
• Allow the child to move around, fiddle or whatever - it allows the child feel they have some control.
• Listen and observe nonverbal expressions.
• Written expressions are more effective with adolescents.
$ Observe the body language of the person being interviewed.
$ Be aware of your body language (tone of voice, gestures and facial expressions.)
During the Interview
1. Document what you observed 2. Transcribe your Tape and Notes 3. Have the Transcript Signed 4. Obtain a Written Statement 5. Keep Notes in a Separate File 6. Complete the Record
After the Interview
Employment Issues involving competence,
insubordination, medical problems,
physical health, emotional or mental health,
and local policy should be handled at the local level.
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